Whether you’re buying your first home or your 21st home, it’s never easy to find exactly the right house. Finding your dream house requires patience and persistence.Let’s be honest. Buying a house is an emotional decision, as well as a rational, financial one. Take my friend Trina, for example. Trina was house hunting one day in the early spring when her broker showed a house with daffodils blooming by the front door. Trina instantly fell in love with the house, despite the fact that it had 2 bathrooms instead of 3, and a den but only 3 bedrooms. It also had a formal dining room, not the great room that Trina really wanted. But, it had daffodils blooming by the front walk. Trina and her husband bought the house, and started expensive renovations. Five years later, they have the house they’ve always dreamed of, but at a price.”Looking back, it would have been a lot cheaper for me to find a house with all the features that we needed, and plant daffodils!” Trina says.It’s important to know exactly what you are looking for, when you buy a house. If Trina had made a list of her wants and needs before she started house hunting, she could have saved herself years of noisy, messy renovations.Before you open the real estate section of a newspaper, or contact a real estate agent, sit down with a pencil and paper and make a list of your wants and needs. If you are buying the house with someone else, have them make their own separate list. Then, compare the two.The first question you need to ask is, “What do I need in a house?” For Trina, the answer was 4 bedrooms and 3 baths in her children’s current school district. With the birth of her third son, the family had simply outgrown their current home.Your list of needs might be totally different. Maybe you need a house on one level, so that you won’t have to climb stairs. Maybe you need a big, sunny kitchen, a spacious family room, or a yard large enough for soccer. Maybe you need an area with no restrictions on having a home-based business.Next, ask yourself “What do I want in a house?” Maybe you’d love a great view, open, sunny rooms, cathedral ceilings, a fireplace, a walk-in closet or solar heating.Finally, ask yourself “What do I hate?” Make a list of the features that you will not accept in your new home. For Trina, Tudor-style architecture is high on that list. “Our old house was Tudor style. It was so dark, and the rooms were so ugly, that I soon hated it!”Now, compare your list with your partner’s. Are there items that both of you want or need? That’s a good start. Are some of your “hates” on your partner’s “wants” list? If so, you’ll need to discuss it and compromise.Finally, create a master list with all the needs, wants and hates for the two of you as a couple. This is your home buying guide.
Home Buying 101
How To Choose The Best Photography School & Course For Yourself?
If you want to make a career in photography, it will be best to start by enrolling in a reputed photography school. It can not only provide you certification, you will also gain knowledge and exposure that would otherwise be difficult to find. When you attend a school, you are able to learn from experienced professionals. The knowledge and experiences shared in such an environment can prove to be valuable in driving your career in the right direction.But how can you choose the best photography school and courses for yourself. The following tips will help you make the right choice.1. Program DurationDetermine your goals so that you can decide how long your program should be. There are photography courses that last years and then there are brief courses that can be completed within a few weeks. If you are a professional, all you may need is to attend a few classes to improve your knowledge or skills on a specific topic. There are schools that offer highly accessible courses and there is no need to commit to several years of study. If certification is on top of your mind, then you should consider joining a longer program.2. Consider the CostsThis starts by determining what your goals are and how much you can afford on your photography training. The costs can vary based on the duration of the program. It can also be different based on which school you choose. You can however get access to certain scholarships to make your education cheaper. It is not essential that the most expensive school can provide the best education and training. Do some research to compare the different schools. You should also contact other students to learn about the different courses and institutions.3. Consider Your NicheAs someone aspiring to become a professional photographer, it is important that you choose photography courses based on the niche you want to specialize in. It is easier to excel in a specific niche. When you target a specific field within photography, you can build your presence more effectively. However, choosing the right niche can be a challenge in itself.Consider your interests when choosing your photography niche. Find out what you enjoy doing. If you don’t enjoy a niche, you will find it hard to excel in it. For example, landscape photography is more suited for photographers who have lots of patience. If you want quick results, it is not the niche you should train in. So look for something that you enjoy doing even if it means toiling for hours. Some of the most popular niches in photography training include the following:
Stock photography
Portraits
Weddings
Photojournalism
Landscape
Fashion
Sports
Fine art
Families & children
Nature & wildlife
Travel
Product
Architecture
There are even more niches and you should do some research to find the one that interests you more.So if you are going to choose photography courses or school, make sure to consider all these factors. Remember, what may be the best course for you may not be the same for another person. It all comes down to your goals and interests.
Automotive Attorney to Repair Your Problems
Automotive industry has a great effect on the world economy. There are many production and service industries which support this industry. There has been a major increase in the number of automobiles in the past decade. Therefore, the repair shops have also increased. Many issues can arise during repair and thus there is a need for an automotive attorney.IssuesSome of the major issues can include protection of intellectual property and safety concerns. The clients for an automotive defense attorney can include suppliers of component parts, domestic and foreign companies, original equipment manufacturers, automotive trade associations, and consulting firms. Whether the clients are facing regulation, litigation, prevention and counseling, or legislation there is a lawyer to help them.These lawyers are well-versed with different case scenarios and have vast experience in representing clients who are dealers, suppliers, or trade groups. A defense lawyer will be able to serve the interests of all the repair facilities and technicians. Clients prefer attorneys who have a familiarity and understanding of the common issues that repair shops and technicians usually have to deal with.What Does the Law Say?According to the Automotive Repair Act, there are certain rights for the consumers. It is advisable that the repair shops and technicians should know and understand these laws first before they approach a Bureau of Automotive Repair attorney. The Required Disclosures law says that the repair shops must furnish the client with a written estimate. The estimate should include price charged for parts, diagnostic test, and labor. It should also include details like date, duration, and odometer reading. The price should be charged according to used or new parts used. A statement should be there to show if the repair is actually needed or whether it is only recommended.The repair shops and technicians should know that the consumers have a right to a written estimate. It can either be an itemized or a non-itemized estimate. However, an automotive attorney can tell the client that sometimes the consumers may not want an estimate. They can just ask the shop to do the repairs but the total cost should not exceed the amount set by them. In that case, the technician can get this written and signed from the consumer in case of any issues that may arise later. A customer also has a right to a copy of invoice. The invoice is an itemized list of the price of parts and labor, total price, warranties, and the odometer reading.The technicians should know that they are prohibited from asserting lien charges for any unauthorized repairs. Consumers have the right to pick up a vehicle from the facility if they pay according to the charges disclosed to them before repairs. Auto repair shops have to, by law, post consumer rights at a place where they are easily visible. The post should tell the consumers that they are liable to a face-to-face contact, a written estimate for repairs costing over $100.There are many other laws which prohibit the repair shops to perform unlawful practices. An automotive attorney can guide the technicians and repair shops about other laws. These include guiding them about laws relating to non-business hours and unforeseen repairs.