"The creative act lasts but a brief moment, a lightning instant of give-and-take, just long enough for you to level the camera and to trap the fleeting prey in your little box."
Credit Card Cheques Branded A “Rip-Off” By Financial Protection Agencies. The Office of Fair Trading has issued a demand for a change in the law restricting the use of credit card cheques. These cheques have been around for about 10 years and are designed to allow people to transfer funds into another of the cardholder’s ... Mother’s Day Gift Ideas; Ones That Keep Giving…All Year Long! This year on Mother’s Day why not give your mother a “year long gift;” one that arrives every month? Not only will you be her shining star on Mother’s Day, but other gift-giving occasions will be covered, as well. A Year of Reading Pleasure Present your ... Payday Loans: Personal Finance Savior Or Disaster? Summary: You need a small amount of financial help fast, but you heard payday loans can be expensive and dangerous. What now? Find out how to avoid the dangers and reap the benefits of payday loans.Payday loans may be right for you if you need some money ...
4 Thinking Points Before Buying a House
Before you rush out and buy the first house you can get a loan for, perhaps it would be wise to stop and decide if buying a house is really what you should be doing. To help you, here are four things to think about.
1. How long will you live there? If your job requires frequent moves, or you are pretty sure you will not be in the same city in five years, do not buy a house. Real estate prices do sometimes dip and if you move you may have to sell your house at a loss.
2. Are you a Flipper? Flipping is the art of buying a house, living in it for a time as you fix and improve it and then selling it for a profit. You then buy another house, live in it for a time, and sell it for a profit. The risk here is similar to that in the previous paragraph; the resale value of the house may go down. So if you are going to be a flipper, be sure to buy a house you would want to live in for the next ten years.
3. Does renting cost more than owning? Sometimes you can find a house that is actually cheaper to own than the place you are currently renting. If you are purchasing a house purely for the sake of less cash outflow each month, be sure to consider all the costs of ownership: mortgage, insurances, maintenance, snow removal, etc. If you still find that owning is more cost effective than renting, go for it.
4. Is it what you really, really want to do? Occasionally owning a house is what you really want to do, even if it doesn’t make economic sense. In that case, make sure you do your homework, consider the three thinking points above, and make the best choice you can. Buy the most house for the least money in the best neighborhood.
Buying a house can be an emotionally charged time in your life. It is also an enormous user of your resources. Take your time and be confident that you are ready to move into another stage of your life where you can be proud to say “This is my house.”
About the Author
Roger Sorensen is America’s Financial Guide. Learn more at his website www.Slave2Work.com – ask and receive answers to your personal finance questions, read his writings, or join the newsletter Money Basics. “How-To Be Debt Free!” is now for sale, read about it today at www.Slave2Work.com/debtfree.html
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