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  • Important Things to Do Before Selling Your House

    Important Things to Do Before Selling Your House

    Selling your home is a big step and involves a lot of careful planning and preparation in order for the relocation process to be a smooth one. One very important aspect of putting a home on the market is the overall condition of the property, as you can expect any potential buyer to closely examine the home when viewing. If you have decided, for whatever reason, to relocate, here are some essential things to do prior to putting the house on the market.

    Declutter the Home

    You might think that this is not important, as any potential buyer is not bothered by stacks of boxes or an untidy interior, yet the opposite is true. People are influenced by the overall cleanliness of a property, so make sure you have had a good tidy up before allowing the home to be viewed. Ask any conveyancing lawyer and they will confirm that the property should be looking its best when people come to view.

    Clean the Windows and Doors

    Image Source: Unsplash

    When a buyer is viewing your home, they will pay particular attention to the windows and doors, so make sure you have the windows cleaned before putting the house on the market. It is also a good idea to clean up the frames, especially if they are aluminum or UPVC, as this does make a difference.

    Clean Light Switches and Door Handles

    Another area that comes under close scrutiny, you should remove the dirt that builds upon light switches, as well as clean all the door handles. Attention to detail will ensure that the property looks its best, which is what you want when trying to sell, and by taking care of the small details as well, you are showing your home in its best light. If you would like some further help with spring cleaning, here is a useful article that offers some excellent advice.

    Watch Out for Unpleasant Odours

    Image Source: Unsplash

    An unpleasant smell will certainly put a prospective buyer off, and by investing in a few room air fresheners, you can be sure that the property will always smell fresh and clean. Leaving the windows open for a while prior to a viewing appointment is always a good idea, and with room odors, the occupants are often unable to detect any bad smells, so you might want to ask a friend to drop by and give you their opinion. Replace Any Non-Functional Light Bulbs- The last thing you want is to give the impression that the property is poorly maintained, so take a look at every room in the house, making sure that all lights are working.

    Deep Clean the Carpets

    This is recommended, as freshly cleaned carpets smell lovely, and when presenting your home for sale, you want to make it as desirable as possible. Old and stale carpets certainly do not give a potential buyer much confidence, and for what it costs, having the carpets deep cleaned is a wise move.

    If you take the time and effort to make your home as presentable as possible, it could make all the difference and result in a quick sale.

  • What Questions to Expect During Your Home Health Care Aide Interview

    What Questions to Expect During Your Home Health Care Aide Interview

    As a home health care aide, you have chosen one of the most rewarding careers possible. You have an incredible opportunity to make life easier for someone who is heavily dependent on others, may be unable to care for themselves as they would like to do. When it comes to job satisfaction, there are few other professions that can match up to be a home health care aide. What you do need to keep in mind here is that the quality of care you provide, in other words, the service quality, is the most crucial element here that can make or break your career.

    The best way to establish your credentials as a caregiver par excellence is to have your clients give glowing referrals and recommendations talking about your exemplary work. The more such recommendations you have, the better your prospects in this niche. However, to get numerous good reviews from clients, you need to have worked with many different people, which means you have to prepare yourself in the right way to impress clients so that you are entrusted with the care of their loved ones.

    The first interaction you have with your potential client is the interview, and by handling this right, you can enhance your chances of being hired by them. To ace the interview stage, invest time in learning what questions you are likely to be asked and prepare your answers. Here we list a few questions you can expect, along with the right approach to the response you must give.

    Client Question: Why should I hire you?

    Answer: That’s the most crucial question you may face, and you have to make a solid case for why you are the best for the job at hand. Start with the basic qualifications that make you competent for the task but keep this short because they already know something about you at this stage. This is a good opportunity to tell the client about the special skills/expertise/qualities that make you better than others in the line since there is a chance that they have interviewed or will interview others too. For example, talk about the certified home health aide classes you have attended. If you haven’t done any, you must consider it now because the certification does enhance your credentials significantly. Get more information about such classes here.

    Client Question: How can I be sure you can handle this patient?

    Your Answer: Get some basic information about the patient before you walk in for your interview and compile data about patients you have cared for who had similar ailments or who presented similar challenges to handle. For example, if your new client needs you to care for someone who has had surgery and needs wound care apart from general care, talk about how you have helped in the speedy recovery of other surgery patients who needed similar attention and how the doctors in charge appreciated your diligence in keeping the surgery site infection-free. Specifics help show the client that you have really handled a similar situation and are up to it.

    Client Question: Tell me about an unfavorable situation that you have encountered in this line of work.

    Your Answer: This is NOT a cue for you to rant about the irascible patient you had to deal with at your last assignment- Just the opposite, in fact. When responding to this question, remember to keep your emotions AT BAY.  Maintain a clinical, empathetic tone all through when describing exactly what the patient did that was a challenge, explaining factually why it was so (for example, a patient refused to eat specific foods, which compromised his nutritional intake). Don’t stop there just because you are done describing the unfavorable situation. The crucial part is conveying how you handled it competently and patiently. Again, keep emotions away and avoid bragging but if you received praise from the patient’s doctors or family members for handling the situation well, do mention those.

    Client Question: What if I am dissatisfied with your performance?

     Your Answer: This is a daunting question to face, but this is also an awesome opportunity for you to impress the client. Your passion for work, your commitment to giving your best can be made evident if you approach this question with the right attitude- that is, calm, professional competence. Do not take offense at the question, instead, make sure that your eagerness to exceed expectations comes through in your answer. Tell the client that you will sit down and talk to them about what they disliked, note down their feedback and then come back with suggestions about ways in which you would change your work approach to assuage their concerns.

    Wrap

    Approaching interview questions with the right attitude and mindset helps you communicate your passion for the work and your competence in the most impactful way to the prospective client. Keep calm and composed and remember that you are here to earn the trust of the client so that they feel confident and comfortable about leaving their family member in your care. Be empathetic to their concerns and anxieties and reassure them about your ability to give the patient the care and attention they need, and you have already set the stage for a wonderful review from this client!

  • Moving Forward: 4 Powerful Ways to Start Improving Your Credit Rating Instantly

    Moving Forward: 4 Powerful Ways to Start Improving Your Credit Rating Instantly

    Having bad credit naturally makes it more difficult to get additional credit. Your credit score tells lenders how likely you are to repay them if they give you a credit card or cash. If your score is low, you may not qualify for the credit, or the interest rates may be really high. It is, therefore, in your interest to get your score up. This will take time but the sooner you start taking the right steps, the quicker your scores will go up. Here’s what to do.

    Keep your credit card balance low

    Potential lenders will take your credit utilization ratio into consideration.  This is calculated by totaling your credit card balances and dividing the sum by your credit limit. For example, if you usually charge $1,000 each month but your credit limit is $5, 000 across all your cards, your ratio is 20 percent. You can calculate your monthly average by looking at your statements over the past 12 months. Banks and other lending institutions usually like to see ratios of 30 percent or lower. This tells them you haven’t maxed out your cards. If you have bad credit but still want a credit card, there may be an option to help you get back on track. Be sure to learn your options.

    Make bill payments on time

    Your track record of paying your bills is used as an indicator of how likely you are to pay on time in the future. If you want lenders to look at you favorably, you need to show you can pay your bills when they are due. Paying late or paying less than the full amount can negatively impact your credit score. Utility bills and car loans will be considered along with credit cards. Late or missed payments can stay on your record for up to seven years but their impact decreases over time.

    Pay your credit card bills at the right time

    Ideally, you shouldn’t wait until your payment is due to settle your bill. The credit card company will report your balance to the credit bureau once per month, usually on the statement closing date or right after. Depending on when your balance is reported, you may seem more high risk than you really are. If you want to raise your credit score quickly, pay your bill as soon as possible after it is issued so the credit card company reports the lower balance.

    Get your rent added to your credit history

    Your history of rental payments isn’t typically included in your credit score but if you’ve been paying faithfully for years, you should get it added. This data can boost your rating by ten to 20 points in about a month. You will need to ask your landlord to verify that you’ve been paying your rent on time and a third-party company will have to supply the information to the credit bureaus.

    You won’t immediately get an excellent credit score if you’ve been making poor financial decisions for years. However, if you use the tips above, you can quickly get back on track. A bad credit score doesn’t have to ruin your life.

  • 7 things you need to look for your car insurance provider

    7 things you need to look for your car insurance provider

    According to the Association of British Insurers (ABI) data, the average driver paid £485 a year in the third quarter of 2017 for comprehensive car insurance. Roughly, they paid £40.41 a month for 12 months. But is it really worth paying that much? Especially, when most of us pick car insurance providers based on recommendations from our friends and family. Other times, we decide to go with the one that airs the most ads on TV. Things go further downhill for those of us who pick up the easiest route and sign up with the first insurance provider they come across.

    But is it a good idea to entrust a company with less than a stellar reputation with your safety?Like most businesses, insurance comes in a variety of flavors. Each company has its own rates that correspond with specific types of coverage.It isn’t smart to compare two policies from different companies even if they are priced the same and claim to offer similar coverage.

    Are you looking for a car insurance provider? To assist you and ensure that you aren’t walking into the process blindly, we present the following points of note:

    1.      Consider these must-have features

    An excellent insurance provider would throw in windscreen cover and offer it at the market value. With this protection, anytime your windscreen gets damaged, it will be replaced or repaired once you have filed a damage claim.

    2.      Consider these should-have features

    A great insurance company would also offer new car replacement. That means in case of a theft, an accident, or a fire,your insurer will replace your car with a similar new one. This is true for when the cost of repairing your old caris higher than the retail price recommended by the manufacturer. Any good policy will cover up to 60% of list price and ensure that the car you receive is at most one year old. Of course, certain conditions should be met for you to be eligible for this feature. Talk it out with your insurance agent.

    1. Consider these could-have features

    We Buy Any Car thinks that any insurance provider worth their salt should also offer the driving abroad feature. Also known as foreign use, this policy will extend the coverage you have paid for even if you are driving abroad. Great policies allow you to add this your standard policy. Alternatively, it is already included within the standard coverage. You might want to check out which countries are listed within the policy before you go on a road trip!

    4.      Consider the prompt for review

    At the end of each year, your vehicle has gotten older. That means the coverage that you needed when it was new and shiny probably doesn’t make sense now.Since you may not have the same needs at present, why should you keep paying for the same coverage?If your insurance provider rings you up to review your policy, they are a keeper! If they don’t, you can still revisit the coverage you have and lower the ones you don’t need. You’d end up saving a lot of money that way!

    5.      Consider the relationship between auto insurance and ride-for-hire businesses

    We don’t all use our vehicles for the same purpose. For some of us, they are just a way to get from point A to B. For others, they are a way of making money. Running a ride-sharing business has become a lucrative way to earn money. If you are thinking about it too, make sure you bring that up with your insurance agent first. That’s because it is highly likely that by doing so, you are voiding your car insurance coverage.

    For instance, your coverage is for yourself, and most policies have a specific portion dedicated for the use of the insured vehicle “for hire,” a “livery” exclusion, or “for a charge.” That means you are clear to use the vehicle to drive yourself around. But things become different when you are transporting people for payment or goods. How can that become a problem you ask? For starters, you will be held liable for any accidents that occur while you are using your vehicle to earn money. Find out all about ride-sharing here.

    6.      Consider not buying an insurance trap car

    A good insurance agent who cares about their customers will let you know if your car is an insurance trap! Certain models, such as sporty cars fall under this category. That’s because they can attract a high premium. Instead of buying that and paying much more than you should, your agent should advise you toget a different model. You will also save on petrol costs if you get a car with a smaller engine.

    7.      Consider switching insurance providers often

    This past year, the prices of car insurance have been fluctuating. In the beginning, they had reached a record high, but now they have dipped again. This may be related with the hike in the average premiums that car owners have to pay. They have decreased by 11% and have reached £752 now. But isn’t that good, you ask?Not necessarily because research shows that more than 60% of drivers in the UK are paying the price for their loyalty to their insurance providers!

    Many of us don’t bother reviewing our insurance coverage at the end of the year. As mentioned before, it is a measure that could end up saving us a lot of money. Additionally, if people renew their average premiums between April and June by staying with the same insurance provider, they paid £49 more!Similarly, 58 percent of drivers who have insurance were staying with the same insurer. It might be time you reviewed your loyalty program with a keener eye!

    Finally, the research also shows that it is possible for drivers to save up to £613 on average. If you want to take advantage of such an opportunity – and stick with your insurance provider – you can renew your policy 21 days before the final date. By not doing so or paying up on the day of renewal, you could find yourself paying £1,264, i.e., twice as much!

    Are you ready to go find the best insurance company in town? We hope these pointers will help you find a car insurance provider that fulfills all your needs!

    Author Bio

    Audrey Throne is a mother of a 3-year old and a professional blogger by choice. Throne is passionate about lifestyle, business, automotive, technology and management and blogs frequently on these topics.

     

  • 7 Ways to Improve Your Chances of Getting Approved for a Personal Loan

    7 Ways to Improve Your Chances of Getting Approved for a Personal Loan

    Even the most financially responsible New Zealand residents sometimes need to borrow emergency cash. Medical bills, household repairs, and vehicle breakdowns may create expenses that drain your savings account. In many cases, a personal loan can help. It is a popular option offered by a variety of businesses. Each business has its own approval process and it is easier to qualify for some than others. However, there are steps you can take to improve your chances of getting the funds you need.

    1. Understand Lenders’ Credit Requirements

    Your credit standing is the most important factor for many lenders. Each company has its own minimum requirements. Conservative lenders like banks often want higher scores than loan companies. Lenders research your credit background to determine whether you manage your money responsibly will be able to repay your loan. The amount you owe affects your credit since large debts impact credit scores. However, some lenders will approve a new loan even if you have several outstanding debts because not all borrowing has a negative impact. An article at Forbes.com explains how a loan may actually improve your standing.

    2. Make Sure You Meet Employment Conditions

    Most lenders expect customers to verify employment, but requirements can vary. Many businesses accept nearly any verifiable income source while others reject child support, freelance income, or benefits.

    3. Find Out Whether Your Loan Purpose Will Be Approved

    Many companies loan money without asking clients what it will be used for. Others prohibit clients from using funds for things like business expenses or secondary education. It is wise to find out lenders’ policies before applying.

    4. Understand All Income Requirements

    Your income may be the single most important factor in determining whether you get emergency cash. Every lender has a minimum requirement and some businesses focus primarily on income. Many companies also factor in how much debt you have compared to your income. This is known as the debt to income ratio and the percentage required for approval can vary from lender to lender. For instance, New Zealand lender GE Money considers a 36% debt to income ratio good.

    5. Determine Whether Collateral Is Required

    Depending on the amount of money you need, a lender may ask for collateral. It is rare for companies making small personal loans have this requirement. Those that make larger loans typically want to defray their risk. They usually require collateral like property or liquid assets.

    6. Consider a Variety of Lenders

    Your current financial situation will determine what type of lender is most likely to approve your application. Banks are usually the best option for those who are employed, have healthy incomes, and enjoy good credit ratings. Clients with financial difficulties will be more successful in getting a personal loan from lenders that do not check credit and have more relaxed requirements.

    7. Check the Details Before Applying

    It might seem obvious, but you need to double check the details of your application before submitting it. A small error can disqualify you unnecessarily.

    New Zealand residents who need emergency cash can get personal loans from a variety of lenders. They have a good chance of approval if they meet lenders’ requirements for credit, employment, income, collateral, and borrowing purpose. It is also important for applications to be correct, to avoid unnecessary rejections caused by errors.

  • Safe and Secure: Glide Towards a Financially Stable Future by Taking These 7 Steps

    Safe and Secure: Glide Towards a Financially Stable Future by Taking These 7 Steps

    It is true that everyone can be financially stable, you have to be willing to follow the rules until you achieve your financial goals. Some of the common reasons why you are not economically stable are lack prioritization of needs; lack of planning and poor debt management. If you are looking for ways to become financially stable then look no further, you are reading the right article.

    Detail your Financial Goals

    Did you know that 90% of the world’s population do not have financial goals? All they do is get money and give it to another; they spend money. Creating financial goals will take you ten steps ahead of these people.

    Take time to think about your financial goals for the year as well as your long-term financial goals. Define them very clearly and write them down on a journal or a place where you will see it daily. This will remind you every day of what you want to achieve.

    After defining these goals, you should prioritize them over any other task. Work on making them a reality.

    Create a Plan

    All dreams are useless without plans to them. If you wish to become a billionaire someday, then you should have plans to reach there. A sample plan may be how you are going to cut on your daily or weekly spending; how you are going to get out debt; how you are going to save a specific amount of money monthly.

    Create both short term and long term plans to all of your financial goals.

    Stick to Your Budget

    Budgeting is a fundamental rule to becoming financially independent. You should create a budget for your week before you begin spending money. Budgeting controls you and is a powerful tool to cure careless and impulse buying.

    Once you budget for a specific period, ensure you use the exact amount of money you had stipulated in your plan. Sticking to the budget helps you to control your spending, and within weeks you will see this positive change in your finances if you implement budgeting.

    Pay off Debts

    Are you in debt? Do not worry, you are among many people in the world who are struggling to pay their debts. Debts can demoralize you and make you get depressed. The only way to be financially stable is to, first of all, manage all the debts you have accrued. The simplest way to prevent you from going back into debt is to limit your spending and live within your means; do not try to keep up with a luxurious and expensive lifestyle that you know you cannot afford.

    Save Money

    One of the sure ways of becoming financially stable is saving money. Some people may say that saving takes a very long time to make you rich, but the truth is that true riches come slow; they are built over a long period with discipline and consistency. Ensure that you keep a portion of every payment you get. You keep this money in a savings account and watch it grow.

    You can also invest your money in the fund. This is one of the fastest ways to attain financial freedom. The investment funds require few details to register you as a member. You will be saving monthly or quarterly depending on your arrangement with the firm. You can also enjoy investment freedom with a self-directed IRA

    Final Thoughts

    Financial freedom is the desire of every person in the world, and it is simple to achieve. It just entails following specific fundamental steps. Control your spending by budgeting, define clear financial goals, save a portion of every money you earn and soon you will be financially stable.