Recurring Meetings in DC? Surprising Ways a Condo Can Save Your Business Expenses

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Small business owners understand the expenses associated with traveling. In addition to the flight, airport fees and meals, you could be talking about serious costs, and you haven’t even booked your lodging yet. The following are advantages of condominium ownership, and ways it can improve for your business savings.

Great Resale Value

Washington DC is one of the few areas around the United States experiencing a rise in home prices in recent years. Not only have the values on homes, condominiums, and town homes increased, the area is reporting substantial housing property growth within the community. For companies with employees consistently traveling in and out of Arlington VA and the Washington area on business, you’ll find buying a substantial savings to renting or booking an expensive hotel. Depending on the location, you can find affordable condominiums for sale in a great neighborhood. Also, with interest rates at an all-time low, your payments will be minimal compared to expense-budget money on lodging.

Savings on Meals

Meals on the road can be expensive for business owners and eating out several times a day can add up. With a condo, you have the opportunity to trim your budget by eating in-house and preparing your own food. Hotel gift shops, convenience stores, room service and the mini bar can be expensive, and you won’t find the healthiest of choices. Storing your own food, beverages and toiletries can save many a traveler on unnecessary costs.

Centrally Located

Condominiums that are centrally located make it easy for you and your co-workers to get to your meetings and trade shows on time. The urban destinations are also ideal for entertaining, and you’ll have an assortment of restaurants, shows and historic sites to select from.

Additional Benefits

In addition to saving on expenses such as food, lodging and time, you’ll find owning a dwelling in the Washington DC area an added tax benefit compared with renting. Not only is your money going down the drain by renting, your company’s monthly mortgage amount will stay the same, and the debt reduced significantly every year until it’s paid off. Maintenance on the building and other common elements are also taken care of so you don’t have to worry about mowing the lawn or general upkeep. Many condominiums have an assortment of amenities at your fingertips such as a fitness facility, clubhouse and security.

Using a Real Estate Agent

Utilizing the services of a real estate agent can help small business owners when selecting a Washington DC condominium. Not only are they an expert in the realty industry, they can also offer sound advice on selecting the perfect dwelling for your needs. A Realtor is also a tough negotiator and can provide you with the data to make the right offer on a property.

Business owners traveling to the Washington DC area regularly may want to think twice about wasting their hard earned cash on renting or reserving a hotel room. Investing in real estate can save you money on an assortment of expenses and help you place the funds saved on your company’s growth and success.

A small business owner, Ann Bailey shares these pointers for saving business travel expenses on Arlington VA and DC trips. The dedicated Realtors at Northern Virginia Avenue Realty work tirelessly to help their clients find exactly what they want and need in property around the nation’s capitol.

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Nightlife Do’s and Don’ts for the Travelling Businessman

Your business trip isn’t a vacation, but that doesn’t mean it has to be all work and no play. What are you going to do when your business meeting is over and your flight isn’t until the morning? Check out the nightlife, of course. But beware – you’re still on company time, so remember these do’s and don’ts.

Business Man Typing on Computer
Photo Credit: charlottepurdy

DO Go Out with the People You Know

You’re on a business trip – whether you’re attending a meeting or a conference, your primary objective is to do business. It doesn’t mean you can’t have any fun, but if you go out on the town alone, you could miss a good opportunity to continue networking or close the deal. It’s always more fun, anyway, to go out with a friend rather than try to make a new one.

DON’T Overdo It

You should enjoy your night, but you shouldn’t go crazy. You’re on a business trip, not personal, and anything you do will reflect on your company or determine your networking success. Don’t drink too much or do any other risky behavior. You might embarrass yourself, and if you get in trouble, your boss will be the one you’ll have to call to bail you out.DO Relax and Have Fun

DO Relax and Have Fun

Staying in your hotel room working is probably the worst thing you can do on your business trip. It’s a trip, after all, so get out there and have a good time. Drink a little, dance a little, and mingle. You’ve been working hard, and you deserve it.

DON’T Hook Up

It’s an unfortunate fact that sometimes businessmen cheat on their wives while they’re away. Meeting a random person in a far-away city means little likelihood of word getting back home, so it seems like a good chance. But don’t do it – you never know who that random person you meet out really is or what the ramifications could be (no pun intended).

DO Check Out the Local Scene

One of the benefits of going on business trips is that you get to visit a lot of new cities and towns across the country (or even the world, you lucky son of a gun). Don’t waste an opportunity to check out the local scene and attractions. Have dinner at the best restaurant in town; visit the hottest nightclub; find a swanky little lounge with a jazz band playing. Whatever you do, get a taste of the atmosphere – the nightlife is always unique wherever you go.

DON’T Run Up Your Company Tab

Another perk of business trips – they’re all paid for by your company. You can probably use the company credit card to take your colleagues out to dinner, for example, and you can probably get away with using it for a few drinks while you’re out on the town. But don’t spend too much – now isn’t the time to buy ten bottles of Dom in the VIP section. You may be having fun then, but when you get home, your boss will probably dispute your need for quite so much champagne.

About the Author: Jared Grant is a writer and travel agent who works with luxury Bahamas resorts. He loves to write about travel and all the various things to do while on business trips.