Meghan Markle is set to launch a new project that is “genuine to who she is”. Photo / Getty Images
Meghan Markle is said to be “preparing to launch a major new commercial venture” that is “genuine to who she is”, an insider has revealed.
The Duchess of Sussex has been making frequent appearances in the public eye of late, most recently being spotted attending Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour show at SoFi Stadium on Friday night with her husband, Prince Harry.
And now, insiders have claimed she is about to go public with a new project — adding that it is not the resurgence of her former lifestyle blog The Tig.
News of Meghan’s future plans comes after the Sussexes’ well-paid Spotify deal was axed.
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The Daily Telegraph’s royal editor, Victoria Ward, said the venture will be “authentic” to the Duchess of Sussex, and her “imminent return to Instagram is surely connected”.
It was reported last month that the former Suits actor is preparing to “relaunch” herself on social media, with experts predicting Markle could see the whopping sum of US$1million ($1.68 million) per Instagram post.
Close sources also have affirmed Harry and Meghan’s future endeavours will “reflect their differing professional interests and talents and are the result of significant thought about their future direction and careers”.
An insider said: ”They are both working on their own things. They are fully supportive of each other’s concepts and ideas, but they are different from one another, they have different meanings.’
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Markle, whose last Instagram account with husband Prince Harry, @sussexroyal, had 9.4 million followers before it was deactivated in 2020 following the couple’s step back from royal duties, is said to be behind a new account named @meghan.
With the profile picture showing a garden of pink peonies — reportedly Meghan’s favourite flower — an insider close to her team confirmed: “Yes, that’s her. Expect an announcement very soon. She’s coming back.”
Many of Meghan’s friends have already followed the account, such as activist Mandana Dayani. Dayani formerly worked as the president of Archewell, Harry and Meghan’s foundation, until December last year.
An insider revealed to The Mail on Sunday: “Everyone in Hollywood is talking about the relaunch being imminent. Meghan has never made any secret of the fact she wants to return to Instagram.”
Before Markle’s royal wedding to Prince Harry in 2018, the former actor’s personal Instagram had garnered more than 3 million followers. Now, tens of thousands of fans have signed up to her now-discontinued blog The Tig.
Meghan first dropped a hint she was returning to the social media platform in an interview with The Cut last year, telling writer Allison P. Davis: “Do you want to know a secret? I’m getting back on Instagram.”
The royal’s “new” account already has gained 76,000 followers and experts say it could be an extremely lucrative move for the Duchess of Sussex.
Social media expert Eric Schiffer, who advises stars such as the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum, ex-Disney actor Bella Thorne and the US Dragons’ Den cast members, revealed: “I don’t think Meghan coming back to Instagram will surprise anyone.
“She has a new talent manager and this is the next logical step.
“I would expect her to quickly become one of the most followed accounts on Instagram. You have celebrities like the Kardashians who can command US$1million ($1.68 million) and up for a single post promoting a product.
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“There is no reason Meghan couldn’t be earning those sorts of fees.
“She has to be careful, as a duchess, to avoid being seen to be hawking every product under the sun. She will align with quality brands and companies that are on point with her political and social beliefs.”
The Ranolf St and Malfroy Rd public housing development. Photo / Andrew Warner
There have been police callouts, broken windows, yelling and disagreements. But tenants at Rotorua’s Kāinga Ora housing complex on the corner of Malfroy Rd and Ranolf St tell senior journalist Kelly Makiha the new homes have changed their lives.
Some people say they “feel like a family again” and it has helped them quit drugs and get a job.
Others say they are enduring fighting and yelling, some people breaking windows and police being called.
But people living at Kāinga Ora’s new Rotorua housing complex on the corner of Malfroy Rd and Ranolf St mostly say they are grateful for the opportunity to live in new, warm and dry houses without the fear of a landlord selling anytime they want.
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There are 25 stand-alone homes with backyards and decks on the 2ha site at the moment. A further 36 homes are planned for the area between now and the end of 2025.
The homes still to be built are of higher density and will be made up of two three-storey blocks containing 24 one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments and three two-storey buildings with 12 one-bedroom homes.
In recent weeks, work had started on laying foundations for these buildings.
When the project is finished, there will be a total of 61 new homes on the site.
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Kāinga Ora has confirmed to the Rotorua Daily Post most people living in the 25 homes have come from Rotorua emergency housing motels.
Kāinga Ora Bay of Plenty regional director Darren Toy has confirmed there had been some issues but the overall feedback was positive and people “loved” their homes.
Toy said in a statement in response to Rotorua Daily Post questions that while no one had been evicted, it was moving one family to another home because living there “has not worked out for them and others living there”.
Kāinga Ora staff have also spoken with other families about “disturbing the peace of their neighbours”.
“The community is still new and the families are continuing to get to know each other. There are no issues due to the closeness of properties but as would be expected, it has been taking a little time for some who have been living in motels to transition to living in their own home as part of a wider community.
“For some rangatahi and tamariki that has also meant learning the need to respect boundaries and privacy within the wider housing development.”
The Rotorua Daily Post visited the complex this week and spoke to residents about how they were finding their new homes.
Lethal Herewini, her husband and their four children have been in their new home for a month and are loving it.
Originally from Kaingaroa, the family had been on the public housing register for two years but were forced into an emergency housing motel five months ago when their family home in the village south of Rotorua was literally falling down around them.
She said that home’s roof had now completely caved in and it was in what she described as a dilapidated state.
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She said the conditions were especially not good for her daughter, who was born with a hole in her heart.
Living in the motel meant they had hot water for the first time but it was difficult for their children, aged 7 to 15, to adjust to the cramped lifestyle.
“It was killing my children. They were running away from me.”
Herewini said despite that, her family appreciated being given the emergency housing motel because it meant the family bonded and made some changes in their lives – including the parents getting jobs.
“That’s where we wanted to become a family the most.”
She said she found it difficult to get the help they needed from the various services.
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“So we relied on nobody but faith. Straight up, we as a family waited two years on the waiting list just like everyone else who applied.”
After two months in the motel, they got the news they could move into a new four-bedroom, two-bathroom home at the Ranolf St and Malfroy Rd complex.
“We feel like a family again. It’s somewhere to call home and not someone else’s.”
They were now working part-time for a local cleaning company.
She said it was a good feeling telling their children, “See ya, we’re off to work”. She said there had been giggles from the children and jokes made such as, “Who are you?”.
“They love the new us and the new home.”
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Another woman spoken to by the Rotorua Daily Post, who did not want to be named, said there had been issues with some people who had had a disagreement with another household.
She said she had also noticed broken windows and at times police were called to fights and yelling around the complex.
In response to Rotorua Daily Post questions, Toy said Kāinga Ora was aware of two issues with windows, one where young people who did not live there broke an outside pane of the double-glazed windows at one house.
More recently someone attempted to break into a house through a window, which caused the outside of the double glazing to crack. In both cases, police were called.
“These sorts of incidents can and do happen anywhere in the city. It’s really disappointing that this has happened to families settling into their new homes.”
Another tenant, who had been at the complex for more than six months and did not want to be named, said she was surprised there had not been regular property inspections.
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She had rented before being in emergency housing and said it was standard practice for private rentals to be inspected thoroughly every three months.
While her house had had a standard health and safety check to inspect things such as smoke alarms, it was not like the thorough rental inspections she was used to.
“The houses are so new and nice, you’d think they’d be keeping a much closer eye on them. People could be getting up to all sorts inside and they wouldn’t know.”
In response, Toy said all Kāinga Ora homes were inspected at least once a year to check things like smoke alarms and that everything else is as it should be. Other visits may take place at other times as needed, according to its policy.
He said its housing supporting manager for whānau in those homes visited the development three to four times a week on average to check in with whānau, sort out any issues or provide support and connect people to other agencies.
Another man, who did not want to be named, said he dreaded the apartments being built because it would further reduce privacy and could potentially create more issues.
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“If we are already having issues now, what’s it going to be like when that’s built? It might be no better than the motels.”
In response, Toy said the one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments would be for older people, couples or small family groups, many of whom preferred more compact apartment-style living with no backyard to maintain.
When the Rotorua Daily Post arrived, there were two dumped shopping trolleys on the footpath and in a garden beside the road inside the grounds of the complex.
Toy said, in response to a question about whether grounds checks were made, its housing support manager checked for dumped trolleys when doing their checks each week and took any from inside the complex to the street for collection.
“Since additional fences have been installed for our houses and gardens which front to Ranolf St, there has been less dumping by others of trolleys and rubbish at the development.”
Toy said there’s been lots of positive feedback from whānau living at the complex who were “loving” their new warm homes and the stability it provided them and their family.
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He said children and young people were enrolled in local schools and health centres and other support agencies were able to better support whānau now they were in stable and permanent housing.
“We are working with our community partners and others to help build a community among the residents. Now we have a greater number of families living in the neighbourhood, we are checking in with them around what will best meet their needs.”
One initiative happening in the shared community space on site was art classes for children and young people who lived in the neighbourhood, Toy said.
Prior to Kāinga Ora buying the site, it had been empty since 1988 after previous owners’ plans, including building a church and a high-end housing complex, did not eventuate.
Aaron and Jessica Rubin aren’t selling their house yet – but it’s touch and go.
They’re among Kiwi homeowners across the country collectively paying banks $1.3 billion more in interest payments during the first three months of 2023 compared to the same period last year.
For the Rubins, rising rates have led their loan repayments to jump by about $2400 a month in two years, with the couple first telling the Herald on Sunday in January they were on the brink of selling.
They bought their Nelson home for $1.2 million in 2021, taking out a more than $1m loan with one of the big four banks.
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Initially, they paid about $4000 a month in home loan repayments. But when their one-year fixed term ended, payments jumped to $5142 a month on a refinanced 3.99 per cent rate.
The bank then offered them a 6.46 per cent loan, meaning their repayments would have hit $6710 in March – a $1600 per month jump.
However, the couple managed to renegotiate a 5.99 per cent two-year term, meaning their monthly payments have instead jumped by $1248.
Aaron said the couple would like to sell.
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“We would have sold, and we’d be renting right now,” he said.
“We decided that’s what we want to do, but unfortunately we have some obstacles we need to overcome first, which is going to take time.”
With multiple cost-of-living pressures hitting Kiwis, many pundits expect pressure on homeowners, like the Rubins, to only grow.
Lenders charged Kiwis $3.8b in home loan interest payments during the first quarter of 2023, according to new residential mortgage loan reconciliation figures from the Reserve Bank of New Zealand.
The interest charged is the highest recorded since the Reserve Bank began collecting the data in 2014.
It is well above the $2.5b charged in the first quarter of last year, as well as the $3.5b charged during December’s quarter.
Overall, Kiwis were scheduled to pay $6b (made up of interest and principal repayments) towards their home loans during the first quarter of this year – another record high since 2014.
Data by credit bureau Centrix found 19,300 households are behind on their mortgage repayments, up 26 per cent on the same time last year.
That’s the eighth consecutive month the number of people falling behind on their repayments has grown.
However, Centrix cautioned that the number of households behind on their payments was still low by historic standards.
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The Reserve Bank also said it wasn’t yet seeing “widespread distress” among mortgage holders.
Finance Minister Grant Robertson recently told the Herald on Sunday support for homeowners battling high mortgages was not in plans for the upcoming cost-of-living-focused Budget.
But Aaron said he wanted changes to the system – saying that’s why he is willing to share his story and open himself up to criticism from strangers.
“I really want to see what I can do to try to effectuate some change,” he said, noting any change would likely come too late for him.
Tim Cuff
As well as writing to his local Member of Parliament, Aaron suggested in January that New Zealand lenders could offer 30-year fixed-rate home loans like those that are available in the United States, where he grew up.
Close to 90 per cent of new homes in the US are currently bought using 30-year terms and offer home-buyers stability and the ability to plan ahead, he said.
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Aaron also suggested that – while Official Cash Rate rises are designed to force people to consider their finances and cut back on spending – perhaps greater guardrails or support could help prevent vulnerable borrowers facing such dramatic and fast rises.
He also believed early payment penalties – in which lenders charge borrowers a penalty for paying back too much money on their loan early to compensate the bank for lost interest repayment earnings – could be scrapped or made less common, like they are in the US.
“[Early payment penalties mean] the banks continue to pocket money when the interest rates go down,” Aaron said.
“And if they weren’t making record profits then, it would all seem fine, but it’s not.”
Aaron said he and his wife now plan to hold off selling until they complete a subdivision process on their land that was started by the previous owner.
They hope that allows them to better recoup their investment in their home.
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But to do that, they will need to invest significantly more money into their property – cash they don’t have right now.
And while Aaron said he should have, with hindsight, locked in a five-year term when interest rates were closer to record lows, that wasn’t the advice given him by his mortgage broker and bank.
“They all said a [one-year fixed term] was the right thing to do,” he said.
“They said, ‘You know, the rates might go up a little bit, but they’ve never skyrocketed’.”
“I’m not from New Zealand, so I was learning on the fly, and with the Fomo [fear of missing out] that had been going on, you had to act quickly in the market at that time.”
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 04, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — HydroGraph Clean Power Inc. (CSE: HG) (OTCQB: HGCPF) (the “Company” or “HydroGraph”), a manufacturer of high-quality nanomaterials, today announced that its patented Hyperion System (“Hyperion”), designed for scaled-up production of high-purity graphene achieved a key technology milestone to produce commercial scale quantities graphene. The Hyperion System will produce fractal graphene to serve the various markets including lubricants, energy storage, resins, specialty chemicals, coatings and other markets. The validation process confirmed the capex cost per metric ton of graphene produced will be one of the lowest in the industry. The system can produce over 10 metric tons per year using readily available commodity acetylene and oxygen.
“A year ago, we challenged ourselves to design and construct a commercial scale graphene production unit at the lowest capital cost in the world. In a year, we have gone from a rudimentary proof-of-concept unit to this powerful production system,” said Stephen Corkill, VP of Operations. “With the advancement of this unit, I am proud to say the Hydrograph team has exceeded both cost and production expectations, further positioning HydroGraph as the leader in production of high purity graphene.”
The 2×2 meter modular system is comprised of mostly off-the-shelf components with no major rotating equipment allowing for easy deployment, operating on customer location by integrating into a production line or engineered with additional “reactive graphene” functionalization for increased product performance. The compact footprint also provides environmental benefits through minimal energy usage and low operating costs with one operator able to run multiple systems.
HydroGraph aims to open regional production facilities serving targeted customer locations in 2024. All facilities and production units will be owned by HydroGraph with graphene being sold to customers under long-term contracts. This will allow graphene produced to be engineered to customer volume and specification. Construction lead time for additional units is currently expected to be between 3 and 4 months.
HydroGraph is currently investigating over 20 different graphene applications with over 40 potential customers including 15 testing/NDA agreements already in place.
Closing of Second Tranche of Offering
HydroGraph is also pleased to announce the closing of the second tranche (the “Second Tranche“) of its non-brokered private placement of units previously announced on March 22, 2023 (the “Offering“). Under the Second Tranche, the Company has issued 850,000 units (“Units”) for gross proceeds of $102,000. Together with the closing of the first tranche, announced April 14, 2023, the Company has now issued 20,087,666 Units at a price of $0.12 per Unit, and raised a total of approximately $2.41 million with directors and management contributing 10% of the total. Please refer to those news releases for more details about the Offering.
About HydroGraph
HydroGraph Clean Power Inc. was founded in 2017 to fund and commercialize green, cost-effective processes to manufacture high-purity graphene, hydrogen and other strategic materials in bulk. Publicly listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange in December 2021, the Company acquired the exclusive license from Kansas State University to produce both graphene and hydrogen through their patented detonation process. More information about the Company and its products can be found on the HydroGraph website. www.hydrograph.com/
For company updates, please follow HydroGraph on LinkedIn and Twitter.
The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release.
Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains certain “forward looking statements” and certain “forward-looking information” as defined under applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements and information can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “may”, “will”, “expect”, “intend”, “estimate”, “upon” “anticipate”, “believe”, “continue”, “plans” or similar terminology. Forward-looking statements and information include, but are not limited to: statements in respect of the Private Placement, the use of the net proceeds from the Private Placement, the timing and ability of the Company to close the Private Placement, if at all, the gross proceeds of the Private Placement, the timing and ability of the Company to obtain all necessary regulatory approvals, if at all, and the terms and jurisdictions of the Private Placement; the statements in regards to existing and future products of the Company; the Company’s future personnel appointments; the Company’s plans and strategies.
Forward-looking statements and information are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions that, while believed by management to be reasonable, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Forward-looking statements and information are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the ability of HydroGraph to control or predict, that may cause HydroGraph’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied thereby, and are developed based on assumptions about such risks, uncertainties and other factors set out herein, including but not limited to: HydroGraph’s ability to implement its business strategies; risks associated with general economic conditions; adverse industry events; stakeholder engagement; marketing and transportation costs; loss of markets; volatility of commodity prices; inability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources, and/or inability to access sufficient capital on favourable terms; industry and government regulation; changes in legislation, income tax and regulatory matters; competition; currency and interest rate fluctuations; and other risks. HydroGraph does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking information except as required by applicable law. Such forward-looking information represents management’s best judgment based on information currently available.
No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed, and actual future results may vary materially. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.
Contacts:
HydroGraph Investor Relations
Salisha Ilyas
Target IR
salisha@targetir.com
Bob Wowk
HydroGraph
bob.wowk@hydrograph.com
908.627.1315
HydroGraph Media Contact
Kristin Schaeffer
kristin@amfmediagroup.com
Sri Lanka’s single largest multi-cloud solutions provider Finetech Consultancy (Private) Ltd (FCPL) recently welcomed two eminent professionals to its board.
The company has appointed Lakshman Silva as a Director and Dumindra Ratnayaka as Chairman.
Ratnayaka presently serves as Chairman of the 1990 Suwasariya Foundation and was former CEO of Etisalat Lanka (Pvt.) Limited, Sri Lanka’s first mobile telecommunications network and a former Chairman of the Board
of Investment.
Ratnayaka also has served on the ICTA board. He holds an Electronics and Telecommunications Degree, with First Class Honours, from the University of Moratuwa.
Silva is currently Chairman of Panasian Power PLC, its subsidiaries and serves as an Independent Director at Seylan Bank PLC.
Silva is a member of the Stakeholder Engagement Committee of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka and a Committee Member of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.
Until December 2021, Silva functioned as Chief Executive Officer/Director of DFCC Bank PLC and as Director/Chairman of its subsidiaries. Prior to commencing his professional career at DFCC Bank PLC in 1987, he served as an Assessor at the Inland Revenue Department.
Silva holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from the University of Kelaniya and a Master of Business Administration Degree from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura.
He is an Associate Member of the Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia Pacific and Past President of the Association of Professional Bankers of Sri Lanka.
FCPL founding members Clehan Pulle and Sujatha Nadesan will continue to function as Chief Executive Officer/Director and Chief Operating Officer/Director, respectively and they believe that the two new directors, with their experience, will make a significant contribution to its growth and success.
This bach at 19 Lagoon Way in Ōmaha is among the exclusive homes up for grabs in the popular beach town. Photo / Supplied
Kath Duncan has never seen Ōmaha like this.
“There are for sale signs up in almost every street,” she says.
“I’ve been coming to Ōmaha for years and years and I’ve never seen so many houses up for sale.”
Duncan has owned baches in the popular beach town, 75 kilometres north of Auckland, for most of the past 30 years.
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She bought her first Ōmaha bach in the 1990s, and then – after selling it when her children became older – started looking for another in about 2015.
However, it took three years of determined searching and being on a wait list before she managed to buy again in 2018.
“At any one time, there were only two, maybe three, properties [available],” she said of the search. Ōmaha homeowners prize their properties and rarely sell, given the town is on a tiny spit of land where new housing developments are difficult.
“The attitude has always been, if you’re lucky enough to get in on a property, you hang on to it if you can.”
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That’s what made the recent string of “for sale” signs so surprising, Duncan said.
She wonders whether rising interest rates are starting to bite, especially among those who bought in recent years after the Covid pandemic.
That includes people who might have had extra money they weren’t spending on travel during the lockdowns and who took advantage of record-low interest rates to get loans to pay extremely high prices on homes skyrocketing in value over 2020 and 2021.
More baches on sale
House prices have been falling for more than 12 months and data by analysts at CoreLogic shows just how much the Coromandel – as one example of holiday hotspots – has been hit.
The median house value in Whangamatā is now $1.3 million – or 4 per cent less than three months ago and 13 per cent down on this time last year.
There are also fewer sales at the same time as more homes are being listed and are taking longer to sell.
CoreLogic’s data shows 109 homes were sold in Whangamatā in the 12 months to March this year, or half as many as the 218 sold in the 12 months to September 2021, which was close to the peak of the post-Covid booming market.
There are also about six times more homes listed for sale now than 18 months ago in September 2021 (61 compared to 12), with these homes taking on average 39 days to sell or about twice as long.
In nearby Pāuanui on the Coromandel, it’s similar.
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Prices are now at $1.46m – or 6.4 per cent lower than three months ago and 13.3 per cent down on a year ago.
Sales have fallen by almost three quarters with 44 made in the 12 months to March this year compared to 136 in the 12 months up to September 2021.
Listings are also more than double while homes are taking almost twice as long to sell.
The boom before the fall
The recent downturn comes after an incredible boom in bach sales around New Zealand.
Property website OneRoof and analysts Valocity analysed the country’s bach market in December last year and found Kiwis spent a colossal $14 billion on coastal property in the two years between September 2020 and September 2022.
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The analysis found that, in the month after the start of the Covid crisis in 2020, there were just 76 sales made across 251 coastal locations.
However, sales in these locations exploded soon after the lifting of lockdown restrictions, with the monthly average for the second half of 2020 rising to more than 760 sales.
More than half of these purchases were second homes.
Having limited new land available for development, Ōmaha wasn’t among the coastal areas with the biggest volume of sales, but it was among the most expensive.
Ōmaha prices jumped by $761,000 to $2.7m over the two-year period between 2020 to 2022, the third biggest jump from among the 251 coastal locations analysed – behind just Waiheke Island and the Tāwharanui Peninsula.
Business as usual?
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Long-time Ōmaha agent Di Balich, from Precision Real Estate, has also noticed more homes coming up for sale in the town, but she says she isn’t aware of people being forced to sell because they can’t afford to pay their home loans.
OneRoof currently has 21 homes listed for sale in Ōmaha.
Balich said there were typically about 28-30 homes for sale at any one time before the Covid pandemic, so she sees the current rise in listings as a return to “business as normal”.
She said the pandemic brought a big influx of people either buying in Ōmaha or spending more time in their baches as they sought to get out of Auckland and its lockdowns, and as remote working became more common.
Now, however, as people’s lives were changing again post-Covid, they were starting to sell, especially those who might have been holding on to houses throughout 2022 to see whether the downturn in the market had passed.
“Those people who saw the extraordinary capital gains (in 2020 and 2021) didn’t want to sell because they were thinking that they might miss out on growth, but are now realising we’ve come back to a normal market,” she said.
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Balich also said one reason more homes might be coming up for sale was that people who had started to live and work remotely in their Ōmaha baches more often were now looking for more permanent homes in the town and were putting their holiday homes up for sale.
For Duncan, meanwhile, the number of houses being listed doesn’t look like just a post-Covid reaction but a more notable change.
“I keep saying, ‘Oh my god, look there’s another one for sale, now another one’,” she said.
By Angela Epstein for the Daily Mail
07:00 18 Mar 2023, updated 07:00 18 Mar 2023
- The property market may be cooling, which makes it an ideal time to negotiate
- One in 10 home sellers are reducing the price within 30 days, research suggests
- We explain how to haggle on a property purchase – without offending the seller
No one is suggesting that buying a house or flat should be akin to acquiring a carpet in a Moroccan souk.
But haggling is now perfectly normal in both cases, especially when the property market continues to cool.
After all, as many as one in ten home sellers is reducing the asking price within 30 days of entering the market in order to increase the chance of attracting a buyer, according to new research from property purchasing specialist House Buyer Bureau.
Clearly the climate is ripe for haggling.
So how best to negotiate your way to buying your dream home? We’ve asked the experts …
Should I put in a very low offer?
Doing this without any obvious reason can sour relationships. So do your research, weighing up the state of the property, local market and potential demand.
Any small defects will give you some wriggle room — ‘I would say this is one of the most important things a house hunter can do, particularly as a first step in the negotiation process,’ says Simon Bath, of property tech company iPlace Global.
If it’s then clear the property is overpriced, don’t be afraid to be robust about making a lower offer, recommends Jonathan Rolande, of The National Association of Property Buyers.
However, he advises steering away from going too low as you’ll annoy the seller and lose credibility.
‘Remember that what you offer should be based, not on the asking price, but what you have assessed the true value to be, then offer below that.’
What makes me an attractive haggler?
‘Cash is king,’ says Thomas Goodman, from MyJobQuote. co.uk. ‘Cash buyers present the safest option for the sellers as there is no chain.
If you can’t buy a property completely with cash, try to get yourself as close to being a cash buyer as possible.’
Otherwise, making it clear you have your mortgage set up helps with the haggle. ‘Put your budget together, collate any paperwork you need and be realistic about what you can achieve,’ says John Jones, director of residential property at law firm Jackson Lees.
Can you trust the estate agent?
The estate agent works for the seller — not for you. They are paid when the property sells.
And the higher the price, the larger their fee. ‘The estate agent isn’t allowed to lie, but they can create an overwhelming need to put in your highest and fastest bid as early as possible.
‘So no, do not trust them — trust yourself,’ says Jason Corbett, of Rowallan Buying Agents.
Instead, says Jonathan Hopper, CEO of Garrington Property Finders, if you’re going to haggle, quiz them on whether there have been other offers.
‘They have to tell you if so, albeit not the amount, but it is worth asking for the numbers just in case.’
And consider using a buying agent to deal with a sales agent, adds Hopper.
‘Their efforts can often knock a large amount off the price, which more than covers their fee.’
Can I haggle over fixtures and fittings?
Fixtures — ie the things that are fixed to the wall — have to be included. Fittings, such as furniture are open to negotiation.
‘You could say I’ll pay you this if you include that,’ says Corbett. It can also help to find out where the seller is going.
If they are moving from a house to a flat or emigrating, for instance, ask if they’ll leave garden furniture and tools — they’re expensive to buy new.
Should I reveal my budget?
Never ever, ever reveal the maximum you are willing to pay to the seller or agent.
‘Agents love a buyer who says, ‘I’ll offer £90,000 but will go to £100,000 if I have to,’ says Rolande. ‘They work for the seller and legally must report all offers, so be careful what you say.’
Dropping into the conversation that you’re looking at another property may help move things along, too.
Item 2.02 Results of Operations and Financial Condition.
On
release and detailed presentation regarding its operating results for the
quarter ended
this report as Exhibit 99.1 and a copy of the earnings presentation is furnished
with this report as Exhibit 99.2 as well as made available on the Company’s
website at www.acresreit.com.
Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure.
The information provided in Item 2.02 above is incorporated by reference into
this Item 7.01.
The information in this Current Report, including the exhibit hereto, is to be
considered “furnished” pursuant to Form 8-K and shall not be deemed “filed” for
purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or
otherwise subject to the liabilities of that Section. The information in this
Current Report shall not be incorporated by reference into any registration
statement or other document pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits.
Exhibit No. Description
99.1 Press Release
99.2 Earnings Presentation
104 Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL
document).
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© Edgar Online, source
Q2 Catalyst’s suite of digital solutions to help Encore Bank meet the needs of its commercial clients
Q2 Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: QTWO), a leading provider of digital transformation solutions for banking and lending, today announced that Encore Bank, one of the nation’s fastest-growing banks, has selected Q2 as its strategic digital partner.
Encore Bank – a commercially focused boutique bank with $3.4 billion in assets that serves customers in 20 markets across eight states – will deploy the Q2 digital banking platform, along with several Q2 Catalyst commercial solutions. Leveraging the Q2 digital banking platform’s extensive integration capabilities, Encore Bank will be able to grow its commercial lending, deposit and non-interest income business through a seamless digital experience that connects to its back-office processing systems.
“Technology has changed the game in banking, but it’s no longer enough to be a differentiator; it also needs to drive and deepen relationships,” said Encore Bank President, Chief Strategy & Growth Officer Burt Hicks. “We looked for a digital partner that was the best of the best with unmatched capabilities and competency. Q2 brings immense value and innovation to the table. Their team immediately aligned with our vision at the executive level, and we look forward to a long-term partnership.”
Encore Bank will leverage many of the digital solutions that are part of Q2 Catalyst, Q2’s suite of best-in-class commercial banking solutions, to deliver a modernized user experience to its customers. These solutions include Q2’s industry-leading digital banking platform that serves consumers, small businesses and commercial customers, Q2’s onboarding solutions for consumers and businesses and Q2’s best-in-class treasury management solutions, along with Q2 Treasury Onboarding™, Q2 Commercial Sales Enablement, Q2 ClickSWITCH, Centrix and Q2 Marketplace.
“Q2 Catalyst resonated with our team because it allowed us to solve specific challenges for our commercial customers, including the ability to onboard efficiently and the autonomy to manage day-to-day operations with ease,” said Nikki Pfleger, director of business banking solutions, Encore Bank. “We want to deliver a seamless digital experience and best-in-market treasury technology, all while providing capital to small and mid-sized businesses.”
Known for its concierge approach to banking, innovative technology and experienced bankers, Encore Bank offers a unique experience for its employees, partners and clients. Each Encore Bank location employs local people with local interests and a deep understanding of what makes each community great. They are committed to serving clients and the communities by forming deep partnerships with its customers, local nonprofits and philanthropic and community organizations.
Dallas Wells, senior vice president of Product Management, Q2 said, “Q2 is proud to partner with Encore Bank and work in lockstep with its innovative team to deliver solutions for every aspect of the commercial life cycle. Encore Bank is truly building something unique, and we are excited to partner with Encore Bank to help empower its growth trajectory and accelerate its digital roadmap.”
For more information about Q2’s best-in-class commercial banking suite, go to Q2 Catalyst.
Click here to learn more about the Q2 and Encore Bank partnership.
About Encore Bank
Headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, the Encore journey began in 2019 when three experienced Arkansas bank professionals moved to The Capital Bank, a small Little Rock bank established in 1997. With just seven employees, $160 million in total assets and a vision to build a different kind of bank, founders Chris Roberts, Phillip Jett and Burt Hicks rebranded that small bank to Encore Bank, and within three years, turned it into the fastest organically growing bank in the country. Today, Encore Bank has more than 300 employees, $3.4 billion in total assets (as of Jan. 15, 2022) and is operating in 20 markets across eight states. Encore Bank is a privately held, boutique bank with a commercial focus that couples highly experienced and talented bankers with innovative technology to offer unprecedented levels of service to its clients through a hospitality-inspired concierge approach. Encore Bank provides a full suite of financial products and services to businesses, business owners, professionals, their families and contacts with purpose, passion and precision. Additional information about Encore Bank can be found at www.bankencore.com.
About Q2 Holdings, Inc.
Q2 is a financial experience company dedicated to providing digital banking and lending solutions to banks, credit unions, alternative finance, and fintech companies in the U.S. and internationally. With comprehensive end-to-end solution sets, Q2 enables its partners to provide cohesive, secure, data-driven experiences to every account holder – from consumer to small business and corporate. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Q2 has offices throughout the world and is publicly traded on the NYSE under the stock symbol QTWO. To learn more, please visit Q2.com.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230202005234/en/
Kobe Steel, Ltd. announces today that its wholly owned subsidiary Kobelco Power Kobe No. 2, Inc., has begun commercial operation of the No. 4 unit at the Kobe Power Plant in Kobe, Japan to supply power to Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc.
Prior to the start of commercial operation, Kobelco Power Kobe No. 2 has completed all necessary legal procedures and confirmed that the performance of the No. 4 unit meets the prescribed conditions. The No.3 unit began commercial operation in February last year and has been supplying power to Kansai Electric Power. The power generation capacity of No. 3 and No. 4 units combined is 1.3 GW (650 MW x 2 units).
Under the national energy policy, Japan has been promoting the transition to higher efficiency thermal power plants to ensure a stable energy supply, economic efficiency, and environmental compliance with priority on safety. The Kobe Power Plant’s No. 3 and No. 4 units, located close to Kobe City and the surrounding Hanshin area with high demand for electricity, will contribute to the improvement of power supply efficiency with the introduction of the ultra-supercritical pressure power generation system, which is the most advanced power generation technology. In addition, it will also contribute to the development of the region through the stable supply of economically efficient electricity.
While ensuring the highest level of environmental compliance in Japan, Kobelco Power Kobe No. 2 will fulfill its role as an urban power plant operator with due consideration for the local community, as required by the Environmental Conservation Agreement concluded with Kobe City pursuant to the Kobe City’s ordinance to protect the environment of Kobe citizens. In the commissioning before the start of commercial operation, it was confirmed that the No. 4 unit satisfies the requirements as provided in the agreement.
The Kobe Steel Group, also known as the KOBELCO Group, promotes sustainability management based on the Group Corporate Philosophy. In accordance with the national energy policy, we will improve the efficiency of thermal power generation facilities and provide a stable supply of economically efficient electricity. Toward carbon neutrality in 2050, we will strive to further improve the efficiency of thermal power generation and reduce carbon emissions with the aim of realizing a world in which people, now and in the future, can fulfill their hopes and dreams while enjoying safe, secure, and prosperous lives.
| Company name: | Kobelco Power Kobe No.2, Inc. |
| Representative: | Soichi Kimoto |
| Capital: | 300 million yen (wholly owned by Kobe Steel, Ltd.) |
| Location: | 2 Nadahama Higashicho, Nada-ku, Kobe, Hyogo |
| Power generation capacity: | 1,300 MW (650 MW x 2 units) |
| Power generation method: | Pulverized coal-fired, ultra-supercritical (USC) pressure power generation |
| Fuel: | Coal |
| Start of commercial operation： |
No. 3 unit: Feb. 1, 2022 No. 4 unit: Feb. 1, 2023 |
Reference: Power plant overview
| Company name | Kobelco Power Kobe, Inc. | Kobelco Power Moka, Inc. | Kobelco Power Kobe No. 2, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Location |
Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture (within the Kobe Wire Rod & Bar Plant) |
Moka, Tochigi Prefecture (adjacent to Moka Works) |
Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture (within the Kobe Wire Rod & Bar Plant) |
| Fuel | Coal | City gas | Coal |
| Power generation capacity |
1,400 MW (700 MW x 2 units) |
1,248 MW (624 MW x 2 units) |
1,300 MW (650 MW x 2 units) |
| Power generation method | Pulverized coal-fired, supercritical (SC) pressure power generation | Gas turbine combined cycle (GTCC) | Pulverized coal-fired, ultra-supercritical (USC) pressure power generation |
| Start of commercial operation |
No. 1 unit: Apr. 2002 No. 2 unit: Apr. 2004 |
No. 1 unit: Oct. 2019 No. 2 unit: Mar. 2020 |
No. 3 unit: Feb. 2022 No. 4 unit: Feb. 2023 |
Disclaimer
Kobelco – Kobe Steel Ltd. published this content on 01 February 2023 and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 01 February 2023 07:07:37 UTC.
Publicnow 2023
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Technical analysis trends KOBE STEEL, LTD.
| Short Term | Mid-Term | Long Term | |
| Trends | Bullish | Bullish | Bullish |
Income Statement Evolution
|
Sell  Buy |
|
| Mean consensus | UNDERPERFORM |
| Number of Analysts | 6 |
| Last Close Price | 697,00 JPY |
| Average target price | 657,50 JPY |
| Spread / Average Target | -5,67% |