Firing Your Boss First Before He Fires You

Every professional who aspires to  be their own boss one day need to be committed. Breaching of trust is something that can never be excused. If you are not sure of performing a task in the way your boss expects, then admit in the initial stages. Your honesty will be appreciated and you will be given a chance to prove yourself at least. In contrast, if you prefer to take upon your boss, then the strategy might backfire in most of the cases. You can consider alternative career options as it is impractical to prove yourself always.

Your Boss Getting Beyond your Control

People think of alternatives when the present working situation is taking the toll upon them. It is a common phenomenon in the sales and marketing department. Even services sector is not being exempted from such a scenario. If you are expected to perform beyond your capacity, then you need to think twice about the kind of job you are doing. It is advisable that you take a strategic decision instead of surprising others with a sudden decision like resignation. You need to remember that such of problems might be faced by you in other organizations as well.

Working out a Solution with Your Boss

According to your previous qualifications and previous job experience, it is not difficult to find a job for you. Even if you are offered a little less than the current job, it is advisable that you seriously consider the offer. Once you have made up your mind, you can hand over the resignation letter to your boss. Never withdraw your resignation as it will expose your weakness before your boss. Always try to be as polite and professional as possible. Inform about your decision to all the concerned people of the organization so that there could be no problems in getting the formalities done.

Assess your Strengths and Weaknesses Yourself Instead of Your Boss

If you are confident enough that you could make it on your own, then setting up your own business is not a bad idea. Never reveal your plans to your higher authorities as you are just considering an available option for you. In case it is working out for you in a big and profitable way, you can resign from the present job. This way you can at least avoid the pressure being mounted upon you by your boss. However, you need to find a reliable earning option for you prior to resignation.

Embrace Competition: Find Your USP When Marketing In Singapore

USP is an abbreviation for Unique Selling Point. If you are aware of the situation presently that getting equity investors or private lenders to fund your deals of real estate, the most important thing one will do is establish a USP. It is the only significant aspect that can be done for any business that enters the marketing funda. Remember, that if you raise private sum, it is all about marketing. This is so as folks are not aware and oversee the merits of investing in a way that will be beneficial to them, but they are least interested.

USP is a way of showcasing your service or product that differentiates you entirely from any sort of competition; and on the other hand, it also assures bigger gains to the users that brings it to action. Below quoted are few examples:

Fresh n hot Pizza at your doorstep just in 20 minutes- or free home delivery,
Cost effective and durable furniture for your kids bedroom, etc or something like that.

Now you might be thinking as to how this is associated to investing in real estate in Singapore? Just go through the following: there are several companies that compete with each other from private investor funds. These include mutual fund companies, banks, insurance companies, etc to name a few. If you assume that the first thought that comes in the mind of your private investor in the morning is where and how he can come across a private mortgage investment, then you are surely wrong.

Each time your respective investor takes a newspaper in his hand, he will come across ads for ING, T Rowe Price, Fidelity Investments, and many more. If you are unable to produce compelling or unique reasons, then you will face great difficulties in raise private funds. This is indeed one of the best rational to set up a USP, as the primary thing that one should do if you have to start up again right from Zero.

In terms of USP, all you are supposed to do is role play. Let someone ask you, what is the benefit in carrying out a business with you? Then, your answer to it should be your USP. Give a thought to it peacefully. You will really find it interesting and amazing. So, guys, it’s time to Embrace Competition: Find Your USP When Marketing in Singapore.

Success Secret: A House Built On A Shaky Foundation Won’t Last

Just as a house built on a shaky foundation won’t last, neither will your success if you don’t create a strong foundation first.

Here’s a sobering statistic.

According to the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, nearly one-third of lottery winners wind up bankrupt.

They lose all their money because of a lack of foundational knowledge on wealth and business.
I firmly believe that if you took all of the world’s wealth and divided it equally among everyone, within 10 years those who were previously wealthy would again be wealthy.

Those who were previously poor would again be poor or even poorer.

Tips For Investing in High-End Homes

Tips For Investing in High-End Homes

by Jacqueline Wong 05:55 AM Dec 03, 2010
Despite the numerous Government policies to cool the property market in Singapore, the high-end residential segment has not been adversely affected.
To begin with, the Government measures implemented thus far are targeted at the mass market, which has seen property values rising ahead of economic recovery.
Based on Jones Lang LaSalle estimates, the average resale capital value for areas outside the prime residential districts in 3Q2010 is 10.1 per cent above its last peak in 1Q2008; in contrast, the high-end properties are still trading at some 8.4 per cent below, on average.
In addition, the anti-speculative measures that have ranged from the earlier measures of raising investment costs through additional purchase outlays (higher loan-to-value ratios, seller’s stamp duty) to the most recent restriction on buyers from speculating in both the public and private housing markets (particularly during the minimum five-year occupation period) have not affected the high-end buyers.
These buyers are usually long-term investors, if not owners, with strong financial standing. Furthermore, many are foreigners who mostly do not have a stake in the local public housing market.
While the high-end has not picked up as much as the rest of the market, latent demand remains in the former.
Besides the Indonesians, who form our traditional base of foreign buyers, an increasing number of buyers from China, India, Russia and the Middle East are now looking into the Singapore market.
Meanwhile, local investors have been looking beyond Singapore properties to overseas markets as well. The key motivation for many local investors is distinctively practical – acting on parental instincts to provide a roof over their children’s heads while they pursue an overseas education, saving on rental expenses and enjoying a potential capital upside when the children finally finish school.
Additionally, further upside of these offshore investments could come from an anticipated recovery in the values of this asset class and the strengthening of the host countries’ currencies. Australia, particularly Sydney and Melbourne, as well as the United Kingdom, are the traditional markets in which Singaporean investors are active.

INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES ABROAD

Within the Asia-Pacific region, excluding Hong Kong and Japan, there are many buying opportunities as home prices are generally more affordable than those in Singapore. However, foreign ownership usually comes with restrictive conditions which investors should spend time understanding before diving into these overseas markets.
Take Australia, for instance, where prices are comparable to Singapore’s. Foreigners are prohibited from buying a property to be let out or used as a holiday home, although temporary residents may own a home during their residency in the country, subject to approval.
The UK and the Maldives remain the most open to foreign home ownership. Foreigners who own residential homes in the UK are allowed to lease out their properties and this offers an added income yield on top of potential capital appreciation. The Maldives is also very attractive – investors need only pay a transfer fee of US$3,000 ($3,900) to US$5,000 when buying residential properties in the country.
Increasingly, well-heeled investors have been buying holiday homes instead of conventional residential ones. A holiday home has an edge over a conventional residential one as it is managed by a hotel operator, which frees the owner from maintenance hassles. The investor also gets to enjoy the holiday home, along with the facilities, for typically six to eight weeks a year, in addition to the income generated from letting the asset out for the remaining months of the year. The owner typically splits 50-50 with the hotel operator, subject to a bed tax.
Jones Lang LaSalle has successfully marketed projects such as The Bulgari Residences at Bulgari Hotels and Resorts in Bali, yooPhuket in Thailand, The Tower in Central London and 12 Blues Resort & Spa in the Maldives.

INVESTING IN A PROPERTY

There are several basic but important factors that one needs to consider when investing in property.

1. Do your sums

Besides having sufficient funds for the downpayment of a property, you need to ensure that you have a sound cashflow once you exercise the option to purchase. Increasingly, governments are abolishing the “no payment till physical completion” or what is commonly known in Singapore as the deferred payment scheme, to reduce the default risk.

2. Know your market

Understanding the market you are putting your money in is essential as property values may be influenced by many factors – from economics to politics. Even the construction site that sits right across the road can affect your investment positively or negatively; validating the mantra of “location, location, location” in property investment. Given the uniqueness of each property, market research is all the more important. Jones Lang LaSalle provides a wide range of advisory services such as feasibility studies, market advisory and portfolio analysis for financial institutions, government agencies and high net worth individuals.

What is Your Invesment Risk Appetite?

Knowing your risk appetite helps you determine a market that is most suitable for you. You would not want to engage in panic selling during price corrections. An individual’s risk appetite is largely influenced by the holding power fuelled by his or her financial background. When investing abroad, there are the additional risks to consider:
- Distance – this means that you are unable to keep a close watch on your property and are thus less sensitive to developments that affect property values
- Exchange rate volatility – adverse currency movements will result in a lower return
- Ill-informed/unreliable agents – they cause you to miss out on opportunities simply by giving poor advice

INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

The conventional wisdom in investment is to buy low and sell high. If you had bought a typical prime property in Singapore during the last cycle, you would have earned a good 40 per cent capital gain when you sell your property today. Buying based on cycles would guarantee a profit regardless of the property you buy. However, this is often difficult in practice.
The residential market is very sentiment driven. Many investors act on a herd instinct – they buy into the market when everyone else is already in there. This usually means the gains are typically less as the market is quite heated. In addition, many buyers tend to be emotional in their purchases and this will affect their judgement and handicap their decision-making skills.
Speaking to seasoned investors and advisers will allow you to leverage on their insights into the market and help you avoid herd-driven behaviour.
As you look for your ideal property, bear in mind the importance of value investing. While mass market projects tend to be cheaper on a total quantum basis, high-end properties remain timeless given the quality finishes, comprehensive facilities and higher leasing demand.
For example, based on an analysis of the caveats lodged, the median price of a unit in Seasons Park located along Yio Chu Kang Road today has grown by about 9 per cent since it was first launched in 1Q1996; in comparison, the Regency Park along Nathan Road commands a median price that is 59-per-cent above its initial launch despite it being a much older project.
A new property mantra then should be: “Location, Location, Quality.”
The writer is head of residential, Jones Lang LaSalle Singapore. She is supported by Tan Yali, senior analyst, research and consultancy.

Our Deepest Fear: Job Security Is Non-Existent?

We do live in a world where security of a job is indeed just a dream and nothing else. Careers in the field of acting, arts or any more literally pay off. The point here is that you need to take great efforts and work loyally in order to succeed. There are some professions where they have an opportunity to work even if it is not available such as actors, dancers, painters, artists, etc. in this world, we do have some creative, diverse thinking people who are multi talented ad can adapt themselves quite easily to any situation they face.

In order to reduce Our Deepest Fear: Job Security Is Non-Existent, below given is some tips:

1. Make yourself the key player- you can take over added responsibilities without taking more work, unnecessarily. Be indispensable and proactive in giving new thoughts and ideas.
2. Show your best in the task you accomplish- it is said that you just do not have to follow the crowd. Show your competency and excellence in every situation, you can. You should not only be good enough, but committed as well as dedicated to an extent that you build an unknown trust in you.
3. Do not rely on laurels- live in the present and not in the past. All your good deeds that you have done in your past have now become your past, indeed. Similar to that of success, your value to your company is highly dependent on you are performing on a daily basis and nothing to do with the past.
4. Be punctual and updated- if you have to apply again for a job in these present days, think if you will be hired or not. The expectations and needs for a specific position do keep on changing, and the ones who are filling the positions should also change. You can communicate with the ones who are applying for your position on a regular basis, just to ensure that you still remain a better candidate.

No Job Security, do not get panic. Be smart and wise enough to accept the challenge and change job insecurity into job safety. Yes, this is possible and if you have that dedication, devotion and determination, you can do it. Remember these 3Ds, whenever you are looking for a job or having a job in hand. It will help you to secure your job to a great extent.

Most people happy to be competent, not exceptional, says Finance Minister

Most people happy to be competent, not exceptional, says Finance Minister

By Alvina Soh | Posted: 27 October 2010 1755 hrs

SINGAPORE: One big challenge for Singapore is its people as they are not pushing themselves enough to be exceptional, says Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam.

At the sharing session with students from Hwa Chong Institution and 10 CEOs, Mr Tharman said Singaporeans are happy to be competent but not extremely good.

“I half suspect once we get to 75% of that level, which is quite good, you think that’s good enough, you’re already better than the rest or better than the rest in Singapore. And that urge to want to go much further and to be exceptional, not because someone is looking or not because you try to win a competition, but you just want to be exceptional. That urge isn’t there in Singapore.”

However, he sees this urge in less well-off societies.

Continue reading

Earn Money in Singapore with Passive Income Streams

Singapore is the 4th principal financial centre throughout the country and is rated as the best innovative, competing and open countries in the world. The population in Singapore is diverse that comprises of Indians, Asians, Chinese, Malays, etc form different countries. Hence, looking out for a new property here is indeed a challenging or might be an easy task based on the target property as well as the local markets.

Earn Money in Singapore with Passive Income Streams is important as you may have to satisfy the financial needs of you and your family. Besides this, there are many aspects of life wherein you need financial aid. So, as a part time venture or a leisure activity, you can involve yourself in passive income streams. One of such passive income streams comprise of investing in real estate in Singapore.

This task can be accomplished online. There is no need to go anywhere or search for real estate properties for sale or look out for new customers. Everything is available online. So, you can carry out this task on your weekends, official holidays or just devote 2 hours daily. This is totally enough.

Discovering the correct property for sale in Singapore is must for both the investors as well as the buyers. You can take help of an experienced property agent for the same, he is the one who boasts in-depth knowledge and can assist you at every stage to attain the correct property within your means. You can go for condos, apartments, rest houses if you want to buy or sale a property in Singapore.

As the financial state of the world is steadily enhancing, real estate in Singapore is swiftly restoring. The property owners are making continuous improvements in the principal value appreciation for different property classes in Singapore. Property owners in Singapore are sustainable to extremely low tax rate in terms of property and that is up to ten percent for property investment and four percent for owner occupied residential properties. There is no such revenue gain tax till now in Singapore. So, all in all you are in a great benefit if you Earn Money in Singapore with Passive Income Streams, considering this option of real estate property.

So, go ahead and start investing in Singapore as it is the best means available till now. Make your profits and enjoy the rest of your life in Singapore.