Want to Do Better? Track Your Progress!

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Want to Do Better? Track Your Progress!
 
Do you have something you want to learn or do better in 2018? Maybe it’s mastering a new language, becoming a more effective manager, or, spending more quality time with family and friends.
 
One of the best ways to accomplish that goal is to track your progress. According to research, tracking motivates you for two reasons: it gives you a realistic picture of where you are and how far you’ve come; and, it acts as a form of accountability.
 
If you’re learning a new language, for example, you might want to track the number of new phrases you master each week, or how long a conversation you can comfortably hold in that new language.
 
There are many ways to track your progress. You can use a notebook, spreadsheet or even a wall calendar. There are even online apps for tracking.
 
How often should you track? That depends on what you’re trying to accomplish. Experts say the frequency should be no less than weekly.
 
*Article Provided by Morris Marketing*

5 Minute Strategies that will Get You in Better Shape

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5 Minute Strategies that will Get You in Better Shape
 
You don’t have to exercise for hours every day to get in shape. Here are some simple things you can do each day that take just a few minutes:
 
• Park further away from work or get off the bus or train at an earlier stop. Walk the rest of the way.
 
• Do simple exercises, like dumbbell curls, whenever you get a few minutes. Keep your dumbbells at your office or home – wherever you can get to them most easily.
 
• Stand up as often as you can. If you’re an office worker, consider getting a stand-up desk. (There are portable models available that sit on top of traditional desks.)
 
• Climb stairs rather than use an escalator. In taller buildings, climb to the third floor and take the elevator from there.
 
• Get up a little earlier each day to do something physical, even if it’s just a short walk around the block.
 
As you can see, these strategies are easy to fit into a busy lifestyle. Yet, in just a few weeks, they can have a big impact on your fitness level.
 
*Article Provided by Morris Marketing*

Creating a Practical Plan for Achieving a Goal

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Creating a Practical Plan for Achieving a Goal

Experts say there’s a big difference between setting a goal and achieving it. To increase the probability that you’ll reach your goal, you need to create a practical plan. That means taking the timeline for your goal, dividing it into weeks, and planning exactly what you’ll do each week.

Your weekly activities need to be realistic and move you steadily toward the finish line.

Say, for example, your New Year’s resolution is to travel to Rome. Wishful thinking won’t get you there, but a good plan will. The first three weeks of that plan might look like this:

  • Week 1: Research travel to Rome, including flights, hotels and costs.
  • Week 2: Create a realistic budget. Figure out how much you’ll need to save each week. Open a no-fee savings account for this purpose.
  • Week 3: Borrow an Italian phrase book from the library and start practicing.

As you can see, weekly planning propels you towards your goal. Try this technique for your 2018 aspirations!

*Information Provided by Morris Marketing*

5 Financial Habits that will Make You Richer

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5 Financial Habits that will MAKE YOU RICHER!
 
You don’t have to win the lottery to get wealthier. Anyone, on virtually any income, can simply adopt these habits:
 
1. Save a little from each paycheck. Tucking away just 5% of your income can build up your savings substantially over time.
 
2. Use coupons. 82% of consumer goods companies issue coupons, yet only 23% of shoppers use them. Coupons can cut a grocery bill by an average of 15%.
 
3. Avoid credit card debt. Interest rates on those are famously high and can cost you a lot of money each year.
 
4. Feast at home, not at restaurants. It’s fun to go out to a nice restaurant occasionally. Just don’t make it an expensive habit. Buy a gourmet packaged meal instead.
 
Combine it with a bottle of wine and you have a feast!
 
5. Watch out for automatic renewals. It’s all too easy to forget to cancel a subscription to a magazine you no longer read — until, of course, you’re charged again!
 
These simple habits can help you become wealthier in 2018.
 
*Article Supplied by Morris Marketing*

How to Avoid Costly Legal Mistakes

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How to Avoid Costly Legal Mistakes

When you’re buying or selling a home, there are many small but important legal issues that you may be unaware of that are, nevertheless, critical to get right. Residential real estate is a complicated process. When such a major investment is transferred from one party to another, there are subtle details to take care of that can turn into major problems if not handled correctly.

It is essential to understand the legal ins and outs that will properly protect you when you buy or sell a home. There are several issues that will certainly cost you if you are not properly informed. It is not uncommon for misinformation to cost local homesellers thousands of dollars in the sale of their home. Don’t let this happen to you.

A FREE report has been specially prepared to help you understand how to avoid costly legal mistakes. Order this report NOW to protect your investment when you buy or sell your home.

 

http://www.ruthballantyne.com/coaching_legal

Stop Paying Rent!

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Stop Paying Rent!

If you’re like most renters, you feel trapped within the walls of a house or apartment that doesn’t feel like yours. How could it when you’re not even permitted to bang in a nail or two without a hassle. You feel like you’re stuck in the renter’s rut with no way of rising up out of it and owning your own home.

Well, don’t feel trapped anymore! A new FREE Special Report entitled “How To Stop Paying Rent and Own Your Own Home” has already helped dozens of local renters get out from under their landlord’s finger, and move into a wonderful home they can truly call their own. You can make this move too by discovering the important steps detailed in this special report.

It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been renting, or how insurmountable your financial situation may seem. With the help of this report, it will become suddenly clear to you how you really can save for the down payment and stop wasting thousands of dollars on rent.

Order this report NOW and stop wasting thousands of dollars on rent.

http://www.ruthballantyne.com/stop_renting

Is This the Season to Sell?

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Is This the Season to Sell?
 
Have you noticed that some things have a season? For example, hockey is associated with winter, regardless of where it’s played. New TV shows usually begin in the fall.
 
It makes you wonder. Does real estate have a season? Is there an ideal time of year to sell?
 
Seasons can play a role in the real estate market. People are out and about more in the summer, so listings tend to be up. On the other hand, there are a lot of buyers looking for properties in the fall, winter and spring.
 
So, the best time to sell is when you want to sell. There is no magic month that is going to make a significant difference in the price you’re going to get, or how long your home will be on the market.
 
As your REALTORS®, we can help sell your home regardless of the season.
 
Of course, you might not be thinking about selling now. But, if you are, don’t worry about the time of year. Let’s talk today!
 
*Information Provided by Morris Marketing*

Paint Prep Perfection

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Paint Prep Perfection
 
The holiday scramble is officially on, and if you have friends or family coming to stay with you soon, you may be wondering if and when you’ll have time to freshen up the spare room for them. Your solution may come in the form of a professional painter.
 
The best way to instantly brighten and revive a room is by applying fresh paint to the walls. But as anyone who has ever painted a wall can testify, it’s the pre-painting prep work that takes the time and that can add to the total cost. For this reason, you’ll want your painter to come in and check out the space first, before giving you a quote.
 
To avoid any misunderstandings with your painter, ensure the following details are confirmed in writing:
 
– The painter’s quote should specify the prep work necessary before the paintbrush even hits the wall. That means confirming that filling any divots, scrapes and picture holes, and sanding as necessary, are included in the final price.
 
– If you have wallpaper, does the quote include stripping the wallpaper and prepping the walls for paint?
 
– Will you be providing the paint? If not, the painter’s quote should specify the brand and quality of paint they will be providing.
 
– How many coats of paint will be used? (Most walls typically require one coat of primer and two coats of paint for the best results.)
 
– What’s the schedule? When will the painter start, and how long will it take to complete the job?
 
*Information Provided by Nick Tavernese, RBC Mortgage Specialist*

For Now, Or Forever?

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For Now, Or Forever?
 
A starter home is typically viewed as a short-term stepping stone to help homebuyers get on the property ladder, while a “forever home” needs to satisfy many more requirements to meet the homeowner’s changing needs over a longer period of time.
 
The decision of whether to focus on searching for a starter home versus a longer-term home is usually dictated by the buyer’s pocketbook. In addition to finding something that fits their budget, first-time buyers also need to focus on looking for a home with a good layout and a good location that will provide the potential for an easy sale down the road, when they need to use their equity to upgrade to a bigger or more permanent place. The mortgage in a starter home should ideally leave some financial breathing room to allow the owners the opportunity to continue saving toward their forever home.
 
Size and layout take on more significance when looking for a longer-term home, as housing needs will typically change as the buyer’s life evolves. Buying a bigger home you can grow into becomes more of a priority as partners, children, pets or even aging parents enter the equation. The location of the property also needs to be weighed with a view to the future. The home itself can always be modified but the location can’t, and that’s why it’s important to do your research before you set down roots.
 
Check out the ratio of owner-occupied properties versus rental properties surrounding your potential new home, as this balance can alter the dynamics of the area and affect how vested people are in the community. Also, find out about any planned developments in the area should they impact the future of the neighborhood you envisage living in.
 
Buyers for both long and short-term housing need to weigh not only the size, location, and pricing of a potential new home, but also overall affordability versus commutability. A home outside the city core may give you more bang for your buck, but that may quickly be erased when taking into account the cost —both in time and money—of the daily commute to work or to see friends and family on a regular basis. If your job is a substantial distance from your home, the excitement of having lots of green space for your kids to play in can quickly be dampened with the realization that the added travel time means you have less time to enjoy the great outdoors.
 
If you’re planning on your next home being the one in which you’ll enjoy your twilight years, then the proximity to doctors, drug stores, health facilities, shopping and everyday amenities will become more of a priority. The layout of the home itself also needs to be viewed with the mindset of allowing an aging homeowner to maintain an independent lifestyle.
 
Preparing a home that allows the owner to age in place begins with minor additions to ensure safety, such as installing handrails on both sides of any steps, adding grab bars in bathrooms and ensuring good lighting, with easily-accessible light switches, is placed throughout the home. A buyer preparing to spend his or her later years in the home will also take special note of stairs, main floor layout (including kitchen and bathroom accessibility) and possible future renovations necessary to accommodate a walker or wheelchair, such as widening doorways and lowering countertop heights.
 
Be sure to share not only your short-term wishes, but also your long-term lifestyle plans with your real estate representative to help hone in on the perfect home for your needs, both today and into the future.
 
*Information Provided by Nick Tavernese, RBC Mortgage Specialist*

Gift Letters: The New Currency

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Gift Letters: The New Currency

With the high price of real estate today, buying even an entry-level house or condo is just a dream for many first-time buyers. The solution for the lucky ones? The Bank of Mom and Dad.

A donation towards a home’s down payment, to children from their parents, appears to be growing in popularity. In fact, a recent study discovered that 65 percent of those polled said they would prefer to give a financial gift to their children rather than have their children continue to live at home!*

Whether your down payment is comprised of money gifted to you from your family, from the sale of a car, or from the proceeds of your wedding, it’s important to prove any large amounts deposited into your bank account are actually yours to keep, not loans from friends or family, and that any money gifted does not need to be repaid. After all, your lender needs to be confident your priority is to repay your mortgage, without being caught up in trying to pay back friends and family at the same time.

Buyers saving to purchase a home need to remember that they require a minimum of a 5 percent down payment for a home purchased for $500,000 or less, then a 10 percent down payment for the portion between $500,000 and $999,999. Homes that cost more than $999,999 require a minimum 20 percent down payment.

There’s a home out there for you —and your adult children— whatever the budget. Please call today to find out what’s new on the market! 416-779-8732

 

*Information provided by Nick Tavernese, RBC Mortgage Specialist*