Daily Archives: May 18, 2020

How to Assess if You’re Ready to Buy a House

by

Becoming a homeowner is a dream most people have and consider it a crucial milestone in adulthood, whether it’s to provide for the family or set oneself up for a productive, independent life. Of course, there are a lot of things to think about before making the leap to buying a house. After all, it is a long-term commitment that comes with its own challenges. A good starting point is to give yourself a quick self-assessment to see if you’re ready to start looking into properties.

Here are some key questions you should be asking yourself:

  • Do you have the income to sustain a household?

In terms of finding an affordable place that you can start with, there are plenty of low-cost housing options, so it comes down to if you can get a mortgage loan and afford to pay it off on time. You should also consider whether you can handle all the utility bills that will come with your home and other maintenance needs on top of your lifestyle.

Will you be living alone, or will you be providing for others? Will expenses be shared? These considerations have to be done before taking up that loan offer so that you don’t end up having debts and late payments piling on top of each other. A suitable way to compute this is by checking your monthly debt-to-income ratio and the amount you have in savings.

  • Are you prepared for the upkeep that follows?

Houses come with a lot of maintenance needs, and that is not only another financial cost to consider but also a logistical one. Do you have the time, resources, and energy to take care of your home? Repairs may be needed, and consistent cleaning is required.

You should also think about any changes you might be planning on doing to your house down the line. Recent data shows that in the US,90% of new homeowners plan to remodel their home after buying it (even if they don’t plan on doing it immediately). It would be better to make sure you’ve adequately assessed whether you can handle this with the kind of property you’ll get and if you have a well-thought-out schedule and budget.

  • Have you mapped out the next five years?

One of the most important things about making such a major purchase, like a home, is figuring out how it can serve for years to come. Whether you are buying it for personal use or leasing out, make sure that it is in good physical state. Its location should not make it a regrettable place to be in at least five years down the line. Furthermore, you need to match your purchase with the lifestyle you plan to maintain. If you’ll be moving around a lot, consider whether it’s worth it to buy a house and if it will still feel like a functional space in the future.

These pointers should help you think things over and figure out whether it’s a good time for you to purchase your new home finally. Doing so will ensure that it won’t become a regret in the future.

Contributed Post.

If you like what you’ve read here, please let others know of this post, blog, and site.

And thanks for reading!  🙂

5 Tips for New Drivers to Feel Confident on The Road

by

Photo by Tobi from Pexels

If you’re a new driver, then you might feel anxious to get out onto the road for the first time. But don’t worry, this is perfectly normal. No one is a confident driver straight away – it takes time and motivation to become comfortable while driving. 

Although you’ll start to naturally build your confidence the more you go out on drives, there are certain steps that you should take to promote this. Through the following tips, not only can you do this, but they will also ensure that you’re as safe as possible:

Pay Attention to the Weather

Snow, wind and rain can cause extremely unpredictable driving conditions. And these dangerous and difficult types of weather can cause a new driver anxiety. Which is why before heading out, you should check what the weather is going to be like and decide whether that drive is 100% necessary. If it’s not essential and you don’t feel comfortable, then it’s better to avoid it.

Don’t Give Your Friends Lifts Straight Away

As a new driver, you might feel as though you have to give your friends rides when they ask for it. However, if you’re not feeling confident or comfortable with this, it’s vital that you don’t give in to the pressure. By agreeing to it, you’re only putting you and your passengers in a potentially dangerous situation – i.e you could become distracted by them.

Recognize When You Should Avoid Driving 

Whether you’re tired, angry, sad or hungover you should try to avoid driving. By driving when you’re feeling this way, your mind won’t be fully focused – something that’s very dangerous. And when you’re still under the influence, it’s also illegal. You don’t want to find yourself with a DUI conviction (some states have as much as 24,334 DUI convictions each year). 

Get Familiar With Your Car

When you get your first car and you start driving it, you need to get familiar with it. Start by making sure that your seat is positioned correctly, that your mirrors are adjusted and that you know how all of the buttons work. By getting to know your car, you’ll be able to steer clear of any problems that can be avoided. 

You should also make sure that your car is regularly maintained, so that it’s safe while on the road. This involves making sure that it’s oil levels are topped up, it always has enough petrol and that you get any issues checked out if you’re not sure of how to fix them yourself. 

Know Your Routes

Although you might rely on sat-navs at first, you should try and get familiar with any routes that you’re taking – especially if it’s a drive that you’ll have to do often. 

Therefore, it’s a good idea before heading out to sit down and study a route. Then, consider doing a few practice runs. You don’t want to get lost when it comes to doing the drive and you want to feel as confident as possible without it – which is why this is worth doing. 

Final Thoughts

So, there you go! Those are 5 top tips that new drivers can use to help boost their confidence while on the road. All valid points, they will assist in your journey to becoming comfortable in your vehicle and assured in your driving abilities.

Contributed Post.

If you like what you’ve read here, please let others know of this post, blog, and site.

And thanks for reading!  🙂