Dream Believers

Tag: advice

  • Pre- homeownership tips

    You’ve started the very, very first things you need to consider on your homeownership journey. Now you can move on to the things that really make you feel like a “proper” adult.

    • Finding the right estate agent
    • Finding the right mortgage broker
    • Searching for the perfect property

    As I mentioned in my previous blog, having people around you who have newly purchased a property (or who are also looking), can be very beneficial to you. Especially if they’re looking or bought in a similar area.

    Recommendations for good mortgage brokers and estate agents are priceless. Having a great team of helpful individuals can help lower the stress of buying a property. Make use of your network of knowledge, ask for help, advice and information from everywhere you can get it. Homeownership is a tricky milestone to complete but will be so worth it when you have your own home.

    Unfortunately, I cannot help you much more with this side of things. This part is mostly down to specifics e.g. location, budget, and property details. However, with the right people around you and a deep Google search, I am positive you can navigate this step successfully and be another step closer to the life you deserve.

    After all the legal things, mortgage brokers, property searches and viewings. Going through all the additional charges, contracts and small print. Then there are some other things I recommend looking into before you pick up your keys.

    • home and contents insurance
    • life insurance
    • furniture
    • home furnishings
    • internet
    • electric
    • gas
    • water
    • starting the address change process

    Hopefully, this short blog entry has given you food for thought. That it helps you to get closer to the life you imagine and manifest for yourself. You are worthy of living your dream life, so keep on dream believing.

  • Property viewing tips

    Whether you are looking to buy or rent, the property viewing stage is crucial. So, to make sure you make the right decision and say yes to a property that will work for you, here are some tips from me:

    Where to start

    The main way you’ll be searching for properties will probably be through online sites including Zoopla, Rightmove and Prime Location. Or you may receive recommendations from estate agents you connect with. Either way, take the images ‘with a pinch of salt’, more as a guideline of what you will truly see.

    Often photos make the property look bigger/smaller. They may not be up to date images, many will keep using images that were taken for a previous advert. Viewing a property is the only way to get really clear about it in your mind. However, this can be a very long process. Stay strong. If there are certain features on your ‘must have’ list or locations you want to stick to, make sure you are not wasting your own time by viewing properties outside of these. When it’s been a while since your search started, it can be disheartening that you’ve not found a great place yet but stick it out, the right place is waiting for you.

    Preparing for a property viewing

    When you’ve found somewhere in the right area, has all you’re looking for and you set up a viewing, the next stage is research. Look at the immediate area, do a Google Earth search. Check how close the property is to the shops and services you want close by. Is there a rating online? Is it easy to get to? Work out how you will get to the viewing and back. Research into your potential commute to work/school. Find out more about the specific area and what it has to offer.

    The day of the property viewing

    Firstly, I recommend taking someone else with you, even if you’ll be living on your own in the property, having additional pairs of eyes looking at the property can be very useful.

    Try to get there a little early so you can scout the area out in person and get more of a feel for the place.

    Don’t rush, so many people just whizz around the property and are done in record-breaking time. Take it seriously. Check everything, look at everything. Are there any problems you foresee or things already not quite right? Also:

    • Check the walls for damp/mould
    • Check the water pressure
    • Is it a gas or electric oven/hob?
    • How is the property heated?
    • Parking
    • Storage
    • Number of plug sockets
    • Amount of wall space
    • Will your belonging fit through the door frames? Up the stairwells?
    • Check the seals around taps, baths, showers, sinks and piping
    • Are their gaps around the windows?
    • Are the windows single or double glazed?
    • Is there much noise coming from neighbours? Traffic outside?
    • TV/internet connection points
    • Does it still have your ‘must have’ features?

    What to ask the estate agents

    • (If leasehold/renting) Who manages the property?
    • (If renting) What is the landlord/lady like?
    • Insight into the area, nearby services, neighbours if they have sold multiple properties in the area

    Small print

    • Leasehold vs freehold
    • Are you allowed pets?
    • Hidden charges
    • Ground rent
    • Service charges
    • Parking permits

    Ultimately, there will always be something in the small print of a contract. Just make sure it’s something you are aware of, looking out for, and that it won’t come back to haunt you later down the line.

    When you find the place, then the real hard work starts… Good luck.

    I hope you are taking steps each day to create your dream life and believing in its existence.

  • Self employment tips – starter pack

    Self employment tips – starter pack

    Are you considering going into self employment but have no idea where/how to start? Below are some self employment tips for you. Where to start, what to do for the initial set up, useful tools etc that can save you time and money.

    During this global pandemic a lot of people are rethinking their values, priorities and work/life aspirations.

    For me the first thing you need to do is work out if you will be able to be self employed. It is a huge change from working for others no matter what roles you have done previously. As much as there are lots of benefits to working for yourself, there is also a lot of other responsibilities and things you will need to consider before going 100% self employed.

    Self employment tips

    A good way to start is to begin your self employment journey as a ‘side hustle’. Start your new business idea while you have another job. It’s a good way to see if you’d be happy being full time self employed, start to grow your network and start analysing what works and what doesn’t.

    Once you have decided what your business is going to be, choose a name. Searching for domain names that are available can help to narrow down your choices. Speak to friends and family who you trust to give you constructive feedback on your business ideas. As long as it’s not just shooting them down! If you have a techy friend who can help you out with the online side of things that’s even better.

    No matter what your new business, whether it be selling products, services, blogging etc, there are a few things that are good to start you off. Now you have a company name, domain name and a determination to become self employed, here are my 5 self employment tips to keep you on the right track:

    1 – Create a website

    There are lots of sites you can do this on even if you have no tech knowledge, they will guide you through step by step. WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, Godaddy etc etc etc

    You do not have to launch your website straight away or share the link with others. Play around with themes, design your logo, choose your menu categories. Make is as user friendly as possible. Subcategories can make searching the website so much easier but make sure you keep them updated.

    Don’t feel pressured to get it out into the world straight away. Launch when you feel it is ready. However, don’t procrastinate, overthink or strive for perfection, it will only delay your business taking off.

    2 – Social media

    You do not need to be on every platform!

    Think about the business you are selling. Where would it best fit? Is it something visual? Instagram or Pinterest may be a good starting point. Are you looking to create a community, or to get reviews on your services? Look into Facebook and similar platforms. There are lots of options for social media; Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, LinkedIn, Snapchat and many MANY more. Choose the one/s most suited to your business, values and goals.

    Once you’ve decided, look into the rules of the platform. Read up on what you can and can’t do. Take note of how other businesses interact on it, follow those that inspire you or who you could collaborate with in future. Start building your network.

    3 – Get creative

    Create a business strategy, goals, budgets and a social media strategy. There are apps available to help you with these as well, most including a free trial too which gives you the chance to try things out before you pay out. Apps like Hootsuite, Later, Facebook Business Suite, Canva, Adobe apps inc Photoshop, Evernote and Trello can be extremely helpful for creating and scheduling content and strategy planning. Find the one/s that you like the most and has the functions most useful to you and that fits into your budget.

    Make the items to sell, take photos for social media, create business cards, leaflets and other traditional marketing elements you think will be necessary.

    4 – Networking and Marketing

    Spread the word of your business to your friends, family, co-workers and others you connect with regularly. Get them to pass the information onto their circles. Guide them toward you stunning new website and social media channel/s.

    Join groups on Facebook, LinkedIn, Reddit, Twitch for advice from those who are already doing what you aim to do. Go out and find your tribe, in person or online. You’ll be surprised how many new people you can connect with.

    5 – HMRC for self employment tips

    Research into all the extra things self employed individuals have to do e.g. tax returns. What you have to declare, when are the cut offs, who can help. Research into the amount you can earn before you have to declare yourself as self employed. Also, make note of all your business incomings and outgoings in advance so you are not caught out when you are earning enough money from your business. There are also apps out there that can help with the accounting side of things for your business. Quickbooks, Expensify, or you could create a Excel spreadsheet.

    Obviously there is a lot more to becoming self employed. Each type of business requires different elements too. These are just my top 5 self employment tips of where to start. You decide where to go from here. If you feel like you are struggling, reach out.

    There are apps for pretty much everything (I have not be endorsed by any of the ones mentioned I have just heard good things about them or used them myself). There’s also probably a blog or YouTube video to tell you about each one. Find people who are self employed and/or who understand your struggles and talk. Starting a business is a huge step, even more so if you feel like you’re on your own. It takes a lot of courage and it can be extremely stressful. Make sure you have a support network you can go to whenever you need a boost, some advice or just to rant.

    I hope this helps you to get a few steps closer to living your dreams.

    Good luck and keep believing.

  • First time buyer – initial preparation

    First time buyer – initial preparation

    If you’ve come to this post then I’m assuming you’ve decided you want to own your own home and are looking for help as a first time buyer. No matter what age you are when you make this decision, my first piece of advice is START SAVING!!! Home ownership is a very expensive venture, the sooner you start saving up the better your options will be.

    This will be a blog post series guiding you through the various steps, this post being group 1.

    First time buyer ‘help’

    There are lots of schemes and programmes out there that supposedly help first time buyers. Make sure you’re reading all of the small print, exclusions and exceptions before going ahead as many turn out to be more hassle than they’re worth.

    Savings

    Saving money is something I know a lot of people struggle with. The best thing to do is to save something each month from the moment you get your first pay check. There’s always something that you’ll want to save money for, even if it’s not initially to buy a house. Holidays, the latest tech, a new phone, a car, it all costs. Being good at saving money will always be a useful skill. If you’ve been saving for a while it also means you have a nice starting block in your savings if you then decide you would like to buy a home for yourself.

    Credit score

    Something a lot of people forget about is how much their credit score can affect things. Credit scores will affect the mortgage deals you’ll be offered. It’s a good idea to check what your credit score is and make it as healthy as possible. I usually use the free version of Experian to keep an eye on mine.

    Location

    Think of where you would like to live. UK? Europe? USA? Canada? Australia? New Zealand?

    Research into the house prices in that country/area and any other stipulations linked with it. For example, in London the majority of homes are either shared ownership or leasehold which involves a lot of additional fees added on top of the usual price. Again, the best advice is to keep an eye on all of the small print.

    What do you want?

    No, I’m not quoting that scene from The Notebook (although it’s now in my head).

    Think of what you want/need in your home. What could you not live without? Do you have any deal breakers? What would be the dream? Make a list, or if you’re artistic enough why not sketch it out. Visualise what you want and need and then go searching. It will help you to keep focus and not get lost in the sea of options.

    Use your network

    Do you know someone who has recently bought in that area? Ask them about their home buying journey. They may have found a great broker, or estate agent that they recommend which can save you a lot of time, effort and money. Use your connections. The more help, advice and information you can gather from your network, the better.

    Your first time buyer tips

    What else would you say to a first time buyer? Any tips you have that I’ve not discovered yet? What was your home buying journey like, how long did the whole process take?

    Hopefully this helps you to get a few steps closer to your dream life, keep believing.