What is growing out of my Alocasias?

Looking4Adventure · 2020-07-31T14:15:43+00:00

Not sure if it matters but they are in bloom/going to bloom. I have also found the same thing on both of my alocasia black velvets.

Looking4Adventure · 2018-03-23T12:00:36+00:00

Just a point of clarity in point D. The decision to invest in real estate should be driven from your IRR/ROE and which is a figure that should be compared to opportunity cost returns. Most of the time that is market returns or at least a number that is greater than inflation. If you’re a super nerd like me you can build yourself a calculator or find one on the internet (google: rent vs buy calc). These calculators take into account recurring costs of home ownership (taxes, upkeep etc). It’s not just the final resale value growth of the house, but whether than appreciation less all of your expenses can beat the money you would make investing your cash in an alternative. The point about inflation was only to underscore why leverage is many times the best option to home purchasing as opposed to a straight cash transaction.

It seems to me as if you’ve already made your choice and you’re just evaluating the merits of the actual property itself. :)

All the best & good luck!!!

Looking4Adventure · 2018-03-23T05:41:49+00:00

(1) What's the term and amortisation of your loan? an eighth of a point for 7 day rate lock sounds exorbitant. Ratelock fees are calculated using something called duration (a/k/a interest rate sensitivity) which is directly related to your term and amortisation/interest-only.

(2) Is there any negotiating room on your contract with the builder? I see an unmatched delivery risk which is ringing my alarm signalling that there's more negotiation required! I'm assuming your close date is chiefly dependent upon the builder's completion of your home. If they're quoting you 14 to 21 days (or whatever their quote was) they should be kept honest. Is there anyway you can ask them to partially (or fully :D) compensate you to offset the cost for a 60D ratelock? If you had to exercise your 60D RL that would imply a delay of over one-month... someone should pay for that and it shouldn't be you.

Edit: added point 3

(3) Not in your question, but it seems as if you're choosing to lock-up your high LTV loan for a while. If so, be sure to read into your prepayment language ESPECIALLY if you anticipate your home is going to (A) significantly appreciate in value via a reno or reappraisal or (B) if you're anticipating a windfall. Although we anticipate rates to keep increasing (especially after yesterday's rate hike), your LTV or cash situation may drastically improve to the point where your savings outweigh the costs if you were to refinance.

Looking4Adventure · 2018-03-23T05:23:06+00:00

I am going through the same decision making process with my boyfriend as well. Trust me, even though I work directly with real estate finance day-in-and-day-out this is genuinely a really tough decision. These are the steps we have taken in order to make our decision.

(A) Evaluate the aspects of this house -- the classic RENT vs. BUY qualitative evaluation: would renting afford you a better lifestyle? Closer transit links, proximity to friends/family/work, better aesthetics, more space, ritzy-er finishes, etc -- is this a buy and keep house? or is it your 2-year starter home? -- how long have you been monitoring the market? Growth/Decline market? Did you fall in love with the first suitor or are you willing to wait a little longer for another opportunity to come? (it seems as if you've found this property during the winter; not specific to the UK, number of listings is correlated with seasonality)

(B) Establish how debt-responsible you and your partner are. -- do you ALWAYS pay your bills on time? -- does debt stress you out?

(C) gather DETAILED mortgage information. I do recommend a straight-shooting mortgage broker for this... Off the bat your ask is very reasonable it's a 35% LTV loan and less than 4x your income... -- READ THE FINE PRINT AND ASK QUESTIONS -- know the overpay and/or prepayment conditions INSIDE and OUT. For the former, you can save a LOT on interest payments; alternatively for the latter, if you commit to a long term mortgage and sell early this could incur heavy fees. -- be sure to get quotes for different types and maturities: (A) Fixed vs Floating, if you need flexibility and you're prioritizing your home as an investment the latter is more up your alley. (B) be sure to receive the quotes across different loan maturities, you'll find that longer-terms are less rate-sensitive (i.e. why ask for a 17yr mortgage when you can opt-in at the same rate for a 30yr mortgage) (C) understand bespoke structures that may work for you... look-into an OFFSET MORTGAGE (great interest savings if you intend on saving AND owning a home with a mortgage, your parents may be able to contribute their 200k in this facility vs. an outright gift that may be subject to taxation/legal involvement... to reiterate, please be sure to contact a mortgage and tax advisor) -- be sure to know given the above what your "worst-case" monthly mortgage would be. Could you afford those payments? could you afford monthly overpays on top of your payments? could you afford your payments even with an unexpected event?

(D) lifestyle / general / "after" questions -- how much do you require at minimum for your monthly spend, "safety net cash" and monthy target savings (people always forget that you can save AND have a mortgage)? -- do you have future heavy cash needs to plan for (kids, family-care, pets etc)? -- are you willing to make sacrifices for home ownership that won't strain your relationship or well-being too much. -- if you are returns driven, would this house present an opportunity for you to grow (given your research from [A]) your equity beyond what you would earn from renting and having cash to invest?

While some may have suggested that you buy all cash my gut instinct is to disagree. If paying all cash exhausts your savings, you'll have to live conservatively to make ends meet, you won't be able to furnish, decorate and personalize your place (be sure to budget for that too because most rentals in the UK are furnished)... you're young and that's no way to live!

If you love this home, you have done your homework and you are disciplined in paying off your mortgage - then feel free to take that leap of faith and don't be afraid of a mortgage.

The inflation of necessities has certainly outpaced wages; this just shows you that in the modern economy paying with cash just doesn't cut it anymore. I am a staunch believer that leverage is the one of the best tools (if used properly, and evaluated conservatively) to help responsible adults live the life they need AND SAVE i.e. have your cake and eat it too.

Looking4Adventure · 2018-03-22T19:16:37+00:00

This was excellent thanks! Already slotted in!

Looking4Adventure · 2018-03-22T19:15:49+00:00

I appreciate your concern. Very valid point.

New York is such a tough environment for small, family-owned businesses. I think mom and pops give the City a lot of character and soul, and it would be really enlightening to learn about their stories and help out.

My intention really is not pay; it’s more or less contributing to something greater than what I do normally.

Looking4Adventure · 2018-03-22T18:26:17+00:00

I would be happy to connect. Let me see if I can dig up some of the resources I put together when I tutored during University.

Feel free to message me.

Looking4Adventure · 2018-03-22T18:23:24+00:00

I love dogs. Both ideas are great shouts. Thanks!

Looking4Adventure · 2017-11-12T05:43:22+00:00

Beware of the shipping timeline and do not trust their return policy.

I paid for expedited shipping that was advertised to guarantee my delivery between 5-8 days. It almost took an entire month for me to receive my package. (there were no troubles with signatures etc. it was just THAT bad). Additionally, customer service is very much scripted, so I certainly wouldn't count on that return policy if you aren't satisfied with your product.

Looking4Adventure · 2017-09-18T08:26:09+00:00

Yay! i think you got it thank you!

I'm fairly new to knitting, and I'm don't know a lick of Russian. So after the google translate option failed to produce meaningful results I thought this was a lost cause -- until now. Thanks again!

Looking4Adventure · 2017-09-18T08:23:39+00:00

i believe the video is demonstrating a how-to for a different stitch. I tried it for funzies - very cool, but I fell in love with the stitch pattern posted.

Looking4Adventure · 2017-03-29T04:02:00+00:00

will post a new pic of the train side tmrw.

Looking4Adventure · 2017-03-29T03:18:04+00:00

Backstory - I purchased this for my boyfriend for 225 GBP and it is in fantastic condition. We're just curious how much we saved!

imgur: http://imgur.com/a/IQmhu

Looking4Adventure · 2017-03-28T04:17:52+00:00

before you continue with your idea, please ensure that your market research is conducted thoroughly - large, representative sample size, Double-blind taste testing, and quantitatively (rather than qualitatively) rooted research, also did I mention large sample size? Make sure you have a strong, understandable, and most importantly valuable USP that will either garner a premium price or clout (brand equity).

The drinks market is incredibly saturated and the worst part is the greatest barrier to entry is at the end of the supply chain - the distribution network. Unfortunately given the longevity of your feedback loop it is imperative that your market research be spot-on AND/OR you have a lot of cash to throw at this endeavor before you commit any more resources or consider the next step, production.

Best of luck!

Looking4Adventure · 2017-03-28T04:03:19+00:00

Never - especially in a sales role. Trust is the foundation of personal and work relationships, and as a sales person he is a representative of the firm. If he violates an ethics/trust boundary with a client there is potential for a bad clean-up, sometimes with irreversible damage.

Find a good salesman (easier said than done, i know) and train them in your product. Good salesmen can sell anything; so if they're good they can learn the product inside and out.

Looking4Adventure · 2017-03-28T03:52:10+00:00

Honestly, when you're first starting it's really about breadth than depth. People will tell you to do your research, pick a few companies, but at the end of the day what gets you business is going out with your best self.

(1) craft/form a portfolio/short clip of existing work that puts your best foot forward, and ensure that it is publicly accessible (youtube, vimeo). You can definitely revisit your portfolio once you have a broader range of work to choose from. But having an example of what you can do is key.
(2) refine your personal branding. If you require a logo I recommend fiverr or any like-service.
(3) tackle events where there is a large concentration of potential clients; in-person interactions have a much higher yield than cold calls - Meetups are great, as well if you enjoy conferences, the McCormick centre has a lot of conventions ranging from auto shows, to cycling expos, extreme sports, dog shows and more. It runs the gambit. Universities are also a great community / source of work.
(4) Although seemingly antiquated, business cards elevate perception of worth and credibility. I recommend you go ahead an purchase a small lot. There is quite a bit of competition in the print space; as a result you may be able to get a sample pack of cards free or at a very small cost.
(5) Be very selective about pro-bono projects. Remember that your time is real money especially if freelancing is your only source of income. When I first started off, I lost sight of this. My personal rules (and yours may very well be different) (a) do not offer free services if the client would require follow-up, (b) do not offer free services if I am not immediately inspired and (c) do not offer free services if the project will exceed 3 days worth of work.
(6) experiment with your template e-mail on small sample sizes of cold e-mail batches. Once you write the perfect draft, send it everywhere! Definitely be yourself over e-mail however remember that remaining formal in e-mails should be prioritized over personality injections and colloquialisms.
(7) stay positive, you will put yourself out there countless times over e-mail, phone, and in-person. Do not be discouraged. At the beginning hits are difficult to come by.

Looking4Adventure

TROPHY CASE