5 Tips to Buying a Condominium Investment Property

21st March 201921st March 2019

A condo which is the short form of the condominium is not as the same as buying a single-family home.

One must consider a lot of factors before purchasing the condo.

At times, the purchase of a condo in real estate market comes at a lower price than in the purchase of a single-family residence.

Typically, a condo is a shared piece of property where there exist individual owners of each condo or unit.

Quite often, condos offer many services that are not limited to pools, tennis courts and fitness centers among others.

Condos are known for their lifestyle of living as well as the less maintenance which makes many people buy them.

One must be aware of the fact that each condominium community is different from the others when buying a condo.

You should know that each community has its amenities, Management Company, association fees, and its own community rules.

The number of condo communities in a certain area depends on the community.

There may be hundreds of condos or even just a handful of them in a certain area.

Therefore, there exist many tips that you should be aware of before buying a condo investment property.

Check with an Experienced Realtor

Since the sale of condos is different from the sale of vacant lands, multi-family or single family, it is very essential to hire a real estate agent experienced in the sale of condos.

This is because the purchase contract for a condo is different from that of the other residences.

One difference that exists in the sale of condos is that most communities require a deal to be signed before closure of the sale contract.

The agreement that you sign states that you clearly understand and agree to the rules and regulations stipulated by the association.

With the existence of such differences, working with an experienced condo selling agent is very relevant since the agent will easily guide you through the whole process and ensure that the most critical details are not overlooked.

Check the Comps (Both Sale & Rental) & Calculate the Cap Rate

Any Realtor with sense is bound to show you the comps of the property you are considering to buy if they do not have access to a new Realtor.

However, most of the Realtors do not possess enough know-how in analyzing the rental comps.

However, it is not a very sophisticated process.

Just review the condo docs very carefully.

Ask for the closed, pending and current rentals for the past six months if the agent you are dealing with is not specialized in the analysis.

This gives you a rough idea of what you expect in the rent for your property. Through this, you can come up with an idea of what to offer for the purchase price.

You need to be as close as possible to the 10% Cap Rate. It is okay if it surpasses this Cap Rate but anything above 5% is okay in areas with the high market such as Florida.

The Cap Rate is calculated by taking the monthly net income, multiplying it by 12 and then dividing it by the purchase price.

Know What the Condominium Includes

The idea of knowing what is included in the condo sounds silly, but it is very relevant.

When you are purchasing a condo, it is relevant to know whether the condo has any additional storage or includes reserved parking.

Does the condo community offer any parking for your visitors? Is the spot reserved for parking in the covered garage?

An example of this is the recent condo sales in Rochester, NY where the seller had rented the parking spot to one of the members of the community.

Fortunately, the agreement between the two was not a long-term.

Thus, it could not have inconvenienced the buyer as such.

Therefore, it is relevant to make sure that the parking space, as well as the additional storage space, are available before purchasing the condo.

Also, make sure that the property has or allows a washer and dryer.

This is an essential part of every home since you can always charge a monthly rent of $200 to $500 more if the condo has the washer and dryer in it.

People always pay premiums for such facilities but do not be discouraged if the washer and dryer are not in the condo you are interested in.

If it does not exist, you can always put it up to increase the bottom line.

Talk to the Home Owners Association

Having an in-depth talk with the association is one of the most critical things that one should consider when purchasing a condo.

This helps you to know the number of association fees that you are supposed to pay.

Condo communities have annual, bi-annual, quarterly and monthly fees charged per residence.

Such association charges are used to cover for maintenance, insurance, and other common expenses. Therefore, being aware of these charges is essential.

Also, it helps one to be acquainted with the association rules.

Since every community has rules and regulations that govern it, the condo community rules and regulations are drafted and exercised by the condo association.

To ensure that you do not break these essential rules speaking to the association and reviewing their rules and regulations is very necessary.

For example, many condo communities do not allow pets.

The last thing that you would hate about the place is learning that the association does not allow pets in the community if you love having them around.

Another example is being aware of the short-term rental restrictions and if there are quiet hours.

This is essential especially to persons who had to put up with bad neighbors in their past residences and also for those who like the idea of renting their places of residence on a short-term basis.

Therefore, you should understand that the existence of the association rules is essential and that they are part of the condo community.

To make sure that this works out for you, make sure that you talk to the association and review their rules and regulations.

Seafarers Earning Deduction: Do You Qualify for this Exemption?

8th February 201821st March 2019

Earn Tax Free Income If You Work At Sea

A great piece of legislation offered for seafaring United Kingdom employees came into effect as of the 1988 Finance Act that is not very well known but is an excellent tax exemption for those who qualify. As of 2012, this piece of legislation became a 100% tax exemption for those employed in foreign waters around the world. Many people who would be entitled to this great tax break do not know it or do not use it because it is not that very well known and the HMRC is incredibly vague. We will dedicate ourselves to helping you understand the Seafarers Earnings Deduction and whether or not you can benefit from it.

A long battle has occurred over 18 years between seafaring unions and the HMRC since the 1988 Finance Act was introduced that allows certain United Kingdom citizens who work in the seafaring industry to keep 100% of their earned income but only if they meet certain criteria. This piece of legislation was put together in 1988 and only got to its current incarnation as of the 2012 Finance Act. Within this article, we intend to dive into the full details of the rules and regulations that govern the Seafarers Earning Deduction. It is an excellent resource for citizens of the UK who are employed on ships that embark and disembark in foreign countries. If you qualify for this tax exemption you will be able to keep all of your earnings. Not all seafarers are eligible for this tax deduction. We aim to educate and inform you within this article because the HMRC has kept this tax exemption elusive and secretive and we have decided it is time to shed light on this topic. Continue reading below to find out if you qualify and all the different intricacies that make this a valuable tax exemption.

Magnifying Glass Looking at Wallet Full of Money

Seafarers can now see their savings grow after paying no income taxes. Image credit: Pixabay

First of all, as we stated briefly the HMRC does not provide much information about this tax law. The details they do provide is hard to understand and apply. To begin with, the Seafarers Earnings Deduction was created to help those employed in the seafaring industry to deal with the competitive global marketplace. This tax exemption was also created to provide a solution for the national defence needs of the The UK in foreign waters. Although national defence is one of the reasons for this tax break, unfortunately, those employed in the military that spend time in foreign waters are not able to take advantage of this exemption.

When one reads through the HMRC 205 Helpsheet it seems to be written in a foreign language that does not provide a lot of detail or information. What it does contain are certain rules that you must follow to qualify. The very first rule mentions that you must work on a ship. What qualifies as a ship is not explained however what a ship is not has been listed as follows, floating and fixed production platforms, mobile offshore drilling units, and flotels are not considered ships. If you work on one of these then, unfortunately, you will not be able to use
the SED.

Some individuals will choose not to file their offshore earnings and may face penalties as well as investigation. As for other people they may choose to be more proactive and set up a limited company ashore or companies in foreign countries for tax reasons. If you choose to avoid filing your taxes you will suffer. It is worth harnessing the Seafarers Earnings Deduction if you are able. You really do not suffer when you don’t have to pay anything on your tax bill.

There are a few more requirements that you must adhere to in order to take advantage of this tax exemption. This includes that you spend no longer than 183 days in the United Kingdom within a given tax year. You will be required to have documentation and stubs that show how many days you spent ashore. A day ashore is considered when you are in the UK as of midnight that day that counts as a day ashore. You will need to have documentation in case you are investigated. Another rule is that you must embark or disembark from foreign ports. If you were to embark or disembark on your journey within the United Kingdom then you would not be able to take advantage of the Seafarers Earnings Deduction. You will also have to spend a certain amount of time outside of the United Kingdom to qualify. You can use Helpsheet 205 from the HMRC to get further details.

It is incredibly important that you file your annual tax return as you can declare all of your earned monies without having to pay taxes. If the HMRC would make this tax exemption more understandable then maybe more seafaring employees would take advantage of it. Filing your taxes is integral as the Open Exchange of Information can easily investigate you and penalise you. Without paying taxes you will not be able to do anything with your earned income including acquiring loans or mortgages. The Seafarers Earnings Deduction is a great tool for those that meet the criteria and should be harnessed by seafaring UK citizens.

External Credits

Material was kindly used from the following websites in creating this article:

Benefits of Owning a Timber Framed Carport

24th October 201721st March 2019

Carports Keep Your Vehicles Safe, Secure & Dry All Year Round

Have you been thinking of purchasing a carport? Within this article, we will outline the positive attributes and benefits that a carport provides. We have listed the features they offer below and we will show you how a carport can create a safe, covered addition to your home to park your car as well as for adding extra resale value to your home. Continue reading below for all the benefits you will appreciate using a carport.

To begin with keeping your vehicle covered and protected from the elements will protect it from weather damage such as paint fading from the hot sun all the way to snow and hail damage in colder months. You can maintain the value of your vehicle even more so by harnessing the use of a carport.

Speaking of colder winter months, when your vehicle is protected by a carport, you will not have to spend the extra time during snowy and icy winters scraping ice off of your windshields and shovelling snow off of your entire vehicle. Think about how much time and frustration this will save you in the winter. You won’t have to spend the extra ten to fifteen minutes in the morning doing these undesirable tasks.

There Are Some Stunning Carport Designs Available on the Market. Image credit: Houzz

Another added benefit of a carport is that they are cost-effective and inexpensive compared to a garage. They give your vehicle the protection it needs without the large expenses associated with building and using a garage. If you are on a budget but require the same protection from the weather for your vehicle at the fraction of the expense of a garage, a carport is your optimum solution.

Another added benefit of using timber carports is that they are not just for cars. You can store anything from motorcycles, sport utility vehicles, RV’s, trucks, boats, and trailers among other things. This will protect these items and give them the added protection of being parked beside the house rather than out down on the street. You can also use your carport space as a sheltered outdoor entertaining area where you can host events like BBQs and get-togethers with family and friends.

Your choices are unlimited with where you can position your carport, unlike a garage. You can place it anywhere you desire allowing that you can park your car under it. You can use it as an extension to the garage you already have or as an extension to your home as a covered outdoor entertaining area as well.

Another wonderful benefit of using a carport is the added safety that it offers. You can place it next to a front door so elderly or single homeowners do not have to travel far from their car to their front door. This gives the homeowner the added comfort and safety being much closer to their home and less vulnerable while getting in and out of their vehicles.

A Carport Can Be Erected in a Matter of Hours. Image credit: Donnies Home Services

The last feature we will address is that adding a carport can easily add home resale value to your property. Your prospective buyers will find your property more usable and attractive with a carport and when it comes to finding buyers installing a carport will act as an added incentive for buyers looking to purchase your home.

There are many different options available when it comes to purchasing or building a carport. We suggest that prior to going ahead with installing a carport that you check with your local authority regarding planning permission beforehand so you are not left disappointed. There are two options when it comes to installing a carport. You can build one yourself or you can purchase a prefabricated unit. Ideally, you want your carport to blend in with the architecture of your home and choosing a design and colour scheme that highlights your home will be best. It is suggested that you browse the internet and look at the different options available for your home. They can be built from almost anything including materials such as brick, wood, and aluminium.

The added comfort that a carport offers is second to none and it is much less costly than building a garage. When it comes to building a garage you will generally have to follow municipal laws and hire contractors which is costly. Another thing about garages is that they require a lot more material and space which could be a problem if you were to be on a budget. The last benefit that we will share with you of carports is the fact that you do not have to spend any extra money on electricity, unlike a garage. Overall you will appreciate a carport and if you are thinking of installing one now is the time to get started.

Acknowledgements

The author wishes to mentions the following websites for using their awesome material in bringing this blog post together:

How to Create An Amazing Looking Office on a Budget

22nd September 201721st March 2019

Get a Low-Cost Sleek & Contemporary Workspace

When it comes to running a business the success of your company is usually the biggest priority. However, there are other things that are necessary when it comes to success and that is how you use your office space. It is common for a lot of office interiors to lack style and design features. Your office is the place where you do consultations and daily work with clients and employees and making your office space carry a distinct design and character are what we will discuss within this article. We will show you a few ways on how to make your workspace more visually appealing and comfortable.

We will discuss different methods to invent a new look and style for your office without spending a lot of money. You can make your office space look good so follow our suggestions for the best results. Having a warm and comfortable office is essential and decorating it with arrangements can make it that much cosier.

Colour Plays a Massive Role in Changing Workplace Mood & Atmosphere. Image credit: Azure Magazine

If your office feels boring and bland you can always freshen it up with splashes of colour. Having certain colours featured throughout your room can alter the mood and feel of it. When it comes to picking a colour choosing within your company brand colours is ideal. The right tone of colours will also depend on what type of company and industry your business is within. For more creative companies, warmer colours are generally agreeable. Whereas when it comes to a lawyers office or a corporate setting, neutral tones like grey and blues are ideal. The colours of your office will reflect on both you and your company and will set the mood of the room.

Another thing you can always do is purchase accessories, chairs, and tables that reflect the colour scheme you are aiming for you in your workspace. They can make your office feel more comfortable and appealing when your furniture matches the colours and hues of your office.

When you are busy running a business one inevitable factor is that paperwork will pile up and within a short amount of time, it will clutter and take over your office. Knowing how to organise your paperwork is of the utmost importance and doing this will prevent a cluttered, messy office. We have a suggestion for managing the countless pieces of paper you deal with below.

We suggest that you invest in a small filing cabinet that can handle all of your important paperwork and files. Our best recommendation would be one that features wheels so you can roll it into place or easily tuck it away so you don’t bump into it. A filing cabinet on wheels makes the office that much more usable and clutter free.

Having a Stunning Reception Area Makes a Great First Impression. Image credit: Velcro

Our last featured suggestion is one that may be slightly controversial. It is now becoming a common trend for offices to do without reception areas, clearing up valuable space if you do not deal with a lot of clientele coming into your office. If you don’t have a lot of business coming to your office then consider removing the reception area. You will save money on the expensive rental space and you can use it for other things.

When it comes to your business, having a stylish office interior design is the cornerstone and face of the company.

Acknowledgements

The author would like to take a moment to mention the following external resources for using their material, imagery and reference material:

What is Green Cleaning & Do You Need It?

21st September 201721st March 2019

Maintaining an Environmentally Friendly Office

One of the biggest trends that is popular these days is the belief of being environmentally friendly and taking a green approach to life. As a society we are doing what we can to waste less and recycle more while trying to make choices that directly impact the environment in a positive way. One specific area that has improved greatly because of environmental consciousness is the value of using natural products for cleaning. We spend our entire lives inside our homes, apartments, schools, vehicles, offices, and all types of buildings. We typically are inside and when we are inside air quality is incredibly important. With this in mind our buildings need to be cleaned with natural products that will not cause our health harm. We don’t want to use chemicals or agents that can directly impact us, hurt us or the environment.

Going Green Means Chemical Free, Not the Colour! Image credit: Greenily

Years ago cleaning your home would actually cause it to become a toxic mess. The cleaners of old were not good for us as they were petroleum based. They got the job done when it came to cleaning but also caused long term health damage to anyone exposed to the fumes or chemical. Not too long ago chemical cleaning agents would give off fumes and leave residues. You would typically have to wear rubber gloves when applying the cleaners and you had to be sure not to breathe any of it in or else you would get hit with a headache or dizzy.

Thankfully nowadays it is common to find natural based cleaning agents at stores all over the world. They are becoming more popular because they do not use petroleum, they are created from renewable resources, they are biodegradable and are not toxic. There is a wide range of cleaning products that utilise natural ingredients. These include things such as:

Window cleaners, glass cleaners, mirror cleaners
General purpose cleaners and disinfectants
Tile and hard floor cleaners
Stain and carpet cleaners
Hand soap and paper products
Air fresheners

When you are looking for cleaning products on the store shelves, we recommend you purchase items with that have the Green Seal Certification. It is an independent non profit organisation located in Washington that recommend products that get the job done and are free of toxicity and are safe. They use and develop scientific standards to ensure that the products they certify are safe and effective for their uses.

Sadly the World is Full of Toxic Cleaning Products. Image credit: Families Against Chemical Toxins

The indoor air quality of your home and work environments should be of primary concern. It doesn’t matter if you are pressed for time to clean or not. There are always commercial cleaning services that can get the job done for you that utilise green cleaning methods. They specialise in cleaning your home or workplace from floor to ceiling and improve the safety for yourself, employees, kids and pets. Not cleaning or using the old fashioned cleaners that are toxic are not an option when it comes to keeping yourself safe from illness. We also recommend that you get your carpets cleaned regularly to maintain the health of your family, friends or employees.

Article References

The author would like to acknowledge the following third parties for using their material which includes but is not limited to external links, images and reference material:

How to find the right divorce lawyer first time

18th September 201721st March 2019

Choosing a suitable family law solicitor

When a relationship deteriorates to the point of a breakdown you will need to make the best of decisions during a very emotional and uncontrolled period in your life. Whether it be a divorce or dissolution, a breakdown of cohabitation or a temporary period of time and space, you will need to know your legal options and obligations if you are facing one of these situations.

When it comes to getting information on what to do legally in terms of your responsibilities and rights, you need to do it right away. The internet is helpful and friends and family will have advice and information they would be happy to dish out. You can look at the legal scandals online and in the media and feel compelled to avoid legal entanglement. With that being said your very best option is to hire a family law lawyer.

Conflict Between Married Couples Inevitably Leads to Divorce. Image credit: How Stuff Works

Here is some advice provided below on how to find the best family law lawyer in your area:

The First-Time Visit

Are you interviewing a lawyer that has a full case load of family law matters and only does family law? Will he or she meet you outside of the office or after hours? Is there a fee incurred during your first visit?

Past Cases

When it comes to your first appointment, be sure you conduct it with the solicitor and not a junior member of staff as they can often miss out on critical and time-related concerns that may impact the results of your case. You will want to find an attorney who has years of experience with family law and a winning track record.

Teamwork

If your solicitor is temporarily unavailable you will want to find a lawyer who has a team available and qualified to assist you while they are away. You will want a team of lawyers at your disposal if necessary with high qualifications if your solicitor is unavailable.

Are they Accredited with Independent Reviewers?

Before you select a solicitor to handle your case find out if they are accredited in family law from any independent bodies from the area that is in charge of accreditation of law firms in your area.

Can you Communicate Easily with your Solicitor?

Life happens twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week. You may have questions and needs that need to be addressed outside of business hours. Be sure to find out if the solicitor you are selecting allows after-hours advice and consulting on your case as part of their service.

Mediation Can Go A Long Way to Helping Achieve an Amicable Divorce. Image credit: iStock

How much will Court Representation cost?

The fees and costs associated with representing you in court should be figured out and estimated before the case begins. You will be billed for things such as long distance phone calls, filing fees, investigators, long distance mileage and your lawyers expertise. You will want to agree upon a final price before your case comes to trial that both you and your attorney can agree with.

We suggest you contact a family law solicitor that you feel ticks all of the above boxes and you feel comfortable with. Divorce and separation is a messy business so expect a bumpy ride along the way.

External Credits

We would like to acknowledge the following websites where external materials including but not limited to images, text, media and quotations were referenced in the creation of this article:

Beautiful White Kitchen with Hardwood Floors

Wood vs MDF Kitchen Cabinet Doors – Which is Best?

13th September 201721st March 2019

Choosing the Best Quality Doors for Your Kitchen

When it comes to picking the right style of kitchen cabinet doors for your kitchen you will be put in the position to choose one of two options when it comes to the material you will use. Within this article, we will discuss the positive benefits and negative features of using both wood and MDF for kitchen cabinet doors. Stop what you are doing and read this article to make the best decision.

MDF which is an abbreviation for “medium density fibreboard” is made from recycled wood fibres that have been thermally compacted into solid wooden boards, mixed with special resins. It works great in a variety of different environments and it will not bend or crack due to heat. When it comes to painting, MDF is a top choice. MDF looks incredibly professional when painted over and is easily painted more so then real wood. It maintains a consistent opaque colour throughout the cabinetry.

Typically Veneered MDF Wood. Image credit: Popular Woodworking

Another benefit of MDF is that it is available in much larger sizes pieces. They can be cut down into wainscot or bead-board paneling. Because it is a man-made material you will not have problems finding it. MDF is typically a lot cheaper than wood and if you want to paint your kitchen cabinets and are searching for a less expensive material then we highly recommend that you choose MDF.

MDF is built by using computer operated technical machinery that generates a one-piece frame with the centre removed. MDF is a dense enough material that it does not move independently from the frame and because of that it does not require a floating design like wood kitchen cabinets.

Like we stated earlier, your other option is using real wood. We will discuss the features of using real wood for your kitchen cabinets below so keep reading.

Wood kitchen cabinets are a beautiful feature of any home that uses them as they are beautiful, strong and durable. Some people appreciate certain styles of wood so much that they won’t consider using any form of man-made materials such as MDF. However wood does have a slight few drawbacks when chosen for kitchen cabinetry as opposed to made-to-measure MDF kitchen cabinets.

The Stark Differences Between Real Wood & MDF. Image credit: Popular Woodworking

When the kitchen fluctuates in terms of heat and humidity it can cause the wooden kitchen cabinets to both crack and buckle from contracting and expanding as a reaction to the different temperatures and humidities that the kitchen goes through. If you do select wood then you want to be sure that you monitor the heat and humidity of your kitchen and we do not recommend wood cabinets in areas that are highly humid.

When building the frame and panel for the kitchen cabinets out of solid wood, the builder must connect five different individual pieces of the cabinet together. There are four pieces of the frame and then a centrepiece which is smaller than the frame and allows the frame to float to allow for expansion and contraction from temperature and humidity.

Choosing the style of material for your kitchen cabinets is of the utmost importance and knowing the difference between medium density fibreboard and wood will help you make a much better selection. Both options can make your kitchen look wonderful so browse our website for more information right now.

Site Acknowledgements

A massive shout out to the wonderful people at the following sites for images, text and information we have reference din this blog post:

How to Give Your Kitchen a Makeover on a Budget

7th September 201721st March 2019

Inspiring kitchen facelift ideas that don’t break the bank!

The kitchen is the most frequently used room in the house and is used to both cook and bake delicious foods as well as to entertain guests. Getting the most from your home kitchen is of the utmost importance and within this specialised article we will share with you different low budget methods to rejuvenate your kitchen. You won’t need to take out a bank loan or ask friends or family for capital. These ideas are budget friendly and most of the methods of enhancement we show you can be done by yourself. Meaning you won’t have to pay for any expensive contractors and you can put all of your budget directly into your upgrades. Follow and use these kitchen makeover ideas below and make the most out of your cooking area, make your home more beautiful and add to it’s value!

Devise a Colour Scheme

The first thing you will want to choose in your redecoration strategy is the overall colour scheme you wish your new kitchen to be. This involves buying the right colours of paint and buying accessories that match the colour scheme. This will give your kitchen a more professional look and feel and will add to the over all value of your home. Changing the colour of your kitchen can make it much more comfortable and relaxing. We suggest you browse through home improvement magazines and get inspired by websites like Pinterest to find colour schemes that will work for your improved kitchen style.

Once you have picked the colour scheme of your new kitchen design you can begin your redesign by painting the walls and ceiling. This will rejuvenate your cooking area and will give it a much more updated appearance almost instantly. Often kitchen ceilings and walls will fade over time because of exposure to heat, smoke and grease. Be sure you wipe down the walls and ceilings thoroughly before you paint and choose a paint that is made specifically for kitchens. Getting fresh new colours will instantly add comfort and will be more pleasing on the eye.

Replace the Doors & Drawers

A great way to improve your kitchen is by fitting replacement door fronts and cabinet drawers or if budgets are very tight, add a new fresh coat of paint as well as new handles and hardware. We recommend that if the doors are older and don’t hang properly that you replace the hinges. Also by changing the knobs and handles will give your kitchen cabinets a completely new and updated look. With paint and a few of these upgrades you will easily improve your cooking area.

Don’t Be Afraid to Accessorise Your Kitchen A LIttle: Image credit: HGTV

Always Accessorise!

A suggestion we recommend to help your kitchen colour scheme pop and to give your kitchen a distinct look is by adding accessories. These accessories can include things like: candles, old bottles, bowls, baskets, cases, plants, lamps etc. Make sure you use accessories that add an accent of style to your kitchen but don’t let your counters get overwhelmed with clutter. Just keep them to a minimum to add appeal but nto too much that they will overwhelm the space.

Modern Appliances

Another thing you can do is update your appliances or hide them within your shelving units to provide a cleaner look. Does your appliances need to be on display? Things like your coffee maker or bread toaster can clutter your shelving space. Or maybe you just need to upgrade your appliances that help match the style of your kitchen upgrade and match the colour scheme and style that you are going for.

Don’t Forget About Lighting

If you have an older kitchen you will notice that it probably has dull and over sized cabinets. Because of these large and bulky cabinets you will probably notice you have a lot less natural light. We recommend to brighten things up that you install LED rope lighting underneath the cabinet units to give your kitchen more lighting. The best part is, is that these are not permanent features which means they can be used anywhere and removed easily.

Kitchen Tile Makeover Before & After Views

Dated Backsplash Tiles Make a Kitchen Look Very Old Fashioned. Image credit: Garden Teacakes & Me

Deal with Tired Tiles

When it comes to changing wall tiles and your counter-tops, it always comes with a larger price tag because you will have to hire professionals to do the work. Instead of doing a whole redesign you can always paint the tiles a different colours and have your counter-tops covered in a veneer as a much less expensive option.

Finishing Touches

Our last ideas consist of changing and updating your kitchen taps and faucets. You can do it easily by yourself and replacing your old worn out taps with new ones will give your kitchen an impressive look. Also you can always change your flooring with click-flooring over the present floor for a cost effective improvement. Lastly if you have the space, add an island for more counter top space and room for cooking and baking.

Special Mentions

A big thanks to the following websites for helping us to gather essential information,. media and references in bringing this article together:

4 Common Sky Digibox Issues & How To Fix Them

4th September 201721st March 2019

A Troubleshooting Guide for Sky+HD Digibox Users

Are you having technical problems with your Sky Digibox? Within this article, we will share with you troubleshooting tips to repair the most common errors and faults on this popular device.

Sky No Satellite Signal On Screen Message

The Commonly Seen “No Satellite Signal” Screen. Image credit: Sky

Issues with freeze frames

Sometimes users have reported that they have encountered frozen frames on some certain TV channels on their Sky box. Sometimes certain channels will freeze because of the broadcasting frequency sent by satellite are too weak or the customer is attempting to watch Sky television channels abroad. You may end up needing to buy a bigger Sky satellite dish to get those channels and feeds working properly. If you have problems like receiving a “No Satellite Signal” on certain channels but not all of them, you may need to purchase a larger satellite dish.

But if you are having an issue with all the frames freezing on all your channels you will need to reset your Sky digital box or you may have to update the software instead. If these two solutions do not work then we suggest you may have to change the alignment of your Sky satellite dish that is installed on your property. You may need to change the position or angle to get the frames to unfreeze and provide the correct feed on your screen. Another tip we suggest is that you never put anything on top of your Sky digibox as they are heat sensitive and if they overheat, you will have issues with the overall performance of your device.

Problems switching channels

You may encounter the problem of a certain channel not working while all your other channels work without any issues. We suggest you try another channel and wait it out for a few minutes. Give the problem channel some time and then try to connect with it again. This sometimes happens as a glitch but then again it could be a problem with the network coverage ability.

Sometimes bad weather will affect your satellite signal and that will reduce the ability to use channels and will also affect the picture quality of your TV. If you are going through a storm and are having problems with your TV signal we suggest that you just wait for the storm to be over. If this is not the case you can always check the service status. Sometimes network outages happen and there could be one in your area. If this is the case all you can do is wait for the interruption to be fixed. If there is no bad weather or reported service disconnections then we suggest you try to reboot your Skybox and check the cable connections as well.

How to reset your Sky digital Box

Press the standby button on your remote control. If your Sky box has recording capacity wait for the Hard Drive to stop which takes around a minute of time.
Turn off your Sky Box, TV and all connected hardware.
Make sure the lights on the Sky box are turned off and then switch off the mains. Do not remove the small power plug cord out of the back of the box as you can cause serious damage to the device and circuitry.
Look at the back of your digital box and be sure that your HDMI and SCART cables are attached to the tv and Sky box device.
To do a complete reboot we suggest you wait 5 minutes with everything turned off. Once you have waited 5 minutes, turn it back on. The lights will turn back on after a couple of minutes.
On the front of the Sky box press the Backup button and turn on the power.
Continue holding the backup button until the LED lights turn back on.
When your Sky box switches to Standby which will take 10 minutes or so, do another reboot of your device without pressing the button.
Grab your remote control and press Sky and go back to the channel you were having issues with. This should fix any issues with problem channels however if you still have problems it could be because of a problematic LNB which is connected to the satellite dish itself that is connected to your home.

Sky Set Top Box Stuck on Standby Yellow Light

It is very common for Sky digiboxes to get stuck on standby mode. Image credit: Digi Repairs

Your Sky Box won’t shift from ‘Standby’ mode

If the red light is on and won’t switch to the green light active mode on your device this problem is referred to as being on standby. To solve this issue we suggest you try this method:

Turn off the mains of the box.
Wait for the lights of the box to shut off.
Wait for a few minutes and then restart the box using the remote control.

If that does not fix the problem follow the instructions below to reset your box. By resetting your box you will end up deleting all recorded shows and movies.

Shut off the mains.
Push in the left and right arrow keypad buttons on the remote control.
Press those buttons for around a minute until you see blue or green lights on the box light up on the front panel.
Let go of the right and left buttons and press the select button on the remote control two times.
When all the lights shut off it means the box has gone through a reboot.
You should only see the red light showing on your Sky box.
Wait around three minutes and then turn on the Sky box with your remote control to see if the issue is fixed.

Article Credits

We believe in giving credit where credit is due. Therefore, we would like to mention the following awesome third party sites where we have referenced their external material, media files or resources in bringing this blog post together:

Why keyword research is critical for SEO

26th August 201721st March 2019

Know how to correctly research your target search phrases and succeed

When it comes to optimising your website for the search engines you will need to know why keyword research is important for SEO and we will explain quite a few examples on why you want to pay careful attention to the keywords you use on your site. If you use them optimally you will get naturally better search engine rankings and will get a steady stream of traffic from the major search engines.

Choosing the correct keywords is the first thing you need to look at and the most important component for ranking in good positions on the search engines. Having the correct optimisation with well-chosen keywords will identify your website as a target for your audience. You want them to find your site based on certain criteria to pre-qualify them as seekers of what your website has to offer. You want to have all the different keywords, key-phrases and terms that refer to your site in a good position on the major three search engines.

Wordstream’s Free Keyword Tool is a great place to start your research

Doing proper research will help you get ahead in the rankings if you choose the correct keywords and sprinkle them through out the content of your website. When you put the same keyword all throughout your website including on your blog, press releases, article pages and home page, you will achieve a better ranking and higher visibility for your chosen keyword using this method.

Another important ranking boost is when visitors reach content that is relevant to their topical searches, as it will get them to engage your website more. You can get them to come back to your website a second and third time, you can get them to read a lot of content on your site, post about your website on social media as well as on personal blogs or web communities.

When you choose to optimise your website it will help your website identify itself to the major search engines which are of the highest importance. The method to narrow down what your website is about and offers through optimised text, title tags, meta keyword and description tags is important. You want to optimise your content around what your visitors actively search for and their related keywords they use to find a site like yours.

Another key factor of being in business is to get the highest conversion rate you can get on your site whether that be filling out a form, answering a survey, clicking a link or buying a product. When you do proper keyword research for SEO you will have a greater idea of what to place on your web pages in terms of content and advertising. If you fill your site with content that is relevant to your visitors you will see higher conversion rates across your website as a whole.

SerpBook is a great tool to track the movement of your target keywords.

A great point about search engine keyword analysis is that it will open you up to long tail keywords, which are longer and much more specific. Most of the time they have lower search volumes however they tend to be easier to rank in higher positions for and they provide a lot of quality niche traffic in the grand scheme of things. Focusing on long tail keyword SEO terms will help your website to have greater visibility globally.

Never build your website without first doing active keyword research. When SEO keyword research is used properly it has the ability to turn average websites into decent contenders of the chosen industry and maybe even higher. The effect that properly done keyword research provides, is an organic ranking effect that is extremely positive.

The best way we suggest that you find keywords for your website is by using a keyword research tool. There are plenty of free and paid tools available across the internet. You can simply search google by typing in ‘keyword research tool’ to find one that will work for you. When you use the tool you enter the keyword related to your business and the software will generate a list of related keywords along with the amount of daily and monthly searches for each word. You can then copy the keyword from the list and paste it into the Google search bar. If your chosen keyword has a large list of results generated it will mean there is more competition for getting a top ten position using that keyword.

Many different internet studies have said that over 70% of internet users don’t click further than the first page of internet search engine results. This just further proves the importance of keyword research for SEO. Web searchers have a short attention span and will typically not go past the first page of results so do everything possible to work in conjunction with your local SEO agency and pick the best keywords and optimise your website using them for optimal rankings and traffic.

Article Credits

A big thanks to the following websites for their excellent resources and content that made this blog post happen: