Your Zestimate Is Now Smarter – and More Accurate
Zillow’s signature home valuation tool – the Zestimate – just got an upgrade.
Zillow’s signature home valuation tool – the Zestimate – just got an upgrade.
Youâve saved up your money, you found the perfect house, and youâre ready to buy. Now you just need a mortgage. Commercial banks may be the obvious choice, but they arenât the only option for your mortgage. Mortgage brokers, online mortgage lenders, and credit unions also originate mortgage loans. Credit unions and other non-banks are… Read More
The post Credit Union Vs. Bank Mortgage: Which Should You Choose? appeared first on Credit.com.
If you invest in stocks then you already know that it is a great way to put money aside where it will work for you. But if you want to take your strategy to the next level, then you need to be looking at technology to take the strain.
When you consider that the NASDAQ and NYSE have upwards of 7,000 stocks listed, you may wonder how anyone can efficiently identify good targets.
Don’t worry if you aren’t a committed full-time day trader; these apps work just as well for the part-time investor who is looking to put away a few hundred dollars into good quality companies.
The good news is that by using a scanner or screener app, you can quickly find stocks that fall into your investing plan and snap up those bargains early.
Don’t worry if you aren’t a committed full-time day trader; these apps work just as well for the part-time investor who is looking to put away a few hundred dollars into good quality companies.
Sometimes people will blur the lines between scanners and screeners. It is important to understand the difference because each are useful for different situations.
A stock screener is a filtering mechanism that will look at a market and filter out stocks that don’t fit your particular strategy.
For example, perhaps you only want NYSE traded stocks, in utility companies, with high trading volumes that have shown a 5% increase over the last week.
A good stock screener will give you a list of the companies that fit your criteria in seconds, providing you with targets to investigate further.
For most modern screener apps, the list of criteria you can choose is almost endless. This gives you the power to spot the type of company stocks you want to buy with pinpoint accuracy.
Stock screeners are one of the first types of apps for investors devised for the internet age. They are designed for people who might log on once a day, download a series of longer-term targets, and then do their research.
In general terms, stock screeners tend to be quite light on resources, which means that you can use them on pretty much any computer or device.
Screeners are great for investors as they give you targets to look for based on a series of attributes. However, they tend not to be used as much by day traders — for that, you need a good stock scanner.
Stock scanners may look similar to screeners but they are quite different. These apps are more useful for active day traders.
Stock scanners bring in real-time information showing stock movements based on a series of criteria that you set.
Because they are real-time, they tend to be used much more by very active day traders who need instant access to quality information.
Many traders look more at current movements in stocks rather than historical results and so they need to spot shares that suddenly have a large volume of trades or swing wildly in terms of price.
Day traders make money from volatility—this means that they need to be constantly looking for stocks that fit into their definition of a target.
Day traders make money from volatility—this means that they need to be constantly looking for stocks that fit into their definition of a target.
Because they take in huge volumes of data and process patterns, movements and fundamentals of stocks instantly, scanner programs require a large amount of computing resources. This means traders need a very capable PC or MAC.
Web-based scanners are available but can tend to be slower. When the difference between a good and bad trade is measured in milliseconds, day traders can’t afford to take a chance.
It’s important to note that scanners and screeners are really only the starting point for a professional investing or trading strategy.
Screeners in particular will only identify potential targets for you to invest in based on the criteria you set. If you set the wrong criteria then you’ll get a list of poor targets—Garbage in Garbage Out (GIGO)!
Professional traders will take the results that they get from a scanner and use that as a jumping-off point to understand whether it is worth investing or not.
Depending upon the type of trader they are, they will look at the fundamentals of a company, including things like a ratio analysis and news research, or perhaps will chart the stock movement over a period of time and then make their move.
It is important to remember that an app really should be seen as one weapon in the armoury for professional traders and only by building up a rounded picture of a stock can you make successful trades.
If you are thinking about using a scanner or screener, then what should you look out for?
Here’s a selection of attributes that are important when looking at this type of tech.
The best advice here is to make sure you take a trial (most apps offer free or low-priced trial periods) and really test all aspects of the software to make sure it does what you want, how you want it to.
If you have been running your investment or day trading strategy manually until now then maybe it is time to take the leap.
Using tech to take the strain off of you will give you better access to more suitable targets faster than your peers, which will really ramp up your trading.
SimpleNexus – a homeownership platform for loan officers, borrowers, real estate agents and settlement service providers – has tapped former Simplifile executive Richard Jackman (pictured) as its vice president of marketing. With more than 20 years of marketing leadership experience, Jackman will be in charge of overseeing the company’s strategic marketing plan as well as … [Read more…]
When your home is a fixer-upper, it can be difficult to even know where to start with a renovation. The list can be overwhelming—fix the patio, change out the mustard yellow carpet, buy furniture, paint the house. With a never-ending to-do list, planning a budget can seem virtually impossible.
By sorting through your list of wants and needs and focusing on essentials, you can outline a budget that won’t keep you up at night. Here are some tips on how to plan a budget for turning your fixer-upper into your first dream home.
Where do you even start with a renovation budget? With a limited fixer-upper budget, it’s essential to make functionality the first priority. When the roof is leaking and your fridge is dead, this is where the budget begins. First, determine what infrastructure items require repair or an essential upgrade, as these are typically big-ticket items. Next, focus on beautifying projects that will reap benefits in the long run, like bathrooms and kitchens. Hold off on budgeting fancy appliance upgrades and expensive decor if you already have working items—these can come at a later time after you take care of all the essentials.
Give your budget more flexibility by going for used over new with certain big-ticket items. Used appliances, for instance, can be found in great condition from other remodels or homeowners upgrading to the latest technology. Used furniture is also a fantastic way to keep your fixer-upper budget low. Don’t forget—sofas, vintage chairs, tables and more can be easily reupholstered and refinished. They’ll look brand new for just a fraction of the cost.
As a first-time buyer, there’s a 99 percent chance you’ll be diving into the realm of DIY. Learning one or many DIY skills will not only come in handy with home repairs in the future, but it’s a fantastic way to keep labor costs low. If you’re worried your DIY supply budget will get out of hand, however, shop with a gift card to your local hardware store. That way, you’ll always be working with a fixed amount of money and won’t be tempted to add on any expensive extras. It’s a guaranteed way to keep your budget in check.
Fixer-uppers are great hands-on projects, and creative solutions are key for keeping your budget in line. For items like cabinetry that may be in good condition but out of style, get creative with refinishes to bring new life into your space. Give your kitchen a fresh take by painting cabinets in a modern shade, or reface them for a whole new look without the added cost of all-new cabinetry. Replace hardware on cabinetry, furniture and built-ins to make your pieces feel brand new. Even outdated fireplaces, doors, furniture and windows can go a long way with a fresh coat of paint and new hardware. Consider this cheap alternative to help save room in your budget for the fun stuff.
Whether you’re starting with the kitchen or diving into a full-scale remodel, don’t be afraid to seek professional help. No matter what your budget, a professional’s advice can help ensure that your renovation has as few hiccups as possible. City codes, minute details and hidden elements can wreak havoc on projects, so let a master guide you through those hurdles instead of trying to blindly tackle them yourself. Don’t let the potential price tag deter you from investing in having expert guidance—many architects and designers have options for paying an hourly rate. This is a great option, especially for fixer-upper and DIY projects, as it allows your plans to be looked over by professionals without the price tag of a full design scope.
Living in a smart house used to be an idea that was only in sci-fi movies. Find out how to start upgrading your home with the latest smart home tech- from security, kitchen tasks, to building a house.
The post Smart Living: The Latest Smart Home Tech to Add to Your Home appeared first on Redfin | Real Estate Tips for Home Buying, Selling & More.
A testimony from Abby from Winstead Wandering Iâve been blogging off and on since May of 2011. And in January of 2015, I decided to finally start the new blog Iâd been brainstorming for months. I had just suffered a miscarriage and I needed something to take me out of my own head. I knew,… Read More