#real estate courses online with certificates

[newhomecobroker]

Advancing Your Real Estate Career: Necessary Instruction and Mentoring

Constant learning and growth are very crucial in the ever-changing market of the real estate industry. Irrespective of the experience held or if you are looking for a chance to improve your abilities for the same, learning can be the easiest way to stay updated with all the changes and keep the career path in the fast track mode, resulting in overall growth in the sector.

Visit- https://medium.com/@newhomecobrokeracademyllc/advancing-your-real-estate-career-necessary-instruction-and-mentoring-28c999403bf2

[aafmindia]

Open New Doors of Finance Careers with Key Professional Finance Courses of AAFM India

Introduction:

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AAFM India: The Road to Financial Career Success For Everyone.

AAFM India is an esteemed affiliate member of the prestigious American Academy of Financial Management, and aims at the bullseye to set globally accepted finance education standards for finance professionals in India. AAFM India's financial courses are available in countless countries and have built a reliable reputation as the most preferred educational institute of today to obtain world-class finance education with high precision for people seeking quality education in the finance industry. There are all kinds of financial courses at AAFM India for all education needs of modern students which include financial planning courses, CFP Course (Certified Financial Planner), short-term courses in finance and a range of professional courses in finance, helping present students to grow swiftly and effectively in the field of finance job industry.

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Short-Term Courses in Finance by AAFM India:

For students who have a true deep desire to upgrade their finance knowledge, AAFM India offers a range of professional short-term courses in the field of finance, which not only provide a complete and wide understanding of finance education and guidelines but also cover all the important finance topics in depth with practical applications. If you are a fresh graduate or an experienced financial professional, who wants to reach a higher position or a rewarding career in finance and work with the top companies on a global scale, our short-term courses in finance provide the needed expertise and knowledge to make sure your dream job in financial field chases you till success.

Major benefits of AAFM India Professional Courses In Finance:

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AAFM India’s professional courses in finance offer students the choice of receiving specialized and desired financial education they need to obtain expertise across different areas of finance. In that way, they can stand out among their peers.

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Conclusion: Get Certified With AAFM India For A Swiftly Successful Finance Career

AAFM India is more than just a reliable companion for sailing the student boats of a financial career to the shore of success and achieving superior financial freedom. The unique range of professional finance courses and detailed emphasis on superior quality and excellence in financial education make AAFM India the best destination to receive a globally recognized certification to achieve all career objectives and open new doors of rewarding opportunities for finance professionals or students of India in the national or international finance sector. If you are a novice, amateur or professional in the field of finance, AAFM India has the best resources to provide you with all the necessary and mandatory knowledge as well as tools, professional mentoring and expert learning assistance that you need to succeed at every step of your ambitious financial career. Earn your value by becoming certified in the financial job market and becoming irreplaceable in the evolving financial world of the global society.

[harshit315]

Real Estate Training Online: Mastering Success from Anywhere

Embark on a journey to success in the real estate industry with our online training courses. Our comprehensive program covers all aspects of real estate, from market analysis to negotiation strategies. With real estate training online, you can learn at your own pace, anytime and anywhere. Gain valuable insights, hone your skills, and earn accredited certification to stand out in the competitive market. Take the first step towards a rewarding career in real estate today.

[asaraviapt]

[EN] Video Game Writing Resources!

Hello! My name is Andrea--I have been writing for games since 2018, and even worked as a writer at Firaxis Games from 2022 until April of 2023. So, I knew a few things about narrative design--but what the fuck is it? Recently, I gave a talk about the fundamentals and history of the field of narrative design. In Spanish. So, let's talk about it in English--the "what," "why," "how," "when," and "who," of narrative design! What is narrative design? Narrative design is not just writing--it's a huge part of it, but designing a narrative system involves implementing narrative content into the build of the game. So there is a technical learning curve to it. Personally, I watched and obtained certifications in Unreal Engine 5 and Unity in order to be aware of the limitations of each engine. I used the free trial of LinkedIn Learning, but courses about this engine are available in these websites: - https://platzi.com/ - https://www.arkde.com/ - https://www.domestika.org/?query=unity - https://www.coursera.org/ Why do we need narrative design? In order to create an interactive story that the player feels a part of, narrative designers are mandatory. It's not a responsibility that can be placed on other designers (then we would be entering crunch territory) rather someone who specifically specializes in both creative writing and game design is needed to explain within the context of the game's story why the mechanics work in a certain way. Imagine if a Telltale game did not have dialogue, for example--what would we be left with? Or if The Last Of Us did not convey a narrative through its environments.

Narrative designers are needed so that all of the departments are in sync and understand the story that they are trying to tell. For example, if a game takes place in a haunted house that was abandoned, we need all hands on deck. The narrative designer can explain to the environment artists why there are so many holes in the living room--perhaps the last tenants of the house were a rowdy bunch. Or, they can tell the sound designers which planks of wood are the most rotten and need a loud sound effect to highlight how it has been abandoned. How do I become a narrative designer? There is no one way to become a narrative designer. Some people start in QA and transition into the field, I have also witnessed engineers and doctors wanting to get into narrative design. I do recommend having the following (at least): - A passion for storytelling. - Deep understanding of the mechanics of the game and the player experience. - Communication skills are incredibly important--can you describe your story in a concise way to your peers in a Confluence page?

Documentation skills are also a massive plus.

Very basic understanding of game engines and limitations. You don't have to be a computer science major, but know what your requests will entail. If you have an idea of a cutscene, can the engine handle it? Will the animators have enough time? Is it within scope?

If you can, attend game jams! They are an amazing way to network with amazing people and get a feel of what the game production pipeline is like.

Additionally, I highly recommend the following resources: First, the free resources! ~It's free real estate~

Look up Twinery tutorials. (https://twinery.org/) Not only is it free, but you can use it on your browser. More importantly, you will learn about branching narratives and can create your own games within a few minutes--the interface, though it requires a bit of coding, is incredibly easy to use and there are a lot of tutorials available online.

Download Ren'Py (https://www.renpy.org/) and watch tutorials. It's free, and there is a huge community of visual novel developers who may need help with narrative designers, writers, editors and even translators. An amazing resource that a colleague shared was this Discord with visual novel developers--if you have an idea, feel free to connect with artists and voice actors here! https://discord.gg/nW5yn4FE

Network, network, network! Follow narrative design and game writer groups on Discord, Facebook and even LinkedIn. -- An amazing convention that is online, free and accessible regarding narrative design is LudoNarraCon.

If you go to itch.io you will see a list of game jams that you can attend to for free! Some game jams that I have attended and had a positive experience are the following: - Woman Game Jam. I encourage folks from marginalized genders to attend this game jam, as we have a large pool of mentors willing to help in every single discipline at any time due to the global nature of it. It is a safe and inclusive space for women and nonbinary folx who want to get into the gaming industry! - Global Game Jam. Self explanatory, it has some in-person opportunities but you can also attend remotely. - Greenlight Jam. Do you have an idea that can not be done in only 48 hours? The Greenlight Jam is amazing, as it lasts four weeks--which allows narrative designers to develop complex narrative systems and even record voice lines for a more complex project. Side Note: Even though most game jams have a time limit, I do encourage narrative designers to develop and polish the prototypes and levels created during game jams to have portfolios and writing samples that stand out!

Work With Indies is a job site that publishes job opportunities--including ones in writing and narrative design. Additionally, their Discord has some networking events with writers so you can connect with them.

Other websites that not only publish jobs but include networking events are Hitmarker.net (this is their Discord), IndieGameAcademy (link to Discord),

Newsletters! A lot of experienced game writers have newsletters dedicated to the craft, to name a few that I highly recommend: -- Greg Buchanan's newsletter. Rounds up game writing news every Tuesday, and includes job opportunities. -- Bright Whitney's newsletter. A studio founder with amazing insights regarding game design and thoughtful narrative, Whitney's threads are extremely insightful. -- Susan O'Connor's blog on The Narrative Department. In addition to providing free knowledge regarding world building, narrative design, game writing and other specifics of the craft Susan interviews industry professionals and alumni who offer testimonials that have amazing advice. -- GDC talks about narrative design. Though I recommend the GDC vault as well in the next section, I highly recommend the GDC talks regarding not only narrative design but the development of your favorite titles!

Now, for resources that may not be free--but I highly recommend, as someone who used them first hand. - The Narrative Department. This post is not sponsored by them at all, however it is rare to find an instructor as kind and hard-working as Susan O'Connor who has been a narrative designer in historic AAA, AA and independent titles. Known for her contributions in Tomb Raider, Batman: The Enemy Within, and BioShock to name a few (imdb is: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1897248/) her Game Writing Masterclass offers a certification in everything related to game writing. A few subjects she touches on are: -- Characters and how to make them compelling. -- Barks and ambience writing. -- Dialogue, backstories and scripts. -- How to work with other departments. And more! Additionally, you would obtain access to a huge alumni network full of game writing professionals working in independent, AA and AAA studios! Not to mention that all of the assignments completed in the class will look amazing in a portfolio as game writing samples. - GDC Vault. Though I have an opinion on the price tag of GDC tickets and the vault, I would definitely include it as it has resources from several studios, writers, narrative designers and more! When was narrative design formed? When can I become a narrative designer?

That's a wonderful question. Narrative design, as a term, was first used around the 90s but became more established between the 2000s and 2010s. So, although the field is relatively new, and there are not a lot educational resources available, consider yourself part of an innovative field that is exponentially growing! Recently, a game developer asked when was the best time to keep an eye out for job openings. And a harsh truth about the gaming industry is that it is extremely volatile--layoffs, downsizings and startups rise and fall. This is not meant to deter anyone from pursuing a career in narrative design, but rather I am including it for the sake of transparency. We cannot predict when a studio is going to layoff their employees, or when they cancel unannounced projects. Unlike most industries where we know for a fact that recruiters keep a sharp eye for candidates in Q1 and Q3, a piece of advice I received from a mentor of mine was to try to predict when projects are going to need more stories. There's the release of a game, and then there is the addition of additional narrative content--and for this, they will more than likely need associate/entry/junior level narrative designers, writers and quest designers. But--this is related to searching for a job as a narrative designer, and I can write a novel about that (and will edit this article to redirect folx into it.) So, keep an eye out for huge game announcements. Then, cater your resume to what the studio is looking for in a narrative designer. Now, to finish off this article: Who is a narrative designer? If you have a passion for storytelling and games, and have participated in game jams, congratulations you are a wonderful narrative designer! Make sure you always include that you are a narrative designer, and not an aspiring narrative designer--it makes you stand out amongst applicants. That's all I have for now--feel free to interact, comment and share! Let me know if I missed something and I will be sure to add it.

[boxoftheskyking]

So you might want to buy a house

DISCLAIMER: all of this is based on my own experience, and I am in no way a real estate professional. This is just some stuff that I’ve learned and some steps that I wish I’d known more about in advance, in hopes that it might be helpful for some people. I might get some terminology wrong, or make mistakes, but hopefully the general info is at least kind of helpful

ABOUT ME: because real estate stuff is specific. I am 33, single, employed, and live in a city in Minnesota, USA. This is my first home purchase, so most of this is specific to being a first-time buyer. I’ve been renting in this area for 15 years. I closed on my house in August 2023.

NOTE: The real estate market is super weird, and varies hugely from region to region, neighborhood to neighborhood, and week to week. What shook out for me will not be what shakes out for you.

This is SO LONG, so it’s under a cut, and I hope you will take it with the good faith in was intended!

Where do I start?

So you want to get started but want to talk things over first. This is a good idea! Even if you have friends and family who have bought before, it’s nice to talk to official type people where you can ask any and every question and know they’ve heard way dumber questions than you could ever come up with over the course of their career.

Employee Assistance Program -If you work a job that has benefits, you might have what’s called an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Some companies get it along with their health insurance as kind of a bundle, but a lot of people don’t talk about it or know about it. -EAPs are all different, they’re basically a resource hub that you might have access to if your employer covers it. Some things they offer are limited therapy/counseling sessions (usually around a specific need like a breakup/death/life transition), consultation about adoption, personal financial advising, and consultation on housing and buying property. -I used my EAP to find a bunch of organizations that work to support first-time home buyers. The one I went with, NeighborWorks Home Partners, is specific to my area, but there were other options listed. -I didn’t actually talk to anyone related to the EAP, I just logged in to a site that had a bunch of links. But I could have talked to someone if I wanted -If you work a job and have benefits like health insurance, retirement, dental, etc it’s worth asking whoever does your benefits (and HR person, general manager, office manager, etc) if there is an EAP. Again, a lot of people don’t really talk about it.

Homebuyer Education -There’s a bunch of different organizations that provide homebuyer education. I didn’t know many of the details about homebuying, and it’s super confusing and anxiety-inducing, so I found it helpful -There’s a few ways to do this—I did both a one-on-one consultation and an online class -The one-on-one consultation was free from the org I chose. We talked on Zoom and went over monthly budgets (which I didn’t really need to do, I make budgets for a living lolllll), a soft credit pull (will talk more about this below) and talk about what goes into a credit score, and all the different expenses that go into a house and what that might look like. At the end of the day, it gave me the first sense of what my budget for a house might be.  -They did a soft credit pull (see below), which gave me a sense of my credit. It was more accurate than a thing like Credit Karma or my bank. -One note about the consultation - my down payment assistance program (will talk more about this later) required me to redo it, because I did it over a year before closing. So depending on your programs you might need to pay attention to the timeline. I also got a certificate saying I did it that I submitted to my assistance program. (Redoing it meant like a 10 minute call where the guy just helped talk me through my closing documents) -It cost me $75 to take an online class that took a few hours. It was in 8 parts and included watching some videos, reading some short articles, and then taking quizzes. You had to get 80% right to pass, and you can redo it if you need to. It went over most of the things to know and had links to read more. I also got a certificate for that to submit, and it didn’t matter how much time had passed for my assistance program. 

Credit -I’m not going to explain everything about credit, because it is complicated -A soft credit pull is when they check the three major credit reporting agencies to get a general sense of your score. It’s not 100% accurate. -A hard credit pull is what lenders will do when you actually go in for a preapproval (more below). It will be the most accurate. A hard credit pull will have an affect on your credit score, so if you’re ever doing something that involves a hard credit pull, it’s best to do all of that within a month so that it only really hits once. -There are 3 credit reporting agencies, and your score will be different from each one. Why? no idea. They all have a different maximum number that your score can be. Why? again, no idea. It’s around 850 though. -Generally things get easier to do if your score is above 680ish. It’s not like you can’t get a house with a lower score, but sometimes there are other hoops to jump through. -I’m not very useful when it comes to buying a house with low credit, but I bet there are people who are!  -You build credit by owing money and paying it regularly. It’s annoying and dumb, but it’s the way it is. Paying rent on time builds your credit, having a credit card that you pay off every month builds credit, paying utility bills that are in your name builds credit. (Note: This stuff has to be in your name for it to count, so if you pay your roommate every month for the electric bill and it’s in their name, it won’t count. So if you’re in that situation, you may want to put something in your name like a card to build your score). Paying off a car or phone or student loan also helps. -I have really good credit, and I’m neither rich nor special. I just set everything to autopay, including my credit card bill. I use my credit card for most things that I just shop for in the world like groceries, etc, and then I have all my bills autopay from my checking account. How did people do this shit before autopay? I have no idea.

Mortgage vs. Rent -The benefit of paying a mortgage vs rent is that you’re building equity if you pay into a mortgage. This is a surprise tool that will help you later. Which means that if you are in a situation where you need money, you can borrow from what you’ve paid into your mortgage. So like if you get very sick or have a kid going to school or want to throw a big party, you could get a loan based on your equity -Equity is confusing, don’t ask me about it -For me, I pay a bit more per month than I did in rent at my last place. BUT mostly that’s because I’d been living in the same place for many years and my rent hadn’t gone up that much. One of the first things I did when considering buying is look at how much it would cost to rent a house like the kind I would want to buy. And those rents are over what I ended up paying monthly to my mortgage. -Keep in mind that you will be taking on some extra expenses that you don’t have as a renter (like maintenance, repairs, etc). Note: if you’re buying a condo, that’s different. I don’t know shit about that. -So for me, paying my landlord every month for him to occasionally (half-assedly) fix stuff (on his schedule, where he decides who to hire or how to do the work, where he is a stranger in my space for the duration) was not as appealing as me paying the bank every month so I can have some equity  -The first 6 months of owning a house feels like hemorrhaging money out of every orifice, but the majority of these expenses are one-time or rarely-reoccurring things. But I didn’t quite prepare for this the way I wish I had, so when you’re thinking about building your savings to buy a house, you’ll want to consider things like furniture, small repairs, pest control, duct cleaning, gutter cleaning, many many visits to a hardware store, realizing some of your stuff doesn’t fit the way it did in the old place and you have to get new things.... etc. 

The Money Stuff

Lenders -It might be appealing to start by looking at properties, but especially in a hot market that’s not what you want to do first -The first thing to do is to look at lenders! Lenders are basically the institutions that give you the loan to buy your house, and the ones you will be paying monthly for the 30 years of your loan (or until you sell) (or die I guess) -I talked to like 13 lenders, because I love an excuse not to move forward on scary things, so I just do research and research and research until I run out of steam. So i don’t necessarily recommend doing that. But you definitely want to talk to at least a few. -Lenders can be banks (like Bank of American, US Bank, Wells Fargo, etc), credit unions (like Affinity, RCU, etc), or smaller mortgage companies. -You can also talk to mortgage brokers, which are companies that have agreements with different banks or companies and can shop around on your behalf. -I got my list of people to talk to from: my consultation (above), friends who had bought/were buying, friends who like their bank/credit unions for other things -You’ll have a specific person you’re working with, so who that person is matters. -Things you’ll want to ask about 1. How is their communication? How big is your team? If you see a house on a Saturday and they need offers by Sunday afternoon, how likely is it that they will get your preapproval letter ready in time?  2. Are they good at explaining things to you? Do they work with first-time homebuyers a lot? Do you feel dumb talking to them? Are they mortgage nerds and genuinely seem like they care about finding you good deals and cool programs? 3. What are their interest rates at the moment? Know that this will change between now and the time you have the option to lock in, so don’t put too too much weight on this 4. Most importantly: What assistance programs do they have access to? Everyone has different ones, which we’ll talk about below. Don’t assume that because a bank is huge that they have a ton of assistance. Some small places have really great programs. Likewise, some of the banks that are more well-known for big ticket mortgages (like Jumbo loans for mansions, etc) actually have crazy good programs for low-income and first-time home buyers, because they need to show that they also work for the little guy -I ended up going with a small local mortgage company because they had a kickass program ($10,000 in down payment assistance that is forgivable in 5 years. So as long as I don’t sell my house in 5 years, I don’t have to pay that back). -You may be tempted to solely base your decision on who to get a mortgage from on the politics of the lending institution. This is a lovely instinct. HOWEVER, your mortgage can be sold to anyone at any time. Within a month of moving in, my mortgage was sold to Freddie Mac. I still pay the credit union that is the servicer of my loan, but it all goes back to the big guy in the end. So basically you have no control of where your money ends up. (or maybe you do somehow, ask someone else about that) -At the end of the day, you should apply to like 2-4 different lenders. Once you fill out your application, they’ll do a hard credit pull and look at all your income, bank accounts, etc, and they’ll pre-approve you for a certain amount of money. -This is really where you’ll get your house-hunting budget. There can be a pretty big range in what you’re approved for! One lender approved me for $220K (”maybe $225K” they said). Another approved me for $280K. You’ll want to pick a lender based on all the above information, along with the amount you’re approved for. Being approved for $280K doesn’t mean that’s what you should spend (you can, but I don’t recommend it), but it does mean that your budget can be more like $250K, compared for $225K. You’ll want to look around at your area to see what’s reasonable for you.

Downpayment Assistance -for a lot of first-time buyers, the downpayment (and closing costs) is the thing that’s standing between you and being a homeowner. So that’s what a lot of organizations focus on -The more you put down (i.e. pay right off the bat), the lower your loan will be, and therefore the less your monthly payment will be. So it’s worth it to try and pay down as much as possible -(Likewise, if you buy and house and then get a windfall and are like What do I do with all this cash, paying down your mortgage will save you money) -This is because you pay MORE in interest than you pay for your house, so the less your loan is, the less you’re paying in interest. If you find a way to pay off your loan early, you end up paying less interest! And you win against the bank! If you get a raise and are able to put even like an extra $100 towards your mortgage each month, that can cut years off your loan and build your equity more quickly, thereby cutting down on the interest you end up paying. So unlike paying more money to a landlord who will eat it with a spoon, maybe more in your mortgage early is helpful for you. -Lots of downpayment assistance (hereinafter DPA) is stackable! So you can qualify for multiple programs and use them all -Many have an income requirement (for one of mine, I need to make 80% of the median income in my area or less). -Many are location specific. Some of those you can look up in advance and try to focus on properties in those areas. Some are super super specific, like this block only, or these specific addresses. That’s true for one of my programs—whenever I was considering making an offer on a house, I’d email my lender and she’d tell me if that specific address counts for the assistance program -At the end of the day, I got $30K in assistance. $10K of that is forgivable in 5 years (so I don’t have to pay it back unless I sell in that time). The other $20K is from two separate no-interest loans. This means that if I sell the house, I have to pay back that amount. Ideally by that time I’ll have enough equity in my house that will cover that. -Interest rates are super high right now, so if you’re buying now you want to think about refinancing. Refinancing is basically when you negotiate a new deal with your lender. There are fees and things (I’ve never done it so IDK), but the benefit of doing that is getting a lower interest rate. So my rate is 6.25%, and in 5 years if the rate goes down to like 2.3% I may want to refinance so I’ll be paying less in interest over the course of my loan. -If you’re getting DPA that’s a loan, you will want to ask what happens when you refinance. They’ll probably tell you either you have to pay it back when you refinance (so don’t get stuck in that situation if you don’t have that $$$ on hand) or they’ll say it’ll be subordinated -this took me like weeks to get a straight answer on wtf is subordination. Basically, you pay your loans off in order, right, so you pay your mortgage and then after that you pay off your DPA loans. So if you refinance, then your mortgage ends up being “newer” I guess. So in order to put the mortgage back “on top” of the pile to pay off, so to speak, you pay that (and it’s interest) first, the DPA loans get shoved down underneath the mortgage on the list. 

Interest Rates -You can’t control interest rates. Honestly markets are so volatile and the world is so close to ending, I would say it’s not worth waiting for them to go down. Maybe they will, maybe they won’t. No one fuckin knows -So many global, political, circumstantial things affect these, and who knows what might happen. My friends happened to be closing during the time the debt ceiling almost freaked out, which was outside of their control, so they got screwed with a super high rate.  -After you get an offer accepted and you’re working on setting up your loan, you’ll usually get the offer to “lock in” an interest rate. Basically, if you have reason to believe rates will go down before you close, don’t do it. if you think they’ll go up, then do it. Who fuckin knows. I did it bc I didn’t think it was likely stuff would go down. And I haven’t looked it up bc if they did I don’t want to know -There are more complicated things you can do with interest rates, like “floating down” and APRs and other shit. Don’t ask me about them, I do not know.

Looking for houses

Realtors -Who your realtor is MATTERS y’all. Here is what a realtor will do: 1. Give you access to a Super Awesome online listing of properties (much better than Zillow! Updates constantly). They will set your search filters based on what you specifically want and your specific budget. That includes size, amenities, location, school district, garage, yard, etc etc 2. Arrange showings for you. Sometimes you might want to go to open houses, but you don’t have to wait for those to see a house. You tell your realtor what you’re interested in and they can set up a time for just you and them to see the place 3. Access houses with funky lil lockboxes. Heist teams should include realtors—I’ve seen my guy get into the weirdest of devices in no time 4. Recommend places to you 5. Talk on your behalf with the seller’s agents or the sellers themselves 6. Take you all the way through your offers, acceptance, all the way to closing (basically, most of the rest of this post) -I am really lucky that a friend of mine is one of the best realtors in town (in my humble opinon). It really worked out for me, because when it came to negotiating price and terms with sellers and their agents, people already respected him and his expertise because he was a known fixture in the field. I’m not saying that an early-career or unknown realtor is bad, but reputation can do a lot of heavy lifting for you (as you’ll see later) -My realtor, S, is not only a friend, but also someone who has owned, rented, built, remodeled, bought, and sold everything from high rise condos to alpaca farms to tiny houses built in shipping containers. That experience was super useful to me for a few reasons: 1. He was very very good at looking at a roof, foundation, or basement, and saying “absolutely not, this is a mess” —I could only rarely see what he was talking about because I know nothing 2. If I looked at a space and said “what if I wanted to add a shower there?” or “could I make this basement area a bedroom?” S was able to pretty accurately estimate what that would cost. So that became part of the math as we looked at places, which was really useful and saved me so much time doing research on my own 3. He’s a queer artist who grew up in a nontraditional family and has lived many fascinating and non-standard lives. I only mention this because when I wanted to talk about my future and what my home could look like, I didn’t have to worry about S making assumptions about what “family” consists of or what my “role” would be. And as a single woman who is looking to adopt, that really meant a lot to me! -(side note if you’re in the Twin Cities and want S’s info, hit me up) -The most important thing about working with S, for me, is that he never made me feel foolish. I gradually got really good at talking about and looking at houses, but even when I asked questions that were obviously, or made incorrect assumptions, he never treated me like I should have known the answers, or like the process was supposed to be easy. And the guy genuinely loves houses!

What to Look For -You’ll want to find a house that fits what you want your life to be, not necessarily what it is at this moment. So think about what you want your day to day to be like. Will you be working from home at all? Do you have or want kids or pets? Do you want to be a person who hosts out of town guests? Do you want to have band practice at your place? Do you want to host D&D? Large holiday meals? Do you want to garden? Grill? Have a firepit? Do you have a car, or do you think you will? Do you have physical access needs based on your body, like particular types of doorways, floors, stairs, size of spaces, etc.? Are there furniture pieces that are important to you that you want to plan around? (For me, I have an electric piano, and placing that was super important).

-I’m a single person, and I want to adopt a kid, and I know I’ll need a roommate in order to afford my mortgage. So it was vital for me to find a house that either had 3 bedrooms, or had 2 bedrooms and a 3rd could be easily finished/added. it was also important that my roommate would have their own private space that was decent size for me to charge rent -Think about all year round. I live in Minnesota, and you better believe snow was top of mind at every house. As a renter, my landlord was supposed to deal, with anything over 3 inches (did he always? of course not). Now it’s my responsibility. What kind of trees are around? Do you have big storms? You need to pay attention to big branches and power lines. Is it getting super hot where you live? You probably want to prioritize central air, or shade.

-On the topic of central air - It’s pricey to add it to a house that doesn’t have forced air heat, because you have to add all the ductwork. If that’s the case and you don’t have that $$$, you can either go with window units or something called a mini-split. It’s basically mini air conditioners that heat floors separately, but have a better range than a window unit. -Does the house have a yard you want to deal with? How about a sidewalk you have to shovel (woe unto you in corner lots) -How does bussing work for the schools in your area, if that matters to you? -Some houses will be empty. Empty rooms look smaller than rooms that have shit in them -Some will be staged. People who stage houses don’t fill them with STUFF, so you’ll notice few bookcases, coatracks, etc. Think about the stuff you have, not the stuff they put in the house. -You will be AMAZED at how some people live. Seriously. Some people have a giant ass oak tree literally leaning on their roof and just deal with it. Some people have 3 bedroom houses, and the only bathroom is only accessible by going through one of the bedrooms. Some people have their fridge down a flight of stairs from the kitchen. Some people have their laundry in the basement, but the only access to the basement is through an outside door. In some climates that’s fine, but I live in fucking Minnesota -I had the instinct when I started looking that I needed to be entirely open to everything, and not be too picky. After about two weeks of looking (and S had me going to like 4-9 showings a day some days), I got real picky real fast. This was helpful for S and helpful for me, so we weren’t wasting time on houses that weren’t contenders. I learned that the houses’ feelings did not get hurt by me not wanting to buy them -Likewise, I started out being entirely open about where I wanted to live. Anywhere in the Cities or near suburbs, I said. But then I went to see houses in these places and realized I did not want to drive that far to work, or that the only way to access places was by the highway, so if it shuts down or there’s a bad snowstorm, I’m stuck. -To that end, i found it really helpful to make myself a Google map (you can make some and save them) of where I go. I included work, church, my bandmates houses, bars I like to go to, and my friends’ houses. Then whenever I was considering a house I’d plunk it on the map and see how it lined up with the realities of my life. -We’ll talk about offers in a sec, but remember that people can technically list their house for whatever number they want. So it’ll be up to you and your realtor to decide what’s fair. I mention this here, because a house may be listed way cheaper than others on your list—there’s likely a reason for that, but if it looks promising, give it a try! It could be that the reason it’s listed low doesn’t matter to you (i.e. it’s next to an annoying business that you don’t mind, or doesn’t have a garage but you don’t have a car, or the other houses int he neighborhood have yards and this doesn’t). Or it could be the seller needs to move it FAST and you can take advantage of their situation. -If you’re a handy person, a cheaper house might be a great option if fixing it up to be what you want is affordable for you. (Again, this is where a realtor like S can be super helpful to come up with those costs). For me, I didn’t want to do jack shit to the house, and I knew I’d be paying for that. (not that I don’t have a whole spreadsheet of eventual projects....but that’s invevitable) -Likewise, it can be helpful to set your filters to include houses a bit above your budget. Some people list their houses WAY higher than they should, so if you see a property that’s been on the market for a while (when I was looking the market was hothothot, so “a while” could mean anything over a week/10 days. In a slower market, you’ll want to look at those that have been listed for 30+ days), it might be worth checking out and then offering low. Chances are the seller will need to reduce the price anyway if they’re not getting any bites, and you could get a good deal by jumping in before they do that. -IDK where else to put this, but measure the garage. I didn’t, and I discovered like a month ago that my car (a little compact Toyota) is too long for my damn garage. It’s not that I wouldn’t have bought the house because of that, but I could have included it in some negotiations.

Offers -So you found a house you like! Now the scary part. 

-You’ll get a sense of the market from your realtor, and they can usually advise you about how quickly you need to move on a potential offer. Sometimes a seller will give a deadline themselves: they call this “best and highest.” So they’ll say “we’re hearing offers at 3pm tomorrow” or “we’re asking for best and highest on Monday.” Generally that’s the cutoff for receiving viable offers. -In the market when I was buying, it was pretty common for houses to sell for 20-40K over the asking price. Again, some houses would be listed too high or too low, as I mentioned before, but on average that’s what I was working with. There were also a TON of offers on all the properties I liked. The lowest number of offers on a house I tried to get was 5, the highest was 19. That is kind of insane. In a slower market, when you’re not competing with that many people, you can offer closer to the asking price (or some people just say “asking” as in “20 over asking”) -The first thing I did when I decided to put in an offer, was to talk to my realtor so he could start getting the paperwork together. You can’t just email the seller and say “i want your house,” there are legal documents that have to be drawn up to make it a binding agreement if it’s accepted. -My folks bought their house without a realtor and did all the negotiating, etc, themselves, but they still needed a realtor friend to do the paperwork for them. If you go that route, you can probably do more informal offers, but IDK how that works. -The next thing I did was contact my lender for the following things: 1. I gave them the address and asked “Does this fall within certain DPAs?” 2. I asked them to run some numbers for me. Usually it was a version of: “What would my monthly payment be if I offered $240K and put down $5K in earnest money, and if I had $20K of downpayment assistance? How about if I offered $245K or $250K? What if I only put down $2500?” This helped me figure out what kind of offer I could reasonably make, and what it would actually cost me monthly if I got the house. 3. Then, when I decided what I wanted to offer, I would ask for a preapproval letter that includes the address of the property, basically saying “hey we’re a lender and we will give Jay a loan of $XX to buy this house, pinky promise” -I copied S on all my communications with the lender, so he knew what I was considering and he could give advice -(sometimes I saw a house on Friday and had to make an offer by noon on Saturday, leading to me trying to call my lender at 9am on a Saturday morning, which sucked. This is why knowing who’s on your lender’s team and how to contact them matters) -There’s no hard and fast way to decide on a good offer, because you won’t know how many you’re competing against. Sometimes your realtor might be able to chat with the sellers agent and find out how many people saw the property, if they have a sense of how popular it is, but sometimes you want. You want to be able to afford it, but also not go so low that you won’t even be considered. -Usually, your realtor will ask you to write a love letter to the house to include in the offer. “Dear seller, I love your house because of blah blah blah, I can see myself doing blah blah blah, specifics specifics.” Do these matter? I don’t feel like they do but whatever. Make a template and update it for each offer. -One thing to note about this is that you DO NOT want to give information about yourself regarding your status in a protected class (i.e. “we’re a young queer couple; I’m a neurodivergent person; I’m an immigrant/veteran/belong to X racial group”). It might seem like that would be helpful in certain areas, but sellers aren’t legally allowed to pick a buyer based on those things, so it ends up working against you.  You can talk about what you do as a job or as a hobby, if you’re an artist, if you’re a parent, if you have pets, if you know who else will be living int he house with you, etc. You can hint at things. But S was very clear with me about keeping it pretty general and about the house. -Once you’ve decided on the $$$ you’re offering, you need to decide if there’s anything else to add to “sweeten the pot.” For some people, that’s saying “my timeline is totally flexible, so if you need to close in a month that’s fine, and if you need to close in 4 months that’s fine.” A lot of people choose to waive inspections. -OHHHHHH Ye olde inspection. Dear God. -The inspection is basically a thing where you hire a professional to look at the house before you officially seal the deal, and they tell you if there are things you need to be concerned about. So if the inspector comes in and says “yeah this roof is going to cave in in a year,” you can use that in your negotiation and say “look, I’m going to lower my offer by $15K, because I will need a new roof in a year.” then it’s up to the seller to decide if they want to agree to that, or if they want to try again to find a buyer who hopefully would not get an inspection. -to “waive an inspection” means that you’re agreeing to skip this step -OK so my instinct was always “I will NEVER waive the inspection,” and a lot of people feel that way. HOWEVER, I did not get certain houses because the people who did offered exactly what I did and waived the inspection. There was a buyer who had made SEVENTEEN OFFERS and beat me out on a house, and they got that house after SEVENTEEN OTHER TRIES because they waived an inspection. -I did get an inspection with my house, which was lucky and also thanks to S being a great negotiator. -I waived it on one of my offers -I would say I’d be comfortable waiving an inspection if: 1. You or your realtor knows shit about buildings, codes, etc. S knew a lot, so was able to look at things like furnaces, windows, basement beams, foundations, etc etc. 2. The important parts of the house are easily visible. Usually this means an unfinished basement. if the basement is finished, you probably can’t see all the structural things you’d need to 3. You’re already planning to do a bunch of work on a house, so you’re offering a lower bid and budgeting to do renovations anyway -At the end of the day, it’s your call. More about inspections below. -Most people who buy houses have mortgages, meaning that they can’t just drop $250K on a house. However, some people got it like that, so they make what is called a cash offer. Cash offers will win out every time, because they are usually higher, are easier for the sellers, and will often waive inspections. Depending on your region and your budget, you may or may not see this. I got screwed SO MANY TIMES and so did my friends, by all-cash, no inspection offers. The majority of these are from people who are buying properties to rent out or Airbnb - they won’t live there so they don’t really care if it’s solid, and my budget range seemed to be about where rich people who don’t want to flip a house felt comfortable buying. It was annoying. -but hey if you got it like that, go for it. -Once you have all the terms of your offer figured out, your realtor will send you the official offer paperwork that you’ll sign (prob. digitally). Then they’ll send it over to the seller and be in charge of all that communication. If the seller comes back with a counter, or with questions, your realtor will bring that to you. They may advise you, but at the end of the day it is up to you what you’ll offer and what you’ll accept.

You got accepted!

-Holy cats, they said yes to your offer and your terms! This is a huge moment to celebrate! I cried! And obsessively looked at pictures of the house over and over -The seller may come back to you with some proposed adjustments. In my case they wanted to round the selling price up by $1K, which I agreed to. (IDK why they cared, but in the grand scheme that was fine). They also wanted to change some of the verbiage in the offer that didn’t actually affect anything. -The first thing you’ll need to do is put down the earnest money. That is usually held in a trust or something similar until closing. But basically, if you said you’d put down $5K of your own money in the offer, you have to prove you have it right away. So don’t offer to put down earnest money that you don’t have! -The higher this number, the more appealing your offer generally is -There are a lot of things that will need to wait until you close, so this period of time feels really weird -You’ll have a purchase agreement (along with any addendums or changes) that basically says “I’m Jay and I offer $XX, the seller agreed to the price and the terms, we’ll see how it goes from here and if it all goes well, this deal will go through” -I’m gonna say it now, don’t ask me about escrow. Escrow is basically like an account where money lives between you and the bank. You pay extra into this account so that if something happens and you can’t pay what you agreed, the bank still gets the money for a certain period of time. or something like that, I don’t know, it gives me a headache. I’m sure other people understand it better.

Next steps

Inspection -If you included an inspection in your offer/purchase agreement, you’ll want to set that up within a few days. (Don’t worry about booking “last minute,” inspectors pretty much always work on that kind of schedule. Very few people are booking inspectors weeks in advance. This was something I felt bad about, but it’s okay)

-Inspections are pricey, and usually have different packages that include different things. I chose to do the sewer scope bc I had a friend who found some crazy sewer issues and I didn’t want to deal with it. Your realtor can probably give you advice on what you might need. -Inspector look at a lot of things: all your systems (like heating, cooling, pipes, electricity, etc),  your windows, roof, foundation, gutters, attics, floors, plumping, appliances, etc. -They do NOT open walls/ceilings/floors, etc. So if it’s not visible, they won’t be able to report on it.  -They’ll send you a big ol’ report, and if you can be there with them they’ll do a walk through with you to talk over big issues. Your realtor should come to that as well, as they might have good questions. -After you have the information, you have to decide if there are any big issues that need to be addressed. The inspector will flag things that are a problem legally, but it’s up to you how much you care about them. Some will be easy fixes. Others might be deal breakers that mean you decide to walk away from the property entirely. Most things will be in the middle.  -Note that some things are legally “issues” but practically may not matter. There are certain outlets on the outside of my house that aren’t right, but I don’t intend to use them much and if it turns out I need to, it’s not that expensive to switch them out. My basement stairs are an absolutely death trap, but my laundry is upstairs and so i dont really need to use them much. I could spend like $4K to replace them, but I don’t care at this point, and it’s not a big issue for me. But legally they are terrible. -Some things may be an absolute problem that the seller needs to deal with before you’ll agree to by the house. -You and your realtor will come up with a list of things you want to tell the seller to fix before closing. They might fight you on some of them, and again that’s why the realtor being a good negotiator matters. -Generally, you want to ask for fixes on the important things, without asking for every little thing, so the seller doesn’t decide you’re too much trouble and they could probably back out and get a better offer that wouldn’t cost them as much in repairs. -for me, the garage door was busted so they defnitely needed to fix that. There was a pipe that was put in wrong that was a quick fix. And there were birds in the attic, so they needed to clear those out and go through and block up all the entry points in the room. All of these requests were reasonable, and the sellers agreed to them. -At this point, it’s up to you if you want to pay for a re-inspection (i.e. the inspector coming back to verify that they did all the work they were supposed to). I didn’t—instead I had them give me all the receipts from the work that was done along with photos and video of the work. That way if something is a problem in the future, I can contact the companies that did the work and take advantage of warranties, etc.

Home Service Warranty -Speaking of warranties! There’s a thing called a Home Service Warranty that you’ll need to decide on. Mine is through American Home Shield. Basically this is a warranty that covers things in your house. There are different levels of coverage, so some just cover the big things like windows/roof/furnace/water heater/etc. As you upgrade, it’ll include things like stoves, fridges, dishwashers, etc. -If you’re getting your own warranty, you basically pay a certain amount per month for the coverage. Then if any of the covered things break down, it get’s fixed for free (plus a small service charge. For me that’s $125). So if your inspector tells you “hey, you’ve got about a year left on this water heater” or “the furnace has some issues that might come up in a few years” you could save a BUNCH of money by having this coverage. -My realtor got this warranty included in my purchase agreement, so the seller is actually paying for a. year of my coverage at he upgraded level. This is SICK AS HELL and not every realtor will think of it—definitely mention it to yours. I didn’t even think of it as an option. Basically what this means is that if any of my stuff breaks this first year, I can get it replaced for very cheap AND I don’t even have to pay the monthly coverage fee. -When I moved in, my shower was broken. I tried to fix it, but the called AHS and I only paid $125 for a plumber to come look at it, order parts (which would have been pricey since my house is pretty old), and fix it for me. I hate my fridge, so I have a goal to break it this year so I can get a new one for free.

Appraisal -Okay, so you got the seller to agree to your fixes, everything is moving apace. It is time for the GOD DAMN APPRAISAL -(for many people, the appraisal is fine and is not GOD DAMN anything. For me, it was a nightmare and I didn’t sleep for like 2 weeks) -Okay so what is an appraisal. Basically, the seller said “my house is worth $XX” you said “I’ll pay $XX for it.” Your lender said “we’ll give Jay a loan for $XX.” But now someone else has to look at the house and determine if it’s a fair price for the house. This is what really determines the loan you’ll get (this is also why what you’ve gotten so far is a pre-approval. They’ve basically said “you’re capable of paying back a loan of $XX, but we need an outside agency to determine if this house is worth is”) -The appraiser will look at the house, inspection reports, and other sales of similar houses in your area. Ideally, this helps them determine if the price you and the seller have agreed on is in line with what is reasonable. -Banks are not going to give you a $400K loan on a potting shed in a ditch -It’s all complicated and this is where a lot of shit in the Housing Crisis came from -Basically, you want the appraisal to come at or higher than your purchase price. (if it comes in higher, do a little dance bc you got a deal) -If it comes in lower, you can be in trouble. That’s what happened to me. -A note about rules & regs - lenders cannot talk directly to appraisers. This is because of the housing crisis and all the shady backroom deals that were happening (i.e. if you appraise this house at this price, we’ll give you Mr. Appraiser Guy some kickbacks from the extra money we’re making in mortgage interest or whatever). In practical terms, this means it takes FOREVER to get messages to all the parties involved.  -If the appraisal comes in low, you can ask for a reappraisal. It’s up to the appraiser if they agree. There are rules about this. -What Happened To Me: OK so my house is in a historically Black and immigrant neighborhood (read, historically redlined). This means a lot of the properties here are undervalued based on other locations. In a hot market, even undervalued properties can go up in price in a big way. In a slow market, that doesn’t happen so much. My appraiser only wanted to pull comps (meaning comparable sales of similar houses in the same area) in my exact neighborhood. However, there hadn’t been any sales of similar size/age/etc houses in my exact neighborhood since last winter. Guess what the market is like in the winter in Minnesota! Fucking SLOW boy. So these comps were coming in like $20K lower than my agreed price. So my realtor and lender took a look and said “look, if we widen out a little bit to these nearby neighborhoods, we can see all these more recent sales that are closer to our price.” It took two weeks of back and forth to get the appraiser to agree to add some of these comps to the appraisal. He was really reluctant to look outside my immediate area, because my neighborhood is of “lower value” than the surrounding areas. Structural racism, baby. Not against me, but against my neighbors and everyone who’s lived in this area for the past 150 years. Hooray. Finally, I got a re-appraisal that was $8K lower than my purchase price. So I was in a pickle. I had an agreement with the seller saying I’ll pay $XX, while the bank is now saying “we’ll only give you a loan for $XX-minus-$8K.” So either I need to come up with $8K MORE of a down payment in earnest money, or I need the purchase price to go down. Or i need to find more assistance. HERE IS WHERE HAVING S MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE. He went to the seller and basically used his status and significant experience to say “Look, you can either agree to lower the purchase price by $8K, or we all walk away. If we walk away, this means you have to re-list the house, wait for more offers. And then even if you get an offer as good as or better than Jay’s, that person will still need to go through the appraisal process. So...  you’ll probably be right back here. The only chance you have of skipping appraisal is if someone comes in with a cash offer, meaning they won’t need a loan and no bank is involved. But for a lot of the reasons the appraisal is low, those types of buyers (who often want rentals/vacation rental properties) ain’t looking to buy in this neighborhood.”

(or that’s what I imagine he said. It was probably smarter)

ANYWAY, all that to say a MIRACLE occurred, and the seller agreed to lower the purchase price of the house by $8K. I can tell you the whole story of how I found out over a drink sometime, but let me tell you I wepttttttt

-Anyhow, once the appraisal is good and you’re pretty sure the deal is going through, you gotta get insurance. call a bunch of places, figure out what coverage you need, see if it’s cheaper or easier to put car/life/etc in the same place. You have to have insurance if you have a home loan - basically the bank owns the house, so it’s in their interest to have it covered in case of disaster.

Closing

-I’m going to be quick on this, because it’s super technical and I only kind of understand it. -Closing is basically the day where you sign all the paperwork, after which the house is yours! Then you can start moving, renovating, decorating, whatever you want. -One of the things that’s part of closing is the Title and Title Insurance. Basically, you need to pay to have the paper that says you own the house, and then you have to pay for insurance on that piece of paper. Why. IDK.  -At this point there’s so many random fees and charges, I just kind of looked at the totals and made sure nothing was way out of range of what I expected.  -A few days before closing, you should have the following: 1. receipts/evidence from any fixes made to the house or a re-inspection report 2. Closing disclosures, which basically means any information that’s attatched to the deed for the home. This can include unpaid property taxes, any weird liens on the property, any easement agreements with neighbors you should know about, etc. 3. All the paperwork you will sign! -It is in your best interest to read ALL OF IT if you can. (the title person was surprised I’d read mine, which I found super worrying lol) -If you are buying a house by yourself, you will not BELIEVE how many times you will read “Jay, A SINGLE PERSON, is buying a house ALONE AND BY THEMSELF, as a SINGLE UNMARRIED ALONE PERSON” Very judgy. What are you, my grandma? -One thing about disclosures—it’s up to your title company to do research on weird shit that might be attached to your property. You can technically choose your title company, but I wouldn’t not recommend looking for the cheapest option if the company doesn’t have much of a track record. I had an issue come up with a payment the seller owed that was delayed, and my title company had to be the one that caught that. My friend and his husband got in trouble because some seller 5 years ago didn’t pay property taxes, and so the IRS came for THEM. The title company should have caught that before they closed and had it dealt with. They won’t end up paying it, but it’s a huge pain and they have to argue with the IRS which is never fun. -On closing day, you’ll do a final walk through with your realtor. This is your last chance to bring up any issues! You DEFINITELY want to do this walk through. If the seller left the door unlocked and an entire family has taken up residence in the living room, you need to know! If the contractor they hired to fix the plumbing knocked a new whole in the wall, you need to know! Don’t expect that the seller will tell you about any new issues that they caused. -This is your last chance to say “Hey, there’s a new major issue that wasn’t reporting, i ain’t signing shit until we re-negotiate” -If you find yourself in this situation (hopefully you won’t!) PLEASE don’t be afraid to say something! Don’t worry about how much time and money has already been put into it, or about calling out a seller who is acting in bad faith or fucked somethign up. This is your house! It matters! And your realtor should have your back. -But most of the time, the final walk through is fine! Then you go somewhere to sign all the paperwork. If you’re like me and have 3 different types of DPA, it will be two giant folders worth of paperwork.  -Once you sign the paperwork with the Title Company, they’ll put the paperwork through. After that happens, the bank should transfer the whole ass agreed amount to the seller. Also, if your DPA is in the form of other smaller loans from other sources, those should be paying to the seller at the same time. -in MY case, one of my DPAs took 3 hours to process for some reason, so I had the most anti-climactic closing ever. I signed everything, waited for an hour and a half, and then they were like “you can go, we’ll email you when you officially own the house” So I just awkwardly hung around and ate pancakes until I got the email. -Let’s say you have a relative who wants to help you out with your downpayment (Yay! Every little bit counts!) Or let’s say you’re living with someone who doesn’t want the house to be in their name, but they want to contribute to these initial costs. You’ll want to talk to your lender about this as soon as you know about it. There is special paperwork for “gifts” that basically let’s it go directly to you downpayment but it doesn’t count towards your income. So if Grandma Bob says “I got $10K for you” and you just deposit the check in your account and plan to pay $10K more in earnest money, that will suddenly look like you have $10K more money to your name, so might change how your loan and DPA shake out. But if you get Grandma Bob to sign a particular document and give you a certified check, you can just give that right to the Title person and it goes right to making your downpayment bigger, therefore making your loan smaller! Thanks Grandma Bob! -”Cash to close” is essentially what you are paying at closing via all sources. So that’s your downpayment (including all assistance) any gifts, your earnest money, etc. Sometimes you have additional closing costs. They may be covered by DPA, or you may be on the hook to write an additional check. You’ll know this in advance. -Hey, check it out, you own a house now! -(keep all your paperwork0 -They’ll give you a document you have the file with the city called Homestead filing, basically telling the city that you own a house and you live there.

NOW WHAT?

-Now I’m done telling you things. Feel free to DM me if you want to talk more, but also talk to professionals in your region who know things. -I started writing this post before I closed in July 2023. It’s now mid-November, and I’ve been living here for 3 months. Here’s some stuff I’ve learned that might be helpful: 1. It’s good to know what kid of walls you have (drywall vs. plaster and lathe, etc) because that determines how you can hang things on them. Also if you have plaster walls, just get a cheap magnetic stud finder. The fancy electronic ones often don’t work 2. It’s good to have a drill. It just is. 3. If there’s a big project you need done (say your garage is too short for your goddamn car), you may qualify for a home improvement loan from the same kind of orgs that give DPA. I’m doing it just because I don’t want to drop $3K in one go. Technically I have 4 years to pay it off, but I’m going to make larger monthly payments and pay it offer quicker than that.  4. We can talk about contractors and permit and zoning all day. Suffice to say, it’s good to look up who to talk to at the city about construction permits, and they can be both incredibly confusing and very nice. Often at the same time. 5. If you’re gonna have a roommate or partner or non-child family member who is paying you monthly to help with the mortgage, DRAW UP A LEASE. You want shit in writing, and they have rights as tenants that need to be respected. Many a relationship has been saved by PUTTING SHIT IN WRITING. (there are templates you can find) 6. FEELINGS: People always tell you “You won’t know how you feel about X until you do it.” Getting a dog, moving away from your folks, living with a partner, whatever. I am here as an old man to tell you, they are right. I had no idea I would have such BIG FEELINGS about this lil old house. When I come home and my roommate has the lights on and it has a glow, I feel so much that sometimes I cry! Setting things up, making decisions about organization, learning how to be in my space, means so so much more to me now than it ever did when I was renting. The stress is greater, too, because I have to make all the decisions! It’s exhausting! But every day in my house I am so happy to be here, I’m so glad my other offers weren’t accepted, because this is the best of the houses I looked at. It is my 117 year old baby and I love it forever.

Also I never want to do this again lol I’ve decided to die here.

[hypergamiss]

Tips on becoming a freelance portfolio/ investment manager for private wealthy clients.

I’ve got a bit of experience as an assistant Portfolio manager, and I’ve been looking into starting my own business working with private wealthy individuals client.

There's so much to this, this is the shortest I could keep my answer:

Build Your Foundation:

Hone Your Skills: Sharpen your investment analysis, portfolio construction, and risk management knowledge as much as you can. Maybe consider courses or certifications to fill any gaps and boost your credibility more.

Define Your Niche: Are you drawn to specific asset classes (tech stocks, real estate, etc.) or client types (retirees, entrepreneurs)? Specializing adds value. This will boost referrals.

Get Regulatory Clarity: Depending on your location, there might be licensing or registration requirements for freelance advisors. Do your homework to stay compliant and track any changes.

Marketing and Client Acquisition:

Build Online Credibility: A polished LinkedIn profile and a basic website showcasing your expertise and background are essential. Network strategically!

Content is King: Share insightful market commentary through blog posts or a newsletter. You can try all the other social platforms as well. This establishes you as a thought leader and attracts potential clients.

Target the Right Audience: Where do your ideal clients hang out (online and offline)? Charity events, industry conferences, upscale networking groups – be where they are.

Leverage Your Existing Network: Don't underestimate the power of your current contacts. Let clients, colleagues, and friends know about your new venture(optional).

Operational:

Pricing Model: Will you charge hourly, flat fees, or a percentage of assets under management? Consider your services and market rates.

Tech Tools: Invest in the right software for portfolio management, reporting, and client communication to streamline your workflow.

Contracts and Compliance: Have a lawyer draft airtight client agreements that protect you both.

Bonus Tips:

Get a Mentor: Connect with a seasoned advisor who can offer guidance and share their experience.

Start Small and Scale: Begin with a few strategic clients, and as your expertise and reputation grow, expand your clientele.

Embrace the Freelance Mindset: Be prepared for the hustle; managing your own business requires discipline and adaptability.

Remember, building a successful freelance practice takes time, dedication, and top-notch client service. Stay passionate, stay focused, and let your expertise pave the way to becoming a trusted advisor for your wealthy clientele.

[benggar]

Saving Mother Earth: It's Not Too Late To Make Difference

It is interesting to note that the average global temperature of the Earth rose by 1 degree Celsius during the last hundred years or so, since the late 19th century. Such a slight change has wrought havoc on our planet.

Urgency of the environmental crisis, is an emergency state around the world that calls for urgent collective action. Among them major threats our earth and future generations face include climate change, deforestation, pollution, and loss of biodiversity.. If no action is undertaken, these will lead to extreme weather occurrences, food shortages, displacement, and even extinction.We'll make this world come together to face all these challenges. We can get this done by using sustainable practices, investment in clean energy, and defending policies which look towards the protection of our surroundings and will build upon a more resilient and sustainable future for everyone.

TECH FOR A GREENER FUTURE

Technology can help protect the nature. It does in several ways. Including:

*Production of renewable sources: Solar, wind, and hydro power.

*Waste reduction: Recycling and composting.

*Environmental monitoring: Satellites and drones.

*Increased productivity in agriculture: Precision farming and biotechnology.

*Cities going green: Smart grids and energy-efficient buildings.

INDIVIDUAL ACTION CAN MAKE DIFFERENCE

Small steps, big impact.

* Reduce, reuse, recycle.

* Conserve energy and water.

* Choose sustainable products.

* Support local businesses.

* Walk, bike, or take public transport.

* Eat less meat.

* Plant trees.

* Educate others.

* Get involved.

What are you doing to make a difference? Share your tips in the comments below!

THE POWER OF CELLECTIVE ACTION

Joinging Forces for a Greener Planet

Together, we can do something. By working together, we can seek out a more sustainable future for everyone-for we share a planet and face common environmental challenges.

RESOURCES AND FURTHER INFORMATIONS

Websites and Organizations:

* World Wildlife Fund (WWF): https://www.worldwildlife.org/

* Greenpeace: https://www.greenpeace.org/international/

* The Nature Conservancy: https://www.nature.org/en-us/

* Sierra Club: https://www.sierraclub.org/

* Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): https://www.epa.gov/

* National Geographic: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/

* National Audubon Society: https://www.audubon.org/

Social Media:

* Follow environmental organizations, activists, and influencers on platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

* Join online communities and forums dedicated to environmental issues.

Local Initiatives:

* Community Gardens: Participate in local gardening projects to promote sustainable food production and green spaces.

* Volunteer Organizations: Join local environmental groups to contribute to conservation efforts in your area.

* Government Initiatives: Get involved in local government initiatives related to environmental protection and sustainability.

Educational Resources:

* Online Courses: Explore online courses and certifications in environmental studies, sustainability, and conservation.

* Documentaries: Watch documentaries that raise awareness about environmental issues and inspire action.

* Podcasts: Listen to podcasts featuring interviews with environmental experts and activists.By exploring these resources, you can deepen your understanding of environmental challenges and find ways to contribute to a more sustainable future.

* https://gbes.com/green-building-matters-podcast/first-leed-ap-and-later-leed-fellow-real-estate-broker-sally-wilson/

[365proservices]

Unlocking the UAE's Golden Visa Maze: Insider Tips for Success

Welcome, aspiring adventurers, to the exciting world of Golden Visas Services in the UAE! If you've ever dreamt of unlocking new opportunities, exploring vibrant cultures, or building a brighter future in one of the world's most dynamic hubs, then you're in the right place. In this guide, we'll be your compass, navigating the Golden Visa maze with insider tips and expert advice to ensure your journey is not just successful but also fulfilling. So, grab your map, pack your enthusiasm, and let's set sail on this exhilarating voyage towards your Golden Visa dream!

1. Understanding Golden Visa Eligibility Criteria

Before setting sail, ensure you're eligible. The UAE offers Golden Visas to investors, entrepreneurs, talented professionals, and retirees. Each category has specific criteria, like investment thresholds or retirement fund requirements. Check your eligibility based on your profile and aspirations.

2. Gathering the Required Documents

Assemble your crew of documents for the journey. Common documents include passport copies, proof of investment, bank statements, and a clean criminal record certificate. For investors, additional documents like business plans, trade licenses, and property ownership deeds may be required. Double-check the specific document checklist based on your chosen Golden Visa category.

3. Plotting Your Investment Strategy

Choosing the right investment is crucial. Opt for real estate, business ventures, or innovation projects that align with UAE regulations and contribute to the economy. Research thriving industries, consult with financial advisors, and consider long-term sustainability when crafting your investment strategy.

4. Crafting a Stellar Business Plan

A well-crafted business plan is your treasure map to Golden Visa approval. Highlight your business concept, market analysis, financial projections, and growth strategies. Emphasize how your venture will create jobs, drive innovation, or enhance the UAE's economic landscape. Tailor your business plan to showcase value, feasibility, and alignment with UAE's vision for growth and development.

5. Navigating the Golden Visa Application Process

Embark on your Golden Visa application journey through the relevant government authority, such as the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA), the Ministry of Economy, or local immigration departments. Follow the online application portal or engage with authorized representatives for a smooth submission process. Timing, transparency, and professional assistance are key for success.

6. Insider Tips for Smooth Sailing

Apply During Economic Stability: Submit your application during periods of economic growth and stability for higher chances of approval.

Engage Legal or Immigration Consultants: Consider hiring legal or immigration consultants for expert guidance and assistance throughout the application process.

Be Transparent and Consistent: Disclose accurate information and ensure consistency across all documents to avoid delays or rejections.

Showcase Long-Term Commitment: Highlight your commitment to long-term engagement in the UAE through investment diversification or strategic partnerships.

As we reach the shores of our Golden Visa adventure, it's time to reflect on the invaluable insights and strategies we've uncovered. From understanding eligibility criteria to crafting stellar business plans and navigating the application process, you've gained the tools and knowledge needed to steer your course towards success.

Remember, patience and preparation are your steadfast companions in this journey. Keep abreast of UAE's visa policies, adapt your strategies as needed, and stay committed to your long-term goals. Whether you're an investor, entrepreneur, or talented professional, the UAE's Golden Visa offers a gateway to new horizons and endless possibilities.

[academyy6]

Best certification course academy in mumbai

1.Upsurge Infotech - Practical knowledge is the key to success, and Upsurge Infotech, the best training institute in Mumbai, provides you with just that. With a team of experienced and certified professionals who have years of expertise in their respective fields, we offer comprehensive training programs in Software Testing, Digital Marketing, SAP ERP, Python, and other emerging technologies.

SoftwareTesting Courses in Mumbai

If you’re interested in learning about software testing courses in Mumbai then Upsurge Infotech has several courses and resources available that can help you develop your skills in this field. Software testing is a crucial process in the software development life cycle (SDLC) that involves evaluating a software application’s functionality, performance, and quality to identify any defects or errors. The goal of software testing is to ensure that the software meets the requirements, works as expected, and delivers a satisfactory user experience.

SAPCourses In Mumbai

If you’re interested in learning about SAP courses in Mumbai then Upsurge Infotech has several courses and resources available that can help you develop your skills in this field. SAP’s ERP software, known as SAP ERP, is one of their flagship products and provides comprehensive solutions for financial management, procurement, sales, production, and other core business functions. It enables businesses to consolidate their data, automate processes, and gain real-time insights into their operations.

DigitalMarketing Course in Mumbai

If you’re interested in learning Digital Marketing Course in Mumbai then Upsurge Infotech can help you develop your skills in this field. Digital marketing, in its most basic form, refers to any online marketing activities or properties. Email marketing, pay-per-click advertising, social media marketing, and even blogging are all examples of digital marketing that help people learn about your business and buy from you.

PythonCourse in Mumbai

If you’re interested in learning Python Course in Mumbai then Upsurge Infotech can help you develop your skills in this field. Python is a dynamically semantic, interpreted, object-oriented high-level programming language. Its high-level built-in data structures, together with dynamic typing and dynamic binding, making it ideal for Rapid Application Development and as a scripting or glue language for connecting existing components.

DataAnalyst Course in Mumbai

If you are searching for a Job that doesn’t require coding, then this digital analyst course in Mumbai is right for you. Upsurge Infotech offers a Data Analyst Training program it is the process of systematically applying statistical logical techniques to describe and illustrate, condense and recap, and evaluate data. To put it simply it’s a process in which an analyst Works with data to extract relevant information that may be used to guide decisions known as data analysis.

Mumbai Location: 2A-20, 3rd Floor, Viviana Building, inside Super Shopping Centre, near Khadi Gram Udyog, Swami Vivekananda Rd, next to T-10 showroom, Andheri West, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400058.

Thane Location: 602, 6th Floor, Ganesh Tower, Opp Thane West Platform #1, Dada Patil Wadi, Thane (W) - 400602.

2.LearnCoz - LearnCoz is a reputed computer institute located at 512, 2, Kalyan - Bhiwandi Road, Sapna Industrial Estate, Saravali, Mumbai. Our institute offers a wide range of computer courses to help individuals enhance their skills and stay competitive in the ever-evolving IT industry. Join us and unleash your potential in the world of computers.

3.DatapointComputer - Datapoint Computer is a renowned computer training institute based in Mulund West, Mumbai. Situated at 52 Saidham Arcade, P K Road, we offer high-quality computer training courses to help students acquire the skills needed to thrive in the IT industry. Join us and unlock your potential in the world of computers.

4.Wiztech - Wiztech is a leading institute providing software training with 100% placement assistance. Located at 4B/29, Phoenix Paragon Plaza, LBS Marg, Kurla West, Mumbai, we offer comprehensive courses that cover various software technologies. Upgrade your skills and secure a promising career in the IT sector with Wiztech.

5.VDMA - VDMA offers comprehensive courses in Digital Marketing, SEO, PPC, Wordpress, and Social Media. Located at Taximens Colony, 2B, 64, 6th Floor, LBS Marg, Kurla West, Mumbai, our institute equips students with the necessary skills to thrive in the digital world. Upgrade your digital marketing skills and unlock exciting career opportunities.

6.DGmarkInstitute - DGmark Institute is a highly acclaimed Digital Marketing Training Institute situated at 23, Ground Floor, Harmony Mall, New Link Road, Sejal Park, Colony No 1, Bhagat Singh II, Goregaon West, Mumbai. We provide top-notch training in digital marketing, equipping students with the knowledge and skills needed to excel in the digital era.

7.LIPSINDIA - LIPSINDIA is a premium destination for Digital Marketing Training in Mumbai. Located at 3/A Vrindhavan Bldg, Gr Floor, Behind Pantaloons, Umeda Ashram Road, Borivali West, Mumbai, we offer comprehensive courses that cover various aspects of digital marketing. Enhance your knowledge, upgrade your skills, and stay ahead in the competitive digital landscape.

8.ExcelRSolutions - ExcelR Solutions is your gateway to mastering Business Analyst Course. Located at 304, 3rd Floor, Pratibha Building, Three Petrol Pump, Opposite Manas Tower, Lal Bahadur Shastri Road, Pakhdi, Mumbai, our institute provides comprehensive training that is adaptable to everyone. Enhance your business analysis skills and open doors to new career possibilities.

9.Livewire - Livewire is a renowned IT institute located at 2B,22, Vivina, Apartment, Nadco Shopping Centre, Opposite Andheri Railway Station, S.V.Road, Andheri West, Mumbai. Our institute offers a wide range of courses, including web designing and IT-related disciplines. Upgrade your skills and unlock exciting career opportunities in the IT industry.

10.ChaloDigitalMarketingInstitute - Chalodigital Marketing Institute is your ultimate destination to learn awesome social media hacks and digital marketing strategies. Located at Raghuleela Mall Office No 310, First Floor, Behind Poisar Bus Depot, Boraspada Road, Jai Bhim Sanjay Nagar, Kandivali, Mumbai, our institute provides expert training in digital marketing to help individuals excel in the digital landscape.

[studyinnewzealandmeridean]

Study in New Zealand: A Guide for International Students

New Zealand is a popular destination for international students, offering a high-quality education, a safe and friendly environment, and stunning scenery. If you are considering study in New Zealand, here is a guide to help you get started.

Why Study in New Zealand?

There are many reasons why you might choose to study in New Zealand. Here are a few of the most compelling reasons:

High-quality education: New Zealand's universities are consistently ranked among the best in the world. In the 2023 QS World University Rankings, 8 New Zealand universities made the top 500, including the University of Auckland (ranked 82nd), the University of Otago (ranked 123rd), and the University of Wellington (ranked 134th).

Safe and friendly environment: New Zealand is a very safe country with a low crime rate. The people are also known for being friendly and welcoming.

Stunning scenery: New Zealand is home to some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. From snow-capped mountains to lush rainforests, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

Work opportunities: After you graduate, you may be able to stay in New Zealand and work. The government has a number of work visa programs that can help you find a job after you graduate.

How to Apply to Study in New Zealand

The first step to applying to study in New Zealand is to choose a course and a university. You can search for courses on the websites of individual universities or on the website of the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA).

Once you have chosen a course, you will need to apply to the university. The application process will vary from university to university, but you will typically need to provide your academic transcripts, letters of recommendation, and a personal statement.

You will also need to apply for a student visa. The visa application process can be completed online. You will need to provide your passport information, proof of financial support, and a medical certificate.

Cost of Studying in New Zealand

The cost of studying in New Zealand will vary depending on the course you choose and the university you attend. However, you can expect to pay between NZ$20,000 and NZ$40,000 per year for tuition and fees.

You will also need to factor in the cost of living, which is relatively high in New Zealand. You can expect to spend between NZ$15,000 and NZ$20,000 per year on living expenses.

Scholarships and Financial Aid

There are a number of scholarships in New Zealand and financial aid programs available to international students in New Zealand. You can find a list of scholarships on the websites of individual universities or on the website of the New Zealand government.

How to Find a Place to Live

There are a number of ways to find a place to live in New Zealand. You can search for apartments or houses to rent on websites like Trade Me or Real Estate. You can also contact a real estate agent to help you find a place to live.

If you are on a tight budget, you may want to consider living in a student dormitory. Student dormitories are typically located near universities and offer affordable accommodation.

Conclusion

Study in New Zealand for Indian Students can be a great way to get a world-class education, experience a new culture, and explore stunning scenery. If you are considering studying in New Zealand, I encourage you to do your research and start planning your trip today.

[ian-marlow-boca-raton0]

In what ways may one develop their real estate consulting career?

A set of requirements must be met before one may practice as a real estate consultant with a valid license. Some examples include working as an agent's assistant or earning a license.

To provide real estate consulting services as a profession, you must first get the appropriate certification. Successfully passing a state licensing test is often required to get a real estate license. There are typically two parts to the examination. The first section explains the fundamentals of real estate law and regulation.

Several jurisdictions require agents to attend training courses before issuing licenses. Self-paced learning is the norm in this kind of online education. Students may get a fast pass in specific courses using "boot camp"-style solutions. Students may become comfortable with the structure of the actual exam by taking practice exams, which are often included in pre-licensing classes.

Step two is to order a background check, which may cost anywhere from $40 to $100. No photocopies of passports or driver's licenses are required from applicants. However, if you are not a U.S. citizen, your immigration status will need to be confirmed.

The license may also need to be renewed every few years, depending on the state. Licenses for agents may be renewed every two or four years. To keep your license valid, you must complete any required continuing education courses before they expire.

It is common practice for aspiring real estate consultants to "shadow" an established expert in the field. Other agents' good and bad experiences may be studied in several different ways. Participating in a peer group, listening to a lecture, and making connections are all excellent examples.

Success in real estate requires a lot of effort and self-control on the part of agents. It is also critical to stick to a plan and a budget. You need to set aside time daily to enhance your knowledge and stay abreast of changes in your field.

To advance, consider attending seminars and meetings and assisting other agents with their initiatives. For instance, if you're an attorney and a client is looking for office space, you may use your real estate expertise to assist them. Having other brokers check out the place is also a good idea.

Even if you need more time to do your assignments, attending a conference or seminar could be worth it. There are many fun things to do, and you can do them without breaking the bank or having to go far.

One might join the real estate market in several different ways. Finding the most fundamental things is difficult, but you can. You may, for example, negotiate with a mortgage lender to fund the purchase, employ a real estate agent to assist you in finding suitable houses, or arrange a payment plan. All of this might become pricey, regardless of how big or tiny your family is. If you want in on the activity, think about the following suggestions.

Asking questions as a jumping-off point is a great strategy. How do you typically respond when clients make requests? Similarly, how should companies interact with customers who refuse to adapt to new ways of doing things? Also, consider a career change if your customers aren't raving about your job.

You need to know the industry well and out to make a living as a real estate consultant. For instance, you should motivate yourself daily. Discipline is required, and you should be at ease in social situations. You should also include time in your schedule for building professional relationships, learning new skills, and continuing to develop professionally.

To be a successful real estate consultant, you must organize your time well for the weeks and months ahead. Therefore, you should set weekly and daily objectives and strive diligently to achieve them. It would help if you also were flexible with your timetable. Your customers may sometimes need your availability outside regular business hours, including weekends. No issue exists; however, it may not be easy to maintain social contact with loved ones over the week.

[newhomecobroker]

How can I Leverage my resale expertise to sell new homes?

Visit new construction communities and model homes to get a feel for the layouts, finishes, and amenities offered. Use every opportunity to become not known but favorably known by onsite sales consultants.

Visit- https://newhomecobroker1.hashnode.dev/how-can-i-leverage-my-resale-expertise-to-sell-new-homes

[americanrealtyacademy]

Master Your Real Estate Journey in Arizona With Online Tools

The Arizona real estate market offers incredible opportunities, whether you're launching a new career or enhancing your professional skills. Success in this competitive field often hinges on proper education, licensing, and continuing education. Whether you're just starting with real estate licensing in Arizona or advancing your knowledge through online CE for real estate, accessible and comprehensive learning resources are crucial. In this article, we explore how Arizona real estate coaching, online classes, and certification programs can propel your career forward.

The Importance of Real Estate Licensing in Arizona Real estate is a profession of trust and expertise, and obtaining a valid license is the first step to establishing credibility. The process of acquiring a Real Estate Licensing Arizona involves completing pre-licensing education, passing the state examination, and submitting an application with the required documentation. Arizona’s dynamic real estate landscape demands that professionals not only meet legal requirements but also build strong foundational skills.

Online education has made this process more streamlined than ever. Many aspiring agents are choosing online real estate classes to fulfill their pre-licensing requirements. These classes provide the flexibility to study at your own pace while delivering content designed to meet Arizona’s specific regulations. A well-structured online course ensures that you're fully prepared for the exam and have the knowledge to thrive in your career.

Arizona Real Estate Coaching: A Catalyst for Success Once licensed, succeeding in the real estate industry requires more than just technical knowledge. To truly excel, professionals need mentorship, strategic guidance, and industry insights. This is where Arizona real estate coaching becomes a game-changer.

Coaching programs are tailored to equip both new and experienced agents with advanced sales techniques, marketing strategies, and negotiation skills. Whether you're building a personal brand or learning how to close deals efficiently, a coach can help you refine your approach. Many coaching sessions also integrate lessons on utilizing cutting-edge technology, ensuring you stay ahead of trends in this ever-evolving market.

The unique advantage of coaching is the opportunity for personalized feedback. Coaches work one-on-one to identify your strengths and weaknesses, enabling you to create a roadmap for long-term success. For agents working remotely or managing packed schedules, some programs even offer virtual coaching, blending seamlessly with online real estate classes for a holistic learning experience.

Advancing Knowledge Through Online CE for Real Estate Real estate is a field that requires continuous learning. To maintain your license in Arizona, professionals must complete periodic continuing education (CE) credits. Luckily, the advent of online CE for real estate has made it easier to meet these requirements without compromising your work-life balance.

Online CE courses are designed to cover a range of topics, from legal updates to market trends, helping agents stay informed and compliant. These courses are interactive, engaging, and accessible on-demand, making it possible to complete your education from the comfort of your home. For busy real estate professionals, the flexibility of online CE is invaluable, ensuring you stay current with Arizona’s legal and ethical standards.

Beyond compliance, CE courses often serve as a source of inspiration, offering insights into innovative strategies that can boost your productivity and earnings. By staying updated through these courses, you demonstrate your commitment to professionalism, which strengthens your reputation in the eyes of clients and colleagues alike.

The Advantages of Online Real Estate Classes The modern real estate professional needs to balance a busy schedule while staying ahead of industry developments. This is where online real estate classes provide an invaluable resource. These classes are ideal for aspiring agents, experienced brokers, and anyone in between, offering the flexibility to learn anytime, anywhere.

Unlike traditional classroom settings, online courses allow you to progress at your own pace. This self-directed learning model is particularly beneficial for individuals transitioning into real estate from other careers, as it allows them to manage their existing responsibilities while pursuing a new path. Furthermore, most programs are designed with user-friendly interfaces and a variety of multimedia tools, making the learning process interactive and enjoyable.

For those seeking initial licensing, these classes simplify the daunting process by breaking down complex topics into manageable modules. Meanwhile, agents looking to refine their expertise can access advanced courses focusing on niche areas such as luxury real estate, commercial properties, or investment strategies.

Choosing the Right Path for Your Career Arizona’s real estate market is thriving, and opportunities abound for those willing to invest in their education and professional development. Whether you're starting with real estate licensing in Arizona or expanding your knowledge through online CE for real estate, the right tools and resources can set you apart in this competitive industry.

Combining the flexibility of online real estate classes with the strategic insight of Arizona real estate coaching creates a powerful formula for success. These programs not only equip you with essential skills but also provide the confidence to navigate the market effectively. As you advance in your career, continuous learning through CE courses ensures you remain an expert in your field.

Arizona’s real estate market is waiting for ambitious professionals ready to seize their potential. By leveraging modern educational tools, you can build a thriving career while meeting the evolving demands of the industry. The journey may require effort, but the rewards are well worth it for those committed to mastering their craft.

[zackacademy]

Enhance Your Expertise with the RRP Refresher Course

Staying current with industry regulations and best practices is essential in the dynamic field of real estate, particularly when it comes to renovation, repair, and painting (RRP) projects. The RRP Refresher Course offers professionals a valuable opportunity to renew their certification, sharpen their skills, and stay updated on crucial safety protocols. For contractors, property managers, and renovators, this course is a cornerstone of continued success in their careers.

The RRP Refresher Course is designed for those already certified in lead-safe practices. Over time, regulations and methodologies evolve, making periodic refresher training vital for compliance and efficiency. This course focuses on reviewing essential safety procedures, regulatory updates, and hands-on techniques for managing lead-based paint hazards. It not only reinforces existing knowledge but also introduces new strategies that align with current industry standards.

One of the primary benefits of taking the RRP Refresher Course is maintaining compliance with federal and state laws. In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) mandates that professionals working on pre-1978 residential properties or child-occupied facilities renew their RRP certification every five years. This ensures that contractors remain knowledgeable about the latest regulations and continue to prioritize safety in their work environments.

The curriculum of the RRP Refresher Course typically covers a range of topics tailored to real-world applications. Participants revisit essential lead-safe work practices, including proper containment, cleanup, and disposal methods. The course also emphasizes strategies to minimize the risk of lead exposure to workers and occupants, ensuring that projects are conducted responsibly and safely. These practices are crucial not only for legal compliance but also for protecting public health and fostering trust with clients.

In addition to regulatory compliance, the RRP Refresher Course enhances professional credibility. Homeowners and property managers are increasingly aware of the risks associated with lead exposure and often seek contractors who are certified in lead-safe practices. By renewing your certification, you demonstrate a commitment to professionalism and safety, giving you a competitive edge in the market.

The flexibility of the RRP Refresher Course makes it accessible to busy professionals. Many providers offer both in-person and online training options, allowing participants to choose the format that best suits their schedules and learning preferences. Online courses, in particular, provide the convenience of studying from anywhere, enabling professionals to balance their training with work and personal commitments.

For those pursuing online training, the course typically includes interactive modules, video demonstrations, and assessments to reinforce learning. These digital tools ensure that participants stay engaged and retain critical information. On-site courses, on the other hand, offer the advantage of hands-on practice and direct interaction with experienced instructors, which can be especially valuable for those who prefer a more immersive learning experience.

Another advantage of the RRP Certification Class is the opportunity to connect with industry peers. Whether attending a virtual class or an in-person session, participants can share insights, discuss challenges, and learn from each other’s experiences. This networking aspect fosters a sense of community and collaboration, which can lead to valuable professional relationships and opportunities.

The benefits of refreshing your RRP certification extend beyond individual success. By adhering to lead-safe practices, professionals contribute to a larger goal of reducing lead exposure in communities. Lead poisoning remains a serious public health issue, particularly for children, and certified contractors play a crucial role in mitigating this risk. Their efforts ensure that renovations and repairs are conducted in ways that protect both current and future occupants of affected properties.

Investing in the RRP Refresher Course is a practical and proactive step for professionals who want to excel in the renovation and repair industry. It not only safeguards certification but also enhances skills, boosts credibility, and supports a commitment to safety and excellence. Whether you are an experienced contractor or a property manager overseeing multiple projects, this course equips you with the tools and knowledge needed to navigate the complexities of lead-safe work practices confidently.

Taking the RRP Refresher Course is more than just a requirement it’s an opportunity to reinforce your expertise, stay ahead of industry changes, and contribute to safer, healthier communities. As regulations evolve and client expectations grow, staying informed and certified ensures that you remain a trusted and reliable professional in the field. Embrace the chance to renew your skills and strengthen your career by enrolling in this essential training today.

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Is Commercial Conveyancing in Geelong the Ultimate Solution for Streamlining Property Transactions?

Do you want to purchase or sell real estate in cities or suburbs? Some well-known services for residential and commercial conveyancing in Geelong business specialists assist clients with a variety of legal real estate property transfer matters.

Transferring real estate from one owner to another is a challenging procedure. The process can be made simple and affordable by knowledgeable conveyancing firms.

Reliable conveyancing buying and selling businesses use knowledgeable conveyancers who can handle a lot of legal paperwork that needs to be completed before transferring ownership rights to the new owner, all for a fair conveyancing charge.

It is recommended that anyone looking to purchase, sell, or transfer real estate engage these conveyancing specialists to get the best possible price and a flawless, stress-free transaction. They will also provide the additional legal assistance needed for a smooth transaction.

Advantages of Consulting Conveyancing Professionals from Reputable Companies:

Some respectable conveyancing companies have a set pricing structure for their services, which enables them to offer a large number of happy clients the best possible value for an inexpensive legal service.

After completing the legalities of purchasing, selling, or transferring property, their clients may rest easy knowing that their conveyancer provided them with fair and excellent services.  

Their fixed pricing structure guaranteed customers that once the purchase or sale started, the cost of conveyancing would not increase quickly.

They may offer expert counsel and advice while adhering to local standards in the course of their job, as they are experts in the laws, regulations, and policies of the local council for consideration.

To obtain the necessary certificates, they can communicate with the numerous parties involved, including government representatives, attorneys, and other important stakeholders.

Additionally, they are well-versed in the particular requirements, procedures, and necessary certifications to guarantee a seamless and law-abiding real estate transaction.

Overall, while purchasing, selling, or transferring property, people should work with a qualified property conveyancer. Check their reliability and reputation on search engines, social media marketplaces, or online business forums. Additionally, ask them for a detailed quotation based on your needs to compare and select the right conveyancing service to close any profitable real estate deal easily and successfully.

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It is possible to get the financial freedom through loan? How to use your loan amount smartly

Freedom for Financial Flexibility

Resources Purchase

Freedom can be used to purchase resources that are essential for daily living and long-term growth. By allocating funds wisely, you can secure assets that appreciate over time. For example, investing in a high-quality education or professional training can enhance your earning potential. Similarly, purchasing real estate in an up-and-coming neighborhood can provide both a place to live and a significant investment for the future.

Reducing Liabilities

Using your freedom to reduce liabilities involves paying off debts and avoiding unnecessary expenditures. By prioritizing debt repayment, you can save on interest payments and improve your credit score. This includes not only paying off credit card balances but also refinancing high-interest loans to more manageable terms. Additionally, adopting a frugal lifestyle by cutting down on non-essential expenses can help maintain financial stability.

Growing Wealth

Freedom allows you to take calculated risks to grow your wealth. This could mean investing in stocks, bonds, or other securities that offer potential for high returns. Diversifying your investments across different asset classes and sectors can reduce risk and increase the likelihood of substantial gains. Moreover, starting or investing in a small business can provide a steady income stream and significant long-term growth opportunities.

Meeting Needs in Difficult Times:

Having financial freedom means being prepared for unexpected challenges. An emergency fund can cover unexpected expenses like medical bills, car repairs, or job loss. This ensures that you don’t have to rely on high-interest loans or credit cards during tough times. Building a robust financial cushion provides peace of mind and stability, allowing you to navigate crises without compromising your long-term financial goals.

Smart Uses of Financial Freedom

Education

Investing in education is one of the smartest ways to use financial freedom. By funding your own or your children’s education, you can unlock opportunities for higher-paying jobs and career advancement. This includes:

Higher Education: Pursuing degrees that align with market demands, such as STEM fields, business, or healthcare, can lead to lucrative careers.

Professional Certifications: Obtaining certifications in specialized areas can increase your skillset and marketability.

Continuous Learning: Participating in workshops, seminars, and online courses can keep you updated with industry trends and skills.

Marriage

Using financial freedom for marriage involves planning and funding a significant life event thoughtfully. This can include:

Budgeting: Setting a realistic budget for wedding expenses to avoid financial strain.

Investing in Experiences: Prioritizing meaningful experiences, such as a memorable honeymoon, over extravagant but fleeting wedding details.

Long-term Planning: Allocating funds for future joint investments, such as buying a home or starting a family, ensures a stable financial foundation.

Debt Payment

Paying off debt is a strategic use of financial freedom that can lead to long-term financial health. This involves:

Prioritizing High-Interest Debt: Focus on paying off high-interest debts first, such as credit card balances, to reduce the total amount paid in interest.

Debt Consolidation: Combining multiple debts into a single loan with a lower interest rate can simplify payments and save money.

Creating a Payment Plan: Setting up a structured payment plan helps in systematically reducing debt while maintaining financial stability.

Travelling

Traveling can be a rewarding way to use financial freedom, offering both relaxation and personal growth. Smart approaches include:

Budget Travel: Planning trips during off-peak seasons, using travel rewards, and choosing cost-effective accommodations can stretch your travel budget further.

Cultural Investment: Traveling to culturally rich destinations can provide educational experiences and broaden your worldview.

Health and Well-being: Investing in travel for wellness retreats or nature adventures can improve mental and physical health, contributing to overall well-being.

Investment

Investing wisely is crucial for growing wealth and ensuring financial security. Considerations include:

Diversification: Spreading investments across various asset classes such as stocks, bonds, real estate, and mutual funds to mitigate risks.

Long-term Perspective: Focusing on long-term growth rather than short-term gains can provide more substantial returns over time.

Regular Contributions: Consistently contributing to investment accounts, such as retirement funds, ensures steady growth and takes advantage of compounding interest.

By using financial freedom smartly in these areas, you can enhance your quality of life, secure your future, and achieve personal and financial goals.