Health Benefits of a Tropical Vacation

David (Dave) Leonti, a Kirkland real estate broker with Keller Williams Realty, likes to spend time around the water. Dave Leonti especially enjoys traveling to tropical places, tasting the fresh air, and running along the beach.

Traveling to a tropical region can pay off with more than just peace of mind. These trips can often pay off with real, measurable health benefits.

The reduction of stress levels that comes with an island trip can help travelers lead longer, healthier lives. Stress reduction reduces the risk of many diseases, thanks to decreases in blood pressure and cholesterol, and can even diminish the chances of a heart attack.

The sun exposure that comes from a tropical vacation can kick-start the immune system. Sun exposure encourages the production of vitamin D, which defends against infection.

Those having trouble sleeping might also benefit from a vacation. Exposure to sunshine improves serotonin levels, which in turn encourages melatonin production. Melatonin encourages a more natural circadian rhythm, which allows for deeper sleep and further improvements to heart health.

The 70 Percent Rule of House Flipping

David “Dave” Leonti, a real estate broker and house-flipper based in Kirkland, Washington, divides his time between leading Casa Dolce Homes as owner and working with homebuyers and sellers at Keller Williams Realty. Using a combination of his own experience and timeline software, Dave Leonti keeps track of ways to maximize profits in house-flipping.

Among house-flippers, there is a basic guideline that dictates how much investors should purchase properties for. Known as the 70 percent rule, this guideline prevents investors from overpaying, particularly when they are new to house-flipping. The guideline is not a hard-and-fast rule; in fact, many experienced flippers prefer doing the calculations themselves when looking at potential deals.

Still, the guideline is helpful for investors who are struggling to figure out whether a property is worth purchasing. According to this rule, investors should pay 70 percent of the home’s after-repair value, minus the cost of repairs. For instance, if investors believe they can get $150,000 for a home after it’s fully repaired for $25,000, the maximum price they should pay for the property is $80,000. This is determined by getting 70 percent of $150,000, which is $105,000, and subtracting the estimated repair costs of $25,000.

It’s believed that this rule works because it leaves at least 30 percent of the after-repair value to cover unexpected expenses and still allow profits associated with a building sale .However, the numbers used when completing 70-percent calculations must be accurate. Otherwise, investors may still end up overpaying for a property or losing out on a profitable opportunity.