Trusted Tips and Resources

Trusted Tips & Resources

Trusted Regina caterer share a cabbage stir fry recipe with us!

CHICKEN CABBAGE STIR-FRY

Ingredients

  • 3 chicken breast halves
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
  • 3 cups green cabbage, shredded
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1⁄2 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce

Directions

1. Cut chicken breasts into strips.

2. Heat oil in a frying pan.

3. Add chicken strips and stir fry over medium-high heat, turning constantly until done.

4. Add cabbage and sauté 2 minutes until cabbage is crisp-tender.

5. Mix cornstarch and seasonings; add water and soy sauce, and mix until smooth.

6. Stir sauce into chicken/cabbage mixture.

7. Cook until sauce has thickened and chicken is coated, about 1 minute.

8. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.

Notes

Add bell peppers or carrots for color.
  • Try with broccoli.

  

 

  

Trusted Regina Real Estate tip on Navigating Multiple Offers

 Navigating Multiple Offers:

 

Although this phenomenon does not occur on a frequent basis in Regina’s current real estate market, the occurrence of multiple offer situations, sometimes referred to as “bidding wars”, can and does happen. Multiple offers are often dictated by a limited supply of listings and a high demand for good homes, especially in certain price points and neighbourhoods. This scenario is great for sellers(although even some guidance in handling those offers is helpful) but not so great for buyers when it tends to push up home prices and can create a stressful home buying experience.

Our goal is to help you purchase your home at a fair price so you can feel good about the purchase you’ve made. Here are some of our tips to help you navigate the process as a buyer with as little stress as possible:

Create an Attractive Offer
In a multiple offer situation, you will need to be prepared to act quickly and there are a few things you can do to make your offer more attractive. (1) Make sure to have mortgage pre-approval before the process begins. We can share that information with the seller’s agent so they can be assured that your offer is serious (2) Put your best foot forward…offer whatever you are comfortable paying for that property as you may not get the opportunity to consider a counteroffer (3) Making a significant down payment also shows your level of commitment to the purchase of the property.

There are other elements to consider such as possession dates and home inspections but those are specific to the property being considered and your personal situation and motivation for purchasing. That is where we can guide you in the process.


Don’t be discouraged!
While we usually know when we are dealing with multiple offers, we can’t know what those offers will be or how badly someone else wants that home! Remember it’s not a competition to win and there is no winning if you pay more than you really wanted to. We know it can be a frustrating process at times but patience is a virtue here. Don’t be discouraged if the first one doesn’t go in your favour, it isn’t the end of the process until we find you the right house! 

Trust your instincts….and your agent

When you find the right home you will know it and you will feel comfortable with the amount you are offering for the property. If you feel anxiety or pressure to make a decision or to pay more than you’re comfortable with, or can afford, don’t be afraid to walk away! There will always be another house.

You should be working with a REALTOR® who you trust to have your best interests at heart. It is our job to provide you with all the information that you need to make an informed decision on the purchase of your home. We’re on your side and we want to get the best result for you.

If you are looking to buy or sell in the Regina area, we are here to help!

Happy House Hunting!


 


Chris Worby a Trusted Regina Financial Expert from Worby Wealth Management shares a tip on 40 Financial Things You Should Know by 40

Finding the shortest and safest route to any of your dreams requires planning and only with a carefully thought out financial plan can you be sure to make the most of your resources and to protect against risks along the way. At Worby Wealth Management, Chris will do his best to help you achieve those dreams with a plan that is tailored to your specific needs and based on your individual situation.

Let Trusted Regina Financial Adisir Chris Worby of  Worby Wealth Management help you live your dream!

40 Financial Things You Should Know by 40

Many by-40 milestones have become debatable: Get married? Only if you really want to. Own a home? If it's financially feasible. Know what you want to be when you grow up? Well, if 40 is the new 30, you're certainly entitled to change your mind.

But there's one thing that's non-negotiable: By age 40, you can't get away with being financially clueless anymore. Especially since retirement might be a lot closer than you think! We've put together 40 money things, big and small, you should know before you turn the big 4-0. Why? So you can help achieve your financial goals with plenty of time left over to enjoy them!

1. The three basics of a solid financial foundation. Credit card debt paid off. Emergency fund stocked up. Retirement account(s) in existence and growing. Everything else (travel, homeownership, investments) should come after.

2. How to create a budget. Because without one, you may not reach any of your goals, like buying a home, paying off your credit card debt or traveling the world. Learn how to build your budget with our step-by-step guide.

3. How much you should be saving. The answer: 20 percent. Not sure how we arrived at this number? Look no further than the 50/20/30 rule, which divvies up your monthly budget as follows: 50 percent is reserved for essentials (think mortgage, rent and groceries), 30 percent is allocated for your lifestyle choices and at least 20 percent goes to "financial priorities," which include your debt payments, your retirement contributions and your savings. 

4. Your net worth. Yes, you have one. This is the sum total of your assets (bank account balances, savings, investments, etc.) minus your debts (loans, mortgage, credit card debt, etc.). Your net worth is the easiest way to get a big-picture perspective on your finances. Want a quick way to figure it out? Link your accounts in the free LearnVest Money Center, and we'll do the calculating for you.

5. How much you make and how much you spend each month. It sounds like a no-brainer, right? "But most people, regardless of their age, don't know how much money they have coming in and going out," says Natalie Taylor, a CFP® with LearnVest Planning Services. For a full breakdown, visit the Money Center to see your incoming versus outgoing finances.

6. How to get out of debt. Now is the time to be saving for your future, not paying off your past. Hopefully your debt repayment efforts are already in full swing, but, if you're not there yet, now's the time to make a plan. Here's a quick checklist to help you. Want the big kahuna? Get Out of Debt Bootcamp is our three-day, in-depth plan to help you finally live a debt-free life.

7. Your credit score. Still not familiar with this number? Afraid to look? Here's why, by 40, you should know it cold. Your credit score determines not only what kind of credit cards you'll get approved for but also how expensive your mortgage and car loan would be. Learn how to monitor and improve your credit score here. Speaking of ...

9. It can take a long time to save up a down payment. When it comes to buying a house, "People always say, 'Get in as soon as you can,' and 'It's OK to be house poor.' But before buying a house, you should be financially stable. If that's not until your 30s or 40s, that's OK. So many people have rushed in, and then they can't handle the payments," says Taylor. Find out how much house you can afford.


10.  By 40, you ought to know what it feels like to have a fat six months of savings sitting pretty in your account and the only five reasons you should be dipping into it. No, that out-of-state wedding doesn't count. (It's actually optional, no matter what your sister-in-law says.)

11. What your ideal retirement will cost. Have you ever really crunched the numbers? On the internet, there are practical as many retirement calculators as there are singing cats. But most people we know don't visit them. (The calculators, that is.) However, at 40, retirement -- if you've planned right -- may be a mere 25 years away, so you ought to know how much you need to save up. Here's a good place to calculate that. And here's why starting to save more right now, instead of a decade from now, will make getting there significantly easier.

12. How much you have saved for retirement. OK, cool, you've been diligently contributing to your 401(k). Somewhere out there you may have an IRA or two. (And you might want to look into rolling over these balances into fewer accounts.) The important thing is to know how much you've saved and how much you still need to. So, go on. Dig up your passwords. Crunch the numbers. Or link your accounts in the free LearnVest Money Center and we'll show you.

13. How to manage budget-busting friends. If you were duped by them in your 20s, shame on them. If you're still letting it happen in your 30s, shame on you. By this age, you should know who they are and how they operate. While you may love their sense of humour or style, you may hate how empty your wallet is after you hang out with them. It's about time you learned how to neutralize these culprits.

RELATED: Confessions of a Reformed Money Meddler

14. Your own money personality. Maybe you're the Budget-Buster. The Protector. Or the Pleaser. Discover how your Myers-Briggs quotient is affecting your finances.

15. That, the older you get, the more complex your money life becomes. "A lot of my younger clients say, 'I'll be able to save more for retirement when I make more money,' but the truth is, as they start to make more money, they have way more financial obligations," says Taylor. "They're not living in the shoebox apartment anymore. Then they get married, and they have a wedding to fund. Then they have kids, and they have college to save for." The bottom line? Today is the time to start, not tomorrow.

16. How your significant other handles money. By now, you probably know his favorite color, first pet and worst habit, but do you know how he thought about money growing up? Or exactly where she stands -- financially -- today? Here are six money questions to ask each other and a Love & Money Bootcamp to help you get on the same page. And, when you're ready, a financial plan to help you build the life you want together.

17. Where your parents stand financially. It's a rough role reversal, to be sure. After all, they were probably the ones who took care of you but trust us, you'll be glad you had this conversation. Start by finding out how to access their account balances, health insurance and long-term care insurance. Then ask them these six money questions today.

RELATED: Aging Care: 6 Tips to Help Older Parents Manage Money

18. The basics of investing. Before you put any money in the market, you should know how it works. Get a quick tutorial here: Investing 101. Or, try our everything-you-could-possibly-need-to-know-and-more in-depth program: Start Investing Bootcamp. But don't get ahead of yourself either. Don't even think about investing until you have a fully-funded emergency savings account, no high-interest debt and are on track for retirement.

19. A good tax accountant. Whether you D.I.Y. your taxes or hire someone to file your returns is up to you -- and depends on your financial situation. Here's where you can find out whether it's worth it to pay an accountant. Got other tax questions? We answer them here.

20. Your total compensation package. We know: We've all been so grateful to get the job that we signed on the dotted line without a backward glance, too. But that was then. By this stage in your career, you should know more than the number that makes up your base pay. "Does your employer offer disability insurance? Life insurance? You should know that," Taylor says. The same for matching retirement plans, health benefits and even 529 plans.

21. What a 529 plan is. No, it's not a cut of blue jeans. If you have kids, and you think their education is important, you should know this term. Hint: It helps you save for college.

22. How to maximize your time. Binge-watching on Netflix can be fun ... until it's not. Here are the eight best time investments you can make.

23. Who your health care proxy is. We cannot overstate the importance of choosing someone to make medical decisions for you if you were incapacitated. Fun task? No. But you don't want to leave this to chance.

24. That it's possible to juggle a couple of money goals at once. Some of the most common questions LearnVest Certified Financial Planners™ get are what they call "This or that?" questions. In other words, you may want to build up your savings, pay down your debt, save up for retirement and make that dream vacation possible, but you only seem to have $200 left at the end of each month. First, know that many people feel like this. Second, know that a financial planner can help you prioritize.

RELATED: Is It Possible to Over-Plan Your Life?

25. That you will never have "enough" money. "In nine years of being a financial planner, I've never met a person who's had enough money," Taylor says. "Our lifestyles seem to be ever-expanding as our incomes expand." Case in point: Even the uber-wealthy feel poor. The takeaway? Stop feeling like tomorrow is the time to tackle your financial burdens and take control of your money today.

26. That you never know the truth about other people's finances. The co-worker with great clothes could be deep in debt or have family money. The neighbor could be close to foreclosure or have paid cash for her house. That's why it's never wise to compare yourself to other people.

RELATED: How to Cure Your Money Comparisonitis

27. What not to do when you buy a new home. We all love to renovate. But remember: You're not on an episode of one of those D.I.Y. extreme home makeover shows and, in real life, big projects cost big bucks. So don't let your aspirations do you in. Here's how to set a realistic renovation budget and stick to it.

28. How to find a financial planner you trust. It's your money, so you should have perfect confidence that the person who is helping you manage it is smart, capable and 100 percent on your side. When choosing one, watch out for these red flags.

29. How to dress fabulously on your budget. Overspending on the latest, slickest or coolest new apparel can be the downfall of many. But it's possible to cut down your clothing budget and still rock head-turning style, on just about any salary. Our Priceless Style Bootcamp is a good place to start.

RELATED: How I Did It: I Cut My Clothing Budget to $600 a Year

30. What "rebalancing" means. When you were 10, it meant climbing back up on the balance bar in gymnastics class. Now, it may mean making sure your investment portfolio is primed to grow, while also protecting yourself so your accounts won't be decimated if there's a stock market downturn. Here's an article about how to rebalance your portfolio.

31. Why life insurance is so important. Even if you don't have kids, it could still be a life-saving option. And "life insurance is cheap, as long as you get it early," says Taylor. Here's everything you need to know.

32. The big cost of your little splurges. By 40, you should clearly understand how your $5-a-day smoothie habit can add up, keeping you from making progress on your money goals. While you're out and about, use the LearnVest iPhone app as a handy reference tool to keep track of and categorize all your transactions.

33. A favourite under-$10 dinner. As a bonafide adult, you should have not only a signature dish you can wow with but also five quick meals you can whip up that won't break the bank. And no, ramen noodles don't count. That ship has sailed. (Still stumped? Try one of these.)

34. How to negotiate a better salary. Sure, spending less and saving more help, but there's no faster way to financial freedom than growing your income. Make sure that you're earning what you're worth.

35. What a will is -- and why you need one. By this point in life you need one ... or two. There are actually two kinds of wills: a last will and testament and a living will. Put simply, a last will and testament is a legal document that spells out what should happen to your possessions when you die. (And, yes, you have possessions.) A living will, on the other hand, is a health care directive for what should happen to you if you're unable to communicate your wishes. Guess what? You need both. Brush up on wills and trusts with our guide.

36. How taxes factor into your retirement plan. Some retirement savings vehicles have you pay taxes now and are tax-free later. Some are tax-free now but charge you tax when you withdraw funds. "It's not only important for your investment portfolio to diversify, it's also important to diversify your tax situation in retirement," Taylor says. "So make sure you have some tax-free sources of income in retirement, as well as some taxable sources, so you can control your tax bracket when you get there." If that's confusing, we'll explain.

37. That cashing out your 401(k) may hurt you. Now and later. You already know that pulling money out of your 401(k) sets you back years and years when it comes to retiring, right? But guess what: You'll also have a huge tax bill to pay the next April. Plus, you're more likely to plunder your account again. That's another reason it's important to have an emergency fund. (In addition to not cashing out, steer clear of 401(k) loans that let you borrow against your retirement savings and pay it back -- with interest.)

RELATED: Learn It: Your 401(k) Is Not a Bank!

38. The ins and outs of interest. Simple interest is a percentage multiplied by the amount and the length of time you promise to pay it back (if we're talking about a loan -- or, if we're talking about a simple savings account, the length of the time that you leave the money there, untouched). Compound interest, on the other hand, is calculated more frequently so that it builds upon itself to make interest grow continually. Here's how it can help and hurt you.

39. How your money can affect change. Sure, you may like to give to charity here and there, but how you choose to invest your money can also make a statement and a difference. Learn about socially responsible investing.

RELATED: Warren Buffet's 4 Steps to Giving to Charity

40. A financial plan. Maybe you prefer to budget in envelopes. Maybe you have a 12-step plan for your retirement (by 40) all mapped out. Whatever you choose, studies have shown that people who think about the future are better able to make their money grow. And sometimes you need someone to help with that. LearnVest Planning Services offers financial plans by Certified Financial Planners™ to help you get where you're going.

 

Check out his listing on the Regina Directory in the REGINA FINANCIAL SERVICES category

Some of the services that Worby Wealth Management can help you with: 

TRUSTED REGINA FINANCIAL ADVISOR Chris Worby from Worby Wealth Management helps you live your dream!


Trusted Regina Real Estate tip on Preparing your Home for Sale

Preparing your Home for Sale

Of course every seller wants their home to sell quickly and for the highest price possible, so how do you give yourself the best shot at that? We believe that from our perspective proper pricing is the most important aspect but also preparing your home so that it makes the best first impression on potential buyers is a very close second and is directly related to your ultimate selling price! So where to start? Here is a list of things to consider and we would suggest giving yourself a specific timeline to work with and get it done!

  1. De-Personalize
    You want people to see themselves creating a life in your house and making it their home so you will want to pack up those personal photographs and family heirlooms. Some buyers can't see past personal artifacts, and you don't want them to be distracted by your “things”. You want people saying “I can see myself living here” rather than “I wonder who lives here”.
  2. De-Clutter!
    Now is the time to eliminate anything you don’t need and don’t want to move with you! Likely anything you haven’t used in a year can be donated or disposed of. You may need to enlist the help of a friend who can help you be objective about your “stuff”. Think of this as getting a head start on the packing up process that you will need to do eventually anyway!
  • Remove or at least edit books and art pieces.
  • Pack up those knickknacks.
  • Put the necessary items that are used daily in a container that can be stored in a closet or pantry where they can be accessed easily.
  • Try going around your home and taking photos and then looking at your rooms through the lens of the camera. It is amazing how we just get used to our spaces and not see what is sitting on tables, counters etc. and how that may appear to potential buyers.
  • Clean off kitchen counters….you want buyers to see loads of counter space!


3. Neaten Bedroom Closets and Kitchen Cabinets.  

  • Buyers open closet and cabinet doors in the process of viewing your home, so open those doors and see what they will potentially see! Closets and cabinets that are organized give the illusion of space. And a neat, well-organized home sends a message that you care for your home. Edit, edit, edit!

4. Rent a Storage Unit If Necessary  

  • Almost every home shows better with less furniture. If you have pieces that are blocking pathways or making rooms look smaller, put them in storage. The same goes for your garage….if you have a double garage but there is only room to park one car because of the stuff being stored in it you may want to consider an intervention there as well!

5. Make Minor Repairs

If the small details are maintained it is assumed that the major things have been as well so now is the time to catch up on the little nitpicky projects you have been meaning to get to……

  • Patch holes in walls and touch up paint… or if necessary consider a fresh coat of neutral paint that will have the broadest appeal to potential buyers
  • Fix or replace leaky faucets
  • Replace burned-out light bulbs

 

The final details! Now is the time for the “spring cleaning” items…..

  • Wash windows inside and out.
  • Polish chrome faucets and mirrors
  • Make sure your bathrooms are squeaky clean & hang fresh towels
  • Clean out the refrigerator!!
  • Dust off those ceiling fan blades and light fixtures.
  • Make sure your house is clean and smells great before showings!! You only get one shot at a first impression
  • Curb appeal counts as well so make sure the yard is clean and lawn cut and adding a welcoming pot of bright flowers at the front door is a nice touch as well!



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