Property Investment in Today’s Economy

Planning: In today’s ever changing economy, property investment has become an important topic of interest with people wondering what to buy, when to buy and so on. A lot of questions like these surround property investment. Consumers should make sure that they are making the right decisions in on all elements of buying a property. With real estate prices poised to trend up and interest rates at all-time lows, can you REALLY afford NOT to invest in to new build real estate? 

Safe and secured investments 

When buying a property, you should first ensure that the property that is going to be bought is loan free and not over-priced if it is second hand. Also keeping in mind the surrounding area, you should understand what kind of increase of property rates can be expected which will give the owner high yields in the future. For example, if you live in Perth, Australia, try looking for house and land packages in Perth to get an idea about property rates. However, the best investment you can make is in new construction property which delivers on consumer demands. 

Where to buy

The buyer should make a complete examination of all the factors related to it. The government issues Municipal Bonds to pay for highways, building of schools and other project which seem to be a good and safe investment. Additionally, is the property being built in sustainable communities and neighbourhoods? There is no point of building a neighbourhood which, in a few years, will be nothing more than a commuter village or town and have no real ‘soul’. 

Money in hand

In order to buy a property, you have to first decide how much money to invest and what kind of return you're looking for. Real estate is an excellent investment and hedge against future inflation. History has shown us that real estate, no matter how battered the market is, always rebounds to new highs compared to the past. You only have to look at some of the richest people on the planet; not one of them rejects a property portfolio. In fact, a large element of their investing portfolio is real estate. 

Property is for living in

By and large for most of us a property investment will invariably mean buying a house or apartment to live in. in addition, a property is also an element of most people’s retirement nest egg, therefore the investment has to be right, as too does the area in which you choose to live.

Real estate construction companies have to deliver ever better products to increasingly demanding consumers. Low maintenance property, energy efficient property and aesthetic designs are all demands being made by consumers. But where do you start looking for the companies which stand out and deliver on consumer demand?

You can start by looking for house and land packages in your neighborhood. For example, if you live in Perth you should search for house and land packages in Perth to see what kind of deals are being offered, and how to make the most of the money you have to invest.

Ali Asjad is a writer and blogger. He is also an active real estate investor with reasonable portfolio. He researches subjects such as house and land packages in Perth as an element of his work.

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Should You Use Retirement to Pay Off Debts?

Retirement (Photo credit: Tax Credits)

If you're experiencing financial stress, it can be logical to look for a source of money to pay off your debts. For most folks, the largest chunk of change they have is their retirement fund. But does it make sense to "borrow" from your future to pay for your past? Let's examine both sides: 

Pay Off the Debt 

Taking money out of your retirement account to pay off hefty debts can make sense. If you're over 59 and a half, you can withdraw from your account with no penalties. While you'll be taxed (at your income bracket) for the money, if the interest rates on your debt are high, it could still be worth it. Think about it like this: If you're facing a 20% interest rate on a credit card, but only a 15% taxation on your withdrawal, you're putting yourself ahead +5%. You can start putting that 5% each month back into your retirement account to build it up even faster. 

Plus, paying off your debt comes with a whole slew of benefits. You'll pay far less in interest over time, you'll improve your debt to credit ratio and you'll have more available money each month to save or contribute to your expenses. However, there are serious downsides to pulling the money from your retirement account. 

Don't Touch That Account! 

Every story has two sides, and debt repayment is one of them. If you're younger than 59 and a half, you'll face a 10% penalty for early withdrawal from your 401k. On top of that, you'll also face taxes on the money you withdraw. While you could still come out ahead, even with those mitigating factors, it's more of a risk. Plus, your retirement fund functions as savings for a serious emergency. If you find yourself unable to work for some reason, you'll want to have the money available. Using it to pay down debt could seriously weaken your long-term financial position if you're not careful. 

Other Factors to Consider 

If you suspect that you'll pay off your debt only to have it accumulate again, then absolutely don't borrow from your retirement fund. If you build the debt back up, you emptied your retirement fund for nothing. Using your retirement savings to pay off debt means committing to living as debt-free a lifestyle as you can manage. 

This is especially bad if you decide to pursue bankruptcy at a future date. Your 401k is typically protected under bankruptcy law, and if you emptied it only to rack up more debt, you may have lost a significant portion of your savings for essentially no reason. 

The Verdict 

If you think the penalties are worth it to you and you have a financial plan moving forward that includes far less debt, then pull from your retirement account. However, try to look for alternative solutions first. First, immediately stop accumulating new debt. Cut out the non-essential "goodies" from your life and put that extra money toward your debt. Look for a credit card with lower interest, if you can. Take steps to pay off your debt with your current income. 

Remember, at retirement, you can realistically only withdraw 4% each year to make sure your money lasts. If you have $600,000 saved up, that's only $24,000 a year. Borrowing from your retirement account now reduces your starting capital and decreases the amount of money you'll have each year in retirement. Although in some cases, you can withdraw money from your retirement account to pay your debts, it's never a decision you should make lightly. 

About the Author 

Carly Lance loves to blog about personal finances whenever she can. She also is employed as the blog and marketing manager at Personal Bankruptcy Canada, a company that deals with people going through bankruptcy in Canada.

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Opportunities in Human Resource Specialist Careers

Human resources team works to improve customer service (Photo credit: USACEpublicaffairs)

If you are looking for a career in becoming human resource specialists will enjoy interesting work and exceptional opportunities. According to the governments statistics on human resources jobs, the number of jobs will grow faster than the national average for all types of jobs. It's predicted that between 2012 and 2020 the number of jobs in H.R. are expected to grow by a healthy 21 percent. The growth will be the most in the employment services sector, where jobs are expected to grow at a rate of 55 percent.

You will find that human resource directors have a college degrees and usually have a major in business, human resources or associate fields. The applicants with high school diplomas may be eligible for some entry-level hr jobs in interviewing or job recruiting. In some cases, experience in human resources can substitute for education.

There are skills associated with human resource work. The most important skill you need to succeed in human resources is the ability to get along with all kinds of people. You should have outstanding interpersonal, speaking and listening skills. Decision-making skills are also critical, as is the ability to pay attention to detail.

The modern workplace is an increasingly varied and challenging environment. Jobs often feature flexible hours, telecommuting, collaborative employees who may be based anywhere in the world, and project teams that form and fade away seamlessly as needs dictate. Human resource (HR) specialists oversee all of these moving pieces and try to make sure workplaces run smoothly, that the best new talent is recruited and hired, and that existing employees are properly compensated, fairly managed and evaluated, and, if need be, trained, disciplined, or even fired. HR specialists often deal with all employee levels in an organization, including the very top management. 

These positions are increasingly specialized with the size and scope of an employer. Large employers may require specially trained HR specialists for recruiting and hiring, training, compensation and benefits oversight, performance evaluations, employee assistance and relations, and other specialized needs. At smaller companies, an HR manager may wear many, if not all, of these hats. 

A college degree usually is required, including strong business and management course work. There is a good career advancement chain at larger companies. Top performers can reach high management positions, or may move to an HR consulting firm.

Living and Working in Egypt Provides an Opportunity to Save

English: The Nile River as it flows through the city of Cairo, Egypt. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Anyone moving from the United States to live and work in Egypt will notice almost immediately how the cost of living there is so much lower. Therefore, savings opportunities are easily possible. But, like anything else in life, opportunities have to be grabbed in order to turn them into reality and good savings habits are vital in this respect. For it's just as easy to blow your monthly salary living it up in Cairo as it is in the city of New York. 

It's no big deal opening a savings account in Egypt, providing you've lived in the country for at least a few months. The banks in Cairo or any of the other big cities and towns will certainly be happy to provide you with the same sorts of personal banking services that banks back home do. Thanks to the internet, it's a fairly easy matter to view available current accounts from HSBC, for example, or from any of the other multinational and indigenous banks operating in the country.

Pop into the nearest branch of the bank of your choice and fill in an account opening form. Staff there should be able to advise you about the interest rates offered by various savings accounts. You'll need to take along some official documentation, too, just as you would when opening an account back in the States. The process is fairly similar.

The sorts of documents required include your passport, work visa and your residency certificate. Take along a utility bill, too, to provide evidence of an Egyptian address. A letter from your bank back in the USA, confirming account details and the length of time you've banked with them, will also help with the application process. Some banks may also want to see the last three monthly bank account statements. Finally, take along a couple of passport-size ID photographs which will be used by the Egyptian bank for record purposes.

So how better off are you likely to be living in Cairo instead of New York? For this far from in-depth comparison, let's assume at the very least the salary earned living in either city is about the same. All the comparison figures come from the excellent website Numbeo.

In broad-brush terms, consumer prices in New York are more than twice that of Cairo. Include rent in the figure then the differential rises by over 200%. A straight rent price comparison between the two cities sees the figure jump to nearly 600%. Restaurant prices in New York are about 140% higher and groceries about 125% higher. Opportunities to save? You'd better believe it.

A meal at an inexpensive restaurant in Cairo will likely set you back about $5; the equivalent figure in New York is around $13, a 162% difference. A Coke or a Pepsi will cost you $0.49 in Cairo and $1.50 in New York. There's a 500% difference in the price of an average bottle of water. In Cairo it costs about $0.25, while in New York you'll pay about $1.50.

There's a 200% difference in the cost of a loaf of white bread. A packet of cigarettes costs about $2.10 in Cairo and more than $12 in New York. Local transport costs are also much cheaper, the equivalent monthly pass costing about $13 in Cairo and more than $100 in New York. Basic utilities such as electric, gas and water are also so much cheaper in Cairo. Expect a difference of about 400% between equivalent-sized apartments.

Click here to go to Numbeo.

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