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Pros And Cons Of Investing In HMOs In 2021 by HMO Property Designs

ABC Staff
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Pros And Cons Of Investing In HMOs In 2021 by HMO Property Designs

It is no hidden thing that the demand for houses of multiple occupancy (HMOs), increased rapidly in the last few years. Therefore, it grabbed the attention of many investors who want great rental yield at minimum cost. If planned and managed carefully, HMOs can work wonderfully for some investors. While for others, it is a long list of legal obligations.

Whether you are planning to invest in an HMO property or a Landlord looking to expand the revenue, you need to know what HMO is and what benefits and pitfalls it offers. We will briefly introduce you to HMO in case you are new to this term opens HMO Property Designs:

What is an HMO?

Houses in multiple occupation or houses of multiple occupancy are legal terms used for property where three or more tenants live together. These tenants share the same household though they are not family members.

Each tenant has a separate bedroom; some may include an en suite, depending on the apartment’s rent. All tenants have some sharer facilities like communal sitting, kitchen, or bathroom. Now let’s weigh the benefits and pitfalls of investing in an HMO property.

Pros OF Investing In An HMO

With increased property demand, this type of household is trending among the tenants as well as investors. Here are some pros:

  • Unparalleled Financial Benefits: With fluctuated rental prices, HMOs offer a constant flow of money, i.e., it has more rental yields than single-let properties. Moreover, the cash flow is regular even in an uncertain situation like a global pandemic.
  • Tax Break: If you need to get some property improvement changes, e.g., extension or maintenance, it will come in the revenue cost category, which is tax-deductible.
  • Increased Demand: With the increased population, the demand for private rental properties is growing significantly. Therefore, in 2021, you should not miss the opportunity of investing in an HMO.
  • Lesser Rental Arrears: In HMOs, you never run out of rent. If, due to some reason, one tenant falls behind to pay the rent, you can still get the rent from others.
  • Lower Rental Voids: Your apartment won’t stay empty if one tenant is moving out; there are still tenants paying you rent. So there are no or lesser void periods.

Cons OF Investing In An HMO

Not everything is bright in this picture; here are some pitfalls of investing in an HMO:

  • More Responsibility: As compared to single-let properties, there is more responsibility on the Landlord in HMOs. They have to pay the utility bills themselves, even if some tenants are paying the rent late.
  • Scarce Letting Agents:  Managing an HMO property alone is a difficult job. Therefore, you need a good professional agent for this purpose, which can be difficult to find. But with new companies like HMO Property Designs, you can gain an edge over other investors. But still, it will  increase the managing cost.
  • Low Capital Growth: Compared to single-let properties, HMOs have limited capital growth, making them difficult to sell.
  • More Legislation Requirement: It is not as straightforward as single-let property; there are many government and local council legal requirements to abide by.
  • Requires More Planning: As starting this project is expensive, you have to make a proper plan that can work out. Talk to local HMO officers and analyze the demographics before making purchase calls.

You need to be mindful of all aspects of HMOs before investing in this big project. As per our experience, though it requires some hard work, the results and revenues are worth the effort.

4 Ways To Add More Value To Any HMO Property by HMO Property Designs

ABC Staff
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0
4 Ways To Add More Value To Any HMO Property by HMO Property Designs

With the increased demand for a house of multiple occupancy (HMO) property, more investors are interested in it. However, as an investor or landlord, you can increase your HMO property returns and fill your pockets by adding more value to them. We have some amazing tips that will help you increase the potential value of your HMO and also attract more professional tenants.

Though there is tough competition in HMO land, you can still stand out from the rest and up your game.  Here’s what you have to do to increase your day-to-day earnings as an investor.

1.    Extend The Property

In order to ramp up the potential of your HMO, add one (6m for semi or terraced house) or two-story extensions. You can use the extended space to add more bedrooms, which will ultimately increase the property’s rental yield. Remember to put an official application before doing this extension.

It would definitely require more budget but you can choose other methods too. For example, if there is an extra-large bedroom or living area, split it into two six and a half square meters of bedrooms. Or you can even use an un-used garage for that matter. Remember to analyze the layout and size of the house before incorporating an extension.

2.    Focus On Interior Design

If you want to save yourself from the hassle of creating extra space and save some money as well, changing the interior design is a good option. It will definitely increase your return by 50% as most of the HMOs in the market feel entirely run down.

You can take it as an opportunity to add value to your property. Install new flooring, textured walls, fresh paint, or put up interesting photographs to add-up to its value. These small changes can yield more rent for each room.

3.    Changing HMO Design

Shared accommodations can yield more returns if they are interesting and more creative. You can do this by incorporating well-spaced HMO Property Designs in your place. There are many property design ideas you can opt for.

Tenants nowadays prefer more space; you can fulfill their needs by providing larger bedrooms. A bigger room with a space of two beds is more desirable for tenants. If there is an excess over after two bed’s area, you can install an en-suite too.

4.    Update The Kitchen

The kitchen, in shared accommodation, is used most frequently. If it is 15-20 years old, the cabinets would worn out, making it look messy. Modernizing and updating the kitchen would attract the attention of tenants.

You won’t believe how it would change the rent you charge per tenant. Make sure it has enough food storage space and clean flooring. It will help if you have 0.5m of worktop per person to meet the standard requirement.

Putting It Together

Now is a great time to add value to your property by following the amazing tips from HMO Property Designs mentioned above. You can earn greater returns through property valuation. Remember, if your property looks ravishing, you can also sell it to potential investors.

How to Consistently Earn Money by Playing Casino Games in 2021

Claire James
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How to Consistently Earn Money by Playing Casino Games in 2021

If you are an avid gambler (or casual, doesn’t matter), you certainly heard that gambling is pure luck and that you can’t consistently earn money from it. You may heard even worse gambling prudes, who claim that everything is rigged, every game you can find online, at your local casino, literally every game and every machine cheats in a way that don’t allow you to win big ever! Of course, that’s not true, and if you have any experience with online casinos UK you definitely know that’s not true!

It is always possible to get at least some money playing online slots and other casino games, but is it viable to expect that you will have at least a bit of edge over the house if you do some things we will reveal to you in this article. It is always important to know that luck will play a major role in your gambling endeavors, but by no means that’s the only thing that matters.

Don’t Skip the Basics

We have to state the obvious — you must learn the game in order to pay the game. Of course, some of you would say this is something which is clear to everyone, but we would beg to differ. There are many gamblers who just see the sparkling new slot machine and start spending their money on it. They know nothing about it, they don’t know RTP, volatility and they are still willing to sit there and spend their money.

Don’t be one of those guys, do your homework. First, if we talk about online slots, you can find a demo version of literally any slot that is available online, and try it of free before investing your money into it. Learn about the RTP, volatility, read reviews and testaments from other players, and only then, if everything seems fine, play for money.

Don’t Just Sit at the Table with the Most Beautiful Dealer

If you like card games more than slots, don’t just fall for the oldest trick in the book — sexy dealer which will make you play hasty and lose everything you get.

It doesn’t matter if you play in your local casino or online. Every major casino now offers live dealer games and those games are definitely more attractive than the games you play against bots or RNGs. Also, you can exploit some flaws those human dealers have, right? Right, but it often ends up the other way around — human dealers exploit your weaknesses, and that is especially the case when you get charmed by some female dealer. Believe me, they are not just so cute and innocent and sometimes clumsy, they know what they are doing. And before you know it, you lose everything and they will leave you scratching on the head wondering what went wrong.

Don’t Break the Bank

Another advice you have to always have in mind is — never break your bank, because playing and losing the money you can’t afford to lose leads to all those sad stories we all heard already.

However, sticking to the bank is not easier than it looks. That’s not only a psychological thing, it is also a matter of carefully placing your bets and actually using math before doing anything hasty. By doing so, you will be safe from bankrupt, you will be able to manage your funds efficiently, and calculate your bets in a way which will allow you to earn more money when you find the best bet amount than just playing it all by the hunch.

Make the Most out of Bonuses and Promotions

Bonuses and promotions are bread and butter for most of the online casino players, because it allows them to earn money with investing very little money.

When registering to a new casino just for the sake of taking a bonus, and then, like a grasshopper, jump to another site as soon as possible, you can’t rush and just take the offer you see in some targeted advertisement. You must evaluate the offer, and most importantly, check wagering requirements.

It is often a case that you see an amazing offer, which will let you get hundreds of pounds without breaking a sweat, right? Well, not exactly. Because in nine out of ten cases, those amazing offers have brutally hard wagering requirements, you simply cannot beat. So, what’s the point then? That offer stays only on paper, if you don’t get a chance to withdraw your money, you are just wasting it.

It is way better to claim an offer which seems worse and gives you less money if you win, if after reading the rules seem that you will claim smaller bonus, but that outcome is probable. Don’t try to be greedy, because it simply won’t work, and you will just throw your money into the well.

Accept RNG, Don’t Try to See Patterns Where There Are no Any

Every slot game is based on the random number generator. The future spins are not affected by the past spins. No matter how much you want to find the reason why you should place your bets on red, because black numbers were winners seven times, the chance of the next spin gets red/black is the same — 49%. And it is always 49% no matter what you think and how does it look, just because the future is not predefined by the choices you made before.

And no, the machines are not rigged because you are losing, they simply give an edge to the house, because the very game design that gives them the advantage.

Conclusion

Playing slots and other casino games to get a constant source of income is not easy, but it is possible. You will need to pay close attention to all things mentioned in this guide, and just control yourself when playing.

There is nothing worse than breaking a bank, instead of taking a closer look at slot characteristics and re-evaluate your bets and overall play.

That is the only viable long-term strategy when playing online slot games.

Traders Union updates Avatrade Review

Sam Allcock
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Traders Union updates Avatrade Review

Financial experts at Traders Union have analyzed Avatrade, including the broker’s trading conditions, service quality level, availability of investment, bonus and partnership programs, new trading and technical instruments for the traders, thus upgrading Avatrade review.

Avatrade Review is a result of all-encompassing research within the framework of which financial analysts and experts study each area of business of the broker in terms of the basic parameters dynamics. The result of the study is the report published on the broker’s profile on Traders Union website.

What kind of information can be found in Avatrade Review 

In the Avatrade profile, users can review the latest offers of the broker, all in one place, without wasting time and effort for this task. Traders Union experts have already done it all for you – they checked the broker’s website and trading conditions, and updated information about all services offered by Avatrade.

The following up-to-date information in available in the Avatrade Review:

●      Broker review by an expert.

●      Broker analysis by criteria.

●      Popularity dynamics among customers.

●      Review of investment and partnership programs.

●      Detailed example of rebate calculation for this particular broker.

●      Detailed review of the company’s trading conditions.

●      Comparison of trading conditions and instruments of Avatrade with its competitors.

●      Review of trading and non-trading commissions of the broker, their comparison with the same indicators of competitors.

●      Overall review of the broker and its area of business.

●      A guide on working with the website and Personal account of the broker with screenshots.

Reviews about Avatrade — screening and analysis

Additionally, Traders Union experts analyze user reviews (feedback) about Avatrade, which are published by the broker’s customers on the TU website. Each user review is moderated and checked, and, if necessary, in case of a dispute or negative situation, financial experts conduct an internal investigation. Therefore, only real reviews and authentic information about working with a broker are published on the Traders Union website.

In the Avatrade review, user reviews about the company are divided into three sections to make their analysis and to provide a possibility to analyze customer mood dynamics:

●      TOP 3 full reviews 

●      Reviews from the broker’s customers

●      Oldest user reviews

Conclusion

Detailed Avatrade review on the Traders Union website is regularly updated by financial experts and analysts. This provides a possibility to obtain as much useful and important information about the broker’s work and its services in one place as possible. You no longer need to seek information you require on the broker’s website or contact its customer support to clarify some issues – our experts have done it for you!

Become a member of Traders Union and get more expert information about Forex brokers!

Things to look for in investment leads generation company

Sam Allcock
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Things to look for in investment leads generation company

One of the founding components of business growth is the continued availability of sales opportunities, which makes business growth challenging and long-term. Companies need a trustworthy lead generation enterprise that is more a partner than just another supplier. Based on marketing strategies such as online publication and e-mail marketing, lead generations generate interest in the brand, goods, or services of an organization. For several companies, it extends over many contact points, so that a company can thrive it first of all needs to generate sales leads. Lead generation is a key step in the marketing process, but it is essential to growth in the company.

What is lead generation?   

Lead generation helps businesses to pursue goals before they are ready to purchase by marketing processes to stimulate and attract interest in goods and services to create a sales pipeline. For such purposes as list building, list acquisition of e-newsletters, or sales leads, leads can be generated. Investment leads generation is important because today’s companies only have their permission to connect with people. The strategy for purchasing the goods and services of a company is a leader in potential marketing contact with your brand, the initiation of customer interest, or an investigation into products or services.

Explore

You will want to link to a lead investor company with a wide range of potential contacts. Those that only want to know more about the product or service, leads who have a clear understanding of the business and actively support its services. You need to understand how you are going to benefit your business if you choose a leading provider. A smart way to measure the efficacy of existing resources and how exactly one expert might be more successful is to conduct an objective survey on the marketing capacity and its potential to increase leads.

Processes and services

Get to know the organization before you start your project, one of the most important aspects of the entire process. Questions such as “How do you adapt your programmed for leadership to fulfill my objectives?” Help keep your mind at ease, and find out how well they can customize their products to their exact needs is the one thing you always need to remember.

Your Services Price

The price of services for the manufacture of lead can vary so widespread that a potential customer can be intimidated. Prices rely on several factors: the size of the business, market, reputation, the number of services it offers, lead quality, etc. Concentrate on consumer expense instead of lead cost per acquisition. Explore your choices to see what works best for you, some companies offer tiered packages, while others offer quotes for your particular company after testing.

Automated or customized?

Call and read their call scripts as many leads as possible in writing by pay-per-leaders or consultants, normally does it give them the best conditions for informing prospective. Personalization enables you to learn about your needs and intentions by providing personal data for you. Marketing automation is used by the best marketing teams to increase their sales team’s performance and ROI. Automation helps marketers improve their skills and sales leading to higher sales and growth.

How will house prices move in 2021

Sam Allcock
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How will house prices move in 2021

Many of us have started the year 2021 with the thought, “How will prices be affected at this time?” This question generally refers to our regular living expenses, but it is true of the property market as well. What is the future of this market, especially in 2021?  However, as professionals in the elite areas like the Estate Agents in Belsize Park will advise, the property market has remained resilient against the pandemic’s effects, which has left its mark on almost every individual sector. The Letting Agents in Belsize Park also share a similar thought about the current property market.

There are many aspects to consider while trying to figure out how house prices will move in 2021.

SDLT holiday: 

With the Stamp Duty Land Tax holiday announced last year, there was a surge in property purchases ending with an all-time high in December of 2020.  This boom has continued in the first quarter of 2021.  With the SDLT holiday coming to an end on 31 March 2021 (unless it is extended), there is a prediction that the prices of property will fall slightly in the second quarter of this year.

Furloughs and Unemployment: 

With the furlough scheme also set to end soon, there is a likelihood of more unemployment, making it difficult for people to either move from their current homes or buy new properties.  This could cause the property market to decline slightly, which may affect house prices as well.

Movement from urban to rural areas: 

With the lockdown causing more people to work online, from home, it has resulted in people looking for more spacious areas outside the cities, where it will be comfortable to have a residence-cum-office, with garden space for relaxation as well.  This may result in a shift in house prices – it may be falling slightly in city areas while rising a bit in the suburbs and outskirts.  In the suburbs and rural areas, good transport facilities to nearby cities will be an added advantage and could result in an enhanced price if the owner wishes to sell.  Also, if working online from home, there are fewer overhead expenses like commuting, which savings can add to the credit record, which could lead to affording a higher mortgage.

Incredible savings:

With the lockdowns in 2020, people did not have the opportunity to spend as they usually would have, on holidays, outings, entertainment, food etc.  This has resulted in some people being able to save unexpectedly and put away a tidy sum which, in some cases, could be spent towards the purchase of a new home!

Covid vaccine: 

Once the vaccination programme is complete, a return to near normalcy may hopefully occur.  Some predictions state that the lure of city life with its many social and cultural advantages will bring people back to the cities – both to work in offices and live in residences there, mainly if some employers restrict working from home.  This could be true, resulting in a slight upward trend in house prices in the cities.  Once schools and universities reopen, there is a likelihood of growth in the student population for rentals, affecting house prices.  Also, most foreign buyers are interested in properties in London or other major cities.  This forms quite a large portion of the property market in the cities which could tell on house prices.

Economy: 

Much depends on the economy, which has been deeply affected by the lockdowns, low-interest rates, furlough payments, Government benefit schemes, etc.  The low-interest rates have been beneficial to those applying for mortgages even though the house prices have usually been higher.  The same applies to the SDLT.  If the SDLT holiday is extended, it could result in a price hike in properties. 

Conclusion: 

Many experts are divided in their predictions about house prices in 2021. Some feel that they will rise slightly; others feel there may be a slight fall, while others think they will level off. One expert commented, “There is also a more positive scenario where the widespread effective rollout of the vaccines leads to a faster economic recovery, more business confidence and less long-term damage than previously expected, which would help support pricing along with the low-interest rates.”

However, with the current situation and the uncertainty of the future, it is difficult to give a definite answer.  Taking into consideration all the above, there may be a rebalance between city and country house prices.  However, investment in the most stable “bricks and mortar” still appears to be one of the best to be made!

Top 5 Hair Transplant Clinics In Turkey In 2021

Sam Allcock
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Top 5 Hair Transplant Clinics In Turkey In 2021

Hair transplant is relatively cheaper in Turkey, and we have compiled a list of some of the best hair transplant clinics in Turkey. It is important to note that this list is completely unbiased.

Despite some highly skilled surgeons, Turkish hair transplant clinics are cheaper as compared to many other countries because of several reasons. For example, one of the major reasons for this is the subsidy provided by the government to these clinics.

The Turkish government has invested a hefty amount in the health tourism sector in the last decade. Tourism is one major revenue-generating sector for Turkey, but it was facing a crisis for several years. However, the government made some decisions to boost the tourism sector again.

Top 5 Hair Transplant Clinics In Turkey

In this article, we have enlisted some of the best hair transplant clinics in Turkey. These clinics provide you with high-quality services through world class professionals, and that too at a very low price.

1-    Hermest Hair Transplant Clinic

Die Welt stated this clinic as “best hair transplant clinic with best hair transplant in Europe” in 2008. Hermest has been offering unparalleled hair transplant services for 17 years. Moreover, Hermest is the world’s most successful clinic in terms of most number of successful hair transplants.

There is minimal hair loss after the transplant from Hermest, and they have a 99 per cent success ratio. A hair transplant from Hermest gives your hair a natural and dense look. On average, their hair transplant cost ranges from 1,500€ to 3,500€.

2-    Dr Keser Hair Clinic

Dr Keser is one of the pioneers of hair transplant in Turkey. He has his own clinic in Ankara and has written several books on hair transplant. Moreover, Dr Keser has also trained many hair transplant surgeons as well.

Dr Keser is more famous in rich people because he provides premium quality services at relatively higher prices. He charges 3.5€ per graft for a hair transplant. So, if a person opts for a 3000 graft hair transplant, the total charges will be almost 10,500€.

3-    Asmed Hair Transplant

They have the latest technology to perform hair art style operations and can meet your expectations very easily. They have a highly qualified staff which keeps you involved in the process to get maximum results. To get the best possible results, you have to fully cooperate with them throughout the process and the after-care stage. They also charge €3.5 per graft.

4-    AHD Hair Transplant Clinic

This clinic based in Antalya and run by one of the most famous hair transplant surgeons in Turkey, Dr Hakan Doganay. Apart from hair transplant, he also offers his services in cosmetic surgeries as well. Their prices range between 7,000€ to 10,000€.

5-    FBM Medical Center

Samsun is enriched with many hair transplant centres, but FBM is certainly one of the bests. This clinic is a centre of attractions, especially for males, as it yields maximum results. Apart from hair transplantation, this clinic also deals in nose and breast aesthetics. That is why people prefer this clinic for various reasons. Their charges for hair transplant ranges between 2,000€ to 4,000€.

Source: https://turkeyhairtransplantcost.com/best-hair-transplant-in-turkey/

The Significance of SSL Certificates In Web Security

Sam Allcock
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The Significance of SSL Certificates In Web Security

Businesses have entered an era where all fundamental operations rely on the internet. The trend has led to a genuinely stunning rate of increase in websites. Although internet-based operations come with many benefits to business owners, they have also created new challenges and risks that call for vigilance and extreme measures.

Of the many challenges that the internet has come with, cybersecurity is the most precarious. All website owners must address this issue seriously, failure to which devastating repercussions await them. A successful cybersecurity attack can be costly to repair, and in worst-case scenarios, victims end up shutting down their businesses.

With the knowledge of increasing cybersecurity threats and the high costs that victims of cyber breaches incur, tech gurus and IT experts have done enough to try and keep the internet a safe haven. We have seen the milestones they have covered. They have developed adequate tools and protocols to help website owners maintain the utmost levels of safety. As a website owner, the ball is in your coat. You must ensure that you have all the necessary tools and practices to ensure that your website, resources, and website visitors are all safe.

What is an SSL Certificate?

SSL certificate stands for Secure Socket Layer. Netscape initially developed it in 1994. Its primary objective was to allow web browsers to access web servers safely.

SSL certificates provide information security to information traveling between two points over the internet. It is a crucial website security element because it ensures information integrity, confidentiality, and authentication. The certificate achieves these essential security elements by using cryptography and digital signatures.

How Does an SSL Certificate Work?

SSL CRYPTOGRAPHY

For an SSL certificate to protect information as it moves to and from your website servers to users’ browsers, it uses cryptography. The data in transit is encrypted until it reaches its intended destination. Two types of data encryption that you should know are symmetric cryptography and asymmetric cryptography.

The former refers to cryptography, which uses similar keys to encrypt and decrypt information. The key is agreed upon by both parties, and it should remain static.

Asymmetric cryptography is where two keys are used. One key will encrypt the information, whereas the other key will decrypt the information. Asymmetric cryptography is more favorable because, even when someone knows details about one key, he would not decrypt the information unless he has the second key. Furthermore, two parties can spawn a transaction or communication with asymmetric cryptography without having to meet. This is facilitated by the incorporation of both public and private keys.

The organization’s public key is “public knowledge” and specializes in encryption purposes. The private key of the organization remains a secret and is primarily meant to decrypt the encrypted information.

Significance of SSL Certificate in Website Security

1. Data integrity

Data integrity refers to the reliability, overall completeness, accuracy, trustworthiness, and consistency of data over its life cycle. It is concerned with finding out whether your web site’s information was tampered with since it was transferred.

A website that lacks an SSL certificate exposes its data repositories to malicious intruders. The intruders can easily alter the meaning and purpose of the information in transit. The SSL certificate scrambles the data into a meaningless form that intruders cannot decipher. It would be impossible for someone to understand or make any changes to such information.

2. Authentication

Today, many fake websites are after extorting money from unsuspecting users. Cybercriminals may easily make a replica website that looks like yours to steal from you. Authentication will help a user to verify the ownership of a website.

Before you acquire an SSL certificate from a trusted CA, the CA will first have to establish your identity. Your web visitors can check your details by clicking on the padlock icon to ensure that they interact with your website and not a fake website.

3. Data encryption

As I explained earlier, encryption is where information in transit is scrambled into a meaningless form that cannot be deciphered by anyone who attempts to intercept it. This is a vital point for you, mainly when you deal with critical information that requires confidentiality. Such information may include; credit card and debit card numbers, financial information, health records, and other confidential information.

Wildcard SSL Certificate – The Most Ideal and Cost Effective Certificate

Website owners often ask me about the best SSL certificate they should use for their websites. You should know that all certificates offer the same level of encryption. However, the criteria of choosing the best certificate go beyond security or encryption strength. You should choose a certificate that gives the maximum benefits, and this is why I have always advised people to go for a Wildcard SSL certificate.

The wildcard SSL certificate is the most cost-effective option on the market. As a user, you will not have to buy a certificate for each subdomain. It can secure up to an unlimited number of first-level subdomains. As a user, you save money and time that would have been needed to purchase and manage multiple SSL certificates for each subdomain. Certificate management is also easy as it is a consolidated process.

To save money and time while ensuring that your website receives the utmost encryption levels, you should consider this certificate. The good news is that; they are not as expensive as they sound. We have vendors and resellers offering cheap wildcard SSL certificates at affordable prices.

How Do You Obtain The SSL Certificate?

Now that you know why an SSL certificate is essential on your website, I know you are psyched up to have one, and you are probably wondering how you can go about the acquisition and installation process.

First, before you start stressing yourself with a myriad of thoughts on acquiring the certificate and how you will install it, it is prudent that you find out whether your hosting provider offers the certificate. Until recently, most hosting providers offered SSL certificates as a premium feature.

If your hosting provider does not have the SSL certificate option, you might want to consider the paid option. There are a number of cheap SSL certs providers such as GlobalSign, DigiCert, etc. For instance, if you are running an enterprise-level website, you should consider the Extended Validation certificate, which has strict authentication that will add more visible trust indicators.

Summing Up

SSL certificates have brought incredible benefits to websites. Apart from enhancing website security, SSL certificates also help build a reputable brand by enhancing your web visitors’ trust. The certificate also plays a significant role in improving website ranks. You should know that Google uses an SSL certificate as a crucial ranking factor. To boost SEO, you should consider installing the certificate.

How to Learn Azure on my Own?

Sam Allcock
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How to Learn Azure on my Own?

Aside from big data, cloud computing is among the fastest-growing technologies in the world. Going by the IDC Report that public school spending on cloud computing will grow from $229 in 2019 to almost $500 in 2023, there is already a spiking interest in cloud computing. As businesses consider shifting their operations to the cloud, many providers have come forward with unique cloud offerings. At the top of the list is Microsoft Azure, AWS, Google Cloud, and IBM.

Microsoft Azure commands up to 19% of the $36.5 Billion market share, commanding the attention of top tier banks and several Fortune 500 companies who are interested in the more than 100 cloud services offerings. For this reason, it is worth some serious consideration by IT professionals in the cloud arena. While it is very rewarding to possess skills, undertaking the Azure architect training and acquiring a certification takes serious dedication and discipline. You can learn Azure on your own. However, a certification stands as credible proof of your knowledge and skills. 

Getting started with Azure

For beginners, choosing to learn Azure is certainly a good move. However, figuring out your learning path can be overwhelming. The good news is that Microsoft has plenty of free online resources for all learners at various experience levels. This article offers valuable guidelines on learning Azure on your own.

First off, however, it is important to know that Azure has service offerings in several categories including compute, networking, storage, containers, databases, web and mobile, IoT, security, development tools, monitoring, and others. To master Azure comprehensively, you may consider familiarizing yourself with these services.

Here are some guidelines for planning your learning path. 

  1. Getting the grips: Azure terminology

Getting started with Azure is not as difficult. First things first, like any other field, Azure has its own share of jargon that you need to get familiar with to understand Azure concepts. Basic terms like Azure Active Directory the identity access manager, Azure resource manager (RM) the framework that manages resources, Azure Stack the set of products that lets companies extend Azure resources in environments of their choice, and other basic terms. 

  • Skills required to learn Azure

Preparing to learn Azure means that you need to have the basic skills required to enable you to have smooth learning especially if you are new in the cloud computing field. Such skills as

  • Basic cloud computing including databases, networking, and computer operating systems
  • Servers and infrastructure support
  • Microsoft knowledge
  • Knowledge of virtual machines
  • Programming background particularly with .Net language which is mostly

While it may be argued that you do not require programming skills to learn the basics of Azure, having this knowledge gives you an easier time grasping concepts. However, you could opt to take the AZ-900 fundamentals course before considering programming. When you will be ready to pursue an advanced-level course, say the AZ-103 administrator course, you’ll require programming skills.

  • Learning the fundamentals

Here is where you learn the fundamentals of Azure. There are plenty of free learning resources available on the Microsoft Azure training website for learners at all levels. Here, you will acquaint yourself with Azure virtual machines, networks, Platform as a Service (PaaS), and cloud migration among other topics. In general, you will learn about Azure concepts, core services, management tools, security, compliance, and much more. Starting with the Azure fundamentals training course, you will find the courses organized in a way that you can advance your knowledge systematically. 

To increase your knowledge, check out

  • Microsoft Azure Tutorial site developed by Microsoft for professionals who intend to pursue software development. 
  • Microsoft Technet site if you are ready to dive deeper into advanced theory and technical Azure concepts.
  • YouTube tutorials. Microsoft Azure videos are also available on YouTube in addition to resourceful tutorials from third party channels like Azure DevOps and Cloud Ranger Network.
  • Microsoft Learn, a comprehensive resource with valuable content on Azure and other technologies that equips professionals with technical skills based on their job roles or learning paths.
  • Deeper knowledge: Azure documentation

Microsoft Azure documentation offers more tutorials and quickstart guides to help you gain a practical understanding of how Azure service offerings operate. The documentation on the Azure portal offers detailed step-by-step guides with diagrams for launching, operating, scaling, configuring, and managing specific Azure products along with APIs.

  • Getting hands-on experience

All theoretical concepts in mind without hands-on knowledge does not give you an edge in the job market. Beyond taking advantage of free Azure training courses, also open a free account on the self-paced labs site to develop practical skills. The free Azure account is limited to one year of free services. Within the first month, you will be awarded free $200 credit to explore the portal. You can test, deploy enterprise services, build mobile user experiences, and much more to test your knowledge. 

Other great hands-on learning resources include

  • The free interactive Microsoft learn portal that offers both theoretical and hands-on training on various technologies including Azure. 
  • GitHub, the largest development platform is open-source thus offering free access for ardent learners who are confident enough to build their skills by working on projects. With a vibrant community of millions of developers, there is much to learn from Azure developers. Aside from this, the Microsoft Azure GitHub site offers not just hands-on learning but also tips and tricks to get you through faster. 
  • Internships, if you can land one without prior official training, presents an excellent option for testing your knowledge. 
  • Consider mentors. Mentors can train you on the job or assist you with your projects.
  • Training and getting certified

While it is not a must to get certified, a certification course will boost your employability by validating your skills. Structured instructor-led courses help you attain professional guidance with real-world experience. If you intend to skip ‘groping around’ by going straight to an already prepared curriculum, enrolling in a training course is the way to go.

Granted, you can go through the basics relatively fast and easily on your own. However, you may need to enlist the services of an instructor to walk you through the advanced levels of Azure for instance creating services like virtual networks, web apps, and deploying databases in Azure.

Azure certifications you may be interested in pursuing include

  • Microsoft Certified Azure Administrator
  • Microsoft Certified Azure Developer
  • Microsoft Certified Azure Solutions Architect
  • Microsoft Certified DevOps Engineer
  • Microsoft Certified Azure Security Engineer
  • Become part of the Azure community

Microsoft Azure has a large vibrant following of developers and other professionals. It is open-source and makes Azure community forums the place to pick up expert tips, latest trends, and developments, find mentors, as well as put in your contribution, and see how others react to it. 

In conclusion

Because learning never ends, you consider advancing your knowledge on platforms like the Azure Architecture Center where you learn how all about building end-to-end solutions on Azure platform, Cloud Adoption Framework where you get guides on Azure cloud adoption lifecycle, strategy, migration, and management, other platforms like the Azure Security platform and aspects like compliance, service level agreements, and privacy. Finally, stay up to date by getting involved in virtual and local tech meetups. These give you a one-on-one experience with industry experts where your questions are answered.

Is Spread Betting a Better Way to Make Money on Stocks?

Sam Allcock
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0
Is Spread Betting a Better Way to Make Money on Stocks?

The average casual investor thinks of buying shares as the primary means of investing in stock markets. This is not without reason. Most people who play the stocks do so by actually buying shares. Still, there is another way to go. Rather than buying the underlying security, investors can bet on its movement. This form of investing is known as spread betting and has tax benefits in the UK.

Spread betting is pretty big here in the UK. It is so big, in fact, that spread betting platforms for UK traders abound. But is this form of investing better than actually buying stocks and shares? It has its upsides, but spread betting has its downsides as well. You can make and lose money – just as you can buying securities.

A Basic Definition

In a generic sense, spread betting is betting on the outcome of a particular event based on a spread tied to some means of measurement. Spread betting in the stock market is essentially betting on the movement of a particular stock. You place a bet based on whether you think the price will increase or decrease over a set amount of time.

If you bet correctly, you make money. Bet incorrectly and you lose. It is quite simple in principle. One of the advantages of spread betting is that you can get into it with less money than would otherwise be required to purchase the security in question.

How Spread Betting Works

Spread betting is common on stock markets. You can also bet on commodities, currencies, and even fixed-income securities. The type of security becomes irrelevant because you are not actually purchasing it. Here’s how it works:

You choose a stock you are interested in. You decide whether you think the price is going to rise or fall over a set amount of time. You then place a bet on that decision. Let’s just make something up – the Generic Stock Company (GSC).

GSC is currently trading at a bid price of £100. You believe it’s going to fall to £90 over the next several days. You decide to bet £1 on every point below the £100 mark as represented by the ask price. Then you wait. If the ask price falls to £95, the difference between the original bid and the current ask is five points. Multiply those five points by your £1 bid and you have made a profit of £5.

Profit and loss are determined by multiplying your bet by the point difference in either direction. If GSC were to increase to £105, you would have lost £5.

Obviously, people who spread bet as a means of making money in the stock market generally deal with much larger sums of money. This is important because spread betting platforms require minimum deposits based on margins.

How Margins Work

In a traditional stock market investment, you might borrow money from a brokerage in order to buy securities. An investor typically has to put some of their own money in too, similar to making a down payment on a house. The difference between the investor’s money and the amount borrowed is known as the margin.

At any time, the brokerage could call the margin. That means the investor would be required to either repay what was borrowed or deposit additional funds to raise their account value.

A margin in spread betting is a little bit different. Rather than being money contributed in conjunction with a brokerage loan, it is simply a percentage of the security’s value. So let’s say your broker’s margin on GSC is 10%. Before you can place your bet, you would be required to deposit £10 – i.e., £100 x 10%.

Volatility Rules the Day

There are people who love spread betting because it doesn’t cost them a whole lot, comparatively speaking, to get in on the action. A 10% or 20% margin is a lot more doable than paying full price for a security. The downside is volatility. It rules the day in the spread betting arena.

At issue here are margin calls. Inexperienced investors who do not know what they are doing could lose a bundle by taking positions they cannot possibly support with limited deposit accounts. For this reason, experts suggest not putting more than 2% or 3% of your investment funds into spread bets.

Along those same lines, spread betting firms have been known to protect themselves during periods of excessive volatility by widening their spreads.

More About the Spread

Spread betters appreciate that there are no commissions on spread bets. Instead, brokerages make their money on the spread. The spread is the difference between the bid and ask price. Using the previous example, imagine GSC’s bid price is £100 and its ask price is £102. The spread is 2% of the ask price, or £2.

If you are thinking GSC will fall, you place your bet on the ask price. The difference between the eventual ask and the starting bid is the spread on which your profit is derived. The brokerage earns the difference. If you think GSC will rise, you place your bet on the bid price. The difference between the eventual bid and the starting ask is the spread on which your profit is made. Again, the brokerage makes money on the difference.

Big Gains and Losses

As for whether or not spread betting is a better way to make money in stocks, that really depends on your appetite for risk. The fact is that spread betting is open to significant gains and losses. You could make a bundle just as easily as losing your shirt. But you have to be willing to take a significant risk.

The danger of spread betting is its limited amount of time. You are betting on movement over days or weeks. On the other hand, buying a security is open-ended. You can hold onto it for as long as you want. That way, if its value falls tomorrow, you can hold until it regains those losses and earns more. You can hold for 20 years if that’s what it takes to derive the profit you’ve been hoping for.

While it’s possible to take a long-term position with spread betting, doing so is not necessarily in your best interests due to the ever-present potential of a margin call. Most spread betters deal in short-term contracts lasting no more than a few days or weeks.

Yes, you can make good money spread betting. You can also lose big. In the end, it boils down to your appetite for risk.

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