Sell Now and Wait For Something to Convince You to Buy
By:
Matthew Graham
Mon, Sep 25 2023, 4:10 PM
Sell Now and Wait For Something to Convince You to Buy
Bonds began the week with another move to long-term yield highs. There was a wave of selling in the overnight session led by Europe and another when domestic traders ramped up for the day. Neither were unequivocally the product of some data or news headline although there were a few scapegoats that could be mistaken for motivation. The problem with said scapegoats is that–while they likely contributed–they were not nearly meaningful enough to justify the movement in question. Conclusion: this sort of selling is broader and more sentiment-driven. Traders are repricing “higher for longer” odds with the longer end of the yield curve. Buyers are on strike until something convinces them to buy and that will be hard to do unless next week’s data is weak.
09:55 AM
Sharply weaker overnight with more selling early and now a modest bounce. 10yr up 7.9bps at 4.515. MBS down just over 3/8ths.
01:16 PM
Sideways to slightly stronger into PM hours for MBS, now down 11 ticks (.34). 10yr sideways near highs, up 8.7bps at 4.523.
02:47 PM
Weakest levels of the day with 10s up 11bps at 4.546. MBS are down 5/8ths but at least an eighth of that is attributable to illiquidity.
04:08 PM
little-changed from the last update. MBS down half a point. 10yr up just under 11bps at 4.544.
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HELOC, Manufactured, Technology, Marketing, and Digital Tools; Central Banks and Inflation
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HELOC, Manufactured, Technology, Marketing, and Digital Tools; Central Banks and Inflation
By: Rob Chrisman
7 Hours, 56 Min ago
If you want something sobering, almost mesmerizing, here’s a short drone video of the flood damage in Libya (at the 15 second mark you can see how it tore through the city). Fortunately not so sobering are some stats out of the United States. The U.S. homeownership rate in 2022 was even higher than before the COVID-19 pandemic at 65.8 percent compared to 64.6 percent in 2019. That rebound was driven largely by those aged 44 and younger. And who says Millennials aren’t buying homes? Homeownership continued to climb from the foreclosure crisis (2004) and Great Recession (2008), when rates dipped as low as 63.4 percent in 2016. Homeownership rates recovered approximately half of the 5.6 percent decrease from 2004 to 2016. In Hawai’i the homeownership rate is 59 percent, I bring up the Aloha State because American Savings Bank, First Hawaiian Bank, and Central Pacific Bank joined Hawaiʻi Community Lending, a Hawaiʻi-based nonprofit community development financial institution, in pledging to provide mortgage forbearances to Maui families impacted by the recent wildfires. (Today’s podcast can be found here and this week’s is sponsored by the Trade-In Mortgage powered by Calque. Homeowners can buy before they sell, make non-contingent offers, and tap their home equity to fund the down payment on their next home. Lenders can help their clients negotiate a lower purchase price, reduce their interest payments, and eliminate PMI. Today’s podcast features Greg Korn and Ben Petit in an interview from the New England Mortgage Bankers Conference.)
Lender and Broker Software, Products, and Services
In an era defined by technological advancements, Dark Matter Technologies LLC emerges as a transformative force in the mortgage origination landscape, marking its evolution from Black Knight Origination Technologies. Under the Perseus Operating Group of Constellation Software Inc., Dark Matter Technologies remains steadfast in its commitment to pioneering innovation. CEO Rich Gagliano aptly sums up the company’s vision: “Dark Matter Technologies is on a mission to revolutionize the mortgage origination business by supporting, growing, and aggressively innovating new and existing products.” With over 1,300 dedicated mortgage technology experts and a portfolio that includes Empower, AIVA, Exchange, and more, Dark Matter Technologies is poised to lead the industry into a new era of unparalleled transformation. Learn more about Dark Matter Technologies and their mission, here.
There is approximately $9T in agency or government MSR outstanding. Billions of dollars are being transacted daily and this volume requires disciplined loan accounting processes to record loans accurately, produce investor reporting, and power business decisions. SBO from SitusAMC is a comprehensive loan accounting and master servicing platform that reconciles daily and monthly servicer cash collections down to the penny, aiding in the discovery of potentially misplaced funds and enhancing the financial integrity of the entire process. Servicers using SBO produce accurate and timely details providing confidence that their investor reporting obligations are being met. Schedule a demo of SBO with SitusAMC’s client-focused experts.
“Did you hear Capacity’s big announcement at TMC Fall? We’ve acquired Denim Social! Together, we’re building a support automation platform that helps you automate support, connect more authentically with your borrowers, and close more loans, faster. Read the press release to learn more! We also gave away a personalized AI Assessment worth $10,000 to help mortgage lenders identify opportunities for improving their business with AI. Plus, our new GSE Search feature pulls accurate, up to date GSE regulations within seconds using generative AI. Want to join the AI in mortgage revolution? Meet the Capacity team today.”
A new era in loan origination has arrived. Mortgage Machine Services, an industry leader in digital origination technology to residential mortgage lenders, announced the launch of its namesake platform Mortgage Machine™, an out-of-the-box, all-in-one LOS designed to accelerate lenders’ operational velocity and support an end-to-end digital origination process. Developed by digital mortgage pioneer and industry veteran Jeff Bode, Mortgage Machine utilizes intelligent automation, configurable business workflows and a cloud-based infrastructure to optimize the entire loan lifecycle and create a seamless lending experience. Key platform features include AI-powered task automation, a scalable cloud-based infrastructure, flexible APIs, pre-configured workflows for retail and TPO channels, integrated document management and POS functionality. Mortgage Machine also offers all-in-one eClosing capabilities, including an eClose room, eNotes, eVault and RON, and utilizes MISMO SMART Doc® data and security standards. Visit here to get started on your digital transformation journey.
Blend Labs continues to be the mortgage industry’s leading technology platform. Core to the platform is Blend’s unique integration with Desktop Underwriter® (DU®) and LPA. These integrations help streamline your approval process for borrowers, with all the conditions lined up for your fulfillment team. Add in intelligent and automated follow-ups and you’ll get to the closing table faster and more efficiently. Putting this information at the loan officer’s fingertips creates a streamlined process and eliminates manual work which equals lower costs, higher pull-through, and increased revenue. See more ways that Blend is committing to innovation and continues to lead the way.
Looking for timely advice on how to capture more loan volume and improve your bottom line in a down market? Now is the time to explore ways to tap into new markets. Expanding your mortgage footprint through new products and channels or by reaching new geographies insulates your business against economic and interest rate volatility by diversifying your sources of volume and revenue. By setting the groundwork to connect with new borrower markets now, you’ll open new revenue possibilities for when the market inevitably recovers, positioning your business to hit the ground running and beat out the competition. Download this informative eBook from mortgage solutions provider Maxwell for actionable advice, including how to create your expansion plan and choose the offerings best suited to the markets you want to pursue. Click here to download Growing Your Mortgage Footprint: How to Launch New Loan Products, Channels & Geographic Expansions.
Broker and Correspondent Products
Build your book with AFR Wholesale® (AFR)! Now, get the chance to listen from and ask questions directly to AFR and Freddie Mac to turn those prospects to active pipeline at the next Why Wait webinar series covering Manufactured Home Financing on Wednesday, September 20th at 1 PM EST. Register here today! Have you and your borrowers looked into Manufactured Housing as an option? With unbeatable affordability, customization options that are very tailored, quick installation and trusted quality, manufactured homes are worth exploring. Especially with a top lending partner in AFR who has been an industry leader for over 25 years. This is a live webinar, and a recording will not be provided so make sure to join and get great insight and have the opportunity to ask questions and listen to scenarios! Visit AFR Wholesale, email [email protected], or dial 1-800-375-6071. AFR Wholesale® – Don’t wait. Register today!
“With Cash-Outs on the decline during this high interest rate environment, it is important to present your borrowers with different cash-out options. That is why Vista Point is announcing a brand new HELOC product coming soon, in addition to our existing Closed-End Second. Our HELOC product is being designed as a complement to our Closed-End Second to provide a full suite of Equity Solutions. Our HELOC will provide a specific solution for borrowers that want the optionality of an interest-only payment, or the ability to draw up and buy down their line during the 5-year draw period with no Appraisals up to $250k. Just like on our Closed-End Second offering, with HELOC loan amounts up to $550K and combined lien amounts up to $2.5M, your borrowers can get the cash they need without sacrificing their advantageous 1st mortgage rate. HELOC will be available for full doc and bank statements on OO and 2nd homes. For more information, reach out to us, or meet us at the Philly MBA to discuss.”
Capital Markets
We learned last week that prices in August rose by the largest monthly percentage in 15 months. However, that month-over-month inflation was widely expected due to a surge in gasoline prices. Underlying oil prices are also pointing towards further increases in September. Meanwhile, core prices were up 0.3 percent and core goods prices declined by 0.1 percent. Over the last three months core prices have increased at an annualized pace of 2.4 percent, the lowest three-month pace since March 2021. Retail sales rose faster than analysts’ expectations in August, also due to higher gas prices. Many analysts expect consumer spending to slow as excess savings built up over the pandemic have materially declined and credit is increasingly costly and difficult to obtain. Additionally, the resumption of student loan payments is expected to cut into discretionary spending. It will take more than expectations of slower spending before the Federal Reserve feels inflation is firmly under control.
What could move mortgage rates this week? The U.S. Federal Reserve, Bank of England, Bank of Japan, and the central banks of Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland are all announcing rate decisions after a spate of recent inflation data shows that price increases are alive and well. The Fed’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), the action arm of “the Fed,” is not expected to raise rates. It’s unlikely that the commentary around the commitment to keep fighting inflation and higher rates for longer will change either, but it could tilt a little more to the hawkish side after a stronger-than-anticipated inflation report for August.
The week could also see some extra drama on the political front as the countdown continues toward a potential government shutdown on October 1 in addition to the battle between the United Auto Workers (UAW) union and Detroit automakers. The auto worker strike could complicate Fed Chair Powell’s bid for a soft landing. Union leaders are asking for a 36 percent wage increase over four years, to match the similar recent pay increase for top executives. The union also wants pay to rise automatically with inflation in the future, as it did before the financial crisis.
This week brings the aforementioned FOMC meeting that begins tomorrow and concludes on Wednesday with the Statement, updated SEP (where fed funds projections will be closely scrutinized), and Chair Powell’s press conference. The treasury will also be in the headlines with more coupon auctions scheduled: $13 billion reopened 20-year bonds tomorrow and $15 billion reopened 10-year TIPS on Thursday. The only scheduled, probably non-market moving, news out today is the NAHB Housing Market Index for September. We begin the week with Agency MBS prices roughly unchanged from Friday, the 10-year yielding 4.34 after closing last week at 4.33 percent, and the 2-year is at 5.00 percent.
Employment
Are you more energized, more encouraged, and more motivated to succeed today than yesterday? Zig Ziglar famously stated, “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing; that’s why we recommend it daily.” “As an industry leader, Thrive knows that motivation, discipline, and belief in your ability to succeed is critical,” stated Randell Gillespie, National Sales Leader for Thrive Mortgage. “There is no better time than now to find ways to continually motivate your team, which is why we put so much focus on daily opportunities like these at Thrive. Through our weekly High-Performance Coaching Calls, our very own nationally-recognized Marketing Master, James Duncan, leads these motivating and educational experiences for results. The biggest names in the mortgage industry and thought-leadership have been part of our Thrive Nation broadcasts. We want everyone to be better today than yesterday. Start a conversation with us and find out how.
“The fall season is here, and now more than ever is the time to build rapport with your referral partners and clients to maintain a steady stream of business. At Guaranteed Rate Affinity, not only do we have the greatest number of products, but we have the tech platform for our loan officers to do business from anywhere. With PowerVP, you can do anything from creating loan applications to sending pre-approval letters all from your mobile phone. Anything you could do from your desk, you can now do on the go with PowerVP. Gone are the days of being chained to your desk and missing out on important moments. Primarily, it gives you a work-life balance you never thought possible. Luckily, we’re hiring the best of the best loan officers to leverage our tech platform to grow their business. Ready to learn more? Contact Tim McGraw to get started.”
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Attending graduate school can help some students achieve their career goals, and may even be required in some fields. While applying to grad school is similar to applying to college, three are some key differences to keep in mind. Graduation school programs also tend to be more competitive than undergraduate degree programs.
If you’re thinking about going to grad school, read on. What follows are some simple strategies that can help you navigate the graduate school application process, including how to find the right program, create an application timeline, write an effective statement of purpose and personal statement, and make a plan for covering the cost of tuition and expenses.
4 Tips and Strategies to Prepare for the Grad School Application Process
Below are some simple steps that can make it easier to find and apply to the right graduate school program.
Choosing the Right Graduate School
It can be a good idea to apply to four to six graduate schools, and include both safety and reach schools.
If you’re still in the early stages of exploring schools and mulling over which graduate program to pursue, now’s the time to weigh your interests, skills, talents, and career goals to find a few options that may make sense to apply to.
Here are some questions to ask as you search for the right grad school:
• Which degree path do you want to pursue?
• Does your chosen career encourage a Ph.D. or a Master’s degree?
• Do the schools you’re considering offer that program?
• What is the cost of tuition?
• Are scholarships available, either full-ride or partial?
• Is the degree program accredited?
• Does this school have excellent professors?
• Will this degree facilitate your entry into the career of your choice?
💡 Quick Tip: You’ll make no payments on some private student loans for six months after graduation.
Grad School Application Timeline
There’s plenty of prep work that must happen months before you start applying to graduate school. One way to alleviate some stress and make sure all of the necessary application requirements are met is to start early. Here’s a timeline to keep in mind.
Two Years Before Applying: Research Schools and Programs
Narrow down the programs of interest and your career goals about two years before you plan to apply.
One Year Before Applying
• Prepare for any standardized tests required for admission. Some programs may require students to submit GRE scores, while others may require the GMAT. Law students will generally need to take the LSAT and future med school attendees can anticipate taking the MCAT.
• Start gathering application materials. This could include things like college transcripts, letters of recommendation, and prepping for any personal statements that may be required (more tips on that to follow).
Year of Grad School
Generally, graduate school applications open up about nine months before a student would be expected to start classes. Some programs may accept applications on a rolling basis. It’s generally wise to apply as soon as all of your application materials are ready to go.
Refining Your Graduate School Statement of Purpose and Personal Statement
The statement of purpose for graduate school (sometimes called a letter of intent or a research statement) is where you detail your future plans and how the school you’re applying to can help you achieve those goals.
Students who are applying to multiple schools may need to tweak their statement of purpose slightly to meet different application requirements, but in general, there are a few common threads that are included in a statement of purpose. These include:
• What do you want to study at graduate school?
• Why do you want to study it?
• What experience do you have in that field? How would you add value to the existing program?
• What do you plan to do with your degree once you have it?
To craft a successful graduate school statement, you’ll want to create an outline and make sure you highlight your relevant experience and motivation for applying to this specific graduate school and program. You want your statement to stand out and target the school you are applying to; avoid writing the same statement of purpose for each school.
A personal statement, meanwhile, lets the admissions committees see you as a person, including your goals and passions and what you are hoping to get out of the program. Personal statements are generally more biographical in nature than a statement of purpose. It may highlight things like your passion for a particular field or help you demonstrate characteristics that will help you excel in grad school.
Recommended: Graduate Student Loan Limits: How Much Can You Get?
Options for Paying for Graduate School
There are a variety of ways to pay for graduate school.
Federal Aid
As a first step, fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which is used to determine what federal financial assistance students may qualify for. Often, people applying for graduate school are considered independent students on the FAFSA. Independent students are not required to include their parents’ financial information on their FAFSA application.
Submitting the FAFSA allows students to apply for all federal aid, including:
• Federal student loans
• Grants
• Scholarships
• Work-study program
Scholarships and Grants from Your University
Take a look at the aid options available specific to the school you will be attending (or the schools you are applying to). It may be possible to apply for additional scholarships, grants, and fellowships depending on the program.
Universities sometimes use the FAFSA to make financial aid determinations, but some have their own application process. Again, check the graduate school website to find out relevant deadlines and procedures.
Recommended: How to Become a Graduate Assistant
Possibilities Beyond Federal or University Aid
Other possibilities include employer tuition reimbursement plans, private scholarships, and private graduate student loans. Private student loans usually don’t have the borrower protections offered by federal student loans (things like deferment or forbearance, income-driven repayment plans, and Public Service Loan Forgiveness), so you may want to consider them only after you’ve exhausted other forms of aid.
After graduating, some students may consider student loan refinancing. Qualifying borrowers can often secure a competitive interest rate or preferable terms. Refinancing federal student loans, however, will mean they no longer qualify for any federal borrower protections or programs.
💡 Quick Tip: Master’s degree or graduate certificate? Private or federal student loans can smooth the path to either goal.
The Takeaway
Applying to graduate school doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Start by defining your career goals and determine which programs you want to apply to. From there, review the application requirements and set an application timeline. The steps involved in applying to graduate school include taking any required standardized tests, getting letters of recommendation, and writing a statement of purpose. Also consider how you will pay for the cost of graduate school. Options include federal student loans, scholarships, grants, and private student loans.
If you’ve exhausted all federal student aid options, no-fee private student loans from SoFi can help you pay for school. The online application process is easy, and you can see rates and terms in just minutes. Repayment plans are flexible, so you can find an option that works for your financial plan and budget.
Cover up to 100% of school-certified costs including tuition, books, supplies, room and board, and transportation with a private student loan from SoFi.
SoFi Loan Products SoFi loans are originated by SoFi Bank, N.A., NMLS #696891 (Member FDIC). For additional product-specific legal and licensing information, see SoFi.com/legal. Equal Housing Lender.
SoFi Private Student Loans Please borrow responsibly. SoFi Private Student Loans are not a substitute for federal loans, grants, and work-study programs. You should exhaust all your federal student aid options before you consider any private loans, including ours. Read our FAQs.
SoFi Private Student Loans are subject to program terms and restrictions, and applicants must meet SoFi’s eligibility and underwriting requirements. See SoFi.com/eligibility-criteria for more information. To view payment examples, click here. SoFi reserves the right to modify eligibility criteria at any time. This information is subject to change.
Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.
Everyone predicted a revival in purchase money mortgage lending in 2013, and it looks like they’re right, so far.
During the first quarter of the year, an estimated $119 billion in purchase-mortgage loan originations were recorded, according to new figures from Inside Mortgage Finance.
This represented a 15% improvement over the same quarter in 2012. However, purchase originations were down 13% from the fourth quarter.
Still, things are only expected to get better, if the loan application data from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) is any indication – demand for purchase mortgages was at a three-year high this spring.
And it appears as if the purchase market is just starting to heat up for the big summer buying period.
Late last year, the MBA predicted purchase activity would increase from $503 billion to $585 billion, while refinances were slated to slip from $1.2 trillion to $785 billion.
With mortgage rates on the rise, we’re finally starting to see the refinance share of the market cede to purchases, though the former still has a commanding 71% share.
Will the Higher Mortgage Rates Hurt or Help?
In case you haven’t heard, mortgage rates shot up over the past month, and the 30-year fixed is now going for somewhere in the low 4% range, as opposed to the low 3% range. Ouch.
Clearly this will make many rethink a refinance, and it could even influence some home buying decisions. Let’s hope most borrowers were locked prior to the onslaught.
Still, it’s easy to freak out over nothing – if you allow me to get historical for a moment, mortgage rates are still on the low, low end, even with this most recent uptick. And anyone purchasing a home today should be happy with a 30-year fixed at 4%.
However, happiness aside, there still is the qualification issue. Even if motivation is unscathed, there’s the more black and white numbers game.
Now that mortgage rates have increased nearly one percent, a lot of would-be home buyers may have been thrown out of the qualification pool as purchasing power has been diminished.
Even if they can afford the monthly mortgage payment, their higher debt-to-income ratio may not fly with banks and lenders.
Let’s face it, mortgage rates aren’t the main problem right now; the issue is finding a property that doesn’t involve a bidding war.
It’s hard to believe that the recent increase in rates would sway someone’s interest in purchasing a property, especially if they are willing to offer $50,000 above the list.
But it could thin out the eligibility pool, which would actually make it easier to land a property for those who do still qualify for a mortgage. So there is a silver lining there for some.
Good News for Mortgage Brokers?
While the higher rates may or may not be good for homeowners, the shift from refinance to purchase money should benefit local mortgage brokers.
When it comes to refinancing, borrowers tend to shop around for the lowest rate, whether that’s with their own bank or credit union, or with an online lender.
With home purchases, buyers are heavily influenced by their real estate agents, and many agents have broker friends they refer business to.
So as purchase mortgages gain traction, brokers may see an uptick in business, while online lenders and other not-present players will probably see volumes decline.
After all, a lot of borrowers will want to meet the individual handling their ever-important purchase loan.
If you’re a buyer, take a moment to think about your agent’s referral. Make sure you’re actually getting the best deal, and using someone reliable. Don’t just believe everything your agent tells you.
Read more: Is the real estate market about to be tested?
There is a significant difference between being an adult and behaving like one. Legally, teens become adults when they turn 18. It’s pretty common for teenagers to ponder the moment of their transition into adulthood and the distinguishing factors between being an adult and a child. Here’s a list of life skills we think every adult needs to know in order to really act like an adult.
1. Financial Management
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Acquiring the ability to handle your financial matters is an essential life skill that every individual should grasp before reaching 18 years of age. Financial management encompa-es skills such as devising and adhering to a budget, saving funds, comprehending credit, and preparing for future expenditures. Acquiring strong financial management abilities in your youth can establish a foundation for long-term financial stability in the future. Learning how to prioritize critical expenses (like rent), avoid overspending, and save for emergencies and future goals is important. It’s never too early to start learning; kids as young as 7 or 8 can begin practicing with their allowance.
One Redditor said, “Developing skills of positive financial management is a process many overlook.”
Another also added, “So much this. Or even just understanding how to budget and a basic understanding of household bills.”
2. Good Hygiene
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
Proper hygiene is crucial for averting illnesses and diseases and enhancing personal appearance and contentment. Cultivate healthy routines like consistently washing your hands, caring for your oral hygiene, taking showers, and donning fresh clothing. Practicing good hygiene in public places and when you’re sick is also essential. By learning good hygiene at a young age, you can develop habits that benefit your own health and make it easier to keep a strong group of friends—giving you a healthier community overall.
3. Cooking
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
Cooking is important not only for saving money but also because it can teach you time management, budgeting, nutrition, and many other things. Cooking at home gives you greater control over the ingredients they use, which is especially helpful if you have allergies. Overall, learning how to cook is a valuable skill that provides numerous benefits, including increased self-sufficiency. It is never too early to start learning and developing cooking skills at a young age can set individuals up for a lifetime of healthy and enjoyable eating habits.
One user said, “Oh, and cooking some basic meals is a lifesaver. I don’t know why schools don’t have home economics cla-es. It’s such a shame.”
4. Simple First Aid
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
Acquiring a basic understanding of first aid holds significance, as it enables you to navigate emergencies without succumbing to the fight-or-flight instinct and instead provide practical a-istance. Basic first aid skills can help prevent injuries from worsening and sometimes even save lives. It’s good to know how to treat minor cuts, burns, and bruises and respond to choking, allergic reactions, and other medical emergencies. Knowing how to perform CPR and use an automated external defibrillator (AED) usually requires certification, but it can be life-saving in some situations.
Understanding how to see the big picture in an emergency is important, such as a-essing the situation, calling paramedics, and staying calm and focused.
5. Critical Thinking
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
Critical thinking is how we carefully analyze information, evaluate evidence, and make logical decisions. The foundation of critical thinking is really just asking good questions, trying to find out all the relevant information before you make a decision, and developing your problem-solving abilities. The world is full of information, misinformation, and confusing situations (like finding an honest mechanic or negotiating with a landlord). The ability to think critically and ask good questions will take you a long way.
One Redditor said, “Don’t take things at face value; really consider what is being told to you, why, and by who. There are good people in the world of course, but there are many who do NOT have your best interest at heart and will attempt to take advantage of your ignorance. Go slow, listen, learn, and Think.”
6. Time Management
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
Time management is an essential life skill; it can benefit anyone at any age, but it’s particularly important to learn it as you move away from home and encounter the world on your own. Managing your time is important for everything from the obvious (working, school, making plans with friends), to cooking a meal or cleaning your house. As you become an adult, practice managing your time and creating a schedule or using a calendar or planner. Time management can help you be more productive, achieve your goals, and reduce stress.
7. Emotional Intelligence
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
Take some time as you become an adult to learn or brush up on emotional intelligence. You don’t have to read thoughts, but staying attentive to the emotions, reactions, and expressions of the people around you can teach you so much and help a lot with all kinds of relationships. Everything from working to dating relationships relies a lot on working with other people’s moods and emotions, even if they’re unfair. Developing these skills will help navigate social relationships and communicate clearly and effectively.
One Redditor added, “Emotional intelligence. I didn’t start developing this at all until I was in my late 20s. I feel like men especially struggle with this.”
8. Self Control
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
Delayed gratification is one of the hardest skills to learn: almost everybody is tempted by the instant payoff. Learning self-control is essential to make better decisions, regulate emotions, and achieve goals. Self-control skills include delayed gratification, but also impulse control, self-motivation, and stress management. The ability to manage your stress, keep yourself motivated, and keep control over your impulses will take you a long way in life.
One Redditor stated, “Self-control, you are now an adult, and whatever protections you had for your actions as a minor are largely gone, and the consequences are now higher.”
9. Communication Skills
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
Learning to communicate well can provide significant benefits, such as improved relationships, better academic performance, increased employability, improved mental health, and enhanced problem-solving abilities. Some ways to develop communication skills include practicing speaking, reading, and writing, joining clubs or organizations, active listening, and seeking feedback. Whatever way you find to practice, do it with mindfulness and intention, not just to get it done.
10. Developing Your Own Opinions
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
Developing your opinions is an important skill to develop before age 18 because it helps you become a critical thinker and an independent individual. It is essential to form your own opinions based on evidence, logic, and reasoning rather than simply adopting the beliefs of others.
11. Learn a New Skill
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
As you age and become more independent, don’t stop studying and learning new things. New skills are not only just interesting (and make you a more interesting person), but they can increase your overall joy, inspire you in your school or career, and keep your mind sharp. Some really valuable skills to consider brushing up on include a foreign language, coding or computer programming, public speaking, writing, critical thinking, and problem-solving.
As a user added, “There are a lot of skills one should possess before turning 18; they include social skills, communication networking, tech skills, video editing, graphics designing, and coding…”
While you might not try to learn those exact skills for your personal career path, keep studying and learning whatever direction you decide to take.
Source: Reddit.
10 Crazy Good Movies Where Women Are the Bad Guys
Image Credit: Lionsgate
Are you looking for a movie night with a twist? Look no further than these Reddit-voted top ten films where women take on the destructive bad guy role.
10 Crazy Good Movies Where Women Are the Bad Guys
10 of the Worst TV Series Ever According to the Internet
There’s Seinfeld, The Sopranos, Game of Thrones, The Office, and other legendary shows. But have you considered that for each show that garners universal critical acclaim, there is an inverse show lurking on the other end of the IMDb rating scale?
10 of the Worst TV Series Ever According to the Internet
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Have you ever known someone and thought you liked them—until you learned about their hobbies? Then you get to know them and then you’re like, “Wow, red flag.” Well, you’re not alone.
These 10 Activities Are an Immediate Red Flag
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
Some celebrities definitely seem to enjoy the limelight and keep working to stay in the public eye. While others quickly move out of the spotlight. Many of these actors and actresses stepped out of the spotlight to live a more private life without constant media pressures.
10 Celebrities That Made the Big Times Then Disappeared Off The Face of the Earth
Image Credit: Troma Entertainment
We’ve all been there – sitting through a movie that we can’t help but cringe at, but somehow it still manages to hold a special place in our hearts.
These 10 Terrible Movies Are Still People’s Favorites
This article is part of a series put together by the Total Mortgage marketing team that provides loan officers and other sales professionals with a crash course in marketing and self-promotion. To read other articles in this series, click here.
Launching a website with strong content is important to initial success. However, to maintain a high amount of traffic you’ll need to regularly update your site with fresh content. Whatever your medium (e.g. blogs, videos), without new content your site will inevitably get pushed into the back corner of the web. That’s because the algorithm that search engines use to determine what results show up first gives more weight to sites that are fresh and dynamic, as opposed to stale and static.
The following guide will teach you how to go about finding the best topics and optimal post times to help keep your website at the forefront of the web.
Killer content starts with a killer topic. You can write a mind-bending blog on adjustable mortgage rates in Amarillo, Texas, but if no one cares about that, it’s not going to perform well. You’ve got to tap into the minds of homebuyers and figure out what information would be most valuable to them. Remember, the best topics are based on questions that lots of people have, but that haven’t been answered before—or haven’t been answered well before. Here are a few tips to keep the ideas flowing.
Check out sites like Quora and Reddit
These two sites get lots of traffic and lots of curious users. Questions are posted periodically and typically have a high amount of engagement. It’s an easy way to check in and see what prospective homebuyers are thinking. You can search for whatever mortgage/home-buying topic you want at Quora, and Reddit has a subreddit dedicated to mortgages.
Google Autocomplete
Google likes to try and figure out what you’re going to type. As a user, it can be both helpful and annoying. As a marketer, it provides a glimpse into the inner-workings of potential clients. If a phrase is popping up in autocorrect, that means a lot of people want to know about it. That provides a great opportunity for you to answer a question or provide information for a large audience. You can type anything into google, but starting your phrase with who/what/when/where/why/how often yields the best results.
Google Keyword Tool
Google AdWords has a keyword planner tool that can be useful when trying to choose a topic. You can get search volume data and trends, new keywords using a phrase, website, or category, and enter keyword lists to get new keywords. Search volume data is helpful when you’re unsure if there is enough interest in a given topic to warrant a post about it.
Think about your interactions with borrowers or referral partners
Keeping your ears open and paying attention to what borrowers want is another way to come up with topics. If you are consistently getting asked the same question, there’s a good chance a post about it will perform well.
On the other end of the spectrum, remember the quirky questions that you’ve only gotten asked once or twice. They might not have high search volume, but they’re interesting enough to capture the attention of a borrower and show that you can handle anything.
Read the comments
If you carefully read the comments sections on other mortgage/home related websites, you might stumble across some ideas for your own post. You may not find a gem of a topic every time you do it, but if you make a habit of checking, eventually it will pay off.
Add to a conversation
Sometimes, you don’t have to have the original spark—you just have to make something better. For instance, maybe there’s a question that someone has written a blog about, but you feel you have something to add to the conversation. As long as you aren’t just rehashing the other post, there’s no shame in piggybacking off of someone else’s high-performing content.
Work with your expertise
Another way to start brainstorming ideas is to work with your expertise. Writing about things that you have an extensive knowledge on a) cuts down on time because you don’t have to do as much research—if any, and b) makes it easier to dig deeper into a topic and fully answer questions. Naturally, your success with this approach is greatly influenced by the demand for your given topic.
Sometimes, you get lucky and a topic will jump out at you and other times it takes some serious digging before you strike gold. Either way, the type of content will fall into one of two categories.
Evergreen Topics
“’Cause, honey, your soul could never grow old, it’s evergreen.”
Ed Sheeran might not have been thinking about awe-inspiring website content when he wrote those lyrics, but he sure could have been. When we say something is evergreen , we mean it’s going to stand the test of time. With website content, that means that the information in your post will always be useful to whoever is viewing it. It’s not some flash-in-the-pan post that will be irrelevant in a month. There are times where short-lived content is acceptable, or even preferable, but those situations depend heavily on perfect timing.
In a world where 2,000,000 blog posts are written every day, the idea of creating evergreen content might sound like a pipe-dream, but rest assured—evergreen content does indeed exist in reality. Naturally, some serious elbow grease will almost definitely have to be applied in order to make it happen, but that just makes the end product that much more rewarding.
When you look at what kind of content has done well over a long stretch of time, a few things should pop out at you.
Details reign supreme
There is a lot of fluff out there on the internet, so unless you happen to land on a gold-mine of a topic, you’re virtually guaranteed to have to get down to the nitty-gritty in your post. That means data. Hard numbers are always welcome and can do a lot to bolster the impact on your readers. It’s one thing to throw some words around, but if you can back them up with concrete facts, you’re more likely to win the reader over.
They are optimized with strong keywords
Keywords are what search engines use to bring up results. Think about what you type into Google. The more something gets searched for, the more likely it is that those pages that come up in the search will get traffic. While evergreen content doesn’t necessarily get massive traffic (although it definitely could), it always gets consistent traffic. All you have to do is set the ball in motion and the traffic train will chug along indefinitely.
There are many different ways to optimize your content with strong keywords—including optimizing the title tags, meta descriptions, and body copy. All these methods can be time-consuming and exhausting. Our marketing team has done this for years, and lends our expertise to all our loan officers so they don’t have to sweat the small stuff.
Trending Topics
Trending topics can be a good way to supplement the evergreen content on your site. Think of them like shooting starts—they burn brightly but fizzle out fairly quickly. It’s fine to take advantage of their trendy nature here and there, but it’s definitely not the best strategy to have them as your main source of content.
Trending topics are easier to spot because they’re in the news and everyone is talking about them, but for those who want to make sure they don’t miss out on anything, there are a few places to check out.
Google Trends
Google Trends allows you to see what topics have the most search volume at any given time period. The homepage displays trending topics in the past 24 hours. Mortgage industry news isn’t usually trending on the front page, but it’s worth checking out every now and then to see if there’s an angle you can take on a seemingly non-related trending topic.
Reddit
As mentioned previously, Reddit isn’t just that place on the internet where memes are created and destroyed. It’s a treasure trove of information, with subreddits for nearly every topic imaginable, including mortgages. With its upvote system, it’s also a great place to check watch for trending topics.
Social Media Hashtags and Trending Topics
Twitter and Facebook both make it easy to observe trending topics. With Twitter, the top trending hashtags are always on the left-hand side of the platform. With Facebook, the top trends are on the right-hand side of the page. They are constantly being updated are a great way to check the pulse of the online world.
They key with trending topics is to jump on the bandwagon early so you take advantage of as much time in the spotlight as possible. You’ll also be competing with everyone else who’s trying to use the topic to their advantage, so having a creative angle will help you stand out.
Once you’ve picked out juicy topics and created fresh new content out of them, you’ll want to figure out when the best time to post them will be.
You might think that if your content is amazing enough, it will gain traction no matter when you post it. That might be true, but it’s not just about gaining traction—it’s about getting the most traction out of your content. After all, you put a lot of hard work into the creative process, so there’s no point in losing out on pageviews, comments, and conversions all because you posted at the wrong time. So when you’re thinking about when to post, consider the following:
Posts that are published on Monday at 11am get the most traffic
It’s the new week and for some reason, everyone wants to surf the web. Maybe they’re trying to tackle their to-do list, maybe they’re trying to put it off—whatever the case is, they’re searching out content on the internet.
Posts published on non-popular hours get the most social engagement and shares
If your main goal is to get a lot of comments and shares on your social media platforms, then don’t post when everyone else is. It’s simple; posting during peak hours means that you’re competing against a massive amount of content. The result is that fewer people will see your stuff, and even fewer will engage with it.
The morning is best for most pageviews
Looking to straight up increase your pageviews? Post in the morning. Morning people are awake and highly caffeinated, meaning they’re ready to click and read and click and read until the central nervous stimulant wears off.
In the end, the only way to discover what is true for your website is to experiment with several different posting schedules. Case studies can point you in the right direction, and their advice might hold true for your site and content, but you’ll never know for sure if you don’t mix it up.
Be consistent
Consistency is important. No matter what your posting schedule looks like, you have to stick to it. It might seem challenging at first, but posting in a consistent manner is one of the top ways to increase traffic in the long-term. That means it’s important to set realistic goals. There’s no point in trying to commit to producing a blog or video three times a week if you’re going to run out of ideas in a month. Also, making the work manageable will keep your motivation up and make it easier to post in a consistent manner.
The bottom line
There’s a reason the phrase “Content is King” has been repeated millions of times across the internet. With the right topics and the proper posting schedule, your website should be able to avoid slipping into the darkness of the forgotten web.
Want more? You can learn more about what the Total Mortgage marketing team does for our loan officers by checking out other articles in this series, or by visiting our career portal.
Carter Wessman
Carter Wessman is originally from the charming town of Norfolk, Massachusetts. When he isn’t busy writing about mortgage related topics, you can find him playing table tennis, or jamming on his bass guitar.
While it might sound like following in the footsteps of hedge funds, or taking advice from Warren Buffett, who recently said he’d invest in single-family homes, the motivation behind the Facebook founder’s latest move seems to be for entirely different reasons.
Mark Zuckerberg reportedly purchased four multi-million properties that are adjacent to his Palo Alto residence, which he acquired for around $7 million two years ago, according to the San Jose Mercury News.
He apparently began scooping up the nearby properties in December after hearing that a real estate developer wanted to purchase one of the homes and market it as being close to Zuckerberg.
Why anyone would want to buy a home simply to be close to the Facebook founder is beyond me, but that’s the story at the moment, which comes from an unnamed source familiar with the situation.
After the purchase late last year, three more homes were registered in names of entities associated with a company that handles Zuckerberg’s finances, Iconiq Capital, including one house next door and another two behind his home.
In total, more than $30 million was spent on the four properties, with one going for a reported $14 million plus for a relatively small 2,600 square-foot dwelling.
So it looks as if he paid well more than what they are currently worth just to get the deal done.
[Five Reasons Housing Inventory Will Begin to Rise]
Zuckerberg the Landlord
The even stranger part about this whole story is that he then leased them out to the original owners. So Zuckerberg is effectively a landlord.
The big question remains as to why he purchased the homes, assuming the story about the developer doesn’t satisfy your curiosity.
I don’t really buy it personally, though it was suggested that he either wants to maintain the feel of the neighborhood, and/or have some control over who lives nearby, which also brings the notion of security into play. Privacy irony anyone?
Others speculate that he could eventually build some mega-compound, though that too seems unlikely considering he’s a rather modest guy for a billionaire.
The only thing that’s clear is the nearby neighbors experienced a windfall, seeing that they were convinced to go from homeowners to renters in an affluent section of Palo Alto, California.
Time will tell what Zuckerberg’s intentions are, assuming there’s a greater purpose behind the transactions.
In the meantime, I wonder if he’ll be taking out any mortgages on the new homes. In case you missed it, he opted for an adjustable-rate mortgage on his original home.
It came with an initial rate of 1.75%, which he later refinanced to another ARM set at 1.05%, attached to the LIBOR index with a margin of 0.8%.
Once his rate rises, he’ll probably just pay off the entire loan, a luxury not everyone that chooses an ARM has unfortunately.
Read more: Should I get a fixed rate mortgage or an ARM?
Inside: Looking for information on what a typical Christmas bonus in the US is? This guide will help you calculate how much you can expect and what to do with it.
Are you waiting eagerly for that year-end surprise called the Christmas bonus? Like Clark in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation?
Or maybe you’re an employer wondering about giving out festive bonuses?
This guide is a jingle bell away with everything you need to know about Christmas bonuses in the United States.
You’ll discover how these additional pays work, what the typical bonus amounts are, tax implications, the benefits of giving a bonus, and wisely spending your bonus. In other words, it decodes everything from the employer’s perspective, right to how it impacts an employee’s pocket and spending decisions.
So, buckle up – you’re about to become a little richer in knowledge. Stay tuned!
What is a typical Christmas bonus?
A Christmas bonus, often referred to as a “13-month-salary,” is a special gift you might receive from your employer at the end of the year.
It depends largely on your company’s resources and financial standing, meaning not everyone will get one.
However, if you’re lucky, you might expect a bonus ranging from 2% to 5% of that, discretionary to your employer.
Thus, the average Christmas bonus would be you could be looking at an additional payout of around $1144-2860, assuming an average income of $57,200.
Does everybody get a Christmas bonus?
Not all employees in the US typically receive a Christmas bonus.
The giving of bonuses varies between companies and roles within those companies.
Personally, I have only had one company that gave out Christmas bonuses. Most companies tend to give their annual year-end bonuses, which may be based on factors like performance or tenure, during the first quarter of the new year.
While a Christmas bonus would be nice as it often serves as an appreciation gesture for hard work throughout the year.
Understanding the concept of Christmas Bonus
A Christmas Bonus is essentially a little financial gift from your employer during the holiday season. Think of it as an extra dollop of icing on your annual salary cake.
It’s typically a percentage of your salary and serves to show appreciation for your hard work throughout the year.
For instance:
Let’s say you earn $80000 a year and your boss awards a Christmas bonus of 5% would then receive an extra $4000 just in time for the festivities.
Your company elects to give all employees a flat $1000 Christmas bonus regardless of seniority.
Note that a Christmas bonus isn’t legally required and varies greatly between businesses.
History of Christmas Bonuses
Woolworth’s birthed this tradition back in 1899, offering a cash bonus of $5 for each year of service with a limit of $25.
In Woolworth’s early years, they established a pattern of rewarding their employees with a generous Christmas bonus.
This practice was seen as an annual tradition and was appreciated by their staff, instilling a sense of loyalty within the workforce.
Over time, Christmas bonuses have evolved not just in amount but in form as well. Besides cash, you could also receive gifts or even lavish holiday parties.
Despite the more modern trend of diminishing Christmas bonuses, this part of Woolworth’s history highlights the positive potential of such incentives.
Factors influencing the amount of Christmas Bonus
Considering factors on the Christmas bonus is crucial because it ensures fair distribution, tailored to individual employees’ performance, length of service, or their specific needs.
We all know that bonuses adequately demonstrate appreciation and recognize the hard work of their employees, increasing their job satisfaction and driving productivity.
So, let’s look into whether or not a Christmas bonus is viable for you or your company.
1. Company policy on Christmas Bonus
A company’s policy about Christmas bonuses is typically laid out in the employee handbook and company policies.
Policies may stipulate that Christmas bonuses are issued under certain circumstances, like when the employee has met specified targets or when the company has performed exceptionally well during the year.
Also, the board of directors may elect to give out one-time Christmas bonuses.
However, if these bonuses are not incorporated into the employee’s employment contract, they are typically subject to the employer’s discretion. Employers must take extra caution to ensure that these bonuses are presented as discretionary and not part of a contractual agreement.
Remember, these factors may vary from one company to another. Always refer to your employer’s specific policies and handbooks for accurate information.
2. Amount of Salary
Your annual gross income might influence the amount of your Christmas bonus, as some employers factor in their employees’ base pay when determining bonus amounts.
However, not all organizations adopt this practice, with some opting for a fixed, equal distribution amongst all staff members regardless of their earnings.
Therefore, depending on your contractual agreement and your employer’s policies, your salary could influence your bonus, but this isn’t a universal rule.
3. Type of Bonus
The types of bonuses vary greatly as companies have the discretion to decide the nature of the bonus, with the decision often driven by the organization’s performance, the individual’s job role, and the overall economic conditions.
They can be incentive-based, linked to performance targets, holiday-exclusive like Christmas bonuses, or tagged to specific business milestones, leading to significant variability.
Here are different types of bonuses you should know about:
Discretionary bonuses: These are given at your employer’s will. They might consider factors like company performance or your personal performance reviews. However, there’s no guarantee you’ll receive one.
Non-discretionary bonuses: These are part of your employment contract. As long as you meet certain criteria, you’ll receive this bonus on top of your salary during the Christmas season.
Non-holiday bonuses: Given outside of the holiday season, these can be extra pay or an item like a company car.
Remember, your bonus type dictates how much you could get for Christmas. Be sure to check your contract!
4. Company Culture
Company culture significantly affects bonuses as it underpins how employees perceive their value and recognition within the organization.
If the culture fosters transparency, fairness, and goal-oriented behaviors, bonuses can effectively serve as an incentive and boost morale. Statistics show that employee loyalty increases when they feel appreciated, which can often be demonstrated through financial bonuses.
Moreover, a culture encouraging open communication assures employees of fair dealing when it comes to awarding bonuses.
Hence, bonuses, when tied to clear goals, become more than just monetary rewards, ensuring employees understand their role in the company’s success.
5. Recipients of the Bonus
In the US, Christmas bonuses are usually gifted to all employees, irrespective of their role or position.
Some of the roles that may receive a Christmas bonus include:
Full-time employees: Usually part of the main workforce, these individuals are often at the receiving end of holiday bonuses.
Part-time employees: Even though they may work fewer hours, many companies consider them for bonuses.
Temporary workers: Though their roles are for a limited time, they are generally excluded as part of the company’s bonus scheme.
Contracted employees: If their contract includes a clause for a holiday bonus, they are quite likely to receive a Christmas bonus. If it does not, they will not receive one.
Remember, the goal is inclusivity, a policy aimed at making every employee feel rewarded and appreciated during the festive season.
6. Holiday Season
Christmas bonuses are commonly offered by employers during the holiday season in the United States. This bonus is seen as a way to show appreciation and respect to employees, which can help to mitigate feelings of burnout.
Companies may elect to give bonuses at other times of the year to motivate their employees and boost their job performance. These bonuses can incentivize individuals to achieve specific company goals, with the promise of additional monetary compensation driving their hard work.
Aside from motivation, off-season bonuses also serve as a token of appreciation, illustrating a company’s recognition and value of their employees’ efforts.
It’s worth noting that a bonus doesn’t necessarily have to be monetary. Examples can also include extra vacation days or other perks.
7. Amount Given to Employees
A Christmas bonus is an extra payment given to employees during the holiday season as a gesture of gratitude for their commitment and hard work.
Factors influencing the Christmas bonus amount include:
Length of service: Employees who’ve been with the company longer might receive a higher bonus. For instance, an employee with a decade of service might receive $1,000 at a rate of $100 per annum.
Based on Salary: Many companies may opt to give a flat percentage related to the salary of their employees.
Flat Amount: Others may give the same amount to all employees across the company.
8. Company’s Financial Resources & Performance
A stronger performing company is more likely to give more bonuses as it typically correlates with higher profits, enabling them to be more generous with employee rewards.
On a company level, if overall performance benchmarks are hit, Christmas bonuses may increase across the board.
In fact, the incentive of bonuses can create a highly driven workforce that pushes towards achieving and even exceeding business goals. Furthermore, companies that distribute bonuses, particularly holiday bonuses, can significantly boost employee morale, fostering both loyalty and a positive company culture.
How to Calculate Your Potential Christmas Bonus
Calculating your Christmas bonus can often seem nebulous, leaving many uncertain about the amount they should expect.
The elusive nature of the Christmas bonus can largely be attributed to the fact that unlike salary, it isn’t typically fixed and may vary based on several factors such as an employee’s performance, the length of their service, or the financial health of the organization.
Despite this, there are a few pointers that can shed light on how to calculate this anticipated festive season reward.
Step 1: Check if you are Eligible for a Christmas bonus
Figuring out your potential Christmas bonus firstly entails a careful examination of the terms of your employment contract, alongside other supporting documentation such as your employee handbook or job offer letters.
These documents accurately establish the contractual relationship between you and your employer and often contain crucial clues about bonus calculations.
For instance, if your contract states that you are entitled to an equivalent of one week’s salary as a Christmas bonus, then you can confidently expect that amount.
Keep in mind the discretion of the employer in case of confusion. Some bonuses might not be contractual but discretionary. Consult your HR department for clarification if needed.
Step 2: Calculate your percentage of the total bonus amount
To calculate your bonus based on your salary, you need to know the exact percentage your employer uses, which usually ranges from 2-5% of your annual earnings.
Multiply your annual salary by the bonus percentage to determine your possible holiday bonus.
For instance, if you earn a yearly salary of $100,000 and your employer gives a 2% bonus, you’ll receive a $2,000 bonus.
Step 3: Is my Christmas Bonus Taxable?
So, if you’re anticipating a hefty holiday bonus, remember, it might be subject to taxes.
Bonuses are often considered supplemental income.
As such, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) requires a 22% federal income tax on this income, which can reduce your bonus significantly.
State laws also have a part to play. Your holiday bonus is taxed according to your state tax rate, which is another cut from your bonus.
For example, your bonus amount is $5000 after federal taxes of $1100 and state 4% taxes of $200 are deducted, your take-home bonus is $3700.
How to Spend Your Holiday Bonus
The anticipation of receiving that extra lump sum has many employees daydreaming about that eye-catching new car, an extravagantly relaxing vacation, or perhaps the latest tech gadget.
Although it’s tempting to indulge in the pleasure of immediate gratification, there are more finance-savvy alternatives to consider for the effective utilization of your annual bonus.
1. Invest your Christmas Bonus
Getting that skip in your heartbeat when you receive your Christmas bonus is a feeling like no other.
However, the real magic happens when you decide to invest this bonus, making it grow over time instead of spending it all at once.
Here are the top four ways to invest your Christmas bonus:
Wealth Creation: When you invest your bonus, you’re setting yourself up for future wealth. Learn how to invest 10k.
Earn Additional Income: Use your bonus as a kick-start to a side hustle. Many Americans already secure supplemental income this way. In fact, many people are interested in how to make money online for beginners.
Professional Growth: Investing your bonus into professional development is another smart move. Enrolling in online courses that build your technical skills or lead to certifications can enhance your earning potential. Learn to invest 100 to make 1000 a day.
Financial Security: Finally, investing your bonus helps to secure your financial future. Whether it’s putting money into retirement funds or investing in a high-yield savings account, every bit helps set you up for stability and freedom. This sets you up to become financially independent.
Your Christmas bonus could be the first step towards a future of financial growth and security.
2. Consider your financial needs for the coming year
Before you rush to spend your holiday bonus, consider your financial needs for the coming year.
Start by:
Assessing your monthly expenses. How much do you need for essentials like housing, utilities, and food? Compare with the ideal household budget percentages.
Evaluating your emergency fund. Remember, experts recommend at least $1000 in an emergency fund. Plus having three to six months’ worth of expenses stored away in a rainy day fund.
Big expenses coming your way: Do you have any costly expenses like home repairs or car replacement in your future?
You may want to set aside money for those future needs, so you will be financially stable when they happen.
3. Pay Off Bills
Don’t run to the stores before analyzing your debt.
If you have high-interest loans or credit card debt, prioritize paying these down. Our expert tip at Money Bliss is to tackle the highest interest debt first.
Use your bonus to pay off debts: Since a bonus is usually an unexpected sum of money not factored into your annual budget or salary, you can make significant headway in paying off your debts, particularly those with high-interest rates.
Save on interest charges by reducing debt: The bonus can help reduce your debt balance, leading to less interest accruing over time. This move could save you hundreds, even thousands, over the long term.
Consider debt management apps: Apps like UndebtIt help you find a debt free date. Platforms like Tally† can simplify your debt payoff journey with automated payments using a lower-interest line of credit.
Reconsider splurging your holiday bonus: Rather than spending it all on that coveted item or trip, you might want to consider other financially beneficial options.
4. Buy Christmas Gifts
Utilizing your holiday bonus wisely to purchase Christmas gifts can be a smart and rewarding way to use your end-of-year windfall.
Instead of splurging on high-cost items, consider thinking through your holiday gift list and budgeting accordingly.
Bear in mind that enjoying the holiday season doesn’t have to break the bank; as Christmas on a budget is possible.
Don’t forget to spoil yourself with a gift every now and then. You’ve worked hard for this bonus and deserve a treat too.
5. Splurge on Fun Things
It’s absolutely okay to treat yourself with a holiday bonus – after all, you’ve earned it! Using it wisely can add a dash of fun and pure enjoyment to your life.
Now, what do I want for Christmas?
Here are a few fun ways to splurge your holiday bonus:
Dream vacation: The bonus could be your ticket to the vacation you’ve been fantasizing about. Plan carefully to make the most out of it.
Invest in hobby: Whether it’s photography, painting, or gardening, investing in a hobby can prove to be quite rewarding.
Spoil yourself: Get that TV you’ve been eyeing or make a down payment for that new car you fancy.
Remember, pleasure is a great aspect of well-being. So, it’s great to treat yourself once in a while. Just balance it with other financial responsibilities.
6. Invest in Long-Term Goals
Ditch the instant gratification of spending your holiday bonus all at once. Instead, consider investing it towards long-term goals for an even greater payoff.
Here are some easy steps to set you on the right path:
Identify your long-term financial goals. Be it a dream home, kids’ education, or retirement, a clear goal will help you stay motivated.
Assess your current financial situation to gauge how much of the bonus you can invest.
Choose the right investment vehicle. Stocks, bonds, or real estate can be profitable, depending on your risk appetite and time horizon.
Remember, spending wisely today makes for a secure tomorrow.
7. Give Back to the Community
Giving back to your community during the holiday season is a fantastic way to share your fortunes. Not only does it bring joy to those in need, it fosters appreciation, empathy, and understanding.
Here are some thoughtful ways to use your holiday bonus:
Donate to a Local Charity: Identify a local charity that resonates with your values. Every donation counts and your contribution could make a substantial impact.
Sponsor a Family’s Holiday: Many organizations connect sponsors with families in need. Your bonus could help provide them with essential groceries, clothes, toys, and a memorable holiday experience.
Contribute to a Fundraiser: Participate in your community or workplace fundraisers. Your financial support could contribute towards a noble cause, be it medical aid, education, or relief work.
Volunteer Your Time and Skills: Although not a direct use of your bonus, volunteering can be another way to give back. Maybe your bonus might allow you some additional free time to offer.
Remember, volunteering often reflects individual happiness and improves overall well-being.
Do You Expect the Average Christmas Bonus?
Remember, Christmas bonuses can be diversified: from additional checks or sums of money to extra vacation days or tangible gifts.
Everyone always wants a Christmas bonus! So now, you can determine if yours is above or below the average Christmas Bonus!
Based on research, less than a quarter of employers offer a performance-based holiday bonus, so if you’re fortunate enough to receive one, consider investing it to reap greater returns in the future.
The best decision depends on your unique financial situation, so use the above tips to make a smart choice with your bonus money.
Know someone else that needs this, too? Then, please share!!
[Editor’s note: We’re trying something new–collaborative thought pieces written by the Geek Estate Mastermind community. The goal is to make the absolute best argument possible, derived from the collective expertise of members. The first two articles are bull and bear arguments for industry search and IDX, a topic initiated by Greg Fischer over a year ago.
Bull: The industry must not cede search to the portals. Meeting Buyer Expectations and Owned, Perpetual Lead Generation Are Table Stakes to Agency. The full argument is here.
Bear: The portals have already won the minds of buyers. Search is an undifferentiated lost cause. If you can’t “win,” why play at all?
Without further ado, here we go with the bear argument…]
By: Drew Meyers
There’s simply no way for the real estate industry to compete in search against Zillow and other established portals with years of brand and SEO headstarts, particularly with the growing cost of providing a killer search experience across mobile and tablets. Even if the industry invested the needed capital to build a portal, the cost to reach buyers is too expensive.
Let’s define real estate industry search as any agent or brokerage website, MLS, or tech initiative majority funded by those parties. It’s worth noting that while Redfin is a brokerage that who has cracked the top three, that’s a unique situation that started at the beginning of “online real estate portals” and has unfolded over 15 years.
To change, buyers need motivation/incentive: Why in the world would a home buyer visit a brokerage’s sub-par IDX site to search for homes, when a better search experience on Zillow or Redfin is one click away? Agent and brokerage websites are all cut from the same mold; very few use their virtual real estate to differentiate on client experience and service opportunities.
The industry’s core competence is not consumer technology. Never has been, never will be.
The agent’s value proposition is about more than helping clients find a property. It’s about overseeing the entire transaction and making it a seamless experience from end to end. Helping buyers find a home with their own technology is not required to maintain relevancy.
HOW THE PLAYERS ARE FARING
A list of the top 20 real estate websites in September 2019 shows largely the same incumbents as those that graced top 20 lists a decade ago when I was at Zillow. From a 2013 top 10 list, Yahoo! Real Estate, FrontDoor, MSN are no longer. No new entrant has meaningfully broken through the ranks.
According to SimilarWeb, here’s the landscape with October 2019 data:
You can see the full rankings for the real estate category here.
Cliff Notes
Zillow Group: We can keep this short and sweet. Complete domination.
Redfin: I am beyond impressed with their slow, steady march up the rankings–now, firmly cemented as a top three search portal. They are the only brokerage anywhere in the list that benefited from an early start and deep tech/engineering roots.
Realtor.com: They keep coming out with ad campaigns and have grown their traffic, but I haven’t seen much product innovation for several years.
Yahoo! Real Estate: A top three site for over a decade that is no longer. Somehow, I didn’t notice when Yahoo! shut it down in 2016 (along with other major verticals). It’s absurd they didn’t even take advantage of the massively powerful domain they had. Why not at least keep the landing page up, and funnel organic SEO traffic to a partner for a fee? That’s what AOL did. I guess I’ll never know.
Compass: Everything I’ve heard and read says they are focused on creating leverage with unique supply, aka coming soon and exclusives. That strategy seems at serious risk with the recent Bright MLS decision.
Broker Public Portal / HomeSnap: Gaining traffic by getting agents to email listings to their entire sphere? Cool. Anything differentiated or strategically defensible? Nope. I understand the broker’s perspective, I just don’t buy it.
Consumer MLS Websites: I didn’t understand the consumer MLS portal strategy nearly a decade ago. I understand it even less today. I’m scratching my head as to why the flawed strategy is being tried again. There is still no way a buyer would switch to a website like this when the alternative is Zillow or Redfin. Remove HAR.com from the equation, and the entire category is a colossal failure.
ABANDON THE GHOST TOWN
I spoke with agents 10 years ago without IDX sites who still found a way to sell millions in real estate. Greg Fischer launched FWLocal.com in 2013 without one. If you think it’s a requirement to serve clients, you’re sorely mistaken. Even those who pay for and advertise IDX solutions know consumer usage rates are abysmal. Most IDX websites are, in fact, ghost towns sitting idle in their tiny speck of cyberspace.
Beyond that, IDX perpetuates the long-standing confusion surrounding online real estate search: buyers don’t understand who the agent showing up on the listing detail page is (it’s not the listing agent). It reinforces the status quo under the guise of innovation and stymies competition by encouraging parity in a crowded market. The mass-implementation of IDX has diluted the value prop of the end user experience, further driving home browsers to the major platforms.
Clients are already using Zillow, Trulia, Redfin, or Realtor.com to search for properties. It’s possible to pay for My Agent, getting all the branding that you get with IDX solutions without the hurdle of figuring out how to drive traffic and compete on user experience. That’s likely why Zillow got out of the game–they sold Diverse Solutions. If they were bullish on IDX, why would they sell their IDX company?
Traditional lead funnels are a waste of time. Why not wait until the buyer is ready to talk to you. Wouldn’t you rather speak to buyers when they are actually ready to speak to an agent, not six, nine, or even 18 months prior to that.
Disassembling IDX in its current form would provide increased transparency around buyer and seller agency, as well as the stage in the process a consumer should seek agency, and from whom. Only then can the industry rid itself of its decades-old obsession to clone the portals and focus on places where it is proving real value with differentiated offerings–alternative/innovative financing, trade ins, and packaged ancillary services (discounts with moving vendors, utility/service transfers, school searches, community/lifestyle amenities).
OPPORTUNITY IN THE MIDST
Agents and brokers can’t compete in search against the established order of portals: The audience lead is simply too big, the capital investment requirement too great, and customer acquisition too challenging. The money, incentive, and patience to battle Zillow for a decade is simply not in the cards. Not to mention, a core competence in consumer tech is lacking entirely.
Search is not dead. Opportunity exists in curation (green homes, modern, etc), fixer-uppers, and teardowns when structures become irrelevant.
Breaking through in search is incredibly unlikely for anyone–but not impossible. Successful execution is far more likely to come from an outside entrant. But a search solution by the industry is even more far-fetched, having the added nightmare of 1099 contractors at every turn, years between consumer use cases, and being built from the perspective of “helping the agent.”
By abandoning a hopeless fight, the industry saves itself from throwing away capital better spent cultivating relationships and, more importantly, the mental bandwidth that is better spent serving clients. Don’t cede the fight? Regardless of who the perceived opponent is, that war is over and has been over since Zillow acquired Trulia. Checkmate, real estate industry search–and IDX.
Wrap-Up
Thanks to the contributors to the thinking behind this bear argument:
The bull argument (spearheaded by Ted Adler from Union Street Media), which has already been published for members, is available in full here.
If you’re interested in learning more about membership in the Geek Estate Mastermind, which I usually describe as a think-tank for real estate tech, have a read here.
A character doesn’t become entirely evil or wrong just by virtue of being the villain. Villains suffer the brunt of it all; their primary intentions usually revolve around acts to kill, destroy, and wreak havoc.
Sometimes, it’s okay to write off these characters. Other times, it’s worthwhile to gauge things from a different perspective. After all, according to a famous quote, every villain is a hero, given a different context.
Are there times villains were right even once? Yes. One of my favorite instances is Scar from The Lion King, who believed Simba didn’t deserve to be king just because he was the firstborn son of Mufasa. Although he’s bad (and perfectly good at it), he was right.
There are others, too.
1. Chef Skinner From Ratatouille
Photo Credit: Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios.
You might remember the angry, possibly sadistic head chef from the Pixar animated film Ratatouille. One probably shouldn’t trust a man named Skinner, and he may have been wrong about many things, but he wasn’t wrong about not letting rats in the kitchen.
1. Chef Skinner From Ratatouille
Photo Credit: Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios.
Some people don’t even like another human in the kitchen while they cook, let alone a rodent. Even though he did it for selfish, dishonorable reasons, many people think Chef Skinner was right to keep Remy, the enthusiastic rat, out.
2. Magneto From X-Men
Photo Credit: Twentieth Century Fox.
Either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain, eh? Magneto is the bane of the X-Men – but he wasn’t born with dreams of being evil.
2. Magneto From X-Men
Photo Credit: Twentieth Century Fox.
Nine times out of ten, he starts with a good motive, a righteous cause. But the line between good and evil is so thin that he slips into becoming the monster he hoped to destroy. According to someone, “He doesn’t want justice. He wants revenge. And that’s the narrow line that separates a hero from a villain.”
3. Shere Khan From The Jungle Book
Photo Credit: Walt Disney Animation Studios.
In my books, a close second to Scar is Shere Khan, the formidable tiger in the animated Disney film The Jungle Book.
3. Shere Khan From The Jungle Book
Photo Credit: Walt Disney Animation Studios.
When Bagheera finds Mowgli, a human baby, in the jungle, she takes him to a mother wolf so she can care for him. Shere Khan, who knows the damage humans are capable of and once did to the jungle, warns everyone and tries to chase out Mowgli – for this, he’s seen as the bad guy. But I’m sure you’d see his point if you’ve seen the film to the end.
4. Zemo From Captain America: Civil War
Photo Credit: Marvel Studios.
A popular meme shows the Avengers have saved the world…after destroying everything in it. The irony, huh? Baron Helmut Zemo is a Sokovian nobleman and a major antagonist in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Was he to blame for who he became? A surprising number of people debate this.
4. Zemo From Captain America: Civil War
Photo Credit: Marvel Studios.
Losing your family in warfare and finding their bodies later, while the ones you considered responsible returned home safely, is enough to turn anyone into a Thanos. And although he wanted the right thing – to avenge his family, vengeance consumed him.
5. Dr. Jake Houseman in Dirty Dancing
Photo Credit: Vestron Pictures.
All fathers want to do is to protect, even when it seems like they are taking it “too far,”, especially with their daughters. I can think of some instances myself, but let’s keep the spotlight on Dr. Jake Houseman of Dirty Dancing. Fans think he wasn’t wrong to be wary of a guy in his mid-20s hanging around his teenage daughter. I agree.
6. Loki From the MCU
Get in here, Marvel geeks (draw out a seat for yourself). One believes “Loki wasn’t wrong about Thor being unfit to rule Asgard.” Adding, “In the end, Valkyrie ended up ruling while Thor ate Cheetos.”
6. Loki From the MCU
Photo Credit: Marvel Studios.
One might laugh about that – or see sense in it. Thor, or the mighty Thor, was entitled, self-absorbed, and perhaps unfit to be a ruler.
7. Count Dooku From Star Wars
Photo Credit: Lucasfilm.
Here’s another example of an antagonist who strayed too far from their original intentions. Even though good ideals guided him, the dark side corrupted him, and he became what he fought to get rid of. Still, fans give him his flowers. One said, “Count Dooku is an elegant, criminally underrated character.”
8. Tom Cat From Tom & Jerry
Photo Credit: American Broadcasting Company.
Tom Cat (yes, he has a surname) may have never said a word in the cartoons, but still, we all understood his pain. He was the villain for always pursuing and trying to hurt Jerry, but he was only doing his job. Once you looked beneath the cute mouse façade, Jerry was the devil.
9. Killmonger From Black Panther
Photo Credit: Disney/Marvel Studios.
This one is a hot debate involving cultures, racism, and colonization. But it revolves around the primary question? Was Killmonger the true villain? Someone felt like “they were grasping at straws to make Killmonger look bad in Black Panther.”
9. Killmonger From Black Panther
Photo Credit: Disney/Marvel Studios.
Many believe his motivation was right. One countered, saying, “He’s trained in propaganda and deception, and all his noble talk about Wakanda helping the world his manipulations.” As I said, hot debate.
10. Rodrick From The Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Photo Credit: Twentieth Century Fox.
“It’s ironic when you grow up and realize Rodrick is the least toxic person in the family,” someone said. Dude just wanted to play in his rock band, Löded Diper, and occasionally get on Greg’s nerves. Which brother doesn’t? Often, his opinions of Greg and best friend Rowley Jefferson weren’t wrong!
Source: Reddit.
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Image Credit: Lionsgate
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Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
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Photo Credit: Lightstorm Entertainment / TSG Entertainment II
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10 Celebrities Who Are Universally Disliked
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
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25 Extraordinary Sequels and Remakes That Outshine the Originals
Image Credit: Rosebud Releasing Corporation
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