If your tropical houseplants aren’t warming you up enough this winter and you’re pining for a full-blown paradise of your own, then you’re in luck. No, summer isn’t coming early, but there is a free beach vacation sweepstakes open now.
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Coming up with a down payment for your first home is no easy task. In fact, according to a recent study from HotPads, renters spend about six and a half years saving up before they have enough. (I personally predict I’ll be eligible for AARP before I could build up a nest egg hefty enough to become a homeowner.)
Finding clever ways to cut back and save everywhere you can is helpful, but at a certain point, you may realize that you simply need to rake in more dough. Short of getting a surprise promotion, negotiating a raise, or planning a Met Ball heist with seven of your smartest friends (please don’t do that!), is there anything you can do to pad your bank account?
Yes! Enter the “side hustle.” Unfortunately when it comes to saving for a big goal like a down payment, nine to five alone might not cut it. But these days, getting a side gig can be as easy as downloading an app on your phone.
If you’re strategic about your side hustle, it can be a great way to stash away extra cash for a down payment to make your homeownership dream a reality.
Before you dive in, take stock of a few things, says Emily Boothroyd, a Certified Financial Planner and private wealth advisor at Price Financial Group in Wilton, Connecticut. First, make sure that your side gig will not interfere with your main job, the one that you’ll likely depend on for the bulk of your housing payments. She also advises you consider any potential risks associated costs with your side gig (i.e. upping your auto insurance to drive for a ridesharing app) so you don’t spend more than you save.
Another factor to keep in mind? Make sure your extra earnings can be documented on a mortgage application, since your total income can affect the amount of the loan you’re approved for.
“Lenders look to a borrower’s last two months’ bank statements and any inconsistent or large deposits would need to be explained,” says Richard Barenblatt, mortgage specialist at GuardHill Financial Corp. in New York City.
Once you’ve got all that covered, it’s time to start hustling. Here are seven app-based side gigs that will get you one step closer to securing a down payment:
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Project by: Filipe Battazza and Raoni Mariano of Fábrica Arquitetos
Location: São Paulo, Brazil
This professional project is one of those amazing examples of how you can do so much with so little when you harness the power of design. Engineered by architects, using a lot of sleek materials, this exact renovation might be out of reach for some, but it’s still filled with tons of ideas you can steal to make a small home work (and look) so much better.
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It is officially happening! “Queer Eye” season three is less than a month away. The Fab 5 took to social media to announce the amazing news, finally telling fans when we will get new episodes. Carly Rae Jepsen has a new song, “Now That I Found You,” that’s also tied to the promo for the new season of “Queer Eye” and we’re already dancing along to the music.
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Look, we love shopping on Amazon as much as the next person, but sometimes, it’s nice to switch it up and look for good deals on other sites, too. Luckily, the web is brimming with department store-style marketplaces just like Amazon, that offer an endless slew of amazing products—and sometimes better bargains to boot.
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From transforming folks on “Queer Eye” to his inspiring ice skating journey on Instagram, Jonathan Van Ness is busy being our internet BFF all day, every day. But when he has some down time, where does he go to relax? The Fab Five member recently upgraded his New York digs, and—can you believe??—we have a peek inside.
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4 Restoration Hardware Demi-lune chairs – $600 – I had them for about 4 years. Restoration Hardware doesn’t sell them anymore, but you can view details on this page. They are in good shape, very sturdy, oak wood frame is like new – NYC
Weekend of February 15Dear Readers,
What are you looking for? We’ve just cleaned out and relaunched our marketplace as Bazaar – the best place on the web for vintage furnishings and accessories directly from others in our community. These are my top picks for today.Best, M
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It’s not just the promise of Tim Hortons coffee and milk in a bag that could bring us north of the border. This sprawling Canadian estate could easily do the trick, too!
Tucked inside the exclusive gated community of Stonepine, this 4,135-square-foot home is a contemporary Canadian beauty… and it could be yours, if you’re willing to bring your bidding A-game: The property will be auctioned off by Concierge Auctions starting February 26. Seeing as it was previously listed at $2.495 million CAD, we’re guessing it won’t have much trouble selling this time around.
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Alright—what I’m about to say here is going to be very controversial: A successfully decorated living room doesn’t need a full-sized sofa. Boom! Notice I didn’t say seating though. You obviously need that in spades, especially if you want to have people over or entertain. But if your living room just isn’t big enough for a sectional or even a full-sized sofa, don’t force it. Instead find yourself an alternative—a loveseat, an armchair, a settee. You’ll be surprised what might work—even something non-traditional like a chaise, bench or a stack of floor pillows can get the job done. Need some proof? These seven rooms are giving me life right now.
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It’s not hard to see why high ceilings are highly-coveted real estate assets: Being typically found in pre-war homes, they give a historic feel and evoke a sense of grandeur. After all, a chandelier looks a bit more stately hanging from a 18-foot ceiling than an eight-foot one.
They’re not just impressive looking, either. Tall ceilings also make spaces look and feel bigger than they actually are—a nifty trick in otherwise small apartments.
But such great heights often come with unanticipated inconveniences. According to Caroline Bass, a real estate agent with Corcoran in New York City, high ceilings aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. Here are four reasons she says this architectural indulgence usually ends up being less-than-luxurious for homeowners:
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