There comes a time in every single person’s life where the penny drops and they realise that it could be time to invest in real estate. However, most people have a warped sense of what that actually means and so they start thinking about how they can afford to, the complexities around doing so, the trials and tribulations, the effort and the work involved.

But investing in real estate doesn’t have to mean buying a structure. It doesn’t have to mean investing in an apartment, flat, house, condo, commercial property or residential space, and it doesn’t have to mean fixing up somewhere. You see, real estate does include land, you know. Yeah.

So many people overlook vacant land as an investment, though, which is foolish if you ask us, and here is why:

You Buy It. That’s All.

When you invest in a structure, you have to think about renovation works and replacing stuff, which you never have to do with vacant land. You buy the land and you have the land. You don’t need to have a knowledge of construction or anything, just an idea of whether the land could be suitable for building on. Simple.

It’s So Cheap

Vacant land is so cheap compared to other types of real estate. You could buy a decent chunk of land with the cash that is in your savings right now, probably, and if not, all you have to do is compare personal loans and take the one that you like the look of. That’s it, then. There are no other outlays. No structure to pay for, no mortgage to battle, taxes are teeny-tiny, and so is insurance, if you want to have insurance.

No Hassle Whatsoever

The thing with investing in vacant land is, well, it’s vacant. That means there are no tenants you have to chase up because their rent is late. You don’t need to pay an agent any maintenance fees or get a gardener or a plumber or anything. No. Vacant land is the least demanding real estate investment you can possibly make. Period.

Prices Can Only Increase

Your options with vacant land are endless. Either you can hang on to it and live safe in the knowledge that no one is making any more land, which means your little piece of the earth is only going to become more in demand and demand is good. You could start using it for business purposes, in which there are only a few things to consider. You could even seek out some planning permission and watch as the value skyrockets, and we mean skyrockets, and that’s without even having to put a nail in anything. Whatever you fancy, you can do.

Earn An Income

The thing with vacant land is, you always have options on how to generate money. Think about it. You could turn it into a campsite, you could rent out some of it to a telephone company to erect a mast or a farmer who wants some grazing grounds. Maybe there is an energy company sniffing around. If it’s wind power, then you can go online and see exactly how much wind your land gets. If it’s solar, then you’re an option so long as you aren’t covered by a giant canopy. Money, money, money.

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Getting a dog, or any other animal, to become a loved member of the household is a big step that many families decide to take at some point in their lives. Dogs and cats and other little domestic animals can offer a lot of love and warmth to a home, which is why so many welcome pets into their loving arms. With anything, there are both pros and cons to pet owning, and one of the biggest things that concern a family when it comes to the decision of welcoming a pet is the financial impact it will have.

Dogs are one of the most common pets that are seen in modern households. They’ve been man’s best friend through the ages. A dog can offer additional security and protection, as well a fierce friend that will last a lifetime… in dog years.

However, they also can get expensive. Some dogs, like purebreds, can be hundreds of dollars, and that is just the initial price of your pet that doesn’t include all of the supplies and equipment you’ll need to care for them for the years to come.

Regular and emergency vet visits. Dogs should be seen by a vet often and stay up to date on their immunizations and treatments to avoid getting medical problems. Sometimes these things can still happen, so you’ll have to also plan for the possibility of extra medical bills for your pet.

Special care equipment and furniture. Large dogs and older ones will need special beds that can get expensive. Walking gear can vary depending on the size and strength of your pet, and if they have existing medical conditions, they may need certain food that can get expensive. Planning for these things can help you decide a budget.

Potential injuries and prevention. Your dog may get hurt or may end up hurting others. This is rare, and some legal funding companies will offer a dog bite loan to help you stay on top of things financially while you’re working through the repercussions financially for a dog bite.

Many people have allergies to pet fur. Making sure that everyone has medicine and makes an appointment for allergy testing can get expensive depending on how many people are in your home.

Destroyed or damaged furniture and items. Dogs, especially puppies, are playful and energetic. They’ll get bored and lonely when you aren’t home. In the early months before your dog is fully trained, you may have to deal with damages to the things in your home. This can also go for cats.

Moving can get a little pricey if you have to bring the pets. Paying for transportation for a pet can get expensive depending on the size and weight and type of your pet. Some can get in the car with you, but you’ll have to make more frequent stops.

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Buying your first house can seem like an unattainable dream at times, but every once in a while you hear a story of a couple who were able to save enough money for a down payment. It gives makes you think that, someday, that could be you. However, there is more to buying a house than saving up for a down payment. Read the guidelines below to determine whether you really can afford to buy a house at this time.

Do you earn enough?

If you’re struggling to set aside some money while paying the bills and the rent, chances are you will have a difficult time keeping up with mortgage repayments. You also have to consider the property tax in the area, home insurance, and the fact that you will be responsible for home repairs. This is the step that traps most prospective home buyers.

But don’t give up because you can’t afford a house just yet. Use the time you have to get on top of your financial situation; pay off as much debt as you can and boost your credit wherever possible. This will help your chances of getting a good mortgage.

What kind of financial help can you get?

Once you’ve managed to save some money, you need to find out how much a lender will be willing to give you to buy your first home. A mortgage lender will look at your income, how much debt you have, and how long you’ve been at your current job. All your debt payments plus your new housing expenses – mortgage, homeowners association fees, property tax, homeowner’s insurance, etc. – shouldn’t equal more than 43% of your monthly gross income, according to the federal housing administration (FHA). Based on your calculations, you may have to adjust your expectations on what kind of house you can afford.

Fortunately, there are a lot of other options available for first-time buyers who don’t have a 20% down payment. Your state may have its own programs for first-time home buyers. Your mortgage interest rate will also have a major impact on the total price you pay for your home, so shopping around will pay off.

The buying process

Buying a house isn’t limited to looking for homes for sale on real estate websites. Put out some feelers with friends and family, or look at rental ads and see if the owners are open to selling. This may not be an accepted method, but it will save you from going up against experienced buyers.

Squeeze them for information

Don’t be taken in by what may appear to be a dream house. One of the best kept secrets about buying a home is that your real estate agent has to be honest with you, but only if you ask questions directly. No question is too silly; how many viewings have they had? Why do the homeowners want to sell? Who lives upstairs/next door? You’re hoping to live here, so avoid any unpleasant surprises by finding out everything you can.

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One of the most popular ways to secure financial freedom in this current generation is to establish multiple streams of income. It could be from multiple jobs, a personal business or even investments. With job security an ever-growing problem for people all over the world, it seems like the most secure living you can get these days is to invest in the internet and work from home. Not only does working from home bypass the minimum wage that is set in your country, you also guarantee a wide range of clientele and the ability to work with people all over the world.

But most home-based investments require a lot of money. Trading stocks, starting up a business or investing in a company takes a lot of cash to start, making it a difficult option for someone who’s climbing out of debt but still wants to secure a comfortable future financially. In order to give you a hand, here are a couple of low-cost investments to get you started with making money from home.

Low-Risk Investments

When investments are concerned, we often think about expensive high-risk purchases like stocks, foreign currencies and even property. However, among all of the investments that people can make in life, there are some low-risk ones that have a very small chance of making you bankrupt. For instance, you can learn how to trade penny stocks online as a way to practice stock trading and you could invest in land purchases instead of entire properties. There are many low-risk investment options available to you as long as you do your research and look at the stability of a market instead of the potential gains.

Penny shares are, as the name implies, very low in price, meaning you can trade them freely without much consequence. However, don’t expect to turn $10 into $1,000 in a single week, and don’t even expect to make money within the first week of getting started. It’s a gradual and slow process, but that’s the nature of low-risk investments.

For property investments, you typically have a lot of factors involved when developing a property to be sold such as the location, target audience and so on. However, when it comes to investing in land, not only is the price a lot lower because you’re factoring out the development costs, it also doesn’t have a defined use, making it a versatile purchase for your buyers.

Starting a Content-Focused Business

A business could mean anything from a YouTube channel to a small company. However, the cheaper options here are definitely content-focused, such as a video channel, news website or a blog. You can monetize most of your content with the help of advertising services, but if you’re feeling brave then you can always upgrade to affiliate programs or even offering a product.

For instance, if you have a popular blog about the history of candy, then you could compile all of your material and blogs into a book to be sold. Ebooks are a natural transition for blog owners due to the content being relatively similar. All you need to learn is how to publish your own eBook and then advertise it to your viewers, social media and so on.

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A typical investment portfolio consists of stocks, bonds, real estate holdings, and other types of assets that provide varying degrees of financial security. However, both novice and experienced investors are also routinely advised to buy into mutual funds when they want to build portfolios that allow for better degrees of confidence. You can confidently add mutual funds to your own portfolio by learning some of the primary advantages that they offer to investors today.

Diversification

Mutual funds provide you with the diversification that you need to get the highest degree of security from your investment portfolio. They offset the risk that can come with investing in stocks in the retail, industrial, and other sectors. They also counter bonds that have varying degrees of maturity.

Further, mutual funds are typically low in cost and more affordable than buying individual stocks and bonds. You can buy mutual funds for as low as a $200 to $300 depending on the robo-advisor or financial planning services you use. A certified management accountant like James Dondero can tell you what mutual funds offer the lowest initial investment and offer the highest degree of ROI.

Best Value

As noted, mutual funds tend to be low in cost and easier to purchase than individual stocks and bonds. They also provide you with the best value for your money.

By allowing a certified financial analyst like James Dondero to guide you in buying mutual funds, you essentially get a discounted rate per stock because you are buying in bulk. Mutual funds also help you avoid costly individual transaction fees. You can make more transactions without having to spend a lot of money.

Professional Management

Mutual funds are managed by a professional money manager. This money manager uses your money to buy stocks for you that he or she has carefully researched.

This research ensures that your investment is secure and that you reap the largest ROIs possible with each mutual fund. Professional money managers also take the guesswork out of deciding what stocks to invest in and how much money to put into each fund.

Liquidity

Finally, mutual funds are easier to liquidate than other types of investments like stocks, bonds, and real estate. When you sell your mutual funds, you stand a greater chance of getting back what you initially invested if not more if the fund appreciated in value.

However, you can only sell mutual funds once per day. You must wait until the fund’s NAV (net asset value) is calculated. The time of day that you sell could impact its value. You can get the highest ROI for your mutual funds by following the advice of a certified financial adviser like James Dondero.

About James Dondero

James Dondero began his career in the financial industry in 1984. Since then, he has become an industry leader, having worked for top companies like American Express and the GIC subsidiary of Protective Life.

He now serves as the CEO of Highland Capital Management, L.P. in Dallas. He is also the chairman of the board for companies like NexBank and HCM Acquisition Company.

Dondero volunteers extensively for academic and charitable organizations throughout the Dallas area. Some of his charities include Snowball Express, Education is Freedom, and SMU’s Tower Scholar Program. He also supports the George W. Bush Presidential Library.

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