August 2020- Monthly dose of awesomeness!
This month we included...
  • Land for sale
  • Resources & Tips for building new construction homes
  • Introducing our new Buyers' Agent Kevin Yanak
  • Homeschooling Tips for the upcoming school year + free schedule maker
  • Finance corner with budgeting templates
  • Our recently sold homes
Should we build, or should we buy?

The best way to choose the option that’s right for you is to talk it over with an experienced real estate agent. Your agent will know where the deals are, whether you’re interested in the long-time neighborhoods or the up-and-coming communities. And they’ll help you decide whether building a house or buying an existing home will suit your needs best.

Pros:
  • Customization is a huge pro. You’ll get to personalize the details of your house when you're building from the ground up.
  • New homes are built to meet current building codes, are often more energy efficient, and can incorporate up-to-date technology. Less likely to deal with major maintenance issues in a newly build home.

Cons:
  • It takes an average of seven months to construct a new build, you’ll likely have a gap in residence between the time you sell your old place and build your new one. You’ll need to be prepared to cover the cost of renting until you can move into your newly built place.
  • Unexpected out-of-pocket expenses. Be prepared by asking your builder:

How much does your typical buyer actually spend on upgrades?
What’s included in the base price?
What will be an additional cost at closing?


3 Tips when building your own house:
1) Put a plan in place; There are a number of useful tools for planning out the design of your home. Sites like Floorplanner and RoomSketcher let you create mock floor plans. 
2) Pick the right builder; you will be working with them for an extended period of time therefore there are several factors to consider. Check their credentials making sure they are adequately licensed and insured. Do your research on the builders past work, reviews, & pricing.

3) Budget more than you expect; There could be any number of items that aren’t included in the estimate your builder gives you. For instance, your builder is unlikely to include costs such as electrical and gas meters, internet & cable hookups or window coverings. Items such as landscaping and outdoor concrete, fences and gates, decking and letterboxes might also not be included in the estimate. Prepare your finances and begin looking into loans if needed.
With the current time we are living in homeschooling and/or remote learning has become the new reality. Millions of students education has been impacted due to the coronavirus and has left parents to become adaptive to the new way of learning.

To all the parents with kiddos here are 8 TIPS when organizing your kids learning environment and setting them up for success.

1) Creating a designated learning space
Keep your children’s study materials organized and designate a specific learning hub—a space where they keep supplies and books.

2) Follow a daily schedule
Homeschooling brings a wonderful level of flexibility and spontaneity to children’s education. However, without a clear structure, it can be easy to get distracted and go off track. 
3) Map out the school year ahead
Map out your school year by month to track progress on your goals and plan out big projects. Breaking up big goals and projects into smaller steps makes them more manageable.

4) Set learning goals together
When you have a vision and a plan for where you want to go, you are more likely to achieve those learning outcomes and properly align your day-to-day curriculum. 

5) Take learning beyond the classroom
One of the greatest advantages of homeschooling is the flexibility to learn outside a traditional classroom setting. Play board games, cook, or visit local businesses.

6) Make learning a family activity
There are countless ways to involve the family and make learning fun. Take a family trip to the zoo to learn more about animals or ecology. Or practice home economics skills by cooking together or learning how to plan a meal and make a grocery list.

7) Collaborate with other homeschoolers
Connect with other homeschoolers in your area or online to collaborate and share resources. This will not only make the schooling process easier on you, but it will also enrich your child’s experience and expand their educational opportunities in and out of your home.

8) Ease into school
Consider starting with just one or two subjects the first week and then adding a subject to your schedule each week as you ramp up. This will give you and your child a chance to gradually acclimate to the school environment again and to begin building a natural routine. 
View various Excel budget templates that will match your lifestyle.
  • Determining your budget isn't simply your annual salary, nor dividing that number by 12 equal parts for each month. What you should really be basing your budget on is your actual take-home pay each month.
  • If you're starting off your budget using a complicated tool, you can quickly and easily become overwhelmed.
  • Your first budget should really be easy to manage and keep up with to help you get a handle on your finances.

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