Tarrant Team Newsletter

TIPS ON BECOMING A HOMEOWNER BEFORE 40

There are a lot of commonsense tips for saving to buy a home. Don’t eat out as much, shop frugally, put a good chunk of your paycheque into savings. Real estate experts say you can do more if you want to become a homeowner before the age of 40. These guidelines become even more important if you live in a super-competitive real estate market. • Plan for a rental suite. Sometimes homeowners add a rental suite after they’ve moved in, but experts are advising potential buyers to plan for one right from the beginning. Designating a part of your home as a rental from the outset means you can plan for the rental income to offset your mortgage. The great thing about rentals is they don’t have to be forever. There’s always the potential that one day you can close the chapter on being a landlord and expand your living space. • Turn your parents into investors. However, experts suggest that instead of your parents acting as piggybank, you turn them into investors. This means that whatever they lend you gets paid back – and then some. For example, if you combine this tip with planning for a rental suite, your parents will get a portion of the rental income. Just make sure that whatever you decide you put into writing. • Use the stepping stone approach. Who said you have to live in your dream home right from the start? Consider your first real estate purchase as the first step toward the home you want to own one day. Not only is this financially smart, it also helps to take the pressure off your home hunt as you begin to think of it more as an investment in your future than your forever home. NO WINDOW IN YOUR BATHROOM? NO PROBLEM!

No natural light in your loo? No problem! There are ways to make the absence of windows far less noticeable. For example, white or off-white walls keep the space feeling open, while dark walls will make it feel far smaller. If you’re not a fan of plain walls, opt for a very soft green or blue and then bring white in via accessories like towels, art and a rug. Another great way to deceive the eye into seeing more light is by adding reflective surfaces. A wall mirror is a must, but also consider installing a reflective vanity or mirrored accessories like silver picture frames or vases. Speaking of vanities, instead of a vanity with a full cabinet, choose one with thin legs and a small drawer. Sure, you lose out on a bit of storage space, but you gain a feeling of openness that can’t be beat.

TRICKY RIDDLES

Courtesy of www.fatherly.com

5. What is brown, hairy, and wears sunglasses?

1. What kind of tree fits in your hand?

6. Where do goldfish go on vacation?

2. What did the little corn say to the mama corn?

7. Where do sheep go on vacation?

3. How do we know that the ocean is friendly?

4. What do you do if you get rejected at the sunscreen company?

The Baa-hamas.

Answers: 1.A palm tree. / 2. Where is pop corn? / 3. It waves. / 4. Reapply. / 5. A coconut on vacation. / 6. Around the globe. / 7.

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