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Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, aka Bennifer, have finally found their perfect love nest — one that’s modeled after a famous queen’s lavish chateau.
It may have taken them two years and three failed escrows but the wait paid off because this mansion is the ultimate luxury home for the power couple.
Many were confused over the stars’ indecision to commit to buying a property. With an unlimited budget at their disposal, it was a little out of the ordinary that these A-listers kept changing their minds.
According to reports, the two looked at mansions in the range of $35 to as high as $85 million in the most exclusive neighborhoods. But none of them quite passed the mark, leading people to believe that there was trouble in paradise. Or are they just really picky?
All doubts were cast aside when the lovebirds set their eyes on this mansion. They instantly fell in love with the property! They paid $61 million in cold cash and the deal took just one week to close, per TMZ.
What’s not to love? This stunning mansion is inspired by one of the most iconic chateaus in history.
Dubbed the Wallingford Estate, the Beverly Hills abode features French-style architecture that was originally modeled after Marie Antoinette’s private chateau, Le Petit Trianon.
The queen’s manor, located on the grounds of the Palace of Versailles, was a gift from her husband, King Louis XVI.
Known for her love for all things opulent, Marie Antoinette adored her private estate. It served as a place of refuge, where the queen staged operas, productions, and lavish parties.
See also: 24 celebrities who live in Beverly Hills & their million-dollar homes
The Wallingford’s exterior features stately columns, large windows, and a rectangular shape that echoes the iconic design of Le Petit Trianon.
While the interiors have been modernized with state-of-the-art technology and contemporary furniture, it still retains its French Neoclassic ambiance.
Situated on a 5.2-acre lot, the megamansion boasts a total of 12 bedrooms and 24 bathrooms across an impressive 38,000 square feet of indoor living space — providing plenty of living space for Ben and Jen’s blended family.
You can take a closer look inside Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez’s new mansion here (swipe to see the revamped interiors):
The couple are co-parenting peacefully with their exes (Jennifer Gardner and Marc Anthony) and share five children between them.
There won’t be any shortage of space for their big family in this huge mansion!
Like its sprawling grounds, everything about this house is grand. The double-door entryway opens to an expansive living room with double-height ceilings and large skylights that make the space even more massive.
White walls with frame molding display sophistication, while large windows allow plenty of natural light to brighten up every corner of the open floor space.
JLo previously shared a glimpse of the mansion’s downstairs area on Instagram while celebrating the success of Mother with her friends. Walking from the stairs to the bar, fans got a view of the gorgeous interiors of the ground floor.
Another highlight of this property is its secured grounds — a top requirement among high-profile celebrities. The mansion is surrounded by tall hedges and comes fully fenced with secured entrance and exit gates from two different private streets.
This design layout safeguards the often-photographed couple from prying eyes and paparazzi. And we know all too well how much Ben Affleck ‘loves’ paparazzi, don’t we?
Recreational amenities include a 155-foot-long infinity pool, a home theater, spa areas, a full-service salon, and a sports complex complete with a basketball court, a pickleball court, a fully equipped gym, and a boxing ring.
Visitors can also enjoy a slice of luxury living in the 5,000-square-foot guest penthouse. This structure also houses the garage area, which is large enough to fit 90 cars!
Fitting for one of Hollywood’s most famous couples, Ben and Jennifer’s new house is one of the city’s most impressive mansions and was once one of L.A.’s priciest listings.
Sitting mere minutes away from the Beverly Hills Hotel in the gated Wallingford Estates community. It had previously been owned by healthcare entrepreneur Jeoung Lee before real estate mogul Gala Asher picked it up for $22 million back in 2016.
What followed was an extensive renovation that brought the sprawling mansion into the 21st century. Asher then sought to capitalize on his big investments in the property by listing it for a whopping $135 million in 2018.
With no takers, a series of price adjustments followed, until the famous couple finally took it off the market in 2023. The final sale price was $60,850,000 — which amounts to $1,601/sqft.
The moral of Ben and Jen’s house-hunting saga? Patience pays off. By holding off on their purchase, they were able to find a perfect palace to call their home. A happily-ever-after ending for a Hollywood royal couple.
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Source: fancypantshomes.com
When Don’t Worry Darling hit the screens, it wasn’t just the twisted plot and star-studded cast that captured our attention.
The real scene-stealers were the homes and the perfectly manicured fictional neighborhood of Victory, set against the sun-drenched backdrop of Palm Springs.
This desert oasis, long revered for its midcentury modern gems and luxury living, served as the ideal setting for the movie’s 1950s utopian town vibe — making everyone yearn for the idyllic Victory neighborhood and the picture-perfect homes that line its streets.
Let’s dive into the real homes that brought the eerie allure of Victory to life and discover if you can sneak a peek at them in real life.
The picture-perfect neighborhood of Victory in Don’t Worry Darling plays a crucial role in establishing the film’s eerie, utopian setting that belies a darker, more sinister undercurrent.
This idyllic 1950s town, modeled on American suburbia but with a sureal, futuristic edge, serves as a visual representation of the film’s central themes around societal perfection, control, and the unsettling reality beneath the surface of a seemingly perfect community.
And yes, a real neighborhood was used to create Victory on-screen. The filming primarily took place in Greater Palm Springs, an area renowned for its preserved mid-century modern architecture and luxury desert living, which perfectly complemented the movie’s aesthetic.
Palm Springs provided the quintessential backdrop for the storyline, with its sprawling desert landscapes, iconic midcentury modern homes, and clear blue skies, embodying the visual and thematic essence of the Victory town.
Related: Suzanne Somers’ beloved 28-acre Palm Springs retreat re-lists for $8.95 million
Specific locations within Palm Springs, such as the Canyon View Estates and the iconic Kaufmann House, were used to depict the homes of the characters, adding authenticity and a touch of architectural appeal to the film’s setting.
These real homes and neighborhoods lent Don’t Worry Darlin” a tangible sense of place and time, grounding the film’s more surreal elements in a recognizable, albeit stylized, reality.
At the heart of Victory’s mystery is Frank’s (played by Chris Pine) home, carefully picked to reflect his status as the project’s mastermind.
And director Olivia Wilde, whose elegant filmmaking techniques shine throughout the movie, made sure an unforgettable filming location was picked to serve as Frank’s house: the iconic Kaufmann House.
This architectural marvel, also known as the Kaufmann Desert House, was built in 1946 by Richard Neutra for Edgar J. Kaufmann and screams mid-century modernism with its clean lines, steel frame, and glass walls.
Fun fact: You might already be familiar with Kaufmann’s other iconic residence. The department store magnate and architecture connoisseur also commissioned Frank Lloyd Wright to design his home in Pennsylvania, the unforgettable Fallingwater House (now a UNESCO World Heritage Site). While the Don’t Worry Darling-featured Kaufmann House doesn’t quite have that level of pedigree, it’s nevertheless a famous structure in its own right.
Known globally, partly thanks to Slim Aarons’ iconic Poolside Gossip photograph, the Kaufmann House is a structure that encapsulates the essence of Palm Springs living. So much so, that even the production team was surprised they managed to film at this iconic location.
However, they did have to tread carefully when shooting scenes here.
Katie Byron, production designer for the film, told Variety that “We were shooting in one of the most historic buildings in California. The restrictions of how we could shoot it and what we could do inside were definitely the highest I’ve ever worked with.”
But the team knew all too well that they were lucky to land such an ideal filming location for their shots.
“It was so special to get, since Neutra was obviously a very good reference for the design of the film,” Byron said. “He was a design inspiration for Victory, but also kind of a character inspiration.”
While Don’t Worry Darling offers us a rare glimpse inside this private residence, don’t get your hopes up for a tour. This landmark remains off-limits to the public, but a leisurely drive by 470 West Vista Chino lets you admire its exterior.
The quaint cul-de-sac home of Alice and Jack mirrors the classic ’50s bungalow style, and is nestled within Canyon View Estates at 2400 S Sierra Madre, in Palm Springs, CA.
These single-story homes, with their expansive windows and open floor plans, reflect the era’s architectural ethos, designed by Dan Palmer and William Krisel.
Though the interiors were movie magic, the exteriors are very real and part of a community with a shared pool and green space.
These homes are privately owned, so while moving in might not be an option, a bike ride through the neighborhood is a must for any architecture aficionado.
Stepping out of Victory and into the Mojave Desert, the Volcano House sits atop its hill like a landed UFO, ready to whisk you away.
This unique, dome-shaped residence set right outside of Barstow, Calif. in Newberry Springs and designed by Harold James Bissner Jr added an extra layer of otherworldliness to Don’t Worry Darling.
Though originally built for Vard Wallace and featuring 360° panoramic desert views, this peculiar piece of architecture is now privately owned.
While you can’t tour the inside, it’s visible from the road for those willing to venture into the desert to catch a glimpse of where reality meets the surreal.
While the Kaufmann House and the Volcano House remain off-limits to public tours, Palm Springs itself is an open book, ready to be explored.
The city is a living museum of mid-century modern architecture, with each building and estate telling its own story of a bygone era that still resonates today. Canyon View Estates offers a more accessible glimpse into the style and spirit of the 1950s, even if it’s just from the sidewalk.
Don’t Worry Darling might have brought these locations into the limelight, but their stories extend far beyond the silver screen.
Whether you’re a film fanatic, an architecture enthusiast, or just in search of some desert glam, a pilgrimage to Palm Springs offers a peek into the world that inspired the movie’s mesmerizing backdrop. So, grab your camera and a map, and set out on a journey to where history, architecture, and cinema collide.
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Source: fancypantshomes.com
loanDepot greatly reduced its costs in 2023 while revenues were in free fall amid a contracting market. It wasn’t enough to bring the California-based lender company profitability, but it narrowed its losses.
Operationally, loanDepot entered 2024 by dealing with a cyberattack that brought its systems down and a forecast for market conditions to improve.
loanDepot recorded a non-GAAP adjusted net loss of $142.4 million in 2023, compared to a $457.6 million loss in 2022. By GAAP accounting standards, the net loss last year was $235.5 million, per filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Tuesday.
In 2023, a year marked by lower volume throughout the market, loanDepot’s revenues decreased 22% to $974 million. The reduction was impacted by its exit of the wholesale channel in 2022, and it was partially offset by growth in servicing income and home equity lines of credit (HELOCs), as well as higher margins.
Expenses, meanwhile, decreased by 36% to $1.25 billion in 2023. But this cutback could have been even larger if loanDepot hadn’t had a $27 million expense related to restructuring charges, impairments and accruals related to the expected settlement of outstanding litigation.
President and CEO Frank Martell said in a prepared statement that the company made progress last year by “significantly resetting its cost structure and making critical investments in our technology platforms and business processes.”
According to Martell, the company entered 2024 with a more “durable revenue model built around a strong multi-channel origination business and a low cost, high-quality servicing platform.” The company will “continue to aggressively pursue automation and productivity programs,” he added.
In the fourth quarter of 2023, when it was the target of a cyberattack, the company reached $229 million in revenues, up 35% year over year but down 14% quarter over quarter due to seasonality.
Expenses were $303 million in the fourth quarter, a year-over-year decline of 12% and 1% less than the previous quarter. loanDepot accrued $3.7 million in legal expenses regarding the expected settlement of outstanding litigation, compared to $2 million in Q3 2023.
The company’s non-GAAP net loss was $26.6 million in Q4 2023, compared to $25.4 million in the previous quarter. The GAAP net loss was $59.7 million in the final three months of last year.
In Q4 2023, the company announced an additional $120 million of annualized productivity improvements expected for 2024.
Through Feb. 29, the lender said it had achieved nearly 86% of this goal, which comes primarily from lower third-party expenses, organizational efficiencies and lower real estate expenses, executives told analysts during a call on Tuesday.
loanDepot chief financial officcer David Hayes said in a statement that the company reduced its cost structure by $693 million in 2023, which “has allowed us to maintain a strong liquidity position and at the same time support reinvestment in critical platforms and programs.”
The company reported a cash balance of $661 million at the end of 2023.
loanDepot’s origination volume ended 2023 at $22.6 billion, down from $53.7 billion in the previous year. But its pull-through gain-on-sale margin was 2.75% last year, better than the 1.94% registered in 2022. Executives said during the call with analysts that margins are also improving due to competitors exiting the market.
In the fourth quarter, the company produced $5.3 billion in mortgages, compared to $6 billion in the previous quarter and $6.3 billion in the same period of 2022. Margins ended Q4 at 2.96%. Purchase loans comprised 76% of the total.
Hayes told analysts that fourth-quarter margins came in “above our guidance of 245 to 285 basis points,” mainly due to “an increase in volume and profit margins of our HELOC product, and wider profit margins on our conforming and FHA production, offset somewhat of a seasonally larger proportional contribution from our joint venture channel.”
Company executives project first-quarter 2024 volume of $3.5 billion to $5.5 billion. The pull-through gain-on-sale margin is expected to be between 2.7% and 3%.
According to Martell, the recent cyberattack will have an impact on the company’s first-quarter financial results, “but is not expected to have a material impact from a full year perspective.”
“The challenges presented by the increasing sophistication of the perpetrators of cyber attacks requires unprecedented focus and close coordination between the public and private sectors to ensure the private sector’s ability to prevent these types of intrusions of the future,” Martell said, adding that loanDepot executives would not take analyst questions related to the matter due to its “sensitive nature.”
Hayes added that the guidance for volumes reflects the seasonal decrease in homebuying activity in the first quarter, as well as the impact of the January cyber event, which will also bring an additional $12 million to $17 million in expenses.
loanDepot’s unpaid principal balance in its servicing portfolio increased to $145 billion as of Dec. 31, up from $143.9 billion as of Sept. 30, 2023. Servicing fee income rose to $132.5 million in Q4 2023, compared to $120.9 million in the previous quarter.
“In 2023, we successfully brought half a million customer servicing portfolio in-house,” Martell said. “Despite all the challenges that were presented by the market in 2023, we prioritized growing our assets under management, which ended the year at $145 billion.”
Looking forward, Martell said he expects market volumes will improve from 2023 levels. “Most recently published forecasts from the Mortgage Bankers Association call for a boost in 2024 for mortgage unit volumes of approximately 17%,” Martell said.
After the earnings release, loanDepot stock was trading at $2.44, down 3.6% in the after market.
Source: housingwire.com
With sand, sun and sea stretching an impressive 825 miles across the state, Florida is the clear choice for visitors who want to enjoy some time at the beach. In fact, about a third of all travelers will head to at least one of the state’s beaches while visiting.
Beaches can be found along the state’s Panhandle in the north, the Gulf of Mexico in the west and the Atlantic Ocean on its east coast. And don’t forget the dozens of islands that make up the Florida Keys along the state’s southern end.
While it may be impossible to definitively tell you what the best beach in Florida is, here are several contenders for the top spot.
Depending on where you go in Florida, you could end up swimming in one of two bodies of water. The beaches in the Panhandle and down the west side of the state border the Gulf of Mexico, while those on the eastern side of the state sit on the Atlantic Ocean.
What’s the difference? If you’re an early riser and want to watch the sun rise over the water, choose a beach on the Atlantic side, where you’ll find large waves and golden-brown sand. If you prefer catching a vibrant sunset instead, head to the Gulf, where the sand is often whiter and waves are smaller.
It’s warm enough to swim everywhere in Florida between April and October. The further south you go, the warmer the water is in the winter.
During the summer, the Gulf is warmer than the Atlantic. Its waters can reach 90 degrees Fahrenheit or warmer — sometimes the water is even warmer than the air. Meanwhile, the waters of the Atlantic usually remain in the 80s. For some perspective, most people will be comfortable swimming when the water is about 75-80 degrees.
🤓Nerdy Tip
Many Florida beaches have areas where pets can run off-leash, but make sure to check the specific regulations of the beach you’re visiting before you bring your pet.
Some beaches have lifeguards on duty as well as amenities like bathrooms and snack shacks, while others are more rustic without much in the way of services.
With its Art Deco architecture, hip restaurants and bars, and lots of nightlife, Miami’s two-mile long South Beach is the place to see and be seen. Visitors and locals alike also come here to enjoy Lummus Park, a beachside spot featuring playgrounds, walking trails, a fitness area and plenty of popular events.
Hollywood Beach, a family-friendly spot just south of Fort Lauderdale, has clean beaches and a pedestrian promenade, known as the Broadwalk, that features restaurants, shopping and hotels.
If the kids tire of sandcastles and waves, they can visit Charnow Park with its playgrounds and interactive fountain. It’s a good mix of old-Florida charm and modern amenities.
Farther north on the Atlantic coast, Daytona Beach comes with hard-packed sand and a gentle slope leading to the water — ideal for learning to surf. Here, you’ll find 23 miles of coastline along with plenty of hotels, shops and restaurants.
It’s also one of the few places you can actually drive on the beach — very slowly and tide permitting — for $20 a day per vehicle.
Up in the Panhandle is Panama City Beach, known for its 27 miles of emerald green waters and sugar sand. Those who fish or dive love the area because of the many artificial reefs just offshore. Plus, the water is some of the clearest in the state.
Many of the beaches face west, meaning the sun sets directly over the water, making for spectacular views.
The Destin and Fort Walton Beach areas are called the Emerald Coast for a reason: The water off the 24-mile stretch of beach is often a vibrant green. Beyond the usual beach attractions of wharfs and piers, Crab Island is a big draw. Not actually an island but a raised sandbar, it’s a place where boaters can hang out, enjoy camaraderie and take advantage of a floating bar in the middle of it all.
Farther south along the Gulf coast, near Tampa Bay, is Clearwater Beach. Over the years, it’s been named by many as the top beach in the country. The beach sits on a barrier island and touts 35 miles of sand along with hotels, restaurants and activities including an aquarium and alligator sanctuary.
Visitors can also visit Pier 60, a 1,080-foot fishing pier that hosts a nightly sunset festival.
Many of Florida’s beaches are located in state parks. They cover 100 miles of coastline across the state, but are usually more undeveloped. Some are home to both nesting sea turtles and shorebirds. The state parks also participate in sand dune and reef conservation efforts to protect the areas from storms, filter out pollutants and serve as fish nurseries.
Located on a barrier island in the Panhandle just south of Tallahassee, St. George Island State Park is a great spot for laid-back beach goers and nature lovers.
It was named the top beach in the country in 2023 by coastal expert Stephen Leatherman (“Dr. Beach”), who releases a well-known annual U.S. beach ranking. The state park’s beach won accolades due to its nine miles of undeveloped beaches, natural beauty and clear water.
Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park is on the southern end of Key West, where the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico meet. In addition to swimming, snorkeling and fishing, visitors can tour Fort Taylor, a national historic monument that played roles in both the Civil and Spanish-American wars.
Located near Dunedin just north of St. Petersburg, both Honeymoon Island State Park and Caladesi Island State Park consistently top the list of Florida’s best beaches.
While Caladesi Island is only accessible by boat, nearby Honeymoon Island’s four miles of beach can be reached by car. It’s also where you can catch the ferry to Caladesi Island.
In case you still haven’t found the perfect destination for your dream beach vacation, here are a handful of other beaches around the state that may hit the spot.
Located on the Gulf coast about halfway down the state is Siesta Key. The eight-mile island is connected by bridge to Sarasota and has plenty of shopping, dining and sports options. It’s loved by visitors because of its clear and calm water, powdery white sand and outdoor recreation opportunities like parasailing and volleyball.
The 72 miles of shoreline along the Atlantic Ocean near Cape Canaveral is called the Space Coast. As some of the closest beaches to Orlando, they’re a great choice for travelers wanting to combine a beach trip with some of Florida’s famous theme parks.
The most popular beach in the area is Cocoa Beach. Home to Ron Jon Surf Shop, the world’s largest surfing store, it’s a great place to ride the waves and meet fellow surfers. If surfing isn’t your thing, you can try other activities like kayaking, deep sea fishing and kiteboarding.
And visitors of all ages can enjoy a visit to the nearby Kennedy Space Center. If you time your visit to the Space Coast right, you might even be treated to a rocket launch.
Before Hurricane Ian slammed into Fort Myers Beach and nearby Sanibel and Captiva Islands in September 2022, the area consistently found itself at the top of many lists of Florida’s best beaches.
As businesses continue to rebuild, there’s still plenty of sand and sun for those willing to come. Shell collectors should head to Sanibel or Captiva Islands, where these ocean treasures can be had in spades thanks to the region’s ocean currents and coastline orientation.
Some of the northernmost beaches on Florida’s Atlantic coast are in the Jacksonville area and include St. Augustine and Ponte Vedra. Dubbed the Historic Coast, there are 42 miles of beachfront to explore, including at Fort Matanzas National Monument, which was built in 1742 by the Spanish military to defend the area.
Driving on the sand is allowed in designated areas along St. Augustine Beach for a fee. And if you need a break from the water, Ponte Vedra Beach offers many world-renowned golf courses.
If you’re in the mood for a beach vacation, heading to Florida is a great option. With hundreds of miles of coastline spanning two bodies of water, it would take years — if not a lifetime — to explore it all.
Whether you want to combine your beach trip with a visit to Walt Disney World and the Kennedy Space Center, or you prefer the low-key vibes of a state park, Florida has you covered.
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024, including those best for:
Source: nerdwallet.com
Want to learn how to sell short stories for money? Yes, you may be able to earn money from home doing this. Short stories tell a quick and interesting story. They’re not very long, usually just a few hundred to a few thousand words. Even though they’re short, they still have a complete story with…
Want to learn how to sell short stories for money?
Yes, you may be able to earn money from home doing this.
Short stories tell a quick and interesting story. They’re not very long, usually just a few hundred to a few thousand words. Even though they’re short, they still have a complete story with a start, middle, and finish.
Short stories can be about anything, like mysteries, adventures, or even funny moments.
In this article, we’ll go over the strategies to turn your short stories into a profitable side hustle, and you will learn:
Recommended reading: 16 Best Ways To Get Paid To Read Books
Below are the different ways to sell short stories for money.
Want to learn how to sell short stories on Amazon? If so, then Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing is one place to start, as this is a self-publishing platform and almost everyone uses Amazon already.
To get started selling short stories on Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, you need to first create an Amazon KDP account. Make sure your short story is well-edited and formatted. Create an eye-catching cover for your short story. You can use Amazon’s Kindle creation tools or make your own on graphic design sites like Canva.
Kindle eBook prices typically start around $0.99 and go up from there. You can also sell your book on Kindle Unlimited and get up to 70% royalties. There are many benefits to using KDP to publish your short stories, including publishing in 3 easy steps, the potential to earn royalties, and being able to set your own list prices.
Kindle Direct Publishing can also help you distribute your eBook around the world, print your short stories into real-life physical copies, and help ship them around the world.
Recommended reading: How Alyssa is making $200 a DAY in book sales passively
Clarkesworld Magazine is a fantasy and science fiction magazine that publishes short stories, articles, and audio fiction. Magazines are published monthly and available on the website or in eBook format.
Guidelines for submitting short stories are straightforward. Short stories must be between 1,000 and 22,000 words, and you’ll get paid 12 cents per word. Payment is via PayPal or check. The story must be in genres such as science fiction or fantasy, horror is not allowed.
Stories submitted to Clarkesworld Magazine must be well-written, convenient for on-screen reading, and suitable for audio.
Recommended reading: 14 Places To Find Freelance Writing Jobs – (Start With No Experience!)
One Story is a popular magazine that publishes a short story once a month.
This platform specifically looks for literal fiction and they can only accept stories between 3,000 and 8,000 words. These short stories can be any style and on any subject as long as the story is compelling and well-written.
One Story pays $500 and 25 contributors copies. Stories must be new and not have been previously published material. One Story responds to submissions within 3 months after they are received.
East of the Web is a platform that helps provide exposure to writers.
The site gets over 500,000 page views a month, so if your short story is submitted and accepted, your story will likely get some views. This is beneficial because the site also receives attention from agents, press, filmmakers, schools, and other publishers.
To get your story accepted to East of the Web, your short story must have a compelling narrative that leaves the reader satisfied after the story. Your short story should feel complete and not need a follow-up story in order to leave the reader satisfied.
Flash Fiction Online is a magazine that publishes short stories in genres like science fiction, fantasy, horror, and literary fiction.
Short stories must be between 500 and 1000 words and include characters, compelling plots, and satisfying endings.
Your short story must be formatted correctly according to Flash Fiction’s guidelines (double-spaced, 12pt Times New Roman, and black font on a white background), and short stories cannot be written by AI!
As of 2024, Flash Fiction Online’s rate is $100 for each original story.
The Threepenny Review is an American literary magazine that has fiction, memoirs, poetry, and essays. You can submit short stories via mail or through their online submission system.
The Threepenny Review pays $400 per story or article, $200 per poem, and does not print material that has already been published elsewhere. Short stories must be 4,000 words or less.
Poets & Writers is the largest nonprofit organization serving creative writers and is available as a magazine at major bookstores. The goal of Poets & Writers is to help poets and writers reach as many people as possible through their literary community.
With a national audience of over 100,000 readers, Poets & Writers has a strong following with students and faculty in creative writing programs across the United States.
Poets & Writers is known for its writing contests, grants, and awards database that features all kinds of creative writing contests. You can filter through the database by genre, cash prize, and if there’s an entry fee to sign up for the contest.
The Atlantic is a publication known for its journalism.
The magazine covers a wide range of topics, including politics, science, technology, culture, and more. Short stories can be submitted and possibly sold to The Atlantic in genres such as fiction and poetry.
It’s best to look at what The Atlantic has published in the past to see what kind of short story they’re likely to accept. All short stories should be submitted as a Word document or PDF.
Reader’s Digest is an online as well as printed magazine that was started in 1922.
The magazine covers a wide range of topics, including health, humor, inspirational stories, and more.
Submitting a short story to Reader’s Digest is simple and straightforward. You also need to include your name, address, and email to successfully submit your story.
Medium is a unique site where writers can publish and monetize their content.
Medium mostly focuses on articles and essays, but you can also publish short stories.
As a writer, you earn money depending on how much time Medium members spend reading your short stories. Due to this, it’s important to build a following and consistently write high-quality short stories on Medium to increase your chances of making money.
This can be a great place to sell short stories for money online.
Barrelhouse is a literary magazine that accepts submissions from writers, such as short stories.
Along with putting out a print magazine, Barrelhouse is also known for running a small press, organizing the Conversations & Connections conference, and the retreat Writer Camp. These are great resources if you’re looking to network and further your skills as a writer.
The magazine is looking for submissions that haven’t been previously published. Submissions are usually shorter than 8,000 words and in a format that is easy to read.
The New Yorker is an American magazine that covers culture, politics, arts, and literature.
The magazine has been around since 1925 and has easily become one of the most influential magazines in the United States. Because of this, successfully submitting a short story and getting it accepted is quite difficult.
If you want to take your shot at submitting a short story to The New Yorker, submissions must be sent to [email protected].
All submissions are read within ninety days and if you do not hear back within that time frame, it means your story was not accepted.
Short story contests are competitions where you can submit a short story for a chance to win a prize or recognition.
Contests are managed by magazines, writing organizations, and publishing houses that have an interest in promoting writers and getting their work seen by the public.
Contests will have specific guidelines such as which themes and genres are accepted, word limits, entry fees, prizes, and who the judges are.
Short story contests change over time and some of the most well-known short story contests include:
You can also find other contests to submit your short story on contest databases like the Poets & Writers contest database and The Writer’s College short story writing competitions database.
Another great way to get paid for your short stories is by creating a short story blog. This will allow you to share your creative work with the public.
Building a readership on your blog takes time, so be patient and dedicate time to marketing your blog and creating high-quality content.
Once your blog is up and running, you can make money via ad revenue, affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, and even by creating and selling your short stories through a subscription or paid ebook.
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Below are answers to common questions about how to sell short stories for money.
Short stories are short works of fiction (also known as short fiction) that focus on one plot, theme, or set of characters. Short stories are short, ranging from a few hundred words to a few thousand words. Even though short stories are brief in length, they convey a compelling narrative with a beginning, middle, and end.
Short stories can come in any genre and storytelling style. The most popular short story genres include mystery, science fiction (sci-fi), thrillers, fantasy, horror, adventure, historical fiction, romance, personal essays, speculative fiction, and drama. There are many more genres to include, and you can even mix different genres. You can even make money writing poems.
Short stories are by definition fiction pieces, and not non-fiction.
The amount of money you can make selling short stories depends on factors like the length of the story, the market, the publication, and the popularity of the short story.
You may earn as little as $25 for a short story, or you may be able to earn over $1,000 for a short story. For example, a short story in Reader’s Digest will most likely pay less than a short story in The New Yorker. Or, if you write and publish your own short story on Amazon that becomes popular, you may be able to earn thousands of dollars.
Short stories sell on Amazon through the Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) platform. Many people choose to sell on KDP first because of the ease of getting started and publishing on KDP. Amazon KDP also has resources to help you publish short stories like helping create covers for your eBooks.
The most important step to successfully sell your first short story is to create a high-quality and compelling story. The story needs to be engaging and free of grammatical errors (of course!). Once you’ve done this, you can choose online platforms, journals, or literary magazines you want to publish the short stories.
You must read the short story submission guidelines for each publication and make sure you pay attention to word counts and formatting requirements the platform is looking for.
You can sell your short story to different platforms. You may even want to try entering short story contests which often provide an opportunity for recognition, cash prizes, or publication opportunities. Market your short story on social media, your website, and other platforms to gain reach.
A short story can range from 500 words to 20,000 words. The actual number of pages depends on font size, spacing, and formatting. The average 1,000-word short story may be 5 pages, while a 20,000-word short story may be up to 100 pages. It all depends on the platform and what their short story submission guidelines are.
The best place to sell short stories depends on your style of writing and goals. Self-publishing on Amazon through Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) allows you to sell your short stories as eBooks and you get to control your pricing. You can even submit your Kindle eBook to Kindle Unlimited, which gives you up to 70% royalties when your book is read. There are also many award-winning sites and platforms where short story sellers can submit their craft to potential buyers, such as a literary journal.
There are many other places where you can sell short stories (other than the list above), such as Strange Horizons, BBC, Vestal Review (for flash fiction), Ploughshares, and more.
I hope you enjoyed this article on how to sell short stories for money.
The best places to sell your short stories include Kindle Direct Publishing, Clarkesworld Magazine, One Story, Flash Fiction Online, and many others that are listed above. These sites are some of the best places to sell short stories due to the ease of publishing books and wide audience.
Wherever you sell your short stories, it’s important to create a compelling narrative and make sure your work is free of grammatical errors.
Good short story writers are in demand, so I hope you can see success with this!
Are you interested in selling short stories for money?
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Source: makingsenseofcents.com
Embarking on a home renovation to transform your living space is an exciting endeavor. Home improvements are also an investment that can significantly increase the value of your property, so it’s important to track expenses to be prepared for capital gains tax when you sell your home. Tracking home improvement costs can also help homeowners stick to a budget and ensure a greater return on investment.
Let’s take a closer look at how to track home improvement costs, which upgrades qualify for tax purposes, and options for financing a home renovation.
Amid all the work and logistics that goes into renovations, tracking home improvement costs might not feel like a high priority. However, having documented home improvement costs can help reduce potential capital gains tax when it’s time to sell your home.
The IRS allows qualifying home improvement costs to be added to the original purchase price of the property, known as the cost basis, when calculating capital gains on a home sale. The basis is subtracted from the home sale price to determine if you’ve realized a gain and subsequently owe tax. But by adding home improvement expenses to your cost basis, the profit from the sale that’s subject to taxes decreases — lowering or even potentially exempting you from property gains tax.
Besides home improvements, other factors that affect property value, like location and the current housing market, could make a property sale subject to capital gains tax.
Here’s an example of how capital gains tax on a home sale works: A married couple that purchased a home for $200,000 in 2001 and sold it for $750,000 in 2024 would have a $550,000 realized gain. Assuming that the sellers made this home their main residence for two of the last five years, they’d be able to exclude $500,000 of the gain from taxes. The remaining $50,000 would be taxed at 0%, 15%, or 20% based on the sellers’ income and how long they owned the property.
However, the sellers spent $70,000 on home improvements during their 23 years of homeownership, so the capital gains calculation would be revised to: $750,000 – ($200,000 + $70,000) = $480,000. Tracking home improvement costs in this example exempted the sellers from needing to pay capital gains taxes.
Note that single filers may exclude only the first $250,000 of realized gains from the sale of their home. Eligibility for the exclusion also requires living in the home for at least two years out of the last five years leading up to the date of sale. Those who own vacation homes should note that the IRS has very specific rules about what constitutes a main residence.
💡 Quick Tip: A Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) brokered by SoFi lets you access up to $500,000 of your home’s equity (up to 90%) to pay for, well, just about anything. It could be a smart way to consolidate debts or find the funds for a big home project.
The IRS sets guidelines that determine what home improvements can be added to your cost basis for calculating capital gains tax. Thus, not every dollar spent on sprucing up your home’s curb appeal or living space needs to be tracked for tax purposes. Generally, tracking costs is a good idea for any home improvements that increase your home’s value and fall outside general repair and upkeep to maintain the property’s condition.
According to the IRS, improvements that add value to the home, prolong its useful life, or adapt it to new uses can qualify. This includes the following categories and home improvements:
• Home additions: Bedroom, bathroom, deck, garage, porch, or patio
• Home systems: HVAC systems, central humidifier, central vacuum, air/water filtration systems, wiring, security systems, law and sprinkler systems.
• Lawn & grounds: Landscaping, driveway improvements, fencing, walkways, retaining walls, and pools
• Exterior: Storm windows, roofing, doors, siding
• Interior: Built-in appliances, kitchen upgrades, flooring, wall-to-wall carpeting, fireplaces
• Insulation: Attic, walls, floors, pipes, and ductwork
• Plumbing: Septic system, water heater, soft water system, filtration system
It’s also important to track any tax credits or subsidies received for energy-related home improvements, such as solar panels or a heat pump system, since these incentives must be subtracted from the cost basis.
Recommended: How to Find a Contractor for Home Renovations and Remodeling
Owning a home requires routine maintenance and occasional repairs — think fixing a leaky pipe or mowing the lawn. And the longer you own your home, the greater the chance you reapproach past home improvements with a fresh design or modern technologies. The IRS considers regular maintenance and any home improvement that’s been later replaced as nonqualifying costs.
For instance, a homeowner could have installed wall-to-wall carpet and later swapped it out for hardwood floors. In this case, the hardwood floors would qualify, but not the carpeting.
Recommended: The Costs of Owning a Home
Developing a system for tracking home improvement costs depends in part on where you are in the process. Here’s how to get track home improvement costs before, during, and after a renovation project.
The average cost to renovate a house can vary from $20,000 to $80,000 based on the size of the home and type of improvements. Given this range in cost expectations, it’s helpful to create an itemized budget that estimates the cost for each improvement. It’s hardly uncommon for renovations to take more time and money than expected, so consider budgeting an extra 10-20% for the unexpected.
Your itemized budget can be leveraged for tracking home improvement costs once the project starts. Simply plug in the completion date, cost, and description for each improvement, and keep receipts, to itemize the expense as it’s incurred.
Recommended: How to Make a Budget in 5 Steps
Tracking home improvement costs goes beyond crunching the numbers. The IRS requires documentation to adjust the cost basis on a property. As improvements are made, catalog contractor and store receipts and take pictures before and after the work is done to document the improvements for your records. Store these records digitally in a secure and accessible location; the IRS recommends keeping records for three years after the tax return for the year in which you sell your home.
Tracking home improvement costs after the work has been completed is doable, but it requires more effort. If your renovations required any building permits, your municipality should have records on file.
For other projects, start by searching your email for receipts and records can help find a paper trail and track down documentation. Reach out to contractors you worked with for copies of missing receipts or invoices. If you paid with a check or credit card, you can browse through your previous statements or contact the bank for assistance.
Taxes are complicated. If you have any doubts about what improvements qualify, consult a tax professional for assistance. Homeowners who used their property as a home office or rented it for any duration could especially benefit from a tax pro. Any property depreciation that was claimed in previous tax years may need to be recaptured if the home sale price exceeds the cost basis.
Renovations and upgrades to your home can be expensive. Many homeowners use a combination of savings and financing to pay for home improvements.
• HELOC: A Home Equity Line Of Credit lets homeowners tap into their existing equity to fund a variety of expenses, such as home improvements. With a HELOC, you can take out what you need as you need it, rather than the full amount you’re approved for, which is often 75%-85% of your home’s value. You only pay interest on the amount you draw.
• Cash-out refinance: Some owners take out a new home loan that allows them to pay off their old mortgage but also provides them with a lump sum of cash that they can use for home repairs (or other expenses). How much cash you might be able to take will depend on the amount of equity you have in your home.
• Personal loan: An unsecured personal loan could be a good option for quick funding that doesn’t require using your home as collateral. The interest rate and whether you qualify are largely based on your credit score.
• Credit card: Financing a home improvement with a credit card can help earn cash back or rewards on your investment. However, these perks should be weighed against the risk of higher interest rates. If using a 0% interest credit card, crunch the numbers to ensure you can pay off the balance before the introductory offer expires.
💡 Quick Tip: You can use money you get with a cash-out refi for any purpose, including home renovations, consolidating other high-interest debts, funding a child’s education, or buying another property.
Tracking home improvement costs from the start can help stick to your project budget and lead to significant tax savings when it comes time to sell your property. A HELOC is one way to fund home improvements, and may be especially useful to borrowers who aren’t sure how much money they will need for home projects. If you’re unsure whether a home improvement qualifies under the IRS rules around capital gains tax on home sales, consult a tax professional.
SoFi now offers flexible HELOCs. Our HELOC options allow you to access up to 95% of your home’s value, or $500,000, at competitively low rates. And the application process is quick and convenient.
Unlock your home’s value with a home equity line of credit brokered by SoFi.
Photo credit: iStock/Cucurudza
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SoFi Mortgages
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You may discuss with your loan officer whether a SoFi Mortgage or a home equity loan from Spring EQ is appropriate. Please note that the SoFi member discount does not apply to Home Equity Loans or Lines of Credit brokered through SoFi. Terms and conditions will apply. Before you apply for a SoFi Mortgage, please note that not all products are offered in all states, and all loans are subject to eligibility restrictions and limitations, including requirements related to loan applicant’s credit, income, property, and loan amount. Minimum loan amount is $75,000. Lowest rates are reserved for the most creditworthy borrowers. Products, rates, benefits, terms, and conditions are subject to change without notice. Learn more at SoFi.com/eligibility-criteria.
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Source: sofi.com
There is a difference between being rich and wealthy.
However, most people combine rich and wealthy into one bucket because they both seem so far off and unreachable.
It is important that you understand the distinction because what one person considers “rich” might actually be considered “wealthy.”
There is a huge difference between the two words, no matter how they are used.
Earning a lot of money does not automatically lead to happiness and success because when one achieves happiness when it can be reflected in the fulfillment of ambition.
Being rich usually means that you have an abundance of material things such as money and expensive items.
Being independently wealthy can be seen as someone who has a lot of money, but it also means that they have enough money that will last the test of time.
There is a difference between being rich and being wealthy, but they are both can be seen as positive things.
Let’s discuss the different types of wealth and how they are defined in order to help differentiate these two concepts.
The real key of Rich vs Wealthy is the discussion on which one you should be striving to be.
So, is it better to be rich or wealthy?
A rich person is someone who has a lot of money and assets. This may be a businessperson, an investor, or just someone who has been very successful in their field.
This rich person has probably created new money vs old money.
Rich people tend to barely save any money and spend excessively, meaning they run out of cash quickly. For example, a rich person might earn $10,000 in a month while spending $12,000 to wind up with a negative $2000 when the month is over.
The amount of debt for a rich person tends to be higher. They are willing to keep up the lifestyle rather than tell others about their debts.
To be rich you have to be able to take the risk of having money to invest and time to wait for the windfall.
A wealthy person is someone who has a lot of money for their lifestyle standards.
Since a wealthy person is consistently growing their money because they save and are wise with what they have. They tend to think of the future and put away some cash for it rather than spending everything.
Their goal is to take their large sum of money and grow that money even more through active or passive income.
A wealthy person does not have to be a number-crunching billionaire or someone who is living lavishly.
It is all about the decisions that you make and how those decisions can lead to wealth.
You can start to build wealth when you hit your first $100k in investments. When you have a salary of over $100k a year, this is much easier to do fast.
Wealthy people are those who have a lot more money than you do, but they work hard every day in order to keep it.
Rich people tend to spend more money than wealthy people.
The difference between rich people and wealthy people is that rich people have money habits that often lead to debt. Rich people are not usually frugal, and they tend to spend a lot of money.
Also, rich people have the ability to earn more if they choose something different in the future.
Rich people are usually defined as those with a net worth of over $10 million, but there is no set number for how much money someone has to be considered rich.
Wealthy people, on the other hand, have an annual income of $150,000 or more. Their wealth comes from hard work and saving money to slowly increase their net worth.
Many people feel the need to be rich because they have the idea that being rich is key to success.
However, many times, wealthy people are wealthier than their counterparts who are both richer and wealthier.
If you are rich, then it is important that you are not frugal because many times, being wealthy means having a lot of money and saving the rest. If you have a lot of money and are not frugal with it, then you could end up broke.
However, if your goal is to become wealthy meaning having a lot of money AND saving, then you are on the right path to financial freedom.
This is the difference between being rich and wealthy.
First of all, the definitions of each of these are really close.
Honestly, both money mindsets are needed to keep pushing yourself to reach financial freedom and enjoy time freedom.
You need a rich mindset to grow your money, but a wealthy mindset to keep that wealth.
The wealthy are more likely to have a growth mindset than the poor because they know that money is merely an instrument for achieving their goals.
Whereas, rich people often spend too much time worrying about what others think of them and why they aren’t as successful or wealthy as other people in society.
This is a question that has been asked many times, and finding the answer depends on how you define wealth.
In general, becoming wealthy means having enough money to support yourself without any outside help.
You have enough money to cover your expenses without the need for an additional influx of money. For many people, that means they need at least $1 million dollars, so they can live off the investments gains and dividends. If you are single, then $500k may be enough.
As such, becoming wealthy is one of the most difficult things to do.
If you are constantly struggling to make ends meet and never saving money, then becoming wealthy will be even harder for you to accomplish!
Here is what you need to do to move from well off vs rich vs wealthy.
For people who are in debt, the solution is simple: get out of debt.
But for a lot of people, they need to make some changes before they can do that.
It’s important to get out of debt and that takes time. The more debt you have, the longer it will take.
However, I will tell you from personal experience. Until we paid off our debt, we didn’t make any progress financially. We were stuck on a hamster wheel. Since paying off our debt, we reach our financial goals so much easier.
Track your progress, set goals, and stay motivated while getting out of debt.
Although comparisons can be helpful and may indicate which side is doing better or worse, they are not always accurate. Sometimes comparing yourself to others will make you feel inferior and frustrated.
Keep in mind that you are not just the sum of your accomplishments.
Stop comparing yourself to other people and start focusing on the things that make you happy.
Conversely, spending time with people who inspire you will help cultivate a wealthy mindset. It can be anyone from your family members to celebrities, but it is important that these individuals are inspirational and not toxic for your mental health.
This doesn’t mean you can’t keep your 9-5 job. It means you are looking for ways to make money outside the traditional “job.”
An entrepreneur is a person who organizes and runs a business, typically with manageable risk and a small amount of capital, in order to turn it into a profitable venture.
Become creative with ways to bring in extra money. Some ideas include day trading, dropshipping, starting an Etsy shop, driving for Uber, or walking dogs.
Here are great ways to make money on the side:
It is possible to make more money on your business than you make more money in your current job or career.
Be generous to others.
Being wealthy means living a comfortable life and being able to help others.
Giving away money can be a way to build wealth, but it is not the only way. This helps you realize the impact you can have on the world.
Your small contribution can help shape and change the lives of so many.
Consequently, giving and helping others will motivate you to work harder and continue building your wealth.
Life goals have exploded in recent years and many of us are now focused on growing our own wealth.
The truth of the matter is both wealth and richness are great.
Wealth enables a person to live life on his own terms and allows them to achieve the things they have dreamed of.
But, getting there does not just magically appear.
It takes a plan of action to reach those smart financial goals.
By consistently saving money, you will slowly build your net worth. Step by step you are building the foundation to become wealthy.
Baby steps to becoming wealthy.
This rich vs wealthy quote from Stephen Swid is one of my favorite all-time quotes.
This quote quickly summarizes the difference between the wealthy vs rich definition.
“Being rich is having money; being wealthy is having time.”
As an American businessman and investor, Stephen Swid spent countless hours on various deal negotiations and build his own wealth. He understood the wealthy vs rich meaning.
This quote is something I focus on when making decisions of what next steps to take.
What does this quote mean to you?
Being wealthy is a subjective term that can be interpreted in many ways. The definition of the term is different for everyone, so it’s hard to answer this question definitively.
Many people believe you need 7 figures or even 10 figures.
One could be considered to be wealthy or poor based on their country’s standards, their personal spending habits, and the types of investments they have.
The richest people are those who have made their wealth through investments and not necessarily the ones that have spent a lot of money.
The definition of wealthy is different for everyone, but it’s generally considered to be someone who has a lot of money and financial stability.
Being wealthy is measured by how much money you accumulate and save.
It is understanding your personal finances to budget, track savings, contribute to retirement, and grow liquid net worth.
A wealthy person is someone who has made wise decisions. Wealth does not have anything to do with how much money you have in your bank account.
Now, we have covered the difference between the wealthy and the rich. If you’re wondering what is the difference between rich and wealthy, it’s not that complicated.
Rich people are those who have saved, invested, and built net worth through their income or assets. Wealthy people can follow these three simple steps to build your own wealth: save money in a savings account or investment account; invest in stocks, bonds, or other securities for growth; create an asset such as real estate by purchasing property with borrowed funds on low-interest rates
The key distinction between being rich or wealthy is the mindset.
Rich people might have more money in their bank accounts or assets, but they don’t think of themselves as rich because they are worried about their appearance and keeping up with their elite society. Wealthy individuals are those who see value in accumulating wealth primarily through investing and growing their financial portfolio with investments over time.
A rich person is someone who has more money than the average person but may not wealthy. They are always looking to make more money and spend more because they believe that there is not enough time or money in this world for them to enjoy.
Wealthy individuals are those who can afford to buy things and choose not to because it helps them increase their net worth and become more wealthy.
The only way to be wealthy is by being smart on your investments and having time for yourself in order to find happiness.
Being rich may or may not be something you should aspire to be. The more money you have, the more responsibilities you get.
There are many rich and wealthy people who are unhappy because they are so busy trying to keep up with society’s expectations.
More importantly, did I answer the questions you have about this topic? Let me know in the comments if I can help in some other way!
Your comments are not just welcomed; they’re an integral part of our community. Let’s continue the conversation and explore how these ideas align with your journey towards Money Bliss.
Source: moneybliss.org
President Joe Biden has proposed an annual tax credit that would give Americans $400 a month for the next two years to put towards their mortgages.
Addressing the affordability crisis in the housing market in his State of the Union address on Thursday, Biden said: “I know the cost of housing is so important to you. Inflation keeps coming down, and mortgage rates will come down as well.
“But I’m not waiting. I want to provide an annual tax credit that will give Americans $400 a month for the next two years as mortgage rates come down, to put towards their mortgage when they buy their first home, or trade up for a little more space.”
Home prices skyrocketed during the pandemic, driven by relatively low mortgage rates, high demand and low inventory. At their peak, the median listed price for a home in the U.S. reached $465,000 in June 2022, according to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED).
While the housing market experienced a price correction between late summer 2022 and spring 2023, prices remain historically high, propped up by lingering low supply. In June 2023, the median listed price for a home in the U.S. was $448,000. As of January 2024, this was $409,500, according to data from FRED.
While home prices have stayed high for the past three years, a rise in mortgage rates driven by the Federal Reserve’s aggressive hike rate campaign last year has led to many aspiring homebuyers being completely squeezed out of the market. In December last year, the reserve said that it would have stopped rising rates, but mortgages are yet to significantly come down.
High mortgage rates, together with the historic shortage of homes in the U.S.—due to the fact that the country hasn’t built enough homes to meet demand since the housing crash of 2008—have contributed to the current affordability crisis.
In late 2023, J.P. Morgan said that, based on then-current trends, housing affordability could be restored in 3.5 years. Newsweek contacted J.P. Morgan for comment by email on Friday morning.
Biden is now calling on Congress to provide a one-year tax credit of up to $10,000 to middle-class families who sell their starter home—a home below the median home price of the area where it is located—to another owner or occupant. The White House said that this proposal could help nearly 3 million American families.
On Friday, Biden’s announcement on the tax credit was met with a standing ovation and roaring applause by Democratic lawmakers, while about half of the House stayed seated.
The president also mentioned other measures to address the housing affordability crisis in the U.S. These included down-payment assistance for first-generation homeowners, tax credit to build more housing, and lowering costs by building and preserving millions of homes.
“My administration is also eliminating title insurance on federally backed mortgages,” Biden told lawmakers on Friday.
“When you refinance your home, you can save $1,000 or more as a consequence. We’re cracking down on big landlords who break antitrust laws by price-fixing and driving up rents. We’ve cut red tape, so builders can get federal financing,” the president said among the cheering of some lawmakers.
Update, 3/8/24, 8 a.m. ET: The headline on this article was updated.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Source: newsweek.com
Looking for jobs where you can bring your child with you? Yes, some jobs and companies let you bring your child to work. More and more companies are supporting parents by providing on-site childcare facilities. Plus, along with the rise of remote jobs, there are many jobs out there that let you bring your child…
Looking for jobs where you can bring your child with you? Yes, some jobs and companies let you bring your child to work.
More and more companies are supporting parents by providing on-site childcare facilities. Plus, along with the rise of remote jobs, there are many jobs out there that let you bring your child to work, eliminating the costs of paying for childcare.
In this post, we’ll explore different jobs that let you take your child to work, along with a list of remote jobs that give you the flexibility to work at home and take care of your children at the same time.
Whether you want to make extra income or if you are looking for a full-time career, many options may interest you.
Recommended reading: 25 Best Work From Home Jobs To Make $1,000+ Monthly
Here’s a list of jobs where you can bring your child to work.
Working as a nanny or babysitter gives you the option of possibly bringing your child to work.
Before bringing your child to work, it’s important to come up with an agreement with the family you work for. Have clear communication and set expectations of what it will be like if you bring your child to work with you.
There are many ways to find nannying and babysitting jobs online, especially with websites like Care.com. I’ve found several nannying and babysitting positions with my free profile on Care.com.
You can also share your services on local Facebook groups, Indeed, and SitterCity. References from past childcare jobs are important, along with offering a background check.
You may also be able to bring your child to the daycare or preschool that you work for.
You need to consult with your employer about this first and check the daycare’s policies and employee handbook. Many daycares have it in writing whether or not you can bring your children to work with you. Some daycares allow it, while others are strictly against it.
To find a daycare job, search on websites like Indeed or call local daycares near you and see if they are hiring. Childcare work is in high demand and there are always jobs available in this field.
Your child may be in your classroom if they are in your age group, or they may be in another group of children. Typically, the cost is not free, but you may get a discounted rate to bring your kid to the same daycare that you work at if you are a childcare worker.
If you can run your own daycare, this is going to allow more flexibility in bringing your child to work. Many daycare centers are run by parents looking for a more suitable job where they can bring their own kids with them to work.
However, there are still some things to keep in mind. You need to make sure that you are complying with local licensing regulations and requirements for running a daycare, along with maintaining professionalism at work while having your own child at the daycare.
Starting your own daycare from home requires careful planning. You need to think about things like local zoning laws to make sure you can run a daycare in your home and make sure your home is safe for children. You may need certifications and training like CPR and first aid certifications, along with early childhood education courses. Getting the proper insurance to protect your business in case of accidents on your property is important too.
You also need to think about how you’ll attract clients and what kind of marketing you’ll do. Word of mouth is huge, so make sure to always provide the best business and care (plus, these are children we are talking about – so high-quality care is always important!).
If your child’s school is hiring school bus drivers, this can be a great gig to not only take your child to and from school but also earn extra cash.
Bus drivers need to be 21 or older, have a valid driver’s license, and clean driving record. You may even need to obtain a CDL (Commercial Driver’s License).
The school will also require a background check, and provide school bus driver training, which is provided by the school district or a third-party organization.
The salary for a school bus driver depends on things like location, experience, and the district. The average salary for school bus drivers ranges from $30,000-$40,000, along with getting benefits like health insurance, retirement plans, and PTO.
Working as a delivery driver may give you the option to bring your child to work with you.
Some food delivery platforms prohibit from having anyone else in the care of you on food delivery runs, so this is important to find out before bringing your child with you to work.
Getting a job as a food delivery driver is relatively easy as long as you meet the minimum age requirements and have a valid driver’s license. Each platform is going to have different benefits including pay, flexible work schedule, payout time, and sign-up process.
One way to do photography and be able to bring your child with you is to take stock photos.
Stock image websites are among the most popular platforms for photographers to sell their pictures. These websites allow customers to buy royalty-free photos for personal or business use. Various entities, including websites, TV shows, books, and social media accounts, frequently use stock photos.
A significant advantage of stock photo sites is the potential for passive income. You can take pictures, upload them, and potentially earn money from an old photo for months or even years to come.
Recommended reading: 18 Ways You Can Get Paid To Take Pictures
Working as a house cleaner possibly allows you to bring your child to work depending on the policies of your employer, the nature of the job, and safety considerations. Some employers allow it, while others have strict rules against bringing a child to work.
As a house cleaner, you may be working with cleaning chemicals and heavy equipment, so you need to consider whether it’s suitable to have a child present in this kind of situation. It’s important to have a backup plan in place for times when you cannot bring your child to work.
I started my blog back in college over 10 years ago and it’s still my full-time job. I’m my own boss, create my own schedule, and get to take vacations whenever I want.
As a blogger, you get to work from home and create your own schedule. This allows you to “bring your child to work” but also maintain a relatively flexible lifestyle when raising a child. This can be great for balancing work and family life.
Building a successful blog takes time and consistency, but when done right, can make income.
Bloggers make money through advertising, sponsorships, affiliate marketing, and product sales. You can even make money by offering coaching services on your blog or writing for other popular websites in your niche.
You can learn how to start a blog with the free How To Start a Blog Course (sign up by clicking here).
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In this free course, I show you how to create a blog, from the technical side to earning your first income and attracting readers.
Another great remote job that lets you stay at home with your child while earning money is proofreading.
A proofreader is someone who is in charge of reviewing written content to identify and correct errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation, and formatting.
Proofreaders work for all kinds of companies, including advertising agencies, media outlets, government agencies, and even bloggers and other small business owners.
Proofreaders can earn between $15-$50 an hour depending on their experience, type of project, and industry demand.
Recommended reading: 20 Best Online Proofreading Jobs For Beginners (Earn $40,000+ A Year)
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This free 76-minute workshop answers all of the most common questions about how to become a proofreader, and even talks about the 5 signs that proofreading could be a perfect fit for you.
I’ve been a freelance writer for almost a decade and it’s one of my favorite ways to make money. This is because freelance writing can be done on my own schedule. An agency (or whoever is paying me to write the article) will send me what they want the article to be about, how many words to write, and other important information that needs to be included.
Since this job is remote, this means you can work from home and “take your child to work” with you.
So, this can be a great job to look into for a stay-at-home mom or dad of young children.
How much you earn as a freelance writer depends on your skills and experience. If you’re just starting, you may earn between $50-$75 per 500-word article. As you gain experience and get better, you can charge a lot more. The larger and more impressive your portfolio becomes, the easier it gets to land jobs and get paid higher rates.
Recommended reading: 14 Places To Find Freelance Writing Jobs
A transcriptionist is someone who converts spoken audio files into written text (this is what transcription is). Your tasks include listening to audio recordings and accurately transcribing them into a written format. Transcriptionists work in fields like legal, medical, academic, and business-related industries.
Starting pay for a transcriptionist is in the $15 an hour range, with that number increasing once you’ve honed in your skills and experience, and have a wider database of clients who have worked with you in the past and want to hire you again.
Many transcriptionists are stay-at-home parents, and that is because you can get started relatively easily (it is easy to meet the qualifications to become a transcriptionist) and you can work on your own time and create a flexible schedule that works for you and your children’s schedules.
Recommended reading: How To Become A Transcriptionist From Home
I’ve been working as a virtual assistant for years and it’s one of my favorite jobs. I get to work from home and set my own schedule. Virtual assistants usually work for a person, company, or small business owner doing administrative tasks to help the business run smoothly.
As a virtual assistant, you’re working from home which means your child can stay at home with you while you’re working.
Tasks for virtual assistants include tasks like responding to emails, social media management, customer support, and more.
Recommended reading: Best Ways To Find Virtual Assistant Jobs
Customer service representative jobs are often remote, therefore you may be able to leave your child at home with you while you’re working.
Customer service representative tasks include assisting and supporting customers with problem resolutions, inquiries on products, order processing, and even offering technical support in some cases.
Finding a job as a customer service representative is easy. Check out job boards like Indeed and type in “Customer Service Representative” and hundreds of jobs will come up. Make sure to look for jobs that are 100% remote, as some of these jobs may be in person.
Typically, to get started, you will just need a computer, phone, and internet access.
As a mystery shopper, you are grading restaurants, stores, and other businesses on how well they are doing.
My sister was a mystery shopper and often brought me with her on mystery shopping outings. She made around $150 to $200 a month in extra money doing this and she also earned free items as well, like food at restaurants, makeup, and more.
Bestmark is a popular mystery shopping company that connects mystery shoppers with jobs. Mystery shoppers get reimbursed for their time via check or cash and typically get paid out 2-4 weeks after the job is completed.
Recommended reading: How To Become A Mystery Shopper
As a newspaper deliverer, you may be able to bring your child to work with you when you’re delivering newspapers. Delivery times typically range from 4 AM-6 AM, and in some cases, there are late evening deliveries and weekend deliveries.
Before bringing your child to work, make sure the newspaper company permits you to bring your child with you as some companies may not be okay with this.
Gyms all across the country are now offering free on-site daycares for customers. This is to entice people to come to their gym and also allows parents to workout without having to pay and arrange childcare to get to the gym.
Depending on the location, gyms that offer childcare include EOS Fitness, Life Time, LA Fitness, YMCA, and even local and county gyms.
I have a friend who works part-time hours at a local county gym. She works in the daycare room and gets to bring her toddler and baby with her. This can be a good option to look into if you don’t have school-aged kids, and need to bring your young children to work with you.
There are many companies out there that provide on-site daycare for their employees.
My husband’s company provides 100% employer-sponsored on-site childcare at work, so anyone who works at the company can bring their children to work and save money on childcare costs. This is a growing benefit that more and more companies are offering to employees.
When searching for new jobs, read the benefits offered at the company and see if on-site childcare is listed.
Below are answers to common questions about bringing your child to work jobs.
The best jobs that let you bring your child to work include jobs like nannying and daycares, and remote jobs like blogging, proofreading, or working as a customer service representative. All of these jobs typically let you bring your child to work or you get the benefit of working at home, saving money on childcare costs.
Whether or not you can bring your baby to work with you depends on many factors, including:
Many jobs have family-friendly policies in place that allow you to bring your kids to work for a certain period, especially during the infant stage. Some employers even have designated areas to support parents who bring their children to work, including on-site childcare facilities, flexible work hours, or remote work options.
Whether or not it’s acceptable to bring your child to work depends on each company and the type of job. Some jobs fully support parents to bring their children to work and even have a 100% company-sponsored childcare facility. Other companies may not allow bringing children to work if such childcare facilities do not exist at the company. It may also be dangerous to bring kids to certain jobs if you work in a field like construction.
One of the best ways to work and save money on childcare costs is working remotely. This method of work is becoming increasingly common thanks to technology and shifting attitudes toward flexible work arrangements.
If you do land a remote job, here are some tips for successfully working with a baby:
That being said, it doesn’t mean that online or remote jobs are easy, or that working from home and watching a kid at the same time will be easy. It can be hard to manage both at the same time.
Some companies do still have bring your kid to work day. Keep in mind, this is usually only one day out of the whole year.
If you work at a daycare, you can usually get a discounted rate if you bring your child.
Some workplaces are much more welcoming than others. Finding jobs that already cater to kids (such as daycares) or working from home are two options to start with.
Being able to bring your children to work is becoming more accepting and even supportive, with companies providing on-site childcare facilities.
There are many child-focused businesses, such as private preschools or daycares, where you may be able to bring your child to work with you.
Along with the rise of remote jobs, you may be able to work at home and take care of your children at the same time. If you work from home, such as by being a proofreader or virtual assistant, you may be able to work a flexible schedule and work in your spare time, such as when your child is napping or sleeping. Working around your children’s schedules is one way to work from home for stay-at-home parents.
Running her own business and deciding on her own hours is how my sister works from home with a child. She is a full-time blogger (she owns the very site that you are reading – Making Sense of Cents).
What do you think are the best kid-friendly jobs for moms and dads?
Recommended reading:
Source: makingsenseofcents.com
Lately, mortgage rates have surged higher, climbing from as low as 2% to over 8% in some cases.
Despite this, home builders have been enjoying healthy sales of newly-built homes.
And somewhat incredibly, they haven’t had to lower their prices in many markets either.
The question is how can they continue to charge full price if financing a home has gotten so much more expensive?
Well, there are probably several reasons why, which I will outline below.
The first thing working in the home builders’ favor is a lack of competition. Typically, they have to contend with existing home sellers.
A healthy housing market is dominated by existing home sales, not new home sales.
If things weren’t so out of whack, we’d be seeing a lot of existing homeowners listing their properties.
Instead, sales of newly-built homes have taken off thanks to a dearth of existing supply.
In short, many of those who already own homes aren’t selling, either because they can’t afford to move. Or because they don’t want to lose their low mortgage rate in the process.
This is known as the mortgage rate lock-in effect, which some dispute, but logically makes a lot of sense.
At the same time, home building slowed after the early 2000s housing crisis, leading to a supply shortfall many years later.
Simply put, there aren’t enough homes on the market, so prices haven’t fallen, despite much higher mortgage rates.
There’s also this notion that home prices and mortgage rates have an inverse relationship.
In that if one goes up, the other must surely come down. Problem is this isn’t necessarily true.
When mortgage rates rose from record lows to over 8% in less than two years, many expected home prices to plummet.
But instead, both increased. This is due to that lack of supply, and also a sign of strength in the economy.
Sure, home buying became more expensive for those who need a mortgage. But prices didn’t just drop because rates increased.
History shows that mortgage rates and home prices don’t have a strong relationship one way or the other.
Things like supply, the wider economy, and inflation are a lot more telling.
For the record, home prices and mortgage rates can fall together too!
So we know demand is keeping prices mostly afloat. But even still, affordability has really taken a hit thanks to those high rates.
You’d think the home builders would offer price cuts to offset the increased cost of financing a home purchase.
Well, they could. But one issue with that is it could make it harder for homes to appraise at value.
One big piece of the mortgage approval process is the collateral (the property) coming in at value, often designated as the sales price.
If the appraisal comes in low, it could require the borrower to come in with a larger down payment to make the mortgage math work.
Lower prices would also ostensibly lead to price cuts on subsequent homes in the community.
After all, if you lower the price of one home, it would then be used as a comparable sale for the next sale.
This could have the unintended consequence of pushing down home prices throughout the builder’s development.
For example, if a home is listed for $350,000, but a price cut puts it at $300,000, the other homes in the neighborhood might be dragged down with it.
That brings us to an alternative.
Instead of lowering prices, home builders seem more interested in offering incentives like temporary rate buydowns.
Not only does this allow them to avoid a price cut, it also creates a more affordable payment for the home buyer.
Let’s look at an example to illustrate.
Home price: $350,000 (no price cut)
Down payment: 20%
Loan amount: $280,000
Buydown offer: 3/2/1 starting at 3.99%
Year one payment: $1,335.15
Year two payment: $1,501.39
Year three payment: $1,676.94
Year 4-30 payment: $1,860.97
Now it’s possible that home builders could lower the price of a property to entice the buyer, but it might not provide much payment relief.
Conversely, they could hold firm on price and offer a rate buydown instead and actually reduce payments significantly.
With a 3/2/1 buydown in place, a builder could offer a buyer an interest rate of 3.99% in year one, 4.99% in year two, 5.99% in year three, and 6.99% for the remainder of the loan term.
This would result in a monthly principal and interest payment of $1,335.15 in year one, $1,501.39 in year two, $1,676.94 in year three, and finally $1,860.97 for the remaining years.
This assumes a 20% down payment, which allows the home buyer to avoid private mortgage insurance and snag a lower mortgage rate.
If they just gave the borrower a price cut of say $25,000 and no mortgage rate relief, the payment would be a lot higher.
At 20% down, the loan amount would be $260,000 and the monthly payment $1,728.04 at 6.99%.
After three years, the buyer with the higher sales price would have a slightly steeper monthly payment. But only by about $130.
And at some point during those preceding 36 months, the buyer with the buydown might have the opportunity to refinance the mortgage to a lower rate.
It’s not a guarantee, but it’s a possibility. In the meantime, they’d have lower monthly payments, which could make the home purchase more palatable.
Price Cut Payment |
Post-Buydown Payment |
|
Purchase Price | $325,000 | $350,000 |
Loan Amount | $260,000 | $280,000 |
Interest Rate | 6.99% | 6.99% |
Monthly Payment | $1,728.04 | $1,860.97 |
Difference | $132.93 |
At the end of the day, the easiest way to lower monthly payments is via a reduced interest rate.
A slightly lower sales price simply doesn’t result in the savings most home buyers are looking for.
Using our example from above, the $25,000 price cut only lowers the buyer’s payment by about $130.
Sure, it’s something, but it might not be enough to move the needle on a big purchase.
You could take the lower price and bank on mortgage rates moving lower. But you’d still be stuck with a high payment in the meantime.
And apparently home buyers focus more on monthly payment than they do the sales price.
This explains why home builders aren’t lowering prices, but instead are offering mortgage rate incentives instead.
Aside from temporary buydowns, they’re also offering permanent mortgage rate buydowns and alternative products like adjustable-rate mortgages.
But again, these are all squarely aimed at the monthly payment, not the sales price.
So if you’re shopping for a new home today, don’t be surprised if the builder is hesitant to offer a price cut.
If they do offer an open-ended incentive that can be used toward the sales price or interest rate (or closing costs), take the time to consider the best use of the funds.
Those who think rates will be lower in the near future could go with the lower sales price and hope to refinance. Just be sure you can absorb the higher payment in the meantime.
Read more: Should I use the home builder’s lender?
Source: thetruthaboutmortgage.com