Kick Start Your College Dream!

    5 Tips for Going Back to College

1. Meet with a career counselor to determine what type of degree can further your career goals.    

You know how the real world works. At this point you’ve probably figured out that a degree in Philosophy, while interesting, won’t further your career in supply chain management. A career counselor can help narrow the scope of options out there and may even know of a few good programs. This is where adult learners have a huge advantage over the typical college student. You already have a bit of direction.

2. Look for an accredited school and do your research.

Not everyone is going to have the flexibility to physically head to the classroom. Online learning is a great option for non-traditional students. While online learning still has a bit of stigma attached to it, well known brick and mortar schools are helping to improve the reputability of online learning. Schools such as Penn State, UMASS, Boston University, Pace University, and University of Illinois just to name a few offer online programs.

3. Scholarships aren’t just for high school seniors.

One of the hardest aspects of returning to school is figuring out how to pay for it. Some big companies offer tuition assistance or reimbursement. Check with your benefits department to see if your job offers any assistance to workers wishing to further their education. Military spouses have options available to them as well. MYCAA and the transfer of G.I. Bill Benefits are potential game changers for military spouses hoping to return to school. Go to Fastweb.com and make an account ASAP. It’s a treasure trove of scholarships for everything under the sun. You can even get reminders as deadlines approach for scholarships you’re eligible for.

4. Figure out your support system.

Not everyone is going to have the luxury of handing over their adult responsibilities to focus solely on school. It doesn’t make much sense to clear the first hurdle of getting back into school if you don’t have a plan to get through it. Use your resources. Talk to family and friends about your desire to further your education. Reach out to others who have gone back to school. Look online for forum support groups. Everyone’s situation is unique. It won’t be easy but having a plan in place offers you the best chance for success.

5. Believe you can.

Yes, the last tip is straight off of an inspirational poster but don’t let that fool you. There will be moments of self-doubt along this journey. You’ll be tired and stressed out. You’ll miss your old schedule. You’ll lose some of your support system along the way. Be selfish and do this for you. To throw another cliché at you, in the end it will be worth it. If that didn’t help here’s something else to consider. According to a study back in 2011 by Georgetown’s Center of Education and the Workforce, people on average earned 84% more over a lifetime with a Bachelor’s degree than those with a high school diploma.

Written By Erika Mellema

Office manager with River Valley Real Estate

19202 Huebner Rd. Suite 100

San Antonio, TX 78258

210-853-5327

Basics to Real Estate Investing

Basics to Real Estate Investing

 

  With interest rates being so low, putting your money to work at the bank just doesn’t provide the desired return.  The uncertainty and recent decline in the stock market makes such investments risky, and to employ a broker with quality knowledge is expensive per trade.  Real Estate is the other common alternative.

  Today, you can’t turn on the radio or television without hearing someone advertise about their program for easy real estate investment with little or no money down.  I wish it was really that simple. The plain truth is that it is not easy or simple, and if it were, those same people would not be selling their program.  They would be sitting on their private island counting their money.

But don’t let me discourage you completely because I confidently believe real estate is one of the best available investments.  Why do I believe this?  

                                     Let me give you four core reasons:

•             Real Estate is finite.  Meaning, we cannot make any more land, so the supply is limited.
•             Demand is constant.  It fluctuates for sure due to the current economic conditions, but there is always demand.
•              Values for the most part always appreciate.  Like all things, they go up and down, but historically speaking land values ultimately only go in one direction.
•              Real Estate has utility.  You can use it unlike a stock or bond.

  So what do you really need to know to be a successful investor?  First you need a plan. Second, you need capital to support you investment.  Third, you need experts, and I would recommend a seasoned Realtor, a trusted lender and a qualified contractor.

 

The Plan – Your plan has to have both an entry strategy and an exit strategy.  Most failures occur due to not following the entry strategy, and not having an exit strategy. By the way, buy low and sell high is not a plan. 

  Any investment plan revolves around the capital available to invest.  You must anticipate all costs associated with the investment.  Down payment, insurance, taxes including income taxes on profits, repairs and maintenance, association dues, city and county permits, selling and closing costs. 

  

Each investment has to have a timeline.  House flippers typically do not account for delays to their timelines, and wind up making no return or even losing the investment entirely.  Your timeline has to be practical, and it must account for unexpected delays.  If there is no margin for error, there will be no profit in the end.

An exit strategy is the way you will realize your return.  The obvious answer is to sell for a profit, but a good strategy has a contingency plan such as rental income.  So during the investment evaluation process, the investment must be able to cash flow as an income producing rental property.

This article scratches at the basics of real estate investing which is a personal passion of mine.  I have been at it for over 20 years, and I still don’t have all the answers.  I do encourage those interested to jump in, and I enjoy assisting my clients in establishing their own person investment plans.  

So, if you have been considering becoming a real estate investor, let’s schedule a meeting. I won’t tell you it is easy.  I won’t promise that you will soon be a millionaire, but I will help make sure you have made the best investment decisions based on your plan and capital, and I will be with you every step of the way.

Bill Barkley, President and Broker of  River Valley Real Estate
19202 Huebner Rd, Suite 100 San Antonio, TX 78258
210-853-5327
www.rivervalleyre.com