What has always surprised me in my life as a stockbroker are certain tenets of faith that are prayed down over and over again, and are also rigorously observed by many investors. One of these principles is: Never invest on credit!
Each year, the Federal Housing Finance Agency sets the maximum conforming loan limits for mortgages backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Under these limits, conforming loans are currently at 417.000 $ for single-family homes limited in most of the U.S. In certain high-cost housing markets – including Alaska and Hawaii – the limits can be as high as $721.050, -cost areas up out at $625, 500. When you buy a home with a conforming load, you have access to a number of lenders both online and offline.
W. P. Carey (WKN: A1J5SB) is a really exciting dividend stock. Foolish investors who have the stock on their radar probably know about the more than 5% dividend yield. As well as the fact that management has increased the distribution amount per share in every single year since the IPO in 1998 and has not lowered it a single time.
The last quarterly update has also been very solid and shows another small operational turnaround. So far, so good. Today we shall be interested in a different focus: Namely, that of the balance sheet. Let's take a look at what's behind the current figures and how much substance the Real Estate Investment Trust actually contains.
Who decides after some years of the occupation to press again the school desk, always stands before the question about the suitable financing. On the one hand, one would like to maintain the accustomed standard of living, which was secured by the previous income. On the other hand, there are costs for the training itself, which can be of a considerable order of magnitude depending on the training measure.
Tuition fees, costs for teaching materials, examination fees and travel expenses are incurred, and together with the general cost of living, this results in a monthly amount that can be financed at reasonable conditions. The range of financing options is kept quite broad in line with demand, and depending on preference, prospective students have different options for financing their further education.
Living in small spaces is also becoming increasingly fashionable in Germany. Even if the German building law still puts some stumbling blocks in the way, Tiny houses are becoming more and more popular. In the meantime, banks have also caught on to this trend and are offering comparatively inexpensive and uncomplicated financing for mini-homes (with and without land charge registration).
Photo (original image): Shutterstock/inrainbows
One of the outstanding issues before the November session is about the reduction of health insurance premiums. More funds demand the factions of the Greens, Center-EPP and SP. Green liberals are also in favor of this. Image: KEYSTONE/GIAN EHRENZELLER
Typical student jobs in restaurants or cinemas are currently scarce due to the Corona crisis. With the paid internship it also does not always work out. If your parents can't help either, you should look into government aid. For example with the student loan.
Since June, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) has been offering students a grant of 100 to 500 euros as a bridging allowance for pandemic-related emergencies. To do this, you'll need to apply to your student union – the easiest way is directly online. The grant does not have to be repaid. However, it is envisaged that it will exist until August 2020, and that it must be reapplied for every month. If you haven't applied for it yet in July, you should hurry now.
Even though valuations for tech and FinTech companies have been under pressure in recent weeks, and the slump in crypto stocks in particular has caused a stir, the FinTech market as a whole will continue to grow and remain attractive to more new, innovative companies. Despite all the developments in recent years, payment processes can still be further optimized. Customers want more transparency and overview of their financial situation, and the financial industry's offerings can be even better integrated with those of other providers.
In Moldova, the party of Berlin's favorite, the country's neoliberal president, Maia Sandu, won Sunday's parliamentary election. According to the preliminary election results, the EU-oriented Action and Solidarity Party (PAS) was able to prevail with around 52 percent against the Socialists around ex-president Igor Dodon, who are more inclined towards Russia. Berlin had openly intervened in the election campaign: PAS ex-leader Sandu, who remains its best-known representative, had been received in the German capital by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, among others; German support for her and her party recently even included media publications aimed at influencing public opinion in the southeastern European country. Sandu and the PAS have been supported by the German government and German foundations for years – with the aim of gaining the upper hand in Moldova in the power struggle against Russia. In the steady battle, Sandu's pro-EU group now provides the president as well as the largest faction in parliament.
After a fierce state crisis in the summer of 2019, in which there had been two parallel governments in the interim, the pro-Russia Socialists (PSRM) and the pro-EU Liberal Conservatives formed a joint government – mediated by ambassadors from outside powers.[1] Former World Bank employee Maia Sandu received the post of prime minister in Chisinău. One of her few trips abroad took her to Germany, where she met Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) and visited the CDU-affiliated Konrad Adenauer Foundation, among others.[2] Merkel stated that Berlin wholeheartedly supported the "reforms" envisioned by Sandu.[3] However, after losing a confidence vote, Sandu resigned as early as November 2019; she stated that there was "a great risk" that "Moldova will now lose the support of international donors again".[4]
After the 2007-2008 credit crisis, small business lending among traditional banks all but dried up. Although banks have become more active in recent years, only the most creditworthy and established companies are considered for financing. Even then, traditional lenders typically require some type of collateral, such as real estate or equipment, to secure the loan, which startups are unlikely to have. In 2015, traditional lenders approved less than 22% of small business applications. In the wake of the crisis, however, a number of non-bank lending sources have emerged that offer small businesses more access to financing than ever before, without having to put up collateral.
Online lenders have proliferated since 2008 due to overwhelming demand for loans that remain unmet by traditional banks. The Internet has become a convenient source for small businesses looking for any type of financing, from seed capital and working capital loans to lines of credit and expansion loans. Businesses pay a little more for their financing needs, but the process is streamlined and funding is fast.