Fixed Rate Home Loans Provide Certainty: Newcastle Permanent Building Society Says

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If there is one thing that home buyers could use more of, it’s certainty. The financial world is notoriously unsure. Investing money in a business can be a boom or bust proposition. Trying to flip real estate might work well or lead to disaster. Almost everything comes with risk.

Should buying a home be risky?

Home buying shouldn’t be this kind of experience, though. Most people today are buying homes because they think purchasing that home will lead to more financial security. In many respects, they are right, especially if these people are able to purchase a home with a fixed rate loan.

Today’s home buyers are looking to visit NPBS for fixed rate home loans. Lenders like this give home buyers the certainty to know precisely what they are going to owe over the course of the loan. Monthly payments will be certain, giving these individuals the ability to budget their lives moving forward.

For a young person who might want to get started with a real financial future, this kind of certainty is priceless. It only comes for those individuals when they make the smart choice to go with a fixed rate, and leaves them with room to grow their careers and families without additional stress.

Variable vs. Fixed: Cost vs. Security

Some argue that it’s best to go with a variable rate loan. They argue specifically that variable rate loans allow people to take advantage of lower future payments. If you have full confidence that rates are going to go down in the future, then perhaps this approach makes sense.

The problem is that it is very difficult to know what interest rates are going to do in the future. Interest rates on homes are a function of many different factors, most of which are not in your control. While you might think it’s a good idea to take a chance in this regard, many young home buyers come to understand that taking these sorts of risks is not wise.

Fixed Rate Mortgages 1: Variable Rate Loans 0

Home buying should be a secure process that helps the prospective home buyer sink some of his money into a stable asset. This is the purpose of the mortgage, and it’s long served home buyers well. With fixed rate mortgages, this becomes much easier.

Buying a home is a major decision that one should only undertake after looking at many relevant factors. While there may be some people who decide that the risk of a variable rate loan makes sense, most find that fixed rate loans are easily the better choice, esp. if interest rates start to rise.

And remember, not even Janet Yellen can tell you what interest rates will be next year or how much they will rise in 5 years!

Infographics: Powerful to Use, but Consider Your Audience

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Infographics are a powerful way to get your message across, and they are being increasingly use to do so in contexts where quick & effective communication is essential: social websites, presentations, and other more fleeting media environments.

However, to be effective a number of factors need to be taken into account: including size of the graphic, the speed of your server, the design of the graphic itself, and finally the amount/depth/range of information that has to be conveyed in the individual graphic.

The graphic below fits most of the criteria: except one. Can you guess what is wrong? I’d suggest trimming the length of this monumental piece of infographic overload (1.2mb and 7600 pixels in length!). This will not play well for most purposes, including sharing on social media, displaying on your phone or even reading on your PC.

Clearly the persons creating this graphic have abilities and are showing off what they can do, however from a user’s point of view, it fails because it doesn’t motivate or make it easy for you to get to the end. I’d strongly suggest trimming the size, the length, the excessive verbiage, in order to make a much stronger IMPACT.

What do you like about this infographic? What do you think would be improved? If you’re interested, why not check out the sponsor of this graphic.

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HR Outsourcing: Providing Small Businesses With Big-Company Expertise

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If you’re running a small business, but one problem small businesses have is hiring. In this article, you will discover how outsourcing your HR can be helpful in getting over one of the biggest hurdles in small business management & expansion. Let’s read on…

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It is a well-known fact that when HR functions are outsourced to a reputable company, the results can be fantastic. Not only does this often cost a fraction of what it would to employ fulltime employees, but it also provides companies with access to top-tier HR professionals.

Many small business owners, however, may think that this type of HR solution is available only to large companies. If you are one of these people, it may surprise you to discover that small businesses stand to enjoy many benefits from outsourcing their HR needs.

Alleviate Pressure on Management

If you are a small business executive, you probably know firsthand that problems often find their way up to management. An employee dispute, for example, can quickly escalate if not handled properly at the outset. This may then require attention from supervisors or even executives.

Any time that you or your management team spends addressing such issues is time spent away from other vital duties, and if this continues for too long, the business will certainly suffer. Turning these kinds of problems over to an outsourced HR professional alleviates this pressure on your managers, allowing them to remain focused on leading the company.

Long-Sighted Strategies and Solutions  

New businesses are presented with unique HR opportunities, as they can build their staffing policies from the ground up. Unfortunately, many executives and managers may not have the tools to create such policies effectively, which can lead to long-term problems.

If, for instance, pay grades are not accurately mapped to job descriptions from the beginning, employees will not receive appropriate compensation for their work. Underpaying workers may lead to the departure of good employees, and overpaying can result in unrealistic salary expectations.

Retooling ineffective employment policies in an established business is very tricky. Because of this, employers who wish to build a good organizational foundation from the beginning may find it very beneficial to outsource their HR needs.

Reduce Technology Costs

There are a number of great Human Resources Information System and Human Resources Management System solutions on the market. These can help businesses run their staffing functions smoothly and maintain proper security protocols for sensitive employee information.

This type of software, however, can be prohibitively expensive for many small businesses. Companies that choose to outsource their HR can take advantage of the fact they will be provided with access to advanced HR systems without the hefty burden of purchasing them themselves.   

Stay on Top of Changes in Employment Laws

Many employers have experienced legal issues regarding employees. Frankcrum notes that in 2013 alone, more than 93,000 discrimination claims were filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Other types of employment litigation can involve:

  • Sexual harassment
  • Breach of employment contracts
  • Fair Labor Standards Act violations

Any allegations involving these issues can result in serious resource depletion for a small business. Even if the company is cleared of any wrongdoing, the investigations will still take a substantial toll, as they often bring down employee morale, take up significant management time, and cost the company in lost work.

This can all be avoided if a company outsources its HR to a professional company that has the experience necessary to effectively prevent this type of litigation from arising.

Outsourcing HR functions are not just the domain of large businesses. Small companies may enjoy many benefits from pursuing this option for their HR needs. If you have been looking for ways to increase efficiency and help your business investments go further, this may be an ideal choice for your company.