May, 2018 | Blog

This house is for sale: beep beep

Posted on May 25, 2018April 6, 2018 by Victor Varma

At the next open house you attend, Rex the Real Estate Robot might be the one answering your questions.

Robotics are just beginning to enter the real estate industry, but they are already showing homes to prospective buyers.

REX the Bot looks a bit like a rolling kiosk topped with an interactive touch screen. It is one example of robotics that can save agents time in showing homes, answering questions and collecting data. Instead of making multiple trips to homes they list, agents can talk to potential buyers through the robot’s screen. The robot can answer up to 70 questions about the property. Buyers even get access to the homes through a pin number texted to them when they arrive at the property.

It’s already in use in California, where busy agents with high-end listings are using it to save time on crowded freeways.

Another player in the real estate robot world is VirtualAPT. These robots do not greet customers and, in fact, customers never see them. Instead they are deployed inside homes before the listing at 50 cents per square foot. The robots take measurements, create floor plans and shoot 3-D video, according to The Wall Street Journal.

But will meet-and-greet robots play well in an industry in which the human touch means everything?

Time will tell, but REX robots don’t work for free. They charge a 2 percent commission on sales.

Searching for the best car loan rate

Posted on May 18, 2018April 6, 2018 by Victor Varma

Average interest rates on new car loans rose to 5.2 percent in February, and many consumers are not taking advantage of several ways to lower their rates and save money in the long run,according to USA Today.

While the market rate had fallen to as low as 3.9 percent at the end of 2012, analysts are forecasting that rates are headed higher. Only 31.6 percent of those that leased or bought a new car in 2015 even tried lowering their rates through negotiation or searching for financing elsewhere.

Many buyers tend to focus solely on the monthly payment when shopping for a new car. They pay less attention to the interest rate and overall length of the loan. With this in mind, car dealers are likely to extend loan terms out as long as possible.

The average loan is three months longer now than five years ago.

Rather than accepting whatever rates the car dealership offers, it pays for consumers to take time to shop around for a better rate elsewhere, as tough competition can lead to better deals, according to Greg McBride, the chief financial analyst at Bankrate.com. As an example, a $35,000 car loan with 7 percent APR will cost $3,800 more than a loan with 3 percent APR over five years.

Different dealerships will have different networks of lenders that might offer better terms.

Also, local credit unions, which have been moving into the auto loan market in recent years, can often provide excellent rates to members.

Sometimes the absolute best interest rate does not make the best deal.

Special promotional rates of 1.9 percent or even zero percent often mean forgoing same-as-cash incentives on specific new cars. When adding that money to the total loan amount, the overall costs could end up being more substantial in the long run than those with a much higher interest rate.

Full coverage vs. liability auto insurance: Which do you need?

Posted on May 14, 2018May 1, 2018 by agentinsure

There are some in society who are more than self-reliant and financially stable. Such persons are typically millionaires and can pay out thousands at the drop of a hat if they are involved in an at-fault accident. The rest of humanity, or at least those drivers in the United States, need an auto indemnity plan that covers costs associated with incidents on the road. InsureUs is your number one choice when you need car assurance in Cypress, TX, but what type of plan should you choose?

The Pros and Cons of Liability Insurance

Liability insurance is typically recognized as the bare minimum. The coverage ensures that your portion of financial responsibility is paid out in the instance of an accident. A liability plan does not, however, provide you with much protection. You cannot claim damage to your vehicle if you run down a stop sign. You can, however, expect the insurance agency to pay for costs associated with replacing the sign. Liability insurance comes at an economical rate, which is why many drivers are attracted to the option. Consumers financing cars typically do not have the choice to select liability coverage.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Full Coverage

Full coverage insurance is often the number one choice for new car owners in Cypress, TX. This plan usually comes with comprehensive and collision options that pay for everything from damages caused by inclement weather to vandalism. You can rest assured, in most cases, knowing that your car is covered regardless of whether a tree falls on it or a runaway animal cage puts a dent in your driver’s side door. Full coverage is the ideal choice when you want complete peace of mind.

While there is always the option to go for the cheaper alternative, choosing full coverage is the better option when you want to make sure that you are insured. InsureUS can help you discover the best plan for your financial situation.

How small businesses can use the gig economy to grow

Posted on May 11, 2018April 6, 2018 by Victor Varma

About one in three workers in America are currently freelancing and this growing gig economy allows small businesses to grow more efficiently by hiring specialists quickly and cheaply, according to Small Business Trends.

An estimated 40 percent of those who work in the gig economy are engaged by small businesses, and those same freelancers are more likely to consider working full time for a smaller company than a larger one in the future.

Many entrepreneurs start their businesses with a small budget and limited access to human capital. It just isn’t feasible to hire full-time experts to provide the skills needed to build things like online infrastructure, branding material, or a social media presence. In these cases, a small business can turn to a freelancer that specializes in these specific tasks but often charges less than an established firm in the industry because they have less overhead and more flexibility with their time, according to CNet. Online services such as UpWork, Fiverr, and Freelancer.com allow business owners to connect with freelancers quickly and provide a secure way to track activity.

When searching for a freelance worker to complete a project, such as building a website for your small business, the ability to search among many talented individuals across a variety of factors will allow you to find the perfect match for your situation. Narrow the field by focusing on individuals that have a solidly reviewed track record with a particular kind of project and offer a portfolio of work. From there, sort out whether they prefer to be paid by the hour or completed project and find someone who meets your budget. Once you find a freelancer, there will always be a contract employee on call to help your business grow.

Identifying the ideal team player

Posted on May 4, 2018April 6, 2018 by Victor Varma

The best team players have three virtues: humility, hunger, and smarts.

According to Patrick Lencioni of management consulting firm The Table Group, these traits are sometimes inherent in personality, but more commonly they show themselves through how a person reacts to life, work, and personal development over time.

Humility allows a person to drop their ego and put a team ahead of themselves. Humble people recognize the contributions of others and don’t step on others to get to the top. If a team member lacks this characteristic, they will not be able to build trust and work through conflict over time.

Hungry people are always trying to learn more, improve themselves, and achieve more responsibility and recognition. This drive will propel them to work with a high level of self-motivation and see that projects are completed quickly and correctly. Their ambition will keep them moving upward towards the next opportunity. A person that isn’t hungry will have a hard time getting the desired results and will likely only perform at the bare minimum required.

Smart team players understand how to talk to other people. Listening, asking the right questions, and engaging the team in conflict resolutions are all qualities that a smart person will bring to the table. People without this emotional intelligence will tend to create interpersonal problems that require constant mediation from others.

Lencioni suggests that these virtues should permeate interviews, performance reviews, and even personal introspection to help identify the best way to hire, retain, and coach employees. Deficiency in even one of these areas can cause problems for business, and it can take time to correct a culture problem caused by weak team players.