Payday Lenders are regulated by The Office of Fair Trading and must have a Consumer Credit License as well as a responsible lending policy and absolute transparency in regard to fees and repayments. Lenders in the Payday sector should be clear about the Terms & Conditions and their Privacy Policy should clearly explain how they deal with your personal information and what steps they take to protect your privacy.

Moola a New Payday Loans service does exactly that, with clear loan examples and a cost breakdown, you know exactly what you are borrowing for how long and what it costs to the penny. New loan applications take only a few minutes and payments can be deposited into your account within 15mins if your bank supports faster payments. Moola offers customer loyalty schemes and trust ratings for borrowers who keep their promise to pay back on the agreed repayment date.

Moola is changing the way the payday loans market operates and brings a refreshing new transparent approach to short term lending. It will be nice to see other payday lenders adopting these principles.
Moola – Payday Loans

What’s that old saying about first impressions? Yes, we all know it, and it holds true in real estate: first impressions are important! Upon arrival to your property a potential buyer wants to see a well taken care of home that looks warm and inviting. Make sure your home actually appears this way. We groom ourselves for job interviews, so why wouldn’t you groom your lawn for an open house? Mow the lawn, trim hedges, weed your flower beds, and spruce up the front of your home by painting trim or adding shutters to windows. You can rent a power washer from most hardware stores to clean dingy brick or siding. Most importantly, make repairs to sidewalks and driveways and the exterior of your home, including windows, and the front door, itself. If a potential buyer sees just one area of damage that requires repair, they will be searching throughout the rest of your house for more, and they are more likely to believe that there are hidden problems with your home. Especially pay attention to the condition of your roof and gutters because these can seriously affect the sale price of your home.

The interior of your house should make a buyer feel as if they are home. This means, you must depersonalize, and de-clutter. A potential buyer wants to imagine himself living in your home, so personal items such as photographs, collections, loud paint colors or wallpaper, and anything else that leaves your own footprint will detract a buyer. Cleaning and removing clutter is another extremely important step in preparing your house for sale. Dirt, carpet stains, and pet odors are a huge turn off to buyers. Oversized furniture and cluttered personal items may make a room feel cramped and crowded, and you want to promote all the space you have. Neutral paint, bright lighting, and a neat and organized room will invite potential buyers to imagine themselves settling right in.

Several years ago, I was faced with the possibility of selling my own home. During the process, I had to get several Realtors in for assessments. One of them told me that it was a wonderful old house, and would appeal to a quirky owner (the thought of 10 cats and a cupboard filled with an infamous canned food, beloved by Monty Python, came to mind) and the other, was not shy in saying that my house was cozy (small) and shabby (without the chic).

What was good, is that it gave me the chance to see my home through the eyes of someone who saw it from a very different perspective. Some of it seemed quite harsh, but truly, they were giving me the reality of the housing market, and I learned a lot from talking to them:

The first thing I learned, was that selling a house is about filling the needs of as many people as possible, not about how much you love the crooked staircase and your quirky gargoyle collection. It is no longer about you, it is about a commodity.

The second thing I learned was to be realistic. eg. A mansion, in a not-so-good neighborhood, no matter how much money you put into it, will probably never get you the return that you hope for. Likewise, a small home will always appeal more to couples or young families looking for a “starter” home.

Depersonalizing was the next lesson. Not a bad word, it just means that you have to edit what you have, so that the house is the main event. Family photos and “stuff” are a distraction. At the very least, keep mementos corralled in one area, not spread all over the place.

Clean it up – the outside and the inside. Buyers are fickle; first impressions can prevent someone from even wanting to look inside (put garbage cans, broken Halloween decorations and green hosepipes in the garage).

Also, a house that is tidy looks bigger, welcomes you in and makes you want to see more.

Make your home feel cared for. Open the curtains, fluff up the pillows and let in the light. Water your plants, and get rid of ones that are past their prime.

Every room should have a purpose. Spend some time making sure your rooms look like what they are supposed to be (computers in the office, baskets of clothes in the laundry room, television and photos in the family room etc). A spare room that is filled with “leftovers” puts people off – it needs an identity.

When potential buyers drive up and see a cluttered yard, a spotty lawn, or an untended garden, it forms an impression that they will carry with them as they tour through the rest of the house. A positive first impression goes a long way to increasing your chances of an offer. Use this list as a guide to getting your home in shape for a Spring sale.

Give your lawn the attention it deserves after a long cold winter. Apply a weed killer that contains nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium to build it up a little. If you’re really motivated, take a soil sample to check the pH level. If the pH reads below 6.0 you can improve this by spreading lime on your lawn. If it is above 7.0, apply an acidifying agent such as gardener’s sulfur. When it’s time to cut your lawn, raise the blade to about 3 inches to reduce stress on grass and decrease the need for water.

Get out your pruners and trim overgrowth on shrubs and branches. Reduce the chance of mold by ensuring all plant material is kept at least one foot from your siding.

Get rid of the weeds now, before they really become a problem.

Mulch, Mulch, Mulch! This is the easiest, fastest, and cheapest way to make a garden shine instantly. Chipped mulches tend to last longer than the shredded versions, but the latter do look more stunning. Spread it on thick, stand back and prepare to “wow” potential buyers.

Clean up your edges. Define the borders of your gardens by edging them. Run a length of hose or tie a string between two sticks to get a straight line, and using a flat-ended spade, dig a little trough about four to six inches into the dirt. Voila – instant border without the cost.

Rev up the power washer. Power wash the porch, walkway, lawn furniture, eaves, siding, and windows. Stay away from soffit vents or other openings where moisture can cause damage. After washing your windows, double check them from inside the house when the sun is shining through. Sometimes you think they’re clean, only to discover they are filled with unsightly streaks when exposed to the afternoon sun.

Get out the paint can and short of repainting the whole porch or fence, at least touch up any tired or worn areas. Pay special attention to the front steps and entrance.

Invest in a fresh welcome mat to show off your entry.

Make your garden come alive by planting bright and colorful annuals. Perennials are great for long term planting, but for quick color, use vibrant geraniums, impatiens, marigolds and petunias. Place some hanging baskets at your entrance or a large container filled with greenery. They aren’t planted in your gardens, so you can take them with you when you move.

Welcome to the closing on your new home. This is the day when the new buyer and the home’s previous owner finish the property’s legal transfer. Once this process has been completed, the buyer receives the keys to his or her new home.

This sounds simple, right? In reality, there are several key things that need to take place to ensure a proper closing. The buyer needs to prove to their mortgage lender that they purchased insurance on the property by presenting a homeowner’s insurance receipt. The buyer and seller have to sign paperwork showing that the price listed on the contract is what they agreed on, as well. In addition, closing costs need to be paid to the closing agent by the buyer, seller or both, depending on what was agreed upon. After this, all other relevant documents must be reviewed by both buyer and seller.

In addition to paperwork, an escrow account must be established. The closing agent does this in order for the buyer to cover things like property tax, homeowner’s insurance, interest that accrues in the interim and sometimes even private mortgage insurance. The buyer must then sign all documents associated with the mortgage on the property and execute them by signing. At this point, the lender can present the closing agent with a check that will cover the agreed upon mortgage amount to purchase the home.

Lastly, the buyer receives keys to the property, as well as its title. The title and sometimes other legal documents must be recorded so there is a public record of the buyer’s new interest in the property. If property isn’t properly recorded, it opens the buyer up to other peoples’ claims that they own the property. In some instances, a shifty seller sold the property to two separate people. Depending on the state in which you live, in some instances, the person who records their title first is considered the true owner. Recording is the final step in the closing process and, once complete, the house fully belongs to the new buyer.

Before getting into the actual sale strategy, I want to encourage you to be as confident as you have ever been in the actual value of your home. Just because house values have plummeted, it doesn’t mean you have to take ridiculously low values for your beloved home. Set yourself a realistic, solid price, and stick to it!

Now, the first step in this method is to place an ad. Think broad. It’s amazing how many people merely advertise in their local paper and that’s it! What about people moving from interstate? What about foreign investors? You need to utilise the full power of the internet, and also some state-wide print mediums. You are not going for the standard kind of ad either. You need to make it original and explosive.

Next is the public showing. Your place needs to be clean and presentable. I’m not talking about merely doing the sweeping and windows either. You need to do the garden, the ceilings, the walls, everything! The idea is that the public viewing will be full of potential buyers who are massively impressed. When they see how presentable the place is, and how much interest there is (because of the amount of people all in at the same time), they will automatically put bigger numbers on the table in an effort to outbid each other.

OK, so those are the 2 major steps in the method, though I guess it’s a bit over simplified. The bottom line is that you need to think outside the box to get a good, quick sale

They do the leg work. The most tedious mission in selling and buying real estate is finding the potential properties or potential clients for a sale. While this is the hardest part for a sale by owner, this is what a realtor does best. Not only do they have direct contact with home sellers and buyers, but they have access to listings that are not available to the general public. Pulling listings that match your search criteria is one of the most appreciated services that a realtor has to offer. Rather than having to hunt for properties and search online listings, a realtor will send you an email of all the listings that match your profile.

Selling real estate on your own can take a long time. Without the resources and smarts of a realtor, homes can easily stay on the market for a year-or more! A real estate agent can help sell a home on a time budget while still keeping your ideal asking price in mind. They are full of techniques that improve the overall appeal of your sale. For example, home staging is a service that is frequently taken advantage of by realtors. By rearranging, adding, and eliminating décor and furniture, a home can take on a whole new allure that is welcoming to the home buyer.

Realtors know what a smart investment looks like from the interior to the exterior of a home. Keeping home inspection scores in mind, they protect buyers from purchasing a money pit. Remember, a building’s history is just as important as any other attraction you have to the home. The last thing you want to do is buy a home with a failing foundation and mold problems-both things that will be brought to your attention in a home inspection report.

Real estate sales are handled best if in the hands of a professional. A realtor is anxious to bring you the best listings to match your search along with the best offers to sell the home you currently live in. If looking to sell or buy new real estate, consider the help of a realtor.

In Canada, 17% of all energy goes to running our homes and, here in Calgary, 30% of our use is from household electrical consumption. Additionally, the average household in Calgary is using 8% more energy today than it did in 2005.

Green homes can use up to 40% less energy. Next to a mortgage, energy costs are the most significant household expense. Something you many not know is your plasma TV uses five times more energy then the old tube TV.

To estimate appliance consumption you can use this formula

Wattage x hours per day divided by 100 = Daily Kilowatt-hour consumption

You can usually find the wattage on the appliance, stamp on the bottom or side. Many appliances still draw electricity even when turned off; this is known as phantom load. Appliances that are known for this are stereos, computers, and televisions just to name a few. If you have older appliances you can use a device to control and reduce energy consumption. These devices control and regulate the energy delivered to the appliance. Appliance newer then 1990 may not see any benefits from this device because of their existing energy save features.

The Kitchen is an area in the home that has a lot of energy consumptions here are a few way to cut back on usage. You can save energy daily by manually chopping instead of using mixers and grinders. Small changes can make a big difference, cook meals in smaller appliances like microwave or toaster ovens. If you’re shopping for a new fridge a great choose is one with the freezer on top. These models tend to be more efficient than models with the freezer on the bottom or side by sides.

For example, one of my relatives, who was visiting us in Texas after moving to Africa as a missionary with Youth With A Mission, got ahold of a book I had bought online  by Lloyd Kahn. He was so inspired by the book that when he returned to Zambia, he bought a parcel of land and built a home out of a mixture of natural and man-made materials for around $1500, which is pretty impressive.

But how do you build one in N. America where land prices are so high and materials cost so much? If you do not own a piece of land, it is wise to make your dwelling portable so that you can move it as needed. Remember that here we have high prices, but we also have lots of things that people throw away or give away for free. There are also many areas where there are free materials found in nature that you can use.

If you are looking for a simple, affordable structure that is semi-portable, strong, well insulated, wind, water, and weather proof, then the yurt or ger, which is common in central Asia is the best. Most yurts and gers are designed to withstand high winds, freezing weather, rain, and cold. These have become popular in other parts of the world, and there are several places online where one can find instructions on how to build a yurt out of recycled materials, materials from nature, or store-bought materials. These are almost-free structures that any determined person could build.

The teepee of the plains Indians of N. America is another remarkable design for a portable, green shelter. The American Indians were able to stay warm in these simple structures by building a fire in the middle of the teepee. Be very careful if you build a fire inside a teepee. If the teepee cover is made out of a plastic material, it will melt when you build a fire inside it. Fire dangers and damage can be reduced if the teepee is made out of canvas and natural materials and to reduce smoke, it should be at least 12′ high, and 14-18′ is best.

Some of the indigenous tribes in N. America built wikiups to protect them from the elements. For a temporary shelter in emergency, the wikiup can’t be beat. These can be made of saplings, sticks, grass, straw, tree branches, and leaves.

Moving on to more stable structures, if you plan to build a permanent, green home, it is wise to first secure the land where the home will sit. The best place to build an affordable, handmade, green home is in a rural area. Look for an area away from major cities and highly populated towns. Building officials in farming and rural areas will be less likely to harass you over your unique home. If you get to know the locals, you may find a farmer or property owner that is willing to sell you a parcel of land. Make sure that all agreements are put on paper and signed by both parties, and that a title to the property recorded in your name with the county clerk.

Straw bale houses are a popular method for building a simple, affordable and green home. Straw bales offer great insulation. It is common to place the straw bales on a platform that supports the walls to prevent them from getting wet, and the exterior and interior walls that the bales form can be protected with a stucco or mud plaster. It is important to add structural supports in the walls between the straw bales. Certain municipalities and counties limit the use of this type of construction, so check with the local building authorities before proceeding.

Cob is another method of green building that makes use of a mixture of clay, sand, and straw to form earthen walls. Cob buildings can be made that have unique shapes and character. If you are in a city or highly regulated county, there are building code guidelines and limitations about what you are allowed to do with cob construction.
golftrolley

Dig a foot deep trench always using a length of string as a straight edge.

Neatly position the string in a line where you want the front of the bricks to line up.

Next tie the string around a brick and lay it down at the exact place that you need to lay your first brick

Neatly stretch the string until the line is straight then weigh down the furthest end of the string with a normal size brick.

Neatly and accurately dig out the foundation.

You now have a trench with a very straight front, and you’re now ready to really start the work.

Mix up concrete using this formula.

3 parts sand, to 2 parts gravel to 1 part cement.

Really mix these items well together in a cement mixer.

Now it is all mixed, add water and create your concrete, with a good consistency.

Fill the trench with your newly made concrete.

Ensure it is just below ground level.

Smooth it out and lay a length of wood or if you have it, timber on the top and level it accurately with a spirit level.

Now you will find you have a truly level surface you can remove the length pf wood/timber and leave the concrete for a day to harden.

This is the base of your brick wall.

The rest of your bricks will sit on this and the concrete will share the weight of the brickwork.

Within twenty four hours you can start to lay the remaining bricks.

Mix up cement but this time without any gravel.

Three parts sand to one part cement is ideal.

Once again place your line of string at the front edge of the wall.

Take your first trowel full of mortar and smooth it over the concrete bed leaving between 1/2 inch ad 3/4 inch of mortar to lay the bricks on.

Make a bed of mortar for about ten bricks.

Lay the first brick on the cement.

Always use the spirit level to get it 100% flat.

Gently tap the brick with the handle of the trowel to firm it into place.

Cover one end of the next brick with mortar and place it next to the first one, pushing gently so that the mortar sticks them together.

Next move the length of string up to the front edge of the very first brick and gently put a weight on it to hold it firmly in.

Go to the far end of the wall and lay a brick there with the same 1/2 inch of mortar under it.

Position the string on the edge of this brick and gently weigh it down.

You now have a nice straight edge to work with.

Now you’re ready to lay your bricks.

Simple yet effective.

Remember if you need to find a suitable builder, always ask for their credentials and even testimonials, prior to employing them.

The internet is an ideal place to find decent builders, but be careful. Ask questions, ask for proof of their abilities.