Author: Daniel Bortz

Make the most of your first job

Posted in Monster.comTagged , ,

Ready to start your first job? First, congratulations! The novel coronavirus pandemic has disrupted the job market in a wide range of industries, so the fact that you’ve landed a full-time job is a huge accomplishment, and it’s something worth celebrating.

Meaning, take full advantage of this opportunity to kick-start your professional development. Here are a number of steps you should take to make the most of your first job and set yourself up for a successful career.

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Booking a Vacation Rental Is Complicated This Summer. Here’s How to Stay Safe and Get a Good Deal

Posted in Money magazineTagged , , ,

Usually summer is the busiest time of the year for Tiare Cowan, a longtime Airbnb host in St. Augustine, Fla. But after the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a pandemic in mid-March, Cowan, who rents out two units of her family’s beach home, saw a tidal wave of cancellations.

“We lost every single reservation through June over a three-week period,” Cowan says. “It was terrible.”

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Coronavirus ‘Contact Tracer’ is One of the Most In-Demand Jobs Right Now. Here’s How to Get Hired

Posted in Money magazineTagged , ,

States across the country are hiring tens of thousands of contact tracers to stop the spread of COVID-19.

It’s important work: Contact tracers help infected Americans recall the names of everyone they’ve recently come into contact with, and then track those individuals down to avert the disease’s path of infection.

Emily Gurley, a Johns Hopkins epidemiologist and the lead instructor of a free online course on the fundamentals of contact tracing, calls the people who fill these roles “part detective, part therapist, and part social worker.”

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How to Build Your Professional Network Digitally

Posted in HR magazineTagged , , ,

When the coronavirus pandemic spread across the U.S., it forced millions of Americans to shelter in place—closing thousands of restaurants, bars and other “nonessential” businesses. It also shut down professional conferences and events, leaving many workers with only one way to network: virtually.

Luckily, most HR practitioners know their way around social media. After all, 84 percent of recruiters said they use social networks such as Facebook and Twitter to search for talent, according to Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) research.

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A First for the Housing Market: Mortgage Rates Below 3%

Posted in Money magazineTagged , , ,

It’s no secret mortgages are cheap right now. For some borrowers they’re hitting levels many experts might have thought impossible just a few months ago. Welcome to the world of the sub-3% mortgage.

The 30-year fixed-rate average sank last week to 3.15% with an average 0.8 percentage points paid, according to Freddie Mac. That’s the lowest level recorded since the mortgage giant began tracking mortgage rates in 1971. But 3.15% is just the average rate—some buyers and refinancers are qualifying for rates below 3%, something even mortgage pros are seeing for the first time.

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How to Buy a Home When You Can’t See It in Person

Posted in Money magazineTagged , ,

When you buy a house, you need to tour it. So that’s what Cat and Bobby Boucher did before making an offer on a three-bedroom townhome in Alexandria, Va., earlier this month. The only difference: The Bouchers never set a foot inside — instead, Cat toured the home through a private video showing with the seller over Facebook.

“The seller was only offering video tours, and seeing the home that way felt a little strange but it made sense considering that a lot of people are staying in their homes because of COVID,” says Cat, 30, who loved the property and its private backyard — a big upgrade from the 875-square foot one-bedroom with no yard where the couple currently lives. “I just want to be outside, especially during quarantine,” she says

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Buying a Car During Coronavirus Isn’t Easy, But You Could Save Big

Posted in Money.comTagged , , ,

In the midst of a pandemic, buying a car might not be the first thing on your mind. But if you are willing to leap some hurdles, there are great deals out there, say experts.

A case in point: U.S. new-car and truck sales plunged to a 30-year low of around 633,000 vehicles last month, a 53% decrease from April 2019, according to industry analyst Edmunds.com. Automakers such as Toyota and Honda reported their sales in April were cut in half compared to a year ago.

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You Can Still Buy and Sell a Home During the Coronavirus Outbreak

Posted in Kiplinger'sTagged , , ,

Spring is usually the busiest time of year for real estate. It’s when house hunters and home sellers come out of hibernation mode and descend on the market in droves. But this year—in the era of COVID-19—is different.

The coronavirus outbreak has rocked the economy and upended many industries, including real estate. As Americans across the country are sheltering at home, many home buyers are left wondering: Should I buy a home now, or wait until quarantine measures loosen and the economy picks up again? The same goes for sellers wondering when they should list their home.

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Where Home Prices Are Heading in the Age of Coronavirus

Posted in Money.comTagged , ,

Baltimore realtor Nicole Callender had five homes scheduled to hit the market April 1. Then the coronavirus struck and all of her clients decided to postpone. Now with home sales picking back up in the last two weeks, Callender is urging sellers to move forward, betting that life — and her city’s real estate market — will soon be back to normal.

“I have a listing coming up in Locust Point, which is a very desirable location,” says Callender, who hopes the house will soon fetch the $485,000 asking price. “The seller was on the fence…but when I sat down with them and showed them how quickly homes are selling in the city, they decided they want to list their home now to avoid missing out on a hot market.”

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How to Live Stream Your Wedding

Posted in The New York TimesTagged , ,

While social distancing and restrictions on travel and large gatherings have forced many couples to postpone their wedding celebrations, some are still choosing to marry and are inviting guests to witness their union from the comfort of their own homes via live video streams.

“Live streaming a wedding is becoming mainstream,” said Vishal Joshi, the founder and chief executive of Joy, a wedding planning and technology company based in San Francisco that recently started a free live-streaming feature on its website.

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