Are You Ready To Stake Your Claim On A Property?

How many times have you heard the statement: “housing is one of the biggest investments that one can make”? It is true!

Whether you want to become a successful property investor or a proud flat owner, you must use a logical and a practical buying system to make good decisions. For starters, it is ideal to choose a unit that has attractive features, wide appeal, and low maintenance.

There are many factors that can pinpoint whether you are ready to stake your claim. Here are some of them:

1. YOU CLARIFIED YOUR PURPOSES.

In the business perspective, the needs assessment is one of the first steps to building a strategy. Do the same thing when you are hunting for a new pad! Know your needs, intentions and purposes in order to guide your decisions.

Do you desire to move right away, to rent it out, or to sell it in the future? You do not want to dive in the market unprepared as everything may sound good to you at first sight.

2. YOU DID YOUR RESEARCH.

You know you are in the process of getting all the aspects settled when you have done substantial research. Use both the Internet and a pool of professionals (i.e., reliable real estate agent or lawyer) as your resource. Compare essential factors such as unit layouts, transport systems, unit locations, and building amenities.

It is ideal to move to a flat that has easy access to the shops, schools, and public transportation. And if you are renting a property, find a layout that can attract diverse groups of individuals, couples, and families.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Image Credits: pixabay.com

3. YOU DETERMINED YOUR FINANCIAL SITUATION.

It is crucial to know where you stand financially before purchasing a property. Who wants to be stuck in a mountain of debts, anyway?

This is why you must know how much you can realistically afford, how much you are willing to loan, and how much you can shell out immediately. Research about the various payment schemes that are available in the country. Do not forget to prepare a fund for additional (mandatory) costs too!

4. YOU KNOW WHICH TYPE OF PROPERTY YOU DESIRE.

Much like the abundant number of gyms in the Pokémon universe, there are numerous real estate options which one can choose from. You must equip yourself with the knowledge of knowing the differences between these options. Let me define three types, namely: Build-To-Order (BTO), Design, Build, and Sell Scheme (DBSS), and Executive Condominiums (EC).

a. BTO allows locals to apply for flats at a location of their choice. The construction work begins once about 65% of the flats are booked.

b. DBSS is a public housing scheme under the HDB (Housing and Development Board) system, which is curated by private developers. It can be found in Ang Mo Kio, Bishan, and Tampines.

c. ECs are sold by private developers and have the facilities that are comparable to that of the private condominiums.

5. YOU SAVED ENOUGH MONEY FOR THE HIDDEN COSTS.

Aside from allocating money for the total price-tag of the property, you know you are ready when you saved a great deal of money for the hidden costs. I am talking about the late payment fee and its similar expenses. As an example, developers may charge you for insurance and maintenance costs. Be prepared!

Image Credits: wikihow.com/Buy-Property-in-Singapore

Image Credits: wikihow.com/Buy-Property-in-Singapore

There are more factors that can affect your buying decision. However, may aforementioned factors give you a head start in figuring out your dream property!

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Boost Your Social Media Feed By Using These 4 “Beauty” Apps

Do you want to share beautiful selfies but think that it needs several tweaks and extra filters? Fret not because several beauty apps that have near-professional quality are available for free on iTunes and Google Play Store.

Look more attractive in an instant by taking advantage of these four apps:

For Flawless Features

1. CAMERA360

Available on Android and iOS

Aside from their music, Korea and Japan are known for their skincare products. Since its release in 2010, Camera360 has been one of the go-to beauty apps of many Korean and Japanese celebrities. Take it from them and look good in every angle by downloading this app.

There are endless possibilities as you can apply over a hundred of filters and options such as lightening your image or putting cartoon effects. To improve your looks, you can capture images using the “beauty selfie” setting.

Image Credits: Camera360 via Itunes

Image Credits: Camera360 via Itunes

2. BEAUTYPLUS

Available on Android and iOS

I will let you in with a little secret of mine. Like most of you, I occasionally get acne and blemishes. What keeps my pictures flawless is enclosed in a magical app called BeautyPlus. There is no need to visit the dermatologist, dentist, or plastic surgeon as you can achieve similar results by tapping a few buttons in this app.

BeautyPlus allows you to slim your face, erase your pimples, whiten your teeth, and enlarge your eyes, among others. Take a look at the before and after versions of my self-portrait:

Image Credits: instagram.com/agoncilloanna

Image Credits: instagram.com/agoncilloanna

For Gorgeous Filters

4. PHOTO EDITOR BY AVIARY

Available on Android, iOS, and Windows

Try adding stickers or filters to amp up your selfie game! Photo Editor by Aviary includes a comprehensive set of basic editing tools such as crop and rotate as well as a set of lovely filters such as Arizona and Lucky. Other highlights of this app include adding drawings, stickers, and text. If you own a Smartphone that operates on Windows then, this is one of the premium editors you will meet!

Who says that you can only edit individual snaps? Here is an example of a glamorized photo of two women:

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Image Credits: pixabay.com

5. VSCO

Available on Android and iOS

This list will not be complete without the “filter-packed” app – VSCO. This popular app can improve your #OOTD shots. It gives you a wide range of filters and a complete set of editing tools. The filters are coded in the format of letter and number such as X1, G3, B1, and my favorite HB1.

Its editing tools include contrast, brightness, fade, tint, crop, rotate, highlights, shadows, sharpness, and so much more. Not bad for something that is free, right?

From virtually applying makeup to removing your pimples, these are some of the best beauty apps to download now.

Sources: 1 & 2

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3 Ways To Get Affordable And Quality Hair Removal Services In Singapore

Not all hair removal services in Singapore are cheap! Some may cost you over S$1,000. Fortunately, there are other ways to achieve an incredibly smooth skin…

1. INDULGE ON GROUPON

GROUPON is probably my all time favorite shopping companion. Used by many Singaporeans, GROUPON is a website that offers discounted deals on events, luxury goods, bags, watches, beauty products, lifestyle services, and getaways. I recommend going for these current deals below that range for only S$25-45:

a. S$28 (U.P. $1,248) for a session of Brazilian IPL Hair Removal and a Lifetime Underarm IPL at Ginza Calla

Ginza Calla is a Japanese brand that is backed by over 20 years of experience. The salon seeks to provide the best possible experience to its clients by using latest technology. In fact, the estimated number of sessions to completely remove the unwanted hair using the IPL method is about six sessions.

b. S$45 (U.P. $324) for 3 sessions of Brazilian IPL Hair Removal at Clare De Beaute

Nestled at the Orchard Road, Clare De Beaute offers a sanctuary to unwind your tensed mind and body. Its dimly lit reception sets the serene tone of the place that transitions to a series of aesthetic pampering, facials, and massages.

The particular promotional treatment above includes a cooling gel application.

c. S$25 (U.P. $60) for a session of Brazilian Waxing and Antioxidant Treatment at Plush

Plush is an award-winning beauty salon that serves top-notch beauty products and includes highly trained therapists to satisfy its clients. It also ensures that cleanliness is maintained in all its treatments.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Hair removal treatment at a fair price brought to you by GROUPON! You can conveniently pay through for Debit/Credit Card, Paypal or American Express.

2. LOOK FOR PROMOTIONS

Still have your heart set on the best beauty salons in Singapore such as Musee Platinum Tokyo, Strip, Pink Parlour, and Browhaus?

The good news is that these salons offer promotions for waxing, IPL treatment, and other hair removal services every once in a while. Musee Platinum Tokyo and Pink Parlour are currently having two irresistible promotions. For Musee Platinum Tokyo, its promotion is S$38 for unlimited sessions (1 session every 2-3 months) for the underarms and bikini line.

While, Pink Parlour has a tea-time offer of 1 for 1. Does it sound tricky? This simply means that you can enjoy 2 sessions of Alpha Light Brazilian, Alpha Light Bikini, or Alpha Light Underarm treatments until August 31. You may share your extra session to a friend too.

Image Credits: facebook.com/pinkparlour

Image Credits: facebook.com/pinkparlour

3. SERVE YOURSELF

If your budget for hair coloring is less than S$10 then, try the magical services provided by you! Go to the nearest Watsons store and purchase either the house brand of hair removal cream or the renowned Veet removal cream. Prices of these products range from S$8.90-22.45.

Watch this short instructional video to know more about Veet:


Sources:1 & 2

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Do You Have The 5 Traits Of A Good Boss?

If you want to succeed in running a business, you need to understand that it takes more than just telling people what to do. You must have the qualities that make you stand out from the rest.

Do not get me wrong, possessing the traits of a good boss will not make you perfect. This is because an individual must act based on these traits. You cannot preach to a crowd if you are disorganized yourself.

Fortunately, these traits can be and must be learned through repetition. Start by knowing what some of these are:

1. CONSCIENTIOUSNESS

Conscientiousness, a trait in the Five Factor Model, has long been associated with success. This is because people who are highly conscientious are dependable and organized. While, people who are low on this trait tend to be more careless, spontaneous, and laid-back.

You can easily spot this trait in the workplace. A boss with a high sense of duty comes to work on time, follows the projects’ deadlines, and avoids unnecessary absenteeism. Acting beyond what is required of you (going above and beyond) is also an indicator of your conscientiousness.

2. COMPASSION

As the noble Dalai Lama once said: “Compassion is not religious business, it is human business…”

He highlights that regardless of our status, compassion is an essential trait for human survival. It is also applicable in the workplace. A compassionate boss can create a workplace filled with people who value each other and who go thru the hurdles as a unit. After all, the Latin etymology of the word “compassion” translates to “to suffer with”. Try to practice compassion in everything that you do.

3. CREATIVITY

Some of the world’s most inspiring leaders are creative individuals. These inspiring individuals include Facebook’s founder Mark Zuckerberg and Patanjali Ayurved’s founder Baba Ramdev. In the local scene, Jeannie Chew of Soaplah comes to my mind.

The invention of the Soaplah came from Jeannie’s previous experiences with skin problems. She was troubled with eczema and other skin issues at a young age that she started making her own natural soap. In her journey to find the best solution, she handcrafted her soaps using natural ingredients such as pure essential oils with anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties. Her hard-work paid off as Soaplah offers a variety of soaps that can absolutely soothe even the most sensitive of skins!

If you are like Jeannie, creative thinking can spark a vision or a sudden epiphany. The road to perfection comes with mistakes. It is your job as a good leader to navigate the wrongs into rights.

4. INTEGRITY

Majority of the people agree that a good boss must uphold integrity and sincerity. Integrity entails honesty in internal and external aspects of the person. It requires you to tell the truth in every situation.

For instance, an honest boss is willing to share the good and the bad news to its employees. It is because he or she knows that they deserve to know.

5. ACCOUNTABILITY

The grave responsibility bestowed on you comes with great accountability. Accountability is not only for the achievements of the company but also for its downfalls. There are no “absolutes” in business. One can never ascertain the things that can happen in the future after making a decision.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Be fearless and accept the responsibility of your actions. If necessary, hold others accountable too.

Sources: 1, 2, 3, & 4

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Infographic: Top Earners – Graduate Employment Survey

This is a guest post from Digital Senior.

NTU’s rise in rankings

We are spotting notable changes in the ranking of the top 10 paying degrees. Last year(http://digitalsenior.sg/graduate-employment-survey-ges-2015/ ) , the only NTU degree we saw was aerospace engineering at number 10. This time round, at 5th and 6th placing, we have both NTU double degree courses. It may be due to a NTU’s rapid rise in world rankings.  In 2015, NTU jumped to 13th position in the widely-used QS system, putting it ahead of even Ivy League and European universities such as Yale, John Hopkins, Cornell and King’s College London. NTU doesn’t have a law program and its medicine course is relatively new. As a result of that, some of its strongest degrees are NTU Business and Computing and NTU Accountancy and Business degrees with graduates salaries over $4500. With NTU’s newly established star program- Renaissance engineering students graduating soon, it will be interesting to see how much they would fetch.

updated-digital-senior-infographic

IT graduates

Also, there is a trend of computing graduates getting increasingly paid better. It is not surprising considering that many industries in Singapore have transformed with the widespread adoption of internet and technology. Print media is one such example of an industry that has shifted. Individuals with IT skills are definitely in demand.  On the other hand, the top 2 paying degrees remained , with law and medicine graduates commanding the highest salaries. It is unlikely that computing students can overtake them anytime soon.

Increase in salary

In general, starting salaries of fresh grads have also went up  by around 5-10% compared to last year , beating inflation rate slightly. It is definitely a good sign that our graduates are getting better paid. The better students can expect to be paid around 4-5k a month.

Importance of money management

While it seems like a huge amount as compared to what their parents receive decades ago, it bears knowing that prices of everything else has also increased. Graduates have also their 5-figures student loan to repay, which could be several times the amount of their monthly salary. Financial prudence have to be exercised right from the time they graduate. We see a tendency for many people new to working world splurging their new-found wealth as soon as they graduate.

While we do not want to paint an overly pessimistic picture for an event as delightful as graduation, the importance of financial planning cannot be overlooked. Many other financial obligations will set in awhile after graduation- housing loan, car loan and kids’  expenses etc. If proper planning is done beforehand, alot of heartaches can be saved.

Advice for graduating students

Luckily, more than 90% of graduates are able to find jobs 6 months within finishing their final papers, which is what we see in the previous years as well. As long as savvy management of money is carried out, we are confident that a smooth sailing financial life is a guarantee for graduating students.

The salaries definitely comes with a “price” as it can be seen that there is a correlation between potential salary and entry grades requirement for each course. If you are looking at earning well in the future, it definitely pays to study harder! That said, the ideal scenario would be find a course you like and can pay well! All the best.

 

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