Cryptocurrency explained: Blockchain, Investments & Co.

Cryptocurrency is nothing more than digital money. Here, all the important data around the holder and transaction is encrypted and stored. Instead of storing all this on just one server, the transactions are found in a decentralized network – also called: The Blockchain. This technology makes transactions faster, more secure, and less expensive than they would be otherwise. Sounds like the future? Read our analysis here: cryptocurrency development.

No investment advice or purchase recommendation!

All information provided here does not constitute investment advice or a recommendation to buy. All statements are my general published opinion. I have obtained the information from my experience as a private investor. This experience report cannot and is not intended to replace personal investment advice from professionals.

Owning and trading cryptocurrencies brings many advantages. Transactions take place directly between the buyer and seller. It is a decentralized network. So, unlike a bank transfer, exchange and bank fees are eliminated, as are transfer limits and unnecessary waiting times. Bitcoin trading is therefore not only uncomplicated, but also anonymous and secure. Instead of the own name, all crypto assets are managed with an identification code. The blockchain technology also ensures that transactions are constantly checked in advance, making any manipulation and forgery almost impossible. Learn more about the technology, course and trade explained here: BitCoin, cryptocurrency & blockchain.

Reading tip: Which app do I use to buy and sell shares, cryptocurrency & Co. Here is the answer! My recommendation: Trading App.

Trading has never been so easy! Buy from 1 euro with these apps:

Download (Android + iOS): eToro

And a little tip, Made in Germany:

Download (Android + iOS) Trade Republic

Trading with Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin & Co.

The cryptocurrency Bitcoin is now a household name. It is the most popular, but by far not the only one. In the meantime, several new creations have emerged. Some of the others are Bitcoin enhancements. Thus, there are now over 4,500 cryptocurrencies. While that sounds like a large amount, only just under 100 of them achieve a daily trading turnover of $1,000 or more. Other popular cryptocurrencies are Ethereum, Ripple and Litecoin.

Cryptocurrencies – List

Here you can find a selection of interesting digital currencies:

Binance Coin (BNB)

• Binance Coin (BNB)

Bitcoin Cash (BCH)

• Bitcoin Cash (BCH)

Bitcoin (BTC)

• Bitcoin (BTC)

Cardano (ADA)

• Cardano (ADA)

Dash

• Dash

EOS

• EOS

Ethereum

• Ethereum

Ethereum Classic (ETC)

• Ethereum Classic (ETC)

IOTA (MIOTA)

• IOTA (MIOTA)

Litecoin (LTC)

• Litecoin (LTC)

NEO

• NEO

Ripple (XRP)

• Ripple (XRP)

Stellar (XLM)

• Stellar (XLM)

Tezos (XTZ)

• Tezos (XTZ)

TRON (TRX)

• TRON (TRX)

ZCASH (ZEC)

• ZCASH (ZEC)

Questions and answers: cryptocurrency

So now you know what the blockchain technology is, what cryptocurrencies there are and what advantages trading Bitcoin and Co. brings with it. Finally, you will get all the important questions about trading with cryptocurrencies answered:

Which is the best cryptocurrency?

The best cryptocurrencies include the classic Bitcoin, as well as IOTA, Ripple, EOS, Litecoin, Binance Coin and Tether.

Which cryptocurrency has a future?

According to forecasts, Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple and NEO have the most potential to increase in value in the future.

Are gains from cryptocurrencies tax-free?

The speculation period for cryptocurrencies is one year. If a profit of 600 euros or more is made during this period, the total profit must be taxed. So if the coins are left in the wallet for at least 12 months and only paid out after the speculation period, no taxes are due.

Should you invest in cryptocurrency?

Only invest in cryptocurrency if you are familiar with blockchain technology, different currencies and wallets. After all, this is a decentralized network based solely on demand. So always be aware of the risks and only invest if you are really sure and familiar with cryptocurrency trading.

Cryptocurrency: reading tips

1. Trading App: Recommendation
2. Trading strategies

Trading App: Recommendation

eToro App – Trade stocks, ETF, cryptocurrency, in my blog you have already learned a lot about trading. Lots of questions of course: which app do you trade with, what do I recommend? So today I want to share with you my favorite trading app, eToro. 29.88% asset growth in 12 months, with low risk through “Copy People” and “Copy Portfolios” or up to 127.35% through active trading and trading strategies. Learn about the app, fees and more here step by step.

• Trading App

Trading strategies

Whether it’s crytocurrency, currency trading, stocks, commodities or precious metals, these 3 strategies will help you understand the basic stock market game. I developed these 3 strategies to help beginners and novices understand the mechanics in a nutshell. Since I grew up with Bitcoin rather than stocks, here in particular a strong reference to digital currencies. But the mechanisms or strategies are the same for these 5 investment types: crytocurrency, currency trading, stocks, commodities or precious metals. I would exclude ETFs and index funds, as the risks and price fluctuations are significantly lower here.

• Trading strategies

Did you already know? Open transactions in the blockchain

Cryptocurrency itself is, simply put, a coded chain of data. The so-called blockchain.

How does cryptocurrency work?

Everything is set up as a P2P network (peer-to-peer). Data is therefore stored in a decentralized manner. All data blocks are linked to that of the predecessor. Within this distributed database, all transactions are actually known!

The whole thing is therefore a network in which cryptographically signed messages are published – technical term: blockchain. You want to have a look at these transactions? Here you can see live how individual trades sometimes sell up to 100 Bitcoins and how sums in the millions go over the table:

• Bitcoin transactions – live on blockchain.com
• Ethereum transactions – live on blockchain.com

Loft: What does it mean? Features & Definition

The historical background of this type of property is very special. Old industrial buildings are converted into a luxurious living space. This is unique. Especially if you want to buy such a property, the purchase price is usually not very high, if the loft has not yet been renovated. You have the option of refurbishing the place, preparing it and then renting it out at a high price. Many would pay a large sum to live in a loft because the number is limited. This makes the whole thing exclusive.

Features of a loft apartment: brick walls, exposed pipes and co.

In many cases, a loft is found on the ground or first floor and offers one to two floors. The apartment is a large, open and free space without partitions. Characteristic features include concrete floors and ceilings and brick or unplastered walls, which are particularly reminiscent of old factories. Also openly laid pipes are often to be found. So as you can see, a loft apartment retains the historical charm and this is what makes this property so special.

Room layout: large, open room with high ceilings

A loft is usually a large room with high ceilings. This is because the apartment used to be a warehouse. Floor-to-ceiling and large window fronts are also not uncommon. You have a lot of daylight available to make the large room bright and friendly. Also with the room layout you are bound to nothing. You as a buyer or tenant have the possibility to create your own boundaries with high cupboards or shelves and to arrange everything according to your wishes.

Are you looking for a suitable apartment – whether as a tenant or investor? Then take a look at our guide to apartment types A-Z!

Advantages & disadvantages of a loft: free space, area, costs & Co.

Before you decide to invest in a property, you should thoroughly examine the advantages and disadvantages of this type of construction. Especially a loft apartment is very different from other apartments and must be renovated and modernized at least once to make it livable. For sure, this type of architecture is not for everyone and you should think twice before investing and living in such a property. To help you decide, we have summarized the most important advantages and disadvantages of a loft apartment for you.

Advantages: Design freedom and an extravagant ambience

An open ambience and a lot of free space. This is a great advantage especially for young adults. You have many design options and can make an individual room layout. It is also possible to create a combination of work and private life by dividing your apartment accordingly. Due to the extravagant ambience and the special charm of a loft apartment, it is very popular. Also the historical background of the mostly listed building is something very special and unique.

• Plenty of free space, individual room layout
• Extravagant ambience
• Mostly listed
• Combination of work and private life

Disadvantages: high prices and little privacy

Despite the many advantages that a loft apartment offers, there are some disadvantages that you should consider when buying. Many lofts are in need of renovation due to their historical background and you have to invest a lot of time and money into it. If the property has already been modernized, the apartment will usually be very expensive. Also, you have to keep in mind that the utility costs will be higher than other properties and it will be harder to heat. Due to the brick walls, the apartment is usually less insulated and you will have to factor in additional costs for this as well. Lastly, you should note that especially if you live alone, retreat and privacy is rather difficult.

• High prices or in need of renovation
• High ancillary costs
• Poorly insulated, difficult to heat
• Little privacy

Loft: suitable for whom? Offices, luxury loft or retreat

Loft apartments are a good investment and capital investment. They are very sought after on the real estate market and above all limited. This makes this type of housing even more exclusive. If you plan to buy an old warehouse, you can convert it in different directions, because a loft can be used in many ways. Here we show you two different ways to use a loft and who is the perfect target group as a tenant.

Company: open office space, pleasant atmosphere and exchange of ideas

You don’t have to use a loft exclusively for living space. Especially in recent years, it has become apparent that the property can be ideally used as office space. Especially young agencies or start-ups try to get away from a sterile, segregated office atmosphere and create a relaxed and open atmosphere. This is made possible by the large space in a loft. It encourages exchange and collaboration, which is the philosophy of many young companies. Each employee is free to choose his or her own workspace, and you can set up seating or creative corners to make working more pleasant. The charm of the loft plays a major role in the implementation.

Yuppies: young, successful adults

A loft is also perfect for single people. The target group here is young, successful adults. The so-called yuppies. They are able to afford such an expensive apartment at a young age and if you have the opportunity, everything is open to you in terms of design. Create your own spaces and live out creatively. A very popular layout is also a mix of professional and personal. You could arrange your large living space so that you have a private area with the bedroom and a second area where you can receive clients or business partners. This way you can easily work from home and still receive your partners in an exclusive environment.

Tip. You are interested in the topic of buying luxury real estate and want to learn more about it? Here you will find an article with useful tips!

What you should consider before buying/renting a loft

Especially with older buildings, including lofts, you should thoroughly inform yourself about the building before renting or buying. Especially when buying, you invest a lot of money in this property and want to avoid unexpected costs. You have to pay special attention to some things and for this we have researched for you. You can find the most important points here.

If you want to learn even more about buying a home, you can find an in-depth article here!

Surroundings & location: Not a city centre, but a peripheral district

As you have already learned in the course of the article, loft apartments are created from old industrial wastelands and warehouses. Of course, you won’t find these in the middle of the city centre, but on the outskirts in (mostly old) industrial districts. While these neighborhoods have been modernized in many cases and you don’t have to live among factories, it’s still often a fringe neighborhood where the popular apartments can be found. Think about whether you need to be connected to public transport or if you have a car yourself. If you had a car, you would probably be able to get to the motorway quickly and would not have any problems finding a parking space. Make sure you know the location of your property before you buy. If the location is not right, it will be difficult to find a good paying tenant.

Refurbishment & renovation: create a luxury property

Another important aspect is the need for renovation of your property, which you should check before buying. Many brownfields have not been sufficiently modernized and especially if you plan to create a luxury property, you usually have to invest a lot of money. We recommend that you consult an expert who can help you with the purchase decision. Have your potential apartment inspected beforehand and compile a list of the costs involved. Then you can consider whether you want to make this investment and whether the final amount fits into your budget.

Another aspect is the thermal insulation in a loft. Often you will find brick walls, which are nice to look at but not well insulated. If this is the case, your utility costs will be higher due to the heating. So check this too and make improvements accordingly.

Viewing Appointment: Office space & checklist

As you have already experienced, a loft is not only suitable as a living space, but also for an office space. Are you an entrepreneur yourself and would like to move into new premises with your team? Then you will find the most important tips for your office search and viewing here. Get a checklist with aspects that need special attention and that you might not have thought of.

The right office: productivity through the right office environment

Studies prove that the office environment has an impact on the working atmosphere and thus also on the productivity of a company. Therefore, you should choose your new office space carefully and consider some aspects. Every company and every entrepreneur has individual ideas about the ideal office space and especially young agencies or startups prefer an open and friendly atmosphere. The exchange between employees plays a decisive role in working efficiency and the premises should also be designed for this. A loft offers many advantages and is ideal for the implementation of these goals.

You want to invest? Find out everything about commercial real estate here.

Checklist for entrepreneurs

Here you will find a checklist to help entrepreneurs in particular choose the right office property. These factors should be considered under all circumstances when choosing an office.

• Location of the office (site, infrastructure, green areas)
• Office space (growth opportunity, efficiency, kitchen, etc.)
• Office equipment (energy costs, high-speed internet, temperature, light)
• Rental prices (additional costs,…)
• During the visit (traffic, environment, neighbours, pleasant atmosphere,…)

Financing a loft: loans, requirements and co.

Buying a loft apartment is ideal as an investment. You will have to invest a lot if you want to convert an old factory floor, but it will be worth it. For example, the window frontage will need contemporary glazing and efficient heating. If your property is listed, however, you can often offset the renovation costs against tax.

Loans and Credit: Differences, Comparison & Apply for Credit

If you want to buy a loft, you pretty much always have to take out a loan, because you can hardly pay the complete sum out of your own capital. As a rule, you will need a real estate loan. Usually you can choose between an annuity loan and a fixed loan, both of which have their advantages and disadvantages. With an annuity loan, you have to pay the same instalment every month, but the proportion of interest and repayment changes. With a fixed loan, on the other hand, an interest-only payment plus some sort of principal payment is made each month.

Here you can find more information about loans!

Requirements for a real estate loan: credit rating, equity & documents

In order to get a loan to finance a loft from the bank, you must meet various requirements. This is especially for protection, because the bank wants to make sure that the loan can be repaid. A prospective borrower must have a regular and secure income. In addition, a good credit rating and positive Schufa information is advantageous. The banks also look for a German current account and a German residence.

• Real estate credit

Real estate financing equity: investment, costs & investment comparison

Many banks require a certain amount of equity capital when buying a property. In general, about 20% of the purchase price should be covered by the buyer personally, which is then used to pay ancillary purchase costs (land register entry, notary). Some credit institutes offer also a full financing, so that no own capital funds must be brought in. However, this is still possible in rare cases, is usually more cost-intensive and a very good credit rating is a prerequisite.

• Real estate financing

Proper furnishing – Turning an apartment or house into a favourite place

We have compiled suggestions for you to which you can orient yourself, if you want to redesign a room or an apartment. There are many different possibilities, so that there should be suitable ideas for everyone. Let us inspire you and bring new life into your interior.

The basics of interior design

For a room to be perfectly furnished, you have to plan the design down to the smallest detail. Especially the decoration can give a room the final touch. Nevertheless, we start with the foundation.

Colours influence the atmosphere

Before you can start designing a room, you should consider which colours should be represented in furniture, wall colours and decoration. In order to choose the right colour, it is particularly important to consider which colour you feel comfortable with in the long term. In order not to end up with a colour that is only a short-term favourite or belongs exclusively to a current trend, it also makes sense to look at the effect of colours and wallpapers. Also if it should be several colours, it is important to check whether the colours harmonize in combination with each other. If you find it difficult to form your own opinion, it makes sense to get an app that inspires you with interior pictures or to visit a furniture store to find the right colours for you.

Did you know? Most Germans love the colour blue. For over 40%, blue is their favourite colour.

Floor coverings – What suits which room?

Not only the design of the walls is of great importance, but also the flooring makes a lot of difference. While a wooden floor creates a cozy atmosphere, tiles can change the entire feeling of the room. For this reason, you should consider beforehand what feeling a room should convey in the end and what the room will mainly be used for. If you want to design a whole apartment at once, it makes sense to bring variety into the floor design in order to have both cozy areas and practically usable areas.

Furnish rooms correctly

In an apartment or house, there can be a wide variety of rooms that need to be decorated. Whether it’s the kitchen, the living room or the office, we’ve put together some interior design tips for you.

The kitchen – the place for creativity

The possibilities for designing a kitchen are endless. It is particularly important that a kitchen not only looks good, but also has good quality. Unlike electrical appliances, the countertop in a kitchen should ideally have a service life of at least 20 years. Before buying a kitchen, you should consider which kitchen – shape will make the best use of the space. There should be sufficient storage space and a sufficiently large work surface must be available. Only when these important points are met, you should decide which style and colors you like.

Living room – The place to relax

When you walk into the living room of someone you know, you recognize a bit of their personality. Every living room looks different and shows you how a person feels most comfortable. However, not everyone has the talent to create an ideal living room off the cuff and it makes sense to learn a few tricks beforehand. To make a living room cozy, it makes sense to decorate it accordingly. Small tea glasses with tea lights, fairy lights, candlesticks, a faux fur on the sofa, a cuddly blanket, a soft carpet or even a crackling fireplace bring the right atmosphere in the living room. It is by no means only the decoration that causes the feel-good feeling, because the wall color is also enormously important. Since one spends a lot of time in the living room and also spends time there with visitors, for example, it makes sense to choose calm colour schemes. The colors blue and a warm yellow tone are therefore not unpopular for the design of the walls in a living room.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bu3WMlUnHtK/

The office – the place to work

A full-time employee works an average of 1,696 hours per year. For this reason, the design of an office, or of a workplace in general, is as important as that of a living room in which one spends time every day. It is important that a feel-good atmosphere is created and also that creativity is stimulated. In an office, it is important that everything is not just filled with filing cabinets, telephones and screens, but care should be taken that pictures hang on the walls or that the walls are colourful and that there are plants or flowers on the tables. If the employee is given the opportunity to personalize his or her desk with, for example, a private photo of the family, this design will also have a positive effect on work behavior.

Your apartment – Varied & Cosy

Moving into your own home for the first time, or moving house and looking forward to redesigning your home? We have tips for you, how you can achieve a real sense of achievement this time in the design of your apartment. After all, the atmosphere in an apartment is usually influenced by little things.

Decoration

You can have your apartment or your house ideally furnished, but if the decoration is missing, the whole thing looks nowhere near as cozy and homely as it could. Little things like candles, small plants, flowers and pictures on the walls make a lot of difference. Through the decoration comes variety in the design of the room and if the decoration is color-coordinated, the whole thing looks harmonious and cozy.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bu4WG5TlvaE/

Different light sources

Most rooms have one large light hanging in the middle of a room. However, if you want to achieve a different feeling of space, it makes sense to omit the large light and instead place several smaller light sources in different places. If you take care to choose lamps that give off a warm light, this will create a cosy and calm atmosphere. A particularly beautiful light source is also the light chain. Through them you achieve not only a cozy atmosphere, but also a fairy-tale atmosphere. There are various different ways of incorporating fairy lights into the decoration. It makes sense to get inspiration for the design from an idea app, such as “Pinterest”.

The wardrobe

When moving into a new home and purchasing your household items, the wardrobe is often one of the things that is purchased last. This happens because most people would not consider the wardrobe as the most important house item. The wardrobe is immensely underestimated here. A coat rack at the entrance of the apartment or house ensures that the first thing that you do in the home is to take off your jacket. By the fact that you do not wear a jacket and this also nowhere disturbing lying around, you immediately feel much more comfortable and go with a good feeling in your apartment.

Scented candles

Apart from the fact that you should air your home frequently to feel comfortable, a pleasant smell is also important. Find a scented candle that suits your taste and spread several of them around your house or apartment. The smell should not be too intense so that you do not get a headache. After a while, it is also a good idea to change the scented candle to a different scent. If scented candles are too intense for you, there are also so-called scented sticks. Depending on the number of scented sticks in the liquid, you can determine the intensity of the smell yourself.

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Stowable items

This tip should be especially interesting for people with a smaller apartment. Stowable items are worth their weight in gold in a smaller apartment. Just bulky items usually take up all the space. A table with pull-out function or a pull-out bed allow you to use the space at times other than sleeping or eating. When a table is folded, or a bed is folded, the room immediately looks tidier and cleaner. Also, if you have more space available, a small room for storing cleaning equipment and cleaning supplies is useful. When these things are stowed away, you immediately feel much more comfortable and free.

Options for the design of walls

There are many different ways to design walls exciting. There is not only wallpaper and paint, but also wall decoration, which makes it possible to bring variety into the wall design. Wall decoration includes things like different picture frames, small shelves and many other things. Also for the design of walls it is useful to acquire ideas on the Internet, or just look around in a furniture or decoration – store.

Mirror

A mirror also proves to be a beautiful wall decoration. If a mirror has a special frame and hangs on a plain wall, it can become a real eye-catcher. Whether in gold or silver, who wants to make his walls more exciting and likes mirrors, should try this tip.

Tapestry

When you think of a tapestry, you probably think that such a thing was only used in earlier times for interior design. However, this is not the case. Even today, you can use a tapestry to add variety and color to a room. Let yourself be inspired and don’t be afraid to try something new.

Read also:

• Concepts for home furnishings
• Bedroom: How to create your oasis of well-being

Study at a glance: Information regarding taxes

• Workplace in own household
• Costs of the study can be claimed for tax purposes
• Have the relevance and benefit checked by the tax advisor
• Agreements with employer apply to home office

Back to the wiki: Real Estate