SoFi Blog

What’s Happening In The Market?

As you’re probably aware by now, the stock market has been fluctuating over the past few days. Some say it’s because trade tensions have ratcheted up between the U.S. and China. Others cite that the Fed is expected to hike rates again at its December meeting. Stock analysts note many tech behemoths like Netflix have missed earnings expectations. But, the cause is likely a mix of many factors.

It turns out, current valuation metrics seem in-line with historical averages and the global economy remains in good shape, irrespective of what is the risk du jour. The enthusiasm that surrounded international companies early in the year was likely a little too rosy when stock markets performed well, and the recent pessimism that has driven stocks lower is likely a tad overblown. It comes down to the fact that there are always risks and rewards, so it’s important to keep them in context.

If you’ve longed to pair your professional expertise with a cause that’s close to your heart, applying for a job within the nonprofit sector may seem infinitely appealing.

Focused on a social cause-driven mission rather than financial gain, nonprofit careers offer an opportunity to earn a living while working toward a shared philanthropic goal. Whether you’re committed to climate change, education, healthcare, or another worthy endeavor, chances are you’ll find an opening that matches your skill set, as many careers in nonprofit organizations mirror those in the for-profit arena.

From coveted executive director positions to critical roles in accounting or marketing, finding a spot that allows you to demonstrate and develop your talents shouldn’t be too difficult. But are you ready to make the move?

If you’re thinking about going green with your home, good for you! Benefits of doing so can be significant for the environment and the economy, and in terms of making a positive social impact. Green buildings use less energy, less water, fewer natural resources, and can even have a net positive effect in creating energy. Economically, you can save money on utilities, while living in a healthier environment. You can find a significant amount of information about these benefits from the World Green Building Council .

More specifically, the council shares the following message: “The world over, evidence is growing that green buildings bring multiple benefits. They provide some of the most effective means to achieving a range of global goals, such as addressing climate change, creating sustainable and thriving communities, and driving economic growth.”

And the good news is that there is no one “right” version of environmentally-friendly homes. You can choose from a huge range of strategies to go green, some large and significant, while others are small yet mighty. To help you go green your own way, we’ve scoured the web for resources to help.

New Online Tools Help Homeowners Estimate Costs and ROI on Over 28 Types of Projects

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – October 2, 2018 – SoFi today announced a new partnership with home improvement platform Kukun to offer advanced new tools to help homeowners gain a greater understanding of how much their home improvement project could cost and how it can affect the resale value of their home.

The tools will help homeowners estimate costs and returns on investment for over 28 project types that range in price from $10,000 to $300,000, including renovations and expansions. These are the first tools SoFi is offering related to its home improvement loans.

“One of the top reasons people take SoFi personal loans is for home improvement, so we want to offer people the best resources to make decisions,” said Bob Buch, Vice President of Sales and Business Development at SoFi. “We’re proud to be working with Kukun to bring even more tools and resources to our members that can help them achieve their financial goals.”

These calculators are built by Kukun based on highly normalized and granular property condition marketplace data, in addition to normalized construction permit data (fresh and historic), as well as customer intent from the Kukun marketplace.

“Partnering with an innovative brand like SoFi was a natural extension for us,” said Raf Howery, CEO of Kukun. “SoFi has customized Kukun’s best in class data-set, analytics and tools. SoFi’s audience stands to benefit immensely from this new capability”.

SoFi offers home improvement loans from $5,000 up to $100,000 with absolutely no fees of any kind. Individuals can check their rate and get pre-qualified within minutes. To learn more about the calculators and SoFi home improvement loans, visit SoFi.

About SoFi
SoFi helps people achieve financial independence to realize their ambitions. Our products for borrowing, saving, spending, investing, and protecting give our more than half a million members fast access to tools to get their money right. SoFi membership comes with the key essentials for getting ahead, including career advisors and connection to a thriving community of like-minded, ambitious people. For more information, visit SoFi.com.

About Kukun
Kukun is a data and analytics company that is reinventing major aspects of the massive Home Remodeling Market.  Kukun is powered by an advanced data-set and AI driven technology to bring transparency, accuracy and insight to the remodeling industry. Kukun is serving Real Estate, Housing Finance, Insurance, Construction, and Retail companies that together make home remodeling possible for the homeowners/buyers. Visit www.mykukun.com.

Contacts
SoFi
[email protected]

Kukun
[email protected]

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In general, high school students are encouraged to apply to colleges during the summer before their senior year. This creates a doable timeline, one that allows them to choose the best college fit for their needs. People who are going back to school after time in the workforce generally follow the same guidelines—applying to school about 10 to 15 months prior to their targeted start date.

But how many colleges does it make sense to apply to? The Princeton Review recommends: two target schools, two reach schools, and two safety schools. Selecting a thoughtful balance of schools generally leads to less stress throughout the application process, especially when compared to students who apply to dozens of universities, expecting responses from all.

By carefully curating a list of schools, students are generally left with options within their financial reach and a little less anxiety. Although no one application strategy applies to every single student, hopefully this list is a good starting point.