Inspection Tips and Tools For Commercial Investment Property

When you inspect a commercial, retail or industrial property, it is the physical aspects of the property that should be well explored and documented. These matters below are some of the key issues for you to review before you complete the property listing or promotion.Tenant compliance to physical building use: The tenants to a building may be obliged to undertake compliance to the way in which they use the building. Such matters will be detailed in the lease. You should read the leases in this regard to identify these things.

Antennas and aerials: Some buildings feature communication antennas and aerials. In the first instance these should have been approved by the landlord and in some circumstances the local planning authority. The antenna or aerial installation will have been made on the approved structures with supporting plans and documentation together also with access restrictions and risk signage to prevent people in the area being exposed to radio frequency radiation. You need to know that these things have been correctly handled.

Asbestos: It is common knowledge that asbestos is a hazardous building material that still exists in buildings constructed prior to 1990. From that time onwards, it was largely avoided and prohibited as a construction material in most buildings. Originally it was used as an insulation material in areas including electrical switchboards and also on the beams and columns of the building structure as a fire resistant material. It is therefore quite possible that you will sell or lease a building in which asbestos is still located. In your town or city there will be legislation rules and regulations that apply to the existence of asbestos. It is necessary that you get information from the building owner regards compliance to Legislation in this regard.

Asset replacement value: With commercial real estate properties, it is common for regular valuations to be undertaken by the building owner for insurance purposes regards asset replacement. This type of valuation would be applicable in the event of a fire or building disaster. You can also get building replacement values from information sheets provided by local quantity surveyors. You can usually obtain these from the internet. Importantly the construction costs and replacement value need to be applicable to your location given the costs of sourcing the construction materials and the labour.

Building Code Compliance: When buildings are first constructed they are done so to the current building code. As time progresses the building code changes and it is sometimes necessary for existing buildings to be upgraded to current code. A good example of this is the need for disabled access to buildings and internal disabled facilities. When you inspect and list a building you should identify if any such notices under the building code currently exist. A note of caution here; when a building is put through a major refurbishment, the planning authority may regard the refurbishment activity as a trigger for a code compliance upgrade. This can be a large cost. A quantity surveyor is the best person to consult on costs of this nature.

Floor and site surveys: When working with investment properties it is the internal lettable space that is of prime importance to the generation of rental and occupancy. All the leases for the tenants will be linked to the survey plans and the net lettable area therein. For this reason you should ask to see the survey plans for the building and the lettable space. You need to know that they are accurate and up to date at the time of sale or lease. Part of this process is to inspect the property with the plans so that you can identify any discrepancies. In all cases of error or concern with the plans you should get a building surveyor to give assistance and guidance.

As Built Drawings: Every building has a set of plans that were approved for the building to be constructed. They are a great source of information and cover, structural, hydraulic, electrical, mechanical, and lighting layouts. They are an excellent source of information on which you can base your leasing strategies.

Building approvals and permits: Does the building still comply with the original building permit issued by the building authority? Most particularly does the use of the property still comply with the approval as granted? It pays to get a copy of the current building approval when possible because a wise purchaser or tenant will want to see it.

BMU: This stands for the ‘building maintenance unit’ and is likely to exist in multi level buildings. The BMU is the device that hangs over the side of the building to clean the exterior and the windows at different times of the year. Importantly the BMU has to be safety compliant and also approved for use. When you know that the building has a BMU, it is wise to ask about its use and approvals.

Certificates of Occupancy: When a building is first constructed it is inspected and certified for occupancy. The certificate of occupancy is granted by the local building approval authority. From that point onward the occupancy of the building must comply with the approval guidelines. It is possible that the certificate of occupancy can be withdrawn at any time if the building is deemed unsafe or has been damaged. It is therefore something that you would question if doubts about the building exist. In such circumstances get a copy of the certificate of occupancy.

Development Approval: When property development is a consideration on the property, seek copy of any existing development approvals. They will stipulate the type of development that has been approved, the elements needed to comply with the approval, and the time line. Properties with existing development approvals may be attractive to purchasers that want to undertake new construction and property developments. You will also need to know if the development approval is transferable with the property to a new owner.

Disability and Discrimination Notices: Whilst the commercial property is simply a building constructed at a certain point in time, it is possible that it does not now comply with the current disability access codes and access provisions for buildings of that type. You need to know if any orders have been applied to the building by the building authority for compliance to new disability codes. If any orders exist, it is likely that they will have to be discharged prior to any building sale or lease.

Electrical Services: All electrical services in the commercial property must comply with current standards of electrical installation and maintenance. In such circumstances a contractor will normally be undertaking inspections and maintaining a log book for this purpose. If in doubt (and particularly with older buildings), call in an engineer to advise. Thermal scanning of switchboards in older buildings is a good practical processs to identify if matters of breakdown and heat could exist.

Electromagnetic Radiation (EMR): In some properties EMR can be generated from plant and machinery (such as the power feed for lifts or mobile antennas on the roof of the building). This then becomes a safety issue for people on site and also will be notable in the poor or erratic performance of sensitive electrical devices such as computers. When this problem is noted it is necessary to involve engineers to advise you. It is also common for barriers to be installed in the area that is involved in EMR.

Environmental Risks: In most locations there will be a register of contaminated sites and properties that do not comply with the environmental guidelines. Ask about this when looking at new properties. The most common issues in this regard are tanks in the basement that were used to store heating oil or diesel. They may be now redundant but they are regarded as an environmental risk and will need to be remediated.

Essential Services Certification and Compliance: All buildings need to be compliant with fire safety regulations. This can include, sprinklers, smoke detectors, smoke dampers, exit routes and signage, evacuation plans, fire hoses and hydrants, and the list goes on. Importantly all of these essential services systems in a building are regularly checked for compliance by qualified tradespeople. The results of the regular tests are maintained in log books on site. It is wise to question the compliance and checking process. It is something that can hold up sale and settlement.

Facade and Cladding: Given the large nature of commercial buildings, it is common for the exterior of the property to sometimes leak or fail. Deterioration is also an issue in the older properties. Whilst you can do your own visual inspections you are not an expert in building construction, and therefore it is sometimes necessary to call in an engineer to give qualified comment and guidance. The integrity of the building fabric will be of concern to the purchaser. In the case of older rendered buildings it is common for rainwater to penetrate cracks in the facade or walls, and cause the render or the concrete to fall away. This process is called ‘spalling’ and if noted will require engineer comment. It is regarded as a risk to the public and people on the grounds that are accessing the property.

Fire protection systems and compliance: Many buyers of a property will want to ensure that the property does comply with safety codes for building occupancy. Part of that will be formalised and operational systems such as building evacuation plans. It pays to ask the seller of a property as to their establishment of the evacuation plans and who is controlling the regular tenant drills and practices. This is highly important in a building with multiple occupants. In such circumstances the landlord is responsible for establishment of the plan and its integration to the tenant’s occupation. The lease for each tenant will also refer to their involvement with the fire safety systems and evacuation processes.

Geo Technical Surveys: This will be more relevant with land and development sites given that the property and building is still to be established or redeveloped. Has the property had such surveys undertaken? If so what is the status of the survey and the report? If a property is located in an area that appears unstable or if it is on sloping or rocky land, the report will be important to the future of the property. The geo technical report can help with the understanding of construction costs and strategies.

Historic site listing: If the building or the property is listed on a register of historic sites then you need to know what this means to the future of the property. Restrictions and limitations can be imposed on future property changes because of the heritage listing. This will add to the development costs and approval processes. If in doubt consult with the local planning approvals authority. If you have a property that is so affected or listed, then you will need an expert such as an architect to assist with the future considerations and costs for the property.

Hydraulic services: This is the plumbing and drainage systems for the property. You can ask for the ‘as built drawings’ of the property as part of your inspection process to understand how these systems integrate into the building and service the tenants. Usually the hydraulic systems will be centred on the core of the building. If a tenant wants to connect tea rooms and kitchens to the system then it is an engineering issue and needs the landlords approval to the process.

Indoor air quality: For some older buildings this can be a concern for occupancy. Properties located adjacent to major traffic corridors will also be high on the list when it comes to air quality concerns. Today tenants are very aware of the ‘sick building’ syndrome and its impact on the workforce both physically and legally. Reports can be obtained from the air conditioning contractor to assist with this problem, and if greater concerns are identified then engineers can be sourced.

Lead paint risk: Older buildings may contain surfaces that are coated in lead based paint. This has been proven to be a health concern in occupancy and will deter tenants. When in doubt see expert opinion from an engineer.

Legionella health risk and safety compliance: Building owners must comply with the local health regulations regards the health and function of the air conditioning system. Most particularly the issue of legionella is of more concern when there is a ‘cooling tower’ that functions in the air conditioning system. It is the ‘cooling tower’ that can become infected with the bacteria and then spread the infection through the building. Larger buildings will commonly contain ‘cooling towers’ as that is the accepted way to achieve economical function of the air conditioning system. The air conditioning consultant that maintains the air conditioning system for the building owner should have this health risk in check. If in doubt ask the questions. When a property owner self manages a building it is possible that they will either not have the knowledge to do so correctly, or they will cut corners as they do not want to spend money. This is a trigger to ask questions in the property sale.

Plant Life cycle: In older buildings the economical and functional life cycle of the plant in the building will become an issue. It can be a costly concern for the building to operate into the future. Buyers will need to assess the stability and function of the plant in the building. It pays to get an engineer’s report of the existing plant and machinery before you go to sale when transacting older buildings.

Maintenance contracts: Every property will have a selection of maintenance contracts and systems underway. Some of these will pass through settlement to the new property owner as the item under contract involves the amortisation of costly machinery and repairs. A good example here is the lift maintenance contract in the building. Cleaning contracts are also large expense contracts in major properties. As part of the property listing process it pays to understand the contracts that could fall into this category of ongoing cost to the buyer. If they do exist, then get a copy of the contract(s) and review it (them) for details and impact on the sale.

Mechanical services risks: The larger the property, the larger the risks when it comes to the mechanical services function and compliance to current operational codes. In the sale of larger properties it is likely that you will need an engineer’s report on the mechanical services before you move towards sale. The engineers know what compliance issues exist and how they should be assessed. Have the report available to provide to serious and qualified buyers if they ask any pertinent questions.

Nickel Sulphide Inclusion: If you are selling buildings with a lot of exterior glass it is possible that you will have heard of this problem or seen something about it elsewhere. Most particularly nickel sulphide (NS) is an impurity of the glass manufacturing process. NS when it exists in glass it will likely cause the glass to break within 5 years or so of manufacture and this is particularly the case if the glass is on the exterior of the building where it is under the stresses of daily heat and cooling. Given that architects like to use extensive glass on the outside of buildings, the problem of NS breakage is common. If the building is multi storey then you can have a risk event to members of the public that pass the building at street level. If you sell a building with a history of NS then you will need an expert to get involved in a detailed property report on the glass involved and installed in the building.

Noise emissions and risks: When working with any commercial property, the problem of noise emissions should be considered. Noise can emanate from the subject property or even neighbouring properties can also create the problem. This will obviously affect the ability to let the property and may create legal action or controversy whilst the property is occupied. Should the tenants in the property be the source of the noise then have the lease document create controls on the tenant in that regard. If you are selling a property with noisy tenants then you should review the lease documentation for similar protection to the purchaser or property owner. Industrial properties are most particularly the properties of concern in this category.

Occupational health and safety: The local building code will require compliance to occupational health and safety rules and regulations. It is appropriate to ask the building owner to identify any matters of noncompliance or irregularity. If in doubt seek the assistance of a building engineer or property inspector that is familiar with the health and safety codes in the building type that you are handling.

Machinery risk and unsafe workspaces: This is normally the concern of the tenants that occupy the premises given the way they install and use the machinery on the property as part of their business operations. There are however situations where the landlord may also have responsibility and this regard. This can be in areas which create risk or injury to people. It may be enclosed spaces where people can enter and be accidentally locked away then unable to escape. It can also be areas of danger such as radio frequency exposure from antennas on the roof of the building.

Ozone depleting substances: This will be in the form of gases that damage the environment. Older air conditioning plant can be affected by the problem. Building owners should have the plant maintained within current plant and machinery codes to control the threat. A report from an engineer will assist here.

Polychlorinated biphenyls: PCB’s are a group of manufactured organic chemicals that contain chlorinated chemicals (known as congeners). Concentrated PCBs are either oily liquids or solids and are colourless to light yellow in colour. They have no known smell or taste. There are no known natural sources of PCBs. PCB’s are residual contaminants from industrial processes and remain in the soil and on the property for many years unless correctly remediated. Given that industrial property was usually the source or storage of PCB’s, it still remains a problem today for real estate agents and brokers as they sell older properties. PCBs were originally used extensively in industry as they are a good insulating material. They have been used widely as coolants and lubricants in transformers, capacitors, and other electrical equipment. The manufacture of PCBs stopped generally around 1977 because of evidence that they build up in the environment and cause harmful health effects. Products containing PCBs are old fluorescent lighting fixtures, electrical appliances containing PCB capacitors, old microscope oil, and hydraulic fluids. During the time that PCBs were manufactured, there were often no effective controls on disposal.

Plant and equipment lists: When selling a commercial property, it is necessary to itemise the plant and the equipment across the property. This would normally be done in conjunction with the building engineer suitably skilled in the process. If your property is complex and large, it is a wise move to get this list creation process underway early.

Registration of plant and equipment: Some plant and equipment within the building is required to be registered with the local authorities. This is generally because that plant and equipment is regarded as a threat to the environment or to the public at large. The most common listings of plant and equipment are storage devices. The authorities like to know what is being stored on the property and where the storage devices are located. It can also be the case that the storage devices are suitably certified and registered the each year for compliance to matters of structural integrity. If any plant and machinery is certified in this regard, you should seek a copy of the latest certificates of registration.

Boundary survey: If the boundary of the property shows irregularity or is not clearly defined, then it is appropriate to get a surveyor to peg the boundary points and provide a plan of the site. Real estate agents and brokers should not give any guarantees as to the locations of the boundary of the property. If the buyer requires this information, then get a surveyor involved for the buyer’s satisfaction.

Standby generator: In larger buildings it is common for standby generators to support essential power circuits in the building. This does not mean that full power is supported to the tenants in the event of a power outage. If the building has a standby generator, it is appropriate to ask for clarity on what circuits of energy are supported by the generator. This information should be supplied to tenants in the building and any purchasers of the property. It is likely that the leases for tenants will make reference to the standby generator and the way it operates. If the building operates the standby generator to support 100% building demand by then it is usually tested annually in this regard. Certificates of compliance can be sourced. In large shopping centres it is common for standby generators to supply 100% power for a period of time (usually 30 minutes) in the event of a power outage. This allows the tenants to safely shut down their business and the occupants of the building to be correctly evacuated at the time of the major power outage.

Flooding risks and storm water: The local environment can present flooding risks. This can be identified from the location of local creeks and rivers, the coastline, and the levels and slope of land across the property. When in doubt, seek the assistance of property surveyors to clarify the risk of flooding locally and to the property. If the risk of flooding does exist and is known to all parties, it is necessary to apply restraints on occupancy so that the environment and the property are not damaged. These restraints will be reflected in the leases for the property. In such a situation, you will need to review the leases prior to any sale.

Structural risks: Every constructed property has the potential for structural risks. The older the property, the more likely this is to occur. The exterior facades of buildings are a common culprit here. The purchaser of a building will not want to assume or acquire structural risks, for this reason you will need to get engineers’ reports prior to moving to sale if issues are known or have been experienced on the property. It may also be necessary for the landlord to remediate the structural risk prior to marketing a property.

Synthetic mineral fibre: Most particularly this will be the installation or existence of Fibreglass and similar manmade fibres. Whilst this may not necessarily be a risk to the occupants of the building, it should be understood and documented by engineers to the building.

Trade waste: The tenants to the property may very well produce hazardous trade waste as part of their business. If this is the case, you will need to identify the controls and processes that the tenant uses to comply with property usage. Certification and regulation regards the hazardous trade waste will be an ongoing matter to which the tenant must comply. It is likely that the leases to the property will impose restrictions and obligations on the tenant in this regard. When in doubt, read the leases to check what is required of the tenant.

Traffic management: The property could be located on a major or minor road which has restrictions regards traffic access. This can apply to both the time of access and the points of access. If the tenant or the owner of the property requires extensive deliveries, this can be an issue. When in doubt, consult the local planning authority and highways commission for details of access rules and regulations. Also enquire as to the impact of any rights of way and easements which may apply to the subject property.

Underground storage tanks: Whilst we have mentioned this elsewhere, the existence of underground storage tanks is regarded as a hazard to the environment. These tanks are usually certified and regularly inspected. Awareness and disclosure of the tanks existence is imperative.

Vertical transport compliance: In multilevel buildings, vertical transport will be achieved through mechanical lifts or escalators. These mechanical services are regulated as to safety and operation. Annual certification and regular contractor maintenance will ensure compliance. Reference to the contractor involved will allow you to cover this issue and ensure compliance prior to sale.

Building warranties: When a building is newly constructed, or plant and machinery is newly installed, or tenant fitout is newly installed, the works involved will usually have an existing warranty for a period of time. If these warranties exist, they should transfer to the new owner of the building at the time of sale. Your job is to enquire as to the existence of any warranties as you move towards sale.

Zoning of the property and itcompliance: The property will be located in a zone detailed in the local development plans. Importantly, the property and its usage must comply with the zoning. If the property is a non-conforming or illegal usage to the existing zoning, then this should be detailed, advised, and acknowledged by all parties. As to how the contract is designed for such a sale, is up to the solicitors for both parties. In most circumstances of this type, special conditions are constructed which explain the intentions of the parties involved.

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What Food Concession Business is Right For You? A Stationary Food Stand Or a Temporary Food Booth?

Many people starting out in the food concession business are unaware of the variety of business opportunities that are available to them. They have a vague notion there is money to be made, but cannot picture exactly how. The business becomes a little clearer knowing most concession businesses fall into one of two categories; stationary and temporary.A stationary food stand is essentially a conventional “storefront” operating full-time from a single location. Storefront carts, drive through coffee trailers, indoor food kiosks, and street side food stands-to name only a few-are all considered stationary food stands. A temporary food booth, on the other hand, sells food at a different location on a daily or weekly basis. These concessionaires set up their booths at a variety of temporary events, such as fairs, festivals, sporting events, auctions, concerts, open-air markets, and special-interest events-nearly any place a large group of people is temporarily gathered. A stationary food stand, like any business, stays in one location and waits for customers to come to it, whereas a temporary food booth takes its business to the customers. It is this mobility, or lack of mobility, that makes them very different. In order to better understand the unique nature of the concession business, and to imagine the variety of opportunities the business has to offer, it is helpful to explore the differences between the two.Do not let my biases influence you. Although some people may hate certain aspects of a stationary food stand or a temporary booth, others may find these same characteristics are just what they seek in their businesses.Stationary Food Stand Pros:
Stability– The daily and weekly routine of opening, closing, and shopping for supplies.
A full-time schedule– Working five, six, or seven days a week, year around, expands sales and creates a steady market base.
Menu flexibility– A food stand can more easily experiment with a variety of unique menus, and be successful by developing their niche.
Familiarity– Getting to know your steady customers can be very rewarding.
Operational ease– Once the business is started, the daily operations are not difficult.
Stationary Food Stand Cons:
Stability–The daily and weekly routine of opening, closing, and shopping for supplies can make you feel like a slave to your business.
Managerial restraint–Lease contract obligations can restrict independent decision making.
Time investment–Running a business full-time requires a tremendous investment of time.
Commitment–The hours of operation must remain consistent or sales will suffer. Your customers depend on you to be open during your regular hours making it difficult to take personal time away from your business.
Bureaucracy– The visibility of a stationary food stand requires a willingness to abide by all the governmental rules and red tape. Licensing requirements can be very involved.
Large initial investment– It takes a relatively large amount of capital to start up any stationary food stand, no matter how small.
Vulnerability– Uncontrollable and unforeseen events can greatly impact and jeopardize your investment. Lease conflicts, road construction, and unforeseen competition are just a few of the many uncontrollable hazards that can ruin a business. If a location does not work well for you, it can be difficult to pick up and move your business to a new location.
Business location is a key component of a temporary concession as well. The difference is that whereas a stationary food stand has the same location week after week, with sales remaining somewhat constant over time, a temporary concession has a new location on a weekly basis, for good or bad. And, a temporary concession’s sales will vary widely as the quality of the event, and location within each event changes from week to week. For example; during one three-day event a temporary food booth’s sales might compare to those of a stationary food stand that is open for business for an entire month. However, the same temporary food booth may have minimal sales, or suffer a loss the following week at a different event. Additionally, while many stationary food stands are open for business year round, most temporary food booths are only open for business on the days of their scheduled events during the event season. Here follows a list of additional characteristics of temporary concessions for you to consider.Temporary Concession Pros:
The possibility–of making a relatively large amount of money in a short period of time.
Independence– Complete control over the management of your business.
Limited time investment–Most temporary concessions operate seasonally, enabling owners to spend time doing other things during the off-season.
Diluted risk– If for any reason an event bombs the next week provides a new event with new possibilities.
Variety–Every event is different.
Autonomy– The concession business is a cash business, has minimal licensing requirements, and is relatively unregulated.
Family– Families who operate their concession together share the workload and spend time together. Young people gain confidence by learning a work ethic, responsibility, cash handling, and public relations skills. This could be the perfect family business.
Fun– What could be better than earning a living in a relaxed environment where people are there to have fun?
Temporary Concession Cons:
Sale time limitations– Annual earnings potential is condensed into a very short season of opportunity. What is worse, each event has a limited period of optimal selling time.
Risk– Breakdowns, poor weather, poor health, low event turnout, faulty event organization, and employee no-shows are just some of the many things that can prevent an event from producing the way it should. This risk is magnified by the limited sale opportunities of the season.
Uncertain income–High risk and event variability make it nearly impossible to calculate future income.
Lack of control–Certain factors that greatly affect sales are uncontrollable. Most notable are weather, economy, and decisions made by the event coordinator, such as space location, duplication of menus, over abundance of competition, and poor planning.
Physical demands– Stocking up, traveling to and from events, setting up, conducting business, and tearing down are physically and mentally stressful. Doing these tasks repeatedly over the course of the season can be mentally and physically exhausting.
Stigma–Generally, most people do not consider concessionaires to be legitimate small business owners, but rather a cross between a “carny” (carnival worker) and a hobbyist.
It is simple for concessionaires, both stationary and temporary, to diversify their operation. If one type of concession business does not suite you it is not hard to find a different venue for your business. And, in addition to selling at fairs and festivals, or from a stationary site, some concessionaires pad their bank account with small or sporadic opportunities such as selling or catering to grand openings, company picnics, ball parks, or at school or church carnivals.Because people like to eat there are customers everywhere. And, they like food that tastes good. Further, people are busy and often do not have time to sit down in a restaurant. Often people get tired of conventional fast food. And, people frequently want food that is good for them.There are about 500 million people in this country, most of who eat two or more times each day. Many of those meals are eaten while away from home. Indeed, the food concession business is filling an important niche in the food service industry.

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How to Sell a Business Online

When you want to sell your business, one of the most convenient ways to do it is over the Internet. But, this can also present problems in itself. You could be bombarded with a bunch of different offers in a short amount of time. Here is how you can sell a business online and make sure that you get the best experience out of it that you possibly can.When you sell a business online, the market is huge. Your first step is putting up ads to draw attention to your business. You can find great sites where you can post these different ads to draw bids for your business. These ads will usually come at a very affordable price on most sites.You may get a lot of different offers for your business that are all over the ballpark. And you also may get a lot of fake offers for your business. This is because of the sheer volume of traffic on the Internet. This can sometimes stress a person out just a little bit when they get offers like that all in a short amount of time. But, don’t be deterred by this.Sort through the offers that you get with a lot of logic. This is the best way to sell a business online. You already know what your business is worth and you know what you would like to get for it. Eliminate any offers that stand out among the others as being incredibly high or low. Also, eliminate any offers that you get that will cause you to lose money in the process. Those won’t do you any good.You will probably be left with a bunch of offers. The next step is to communicate with those that have made the offers. This will give you an idea of who is interested in your business. You can eliminate a few just for sheer lack of communication. You need to make sure that the people that you consider as buyers for your business, no matter how big your business is, are genuinely interested in buying your business.You can also get some people to up their offers if you hint that there are competing offers. Competition will always cause people to step up the game a little bit if they are really interested in your business. You can make the best decision financially for you from what you learn through the communication with the various possible buyers. Always, when you are in doubt, go with your gut. Go with the person that you believe is most interested and will pay you the quickest out of all of them.When you sell a business online, you have your work cut out for you even though you will get much more interest. But, you can successfully do it if you follow the methods discussed in this article to have the best possible results from your attempt to sell a business online. You will get them if you proceed carefully.

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7 Common Reasons for Personal Loan Rejection

Personal Loans are called unsecured loans because you don’t have to provide any collateral or security against the loan. Because of that reason, the lenders go through every Personal Loan application with a fine tooth comb. If even a single factor does not match their eligibility criteria, they reject the application. The banks would not want to risk their money unless they find everything 100% perfect.
So if your application was rejected, it is most probably because of any one of these seven common reasons:1. Your Credit ScoreHave you been paying your EMIs and credit card bills on time? If there is any chance that you have defaulted on your payment bill payments, your credit score can be poor. Low credit score does not look good on your financial profile. When your track record has negative markings, the banks know that there are chances of you defaulting in future too. Thus, the banks get a strong reason to reject your loan application.
Your Personal Loan application can be turned down even if you don’t own any financial products like a loan or a credit card. It means you have a thin credit history which makes lenders hesitant about sanctioning your loan.2. High DebtsYour debt to income ratio matters a lot to the lenders. If you have too many loans going on and almost 40% to 50% of your income goes into repayments, then the banks may not like to offer yet another loan to you. Too many loans will make them wonder whether you will be able to pay them back or not. At some point, your income will become insufficient, and you will default. So it is smarter to finish a loan or two before you apply for yet another loan.3. Unstable EmploymentIf you have been changing your jobs every six months, then your loan application is most likely to end up in the rejection pile. The lenders need to know that you have a stable job and have a regular income which guarantees the repayment of the loan. But if you have been changing jobs frequently, they cannot trust your stability. Nowadays, most banks have criteria where you need to be in the same job for at least one year. Any individuals who do not meet this requirement get a rejection letter for their loan application.4. Your Total IncomeIf what you earn is not enough to pay the EMIs, then the lenders may decide against giving you a Personal Loan. You need to check their eligibility criteria properly and evaluate yourself before applying. Most banks have a minimum income requirement which you have to fulfil. Your income cannot be lesser or equal to your EMI.5. Incorrect Details in ApplicationSometimes everything can be fine, and your application can still be rejected. The reason could be as simple as wrong information, a missing document or a discrepancy with the proof you have submitted. So make sure that while you are filling out the application, you make no mistake. Double-check every information and all the proofs you submit to the bank.
You should also check your credit report for errors. You may not be doing anything wrong, but sometimes incidents like identity theft or wrong entries can bring down your credit score.6. Too Many RejectionsDid you know every loan application that you make gets recorded with the credit bureau? So each time your loan application has been rejected, it shows up in your credit record and brings down the score. Applying too many times also reflects badly in your credit report.7. Right Age and Work ExperienceMany banks have strict rules regarding the age of the loan applicant and the number of years of employment. Mostly you need to have a total work experience of at least two years before you can apply for a Personal Loan. Similarly, you have to be at least 21 years old to be eligible for the loan. The maximum age is the retirement age from work or 65 years.Summing UpThere is no guarantee that your loan application will be approved. These above-given mistakes are the most common ones, and you need to do your best to avoid them. If you are planning on applying for a Personal Loan, then keep your credit history clean and provide correct information. Still, it is up to the vendor’s eligibility criteria whether you get the loan or not. All you can do is follow these simple must-dos.

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Securing Auto Loans With Bad Credit Is As Easy As 1-2-3

Even in times of financial hardship, there is no reason to think that a new car cannot be purchased. True, a Ferrari might no longer be within the realms of reasonable expectations, but if your existing vehicle is a little worse for wear, and transport is essential for your work, then splashing out is necessary. It is good to know, then, that auto loans with bad credit are not difficult to get at all.Understandably, many people are convinced that low credit scores make applying for auto loans a waste of time. But lenders have special auto loans with poor credit available to suit the needs of those who might otherwise be rejected because of their credit history. While the terms may not be perfect, from the right lender they can be competitive, and provide the opportunity to get the new car that is needed.Of course, an excellent credit history places an applicant in a stronger position, but it is not that difficult to get auto loans approved despite poor credit if some simple steps are taken ahead of making the application.Know What Is AffordableThe first step to putting together a successful application is to work out what is affordable. Looking for an unnecessarily large auto loan with poor credit will probably end in failure. So, put together a budget that does not add much pressure to your financial situation, then check out the range of automobiles that fall within it.Of course, lenders may have a different idea of what is affordable, which is why it is important to know what your credit rating is. By finding out your score, it is possible to spot the weaknesses in your loan application, and strengthen it accordingly. Personal credit reports are available online, though some may charge a fee.The essential factor to consider when seeking to get auto loans approved despite bad credit is that the loan repayments must be affordable. As long as that is proven, the chances of approval are high.Save a Down PaymentThe second step to take is make sure a down payments is available to secure the vehicle you choose. Many mistakenly believe that this has no bearing on applying for a car loan with bad credit, but in fact it does. As far as the lender is concerned, anyone who can save several thousand dollars to use as a down payment has exercised the type of financial discipline they like to see.With this in mind, saving the largest down payment possible is important. This also means that the size of the loan is made smaller. A car costing $20,000, with a down payment of $3,000 means a loan of $17,000 is required – a down payment of $5,000 lowers the loan to $15,000.Of course, this has added benefits for the applicant too, making the monthly repayments smaller. This, in turn, makes it easier to get the auto loan approved despite bad credit, because the transaction becomes more affordable.Find the Best TermsLastly, spend time looking for the best loan terms. There is nothing wrong with visiting banks and credit unions for auto loans with bad credit, but the chances of getting good interest rates, for example, are quite low.The fact is that the auto loans with bad credit available from online lenders offer more competitive rates, and through the comparison sites that are so common, the best deal can be found quickly.And, it is generally easier to get auto loans approved despite bad credit with online lenders because of the niche market they serve. Your best bet, therefore, in securing that car loan with bad credit is on the internet.

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Keep These 5 Rules in Mind for Successful Commercial Designing

Who doesn’t want an excellent commercial design? Excellent commercial design is important to maintain the reputation and brand image of the company. As it is said, the first impression is the last impression, a good impression always attracts potential customers. It’s obvious no one would ever love to walk in a congested environment with bad lighting.

Bad design and interiors deteriorate the productivity of the employees. It can be a confusing task when planning a commercial designing project for the first time, hiring expert Commercial Architects Melbourne can be the best option to know about the latest trends and perfect matching designs.

This blog is about some basic rules to consider for making the commercial project successful.
Keep structures versatile

When it comes to transforming any commercial space, focusing on convertibility and keeping office interior decor versatile can be the best option. It can be done by implementing a versatile structure to spaces such as cafeterias, offices, and many more. Everyone gives preference to comfort hence, focusing on spatial and versatile design will help to complete commercial designing projects in an optimal way.

Consider the latest technology implementations

Technology plays a supportive role to enhance the commercial designing project. Moving forward with the latest technology is important to execute any business smoothly because technologies make the work much easier and comfortable for the employee as well as organizations. Implementing centralized and decentralized digital control is much needed in any commercial design.

Keep office aesthetics updated

Good aesthetics and interiors impact the overall representation of the office and make the place functional and attractive. Hire a reputed designer for modern décor and furniture ideas. Hiring a designer reduces half of the project stress and helps to meet the contemporary fashion and latest trends. They can help to choose the perfect theme that blends well with the office decor, atmosphere, and colour.

Provide personalized space to prevent congestion

Majority of customer prefers personalized space such as different seating to seat comfortably and do the personal work. Personalized space is one of the crucial factors for customer-based service offices such as hotels and cafeterias to provide an ambient and comfortable place.

Always keep safety first

Safety is the central feature of every construction and designing project. Hence, it’s the high-priority factor to keep the aesthetic and functional safety at the working place. It can be compromised for interior decoration and design purposes but it’s not at all affordable to compromise for safety purposes.

Following the above useful ideas can easily help in the successful completion of a commercial designing project in a safe and pleasing way. In today’s, modern construction, reliability, and comfort is also an equally important factor.

Final words,

It’s important to hire the experienced Building designer Melbourne to make the commercial designing project worthy. Hope the above rules helped you to scale up your interior designing projects with a better outcome. Follow the above tips for any renovation or remodelling project and surely you will get award-winning and achieve a better office experience.

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How Long Should A Laptop Battery Last And How To Increase the Battery Life

No matter how expensive your laptop is, its battery won’t last more than four years. According to experts, a new laptop battery gives you as many as 1,000 cycles. In other words, you can charge and recharge the battery up to 1000 times. However, many factors play their role to increase or decrease the lifespan of a laptop battery. For instance, the material used for producing the battery substance. So, if you want to ensure that your battery stands the test of time, given below are some of the tips that can help.

1. Install a good battery monitor

If you are looking for an alternative, you can choose from tons of third-party utilities. Basically, the software programs help you monitor your laptop battery. These programs have no compatibility issues with any type of laptop.

Using these tools, you can find out which programs are using most of the battery power. You can then close the unwanted programs to save battery power.

2. Install maintenance apps

You can use some manufacturer-recommended maintenance tools for maintaining your laptop battery. Based on the type of your battery, you will receive different suggestions. Apart from this, your operating system will come with a built-in utility that can help you keep an eye on your battery condition.

3. Maintain your device temperature

You should try your level best to ensure your laptop maintains its temperature. In summer, electronic devices tend to heat up, which negatively impacts the life of the battery packs.

Therefore, you should make sure that there is a little bit of space between the bottom of the device and the table you have placed your device on. Besides, the ventilation system of your device should be working properly. For this purpose, regular cleaning of your device is quite important.

4. Don’t use maximum brightness

When your screen brightness is at maximum level, your device will use the maximum power. So, turning down the brightness is the first thing you can do to save power. Also, it is not a good idea to keep the brightness at max level as it can have a negative impact on your eyesight.

So, by following these simple tips, it will be easier for you to extend the life of your laptop battery.

5. Change the power-saving settings

Before you do anything, go into the power options of your laptop. If you are using Windows operating system, you can go to the control panel to access the power options. The control panel can be accessed from the Start Menu.

Some users have MacOS. If you are one of them, you need to access Energy Saver, which is found in the System Preferences. If these values are set to default, your computer will use the least amount of power.

So, what you need to do is make small changes to the settings so that you achieve a balance between power and performance. For best performance, there is always the choice to connect your device to the AC outlet.

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The Best Ways I’ve Found To Make Money Online From Home

Have you been looking for a way to make money online without having to know much of the internet stuff? Wanting to work at home but don’t know how to do it? Here is the key gem: Between all the tricks on joining the craft beer movement, opening a gallery or being a tour operator, you will find clever advice that anybody can apply to make money online quickly.

The most basic way to make money online is through affiliate marketing. It is really easy. Basically you set up an ad for someone she is selling something and when they click through and buy it, you make money! Simple enough if you have no technical skill at all. Here are some simple tips on how to earn using affiliate marketing:

Drop-shipping is one of the most useful methods. You select a product in which you believe there is a demand and then drop-ship it to your customers in small quantities. You make money from the difference between what the stock costs and what you sell it for. For this method, it is important to note that you may need to make space for your inventory on your premises or perhaps wait until you have a build of an inventory before you can start drop-shipping; but the advantages make it a good choice for those seeking to make money online from their spare time.

Paid surveys are a great way to earn some extra cash. These can be accessed easily and there are many sites where you can get paid from spending your spare time. There is one site, though, which is said to pay $200 a week for twelve weeks straight – you can’t beat that kind of money making potential. With paid surveys, it is important to note that the sites are generally scams, and that you need to do some research to ensure you are making good money making opportunities.

Finally, a passive income generating method that can bring in money on autopilot is eToro’s Forex trading. This works by allowing you to invest on a demo account and earn money from the performance of the currencies being exchanged. The best thing about this system is that it allows you to do virtually anything and still see profits coming in. eToro has an average starting price of less than $50 and can generate an income of five figures in just a few months.

These are the best things I have found for making money online from your home. Though none of them are as good as, say, a paid-online course, they are much more affordable and can provide a valuable education to start earning money immediately online. With just a little research, you should be able to find a legitimate opportunity to get paid to learn the basics of making money in the currency markets. This is a truly remarkable opportunity.

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Finding the Best Business Idea For Your Home Based Business

How many home based business opportunities are available to you? If you want to make money online at home, you really have many options to choose from. The big question is – which one will give you the biggest chance of success? Is there a ‘one size fits all’ answer? The simple truth is that not every opportunity is right for everyone, and not every opportunity will bring you the greatest amount of profit.

So, what are some home business ideas that can make money online for you? The quick and dirty answer is: the one that best suits your particular set of needs. Make a list of your priorities, including a high income; a low-risk schedule; freedom; flexibility; work-life balance; independence; something in your range of skills and expertise; and interesting work that you have an interest in… You can take this list with you and talk to people who are working from home on the same things that you would be considering. Chances are that you will find some great niches that fit your standards and your desires.

But what if you want to get started right away? It’s easy to think that you can jump into a new business idea and be successful immediately, but this often isn’t the case. It takes many different things to make sure that you will be able to get through the hurdles and actually make it to a point where you are seeing profit. If you don’t work at it slowly, you will be setting yourself up for failure. Here’s the lowdown on some different things that you should consider as you create your own business idea:

First, you need to think about what you have to offer. If you don’t have any ideas as to what to do as a freelance writer, a lowdown on finding a niche is very important. Many beginners go into this completely clueless. But if you know that you have a skill that others are desperately seeking, you may be able to provide them with the service they are looking for without having to spend much time building up a website or getting traffic to it.

Another thing to consider is what kinds of products or services would best fit a niche that you would like to get started in. In this case, the lowdown on finding the best business idea for you would include taking a look at what you love to do and what you can offer others. If writing is not your strongest point, but you love to get creative, consider freelance data entry. Freelance data entry does not require a lot of startup capital, but you still need to have the skills that will allow you to be successful in this area. The best lowdown on finding the best business idea for you is to simply start looking at what you like to do and what you can offer others.

There are many other areas of freelance writing that you can explore in order to make the most out of your home based online business. Freelance writers are in high demand online. If you have the skills that are needed to do well in this field, there is no reason that you should not be able to find a great home-based online business that will give you the income that you want.

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Earn Money Writing From Home And Never Run Out of Ideas

Is it your dream to work from home as a writer and earn money from everything you write? That was my dream for years, and 20 years ago it became my reality.

One of the hardest things at first was to come up with ideas of what to write about. I started by doing freelance writing and I also set up my own website and I wanted to write and publish books. It was all a great plan, but it meant coming up with thousands of ideas.

At first I didn’t think it was possible, but it turned out that not only was it possible to come up with endless ideas for writing, but I ended up with notebooks full of ideas because I had more than I could ever use at once.

And I’ll tell you 3 things that helped.

1. I write fast. Once I’m into writing an addictive story or an interesting article – or series of articles, I get into a writing ‘flow’ and can write for hours. I never stop and second-guess myself. I just keep writing because fast writers are mega producers and never have time for writers’ block.

2. The more I write and the faster I write, the more writing ideas I have. Productive writers always get an abundance of ideas as they write. When I’m immersed in my writing, my creative mind goes into hyper-drive. Even if I started with only one or two ideas, once I sit down and start writing the ideas start flowing. And it doesn’t matter what I write. Even if I’m journaling or copying out someone else’s writing by hand (just for practice), it inspires ideas.

3. I love to write. Most days I’m excited and motivated to sit down and write. I hurry through other chores I have to do so that I can get to my desk and write.

At first, being a writer was hard because it’s not easy to work from home with no boss, no set hours and too many distractions. But once I got a writing routine, I found that once I sat my backside in my chair and started writing, it was easy to ignore everything and motivation arrived and kept me going.

So if you find yourself longing to write but stuck for ideas, just sit down and start writing. Write anything even if it’s just nursery rhymes you were taught as a kid, or open a book and start handwriting it out.

And if you’re like me you’ll find that even on days when you think you don’t feel like writing and the ideas just won’t come, sit down and write anyway, and before you know it you’ll be overloaded with ideas.

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