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Things to Consider when Looking for a Property in Spain

October 14, 2019 by Mandy

There are many reasons why individuals relocate in Spain, whether fully or partly. Not only is lifestyle affordable in this country, but the climate is also favourable, and people are welcoming. Now, Spain has many beautiful properties for both temporary and permanent residents.

Javea particularly offers elegant buildings. Individuals looking to reside in Spain can begin their search in this area. Here are, however, some questions one should ask before buying any property in this country.

Who’ll Negotiate with the Banks?

Well, negotiations are essential. They ensure that one gets a fair deal. While many people negotiate for themselves, there’s no crime in hiring someone else to negotiate on your behalf. You can look for a financial expert who has experience in this industry. But, if you choose to negotiate yourself, make sure you get quotations from different banks about the level of mortgages you might be offered.

Who’ll Handle Taxes?

Tax issues are often complicated and need an experienced mind to handle them properly. Although one can save some cash if they handle tax issues on their own, hiring an expert will make things less complicated and cost-effective in the long run. There are many additional taxes and charges that an ex-part buying in Spain should pay. A professional will, therefore, help you know which these taxes are.

Will You Buy the Property Directly from the Owner?

Many individuals buy buildings directly from the owner so that they prevent bureaucracy. However, doing this has some downsides too. It’s therefore wise that an individual weighs out options and see whether going through a realtor will benefit them.

Will You Hire a Removal Company?

Moving from one country to another is overwhelming. And the last thing someone should do is overstress him/herself during this time. While people do the removal on their own, it’s worth hiring a professional company. Although it is costly, it’ll save you time and effort.

What about Online Properties?

The internet makes our lives very easy. Individuals can check some properties online. However, one shouldn’t pay for a property they’ve not seen. Once you get what you like, go check that property in person.

Do You Need an Attorney?

Matters of legality are complicated. And need someone with a deep level of understanding to handle them. Often, many people handle the legal side of purchasing buildings in Spain on their own. But, because of many tricky aspects, it’s wise that one has a lawyer by their side. Lawyers will give you an insight into things you probably didn’t know hence saving one trouble in future.

What about the Renovations?

Well, if someone buys a house which needs some work carried out, they have two options. Depending on which type of renovations, individuals can either renovate themselves or hire an experienced company. Renovating on your own can save some cash, but it’s time-consuming, and the final results may not be impressive. If money is not an issue, one should consider hiring a professional team.

Relocating to another country is not easy. But these questions can help simplify things for you. It’s therefore wise that one takes time researching on the best options for them.

What makes a penthouse so unique?

June 24, 2019 by Mandy

Source: Unsplash | Yucel Moran

Penthouses are the latest trend in the Dubai property market, and it is becoming a preferred housing option for most home seekers. The idea of penthouses became popular in the 1920s during a construction boom in New York. These are the uppermost floors of a high-rise building. They are different from the typical apartments in more than one ways like added luxury features.

If you want to get the best deal when buying a penthouse, you should consult top real estate brokers in Dubai. Also, you can consider the numerous apartments for sale in Dubai Marina or Citywalk apartments Dubai. Experts indicate that it is the right time to buy a property in Dubai because prices are low.

Here are the reasons why penthouses are unique:

Privacy

Privacy is one of the biggest benefits of living in a penthouse. Since they are located on the uppermost floor, there is a pleasurable living environment with the highest privacy. Unlike traditional apartment setting where several units are placed on a single floor, penthouses occupy larger spaces. In fact some have private entrance to differentiate them from other accesses of the building.

Exclusive features

In most cases, the living space in a penthouse is well planned with high quality fitting and fixtures. For example, they have glass walls, lavish flooring, uninterrupted scenic views of the skyline, etc. Residents also have access to amenities such as gymnasium, swimming pools, Jacuzzi and others.

Spacious terrace

The spacious terrace is one of the reasons why penthouses are becoming popular in Dubai. Nowadays, penthouses are featuring sufficient outdoor area with plenty of space to entertain guest. However, some developers compromise the living space to accommodate the large terrace. Nevertheless, it is a fair compromise due to the undeniable status symbol associated with penthouses.

Location

Another most alluring feature of owning a penthouse is access to necessary facilities such as banks and grocery stores. Most penthouses are located in urban areas or in high-end developments like Downtown Dubai.

Quiet and peaceful

As mentioned earlier, penthouses are located on the topmost floors of high-rise buildings. As a result, residents are away from the traffic and loud city noises. In addition, since its located on the top floor, you will not be disturbed by neighbours or their guests.

Sufficient natural light

Usually, penthouses come with unobstructed views which provide plenty of natural light. This does not only bring brightness to the unit, but it also lowers lighting bills.

Factors To Consider When Buying & Moving Into Your First Home

January 4, 2019 by Mandy

Buying a new home and moving is a very exciting time but it also can be a stressful situation. There are a lot of different factors to consider when buying and moving into your first home that you should be aware of.

Educate yourself ahead of time and be prepared for the move so you can have a smooth transition. Leave yourself plenty of time to do your homework and look around, so you don’t feel rushed or pressured into buying a home that isn’t right for you and your family. Most importantly, have fun and enjoy the process of finding your dream house and getting settled in.

Your Budget & Finances

One factor you’ll want to consider when buying and moving into your first home is to get your finances in order. Create a budget for how much you want to spend, so you don’t have regrets later on. Also, this is a good time to start scoping out the best no exam life insurance policies out there and secure yourself one. This way your family will be able to pay for and cover the mortgage should anything happen to you.

Desired Amount of Space

You should also consider how much space you’re going to need in your new home before moving. Think about if you plan to grow your family in the future and how many bedrooms and bathrooms you’ll want to have. Also, take time to consider if you require a playroom for the kids or a home office for you or your spouse.

The Neighborhood

You want to make sure you’re moving into a nice neighborhood and that the schools are good. Consider this factor before you decide to pick up and move from where you currently reside. Take some time to walk around the area and meet your potential neighbors and check out the surrounding locations before putting any money down.

Required Fixes or Upgrades

In addition, make a note of any required fixes or upgrades the property you’re thinking of buying might need. You’ll want to plan ahead for these, so you have the time and money to take care of them once you move in. How much you want to invest or upgrade may depend on if you can DIY some of the work or will need to hire a professional contractor.

Packing & Moving Logistics

Another factor to consider when buying or moving into your first home is packing up where you currently live and the moving logistics. You’ll want to think about if you have enough energy and time to move yourselves or if you prefer to hire professional movers and how much it will cost you. Also, take into account the time of year when moving because you might want to do so when the weather is nice.

Furniture Necessities

If you’re moving into a bigger home and space, then you’re going to likely need more furniture. This can be a costly expense and require your time and attention, so make sure you’re prepared to go furniture shopping as you work on getting moved in. This will likely be an ongoing project so know you may need to make do with what you have in the meantime.

The Common Airbnb Rental Mistakes and How to Solve Them

October 19, 2018 by Mandy

There is no denying that Airbnb is nothing but legendary in the bed and breakfast industry. It has made it easy and possible for travelers to find great accommodation options without the need to restrict themselves to pricey hotels or noisy dorm rooms. It has also ensured that travelers can now have a feel at home experience by spending in home setups just like the ones they had left behind. If you were coming to Canada for a vacation, you don’t have to spend hours upon hours scouring the internet for the best hotels to live in near the Canadian Rockies.

Once you are done with the Canada ETA application, all you have to do is head over to Airbnb and in no time, you will find a plethora of potential places you can rent for your stay. However, nothing with a legendary status presented challenges, and the same is also the case with Airbnb. In as much as it has brought along a lot convenience for travelers, it has also come with challenges, which if you don’t know how to deal with, you will surely miss on the great experience that millions of travelers around the world have been getting.

Here is a brief look at some of them and how you can deal with the most amicable manner-:

I didn’t get the place I expected

Thousands of people have complained of not getting the places they had hoped to rent, and sometimes the variation between the rooms you get and that which is being offered by the host are small, but sometimes you feel like you have been ripped off. For example, you may find that the owner has three cats yet they never indicated that they have pets in the listing or you may have been promised a room within the house, and when you reach, you are given a room downstairs when you had hoped that it will be one of the upper rooms.

If you arrive at your supposed rental and find that it is not what you had booked, reach to the host and share with them your concerns and see if there is anything they can do to help save the situation. If they are adamant about giving you what you hoped you had rented and you fail to reach an amicable solution, you can always request for a refund from Airbnb within 24 hours after check-in. Be sure to take photos of what you got to support your case in demonstrating that the host didn’t provide the room you had booked and they did nothing to change it.

Something isn’t functioning properly during your stay

People go to Airbnb because of the home experience. They want to a have a near experience as the one they usually have when at home. For example, they want to find a dishwasher, iron, Wi-Fi, machine washer, fridge etc. However, there are instances when you make the booking only to find that some of those appliances are not working or not working as they had been described. There are also instances when the appliances breakdown during your stay.

When you run into such scenarios, you should share your concerns with the host and request them to have them repaired or replaced as soon as possible, or if you think you can’t help but use the appliances, then you can go ahead and ask for a refund. However, if the items break down during your stay, this may be a sticky situation since the host may not be willing to take responsibility to have it repaired for your further convenience.

Nevertheless, you should still go ahead and share with your host what happened and see how you can reach an amicable solution. Some hosts will be good enough to replace them for you, but you can also find stubborn ones who will want you to repair or replace the item before you leave. Depending on the kind of experience you get, you can always mention it in the reviews so that you can warn potential visitors to that host to knowwhat to expect.

My host is disgusting

If you are renting an entire house, then this may not be a problem, but if you have to share space with your hosts, then you can be frustrated if you don’t like the host. Your disgust of the host can be avoided if you take a little time and dig deeper into the property you are thinking about renting. The first place you should start with is on the listing – take time to read through the listing to see if you can pick out certain subtle pointers that you may not like the host.

Check if they are offering tough conditions which you think may not be pleasing to you. Also, take time to read the reviews by past guests since you can get an idea based on their experiences if your potential host is someone you will easily get along with or if you are headed for potential conflicts.

If you move in and in the course of our stay you find that conflicts are beginning to arise and you are unable to continue living peacefully, you can politely request to be allowed to leave and be refunded for the days not used, or you can reach to Airbnb to act as a mediator. If nothing works and you can’t leave, just try to limit contact with the disgusting hosts. You won’t be therefore a long time and you will soon be out.

A reservation canceled by the host the last minute

Some hosts may decide to cancel reservations the very last minute, but such should make you overly worried even if you had a few days to your trip. In most cases, if this happens, Airbnb will let you use the money on another booking or give a refund if you choose to not use Airbnb for that trip. This should be a pretty forward situation to deal with, though it is very little you can do to control your host from canceling. You will just have to accept and a way to deal with it.

10 Financial Tips to Try When Budgeting for a House

May 7, 2018 by Mandy

Don’t get stuck with an unmanageable mortgage for the rest of your life. Instead, budget wisely and buy a house you can comfortably afford. Check out these 10 financial tips to try when budgeting for a house.

“It is not a salary that makes you rich; it is your spending habits.” -Charles A. Jaffe

Most people have the mentality that once you are making a lot of money, you are automatically rich. That couldn’t be further from the truth. To be wealthy, you need to first get out of debt.

Budgeting helps achieve that.

Rather than a see a budget as a restriction to what you can spend, think of it as a tool that permits you to spend without feeling regret or guilt. Here is a compilation of tips you need when budgeting for a house.

Know What You Are Spending Your Cash On

Step one is quite easy.

You only need to know how much cash you have been spending and where it is going.

Start by looking at what you are bringing in, and the amount spent each month.

In this case, you need to groups your expenses into various categories such as entertainment, rent, groceries, water, electricity, internet, etc.

How Much Are You Saving?

After you have known your expenditure, get to know how much money you have left as savings. Savings are at the center of a household budget.

If you have no clue what you are saving once you spend, it becomes difficult to know whether you have enough savings.

Most people do not think about saving. In fact, if you subscribe to hedonism, you probably spend all you can today because “YOLO.”

In as much as you only live once is true, you do not want to learn about the value of saving the hard way. And that’s assuming you haven’t had to do so already.

Not knowing how much you are saving is not the best idea if you are thinking about buying your first home.

Building a Healthy Savings Account

Saving up to buy your house in cash might take you some time. Thankfully, you can get a lender to give you this money through a mortgage.

However, if you plan to take out a mortgage when buying your home, having a savings account will help.

This is why it is important to start early. When your lender sees that you have a savings plan, the chances of getting the money are much higher.

Nobody will be excited to lend you their money if they believe you are only to depend on a basic salary–which is probably all spent before you can save a coin.

It is nearly everyone’s dream to own a home. If this is something you want really badly, you need to ensure you do everything you can to make it happen.

Make Sure You Have a Good Credit Score

You cannot buy a home if you have a bad credit score. You will not get a loan.

Thus, you need to check all your documents months before buying the home. Get assistance from a financial advisor where necessary.

Speak with a Financial Advisor

Sometimes it makes sense to talk to a financial advisor. You do not have to be ashamed of financial illiteracy or simply needing an extra pair of eyes to look at how you are managing your finances.

Financial advisors are experts in this line of work. They have experience and most importantly the tools that will help you achieve those long-term goals you’ve set for yourself.

It is essential to find an advisor that will help you with budgeting. Additionally, find a professional who helps you track net worth would be efficient.

Doing this will allow you to keep a close eye on your savings as well as your debt level too.

Essentially, it will help you know whether you are in the position to buy a home now, soon, or if you need to wait a while.

Tell Your Money Where to Go

Having a financial plan allows you to know exactly where your money goes. Most people can barely know what they spend their cash on. As a result, retracing their steps to find out why they are suddenly left with nothing in their pockets becomes hard.

When you want to buy a home, you need to take charge and budget appropriately. Be the one to control your cash and not the other way around.

Ensure a Steady Income

Is your source of income steady? You do not want to buy a home on a mortgage if you do not have a reliable source of income. This will only lead to foreclosure, and you may end up in debt, and with no home.

Research Well

Researching is all about getting to know the cost of the home you would like to buy. This includes the mortgage, the utility cost, and other fees.

This also means you should learn about the prevailing real estate market. If you are thinking of buying a home in Strathpine, for example, do your homework on the buyer’s market first.

Take your time to know how much you can afford to buy now or in the near future. Making use of a mortgage calculator can be quite helpful for your research.

Spend What You Have Left Once You Save

When you write down a budget, you get to know exactly what you are doing with your money.

This helps to give you a sense of control over your cash rather than having your money controlling your every decision.

Remember, you are attempting to live below your yearnings and not necessarily your earnings.

Eventually, you will culture a good savings plan and be on your way to a new home in no time.

Budgeting for a House Requires an Emergency Fund

A few months before moving to your new home, you should put aside some cash for emergencies.

In this case, emergencies refer to repairs, renovations and maintenance costs. Such projects can cost quite a bit of cash, and you do not want this to set you back.

Super Moms Act!

The financial information detailed here is applicable to most households.

In fact, not only women can make use of this information effectively. However, if you are a woman and you enjoyed reading about budgeting for a house, it is time to delve deeper and unleash the superwoman inside.

Check out more of my content on Serendipity Mommy, and feel free to contact me here.