MESSARAH | Beauty & Lifestyle Blogger: Collaboration

Why is Hyaluronic Acid so popular? Have you ever considered this? Hyaluronic Acid has become a cornerstone in the modern skincare industry and is loved by every gender, income group, and generation globally. There are a lot of skincare blogs out there that list every single thing you need to know about Hyaluronic Acid, but I'm going to make it simple for you here. Okay, so,

What Is Hyaluronic Acid?

Hyaluronic Acid, also known as hyaluronate or hyaluronan, is a naturally slippery occurring substance that your body produces naturally. It is commonly found throughout almost every connective body tissue and fluid, especially in the eyes, joints, and skin.

Hyaluronic Acid is essential for maintaining skin elasticity and moisture. It gives your skin the right structure for a radiant, hydrated, and plump look. Skincare experts have researched Hyaluronic Acid as the most powerful active formula ingredient in moisturizers, serums, and other beauty products. Its exceptional water-binding capacity allows it to hold up to 1000 times its weight in water, making it a powerhouse ingredient for combating dryness, fine lines, and dullness.

However, the concentration of Hyaluronic Acid in our bodies gradually decreases as we age. That's why Hyaluronic acid-infused skincare products like NanoSkin Singapore Hyaluronic Acid Nano+ Serum are formulated to help replenish the skin's moisture reserves and restore a youthful, radiant complexion.

NanoSkin Singapore's Advance Formulation

The cutting-edge formulation, powered by nanotechnology, sets NanoSkin Hyaluronic Acid Serum apart by utilizing nano-sized particles; this serum penetrates deep into the skin's layers, ensuring maximum hydration and rejuvenation. Most traditional serums may only provide superficial moisture. Still, NanoSkin Singapore goes beyond the surface by delivering a surge of hydration where needed most.

Why You Should Have This Serum?

Whether you have dry, normal, oily, combination, or even sensitive skin, NanoSkin Singapore's Hyaluronic Acid Nano+ Serum is formulated to cater to your skincare needs. Its lightweight, non-greasy formula absorbs quickly, leaving behind a smooth, hydrated canvas. Say goodbye to dry patches and hello to a well-hydrated and refreshed complexion. With consistent use of Hyaluronic Acid serum, you'll see a visible improvement in your skin's texture, especially the skin tone and plumpiness, thanks to the hydrating prowess of hyaluronic acid.

Nanoskin Singapore Hyaluronic Acid Serum

In addition to its hydrating properties, the NanoSkin Singapore Hyaluronic Acid Nano+ Serum is rich in antioxidants and vitamins that are particularly good for your overall skin health. These powerful substances work cooperatively with hyaluronic acid to protect the skin from environmental stressors and free radical damage.

Imagine waking up every morning to a complexion that glows with youthful vibrance. With Nanoskin Singapore's innovative formulation and science-backed product benefits, this hyaluronic acid serum is your ultimate ticket to hydrated, radiant, youthful skin. Everything good in life demands commitment and dedication, and incorporating hyaluronic acid serum into your skincare routine might be an excellent way to start.

Incorporating Hyaluronic Acid Serum Into Your Skincare Routine

As you gently massage the serum into your skin, take a moment to breathe and reconnect with yourself. Feel the silky texture enveloping your skin, the subtle scent awakening your senses. With each application, you're not just treating your skin – you're honoring yourself, honoring the vessel that carries you through life's journey. With NanoSkin Hyaluronic Acid Serum by your side, the possibilities are endless.

Say goodbye to dry, flaky skin and hello to a complexion that promotes vitality and youthfulness. Experience the transformative power of hyaluronic acid with NanoSkin Singapore and unlock radiant, rejuvenated skin today. You can also buy supplements online with them too!

As trends in the skincare industry often come and go like the changing seasons, one of the true hero ingredients has emerged: Niacinamide. I'm pretty sure you are already familiar with this name. With its widely proven effectiveness on the skin, Niacinamide, also known as Nicotinamide, a type of Vitamin B3, has become a cornerstone in skincare formulations worldwide.

Today, we will explore how Niacinamide in skincare can help achieve radiant and youthful skin while delving into the transformative potential of NanoSkin Singapore Niacinamide Serum.

What Is Niacinamide

Niacinamide is a type of vitamin B3, also known as Nicotinamide. It is a water-soluble vitamin that can boost skin health from within. Although vitamin B can also be found in food, such as grains, nuts, and fish, it is also found in skincare products, such as Nicotinamide.

Niacinamide helps to achieve healthy skin by boosting hydration and preventing moisture loss. If your skin loses moisture, it can become dehydrated, dry, and flaky, leading to other skin problems. Niacinamide helps to maintain a healthy skin barrier, an essential protective layer that locks moisture and protects your skin from harmful dirt. It can also calm your skin from irritation and has powerful antioxidant properties.

Benefits of Niacinamide in Skincare

Niacinamide is commonly found in skincare formulas for its hydrating and skin-brightening properties. It has become one of many powerful ingredients in the beauty market nowadays. Incorporating Niacinamide into your skincare routine would help to make your skin look softer, brighter, smoother, and more radiant.

If you have oily skin and are prone to acne, use Niacinamide. Niacinamide helps regulate oily skin sebum and prevent clogged pores, which can lead to acne. Consistently applying Niacinamide to your skin will reduce the production of skin oil and the appearance of acne. Niacinamide, which is rich in antioxidant properties, also helps protect your skin against environmental damage and harmful radicals.

Benefits of Niacinamide summary:

Retain skin barrier and moisture.
Protect your skin against sun damage and UV rays.
Protect the skin from pollution and toxins.
Calming redness and irritation.
Minimize pore appearance, making your skin smoother.
Regulates sebum production.
Prevents clogged pores and acne.
Minimize skin breakouts.
Lightening dark spots and hyperpigmentation.
Increase the production of skin collagen.
Minimize the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.
Improving skin texture and overall skin complexion.

NanoSkin Singapore Niacinamide Nano+ Serum

The skincare marvel NanoSkin Singapore recently launched its niacin serum, Niacinamide Nano+ Serum, to harness the effectiveness of Niacinamide for everyone. It is formulated with high concentrations of Niacinamide combined with Panthenol (Vitamin B5), Pentavitin, and a Raybloc blend.

This niacin serum offers a deep skin-brightening solution and a reduction of acne within four weeks. Its lightweight formula aims to help in deep penetration to deliver transformative results. This process makes this niacin serum the perfect product to maintain skin hydration from within.

NanoSkin Singapore is committed to providing high-quality products and transparency to its customers, so you can buy supplements online from them without doubt. Their products are free from sulfates, parabens, and other harmful chemical ingredients, giving you the confidence to invest in your skincare regime. Unlock your healthy skin with NanoSkin Singapore and embark on a journey to happier skin results today.

Many ingredients have been introduced, wielding transformative effects to cater to specific skin concerns within the skincare industry nowadays. Everybody loves skincare products that work, and recently, people have been raving about retinol, saying that it prevents aging skin.

Retinol has gained a devoted appraisal among skincare enthusiasts for its remarkable ability to revitalize and rejuvenate the skin. This blog post will provide a comprehensive guide about retinol and what you need to know about retinol.

What is Retinol?

Retinol belongs to the family of retinoids as a derivative of vitamin A. It is a potent ingredient in skincare and is widely recognized for addressing various skin concerns and promoting new skin cells. When applied to the skin, retinol interacts with skin cells, stimulating collagen production while increasing skin cell turnover and improving overall skin complexion. It effectively sheds dead skin cells and promotes new healthy skin cells.

Benefits of Retinol

Retinol is also said to be the ultimate weapon in skincare against aging skin. It lessens the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, hyperpigmentation, and other aging signs. Retinol is also effective in treating acne by regulating sebum production on the skin and unclogging pores. This process helps to improve the elasticity, tone, and firmness of the skin, making it more radiant and youthful. Additionally, retinol helps to lessen dark spots and fade hyperpigmentation, making the skin tone more even.

Retinol in Skincare

Retinol is commonly found in skincare products such as face creams, moisturizers, and serums. However, it is important to mention that retinol can cause irritation, dryness, and sensitivity to the skin, especially for first-time users.

Tips for Using Retinol

If you decide to incorporate retinol into your skincare routine, it is recommended that you slowly introduce it to your skin from time to time to allow your skin to adapt. Always use sunscreen during the day to protect your skin from increased sensitivity due to sunlight. Remember to apply a generous moisturizer to prevent dryness and skin irritation. You may also consult with a dermatologist to choose the right formulation and concentration of retinol based on your skin concerns.

Here is an example of a retinol-based skincare routine:

Morning Routine

Cleanser: Start your day with a gentle cleanser to remove dirt and impurities accumulated overnight while you sleep.
Toner: Apply a soothing toner to balance your skin's pH levels.
Vitamin C Serum: Use Vitamin C serum to boost collagen production and give extra antioxidant protection to the skin.
Moisturizer: Provides enough hydration to the skin throughout the day.
Sunscreen: Use sunscreen to protect your skin from harmful UV rays during the day.

Evening Routine

Cleansing Oil: Thoroughly remove sunscreen and makeup with a cleansing oil. You can also alternate it with a gentle makeup remover.
Cleanser: Use a mild cleanser to cleanse your face to remove any remaining traces of dirt and impurities.
Retinol Serum: Use two or three pumps of retinol serum and lightly pat it onto the skin, avoiding the eye area, until thoroughly absorbed. You can start with a lower concentration first and gradually increase as your skin tolerates it.
Hydrating Serum: Follow up with a hydrating serum to replenish moisture and soothe any potential irritation from the retinol.
Moisturizer: Finish your night routine with a hydrating moisturizer to lock in moisture, soothe the skin, and enhance the skin's overnight repair.

Remember to always listen to your skin, and you can adjust your skincare routine as needed. Be patient for optimal outcomes, as results may vary for each person and skin type. The key is consistency.

Retinol Recommendation

With so many retinol products on the market, choosing the right one can take a lot of work. Recently, I was introduced to Nano Singapore's Retinol Nano+ Serum. It is formulated with Squalane and Raybloc to moisturize the skin and protect it from aging.

I am excited about this dark spot correcting glow serum, which has a 10X skin-boosting formula that improves skin penetration and is free from artificial colour, lanolin, mineral oil, paraben, triethanolamine alcohol sulfate, and animal-derived ingredients. It has been dermatologically tested to boost overall skin complexion while reducing wrinkles.

You can also buy supplements online right at your fingertips with Nano Singapore.

The current global pandemic of the Covid-19 outbreak has surely taken a big toll on most of our mental health. Staying at home for such a long period can affect people's emotions, thus making it harder to maintain our mental health well-being.

As we are slowly getting into the phase of endemic, most borders and even local businesses are now being allowed to re-operate in stages by following the standard operating procedures. Businesses that are also included in the list are local hotels and staycation places.

Now, this is a great chance for us to bring our family on a staycation to relax our minds and soul. In order to have a fulfilling staycation with your family, here are some tips to consider for planning a family staycation:

1. Mark Down The Ideal Dates

Just like any vacation, choosing the ideal dates is important. It makes it easier to book any available hotel rooms or staycation places and plan ahead all activities with your family.

With early date planning, you could also get many offers of cheaper and attractive booking package for a staycation place than booking at the last minute. With those dates marked off, you can let your kids start making counts down to help build excitement during your staycation.

2. Arrange Budget

Arranging a budget for a staycation is crucial to prevent overspending because having a financial crisis in the middle of a staycation could ruin the whole moment. You can start by defining what kind of staycation you would want for your family.

If you are going to have a fancy luxury staycation, the budget would surely be different from the backpacking style. Budgeting also helps you to choose hotels and other places to visit during your staycation.

3. Plan Ahead Your Staycation

Being spontaneous could be fun for certain occasions, but if we are talking about having a staycation with family, having a plan ahead could save you from running out of activities ideas or losing out on the chance of visiting the attractive places with limited tickets.

You can just create a simple schedule for the whole vacation to have at least a big picture of what kind of staycation your family would have later. Make a list of all the possible activities and places to visit so that you could do a group brainstorming with your family to choose the top picks.

4. Pack Your Clothes

By having a staycation to-do list, you can start packing your clothes that suit the idea of your staycation style. Bringing extra bags to your staycation can be a hassle but having a staycation with insufficient clothes could be worse.

Make sure to pack whatever you will need during the staycation but mind yourself to not bring excessive items that might be a burden to bring everywhere.

5. Take A Break From Your Usual Every Day Routine

Cut off from any of your usual home and work routines to make the staycation a true break for yourself and your family. Do not feel obligated to respond to any work emails, texting, open up work files, or reviewing any paper works during your staycation.

Take this chance to spend more time and strengthen the bond between your family members. You might also want to minimize cell phone distractions so that you can focus more on family time.

FAMILY STAYCATION IN MALAYSIA

While we are on the same topic, there are a lot of great hotels and places in Malaysia that you can consider for your family staycation, which mostly are family-friendly such as Grand Lexis Port Dickson. You can also try doing a KL staycation with your family, staying at different attractive hotels while visiting famous attractions around the city of Kuala Lumpur.

Luckily, planning a family staycation in Malaysia is not really hard with so many choices of hotels available. Going on a staycation with your family is a common way to de-stress while taking a pause in whatever you do that is overwhelming.

So what are you waiting for? It is time for you to plan a family staycation now!

People often thought that playing games are wasting time that influences us bad lifestyle habits while actually, it's not! You can play games whenever you want moderately because games can actually help to boost up your daily mood especially when you are playing games that are fun, relaxing and not too complicated.

Not gonna lie, there are some cases that people would get super addicted to their games and eventually ignoring so many other important things such as schools or works. But this thing can be controlled if you know how to manage your time and play the games moderately.

Truth to be told, games could also be a great source to develop skills for children while enhancing their memories, concentration, and also brain's speed. So, playing games is not totally bad. Even working adults like me also like playing games.

With the limited time and space, playing free games online is the best choice that I've always had. I can play it anywhere and anytime that I want while I'm not tied to any unnecessary subscriptions. As long as I have a device such as a phone or a laptop as well as a good internet connection, I can enjoy all the free games.

Recently, I just discovered these three games that are super fun and challenging to play. Have you ever played any of these games?

1) CHINA TEMPLE

China Temple is one of the hidden objects games they had but as I know, it is one of the hardest ones. The step is very simple, you just need to find the hidden objects or numbers as shown at the bottom of the screen. But, the game is just freaking hard.

Each level contains three stages:

spot a dozen of hidden objects
spot the hidden numbers from one to thirty
spot the differences between two pictures that are look alike

What makes it hard is they use the same colour combination for the hidden objects and numbers with the background so it will take quite some time to find them as you need to narrow your vision carefully to some corner or section.

I can't just simply click at any spot to find those hidden objects and numbers because random click guesses will be punished with the deduction of time allocated for each stage.

Yes, you have to find those objects and numbers within the set time. Otherwise, you will lose the game and will have to start all over for that level. You can use the hint options given three times and it will cost you some points that you have collected for each hint requested.

But that is what makes the game super challenging! I've got to learn to improve my focus and brain's function while playing the game.

2) PYRAMID SOLITAIRE

As a kid who used to play classic spider solitaire on computers quite a lot in the past, I guess it's not that bad to try their other fun variations such as Pyramid Solitaire. It features the cards arranged in a pyramid layout, where it consists of 28 cards in total.

The objective is to clear out the card pyramid by matching a pair of cards from each row that adds up to a total of thirteen. But only open cards can be paired. For example:

5 and 8
6 and 7
10 and 3
9 and 4
Jack (value of 11) and 2
Queen (value of 12) and A
King (can be cleared by simply click on it because it has a value of 13)

If there are no more matching cards available, you can deal a card from the remaining stockpile of 24 cards available at the bottom of the screen, which you can move across 1 card at a time. But the stock can only be scrolled completely up to 3 times.

When you can't make another move either from the pyramid or the draw and waste pile, and you also have no more deals left, then you lost the game. You will win the game when all cards are removed from the pyramid.

You will get a score by matching up two cards that sum up to 13 and by just simply click on the King card. Each row that is successfully cleared and finishing the game quickly is also worth additional points.

I guess this is my favourite game so far and it is so addicting! I can't stop playing this game once I've started.

3) CANDY HOUSE

Candy House is a tile game inspired by Candy Crush with 50 different levels of match 3 game. The rules are so simple and are much alike from where it's inspired of. Swap two tiles to match 3 or more of each colour of the same tiles in a vertical column or horizontal row.

Each level has a time set and you can collect as many scores as you can within that time by completing a set of 3 or more. You can make longer matches to earn power-up pieces which could destroy other pieces on the same line or a group of any colour that you choose to swap with.

As you advance through the game, the layout design will also change with some pieces are locked in certain positions. That's what makes the game more entertaining as you level up.

If you are looking for games that can release the tense of overload daily works, try to play Candy House!

Playing Online Games For Free

Nowadays, there are many flexibilities in our life, even games can be played online especially for free without the need of downloading any apps or signing up for an account. There's a website called solitaire.org where you can play many other fun and free games on their website.

All the games that I've just listed in this blog post are also from their website so don't forget to check them out because I really have fun discovering new games that I've never played before. There are games instructions everywhere if you feel alien to certain games and don't know how to play them.

You could spend hours discovering so many interesting games there. Visit their website and choose your favourite games now!

The excitement of being a homeowner is a wonderful feeling especially if it's your first time.

It can be the most rewarding moment in our life but some first-time homeowners often lose their heads a little bit while making unnecessary mistakes which can lead to risking everything they've worked so hard to earn.

It's important to browse all the information you may need before being a homeowner because it can super costly and frustrating if you're in a not-knowing situation.

In this blog post, I want to make things easier as you yourself would save a lot of time with all these household hints. Here are some things you need to know about being a homeowner:

DOWNPAYMENT

Downpayment is a mandatory lump sum payment to be paid upfront for any property-related purchase. The cost may vary depending on how much the home price but the minimum downpayment rates of property purchases are usually 10% of the transaction price.

Some people choose to save up a large amount of money in some time so that they can pay more upfront as a downpayment in order to reduce the amount of principal loan they'll need to borrow from the bank. It's a great way to lessen the burden of your next monthly loan repayment.

MORTGAGE PAYMENT

A mortgage payment is an amount you need to pay every month toward your mortgage (loan) or it is described as your monthly repayment.

It is made of your principal loan and interest payments. Without proper financial goals and planning, you may eventually be stuck in excessive debts due to insufficient money for your monthly repayment.

It is recommended to set the mortgage payment limit to 30% of your monthly gross income to avoid leaving yourself with having a smaller cushion to take care of other basic needs and commitments. Do a full calculation of how much you would comfortably afford every month for the mortgage payment.

HIDDEN COSTS

Don't be swayed by the small number of monthly installments on the screen alone. While people would typically look at the down payment amount and monthly installments, there are several other costs of owning a home you will need to consider as well. This will include:

Upfront fees and charges - required paperwork to make your property purchase legal
Hazard insurance - to protect against any unforeseen circumstances related to your property
Mortgage insurance - to provides a lump sum money to pay off your remaining mortgage in case of any unexpected events
Utility deposits and charges - to cover administrative process, installation fees, stamp duty
Property taxes - to be paid yearly to the government
Maintenance fees - immediate repairs, inspections, community services
Personalizing costs - renovation, furnishing, lawn maintaining, other upkeeping fees
Valuation fees - an assessment of what your home is worth, calculated by a professional valuer, to get a better sense of whether you're getting a good deal or not

Buying a house is not just about the real estate prices and lengthy loan repayment periods that range about 30 years or more, but it is more than that. Make sure that you are mentally and financially prepared to bear all these costs when you are about to own a home.

CLOSING COST

A closing cost is an amount required to be paid to the service providers who help facilitate the transaction after a house purchase is finalized. When settling a property purchase, closing costs are usually charged to both buyer and seller to compensate the process of funding, approval, and insuring sales.

The buyer's costs would include lender fees, appraisal fees, homeowner fees, insurance, and also third-party fees. While the seller's costs cover the real estate commission for the agent, listing fees, and ownership transfer fees. As a buyer, you might be able to negotiate with the home's seller to cover some of your closing costs.

LOCATION

It is important to do a lot of research about the location you're interested in when you are about to buy a house since it is one of the major factors that affect the property market value in most areas. The impact of location on house pricing is due to placement, amenities, surrounding environment, and also the access to other services.

For example, a lot of Banff Homes for sale are quite expensive because the area is located in a national park. It gives you a nice breathe of air with a beautiful silence at night that could be a nice change of city life. It could be a nice decision to live there since the environment where the house is located will contribute a lot to your mental well-being and emotions.

NEIGHBORS

Knowing your neighbors not only will let you make more friends but will also make it easier for you to address any issues that might arise later such as safety, parking lots, property boundaries, health availability, or noise concerns.

Everyone knows that having bad neighbors could be quite troublesome that leads to an unpleasant living environment. You can take the first to be a good neighbor by introducing yourself and making friends right away as soon as you move in.

It is okay to get nosy and talk to neighbors as you will learn a lot about the neighborhood drama.

Childhood is an unforgettable moment full of fun, warm, and touching stories. The memories are rich and diverse. I'm already in my 20s series this year and yet, I always have the wistful longing for the old days. Everyone would surely feel the same when they're adults, right?

One thing that seems a dominant thing from my childhood was playing video games. Even girls are no exception from having the good old memories with those games. Social media was a foreign thing back then so most kids were so head over heels of video games. Including girls.

I did play barbie and all sorts of dolls just like other normal kids (girl) but I always like to go beyond limits. My parents were very strict about gadgets with us. At home, we could watch the tv only during the weekend, which obviously not the school days and it's only a few hours.

I had my very first non-smartphone (or people usually call it a dumb phone) when I was 12 just so that my father could 'reach' me anytime when he's not around especially when we (my sisters and I) were at the daycare transit centre.

So, when did I had the chance to discover video games?

Most of the time on weekdays, we were at the daycare transit centre because both of our parents were working from 7 am to 6 pm. We usually went to school from the daycare transit centre in the morning and waited for our parents to pick us up in the evening.

The whole day spent at the daycare transit centre allowed me to discover things I didn't get to 'learn' while at home: using smartphones, the classic Gameboy and all other video games, sinetron dramas, board games, k-pop music videos, dongeng series, and all sort of things.

All of these are thanks to my childhood friends who went to the same daycare transit centre like me. We spent a lot of time together at that time, like a big crowd of siblings and we shared a lot of things.

I remember one of our friends who always brought her Gameboy Advance (the handheld video games console by Nintendo) to the daycare transit centre, like almost every day, and we would take our turns to borrow from her and play all the games.

Some of them also brought PSP (that one from Sony) too so we got to try all kinds of game consoles because we liked to share things with each other as we spent most of the days together at the same daycare transit centre. I was one of the kids who didn't have any gadgets to offer to them but I always shared my snacks in return for playing their console games hehe.

The most famous games we liked to play back then were Super Mario World, Space Invaders, Tetris, and also Bounce (from Nokia haha). I really miss playing all of them.

During school holiday weeks, we usually went to our parents' hometown and a lot of our uncles and aunties live nearby so I got to hang out at my different cousins' houses every day. They have a lot of EXTRA computers, Ipad, phones, and also console games so the younger cousins like us got to play them all every time we went to their houses. And yes, most of them are pretty rich haha.

It was also the only time I got to play The Sims :')

I have a lot of childhood memories of loading up games from the internet on my family member's computers and playing them for hours and I definitely miss all those moments. Before this, I always have thought that those games are much likely just some of my favourite throwback shows which are long gone with the times as I get older.

Adulting is hard, so I have missed a lot of things about video games nowadays. A lot of things have developed quickly as time goes by. However, thanks to the internet because there is still a way for me to play some of my favorite childhood games and jog my memory the way I couldn't even imagine.

Recently, I discovered a website called Plays.org. It's a free browser-based online game where currently, it offers hundreds of games on their site that can be quickly be played from the browser for free. No need to download!

The first time I came across their site, I was wonderstruck. They have an entire catalog (before the footer of the website) of different categories of games that everyone can choose from to play. Their games are fun and addictive. I also found some games that are quite similar to Space Invaders and they also have Tetris!

Different Categories of Free Online Games

I could spend hours just playing different games on this website while I procrastinate on my works hehe. You should try it too! Besides, you don't need to register any user account to play their games. You can just play them all directly on their website. Their website is also mobile-friendly so you can play it on any kind of device.

If you click on any play button of their games, you can refer to their game instructions first as you scroll down a little bit before you play the game if the game is definitely new for you. They provide instructions such as how to start the game, how to control the games, how to avoid getting hit, some tricks or strategies, how to level up your power, and so on.

As you start playing the game, there is NO accidental ad click or any paid upgrades in the middle of your play that could distract the whole game because the website is pretty much all FREE.

It's so damn worth it!

As for the time being, they are constantly adding more games into their collection like they publish at least one or two games every day so you will see something new every day on their free online games website :D

Go check out their website and jog your memory now!

The uncertainty and tons of job losses during this pandemic have taken a huge toll on the economic sectors. Some are predicting that the Covid-19 crisis has led the real estate bubble in Malaysia on the brink of bursting.

It is clear as we can see from the view of the property sector, many households reported struggling to make mortgage payments or keep missing the rent. Even though the moratorium programs have helped to keep the foreclosure rates low for some time, things would get difficult as these programs expire especially to those who are affected by retrenchment and low-income groups.

As the unemployment rate and difficult financial decisions remain at historic highs, many households are reconsidering their housing needs. But still, because of the pandemic, stay-at-home orders have become a crucial thing for many people for the sake of everyone's health and safety concerns.

So even if the inclinations during the Covid-19 pandemic do permanently change certain factors on properties, the quick economic uncertainty would keep some prospective buyers on the sidelines for some time as their homes have become the proxies for their work-from-home offices, their kid's schools (online classes), restaurants, and personal staycation.

Things to Do Before Buying A House During Covid-19

Some of these people are still looking for a new place to be called home because the realization to actually live in this new normal era has shifted from time to time. If you are planning to buy a house during this pandemic, there are some important things you need to consider before making a decision on house buying.

Buying a house is a long-term and big investment as it contributes as the largest asset for many households. It can be the most rewarding financial decisions in life but yet, the most stressful commitments you will ever bear in your life.

So, before you start to commit to such a big toll, here are some things you should do before getting a new property especially during this Covid-19 pandemic.

Identify The Purpose of Buying

This is the basic thing to reflect on when you are planning to buy something, especially for such a big-ticket item. By doing this, you are actually setting a clear goal for your own property investment and it's one of the good financial management steps.

Each people surely has different home purchase intentions but most first-time homebuyers, they are likely to look out for a place to stay or settle in. If you're buying a house for your own or your family to stay in, make sure you love the environment where the house is located because it contributes a lot to your emotions and mental well-being of living there for a long time ahead.

But if you can't afford to buy a house on your own but still need a place to stay, just rent!

I know that some of us may have the mindset that buying a house is automatically a better choice because instead of paying a landlord, it's better to pay off the bank as the property will eventually grow to your own personal assets over time. But, think of all the amount of money you will need if you are buying a house:

down-payment
closing cost
mortgage payments
mortgage insurance
property taxes
maintenance fees
hazard insurance
stamp duty
legal cost
valuation fees
renovation fees

That's quite a lot, right? If you are physically and mentally prepared to bear all these costs of owning your own house to stay and determine to settle in at one place, then you can proceed to the decision making of buying a house. But if you are still can't afford it or you don't like being stuck at the same place for a long period of time, it's safer to just rent.

When you are planning to find a place to stay in, buying your own house is great. But, renting a house is also GREAT!

Set A Proper Financial Planning

Without proper financial goals and planning, you may trigger impulsive buying habits and eventually being stuck in excessive debt due to insufficient amounts for your monthly home installment, loan interests, bills, repairs, maintenance, etc.

Normally, it is recommended that monthly mortgage payments should not exceed 30% of your monthly gross income. If you are still tempted to go beyond 30%, it will leave you a smaller cushion to take care of other commitments especially your basic needs.

Here are some tips you can apply to set your own financial plan when buying a house:

Find out how much money you will continuously need for the house | You can calculate your specific amount of the monthly house installment using a mortgage calculator that includes the interest, taxes, principal, and insurance. You will get the picture of the graph of loan repayment along with monthly and yearly amortization tables.

Put a large down payment | If you can save up a large amount of money for the down payment in some time, it would be great as you will have less risk to the bank and the lesser amount of principal loan you will need to borrow from them.

Take care of your credit score | Credit score plays a big role whether you qualify for a loan and banks usually will evaluate your credit score to indicate your creditworthiness for the loan terms and interest rates.

Do A Lot of Research

Most certainly, doing a lot of necessary research before purchasing a house is common among home-buyers as it will be assessed with their financial standing. You will need to take into consideration the market value of the property, the bank loan rates, and every other aspect related to keeping yourself from being swayed by misleading information.

Before committing to a big-ticket purchase, you need to always keep yourself grounded with facts. Nobody wants to make a big purchase that later will cause a big regret.

Firstly first, analyze the developers and compare each of their property offerings and locations. Also, you will need to consider the age of the property as it matters significantly to your perspective. It may look beautiful and impressive on the outside but you do not know if the house has been consistently going through maintenance over the years.

Then, it all depends on your preferences. The number of squares footage you need for long-term comfort, your expectation of the floor plan, the potential for customization of interior design or renovation, etc.

You can get all this information from the property website and news, or you can directly be engaged with a real estate agent who mastered the area of your property interest. As the real estate agents are always in the market, they can give you a hands-on analysis and the real picture of the local scene that you are interested in.

Since there are so many overhang residential properties for sale in Malaysia, you can take your time as much as you need to browse all the information that you may need until it meets your preferences requirements and also your financial capability.

I wish you all the best!

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