Category: Real Estate

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Finding The Right Home to Buy

6 Expert Tips for Finding The Right Home to Buy

Buying a home is undeniably one of the biggest purchases in life. When it comes to that point, it really makes sense to think through cautiously, especially if you’re a first-time buyer. Whatever the case, buying a new home can be a lengthy and detailed process. Especially given the fact that the housing market changes all the time. Whether you are looking for a condo, turn-key or an underappreciated property, there are various things you need to take into account. Read on to learn more. 1. Starting Early Makes Sense You’re not just going to wake up one day and use up your life’s savings to get your dream home. There is a volume of house hunters just like you looking for the best house the market has to offer. So, if you start the search sooner, you’re likely to get a better home quote and mortgage price. You also need to understand that starting early is all about keeping yourself updated with the changes in the real estate market. For example, if you start the planning process early, you will be able to keep yourself aware of the up-and-coming neighborhoods, development projects and other new and exciting infrastructure that is sure to drive valuation and property prices higher in the next few years. When sellers put their homes out for sale, they usually get offers in a matter of weeks. Also, they don’t like when their listings stay on the market for too long. Have a savings goal and commit to a monthly deposit amount to help you get the money for your downpayment. Ideally, it all depends on when you want to buy the home. 2. Compare Mortgages Most buyers tend to assume straight off that a 30-year fixed mortgage is a right option for them. You want a mortgage that will pay dividends over the life of the mortgage. Take the time to use a comparison shop to review different mortgage plans from several providers before selecting one. With mortgage rates ever-rising, they’re expected to be 4.6 percent in 2018 and about 5 percent in 2018. As a customer, you need to know the variety of mortgage plans out there. You want to prey those rates that are low and affordable. A low rate will make it easier for you to qualify for a loan and you’ll save thousands over the course of the loan. 3. Get the Buyer’s Package Lenders are usually confident about buyers that come to them with a comprehensive package. Before you approach lenders, you want to put your best foot forward. Take it as a way of demonstrating stability and building a relationship from the start. Before you start your house hunting, prepare yourself with a package of materials, such as a copy of your credit score, proof of funds, and pre-approval letter from the bank. If you’re working with a real estate agent to find Rochester NY houses for sale, for example, they’ll help you collect all the relevant documentation. 4. Plan Your Down Payment This is one of the fundamentals of buying a new home. If you can afford to pay more than 20 percent in down payment, you can avoid paying mortgage insurance premiums. Determine the price range of the home you want to buy and be sure to save at least 20 percent of that amount as a down payment. To save enough down payment, you can get a second job, downgrade your home or live with a roommate, and sell some stuff. Avoiding habits that require you to spend money regularly. With a down payment, the more you save, the better. 5. Location Matters When considering a price range for your new home, location is one of the critical determinants. Ideally, home prices are far between depending on locations. For example, houses in the Midwest and South are more affordable. This is because you could get a 2-bedroom house for $250,000 in Chicago but you can get a 1-bedroom at the same price in Boston. If you’re looking for something that’s a little bit down the price scale, you want to take location into account. Of course, it depends on where you want to live. For those who are not planning to stay in their new home for more than five years, it helps to get something cheaper and affordable. Get the Right Home Buying a new home doesn’t need to be a scary affair. Most people have done it, and you can do it, too. It all starts with making the decision and staying committed to your resolution. Check with friends, colleagues and family members who already bought a house to share their experience and tips. Read More: Buying Or Selling A Home In Seattle? What Makes A Strong Foundation For Your Home We Buy Houses: Don’t Build Without Permits 5 Good Luck Plants That Deserves A Place In Your Home 5 Perfect Ways To Create Size Illusion In Room With Home Accessories

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Strong Foundation for Your Home

What Makes a Strong Foundation for Your Home

They say, for a home, the foundation is just as important as the feet and legs are to us, humans. Be it your home or a high rise; the foundation is what everything rests on. Therefore, getting the foundation right is what ensures a sound and stable building for many years to come. But how do you ensure a strong foundation for your home or building? Well, it’s a lot more than digging up a hole and pouring concrete. From piers to spread footings, and pilings, strong foundations can be built in a number of ways. Enlisted below are the key factors that you must understand for building a strong foundation for your home. Consider the Soil Type Regardless of the foundation type you use for your home, the foundation and footing are designed to support the weight of your home. Now, how well it supports your home depends on what type of soil the foundation is resting on. For instance, if you are working with dry or dense soil, it is less likely to settle after the house has been built while if the site has wet or soft clay, the foundation is much likely to settle in an effective way. Make sure you evaluate the soil before deciding the type of foundation so that there are no moisture retention issues in the future. Keep the Foundation Dry Most of the construction materials are not waterproof. The surface water tends to seep inside the walls and leads to a big interior problem. It does not matter which foundation type you prefer, but the damp space will lead to high growth of fungus and mildew. For a strong foundation, make sure that the waterproof coating is brushed on the outside of the foundation. A perforated pipe is placed around the perimeter so that it can catch extra water and drain it away. Also, construction experts recommend building the house above a grade so that water gets drained away itself. Make Use of Screw Piling One of the best methods to lay down a deep and strong foundation is using screw piles. Screw piles can be used under the footings to ensure that the foundations do not shake if the ground moves. The installation time is just 6-15 minutes per pile, and the homes can be built directly on to it. Engineers highly recommend helical screw piles for ensuring strong foundations. Screw piles experts in Sydney can help you leverage the technique for building strong and stable foundations. Keep an Eye on Minor Cracks The key to a strong foundation is to fix all the minor cracks that occur during the time of construction. Small hairline cracks can be fixed easily. But, if the crack is narrow or has a bigger configuration-it indicates that the foundation has an uneven setting. The most troublesome crack is the ‘horizontal crack,' which means there is a major structural failure in the entire wall. Whether vertical or horizontal, keep an eye on all the cracks so that an even and a strong foundation is built for your home. Use Proper Detailing While designing and building a secure, stable, and a trouble-free haven, use the proper detailing so that no glitches and blips trouble you later on.  Not all issues are part of a foundational problem, but the proper investigation is necessary for the longevity and strength of your foundation. Getting the footings and foundation right will go a long way in ensuring a secure and stable building for the years to come Read More:  Safety Triangle: Three Things Your Soon-To-Be House Must Have 5 Myths About Roofing Services To Avoid DC Metro Area Real Estate Update How Real Estate Factors Into Business Decisions Buying Your First Home In St. Louis Why You Must Embrace Green Home Technologies?  

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Are you planning to relocate to Canada?

If you’re among those relocating to a big and highly popular nation, Canada then this write-up is to guide you to get the best accommodation to live in. Heading to a new country is always an exciting experience, but when it comes to establishing yourself there could be a daunting task. Right from your touchdown in Canada post-immigration, is tracking a comfortable accommodation. Here some of the sources who can count upon in finding a perfect location to live in. Keep reading! Pick Temporary Accommodation: Initially, most of the immigrants plan to take in temporary accommodation and then move to a permanent place. Probably, the prime focus is on finding a good job first and a preferred residence location thereon. Such temporary staying solutions can be hotels, hostels, rental apartments, and alike. The apartments in Canada are subjected to 12 month lease period only. Consider Preferences: To meet such a situation, the country has introduced a specific accommodation service to assist the immigrants in finding the perfect location in the minimum time possible. All you need to apply for the same considering your preferred location, budget, workplace distance, and other related expenditure. Check Affordable Availability: If you ask for the cost of living in Canada, it simply depends upon the area/street you select to live. Reading the reviews, the places like Saskatchewan and Montreal are among the most affordable to stay at. These are economical as compared to Alberta and Vancouver. External Sources: You must be financially strong enough as the cost of living in Canada is certainly higher than the cost in your base country without any doubt. You can use various sources to find a perfect place for you. It comprises Canada’s housing corporation, housing directories, classifieds, websites and other media tools. CMHC (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation) is a government agency that aims to provide the best resources for housing for people probing for accommodation in the country. It helps both the new entrants as well as the existing citizens looking for a home. Next, you can find a kind of housing, whether temporary or permanent in the housing directories, classified and newspapers as per your budget and preferences. There is a myriad of online websites which help you to get a house for yourself. Maps are displayed there, you can just click on the location you desire to live in and it will show you all the possible housing options in and around the specific area. These websites help in finding services and jobs as well. An ideal way to relocate and settle in Canada is on PR visa. With this visa, the applicants can fetch several benefits from the massive Canadian government, such as free education and free medical facilities. Connect to the visa experts and get detailed information about the formalities and paperwork required for the same. You can browse through eta-canada-visa.com to take the expert guidance on visiting Canada as a tourist or PR or study abroad. It helps you in the complete visa documentation and procedure. Hoping for your delightful stay in Canada!

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Real estate

DC Metro Area Real Estate Update

Real estate in the nation's capital is enjoying a banner year, according to all indications, and expectations are that the good times will continue -- at least for sellers. It's not only the city but the entire metropolitan area, including sought-after Maryland and Virginia communities, that are currently experiencing fast sales and rising prices. Combine that with near record-low inventories, and it is a classic seller's market. The picture is not quite as rosy for buyers, however. Sales are brisk, averaging well over 8,000 homes closed during the last several 30-day periods. Nearly 9,000 homes were sold during June, and week over week sales increased 3.5 percent, according to the July 8 Homesnap report. Close-in Fairfax County, in Virginia, is a consistently high performer, even beating its own week-over-week record on a regular basis. In June, there was some concern that the market was showing signs of weakening after a strong start to 2017. And, to be fair, sales numbers were down slightly for a week in June, but have since rebounded. Inventory is down to a two-month supply, and median sales price for the area continued a 12-week upward trend. Overall Figures Reflect Strength While market conditions vary by specific locale and by housing type, the median list price for all homes currently on the market is $450,000, up from $439,000 one year ago, but lower by 2% than one month ago. The median price has trended upward, though, since January 2017, which marked the low point since July 2016. Among active listings, average time on market is 131 days, and there are nearly as many new listings as there are price reductions. New listings are lower than previously by nearly 10 percent, and the number of reduced price listings is down 2.7%. The median list price of detached homes is $545,000, with average days on the market only at 96. Townhome and condo sales and prices are equally strong: $390,000 and 58 DOM; and $320,000 with a DOM of 63, respectively. The Investment Picture In the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, as in many other parts of the country, it is the Millennial generation and Baby Boomers who are the driving forces in the real estate market. Although the reasons are quite different, the two age groups exhibit many of the same preferences. They tend to prefer locations near the urban core, although close-in suburban communities are finding new favor with young working singles as well as families. Empty nesters and soon-to-be-retired couples are, in many cases, downsizing by trading their suburban homes for an in-town apartment, condos, and townhomes in order to be near cultural amenities, shopping, restaurants, and nightlife, as well as to maintain former business ties. Spending on remodeling and improvements to sell is forecast to have a major impact on the economy during the second half of the year. When the available housing supply dwindles, a high percentage of buyers, young and old alike, decide to remodel rather than wait for the "perfect" home or take a chance of being priced out of the market. Based on a report from Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies, senior homeowners, those aged 65 or older, will be responsible for one-third of total remodel dollars spent in the nation by the year 2025. In addition, total expenditures by all age groups are expected to rise by at least $48 billion over 2015 spending. The lesson to be learned? In a tight housing market, if you can't easily find the perfect home, simply remodel what you find to be acceptable. If current trends continue in the DC metropolitan area, home improvement may become the new normal. Read More :  Top Expert Tips For A Stunning Condo Interior! We Buy Houses: Don’t Build Without Permits

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We Buy Houses: Don’t Build Without Permits

If you have ever spent any time at the building permit office, then you probably understand how big of a headache it can be. Even if you are just wanting to make a small home update, you probably found yourself questioning, why do I need a permit for that? Why is it so expensive? The permits themselves are very expensive and that doesn't take into consideration the repair cost on top of that. If you have thought about starting major home renovations without having the proper permits, then you should certainly reconsider. If you are starting these home renovations because you are looking to sell your house, then I would recommend selling your home to a cash home buyer instead and saving thousands of dollars and eliminating headaches altogether. If you attempt to sell your property and you have completed repairs without a permit then there could be a lasting impact if a home inspector finds out. If that does become the case and an inspector sees that you have completed non-permitted repairs, then its as if you purchased a home without a salvaged title. Sure you have a home, but because you didn't get the permit, you did more damage than good and could be forced to sell for much lower than market value as this is a huge red flag for buyers. There could also be huge fines associated with unpermitted work. These fines are always much higher than the cost of the actual permit, thus incentivizing people to get permits. Even if you think you won't get caught, the drawbacks and fines just aren’t worth the risk. In fact, if you are in the middle of the construction and an inspector requests to see your permit, you must be able to provide it on hand or they will order you to completely stop construction. At this point, you risk having an open house or the city demanding that all unauthorized work be demolished. If it has come to this point that the cost of the permit is just too much, consider selling your home for cash to a reputable home buying company. Read also: How to Buy a House With No Money in the Bank The last positive of selling your home for cash is that you will have more available funds to complete your next project and you won’t have the fear of doing the work without permits. By completing a cash deal, you can use a large portion of that cash for a down payment on a new home, and still, have money left over to complete and add ons or new construction projects. Starting any type of construction without the proper permits can seem like a sneaky, cost-saving opportunity. The idea of increasing your home value is appealing to everyone, but you have to do it the right way. If you don't want to pay the permits, consider reaching out to a home buying company that will buy your house as-is. Never, under any circumstance let someone tell you that it is ok to build/remodel your home without the proper permits unless of course, they are willing to pay the fines and backlash that may come afterward. Read More: 6 Expert Tips For Finding The Right Home To Buy Buying Or Selling A Home In Seattle? Buying Your First Home In St. Louis Don’t Relocate Until You’ve Answered These Questions About Your New Neighborliness

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Moving Company

Finding The Right Moving Company

Moving can be tedious when you have a lot of stuff. Packing up your belongings, loading the truck, renting the truck, unloading the truck, and driving it to the new place. This process consumes a lot of time and you may opt to hire a firm that will either do all or part of the transportation logistics (like Movegreen, a moving company in Orange County, as well as Santa Barbara and Ventura). Even though hiring a company can save you stress and time, employing the wrong company will add to it. Protecting your belongings and yourself requires you to choose the right moving company. Finding The Right Moving Company: 1. How much do you want the moving company to move to? The saying of hiring an individual to do almost all things for you at a price is true. Many individuals choose to box their belongings by themselves and hire movers to load, transport and unload the luggage. Some individuals, especially when they are moving across the borders, might hire movers and rent a truck to box the luggage and pack the truck, then drive the trucks by themselves. Other people will hire the movers to carry out everything by themselves. They even allow them to arrange the items in rooms after delivering them to the destination. 2. How much is your movement budget? The moving company will add everything you possess to the bill they will charge you. If you have a tight budget, you will have to balance convenience and quality against the cost. You will have to do some activities by yourself so that you hire movers to handle difficult areas like loading, driving, and offloading the truck. Make a comparison between moving companies so that you choose the one the suits your requirements. 3. The distance of the movement: Moving long distances will affect two aspects when choosing movement companies: the movement cost and companies you are choosing from. Local companies may not afford to move you across state borders and lines. When planning for a long-distance, it is advisable to hire a royal moving company in advance to ensure availability. 4. Does the company provide insurance against damage and loss of property? You have invested a lot of capital in your belongings. Think of the money you need to purchase others in the event something happens during the move. Many firms usually reimburse part of the lost items when a loss takes place. You need to ask the company the amount they pay for lost and damaged items and make sure that you get a written copy of the policy. The coverage policy of royal moving company covers all aspects of ensuring that you get everything you want in your company. Conclusion: The reputation of the company needs to give you guidance when choosing the right company for your job. Upon request, the right firm needs to give you references to confirm their reputation. You need to check the references as the company might offer those that are only positive. The best reference for you is the referral a friend gives you. It is important to use a reference you get from the person you know. Hiring movers is similar to putting your life in the hands of another person. Royal moving company will make sure that all your furniture, kitchenware, and clothing gets to the destination without damage. Read Also: 10 Things To Do Before You Move Out Of State The Ultimate Moving Checklist – Things You Need To Do When Moving Our Guide To Finding The Cheapest New York City Movers Avoid These 4 Mistakes During Multi-Family Housing Renovation

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Home Buying

Best Home Buying Tips for First Time Buyers

Having a home is the best asset that each family desires because housing is a basic need. The challenge with most people is that they make several mistakes while buying their first home. You need to be keen because this is a long-term investment. Some of the mistakes you make can cost you for the rest of your life. Here are some of the home buying tips for first-time buyers. Financial Planning You will rarely come across a person buying a home in cash. Most of us rely on mortgages to finance their home purchase. It means that you need to do a lot of planning before you make the final decision. First, you will be expected to make a monthly payment towards the mortgage. Look at your financial cash flows and make sure you are comfortable with the monthly installments.  You don’t want to buy a house that will be repossessed along the way because of the inability to pay. Assess your future cash flows to make sure that you are on the safe side. It’s good to have an alternative source of income just in case the primary source fails. Recommended reading: Five Efficient Uses Of Propane In Your Home So many financial institution advance mortgages to their clients. Look for a financier whose mortgages have the best features. You need a loan that is not very expensive in the long run. Assess both the finance fee and the loan interest rate to get the best deal. Also, look at the lending policy of the borrower. Look at how they handle default because no one can see tomorrow and you need to prepare for the worst. You can also use probate estate loans. Banks offer different mortgage products and you need to do your homework well to get the best product. Size of the House Make sure you evaluate your housing needs before you begin shopping for one. A home is not something that you can buy at any time. It is a long-term investment that can take you even 30 years to clear the mortgage. Make sure you evaluate your future and current housing needs. For instance, a single person who is planning to get married should plan for the future needs of his family. Buy a house with the future needs of your family in mind. It is very little you can do when you discover later that your house is too small. Make sure you buy a house that will meet all your needs in the long run. Location of the House Location is an important element when buying a house for the first time. First, look at the accessibility of the house. Infrastructure is very important when buying a home. Make sure you are comfortable with the distance of the house from the road. You should be able to access the house with a lot of ease. The house should also be close to social amenities such as schools, hospitals, shopping malls, restaurants, and gyms just to name a few. It can be hard to get an ideal location but you can try to get the best from what the market has to offer. The last thing to look at is the neighborhood. This element is mainly determined by your age and lifestyle. You can decide to go to a neighborhood that has old people or the young generation. Using Property Agents Home buying companies have a long list of houses for sale in the region. Using them can save you a lot of effort. They can give you several options and you will be able to choose the best. You will also get an opportunity to compare the prices of different homes for you to get the best value for your money. You can cushion yourself against exploitation from greedy sellers by using property agents. You will pay property agents some fee but it is cost-effective in the long run. It’s always a good option to use the help of North Coast Financial advisers.  

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Buying or Selling a Home in Seattle?

Regardless if you are new to the Seattle area or just looking to find a new place to live in the city you already love, buying a home is a big deal. You aren’t simply making a purchase, you are making an investment. An investment that by all means should end up being a part of your identity, a member of your family so to say. Read also: The Glitches Arrived In Travelling To New Place Why Seattle is the place to be Seattle has become one of the most popular places to live in the Northwest. Despite what you have heard about the weather, there are plenty of cities throughout the United States that accumulate more rainfall than the Emerald City. New York City, Jacksonville, Raleigh, and Hartford are just a few that might catch you by surprise. There are several parks and scenic getaways throughout Seattle to escape the hustle and bustle of busy city life. A weekend mountain getaway is just a matter of thirty minutes away. If that isn’t enough to talk you into making the move, you are always just a block away from the best cup of coffee you have ever had. Because of these factors and many more, there has been a significant rise in the price of houses on the market in the area. Because of this, realtor services such as Findourpad have distinct advantages over trying to find a home on your own. This particular service will update all of the current listings throughout the Seattle area as often as every 15 minutes. Easy to access information They make it easy to find a home matching exactly what you are looking for when it comes to area, price, and size. Trying to find this information on your own would take days, if not weeks. By being able to see current listings, images, and details at the palm of your hand, you save yourself valuable time over visiting site after site, looking for the perfect match. Services such as Findourpad allow you to compare listing on the market in different areas, by different realtors. You have the ability to compare how much home you are getting for your dollar compared to other options, providing you the opportunity to find exactly what you and your family are looking for. You will have information at your fingertips concerning the type of view from the home you will enjoy, the school district your children will attend, the annual amount that has been spent on taxes for the property, even the type of vehicle parking the home provides. With the simple click of the mouse, you can request even more information about the home or schedule a viewing to see the place for yourself. If you are currently or will soon be selling a house, the service can be just as valuable for you, if not more. By listing your home on the website, you will put it in front of thousands of eyes that may not be able to see the property otherwise. Regardless of which end of the market you are in, Findourpad makes the task of buying or selling a home much easier for everyone involved. Read also: Why Should You Consider Security Doors For Your House?

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Buying your first home

Buying Your First Home In St. Louis

Buying your first home has some similarity to buying your first car. Look, it doesn’t matter how good your intentions are. If you’ve never owned a home before, you’re likely to tear it up a little bit during your first ownership. Consider the disposal. Did you know that putting fat down there is a great way to clog the pipes? But what if you like bacon? Oh, here’s a solution! Just pour the liquid grease down the disposal and flush it out with hot water! That’ll get it through your pipes, right? Wrong. It’ll gradually accumulate in your pipes over time until your sink is terribly clogged. You may not even be able to get such a clog fixed yourself, and it could start leaking out elsewhere, forcing you to call a plumber. You’re likely going to have leaks in even the most sturdily built, expensive properties. Sometimes you may neglect to take care of the yard work as needed.  And what if there’s a freeze and you haven’t flushed the sprinklers? Then there are natural disasters which occur over time. Did you know sometimes pipes buried underground can burst for no real reason? Well, there’s a reason—maybe it got cold; maybe the pipes were old. The point is, there’s nothing you could have done to prevent it. When this happens, you might get a flooded basement. Catching it in time could be key. There are electrical issues, interior and exterior maintenance issues, security issues—the list goes on. So when you’re buying your first house, you need not look at it as your perpetually permanent residence. Take care of it as it will be, but for that first home outing, you might want to buy similarly to how you purchased your first car. Of Cars and House You didn’t get the nicest car or the most ideal one; you got one you could handle, and that you could sell when your time was through. Well, ideally. Many youngsters tear up that first car so bad it’s good for nothing afterwards—and you definitely don’t want to do that to your first home! Your first house can be an exceptional asset. If you find the right realtor, you may even make money over time as you fix up the inside and upgrade certain features of the property. Adding a wall or knocking one out can add thousands of dollars to a home’s value; as can refurbishing a kitchen, or turning an attic into a room. When it comes to St. Louis homes and first time home buyers, it’s important to source a realtor who has at least a decade’s experience in the market, like Irene Hasegawa of SoldByIrene.com, a realtor who: “…has been in real estate development and renovation since 1998.” The locality of this realtor is also a key element of your home choice. A native who is in the business of realty understands many neighbourhoods and those most conducive for a given house hunter. Sometimes you’re hunting for a family home, sometimes you’re hunting for a bachelor pad or a Summer getaway cottage. Find the right local realtor, you can get an ideal property in the neighbourhood you want, and at appreciable rates. Whether you’re buying for the first time, or looking to get into the realty game, there are definitely options in St. Louis right now. As a matter of fact, home values have gone up 10% recently, and they look to be expanding even further. Get a good local realtor, and you can get a real bargain.  

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Real Estate

How Real Estate Factors into Business Decisions

People tend to think of real estate in a very direct, narrow sense. We factor our rent into our monthly budgets and see property taxes as only a small slice of the larger bill we pay every year. We rarely think about the fact that real estate and housing costs have incredible ripple effects that dictate the success and failure of several industries. Consider the housing bubble in the United States and how it eventually prompted the greatest economic setback since the Great Depression. The woes of the housing market permeated into virtually every other facet of the American economy, and they had a gigantic impact on the lives of so many people who felt the pinch in ways that seemingly had little to do with housing. For business owners, real estate is a much bigger piece of the economic pie than they might initially assume. Though there is little we can do to influence the policies of banks who give out loans or the real estate prices in our markets, we can look at how real estate factors into our bottom lines. Factoring Real Estate Costs into Your Budget The first consideration you should make is how property costs will directly impact your budget. A business owner might decide that they are best served to own the property they’re using, or they might find that perhaps their interests are best met by a rental space. Whatever solution you’ve decided is best for your business, don’t forget to factor in the costs of property tax, insurance requirements or legal expenses that you might encounter and how those costs could add to your initial estimates. Remember that buying a property, especially if you’re building or renovating a commercial space, comes with many costs. You will carry the responsibility for repairs and maintenance, for example. You’ll need to determine whether your business can sustain these costs, and you’ll need to leave room in your budget for unforeseen circumstances. Your Location Will Also Affect Employees If you are poised to hire workers, you will also need to consider how your real estate choices might impact them. If you are relocating, will you be able to offer your employees compensation for relocating with you? If you are hiring new employees, will they have to travel to reach your business? The size of your workforce will also dictate the size of your workplace. Remember that if your business will be adding more employees in the near future, you will need to accommodate those workers. Using Real Estate as a Barometer If you’re starting, expanding or relocating a business, you might be able to determine what location is most advantageous by looking at real estate prices in your new location. There are many things to consider. Is the area you’re looking at booming, or is it stagnant? If an area is showing signs of growth, can you afford the costs of a property in a competitive real estate market? How much does your business really depend on being located in a prime area of your community? Being Realistic in Your Expectations Just like any other decision you’ll be making as a business owner, you’ll need a healthy dose of realism when you are factoring in how real estate will impact your bottom line. Is it reasonable to buy a big, plush location in the most booming part of a city, or is your business model best served by renting a space and keeping costs down until you know how much income you will be generating? In the beginning stages in the life of a business, it is best to cut any expenses that are not absolutely essential to the operation of your company. Find out how many expenses you’ll be facing that you might not currently be factored into the equation, and look at all of your options before making a decision. Real estate impacts our lives in many ways, some of which might be out of our control. But so many of the decisions that business owners make can be based on predictable costs that we might fail to overlook in the excitement of beginning or expanding a business. Be cautious, realistic and thorough when determining the role property will play in your operations. Rebekah Damen Lusk a partner at the Maryland law firm Thienel & Lusk, LLC Attorneys at Law. Her practice includes civil litigation, business, employment, landlord/tenant, real estate, family, equine and animal law. Read More: DC Metro Area Real Estate Update What Makes A Strong Foundation For Your Home Buying Your First Home In St. Louis Why You Must Embrace Green Home Technologies?

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