After several years of declining property value in the Malaysian real estate market, sales are finally seeing an upward trend,
with a .6% increase in volume of sales and a .3% increase in property
value. Residential properties account for the majority of unsold
properties in Malaysia, and setting your home apart from the rest is the
best way to ensure making a sale and getting the most for your home.
Buyers begin making judgments about your home as soon as they first see
its exterior. By taking simple steps to improve your home’s kerb appeal,
you can make a positive first impression and set the tone for the entire showing of your home.
Clean Your Homes Exterior
Cleanliness,
both inside and outside your home, is something potential buyers
prioritize highly; but, according to Real Estate Cleavlnd, only about
10% of sellers keep their homes clean enough to meet buyers
expectations. One of the easiest ways to improve kerb appeal is to
deeply clean your windows, gutters, ceiling, shutters and siding. Just
as you go to great lengths to stage the interior of your property and
have it as clean as possible before a showing, it is equally important
to give the outside of your home the same attention. Windows are one of a
home’s most important features, as they impact energy efficiency,
natural light exposure and both the interior and exterior style of your
home. If you’ve invested a lot in your windows, they should be
emphasized to garner buyer’s attention, and keeping them as clean as possible is
the best way to showcase this feature. Dirty exterior paint and siding
will also signal negligence and diminishes the visual appeal of the
beautiful colors you’ve carefully selected for your home. Power washing
the exterior of your home will make it appear bright and fresh, which is
crucial for appealing to your buyer’s snap judgment.
Beautify Your Door and Entranceway
The
front entrance of your home sets the stage for your buyer’s
expectations. If you live in a building, the door to your flat may be
the only aspect of curb appeal you can customize. Investing in a bucket
of paint is a relatively low-cost upgrade, and adding a splash of color to your door can
make it appear more inviting. You can also spruce up your door by
choosing a new, stylish doorknob, knocker and doorbell, Adding a few
potted plants and a welcome mat will give you a chance to show buyer’s
more of the personality and style they can expect once they enter your
home. Also make sure that your house number is prominently displayed
near your entranceway, and carefully select a font style that matches
the rest of your home’s exterior.
A Little Landscaping Goes a Long Way
Landscaping can improve the value of
your home by up to 20%, and while it may not be in your budget to
undergo a massive landscaping project, it’s worth it to invest some time
in lawn maintenance. Landscaping may take some planning ahead, so begin
focusing on your yard as soon as you make the decision to sell. Be sure
to remove dead branches, weeds and debris from your front lawn, and
keep your grass trimmed and manicured. Add splashes of color with
flowers and plants, and lay fresh mulch to keep your garden fertilized
and healthy.
Making
a good first impression is crucial when it comes to selling your
property. Buyers will make a judgment within 30 seconds of viewing your
home, and will carry that judgment with them throughout the rest of
their viewing. Taking on a few small projects to improve your home’s
kerb appeal can be your key to getting a sale in today’s competitive
market.
Over
one billion dollars was paid in credit card interest and fees over the
last year, an 11% increase over the previous year. Additionally, people
often neglect to go over the breakdown of their bank’s fees, and
consequently stand to lose a lot of money. Both of these financial habits could easily be avoided by
using a credit card as a debit card, and paying off the balance each
month, increasing credit score, and reaping the rewards of the credit
card point program. Instead of being chewed up by the system, it is
possible to responsibly work the system by paying careful attention to
insurance policies, banking conditions and prices.
Do Some Healthy Math
Medical
insurance often seems confusing. Most people hunt for the policy that
has the lowest premium. Yet there are other factors to consider when
choosing the right policy. They should all be picked apart and
calculated as a whole whenever you are choosing a policy. Picking the
wrong policy could result in your out of pocket expenses being much higher. Avoid setting up your policy on auto-renew, and always keep an eye out for a better deal and shop around.
If you find a better policy elsewhere, then switch. The agent or broker
you talk to will likely work with you and answer all your questions.
Just make sure you are asking the right questions to negotiate and
secure the most savings.
The Hint Of A Haggle
Many
major companies don’t advertise it, but will offer price matching,
frequently even with their own websites. So if you are buying something
and the price on the shelf says one price, check the price online, and
if it’s less on their website, then that’s the price they’ll give you.
You can always go for the returned item or the one with damaged
packaging and negotiate a lower price as well. Most employees are fully equipped and ready to work with you.
How To Save Money At The Gas Pump
Not only do drivers squander over 2 billion dollars by
putting premium fuel in their car when the engine doesn’t require it,
but they also didn’t take advantage of the obvious savings that were
available to them. A gas station is not typically a place where the
haggle is possible, which is why they attempt to lure you with their
incentives. Switching to a hybrid car is no longer as unaffordable as it
used to be. The first Prius was introduced fifteen years ago, and
several used models are now quite affordable. Getting 45-55 mpg, one
could easily get about 220 miles out of one tank. A conventional car of
the same vintage would be three to four times the cost in gas. So
combining all those gas savings at once one could easily save thousands
of dollars a year.
It’s
all about shifting your mindset. Start looking for savings in one
place, and you’ll see them in others. It’s about being proactive versus
reactive. Being frugal and fiscally responsible will allow you to
accumulate those savings and allocate those conserved funds to a higher
purpose. It is the first step to switching from working for your money
to your money working for you.
For you guys who still don’t have a clue about what is DuitNow is all about. Maybe you can try to think DuitNow as PayPal. Do you remember what is your PayPal account number?
No rite, Paypal does not have any account number, they just use email. Same with DuitNow, using MyKad number or phone number.
But if you ask me my Maybank account number, I can give it to you anytime . I just love money and number 🙂
As I mentioned in my article before, DuitNow makes payment easier and instant. Now I just want to show how easy to transfer money using DuitNow via Maybank App.
But first you have to get your recipients’ DuitNow ID to start sending money using via Maybank2u.
DuitNow Transfer via Maybank app
Login to Maybank app
Click ‘Transfer’
Select ‘Transfer via DuitNow’
Choose your debiting account
Tap on ‘New Transfer’ and key in your DuitNow ID details e.g. DuitNow ID number and select ‘Continue’
Enter transfer amount and recipient reference and select ‘Continue’
Confirm the transfer details before requesting for Authentication.
Your transfer is successful, you may save the DuitNow ID as favourite or share your transfer receipt
DuitNow Transfer via Maybank2u Web
Login to Maybank2u
Click ‘Pay and Transfer’
Select ‘Transfer To: DuitNow’
Click ‘New Transfer’ and choose recipients’ DuitNow ID type
Key in your DuitNow ID details e.g. DuitNow ID number, amount, recipient reference.
A growing number of people is migrating to the online work environment. This is mainly the case due to the fact that online freelance work is the most liberal labor market in the world. You can negotiate directly with clients from around the globe and set your work conditions without the middleman.
What can be inconvenient in this form of work are payment procedures. When you’re getting paid online, you might have to pay high fees to the payment mediators. In this guide, we’ll explain how to reduce fees for online payments.
Pay less using PayPal
PayPal is one of the most popular online payment services, due to its reliability and expediency. However, it also charges some fees for online payments. For entrepreneurs and online workers it’s $0.30 plus 2.9% of the paid amount of money. For larger transactions, it can be a substantial sum. Here’s what you can do to minimize these fees.
Getting paid as a friend or a family member
If you use PayPal to create invoices for your work, you’ll automatically be charged the aforementioned fee for business users.
However, if you use another option, such as an online invoice maker, or an accounting software, you can write in that invoice that you are client’s relative or friend. By doing so, you’ll dodge the payment fee and keep a few cents more on your account.
The main drawback of this payment is the step in which the client needs to sign in their PayPal account and authorized this friend/relative payment there. Also, the payment they make that way won’t be protected, which can be off-putting for some clients.
That’s why you should suggest this payment hack only to reliable and long-term clients.
A direct transfer to a bank account
Another clever way to access your PayPal payment without fees is to make a direct transfer to your bank account. It will take one or two work days for this transaction, which is an acceptable amount of time.
Nevertheless, you need to check with your bank the currency exchange rates. Some online freelancers get paid in dollars or euros, but they can only withdraw their payment in their domestic currency. Since there are usually some fees here, make sure to double check these conditions.
Online payments via credit cards
More and more online entrepreneurs are turning to plastic payments. Credit cards are omnipresent and they’re accepted as payment methods in every corner of the world.
Also, their providers are constantly making an additional effort to improve their security features. For instance, Mastercard has recently started using the fingerprint technology for their cards.
What you need to do if you want to get paid via credit cards is to create an account on Wave, PayPal, or any other online payment platform. When your client makes a credit card payment, it’s processed to your account. After that, you withdraw your money via the option you’re previously chosen (read the PayPal paragraph above).
In case the number of payments you receive via credit cards rapidly increases, think about getting your own processing terminal for this sort of payments. E-commerce entrepreneurs often have the need to start using these payment options, to reduce their fees and speed up the payment procedure. Read more about the solutions in the article published by PC Mag.
Electronic funds payment
If you want to receive your payment as fast and least expensive as possible, you should use the electronic funds’ transfer. With this payment method, the money is transferred directly from your client’s bank account to your bank account.
The greatest benefit for both parties is the fact that there are no fees. Also, there’s no hassle with paper documents, stamps, or any other nuisance that could waste your time. Apart from that, you can do the entire procedure from the comfort of your home.
A fly in the ointment here is the fact that it might take a few days if the sender and the receiver of this payment have accounts in different banks. In that case, there also might be some payment fees, but they may vary from bank to bank. Because of that, ask your bank officials about these potential fees.
Conclusion
Working in this day and age has many benefits, especially in the online community. Still, getting paid electronically includes some inconveniences, like fees and payment delays, which can make it difficult for you to get properly paid for your work.
That’s why it’s imperative to check the terms and conditions of the services you’re planning to use for payments. There are always some ways to reduce the fees, like the ones presented in this article, and make the most of your online work.
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AuthorBio: Mark is a biz-dev hero at Invoicebus – a simple invoicing service that gets your invoices paid faster. He passionately blogs on topics that help small biz owners succeed in their business. He is also a lifelong learner who practices mindfulness and enjoys long walks in nature more than anything else.
Landscaping is usually one of the last things you think of when considering your business, but it’s still an important part; after all, the outside of your business is the first thing your customers see and contributes to their first impression of your business.
Beyond that, creating a pleasant outdoor space like a courtyard to discuss business with your clients or allow your employees to enjoy the weather on a nice day while on their breaks can be a nice touch to impress new clients and improve employee morale. In this article, we’ll provide you with some information to help you decide if you should put an outdoor area outside your office and also provide you with some tips to get you started.
Benefits of Adding an Outdoor Area
Adding an outdoor area to your office can provide many benefits for your employees, customers, and your business as a whole. First off, it’ll make your office building look official and established to have a well-designed outdoor area like a courtyard.
It can also help to create a calming atmosphere for your employees and customers, especially with a pond or fountain. Outdoor areas also provide a safe and convenient place for your employees to go to take a break from work, eat their lunch, or meet with customers or clients. An outdoor area can be a great investment towards impressing and pleasing your customers or clients and improving employee morale.
Downsides to Adding an Outdoor Area
There are a few downsides to having an outdoor area at your office which you may find insurmountable. The first downside to an outdoor area is the price. It can be expensive to put make all the changes and purchase everything you need for an outdoor area like a courtyard.
The expense also varies based on how elaborate of an outdoor area you’re wanting putting in. If you’re the project is going to involve landscaping, laying down cement for a patio or carport, or a pond it’s probably going to be pretty pricey. However, you can minimize your outdoor area and save some money, if that’s a large concern. There’s also a fair bit of upkeep involved with an outdoor area, especially when there are flowers and foliage involved that need to be cared for regularly. If there are large expansions of grass, the mowing of said grass will also be a responsibility you’ll have to consider.
What Should You Consider Before Putting in an Outdoor Area
There are a few necessary things for you to consider before you put in your outdoor area. First, you need to see what you have room to put into space outside of your office and if it’s financially and physically possible to make the image you have in mind happen.
If a pond is something you’ve considered, you will also need to consider pond pumps and other necessary tools for you to keep a healthy pond. You’ll also have to consider if you need a landscaper or landscaping crew to implement your image because that could be expensive. You should consider several different options around your area for landscapers so you can ensure you’re getting the best services and the best price.
Putting in your first pond can be expensive and stressful and the research can seem overwhelming. This is especially true when it comes to the accessories and necessary features you have to purchase to have the pond run optimally. You don’t want to just wing it when buying these items and you shouldn’t.
In this article, we’ll focus on the most important part: the pump. There are a few things you should know before jumping into this purchase. You should do your research, know your pond, and take the time to find the right price for you. Through this article, we’ll walk you through the process of picking out the perfect pump for your first pond.
Do Your Research
You may think to pick a pond pump is as easy as just grabbing one off the shelf, but it’s a little more complicated than that. To ensure your pump will work optimally in your pond, you’ll need to first know the size of your pond, the wildlife or vegetation residing within, and if you have or plan on having a fountain or anything of the sort.
These things will help you narrow down the long list of pumps out there to help you find the perfect one for you.
How the Size of Your Pond Effects the Pump You Choose
Ideally, the perfect pump for you will circulate the water around the entirety of the pond once every two hours. You want to be sure the pump you get has the strength and power to do that, which is where the size of your pond comes in.
If you have 600-gallon pond, for instance, you’re going to want to make sure you get a pump with a 300 gallon per hour (gph) capacity.
Why What’s in Your Pond Matter
The features in your pond, like the vegetation, fish, or fountains, can affect the type of pump you ultimately choose. Certain types of pumps don’t function optimally with certain features like fountains and others can even be harmful to your pond’s wildlife and vegetation.
Where to Find the Best Pond Pump at a Reasonable Price
There are a variety of sources for pond pumps around. Before you settle on one place, you should shop around and make sure you’re getting the best price. Ponds tend to be large investments so you want to be sure to save where you can.
Typically, the best option would be to order online, as they tend to have a wider selection and a lower price. We highly recommend http://www.swelluk.com/pond/pond-pumps-62/ as your source for affordable pond products.
Buying your first pond can seem overwhelming and difficult but it doesn’t have to be. With a little research and consideration, you can be fully prepared to put in your dream pond without breaking your budget.
Make sure that, when you do go to purchase the items for your pond, you shop around and find the best price available from a reliable source. Hopefully, this article has helped guide along your journey to getting your first pond.
