Owing to the pandemic there is a certain amount of uncertainty in the market but there are still opportunities for buyers with the necessary capital to buy new homes. If you are looking to purchase a new house, it is essential to improve your credit score and get all your finances and documents in order. The mortgage experts at Rex Homes Real Estate have some additional information on how you can turn your credit score around. Why Is It Is Important to Have A Good Credit Score? Credit score affects the amount you can borrow. Mortgage lenders always take the credit score into consideration when reviewing your mortgage application. A good credit standing is an indication to lenders that you are a good borrower and can be trusted to pay back the loan. An excellent credit score can help you obtain low-interest rates thereby allowing you to save thousands of dollars. How Can You Improve Your Credit Score? Multiple factors such as length of credit history, payment history, credit limit, and the amount you owe can influence your credit score. Here are 5 steps that you can follow to improve your credit score. Check for errors on your credit report Inaccuracies in the credit report can hamper your chances of mortgage approval. Some of the most common credit report errors include incorrect accounts, duplicate or fraudulent accounts, incorrect payment information, or outdated information. You should periodically check your credit score through the credit bureau and get any errors corrected by filing a formal dispute with the bureau. 2. Pay your debts and credit mix About 30% of your credit score is made up of your credit utilization which is based on the credit you have and the amount of it that you have used. If you have more than 25% of your credit amount in debt, then work toward paying your debts to get the amount down to less than 10% to boost your score. In addition to debt payment, a mix of credit also helps in increasing your credit score. 3. Pay your bills on time Your credit payment history usually accounts for 35% of your credit score. Late bill payments by just 30 days can reduce your credit score by almost 100 points. It is recommended to set up reminders and automatic payments to ensure that all your bills are paid on time. 4. Minimize your credit card spending It is best to start paying off your major credit card bills and keep your credit card utilization low in the months leading up to your mortgage application. This will keep your account balances in check at all times as you do not know when the lender will check your credit report. 5. Think before opening a new credit account New credit constitutes 10% of your credit score. If there are multiple credit inquiries in a short period, it may be a red flag to lenders as it shows that you are too reliant on credit. Hard credit checks can also lower your score. Hence, it is best to hold off on applying for new credit cards or taking out any large personal loans. If you are planning to buy a home, seek help from a good mortgage professional who can assist you in improving your credit score and finding the best prices based on your current credit.

Ramboll, BAM and Sweco arrive in Antarctic to start BAS Construction season following strict Covid-19 measures The next stage of building a scientific support facility in Antarctica begins this week [11 January 2020]. To avoid the risk of introducing COVID-19 to British Antarctic Survey’s (BAS) Rothera Research Station, the construction team spent two weeks in quarantine and had three Covid-19 tests prior to making the almost 11,000 kilometre voyage by ship.  A 20 person-plus team from BAS construction partners BAM, Ramboll and Sweco is working on the second season of building the cutting-edge science and operations building. Construction can only take place during a short window during the Antarctic summer months, avoiding the harsh, dark winter. This season the team aims to complete the pre-cast concrete foundations, ground floor slab, rock anchors and stub columns, as well as drainage and the perimeter wall, before returning in December to complete the outer structure. The new scientific support facility, named the Discovery Building, commemorates the discovery of Antarctica just over 200 years ago. The project is part of the Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation Programme (AIMP). Facilities in the new two-storey 4,500m2 building include preparation areas for field expeditions, offices, a medical centre, recreational spaces (music room and climbing wall) and science workshops. The Discovery Building has a unique design, such as a thermally-efficient envelope to minimise energy use, along with heat recovery generators and photovoltaic solar panels. It also has a snow and wind deflector – the largest of its kind in Antarctica – to minimise time spent removing snow accumulation from around the building. Bright, open-plan offices foster collaboration and improve health and wellbeing of staff living in remote locations. Roof lights increase natural light and reduce the effects of seasonal affective disorder (SAD). The project is delivered by the Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation partnership, which includes construction partner BAM and their team, design consultants Sweco, Hugh Broughton Architects, with Ramboll acting as BAS’s Technical Advisers, with their team NORR architects and Turner & Townsend. Maurice Siemensma, Project Manager at BAM said: “We’re delighted to return for another construction season to Rothera, to undertake the installation of the foundations, the concrete perimeter walls, the underground drainage and completing the earthworks for the Discovery Building. Although this year’s construction season has been shortened, we have put together a programme to ensure we can continue progress on this crucial piece of infrastructure, which will support the construction works in the coming season substantially”. David Brand, Senior Project Manager at British Antarctic Survey said: “By working in collaboration with our construction partners and colleagues at BAS, we have planned this year’s construction season and overcome a number of challenges, including logistics and maintaining safety for our staff. This short season will see the completion of a vital stage of construction for this new facility at Rothera, which will help generations of scientists understand the future challenges of climate change.” The Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation (AIM) programme is commissioned by UKRI-NERC (Natural Environment Research Council.  It aims to keep the UK at the forefront of climate, biodiversity and ocean research and will last between 7-10 years and is worth an estimated £100m. Find out more information on the Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation programme on the British Antarctic Survey website: https://www.bas.ac.uk/polar-operations/antarctic-infrastructure-projects/

Lakeside living is the dream of most of us, with a dock part of the attraction of moving to a waterside home. Choosing docks for a property should be done with care and with decisions made that suit your region. Whether you have an aging entry to your body of water that needs to be replaced or is shopping for docks for the first time, you will need to follow some simple rules. The options to consider include your plans of use and the type of weather you face. Consider your Plans Before you start shopping for docks, you should take some time to decide what you plan on using your entrance to the water for. There are several reasons why this is a good option for you and your family, including the chance to enter the water safely. Mooring boats is not the only reason why you will want to install docks at your lakeside property. Swimming in a lake is safer when you have a properly installed entrance point to the water. Cabin Life reports the inclusion of a sundeck and ladders to allows easy access to the water are popular additions to docks around the U.S. Other reasons why you could want to install docks at your property include having a secure location for fishing. Enjoying the ease of access to the water for fishing, photography, and access to the water provided by docks can add value to your lakeside home. Homeowners looking for a place to moor and store a boat need to make sure the chosen addition is long enough to house your chosen boat. Consider Rules and Regulations There are many rules and regulations at lakes around the nation regarding the installation of different docks. If you have chosen to live at a lakeside home in a private community your choices are limited by HOA rules. The rules and regulations at private lakes cover many areas, from size to construction materials, with floating designs the most popular. State and local regulations can change the way you approach the construction process. In some areas, you can ask a neighbor or your realtor about the rules of living on the lake. A call to the local government will improve your chances of avoiding problems when you apply for a permit to start construction. What Type of Dock to Choose? Once you have decided why you are looking at docks and what type you can install, your attention should turn to the options you can choose. The first option is the floating dock, which is popular in areas of the country where the water levels of a lake fluctuate by a large amount. Floating docks are used in lakes where the bottom is mud and unstable. Deepwater lakes are the site of floating docks because of the difficulty of installing other types, according to Cottage Life. The most expensive option for you to install at your lakeside home are permanent docks. These are expensive because of the difficulty of installation that must be carried out by a qualified professional. Permanent docks are a good option for parts of the nation where there is little risk of ice. Damage can be caused by the buildup of ice around permanent docks that shifts the metal frame drilled into the bottom of the lake. Other options to consider include pipe options built from aluminum materials. These docks are popular because they are constructed in straight lengths. Pipe docks can be constructed with sundecks and entertaining areas that suit your needs. In parts of the nation where ice and snow are a problem, you need to consider the use of lift-up docks. Docks are installed in areas where ice and snow are a problem requiring the ability to be winched out of the water each winter and their deck removed. Think about the Shoreline The shoreline around your lakeside property plays a role in any decision you make regarding the installation of docks and other additions. Some construction specialists use their skills to create a permanent base on the shoreline to ease the installation process. The installation of a stone wall on the shoreline of your lakehouse will make it easier to install docks of any form held firmly in place with a metal plate. The use of a metal plate is a good option for those areas where a lift-up structure is desired. A qualified construction expert will examine your property to make sure the correct choice is made for the type of docks you are considering. A long, sandy beach allows experts to install several kinds of docks that are placed permanently. The choice between different docks is one that needs to be explored in detail before a final decision is made about your property. Choosing between different docks is made simple when you are sure about the options working best for your needs.

For some, the life of a trucker is one they could never reconcile with; it’s demanding, tiring, you’re away from home for days, perhaps weeks at a time, and some would say it’s not great for your health either.  Others look at truckers with envy, loving the idea that they can have complete solitude as they work, enjoy a great deal of flexibility, and get paid well for the privilege.  If you’re thinking of becoming a truck driver, it’s wise to work out which of these two camps you fall into – or rather, which of these two camps is correct. In truth, there is a little bit of accuracy on both sides, which is why trucking isn’t for everyone. Read on to find out if it might be for you.  Early Starts And Long Days  If you like driving, and you’re able to do it for long stretches at a time, you may be well suited to the trucking lifestyle. Truck drivers often work 70-hour weeks (over eight days, that is). You can’t, of course, drive for more than 11 hours each day, and you have to have a 10-hour break each night. This means some early starts to get in enough driving hours, especially if you need to get to a destination before it closes for the night.  Although this might seem like a hardship, the fact that, to some extent (and certainly if you’re freelance), you are free to run your own schedule as long as you stick to the rules is always a benefit, and having to take 34 off between working weeks also means that you can have plenty of downtime.  Beautiful Views  Even if you’re going to be in the cab of your truck for a number of hours each day, the fact that you can enjoy some of the most stunning views from an elevated position means that you really can enjoy every second. For some, driving is a bore and something that they will only do when they absolutely have to, but for a truck driver, it’s a pleasure.  Driving a truck is much more enjoyable today than it has ever been. With so much automation and driving tools included in each vehicle, and so much attention to detail given to the design (the designers know that those using these trucks will be sitting in them and driving for long periods of time, and often sleeping in them too, not to mention cooking and eating), driving a truck can be a highly comfortable experience.  In High Esteem  Truck drivers are often held in high esteem. There is something exciting about them, especially as they can see so much of the country and experience so many things as they go about their daily work. There are even specialist truck accident lawyer companies that will help truckers if they are involved in an accident, as well as a national appreciation week.  If you like the idea of always having a story to tell and of being appreciated wherever you go, maybe the life of a trucker will suit you perfectly. 

Analyzing data efficiently and accurately is a skill worth developing today, as it will bolster your employment prospects and make you a valuable asset in a variety of industries, including construction. Of course the path to becoming a professional data analyst is not always straightforward, so here are a few things to do if you want to get started down it. Research the main aspects of modern data analysis Rather than diving straight in, it makes sense to read up on the elements which define not just what data analysis can achieve today, but what practices and processes are involved in making sure that it is an impactful tool in the context of the wider organization. For example, it is a good idea to get a grounding in the topic of DataOps, as explained by SentryOne. This is significant because it will show you how the analysis of data is just one cog in the modern informational infrastructure of any business. You need to appreciate that the lifecycle of data is potentially complex and needs to be managed carefully, with analysis being possible only after information has been sourced, integrated and stored properly. This leads into learning that data analysts often operate as part of interdisciplinary teams, rather than working solo, since it is tricky to keep all the necessary plates spinning by yourself. Develop core skills The next step is to examine the skills you will need to succeed in a professional data analyst role and take action to add these to your repertoire. Interestingly one of the most common duties involved is that of cleaning data, which essentially means preparing it for analysis after it has been pulled from a source and addressing any issues in the data set which might preclude it from comprehensive assessment. Analysts must also become proficient at translating the questions which a business has about how its operations are orchestrated into a format which can be scrutinized and tackled from the point of view of the data available. At the other end of the spectrum, delving into unstructured data to try and find patterns and extract actionable insights will also be necessary. Finally, you need to be able to express your findings in a way that others will be able to understand, often through visualizations that convey concepts succinctly without the need for expert knowledge. Seek qualification Ultimately the only way to become a true data professional in the field of data analytics is to get qualified, either by taking a degree course focused on this practice, or by seeking certification from one of the many programs that focus on this in the workplace. There is no single qualification that will guarantee you success as an analyst, but rather it should be expected that the cumulative effect of your hard work and on-the-job experience will be what makes you indispensable to employers, or even empowers you to adopt this role within your own business.