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Frank Lloyd Wright is undoubtedly one of the most influential architects of all time.

A champion of organic architecture, a philosophy he promoted throughout his career that focuses on the harmony between human living and the natural world — incorporating buildings into their surroundings — Lloyd Wright designed more than 1,000 structures in his lifetime, out of which 532 were actually built.

Credited with building some of the most innovative spaces in the United States, Frank Lloyd Wright’s most famous works include the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, the striking Fallingwater in Mill Run, Pennsylvania, Taliesin West in Scottsdale, Arizona, Hollyhock House in Los Angeles, California, Robie House and the Illinois Unity Temple in Oak Park, Illinois, the Tokyo Imperial Hotel in Inuyama, Japan, and the famous Blade Runner-featured Ennis House.

But of the hundreds of architecturally distinct homes he built in the span of his 70-year career, Lloyd Wright’s own home in his native Wisconsin has the most interesting — and downright tragic — backstory.

While undoubtedly one of the legendary architect’s best works, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin house was the site of a gruesome attack that took the life of Wright’s girlfriend and her two children.

It also burned to the ground (more than once), growing bigger every time the architect had to rebuild it. So let’s take a look at the storied history of Taliesin.

What is the story of Taliesin, Frank Lloyd Wright’s personal home in Wisconsin?

The American architect was born and raised in the Driftless Area of Wisconsin, which left a lasting impression on his young mind and inspired many of his most iconic works. 

At the age of 29, in 1896, Wright built a windmill on the Taliesin estate, on land that belonged to his mother’s family.

The project, requested by his aunt, was the first in a series of developments that over the years became part of the 600-acre Taliesin estate as we know it today. 

Wright would return to his homeland of Taliesin in 1911, under more controversial circumstances.

In the early 1900s, Wright was married to Catherine Lee Tobin, had six children, and was living in Oak Park, Illinois.

He was then tasked to design a house for his friend and neighbor Edwin Cheney when he fell in love with his friend’s wife, Mamah Borthwick Cheney.

In a daring and controversial move, the two lovers ran off to Europe, where their affair flourished, and when they returned to the U.S., they wanted a place to call their own, far from the judgmental eyes of the public.

That’s when Frank Lloyd Wright decided to leave his Chicago family behind, return to his roots and build a house for himself and Mamah in the secluded hills of Taliesin. 

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin I — the “love cottage” with a harrowing story

Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin I, as we now call it, was completed in 1911 near Spring Green, Wisconsin, to serve as the home of Wright and Borthwick.

The earliest known image of Taliesin I, taken in the winter of its construction in 1911-12. Southwest elevation. Photo credit: Henry Fuermann and Sons, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The home/studio that Wright created is the quintessential representation of the architect’s Prairie School design. 

Wright described the 12,000-square-foot house as ‘low, wide, and snug,’ and that’s exactly what it is.

The house, which was named after the Welsh bard Taliesin — and translates into ‘radiant brow’ — was the result of Wright’s attempt to blend man-made structures and materials with nature and the elements. 

The house had an open-space design, with windows placed so that the sun could come through in every room at every point of the day.

A closer look at Taliesin, WI, though it’s worth noting that the original house was significantly smaller. Photo credit: Stephen Matthew Milligan, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

All the materials used in the construction were locally sourced, in an effort to seamlessly integrate the house with its surroundings. 

Wright was a big fan of Japanese culture and architecture, and he was inspired to bring a taste of Japan to Taliesin, as well. The architect’s home included an artificial lake stocked with fish and aquatic fowl, a water garden, as well as a ‘tea circle’ in the middle of the spacious, green courtyard. 

The home that Wright built was stunning, and to this day it remains one of his most beautiful creations.

The beauty of Taliesin, however, did not do much to impress those living in nearby communities, who disapproved of Wright’s relationship with Borthwick.

At the time the couple lived in Wisconsin, Borthwick had divorced Cheney, but Wright was still married, as Catherine Tobin refused him a divorce. Due to the scandalous aspect of their relationship, locals and media dubbed Taliesin ‘the Love Cottage.’ 

Nonetheless, the couple lived happily at Taliesin, joined by Mamah Borthwick’s two children and a number of household workers and employees.

Among those employees were Julian Carlton, a handyman and servant, and his wife Gertrude.

In 1914, the 31-year-old worker started acting strangely, becoming more and more paranoid and staring out the windows holding an axe. Given his strange behavior, Wright and Borthwick decided to let the couple go, and they gave Carlton and his wife notice in mid-August.

The events that followed the next day, on August 15, 1914, were so shocking that Taliesin will unfortunately forever be associated with them. 

That August day, while Wright was away on business, Julian Carlton attacked Mamah Borthwick and her two children, ending their lives.

He then turned against the other members of the household, after which he set the house on fire.

His killing spree ended the lives of Borthwick, her two children, as well as two other workers and their young boy.

Frank Lloyd Wright (left) surveys damage after the Taliesin I attack in 1914. Photo credit: Albert Rockwell, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Following the attack, Carlton hid in the basement’s fireproof furnace and swallowed hydrochloric acid in an attempt to end his own life. Somehow, he survived, and he was arrested and taken into custody.

While awaiting his trial and sentencing, he died of starvation, as the acid he swallowed had burned his esophagus to the extent that he could no longer eat.

Carlton’s wife was luckily not in the house at the time, as she was waiting for her husband to join her on a train to Chicago.

Taliesin II – Frank Lloyd Wright rebuilds his Wisconsin house

Taliesin I was, in large part, destroyed, and Frank Lloyd Wright was left heartbroken, losing the love of his life and the beloved home that they shared.

He was so devastated that he couldn’t even bring himself to hold a vigil or a formal funeral for Borthwick, instead burying her in an unmarked grave in a nearby graveyard. 

However, Wright soon got back on his feet and decided to rebuild Taliesin.

Sketches of Taliesin WI. Photo credit: See page for author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

By the end of 1914, he had built Taliesin II, and had found companionship in Miriam Noel, who sent him a condolence letter after that summer’s massacre. 

Wright, however, only settled in at Taliesin II in 1922, after he finished work on the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo.

RELATED: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Ennis House also known as The Blade Runner House

He was finally granted a divorce by Catherine Tobin, and married Miriam Noel in 1923. The marriage, however, was doomed to not last, as Noel’s erratic behavior, later diagnosed as schizophrenia, led to a tense relationship between her and Wright. 

Noel eventually left Wright and moved out of Taliesin II in 1924. One year later, in an eerie turn of events, Taliesin II burned to the ground due to faulty wiring, and Wright was back to square one.

However, like a phoenix, Taliesin would rise from the ashes once again.

Taliesin III – Wright rebuilds it once more, but the costs drive it into foreclosure

Even after two fires tried to destroy his work, Frank Lloyd Wright was not ready to give up on Taliesin, and he rebuilt it once again, as Taliesin III.

Each time the architect had to revamp Taliesin, the house grew bigger.

In its third and final form, Taliesin featured 37,000 square feet, and all the buildings on the estate combined totaled no less than 75,000 square feet on 600 acres of land. 

Inside Taliesin, arguably the most impressive of Frank Lloyd Wright’s houses. Pictured here: the living room of the imposing property. Photo credit: Stilfehler, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The third reconstruction of Taliesin did, however, create a pretty big dent in Wright’s pockets, and he was severely in debt at the time work on Taliesin III was finished.

In 1927, the Bank of Wisconsin foreclosed on the property, and the architect moved to La Jolla, California, forced to leave his beloved hilltop home behind.

His fans and students, however, devised a plan to have the revered architect reunited with Taliesin.

Darwin Martin, a former client of Wright’s, formed a company dubbed Frank Lloyd Wright Inc., to issue stock on the architect’s future earnings. Various other clients and students purchased stock and ended up successfully bidding on Taliesin for $40,000, giving it back to Wright. 

SEE ALSO: The Chemosphere House and 6 other striking John Lautner-designed homes

Thankfully, the innovative design and historic importance of Taliesin were recognized by Wright’s clients and admirers, and the efforts to preserve and keep the estate alive paid off.

In January 1976, Taliesin was named a National Historic Landmark District by the National Park Service. More than three decades later, Taliesin was one of the buildings included in The 20th Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright, a UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring a selection of eight buildings designed by the architect across the U.S. 

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Today, Taliesin is a historical and architectural gem, and Frank Lloyd Wright fans can visit the estate on professional, guided tours.

If you’re an architecture fan, a student, or design aficionado and you’re ever traveling near Spring Green, Wisconsin, you don’t want to miss out on the chance to visit Taliesin. 

Frequently asked questions

Where is Taliesin?

Frank Lloyd Wright’s house in Wisconsin, Taliesin, is located at 5481 County Road C, Spring Green, WI 53588, USA, about 2.5 miles south of the village of Spring Green in the Driftless Region of southwestern Wisconsin.

What does the word Taliesin mean?

Taliesin is a gender-neutral name of Welsh origin, meaning “radiant brow” made famous by a 6th Century Welsh bard who is said to have performed at the courts of three different kings. Lloyd Wright reportedly named his house in Wisconsin Taliesin to signal that was “of the hill,” not on it, building it below the hillcrest, on its brow rather than its crown.

Did Frank Lloyd Wright rebuild Taliesin?

The legendary architect had to rebuild his Taliesin house in Wisconsin twice. The first time was in 2014 after a gruesome attack by employee Julian Carlton who ended the lives of Wright’s then-girlfriend, Mamah Borthwick and her two children, and then set the house on fire. The second time was in 1925 when Taliesin burned to the ground due to faulty wiring.

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Source: fancypantshomes.com

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If you’ve been looking for a new home in Utah’s current market, you know pickings are slim. Most buyers know what a few gallons of paint can do. But if you’re willing to take on a couple of additional projects, you can turn that ugly duckling house into an affordable dream. Here’s a few ugly features that aren’t too tough to take on. 

Something underfoot. Floors. Buyers and sellers frequently have different tastes in what’s under their feet. If the seller replaces the carpet before the home is listed, expect a portion of the cost to be factored into the price (listings that say “all new carpet” are going to cost you more). You’re also unlikely to get top-of-the-line carpet if the seller replaces it simply to list. If you’re not scared of living temporarily with threadbare, stained carpet, request a drop in price in the form of a flooring allowance when you make your initial offer. You may also give the entire room a lift by replacing skinny baseboards with the clean lines of the more modern 5” style. Baseboards are easy to replace and cost around $1.50-$3.00 per foot at home improvement stores.

Fireplace blues. A fireplace is a focal point. But an old-school fireplace with brass trim, mauve tile, ugly rock, or beige brick is an eyesore to just about everyone. Few sellers update the fireplace before putting the home on the market. If they do, they’ve probably updated the entire house as well and are asking a justifiably premium price. But a fireplace eyesore can be easily fixed after move-in with paint (1 gallon: $35), new mantle ($150 and up), or even new tile (DIY for ~ $100, depending on the tile chosen and how much you’re replacing). Be sure to determine if your choice of materials is rated for high heat before starting.

Chained in. A fenced-in backyard is a huge plus even when the fence is not quite your style. Chain link is and looks cheap, but it’s also easily covered. Plants, just as fast-growing bamboo,  grape vines, or Virginia Creeper look great year-round. If you need complete cover ASAP, look at privacy netting in decorative patterns (around $2.50 per linear foot). You may also find someone who’s looking to unload scrap fencing or barn wood at a very low price—both make great, rustic fencing options that can be strapped to an existing chain link fence for an all-new look.

Old-school appliances. Regardless of what the listing states, retro doesn’t apply to avocado green appliances or cream-colored dishwashers with fake wood grain trim. But here’s the deal: if those appliances are still in the home you buy, you can bet they’re workhorses, just not pretty. If a seller spends the cash to update the appliances just to sell the house, you probably won’t get top of the line or even the appliances that you may want—and you’ll pay a premium. There are numerous ways to solve unattractive-but-working appliances, however. Search yard sale sites (like KSL Classifieds or local Facebook groups) for people who are remodeling. When people purchase brand new homes they often opt not to keep the builder-selected appliances. Keep your eyes peeled for individuals selling all new appliances—or even entire kitchens!

Dismal driveway. No one ever bought a home because of the driveway… but a cracked one in desperate need of repair drastically reduces curb appeal and brings the listing price of the home down. As a buyer, you’ll benefit from the lower price and you don’t even need to do the driveway repair work yourself. A professional will break up and haul away the old driveway and pour a new driveway all for a couple grand (depending on square footage).

Remember, those nice-looking renovated homes will not only cost you more, but chances are you’d choose different appliances, carpet or flooring for yourself. Buy the house that’s located where you want to live and that has the views and schools you want, then take the time to make the needed updates and repairs as you can afford them.

Source: homie.com

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Last Updated on March 29, 2023 by Mark Ferguson

It may seem ridicculous that real estate agents make so much money on the sale of a house. Selling a house is expensive and much of the cost is a real estate agent’s commission. Real estate commissions are usually paid entirely by the seller and are significant. I am a real estate agent in Colorado and even though agents are expensive they are still well worth it. Real estate agents do not charge as much as they do because of the time it takes to actually sell a house. They charge a lot because it takes work and money to market, it is hard to get licensed and become a real estate agent, they have to pay for dues and insurance and real estate agents usually have to split their commissions with their broker.

The biggest reason real estate agents make so much money is they are worth it! A real estate agent will usually sell your house for much more money than if you sold it yourself.

Why are real estate agents worth the commissions they charge?

A real estate agent’s main value is knowing the market value on a home. If a home is priced too low or too high, it can cost the seller thousands of dollars.  Price a home too high and it will stigmatize the home. Buyers start to wonder what is wrong with the home if it sits on the market even if the price has been reduced. Price a home too low and you could be leaving thousands of dollars on the table.

I hear stories about people who say they saved thousands of dollars when they sold their house by not using an agent; they sold the house in one day with multiple offers! If you received multiple offers on the first day, there is a great chance you underpriced the home and left money on the table. Most likely more money than the real estate agent would have cost. A real estate agent is an expert at pricing homes and a website like Zillow cannot be used as a substitute. I wrote an article about how accurate Zillow is, and it shows you need a local expert to price your house correctly.

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How do real estate agents make money?

In most situations, a real estate agent represents the buyer and seller of a home and both commissions are paid by the seller. This may not seem fair, but there is a very good reason the system works this way. Having the seller pay both agents’ commissions allows there to be a larger buyer pool and higher house prices.

Why does the seller pay for the buyer’s real estate agent?

Buying a house is expensive and most buyers need all the cash they have to pay for the closing costs and down payments. If a buyer had to pay for their real estate agent as well, there would be much fewer buyers who could buy a home. With a bigger buyer pool, more houses sell and sellers can charge more for their homes. Even though the seller pays for the buyer’s agent, the seller makes more money in our current real estate system due to the higher house prices caused by more buyers.

How much is the real estate commission on a house?

This is a tricky question for me to answer because I am a real estate agent. There are no typical or set commissions; they are all negotiable. As a real estate agent, I legally can’t say the typical commission is such and such. Instead, I will link you to this article that explains commissions and tell you HUD pays a 6 percent commission to sell houses; 3 percent to the buyer’s agent and 3 percent to the seller’s agent. I have seen commissions on real estate both higher and lower, but remember there is no typical or set commission rate. Using HUD’s structure the seller would pay $12,000 to the real estate agents if their house sold for $200,000

Why do real estate agents make so much money on one sale?

On the surface, it may look like an agent makes a killing by making $6,000 on each side of the sale of one home. A real estate agent may work 10 hours or less on the listing side, which would equal $600 an hour for listing and selling a home. That is a lot of money, but a real estate agent does much more than work directly on the listing of a home. Most likely the listing agent has to pay part of that commission to their broker which may cut in half what they actually take home equaling $3,000.

There are many more reasons why that $6,000 is not as much as it may seem on the surface. A real estate agent must get licensed, must take continuing education, must pay for MLS, must pay for board dues, must pay for insurance and must market themselves. There is a lot of overhead involved in being an agent and a real estate agent is not just charging for the time it takes to list a home. The real estate agent is charging for their experience and market knowledge that allows a seller to make the most money selling their house.

Most real estate agents do not sell many houses

The truth is the average income for a real estate agent is only $39,000 a year, which I discuss much more here. The reason most agents don’t make much money is they have to pay a broker, many work part-time and many do not sell a lot of houses. The average real estate agent sold 12 houses in 2012, which would equal only $36,000 a year if an agent was making $3,000 per sale like in our example. If you want to be a real estate agent, don’t be discouraged.

Selling a house is not easy and real estate agents know how to do it best

Not only is it hard to determine the value of a house, but it also is not easy to complete the transaction. Many transactions are not completed even with the help of real estate agents. The state contract in Colorado is 17 pages long and there are at least five more disclosures that must be used. Most transactions involve financing which takes a knowledgeable lender and title company. A real estate agent can help a seller and buyer choose the best people to make sure everything goes smoothly and everyone does their job. 

Conclusion

It is expensive to use a real estate agent, but well worth it. Real estate agents go through a lot to become licensed, pay a lot of fees, must work under a broker and bring specialized knowledge that helps sellers get the most for their home. If you are an investor and sell a lot of homes, it may be worth it to become an agent yourself. Otherwise, it will save you money to use a real estate agent.

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Source: investfourmore.com

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Last Updated on February 25, 2022 by Mark Ferguson

Many people have dreams of making it big as a real estate agent, but they want to start slow as a part-time agent. They want the freedom, income, and other benefits that come with being a real estate agent but are afraid to lose a steady income. Getting a real estate license and working part-time as an agent may seem like a great idea, but it is not easy to pull off.

There are some cases when working part-time may work; like an agent who only uses their license for their own investing strategies. There are also a couple of other instances where being a part-time agent can work if you have a very flexible schedule. The problem with being part-time in real estate is that clients need things done at all times of the day. If you cannot get away from your job, you are going to find yourself struggling to help those clients.

How hard is to become an agent?

One of the drawbacks to becoming a part-time real estate agent is how much work it takes to become a real estate agent. One of my team members just got their real estate license. It can take hundreds of hours of education and testing to become an agent. If you already have a job, even part-time, it will be tough to find the time to complete your education.

There are night classes and online classes that you can take to get your real estate license, but you will have to spend a lot of time studying. The real estate exam is not easy to pass and it will take a lot of time to prepare for it. If you want to become a part-time agent, make sure you factor the time it will take to get your license into the equation.

In Colorado, you will need to take 168 hours of classes either online or in-person to complete the education portion. Once you pass the classes you must take the test, pass the background check, and find a broker to work with. This all takes a lot of time!

If you are interested in getting your real estate license, Real Estate Express offers classes in most states and is very affordable.

Will you have enough time for clients?

Once you get your license, you must hang it with a brokerage. After finding a brokerage, you must start working with clients and generating business. This is where it gets tricky for a part-time agent who has another job. Whether you are listing homes or working with buyers, selling real estate is a random hours job. You may not have to work 40 hours per week, but you will have to work all hours of the day.

If you have a day job, you had better be able to get away from that job to take calls for your real estate job. Buyers are going to want to look at houses and offers must be negotiated and presented. If your clients have to wait eight hours to get a hold of you, they are going to get frustrated. There is a good chance you will lose clients if you cannot get back to them in a timely manner. In a tight sellers’ market such as the one we have now, speed is very important in getting offers accepted. If buyers feel an agent cannot submit offers quickly enough for them, they will probably find another agent. If you cannot respond to your clients for hours at a time, are you being a good agent to them?

You can also check out the video below on part-time agents

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What does a real estate agent do?

Most people think that being an agent is about showing houses and writing offers. However, there is much more to being a real estate agent, and that is why we are paid so much for selling homes. Real estate agents have to do many things to close deals and generate business. Here are some of the things an agent must do in order to be successful:

  • Show houses
  • Write contracts
  • Help buyers complete inspections
  • Contact lenders
  • Contact title companies
  • Contact other agents
  • Complete continuing education
  • Host open houses
  • Talk to your circle of influence
  • Create brochures
  • Take photos
  • Create advertisements
  • Answer their phone
  • Floor duty
  • Create plans and goals
  • Manage expenses

As you can see, there is a lot that a successful agent must do. Not only do you have to work with clients, but you have to find clients as well. It takes a lot of time to be a great agent and it is very difficult to do part-time. Being able to answer your phone at any time is one of the best ways to get business. If you are returning calls hours after you receive them, there is a great chance that person already has another agent who called them back quicker or answers their phone.

Can you maintain a good reputation as a part-time real estate agent?

As a real estate agent, I deal with other real estate agents, title companies, buyers and sellers, lenders, attorneys, investors, and many people in our community. My reputation is a huge reason why I have been so successful as an agent, broker, and investor. When you are a part-time agent, it is very tough to find enough time in the day to get all your tasks done and follow up with people. If you are calling back people days later or not at all, word will spread very quickly around the real estate community. It is very important to provide great service as a real estate agent and that is tough to do when you only work part-time.

If you get a reputation as someone who is hard to get a hold of, does not call back, or is too busy to follow up, it will be very hard to shake that reputation. Even if you become a full-time agent and do an amazing job, people will remember the less than par work that you did previously. People remember the poor work people do and they expect people to do good work.

I go over everything it takes to become a real estate agent in my book How to Make it Big as a Real Estate Agent. How to get leads, how to find a broker, how much money you can make, how to make money, how to manage your time, and how to avoid the struggles many agents have. It is available on Amazon as a paperback or Kindle, and it is also on audible as an audiobook!

Can joining a team help?

If you want to be a part-time agent and there is no possible way that you can quit your current job, there are some steps you can take to be more successful. I have a team of ten people who help me run my real estate business, fix and flip business, and REO business. We have some part-time help and many members of my team started out as part-time workers. If you join a team, your team can help cover for you when you have to work your other job. By joining a team, you agree to give up part of your commission to the team so the team is motivated to help you succeed. I think there is a better chance of succeeding as a part-time agent if you can join a team rather than trying to do everything yourself.

You will be doing other tasks than just working as an agent, but it will all be real estate related. You will also have a flexible schedule on most teams that will allow you to drop everything and go show houses if needed.

Does it help with investments?

The best situation to become a part-time real estate agent is when you are a real estate investor. I own 20 long-term rentals and I complete 20 to 30 fix and flips per year. I save money when I buy a home from the MLS and when I sell a home because I do not have to pay a listing agent. Being a part-time agent who invests in real estate is well worth it in my opinion.

If you are only an agent to save money on your own properties, you do not have to worry about having a flexible schedule or working leads. If you are only an agent because you are an investor, being a part-time agent may work out great.

What other options will help part-timers succeed?

Joining a team is one way to succeed as a part-timer. There are some other ways to make a part-time real estate career work. The most important thing to have as a real estate agent is availability. Many people do not want to be on-call all the time, but there are sacrifices you must make for an awesome career. While you may not have to work 30 hours per week as an agent or even 20 hours a week to sell houses, you need to be available most of the time. If a buyer or seller needs to talk to you on a Sunday afternoon or on a Monday morning, you should be available. You may have to show houses on the weekends or in the evenings. Real estate agents make their own schedules and have a lot of freedom, but when a client needs to see a house after hours, an agent should accommodate them.

If you want to be a part-time agent and have a very flexible schedule, you have a much better chance of making it. If you have to work another 9 to 5 job every day, it will be very tough to make a real estate career work. There are some amazing jobs today that can help agents make money and have a flexible schedule. Uber or Lyft are ways agents can make money, but also be able to drop everything to help out a client.

Conclusion

A part-time agent can make it in the real estate industry, but to be successful, part-timers need to join a team until they can go full-time. If you are an investor who just wants to save money on your own investment properties, becoming a part-time agent is a great idea.

Many of my sales come from listing REO and HUD homes for banks and for the government. If you want to become an REO agent, you must be a full-time agent. Banks and HUD need immediate responses on their properties and getting back to them in a day or two will not cut it. I have to do inspections within 24 hours and most tasks in 48 hours. To be successful you need to commit and it is tough to commit to something when you are part-time.

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Source: investfourmore.com

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Driving for a ridesharing app like Uber or Lyft or a food delivery app like DoorDash or Instacart. Working as a writer or graphic designer for hire. Teaching English online in your spare time. These are among the most popular side gigs and freelance opportunities for people looking to earn extra income.

These solopreneurs count as self-employed individuals — small-business owners, technically — and are typically eligible for many small-business credit cards. This is true even for those with no plans to turn their side business into a full-time enterprise.

What follows is a list of the best credit cards for freelancers and side hustlers hoping to earn rewards for business-related purchases and raise their business credit score in the process.

Best Credit Cards for Freelancers & Side Hustles

The best small-business credit cards for freelancers, sole proprietors, and side hustlers pair modest annual fees — if they have annual fees at all — with generous rewards programs whose bonus categories favor general spending or a broad range of everyday business expenses.

Many also have attractive sign-up bonuses — also known as welcome offers, welcome bonuses, or early spend bonuses, depending on the issuer. And all accept personal guarantees from applicants, which means you can apply using your personal credit score. This is very useful if you don’t have any business credit history (or you haven’t formally incorporated your freelance business at all).

Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

Our Rating
Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases and enjoy an unusually long 0% APR introductory promotion (for a business credit card).
Rewards Rate
Unlimited 1.5% on every business purchases
Annual Fee
0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases, then variable regular APR
Regular APR
17.99% to 23.99% (variable)

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Chase Ink Business Unlimited® is a popular small-business cash-back credit card with no annual fee. All purchases earn unlimited 1.5% cash back, with no spending categories or tiers to keep straight.

Ink Business Unlimited also has an amazing sign-up bonus for cardholders able to spend enough in eligible purchases during the first three months. The introductory 0% APR promotion on purchases is rare to find on a business credit card too, easily justifying its inclusion on our list of the best business credit cards.

Pros

  • No annual fee
  • Well-above-average sign-up bonus
  • Unusually long 0% intro APR promotion

Cons

  • No way to earn more than 1.5% cash back
  • Relatively few business benefits

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Chase Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

Our Rating
Earn up to 5% cash back on everyday business purchases. Plus, take advantage of an above-average 0% intro APR offer and sign-up bonus opportunity.
Rewards Rate
Up to 5% cash back
Annual Fee
0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases, then variable regular APR
Ongoing APR
17.99% to 23.99% (variable)

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The Chase Ink Business Cash® Credit Card is another Chase-issued business card with no annual fee.

Its sign-up bonus is identical to Ink Business Unlimited’s, and it has the same great lineup of value-added perks and benefits. The rewards program is more generous for freelancers and side hustlers who frequent office supply stores, gas stations, and restaurants.

Pros

  • No annual fee
  • Up to 5% cash back on eligible purchases
  • Unusually long 0% intro APR promotion

Cons

  • Few value-added business benefits
  • Low baseline cash-back rate

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American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card

Our Rating
Earn 2% cash back on the first $50,000 in eligible purchases, then 1% cash back on all eligible business purchases. Plus, enjoy 0% intro APR for the first 12 months on purchases.
Rewards Rate
Up to 2% cash back
Annual Fee
0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases, then variable regular APR
Ongoing APR
18.24% to 26.24% (variable)
Terms Apply

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The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card has an excellent rewards program that favors everyday business spending, no annual fee, and a 12-month 0% APR introductory promotion for purchases (terms apply).

For rewards-hungry side hustlers, the highlight of Blue Business Cash is its rewards program, which pays 2% cash back on the first $50,000 per year in combined eligible purchases. Purchases over this annual spending cap earn 1% cash back.

Pros

  • No annual fee
  • Above-average welcome offer
  • Long 0% intro APR on purchases

Cons

  • Few value-added business benefits
  • Earn rate capped at 2% back

For rates and fees of the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card, please visit this rates and fees page.

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The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express

Our Rating
Earn 2 points per $1 spent on the first $50,000 in eligible purchases, then 1 point per $1 spent. An above-average welcome offer and 0% intro APR on purchases add yet more value.
Rewards Rate
Up to 2x points
Annual Fee
0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months, then variable regular APR
Ongoing APR
18.24% to 26.24% (variable)
Terms Apply

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The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express is another no-annual-fee business credit card that’s ideal for freelancers.

Like Blue Business Cash, its rewards program favors everyday business purchases and pays double (2 Membership Rewards points per $1 spent) on eligible purchases up to the first $50,000 in combined annual spending, after which eligible purchases earn 1 Membership Rewards point per $1 spent. Terms apply.

Also like Blue Business Cash, it has a solid 0% APR introductory promotion.

Pros

  • No annual fee
  • Above-average earnings on the first $50,000 in eligible purchases each year
  • Above-average 0% intro APR on purchases

Cons

  • Low baseline rewards rate
  • Few value-added business benefits

For rates and fees of the Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, please visit this rates and fees page.

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Capital One Spark Cash Plus

Our Rating
Earn unlimited 2% cash back on most eligible purchases. Plus, get one of the category’s best welcome bonuses with qualifying early spending, and earn another bonus with qualifying annual spending.
Rewards Rate
Up to 5% cash back
Annual Fee
Ongoing APR
Pay in full each month

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Capital One Spark Cash Plus is a premium business cash-back card that’s ideal for prosperous freelancers and side hustlers. It boasts a category-leading early spend bonus (worth up to $1,000 bonus cash) and a super-generous rewards program that earns a flat, unlimited 2% back on most eligible purchases.

The $150 annual fee is the biggest downside. A $200 bonus cash offer for big spenders — after spending at least $200,000 in a year — more than offsets it, though most freelancers probably won’t get there.

Pros

  • Unlimited 2% cash back on most purchases
  • Multiple bonus opportunities for heavier spenders

    • Cons

    • $150 annual fee
    • New cardmember bonus and ongoing spend bonus require heavy spending

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The Capital One® Spark® Miles for Business card is similar to Spark Cash for Business.

The main difference: It has a mileage-based rewards program that’s great for travelers who’d prefer to redeem for credit against eligible travel purchases rather than general statement credits. It’s a travel rewards credit card, in other words.

The rewards program is basically the same though. You earn unlimited 2x miles on most eligible purchases, with no spending caps or categories. The only exception: travel bookings made through Capital One Travel, which earn 5x miles.

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Capital One Spark Cash Select for Excellent Credit has a very attractive early spend bonus — one of the best around for a no-annual-fee business credit card.

There’s also the ongoing rewards program, which promises 1.5% cash back on most eligible purchases without caps or restrictions. That’s almost on par with the Spark Cash Plus card, just without the annual fee. And eligible travel purchases (including hotel and rental car bookings) still earn 5% cash back when made through Capital One Travel.

Pros

  • No annual fee
  • No caps on earning potential
  • Above-average early spend bonus

Cons

  • Cash back capped at 1.5% for most purchases
  • Relatively few value-added benefits

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Spark Cash Select for Good Credit has the same great ongoing rewards program as Spark Cash Select for Excellent Credit.

The biggest difference: Instead of an early spend bonus for cardholders who clear $4,500 in eligible purchases in the first three months, it has a 0% introductory APR promotion that applies to purchases and stretches for 12 months from account opening. If you’re planning a big purchase (or several) in the near future, this could save you hundreds of dollars in interest charges.

Pros

  • No annual fee
  • Above-average 0% intro APR promotion
  • No caps on cash-back earnings

Cons

  • No spending-based bonus for new cardholders
  • Cash back tops out at 1.5% for most purchases
  • Relatively few value-added benefits

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Methodology: How We Choose the Best Credit Cards for Freelancers & Side Hustlers

If you’re a freelancer or sole proprietor in the market for a credit card to cover professional expenses, you need to consider many of the same factors owners of (slightly) larger enterprises do when shopping for small-business credit cards. These are the most important criteria that we use to separate the best freelancer-friendly credit cards from the rest.

Personal Guarantee Requirement

Many freelancers and side hustlers aren’t formally incorporated and have no desire to be. Because they have no “business” in the technical sense, they have no business credit. They can’t get approved for business credit cards that don’t accept personal guarantees. 

For this reason, a missing personal guarantee requirement is a deal-breaker. All the cards on this list accept personal guarantees or offer ways around them, like guarantees based entirely on business revenue rather than credit.

Credit & Income Qualification Requirements

Most credit card issuers require applicants to back up their personal guarantee (or business guarantee) by meeting certain credit and income standards. For premium business credit cards, these standards can be high — effectively out of reach of the typical freelancer or side hustler.

So we look for freelancer-friendly credit cards with more relaxed qualification standards. Most of the credit cards on this list set minimum FICO scores near 700, but they’re not as picky as top-shelf business cards and don’t ask applicants to prove they’re pulling in tens of thousands of dollars a month on top of that.

Rewards Program

Every card on this list has an above-average rewards program. When evaluating these programs, we look for cards that do one of two things:

  • Earn higher returns on common business purchases, such as office supplies and telecommunications
  • Earn an above-average flat rate of return (1.5% or above) on most or all eligible purchases

We rule out cards that only earn rewards on certain purchases or ask you to jump through too many hoops (like activating your cash back before each purchase).

Welcome Offers for New Cardholders

Most of the cards on this list have spending-based welcome offers (aka sign-up bonuses) that increase their rewards programs’ appeal. We intentionally exclude cards with uncomfortably high spending requirements — a $3,000-per-month pace or above. The remaining offers’ spending requirements are realistic for many if not most freelancers.

Other Business Benefits

Freelancers have less use for common business credit card benefits like Amazon Web Services credits and Salesforce integrations, but all else being equal, we prefer cards that offer the option. And some business credit card benefits are legitimately freelancer-friendly, like discounts on popular bookkeeping software. 

Interest Rate & Introductory APR Promotions

We don’t advise anyone to carry a credit card balance if they can avoid it, but business owners — including sole proprietors — sometimes have no other option. With that in mind, we look for freelancer-friendly cards with low ongoing interest rates and long 0% APR introductory promotions.

Annual Fee

All else being equal, we prefer professional credit cards without annual fees. However, committed freelancers can offset more modest annual fees (under $100) without too much trouble, so this list isn’t entirely annual-fee-free.

Credit Card FAQs for Freelancers & Side Hustlers

Finding and applying for a freelancer-friendly credit card isn’t too much different from the process for consumer cards. Once in your hands, these cards work more or less the same as consumer cards too. But if it’s your first time, you might still have questions as you work through the process.

Do You Need to Incorporate to Get a Professional Credit Card?

Not necessarily. Freelancer-friendly credit cards generally don’t ask applicants to prove they’ve formally incorporated their business. This is a good thing for part-time freelancers who don’t want the headache (and added cost) of managing a legal business entity.

By contrast, some small-business credit cards do require formal incorporation. Those cards don’t make this list.

How Much Can You Spend on a Professional Credit Card?

It depends on two factors: whether the card has a preset spending limit, and if so, the limit’s dollar value.

Some business credit cards have no preset spending limits, including some we consider freelancer-friendly. To prevent runaway spending, these cards usually have a pay-in-full requirement, so you can’t charge more than you can afford to repay (for long, anyway). If your freelance business is thriving, these no-limit, pay-in-full cards usually offer better spending power.

Other business credit cards base spending limits on revenue. This is more common for cards that underwrite based on business credit, but if you’ve been freelancing for a while and can show consistent income, you might qualify for a generous credit limit without a business credit score.

Do Freelancer-Friendly Credit Cards Allow Personal Guarantees?

They should if they want to be on this list. Some freelancers have incorporated business entities of their own, but many don’t. This means they can’t get a business credit card that doesn’t accept personal guarantees. 

Does Your Professional Credit Card Affect Your Personal Credit Score?

If you qualified using your personal credit and income, yes. 

This effect can be positive, negative, or both at different times. If you use your professional credit card responsibly, your personal credit score could increase over time. If you bump up against your credit limit or miss payments on your professional credit card, your personal credit score could suffer.

What’s a Good Annual Fee for a Professional Credit Card?

The most freelancer-friendly credit cards waive annual fees altogether. However, cards with unusually generous rewards programs or perks generally charge annual fees. If you spend enough to offset these fees by earning rewards and net more than you would have with a no-annual-fee alternative, it’s worth the cost.

Final Word

Because freelancers and side hustlers are eligible for many credit cards traditionally marketed to small-business owners with employees or contractors on the payroll, this list overlaps considerably with our overall list of the best credit cards for small-business owners.

The lists aren’t identical, however.

Some of the top cards for small businesses, such as the Chase Ink Business Preferred Credit Card and the Amex Business Platinum Card, aren’t ideal for part-time entrepreneurship or freelance work due to some combination of high annual fees, strict credit underwriting requirements, and welcome offers that require heavier spending than most side hustlers can manage.

That’s not to say those cards don’t appeal to unusually prolific side hustlers.

If you’re fortunate enough to be able to scale your side business into a full-time enterprise with a balance sheet to match, you might find yourself in search of a credit card with a credit limit to meet your spending needs. When that day comes, you’ll be only too happy to trade up.

Brian Martucci writes about credit cards, banking, insurance, travel, and more. When he’s not investigating time- and money-saving strategies for Money Crashers readers, you can find him exploring his favorite trails or sampling a new cuisine. Reach him on Twitter @Brian_Martucci.

Source: moneycrashers.com

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About our Mortgage Rate Tables: The above mortgage loan information is provided to, or obtained by, Bankrate. Some lenders provide their mortgage loan terms to Bankrate for advertising purposes and Bankrate receives compensation from those advertisers (our “Advertisers”). Other lenders’ terms are gathered by Bankrate through its own research of available mortgage loan terms and that information is displayed in our rate table for applicable criteria. In the above table, an Advertiser listing can be identified and distinguished from other listings because it includes a “Next” button that can be used to click-through to the Advertiser’s own website or a phone number for the Advertiser.

Availability of Advertised Terms: Each Advertiser is responsible for the accuracy and availability of its own advertised terms. Bankrate cannot guaranty the accuracy or availability of any loan term shown above. However, Bankrate attempts to verify the accuracy and availability of the advertised terms through its quality assurance process and requires Advertisers to agree to our Terms and Conditions and to adhere to our Quality Control Program. Click here for rate criteria by loan product.

Loan Terms for Bankrate.com Customers: Advertisers may have different loan terms on their own website from those advertised through Bankrate.com. To receive the Bankrate.com rate, you must identify yourself to the Advertiser as a Bankrate.com customer. This will typically be done by phone so you should look for the Advertisers phone number when you click-through to their website. In addition, credit unions may require membership.

Loans Above $726,200 May Have Different Loan Terms: If you are seeking a loan for more than $726,200, lenders in certain locations may be able to provide terms that are different from those shown in the table above. You should confirm your terms with the lender for your requested loan amount.

Taxes and Insurance Excluded from Loan Terms: The loan terms (APR and Payment examples) shown above do not include amounts for taxes or insurance premiums. Your monthly payment amount will be greater if taxes and insurance premiums are included.

Consumer Satisfaction: If you have used Bankrate.com and have not received the advertised loan terms or otherwise been dissatisfied with your experience with any Advertiser, we want to hear from you. Please click here to provide your comments to Bankrate Quality Control.

Source: thesimpledollar.com

Apache is functioning normally

Wells Fargo, which has been the top residential mortgage lender for five consecutive quarters, offers several incentives to those who choose to close their mortgage with the bank.

One such program is the “Wells Fargo Closing Guarantee,” which is essentially a promise they’ll close your loan on or before the closing date stated in your original purchase contract.

After all, you won’t want to sleep in a hotel, or worse, the moving truck…

But if, for some reason, Wells Fargo is unable to close on or before that date, you’ll get a check equal to your first month’s principal-and-interest mortgage payment.

Not a bad deal, right?

Well, there is some fine print you should be aware of.

First, you must provide Wells Fargo with a copy of the original purchase contract and all required documentation within 48 hours of submitting a complete loan application.

Additionally, the loan must be locked and all loan requirements and conditions must be met at least 10 business days prior to the set closing date.

The guarantee is not valid if you change loan programs or terms, if you don’t specify a closing date, move up the closing date, miss the closing date on your own actions (or a third party’s) or due to inclement weather, if applicable law or investor requirements impose a required waiting period prior to closing, or if you commit fraud.

The Wells Fargo Closing Guarantee is only good for purchase money mortgages (including purchase money home equity lines of credit), and excludes refinance loans, non-purchase money second mortgages, and mortgage broker-originated loans.

Wells Fargo & Company employees, along with their family members, are not eligible.

Assuming you qualify, you must continue to make mortgage payments (don’t assume they’ll pay it)!

Finally, the Wells Fargo Closing Guarantee may be reported to the IRS on a Form 1099-MISC, so you will likely be taxed on it as well.

The Verdict

It’s certainly not a bad deal if Wells Fargo happens to be providing you with the lowest mortgage rate and set of terms.

But it’s certainly not a reason to choose Wells Fargo over another lender that may be providing a lower rate and better terms.

And it sounds like something has to go horribly wrong for the guarantee to actually be paid out, especially with all the requirements that must be met.

So be sure to shop around and obtain several mortgage rate quotes before committing to one lender.

Tip: How to get the best mortgage rate?

Source: thetruthaboutmortgage.com