2019

In featured

Finding The Best Areas within A City for Investment in 2020

December 5, 2019 No Comments

Generally, the UK property market is projected to do well in 2020. You might think that due to political uncertainties, and stagnating house prices/sales in some areas of the country, that it isn’t the best investment type to go with at the moment, but the opportunity for success is still very much apparent in some thriving cities and apartment types growing in demand.

Also Read: How to Manage Your Finances When You’re Away from Home

Establishing and maintaining a positive investment strategy is something that many people aim to do, but when looking at property specifically, how do you make sure that you’re putting your money in the right areas and giving it the best chance at success? Well, for starters, here’s some more information on the importance of finding the right area.

Investing in the UK property market – Where do I start?

Investing in a general area that is enjoying growth will likely improve your chances of getting positive returns on your investment (and being successful with your venture), but there is a lot more that you could be doing.

Looking at the North West of the UK, for example, cities such as Manchester and Liverpool are among the most popular, but they might not provide a completely equal investment opportunity, at least at this current point in time. Assessing the market closely, property investment company RWinvest suggest that Liverpool is experiencing the same sort of economic growth and development boom that Manchester experienced a few years ago at this point, and while Manchester still remains one of the best investment prospects in the country, the opportunity to get in at an early point in Liverpool while the development is still thriving could possibly prove to be a more lucrative venture.

A closer look at Liverpool’s property market

Once you’ve chosen the city (or area) that you want to invest in around the UK, you then want to delve deeper, and look towards the specific streets, sectors and pockets of the city that might be the most popular among tenants, the most financially beneficial in terms of initial cost and rental yields, and the most exciting in terms of long term growth and promise.

These factors are particularly important to consider when thinking about the amount of different areas within your chosen city, as in a large city area such as London, for example, there are a wide variety of different prices, property styles and demand levels depending on where you’re looking. It goes without saying that it is beneficial to know the area that you are looking to invest in well, or at least to have done your research – or sought out advice from advisors/like-minded investors that have experience in the area you’re interested in.

As mentioned earlier, let’s take a specific look at Liverpool’s property market, and some of the most attractive prospects there.

Delving even deeper into this, Liverpool is one of the most promising areas of the country currently, with the top rental yield averages in the entire country according to Totally Money, and also six postcodes within the top 25, more than any other UK city. This means that all around the Liverpool city area, there are a ton of different places where the opportunity is there to make money on buy to let, but there are some places that are better to look towards than others. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the most lucrative postcode on the list is the largely central L1 postcode, which offers averages of 10%, the only postcode currently in the UK to reach this figure.

Highlighted hotspot – The Baltic Triangle

The Baltic Triangle area of Liverpool, for example, just outside the city centre, is one of the best places that you can invest in currently. A thriving pocket of the city with a growing number of bars, restaurants and nightlife, the area was once deemed the ‘coolest place to live’ in the UK by the Times, and many young people are looking to live and work their as it develops. Now home to a range of innovative digital businesses, the section of the city contributes massively to Liverpool’s economy, and is even a short walk away from the city centre, meaning residents wouldn’t be missing out on living at the heart of the famous city. These sorts of features show not just why the area is popular with investors and tenants, but also why it is perhaps more of an exciting spot to go for than other parts of Liverpool, despite them also having investment promise.

Property Profiles – Notable spots throughout the UK

To summarise, here’s an interesting piece of information about a few of the most interesting investments spots in the UK currently, that you should be taking note of to be in with the best chances of lucrative returns.

Liverpool

Average house price (according to Zoopla) – £178,668 – On the rise

Rental yield averages – 5.05% and above – Up to 10% in the L1 postcode

Notable feature – Aside from the stellar rental yield averages in this northern powerhouse city, which when paired up with the affordable pricing can make for a faster-than-average investment strategy, Liverpool’s regeneration is worth paying attention to.

Also Read: Mistakes To Avoid When Estate Planning

London

Average house price (according to Zoopla) – £653,828 – On the rise

Rental yield averages – around 3.05%

Notable feature – While London might not be the best investment strategy for everyone, due to its struggling rental yields and steep prices, those with significant capital can snatch up a beautifully placed property in an undeniably desirable, landmark city area. High-end, luxurious properties might cost multiple times over what a student apartment might cost in the north, but there is a market for them.

Leeds

Average house price (according to Zoopla) – £226,676 – On the rise

Rental yield averages – Up to 7.92% in LS2 postcode

Notable feature – Again, much like Liverpool and other northern cities, Leeds is experiencing exciting levels of growth, which always help investment prospects, but another big reason for its appeal is the student population. Known as a culturally vibrant and opportunity-filled student city, many want to live there, and so many need accommodation.

In Education

JEE Mains January 2020 Hall Ticket: Download Date & Process

December 4, 2019 No Comments

JEE Mains 2020 hall ticket, JEE Mains 2020 admit card

Engineering aspirants must qualify JEE Mains to take admission in undergraduate engineering courses in NITs, IIITs and other Centrally Funded Technical Institutions (CFTIs), institutions funded by the participating state governments, etc. Students must appear for JEE Advanced after qualifying JEE Mains to study in the country’s premier engineering institutes.

The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), Government of India (GOI), has established National Testing Agency (NTA) as an autonomous and self-sustained premier testing organization; NTA will conduct JEE Mains 2020.

JEE Main 2020 admit card for the January session will be released by NTA on December 6, 2019. The hall tickets will only be available online on the official website of JEE Mains: jeemain.nic.in. Candidates can opt for either of two options to download the admit card. They may use their application number and password, or they may also use their application number and date of birth. However, it must be noted that only those candidates who have completed the entire registration procedure and have also paid the fee successfully are eligible to download the admit card.

The hall ticket will contain all relevant information related to the exam, such as the examination schedule, name and address of the exam centre, exam timings, and digitally printed photograph and signature of the candidate. It will also contain the important instructions that examinees must keep in mind and follow as mandated by the NTA. As clearly stated by NTA, candidates are required to carry a good-quality printout of the admit card to the examination center, failing which they will not be allowed to sit for the examination. If any discrepancy is found in the information printed on the admit card, the candidate must immediately inform NTA for a correction.

JEE Mains 2020 will be held all across the country in January as well as in April. The exam will be online and computer-based. As per the NTA guidelines, no candidate will be allowed to enter the examination center without a valid admit card. Apart from a valid hall ticket, candidates are also required to carry a valid photo ID proof and a passport-size photograph.

Important dates pertaining to JEE Mains 2020

Event	Date
Filling in of application form	03 September–10 October, 2019
Release of admit card	06 December 2019
Date of Examination	06–11 January 2020 & 03–09 April, 2020

Procedure of downloading the JEE Mains 2020 admit card: All you need to know

As mentioned above, the admit cards for JEE Mains 2020 will be released by NTA on December 6, 2019. The admit cards will not be sent by NTA by courier or any other means. It must be downloaded from the official website. Below is a step-by-step process for downloading the admit card.

Visit jeeMains.nic.in, which is the official website of JEE Mains.
Click on the link for admit card.
Two options will appear:

Select the preferred option.

How to download the JEE Mains 2020 admit card through application number and password

Enter the application number.
Enter the password that was generated at the time of registration
Enter the security pin that will appear below and login
Click on the “Download Admit Card” box to download the hall ticket.

How to download the JEE Mains 2020 admit card through application number and date of birth

Enter your application number.
Enter your date of birth.
Type the security pin that will appear below.
Click on the “Download Admit Card” box to download the hall ticket.

After downloading the admit card, check all the details printed on it. In case of any discrepancy, immediately contact NTA. Take a good-quality printout of the admit card and keep it safe.

In Tech

Aspects To Consider For Purchasing An Ideal Cable That Suits Your Equipment

December 4, 2019 No Comments

The electronic advancement and various inventions have opened up the market for products to ease life. The viewing perspective has entirely changed with each equipment offering a varied line of products. Each equipment needs to be connected.

Here’s where DVI cable comes in to picture. With the passe of time, the DVI cable has also gone through various modifications to suit the electronic market. It has become the necessity to interconnect various products, categories and different brands whether it is a computer monitor, projector, television or other type of electronic product.

Besides, the interconnection of the devices, the cable should perform and work smoothly without any professional technical help. Hence it is utmost necessary to consider the following aspects before buying one.

Different models and specification

For a DVI line to connect, you should get the model and specification of the product you intend to connect with. You should compare the product specification of both the source and the display so that your interconnection is effectively completed. If you are not sure about the right cabling, you can visit Primecables.ca as it has a wide range of DVI converters, cables that will surely give the match.

Determine the DVI Line interface

The DVI line interface has mostly four types of specifications. You need to check the interface that your electronic product belongs to and accordingly, you should select its complement. For instance, if you have a VGA output source, you cannot opt for DVI based video. You will have to look for some converter or go for VGA based video. The most common used DVI Line interface are DVI-D, DVI-A, DVI-I.

Material

The material of the DVI is very important to ensure your product runs effectively and smoothly without damaging them in the long run. You might come across various cheaper options to choose from. Initially, you might have to pay a bit extra but it will provide you with good quality output, avoid repairs and maintenance cost and lead to the safety of your product.

Quality

The quality of the cable will affect transmission efficiency. A good quality and branded cable will give a better finish from outside. They won’t compromise in manufacturing quality which in turn provide a high rate of satisfaction.

Service

Though you won’t require after-sales service for the quality product, you must take into consideration the service part. It is important that you account for service since you might come across component issue by using incompetent products, troubleshooting and easy replacement.

Compatibility

Your DVI line product should be compatible and easily replaced. It should suit your purpose and give the result you are looking for.

Thus, you should pay proper attention towards the material, quality and service portion as you take care in the selection of major line of products.

In Home Improvement

Changes to FHA credit score requirements may mean homeownership in Washington state is closer than you think

November 30, 2019 No Comments

You may by ready to move out of your apartment and buy a place of your own in Washington state, but providing a huge down payment and bumps in your credit score may make purchasing a home seem out of reach.

We have some news for you! Homeownership may be closer than you think. A home financing program called an FHA home loan has had a recent change to its minimum credit score requirements and the program can help you over the hurdle of paying a large down payment. In this post we’ll share the details of an FHA home loan, the minimum credit score to qualify, and how it can be helpful to you.

What is an FHA home loan and how is it useful?

An FHA home loan is a loan program that is backed by the government and supported by the Federal Housing Administration. The FHA falls under the Department of Housing and Urban Development or HUD and was created in the mid 1930’s amongst the Great Depression to help foster the construction of new homes and boost employment rates. FHA loans are still extremely popular today.

FHA loans are designed to help first-time homebuyers and are accommodating for today’s buyer. One of the major benefits of an FHA loan is the down payment requirement. For an FHA loan you can use a down payment that is as low as 3.5%, unlike the standard 20% down payment of a Conventional loan. The only drawback of using a down payment that is lower than 20% is that you will most likely need to pay mortgage insurance. And recent changes have been made to mortgage insurance premiums. However, as soon as you have built up enough equity in your new home you may have the option to refinance into a Conventional home loan where you would no longer need to pay mortgage insurance.

Another benefit of an FHA home loan is that there are more lenient parameters around the debt-to-income eligibility. FHA loan requirements don’t limit the debt-to-income ratio to 43% like a Conventional loan, which could be helpful for today’s homebuyer when so many Americans are paying off student loans.

A low down payment, but what about my credit score?

An FHA home loan not only gives homebuyers a break on having to front a huge down payment, but the program can also be forgiving on credit score requirements. While credit requirements can vary from lender to lender, the FHA has recently made changes to the eligible credit score that has made the home loan even more accessible for homebuyers. With a down payment of 3.5% the minimum credit score is 580. And with a down payment of 10% the minimum credit score is 500. This is comparable to the 600 credit score minimum needed for a Conventional home loan.

Check your credit score to see if you could meet the eligibility terms. There are three credit bureaus that you can use to find your FICO credit score; those are Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax. Look over your credit report for accuracy and take action to make any needed corrections or improvement.

Even if your credit score meets the minimum requirement, we recommend doing your best to increase it because your credit score is a valuable factor in determining your mortgage interest rate. You can build your credit by paying down any balances that you have on your current credit cards and by not opening any other lines of credit or loans. Improving your credit score is something that takes time so make sure you factor that into your timeline before applying for home financing if you need to.

What else do I need to know about FHA loan eligibility in Washington state?

Besides lower credit scores and down payment amounts there are a few more eligibility perks worth knowing about on an FHA loan in Washington state. The FHA loan limit raised for King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties in 2019. The new limit for the Seattle area is $726,525. This means that the maximum amount that you can borrow using an FHA home loan in the Seattle area is $726,525, which is beneficial because home prices are so high in the area.

An FHA loan also allows the borrower to use gift funds to supplement with their down payments. As long as you contribute 3.5% of the down payment amount from your own funds you are able to use money that was given to you from family or relatives to increase your down payment amount and in return lower your monthly mortgage payment. Like any other loan product or program, proper documentation will be needed to explain the purpose and intention of the gift funds.

Your credit score will play into the interest rate that you will receive on your mortgage financing, however, with an FHA you can most likely expect a lower interest rate than a Conventional loan so you can plan on keeping more money in your pocket each month.

The FHA eligibility terms are also more forgiving when it comes to the time period you have to wait before applying for home financing after declaring bankruptcy. The waiting period is two years after filing for bankruptcy versus four years with a Conventional home loan.

Last but not least, the home that you are applying for home financing for needs to be your primary residence. Unfortunately, FHA home financing does not apply to second homes or investment properties.

Could an FHA loan be the right fit for me?

There you have it, all of our highlights on the FHA loan program, credit score requirements, and other eligibility guidelines that we think will be the most helpful for you. If you have any questions or think you may be ready for a place of your own, check out our first time home buyers guide and contact us today! We have been part of the mortgage industry since 1992 and are sure that we will find the best mortgage program and product to fit your situation so you can step into your new home with confidence.

In Home Improvement

What Makes Seasons in Malibu a Top Rehab Facility

November 28, 2019 No Comments

If you’re struggling to find the right treatment center for addiction or mental health, take a look at Seasons in Malibu– one of the top rehab facilities in California. They are a CARF-accredited, licensed substance abuse and mental health treatment center located in Malibu, California. Their specialties treat a wide variety of addictions, including prescription drug abuse, alcohol dependence, opiate addition, and sex addiction, among others, and they are also licensed to treat many mental health disorders like anxiety, PTSD, and complex trauma.

When looking at top rehab facilities, Seasons in Malibu stands out for several reasons. Here are 8 things they do differently; click through their website for details on how they can help best.

They offer some of the most individualized, one-on-one therapy sessions in the world.
Approach to treatment is both evidence-based and multi-dimensional.
Their licensed professionals’ program is both high end and highly intensive.
Aftercare and sober companion programs are customized for everyone.
Focused treatment teams are made up of 40 people.
They make use of the most innovative and cutting-edge holistic treatment modalities.
They accept insurance and offer a free insurance check online.
They are one of a few top rehab facilities that provides a guaranteed service agreement for your addiction.

Seasons in Malibu understands the importance of detoxing in a safe, comfortable environment, and their mission is to offer something better than traditional treatments available to addicts. At their residential inpatient rehab facilities, they believe in addressing and understanding the underlying issues of each addiction, to develop an individually tailored treatment program for you–one that will also evolve over the course of your stay to ensure you are getting exactly what you need. In addition to addiction treatment, Seasons in Malibu also treats a variety of mental health disorders, with separate programs dedicated to depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, PTSD, and trauma. The mental health programs are in their own treatment center–a stand-alone facility offering one-on-one therapy in an intimate, luxurious, residential setting.

After treatment, Seasons in Malibu pairs each client with a one-on-one sober companion to help you cope with triggers and acclimate to life outside of treatment. Additionally, they offer aftercare treatment sessions that allow you to continue to see the same therapist even after you have returned to the challenges of the outside world.

If you’re looking for top rehab facilities to help with addiction or mental health problems, call Seasons in Malibu today to start on your path to recovery.