วันเสาร์ที่ 29 พฤศจิกายน พ.ศ. 2551

Portable Metal Buildings II

Portable metal buildings are very useful and have multiple purposes. Metal buildings are sturdy and durable and provide a means of storage. In some instances, you may opt for portable metal buildings because of the nature of your business or home.

For example, if you live in a mobile home or move frequently, you may want to take any storage sheds with you during your move. These are also useful for businesses such as construction companies where your company may need a presence on each of your construction sites. Below are some of the different types of portable metal buildings.

One of the most useful types of portable metal buildings includes portable ticket booths and kiosks. They have a variety of uses including shelter for parking lot attendants, ticket booths, and concession stands. Most designs are compact and easy to move with a standard forklift. If you have a large company, it may be worth it to have a few of these on hand, especially if you regularly organize company events and picnics. If you need more of these than what you have, you can always rent them.

You can also purchase portable storage sheds. These are usually larger than the standard kiosk, so handling them with a fork lift is usually not an option. If you opt for a smaller shed, you may be able to handle it with a forklift. However, your best option would be to transport them using a trailer. These are ideal for businesses that have several locations and whose storage needs may change constantly. These also are great for construction companies.

So, portable metal buildings are a great way to enhance your storage capabilities. The smaller portable booths are ideal for parking lots, retail kiosks, and for events. The small storage sheds are great for both business and residential purposes. If you decide to purchase one, keep in mind that companies and designs vary, so doing your research is essential.

Metal Buildings provides detailed information on Metal Buildings, Metal Storage Buildings, Metal Building Kits, Commercial Metal Buildings and more. Metal Buildings is affiliated with Pre-Fabricated Steel Buildings.

Montana Mortgage What to Expect When Buying a Home in Montana

Maybe you are buying your first home in Montana, or perhaps you are relocating to Montana from another state. Either way, it?s important that you educate yourself on Montana home loans before shopping for a home and mortgage. This article explains what you will need to know before buying a home in Montana:

The median price of a home in Montana is $99,500. Recently, homes in Montana have been appreciating at rates below the national average. However, in some parts of Montana, appreciation rates are at an all time high. As a result, income levels in many parts of Montana are too low to purchase a median-priced home with a conventional loan. In fact, homeowners in many Montana cities pay more than the recommended 30% of their incomes toward housing.

Average interest rates in Montana are above the national average, and job growth rates are below the national average. Both of these factors further the problem that Montana home prices have surpassed personal income growth.

Montana does not have a mortgage tax. Montana state law states that no loan can be secured by property of more than 40 acres. Montana?s Fair Housing Act prohibits mortgage lending discrimination against individuals based on their race, color, religion, gender, familial status, or national origin.

Jessica Elliott recommends that you visit Mortgage Lenders Plus.com for more information about Montana Mortgage Rates and Loans .

วันศุกร์ที่ 28 พฤศจิกายน พ.ศ. 2551

Power Of Attorneys Probates And Real Estate Trusts

There are times when the Seller or Buyer to a real estate transaction may appoint someone to act on their respective behalf and even to sign agreements relating to the Contract of Purchase and Sale as their agents, thereby meeting the requirements at law that all dealings involving land or interests in land be in writing. However, it is always mandatory (in British Columbia) that the agent obtain specific instructions prior to signing any documents on behalf of the parties to a transaction. This is all the more true when a Realtor is authorized to sign on behalf of one of the parties.

The written authorization must set out the exact terms, conditions and scope under which the agent is authorized to sign. A telegram, letter or fax may be used for this purpose, but it must be received by the agent before he/she attempts to act on the Seller's or Buyer's behalf. Agents must avoid signing documents on behalf of anyone based on verbal, telephone or e-mail instructions. Furthermore, evidence of written authority granted by one party to a real estate transaction must be attached to any and all documents where the agent has signed on behalf of the party.

Powers Of Attorney

Where it is desirable or necessary to rely on a Power of Attorney, it is widely recommended that it be granted to someone in accordance with the advices of a lawyer. When a person who has been granted a Power of Attorney signs a contract involving land or an interest in land on behalf of the person granting the Power of Attorney, the correct way for the contract to be completed is as shown on the following example:

Mary Smith grants a Power of Attorney to Ted Lee to enter into a contract for the sale of her property located at [address in full.

Ted Lee, then, would sign both the Listing Agreement and the Contract of Purchase and Sale using the following statement:

Mary Smith, by her attorney in fact followed immediately by Ted Lee's signature.

Furthermore, a transfer of title executed under a Power of Attorney to be filed at the Land Title Office (in British Columbia) at the time of completion requires the Power of Attorney to be drafted in proper form. This is so, because different Power of Attorneys can be granted by one person to another. While the form of such authority may authorize a party to sign contracts and certain other documents for another party, it may not be sufficient for Land Title registration purposes. Therefore, whenever a Power of Attorney is contemplated or utilized in a trade involving real estate, the parties ought to seek the advices of legal counsel as soon as possible to ensure the form of the Power of Attorney being used is valid and is acceptable for registration. It should be also noted that the Power of Attorney may expire after a specific time or be invalid for other reasons. Therefore the advices of a legal practitioner specializing in real estate transactions are always the best venue.

Dealing With Legal Or Beneficial Owners

The person or legal entity shown as the registered owner of a real property on the Certificate of Title at the Land Title Office may not be the person or entity that signs the Contract of Purchase and Sale as Seller of that particular property. This is a relatively common occurrence in the real estate trade. For a variety of reasons one entity may appear as the registered owner, while another entity may sign the Contract of Purchase and Sale as the Seller. This may happen, for example, if the registered owner holds the subject property in trust for another entity. In this case the beneficial owner (the person for whom the property is being held in trust) may sign the contract.

If the contract is signed by the beneficial owner, there will usually be a recognition of the trust in the contract for example, John Doe in trust for Mary Black). As well, there will be normally a covenant by the Buyer to accept a transfer from the registered owner and not the beneficial owner who signs the contract. This covenant acts as a waiver of section 6 of the Property Law Act (in British Columbia), which provides that the person who signs the contract as Seller is the person who must sign the transfer. There may be warranties or representations of the beneficial owner, of the registered owner, of both, or limited warranties and representations of each.

In other circumstances the registered owner may wish to structure the transaction as a sale of shares rather than a sale of real property. Such sale may involve the shares of the registered owner or the shares of the beneficial owner of the interest in land.

It is always advisable to deal with legal or beneficial owners after a thorough title search has been executed. For example, in a typical residential real estate transaction problems can arise when a Contract of Purchase and Sale is drafted with the Seller when, in fact, the property is legally owned by some other person or company. In this particular case the Seller may have to transfer the subject property into his or her own name to comply with section 6 of the Property Law Act (a costly transaction involving, among other things, payment of taxes), or face the possibility that the Buyer may legally refuse to complete the transaction if presented with a transfer from the Seller as shown on the contract, rather than the registered owner as shown on title.

Buying From An Estate

A Buyer purchasing from an estate must be assured that the title must pass to him or her without legal problems, and that all parties who can claim against the estate have had their opportunity to do so. If Letters Probate have been granted already and the Wills Variation Act (in British Columbia) has been complied with, no additional clause is required. If, however, these steps have not been concluded a clause similar to the one that follows should be incorporated into the Contract of Purchase and Sale:

Subject to the Seller receiving the following by [date:

1) copy of Letters Probate; and 2) assurance that everyone entitled to claim under the Wills Variation Act has waived or released his or her claim against the subject property. An example of a proper way for an executor to sign a contract on behalf of the estate is:

John Smith, Executor for the estate of (name of the deceased).

In some cases there may be a delay in obtaining Letters Probate.Should that occur, the Buyer may agree to an extension to allow the Executor additional time to obtain the Letters Probate.

Luigi Frascati

Luigi Frascati is a Real Estate Agent based in Vancouver, British Columbia. He holds a Bachelor Degree in Economics and maintains a weblog entitled the Real Estate Chronicle where you can find the full collection of his articles on Real Estate Economics and Finance. Luigi is associated with the Sutton Group, the largest real estate organization in Canada, and is based with Sutton-Centre Realty in Burnaby, BC.

Luigi is very proud to be an EzineArticles Platinum Expert Author. Your rating at the footer of this Article is very much appreciated. Thank you.

California Dreams

Have you ever dreamed of owning a home in California? If so, there?s never been a better time to dive right in and begin working on getting that dream home. With so many different things to think about when you begin to search for your perfect home, sometimes it is difficult to know where to start. But when searching in the state of California, you will be glad to know they?ve thrown out their welcome rugs and have done the dirty work of research for you.

Having put into place several programs that assist the consumer, California?s future home owners should be well equipped and armed with knowledge before they set out on their real estate venture for the home of their dreams. The California Department of Real Estate, as well as the California Department of Housing, has developed websites and packets chocked full of information for the first time homeowner. There is also a wealth of information for second and third time buyers.

With programs such as Home Owners Counseling Services, Home Ownership Vouchers, state license inquiry for Real Estate brokers, as well as the development of many sites that lead to information to protect the consumer against predatory lending prevention, why wait? California has definitely taken great strides in providing the home consumer with knowledge of programs and the information they need to know in order to own a home. With all of these resources, a consumer should feel secure in their pursuit of home ownership in California. So don?t hesitate, put those dreams into action and enjoy your new home.

Check Out More Articles:

mortgage lenders Greensboro NC, Consumer Ratings Mortgage Lenders, licensed texas commercial lenders

วันพฤหัสบดีที่ 27 พฤศจิกายน พ.ศ. 2551

Downturn in New Home Sales for June

Sales of new homes were down 3% in June, with May's sales revised downwards.

June saw a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 1.13 million new homes sold in June. This was slightly below the market prediction of 1.16 million.

May's numbers were revised down from 1.23 million, reported last month, to 1.17 million. This indicates that the housing market is seeing quite a slowdown after five years of record growth.

While the downturn in housing is now undeniable, there is much uncertainty as to the net degree of drag this will have on the economy, said Michael Gregory, an economist for BMO Nesbitt Burns. This will be one of the key things to watch during the months ahead, as it will partially dictate whether the Fed pauses through autumn.

Sales are down approximately 18% from last summer's peak. Year-to-date sales in the first six months of 2006 were down 11.9% when compared to the first six months of 2005.

Sales are set to decline further so that they better approximate the signal being flashed by the home-builder survey, said Josh Shapiro, chief economist for MFR. He added that the home-builder survey has plummeted 46% in the past year.

The inventory of unsold homes has risen by 0.7%, to a record 566,000. This represents a 6.1 month supply at June's sales pace. Homes not under construction yet represented 19.8% of the inventory -- the highest percentage since 1991.

Builders are reportedly cutting prices and offering incentives in order to keep inventories from building. They are up 24% from January.

Builders have also cut their profit outlooks for the years. Cancellations are reportedly rising and confidence is at a low.

The median sales price is up 2.3% on a year-over-year basis, at $231,300, according to the Commerce Department. This is the weakest gain in three years.

It can take six months for a sales trend to emerge, says the govermnet. New-home sales have averaged 1.13 million for the past six months. The six-month sales average has fallen seven months consecutively.

Martin Lukac represents http://www.RateEmpire.com and http://www.1AmericanFinancial.com, a finance web-company specializing in real estate and mortgage rates. We specialize in daily updates, mortgage news, rate predictions, mortgage rates and more. Find low home loan mortgage interest rates from hundreds of mortgage companies!

Blessings Or Transgressors

Estate agents are there to help people in need of properties for housing, commercial or other purposes. They are there to provide their services that varies from giving advices for properties, making two parties meet up for a deal. They are there to lend a hand to tenants, property sellers and buyers, to landlords etc. They are can provide an interested party with all the technicalities, particulars, prices and everything through their own medium, right at the party's doorstep. It is convenient to involve a middleman when a person wants a property so that he can save his time and energy. These estate agents carry out these services in return of what is known as commission.

The darker side of their business is that while they are offering their services they are filled with greed and they aim at gaining their commissions as much and soon as possible. In trying to achieve this they cause a misbalance in the proper flow of country's economic development.

Many of the agents in greed of earning commission mislead buyers through false information concerning the peculiars about the property. Rental housing acquired with the aid of agents for middleclass people often have them facing a huge financial loss. They end up having a totally contradictory situation to what they had been informed about by the agents. The extra loss is rendered for the commission paid by them. Mental stress plays its own part. They may sell properties already been sold off. The property owners pay agents extra if they manage to fish and convince buyers who are willing to buy their properties at double prices. This is especially a trait that these middlemen possess of convincing their clients and talking them into making deals they would otherwise get at much lower rates. It is more like a trend these days to involve these middlemen to escape and avoid efforts required for buying property whether it involves residential, business, trade or commercial purposes.

The other thing that agents do is they hardly ever let the two parties that he's dealing with meet one another and interact on their own, making their own false statements. Make people believe the buyer or the seller is out of reach and there is no way the can have direct contact with them. Real, professional agents would never turn to such acts but many unemployed people adopt these measures in order to earn easy money and pretend that they are professionals and thus looting innocent people. Estate agents are both a blessing and curse to people in the business world at the same time.

Jonathon Hardcastle writes articles on many topics including Real Estate, Investing, and Finance

วันอังคารที่ 25 พฤศจิกายน พ.ศ. 2551

Attention Real Estate Developers What Is In Your Business Plan?

Do you need a real estate development business plan? You will if you want to obtain financing for your project. The first thing any lender or private investor will want to see is your real estate development business plan. This plan is specific for development of real estate. Your business plan will tell your story in an organized and concise manner. It will provide all of the critical information needed to judge your project. A well-written and professional looking business plan is crucial for your success in obtaining financing.

Most real estate developers make the mistake of not creating a good business plan or even getting professional assistance in developing their business plan. They will use the excuse of not having enough time or they can?t find the data. Don?t let that be your excuse! All a real estate development business plan really is, is the answers to a bunch of questions! You will learn what to include in your real estate development business plan.

Executive Summary

The Executive Summary should provide a complete overview of your project & company. This will include:

  • Brief description of the overall project. For example, develop a 4 star, 250 room luxury hotel in downtown St. Louis, Missouri.
  • Brief overview of the company ? Is it a corporation, LLC, etc? Who are the owners and/or board members? Brief company history & experience level.
  • Brief summary of the market & demand.How large is the market and at what stage of development is the market currently in?
  • Brief summary of the competition and what separates you from them?
  • Brief description of key Management team members.
  • Key financials - total acquisition & construction costs, nature & use of funds, future revenue & expenses.

The Executive Summary should be brief and an outline to your overall business plan. Now lets take a look at the specifics in the real estate development business plan.

The Company

This part of the business plan should give full details about how and when the company was formed. It should indicate the legal structure of the company, as well as where it is licensed. A key piece of information about the company is the company owners. Name all of the principals and their percentage of ownership.

Project Description

This section of the plan is where you explain your project in detail. Remember, you are selling your project so that you can get the funding you need! Is this a hotel development project? Is this a luxury, single-family home community project? Is this a multi-tenant shopping center? Give all the details about the project. For instance, lets continue with our hotel example. You will want to name the other amenities that will be located at the hotel, such as swimming pool, tennis courts, the number of conference rooms, etc. How many of the rooms will be suites? What other features & benefits will your project have?

You will also want to address where you currently are in the project. Has the land been purchased or optioned? Where are you in the permitting process? Has the architecture plans been drawn? How much time & capital has been spent on your project to date?

The Market

In this section you will provide the market type & size, current & potential growth rate, and relative stage of development of the area. You should also address why you chose this particular area. You should discuss any forthcoming changes in the market, government regulations, economy, and short-term & long-term trends. If you have performed any feasibility studies, you will want to include it as well as the source of the feasibility study.

The Marketing Plan

The main objective of any developer is to sell the homes, the stores or the hotel. And this can only be accomplished with a well thought out marketing plan. Who will handle your sales efforts? Will they be in-house or out-sourced? How will the pricing/leasing/room rate be determined? Will there be any brand or strategic partnerships involved? What is your marketing budget (in a table format).

The Competition

Any lender or investor in your project will want to feel comfortable that you know who your major competitors are. They will want to know that you have done a thorough competitive analysis. Name and describe all key competitors. What are their strengths & weaknesses? How will your project compare? What are your projects strengths & weaknesses?

The Management Team

In this section, you will want to go into further detail about the principals involved. You will need to highlight the team?s relevant experience and previous successful projects?

Well what if this is your first project?

Then you want to make sure that you have an excellent support team in place. These team members should have the experience that you are lacking (team members doesn?t necessarily mean company ownership). These team members can be legal, accounting, construction, architecture, etc. So for this section of the real estate development business plan, you will want to include:

  • Resumes/biographies on all principals & management team members
  • Organizational chart
  • Board of Directors

The Financials

Since the primary objective of your business plan is to obtain financing, you will want to address what type of financing you are seeking and how much capital is needed. You will want to state how much money you have on hand (and where did you get it from) and how much money you have spent to date.

Everything that you have put into your real estate development business plan up to now should support your financial assumptions and projections. You will want to include a statement that shows a breakdown of construction and acquisition costs. You will want to include an Income statement that will outline income and expenses for the next five years after construction. It should follow GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) and contain specific revenue & expense categories. You will want to include a Balance Sheet and Cash Flow Analysis.

Now that you know what to include in your real estate development business plan, make sure that your business plan presents itself in a professional manner.

  • Use a table of contents, with numbered pages.
  • Make sure that the writing style is simple and conversational.
  • Don?t use long or complex sentences.
  • Paragraphs should be short & simple.
  • Use graphics & pictures but don?t get carried away.
  • Use charts & tables to back up your data.
  • State all sources of your data and studies.
  • Proofread your real estate development business plan for grammatical and spelling errors.
  • Have someone else proofread it for you.
  • If you have the resources, hire a professional business plan writer.

Visit http://www.all-about-commercial-mortgages.com to learn more about commercial properties and commercial financing. Educate yourself before buying that commercial property!

Patti Porter is a Commercial Mortgage Broker specializing in income producing properties.

วันเสาร์ที่ 22 พฤศจิกายน พ.ศ. 2551

Realtors Never Die

If anyone thought that the present sluggishness in many housing markets in North America was going to hurt Realtors the most is better off to think again. It seems that the slowdown in both the new construction and the resale markets and the consequential drop in pricing levels is having reverberations none other than in ... Europe. This is so because we have reached such a high level of economic integration, that it can be safely stated that when we screw up in North America our European friends end up footing the bill.

Globalization is the term commonly used to refer to the growing economic interdependence of countries worldwide through increasing volume and variety of cross-border transactions in goods and services, free international capital flows, and more rapid and widespread diffusion of technology. Clearly the economic interdependence between the United States and Canada on one side, and many members of the Eurozone - especially those belonging originally to the former Western Europe - on the other side has never been more remarked than now. Not only there is a vigorous flow of capitals going both ways, but also the trade of goods is at its apex. And this appears to be the problem.

The European Union has released economic data as to the end of the second quarter, showing a GDP growth of 3.7 percent annualized, its fastest in six years. So fast, in fact, that for the first time ever the Zone has outrun America, Britain and Japan. The engine that has spurred such record-breaking growth, however, was the ever-increasing consumerism mostly on the part of Americans. In essence, Europe has cashed in on the spending power of Americans, which has increased hand-in-hand with the credit that lenders in North America have extended to consumers, secured by their over-valued and over-appreciated real estate equity.

Consumers in North America have had more financial flexibility these past few years than ever before, and for good or bad they have taken full advantage of it. This flexibility has allowed them to choose to carry debt when in the past they may not have had this option. Additionally, it is certainly true that low interest rates have encouraged more borrowing, which in turn has spurred more spending. All the Porsches, BMWs, Volvos and Mercedes that we see on the streets are proof of it.

Now, however, the tide is changing and the American economic powerhouse is slowing down. This fact alone is causing a series of short-term changes that will make life harder for the Euro economies. North-American consumers seem to be more and more reluctant to snap up German cars, French perfumes and Italian vino. The United States, with an annualized GDP growth of 2.5 percent as at June 30 lead the way, and there is a high degree of scepticism among analysts that European consumers alone will be able to fill the 1.2 percent GDP gap so as to keep the Euro GDP high and steady.

Furthermore all this comes at a time when some Euro area countries, most notably Germany and Italy, are due to tighten their budgets. Their public finances need repairing, and they need to act fast. In Germany, the government wants to raise the value-added tax by three percentage points next January. Italy's newly elected government, based on a very frail one percent majority of a coalition of center and leftist parties, is not openly talking about any such drastic moves but, nonetheless, has initiated already a series of public spending cuts which are sure to make the Fall labour market exceeding Italy's sweltering mid-August heat by a few degrees. It would appear that the new economic theory of former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi of lowering taxes and raising pensions was more palatable to Italians than Romano Prodi's neoclassical approach of everybody out. Some unions are calling already for a psychiatric evaluation of the new Prime Minister.

Finally, the European Central Bank (ECB) has begun raising interest rates last December and is expected to keep doing so at least until the end of this year. One may wonder why is the ECB poised to increase interest rates at a time when exports are slowing down. The reason lies not with demand but with supply, as unsold inventories are beginning to accumulate, mostly for political reasons. In fact no one dares to lay off workers now, after the civic commotion caused by the recent French rioting.

It turns out, therefore, that real estate agents in North America are not the casualties of the markets taking a breather, at least not the only ones - Europeans stand to lose a lot more.

Luigi Frascati

Luigi Frascati is a Real Estate Agent based in Vancouver, British Columbia. He holds a Bachelor Degree in Economics and maintains a weblog entitled the Real Estate Chronicle at http://wwwrealestatechronicle.blogspot.com where you can find the full collection of his articles on Real Estate Economics and Finance. Luigi is associated with the Sutton Group, the largest real estate organization in Canada, and is based with Sutton-Centre Realty in Burnaby, BC.

Luigi is very proud to be an EzineArticles Platinum Expert Author. Your rating at the footer of this Article is very much appreciated. Thank you.

Selling Your Glendale Home Are You Asking the Right Price?

If you have a home in Glendale, Arizona that you'd like to sell, you are in a good position. Glendale is a great community for buying and selling, it's one of the most affordable home communities in the greater Phoenix area.

Fortunately, Glendale is popular enough that you'll find plenty of people interested in buying your home. On the downside, if you've never sold a home before, you may not have realistic expectations about the sales process. You may be setting yourself up for a fall if you aren't aware of some of the common mistakes to avoid.

Asking Too Much for Your Home

Sometimes it's hard to have a great perspective on the asking price for your home. After all, you've probably put a great deal of time, effort and money in making improvements to the property. Unfortunately, if you focus exclusively on the price you think the property is worth, you may lose out on prospective buyers.

Remember that your home will be on the market beside other comparable homes. If your house isn't priced competitively, the home may be quickly passed over by buyers.

Listen carefully to your real estate agent and consider their input. Your agent understands the Glendale market and is going to give you the best price. If you have some doubts, check out zillow.com. This site uses some of the same information as real estate agents, sales of comparable properties, etc. to deliver an accurate home value.

Not Having A Marketing Plan

Before you list your home, you need to have a discussion with your real estate agent about how he or she intends to market your property. What will he or she do to make your property stand out? You want to get as much exposure for your home as possible in the shortest amount of time. The longer your home is on the market, the more opportunity you miss when it comes to finding another home, or you may not be able to complete the purchase of a home you really love.

Not Accepting an Offer

Judging whether to accept an offer is always a little risky, if you take too low of an offer you're missing out on potential money. If you reject an offer because you want something higher, you may find that your property just won't sell. Again, the most important thing you can do is follow the advice of your real estate agent. Glendale is a competitive market, so you should be able to get a good offer on your home. Even before you receive an offer, discuss the absolute minimum that you will accept, and how much room there is for negotiation. It's hard to make decisions in a stressful time, so if you go in with as much information as possible, you can alleviate some of the tension.

Glendale is the perfect community for finding affordable homes and reselling your home to new buyers. Work with an agent you trust and you'll be living in your new Glendale home before you know it.

Reg Gustin is a senior loan officer with Sun American Mortgage and specializes in helping families and their financial lending needs.

Get a FREE mortgage rate quote from a reputable Arizona mortgage company at http://www.arizona-homes-store.com/arizona-mortgages.html.

Search the Arizona MLS at http://www.arizona-homes-store.com/arizona-mls.html

Click here: http://www.arizona-homes-store.com/arizona-real-estate-appreciation-report.htmland get a FREE copy of The Greater Phoenix Area Housing Appreciation Report, as compiled by Arizona State University with your free subscription to his monthly ezine, MARKET NEWS.

วันศุกร์ที่ 21 พฤศจิกายน พ.ศ. 2551

How to Buy Foreclosure Properties at Auction

One of the best known, but least understood, ways of buying foreclosure properties is to buy them at a live foreclosure auction. Depending upon where you live, a foreclosure auction will generally be held either at your county courthouse or in some other public place. Sometimes the auction will be conducted by the county sheriff and sometimes by a proxy appointed by the court. Regardless of who is chosen to conduct the auction, the result is the same: the property is sold to the highest bidder.

The first bid is typically made for the foreclosing lender by whoever is representing that company. The bid will generally be for the amount that's owed, although there doesn't have to be any actual exchange of money involved. If no one else puts in a higher bid, property ownership reverts to the lender.

In the majority of cases, no one shows up for the foreclosure sale except the proxies for the lender and whoever may be running the auction. That's especially true if there's no room for profit between what's owed and the market value of a property.

Make no mistake: foreclosure auctions aren't generally places for beginning investors, because you'll need access to either significant amounts of cash or a large line of credit that you can tap into quickly. If you have either of those resources at your disposal, you can sometimes find great buys at foreclosure auctions, but you have to be careful, because most of the time the amount owed doesn't leave much room for profit, if any. The properties that do contain a significant amount of room for a profit are most likely to be attended by a bigger group of investors. The key is to do your homework well, because a mistake can be very costly.

If you want to check into auctions yourself, the first thing you have to do is find out which publication is used to list them. Often it's the legal section of your local newspaper, although some larger cities use specialized business papers to advertise foreclosure sales. There are also various services that will notify you of foreclosures in your target area if you subscribe. If you happen to be interested in a particular property, you can contact the firm in charge of the auction for information about the time and place of the auction. Call the day before the auction to see if the defect has been cured or the sale has been delayed for some reason.

Always remember, if you bid, you must follow through with the purchase. There's no turning back once you've committed to buy a foreclosure property at an auction. So do your homework. It would be wise for you to choose a few target neighborhoods and specialize in those areas, so you'll know how much profit is available even before you consider bidding on a certain property.

Although it's rare, you can occasionally find some great deals at foreclosure auctions. If nothing else, you'll find it educational just to attend a few, just to see how the system works.

Copyright ? 2006 Jeanette J. Fisher

NOTE: Government-owned foreclosures have an entirely different bidding system. See How to Buy a HUD Repo

Jeanette Fisher teaches beginning real estate investors how to make money in any real estate market fixing and flipping houses at http://www.doghousetodollhousefordollars.com

Wisconsin Mortgage What to Expect When Buying a Home in Wisconsin

Maybe you are buying your first home in Wisconsin, or perhaps you are relocating to Wisconsin from another state. Either way, it?s important that you educate yourself on Wisconsin home loans before shopping for a home and mortgage. This article explains what you will need to know before buying a home in Wisconsin:

The median price of a home in Wisconsin is $112,200. Recently, homes in Wisconsin have been appreciating at rates below the national average. However, in some parts of Wisconsin, appreciation rates are at an all time high. As a result, income levels in many parts of Wisconsin are too low to purchase a median-priced home with a conventional loan. In fact, homeowners in many Wisconsin cities pay more than the recommended 30% of their incomes toward housing.

The price of homes in Wisconsin varies widely between zip codes. For example, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the median price of a home in the summer of 2005 was $331,000; however, in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the median price of a home was $275,000, and in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, it was $164,000. Average interest rates in Wisconsin are above the national average.

In Wisconsin, borrowers are required to sign a Mortgage Broker Agreement along with the lender in addition to a Truth-In-Lending disclosure. Additionally, a lender must provide a borrower with a Consumer Disclosure statement that states the nature of they services the lender will provide and how they will be compensated for it.

Wisconsin?s Fair Housing Act prohibits mortgage lending discrimination against individuals based on their race, color, religion, gender, familial status, or national origin.

Jessica Elliott recommends that you visit Mortgage Lenders Plus.com for more information about Wisconsin Mortgage Rates and Loans

วันพฤหัสบดีที่ 20 พฤศจิกายน พ.ศ. 2551

What Is Super About The Real Estate Market Right Now

With a glut of homes on the market and a shortage of buyers, it may seem like this may not be the time buy a piece of real estate, but actually this is the PERFECT time to buy a home or investment property. With prices dipping and incentives everywhere, there are some exceptional properties available for sale at tempting prices. Add competitive interest rates and below market financing programs and you have the recipe for a great deal!

Tampa Bay area Sellers have gotten the message and are now pricing their homes more aggressively to sell and pairing that with some very creative methods to assist the home buyer in making the decision to purchase their house. Recent incentives have included boats or cars with the purchase of high end properties, buyer bonuses on new home purchases that include cash and closing cost assistance, first years taxes and insurance paid, maintenance fees paid on condo properties and many other creative ways to make their home salable. Some Sellers have also agreed to a lease-to-own or seller financed option, rather than an outright sale.

The continued low mortgage rate is a huge incentive to buy now! Brian P. Forrester of HomeBanc states, ?According to the FHLMC (Freddie Mac) website, since 1971 rates has been below 7% only 69 of the last 425 months. With rates continuing to trend downward through 2007, now is a great time to buy.? Banks are also working with Sellers to ?Buy Down Interest Rates? or offer ?Below Market Financing? options on these loans to get even more purchase power for today?s first time home buyers and people who are ready to move up to a bigger home.

Limited land makes real estate tempting! According to longtime agent Rick Tennant, ?Purchasing property in Pinellas County is a great investment as the area is now almost completely built out paired with a continued influx of new residents. As the Baby Boomers move to the warmer climates, our area will continue to be a destination and this will help to stabilize prices, lessening the risk for an appreciation decrease.?

The area?s second homes and vacation property markets will also continue to bring in interested buyers and investors (both from around the country and internationally) for many years to come! Recently I have had a number of inquiries from Canada, Scotland and the UK ? all buyers who would like to purchase investment or vacation homes in Florida. These buyers are motivated to view only properties that fit their criteria and make offers swiftly as they are only in the country for a short time each trip.

Finally, one of the best reasons to buy now is Uncle Sam! Closing by December 31 allows you to deduct mortgage interest, property taxes and points on your loan from your income tax return. Now would also be a great time to 1031 Exchange your current investment/second home into a higher valued property.

All these reasons and more make it the perfect time to buy real estate in Pinellas County!

Visit realestatemarketingpro.blogspot.com for free daily real estate marketing ideas. See these tips and tricks in action at www.ComeToClearwater.com

Realtors and mortgage bankers/brokers, please feel free to use this article provided this reference is included and all links remain active.

Are We Entering a Buyers' Market?

No matter where you live, the real estate market will either be a buyers' market or a sellers' market. It might even be slightly in between the two market conditions.

Most real estate agents consider a normal market to be one in which homes take an average of six months to sell. That means that in the MLS, there are at least six months of homes on hand to sell for the number of buyers in the market. If the number is higher than six months inventory, then the market is becoming a buyer's market. If it is less than six month inventory, then the market is swinging towards a seller's market.

Many formerly hot areas of the country are now becoming buyers' markets. In these areas, there are now too many homes on the market for the number of buyers. Homes are taking longer to sell and the prices are falling.

Some buyers believe that winter is always a buyers' market. It is true that there are fewer buyers out looking during the winter, there are usually fewer homes on the market as well. Seasonally conditions aside, a buyer's market is seen when buyers realize that their interest in a home is sought out.

When a buyer gains the control they will increase their demands o the sellers. They ask for things to be conveyed with the property, such as appliances and decor, that normally wouldn't be. They may ask for a home warranty at the seller's expense. Some demand the seller pay an increased portion of the closing costs. The contingencies can go on and on.

Not all sellers will lose out during a buyer's market. People who have owned their homes for a long time are able to sell at a profit, despite the buyer's market, due to the equity they have built up.

Sellers who must sell quickly will often take little or no profit from the sale of their homes, with a few taking a loss. These homeowners often have little or no equity built up in their homes.

One thing you can always depend on is that the market will eventually flip back to a seller's market. It is a never-ending cycle. If you find that you are a seller in a buyer's market, you could just hold on until the market turns back in your favor. But if you have equity in your home and have wisely maintained it, you may not find the buyer's market too unfavorable.

Martin Lukac represents http://www.RateEmpire.com and http://www.1AmericanFinancial.com, a finance web-company specializing in real estate and mortgage rates. We specialize in daily updates, mortgage news, rate predictions, mortgage rates and more. Find low home loan mortgage interest rates from hundreds of mortgage companies!

วันพุธที่ 19 พฤศจิกายน พ.ศ. 2551

The Baby Boomers have Cash to Spend on Property

It is estimated one in five baby boomers - or 15 million Americans - will relocate upon retirement to a more desirable home. What a smart real estate investor should be thinking, is where are they going to relocate to and what style of housing are they going to be buying. And what I would be aiming to do is buy real estate investments in their target areas. The Baby Boomers are going to be cashed up with a life time of savings to spend in their pending retirement.

But they will not be heading to the coast of Florida if any of the other states have anything to say about it. Florida is losing ground to states like Texas, which have launched aggressive marketing campaigns to lure retirees.

Other factors influencing retirees' relocation choices include: ?Affordability of real estate. Markets such as Texas that have not seen the hyper-inflation that most of Florida experienced in recent years will actually benefit. ?Costa Rica is now being opened up as the next affordable paradise to live in. The seaside ground swell will fuel markets like this one. ?Proximity to universities and/or colleges. Retirees are no longer content to simply golf and lounge. Instead, many are seeking out continuing-education opportunities. ?Cultural activities. Relocating boomers also want to be within easy driving distance of museums, live music, shopping, and other distinctly cosmopolitan attractions. ?The cafe strip is becoming increasingly popular for people to spend their leisure time. ?Retirement villages for people who are still active are becoming increasingly popular. Investors can hold several properties in this village. ?Key infrastructure will be the secret. Older people will want all the services with out the travel and traffic problems.

Investors who purchase real estate in these areas that will attract the Boomers will make a fortune when others are struggling. It is all about different strategies to suit the needs of the buyers.

http://www.therealestateinvester.com I am an experienced and passionate investor. I buy typical mum and dad type houses that give me cash flow and capital growth. My website offers helpful tips and ideas for any type of investor to help you with your wealth creation. Using my site will help to prevent you falling into the traps the inexperienced investors do.

Covenants Easements Eminent Domain and Restrictions in Real Estate

Owning property and it's legislated bundle of legal rights can become complex when you aren't aware when your rights are being violated. Once a property survey is done, it might include easements and encroachments which might affect the value of your property. Or, if you're purchasing a home in a Homeowners Association (HOA), you will be presented with the covenants and restrictions, and most deeds carry covenants on animals and other non-residential uses, make sure you read them carefully. Eminent domain has been a hot topic in 2006, as the Federal Courts have ruled in a new direction that has wide implications for homeowners across the nation.

Covenants. Is an agreement contained in a deed or Homeowners Association to limit or deny certain uses such as barnyard animals, industrial noise or waste. In HOA's covenants can eliminate motor homes or dictate that garbage cans are hidden from view.

Easements. A right given and assigned to a specific third party to use land for a specific function. Most properties grant easements to utility companies for water, sewer, cable, power and telephone lines. You can also give a neighbor an easement for their driveway to run over your property if theirs is land-locked. Many resort subdivisions grant easements to lake front beaches to homeowners who do not have lake frontage.

Eminent Domain.The power of local, county, state or U.S. Government to condemn and purchase at current market value a property to be used for public use; such as a road, school or hospital. Recent rulings have changed this to include the highest and best use for a property, including purchasing a single-family home for re-development as condominiums.

Restrictions. Similar to covenants in that they restrict fence heights or the number of cars you can park overnight outside a garage, the number and type of pets in a HOA or the style and color of alterations to your home.

? Copyright 2006 Mark Nash

Mark Nash, is a residential real estate author, broker, columnist and writer based in Chicago. His fourth book 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home received eighteen five star reviews on Amazon.com. His latest book; Real Estate A-Z for Buying & Selling a Home will be published in December 2006. Mark publishes a free monthly ezine for real estate professionals. Agent to Agent features ten articles that offer free reprints for agents, home buyers and sellers through EzineArticles.com . Real estate news and book reviews, Celebrity Homestyles, Home selling and buying tips and advice, Joke-of-the-Month, Help this Agent, and agent marketing tips. Over 5000 subscribers in the U.S. & Canada. Subscribe at: http://www.1001realestatetips.com/forrealestateagents.html

About a Career in Real Estate Field

To become a real estate agent is very easy. About schools, that is one question to ask the brokers. You may be sure in every area there are several private real estate schools, and many community colleges offering courses. To find private real estate schools search the yellow pages after the Real Estate - General section. Most schools let you sample their program or classes.

It generally takes two months of classes and then you should take the exam. When you pass you need to activate your license under a broker from your area. At that moment you need sales training classes, unless you was born a sales person. I think you realize that you will wait 3-4 months in the real estate field before to see an income stream flowing. What I want to say is you need some financial resources to live on while getting your shoes on the ground.

To be a successful real estate agent is the highly competitive Acting in Real Estate field you will work hard and it will take time to build your own successful business. As a compensation of your hard work, the payoffs is great. Real Estate is one of the highest paying sales professions in the United States of America.

You will enjoy working out of your home office, work flexible hours, and set your own schedule. In addition there are few, if any, businesses you can start up for the investment you will make in becoming a professional Real Estate Agent.

Larry is a freelance writer interested in items such as travel real estate career

Real Estate Forms Your "What's Hot" List

If you are involved in real estate, you know that no matter how simple the deal is, you will be tasked to prepare several documents, all of which are integral to its successful completion. If you miss out on one or a couple of the necessary supporting papers, your real estate transaction could be delayed, or worse, be rendered void. Even if it is time consuming and tedious, you really have to spend time poring over these papers, making sure that everything is in order and nothing is missing.

However, securing all the right papers is not that easy. To complete one real estate transaction, several forms are required and, if you are not that familiar with the business, you will, most likely get mixed up. You can ask professional real estate agents to help you complete all the necessary requirements, but they may ask that they be paid a professional fee for their services. Aside from the additional financial cost this will entail, you will have to adjust according to their schedule. If you are under time constraints, you also cannot afford to waste precious moments setting up meetings and schedules. If you are burdened with these conditions, it may be best if you did things on your own.

If you decide to attend to your real estate related business on your own, you don?t have to be overly afraid of missing out on the documents you need. There are websites that have been established with the aim of assisting consumers who opt to handle their real estate transactions themselves. These sites not only give valuable tips and information on how to properly market and sell their properties, they are also sources of all the necessary forms and documents needed in all kinds of real estate related arrangements.

To further aid the ordinary consumer, some of these real estate related websites have gone the extra mile by first categorizing all the documents according to what transaction these are for (selling, leasing, etc), then these forms are then further listed based on importance or popularity. Through this process, even the greenest of consumers will not find it difficult to select the forms they need.

If the form you need is not amongst the top ten or fifteen documents on the ?what?s hot? list, there are specific tabs which one can click and the full listing of all the pertinent real estate documents will then be shown.

If you are still wary about conducting your real estate business on your own, prior to any marketing activity, make initial consultations with a real estate officer or a lawyer. During this meeting, ask them what the standard procedures are and take note of these. Ask as much questions as you would like, and clarify what forms you will need and what these are for. Once you have all the details you need, you can now proceed with your business with caution. Just before the end of your real estate business, you can opt to verify the accuracy of all the information you have written on these forms. Bring drafts to the real estate agent or your lawyer and have them checked. When he gives you the go signal, you can then finalize all the details.

The availability of legal real estate forms on the internet allows you to minimize your contact with professionals, who normally charge clients by the hour.

Gloria Smith, a former licensed Real Estate Agent owns, runs and created LegalHomeForms.com, a website that was designed to offer consumers instant access to the most sought after types of real estate forms. The cost having instant access to over 60 downloadable real estate forms is roughly the same as what you would normally pay a professional to create one document for you. For a full listing of real estate forms, visit: http://www.legalhomeforms.com/list.htm.

A Bad Real Estate Market Can Allow You to Quit the Rat Race in 1 Year!

JP Morgan, an original Robber Baron and one of the richest men of his time said it best. ?The time to buy is when there is blood running through the streets!? While the blood is not running through the streets yet, it is trickling!

  • Housing appreciation is flat or even negative in some formerly hot areas
  • Time on market, the amount of time it takes for a property to sell is increasing dramatically across the country.
  • Inventories of unsold homes are up 30-50% nationally
  • Developers and builders are offering deals unheard of 1 year ago
On the horizon is an avalanche of home mortgages about to ?reset? payment levels, up from ?teaser? rates of 1-3% to market rates of 6-7%. When you realize that the only way many of these people were able to buy their homes was because they could afford only the 1-3% payment rates, you can imagine what will happen when those loans reset.

Also, historically, more mortgages go into foreclosure at 3-5 years after origination than in any other period of their terms. More than ? of all mortgages in the US were taken out in the last 3-5 years. Another negative factor is that, according to one study, almost 50% of all homeowners have less than 25% equity in their homes.

This has come about because of the large numbers of home buyers that put zero down when they purchased and the fact that homeowners pulled out $333 Billion in cash with refinances in the last 3 years. If someone, particularly an investor, (nearly 25% of all purchases were investors over the last 3 years!) can no longer afford their mortgage payments and they have little or no equity, they will not have much incentive to try to hold on, meaning foreclosures will soon spike. Many, many people will be trapped in their homes by the foregoing circumstances. They will not be able to sell:

  • Real estate agents will not list their properties if they have little or no equity as they see no means of collecting their fee
  • They will not be able to reduce their selling prices without having to bring cash to the closing to pay closing costs, cash they probably don?t have.
  • The market will be cluttered with similar properties for sale
  • Investors will not be interested in their properties because there is no equity
People who have to sell their homes for financial, personal or emotional reasons will be especially hard pressed to find a solution. If these people are not able to afford their homes and are not able to sell them, they will face financially disastrous foreclosures or personal bankruptcies. You will be able to solve their problems and they will Give you their properties in return! In fact, some will even pay you to take their properties! Why on earth would you want properties with no equity in them? Because they can become Automatic Cash Machines, spewing cash into your bank account so you will not have to work anymore! Here is how:

First, you sell the property! You line up Motivated Buyers as your potential clients.

Then, you find a Motivated Seller and acquire his property Next, you put the Motivated Buyer into the property as the new owner with a private, seller financed mortgage.

Lastly, you collect Automatic Income for the next 5-10-20 years or more while your buyer handles all the maintenance and other duties any home owner is faced with OK, what is a Motivated Buyer and how do you find them? A Motivated Buyer is someone who can not or will not pass the bank?s scrutiny to qualify for a mortgage. These may be owners of small businesses, especially if they are cash based. They could be self employed professionals or even foreigners. They could also be people with really stinky credit! These people will jump at the chance to buy a property with private, non-bank financing and will pay you a premium for the opportunity. To find them, you simply run an ad highlighting private, seller financing. Something like:

Owe too Much to Sell Your Home?

Investor can help! XXX-XXXX

You won?t need money to acquire these homes in most cases! Have a lawyer or a person experienced with land trusts, set one up for you. This is the secret that makes this strategy work. The land trust will allow you to take over the property and sell it without paying off the seller?s mortgage!

You tack on a profit for yourself and this total becomes the Motivated Buyer?s new mortgage, less the 5-10% cash down payment you require upfront on the new purchase price. Your buyer moves in and makes payments to you until he pays your mortgage off. You take his payment and pay the seller?s original mortgage. You pocket the difference. Let?s look at the potential.

You pick up and sell 1 property per month after a 2 month learning curve. The properties average $250,000 each in market value.They produce $300 per month in positive cash flowYou receive $10,000 cash down payment from each one With 10 of these, you have:

An income of $3,000 per month, or $36,000 per year. You received $100,000 in cash down payments$2,500,000 in assets, with equity accruing monthly as the mortgages are paid off Could you Quit the Rat Race with $130,000 per year? No? Repeat the above!

Copyright 2006 Bill Young. Bill is an experienced real estate investor and personal financial consultant. He writes and lectures on advanced real estate concepts and is an expert on the formation and use of land trusts. He can be reached at 877-291-3542. His web site is http://MotivatedSellersOnline.com/SellforMore

Finding Property around the Costa Blanca in Spain

The Costa Blanca area, which means “the white coast”, is one of the most desirable locations for a holiday travel to Spain. This area has a large, beautiful coastline and a natural environment. It is culturally rich and has a healthy climate. The area is dry in the summer and not too cold in the winter.

Areas for Costa Blanca Property

The highest demand for properties is in the northern, mountainous resorts of Denia, Javea and Altea. In the south, Alicante and Torrevieja are sought after. The coastal properties are generally more in demand than those inland.

Nearby amenities and attractions impact the value of any real estate. Benidorm has many attractions, such as a theme park, water park and marine animal park. This makes the city a popular choice for families.

Torrevieja, south of Alicante has the biggest salt water lagoon in Europe located just south of the city. This lagoon is actually a portion of the Mediterranean Sea that has been separated by a small piece of land. This area is popular for salt baths and spa vacations. The warm, salt waters have health and relaxation benefits.

Nature attractions are big in this area of Spain. The natural beauty of the Mediterranean and surrounding areas makes this a perfect spot to enjoy nature. The Nature Park at Montgo in Javea norths of the Costa Blanca is a popular nature attraction. This park is located on the sea. It has flora, fauna, rare birds and plants.

Finding Real Estate along the Costa Blanca

You may be wondering how to find properties around the Costa Blanca? You can do a search on the internet to find available listings. Another option is to contact a local real estate agent. It’s a good idea to deal with a local agent. They know the area very well and will be able to advise you about certain areas and neighbourhoods. They have inside information you won’t get with the internet alone.

Real estate prices in Spain have risen to record levels in recent years. This is especially true in the Costa Blanca region. There is some evidence that the market is levelling out and possibly dropping a bit at this time.

There are several reasons for the increase in activity for real estate in this area. Low interest rates make taking that mortgage a little easier to handle. Rising incomes and foreign interest in the area also affect the prices. The investment potential is good, since this area is so popular for vacations. The location of the region is convenient to most countries in Northern Europe.

In general, inland properties are cheaper than those near the beach. In addition to the cost, you will get more land with the property. Fruit trees and even orchards on larger pieces are common inland. You can still be within a 30 minute drive of the coast, so you will be able to enjoy the beaches. However, you will need a car hire for vacations inland.

Renting Your Property

If you only plan to use the property for part of the year, consider renting it. Renting your real estate for part of the year is a good way to get income while the house is not in use. The money you make in rent can help the place pay for itself.

The price you will get depends on the size of the property. The location and amenities will also affect the rent you can charge. Amenities such as a pool and Jacuzzi will bring in more income than without these. Proximity to attractions, restaurants and shopping make a property more desirable for renting as well.

The time of the year will also affect the price. The highest prices are charged in the summer. This is the peak season for travel to this area. If you will be using the place in the summer, consider renting for longer periods in the off season. Sometimes retired people spend time in this area in the winter, due to the favourable climate. You may be able to rent to one person for up to six months in the off seasons.

Cheap Atlanta Apartments

It isn't difficult to find many affordable apartment homes spread across Metropolitan Atlanta. You will have to spend depending on your location, work or recreation requirements. Average monthly rent is less than the national average but the apartments still offer consumers more amenities than one would expect.

Since 1991, the total number of housing units authorized in metro Atlanta is the largest in the United States. It is generally observed that used homes often find their true value in the marketplace, while new homes offer attractive amenities and repair costs are usually much less there.

Some of the more affordable rental apartments in Atlanta start range from $399 to $499. Ashton Place at Memorial Drive offers cheap 1, 2 and 3 bedroom flats with rent starting from $455. Cascade Glen has 1, 2 and 3 bedroom flats with rent starting from $499.

Constitution Hill Apartments at Constitution Road offers 1 and 2 bedroom flats where rent starts from $499. Gates Park Crossing Apartments at Peyton Place offers 1 and 2 bedroom flats with rent starting from $440.

Hidden Oaks Apartments at Springdale Road has 1, 2 and 3 bedroom flats for rent where rent starts from $499. Highland Circle Apartments at Northwood Drive offers 1, 2 and 3 bedroom flats and town homes with rent starting from $475. Parke Towne North Apartments at North Cliff Valley Way offers 1, 2 and 3 bedroom flats where rent starts from $435. Regal Heights Apartments at Campbellton Road has nice 1 and 2 bedroom with rent starts from $479. Stone Ridge at Vinings Apartments at Cumberland Club Drive offers inexpensive 1, 2 and 3 bedroom flats and lofts where rent starts from $399.

The Cliffs of Dunwoody Apartments at Roswell Road has 1, 2 and 3 bedroom flats in which rent starts from $495. Valley Oaks Apartments at Johnson Road offers cheap 1, 2 and 3 bedroom flats where rent starts from $422. These apartments offer various amenities like dishwater, mini-blinds, ceiling fans, and more.

Atlanta Apartments provides detailed information on Atlanta Apartments, Loft Atlanta Apartments, Atlanta Apartment Rentals, Cheap Atlanta Apartments and more. Atlanta Apartments is affiliated with Apartments for Rent in Chicago.

Paying for a PreInspection Can Save You Money

For years now, we?ve been recommending that home sellers pay for a professional home inspection when they list their home for sale so that both parties know the home?s strengths and weaknesses before an offer is ever made. With current market conditions favoring buyers, savvy home sellers understand that paying for a professional home inspection can help them better position their home within the current market.

The large inventory of homes currently for sale provides buyers with more options, and buyers tend to prefer homes that are in move-in condition. A professional home inspection is one more tool that a seller can use to determine how close their home is to move-in condition and to prioritize improvements and upgrades to best compete with the other homes for sale.

The home inspector evaluates the home?s major systems and provides a report identifying areas of concern. The inspector?s job is to point out both the good and the bad about a property. Then it is up to the home seller, with advice from their Realtor, to identify a strategy for improvements and positioning. A copy of the home inspector?s report, along with copies of receipts for any improvements and upgrades, can be made accessible to potential buyers.

A thorough home inspection often uncovers problems unknown to the sellers. By having an inspection up front, the seller has an opportunity to address minor problems that might seem major once a contract has been signed. Plus, the home will show at its best.

Buyers may be more interested in a pre-inspected home because there shouldn?t be any big surprises after the contract is negotiated. An uninspected home may have the buyer coming back within a week or two (following their own inspection) requesting upgrades, allowances, or price reductions, all of which are a hassle and inconvenience to both parties.

The buyer still has the option of obtaining their own professional home inspection, but there is less likelihood of unexpected surprises and a greater chance the sale will go through as originally negotiated.

Rochester, MN Real Estate agent Shawn Buryska specializes in home real estate, buying a new home, selling your old home, or helping you search Southeastern Minnesota MLS Listings.

Tucson AZ Realtor An Invaluable Resource for Home Buyers

Whether you are a first timer or and experienced home buyer a good Tucson AZ realtor can help guide you through the process of buying a home, helping you to avoid many of the mistakes that home buyers make. An uninformed home buyer without the advice of a qualified Tucson AZ realtor might make costly errors in choosing an agent, selecting a location, and securing financing. As you become educated, with the assistance of your realtor you will be confident that you can get the best home for you, your lifestyle and your budget. A home is one of the most important investments you will make, and you owe it to yourself to approach it with knowledge and care.

The first step in choosing a qualified Tucson AZ realtor to help you find and purchase your home is to choose a buyer?s agent. You don?t want to have someone who works for the seller handle your side of the deal as well, because you want to get the best possible deal for yourself. A buyer?s agent who is a Tucson AZ realtor has special training to help you find the best home at the best price. Find a realtor who knows the area where you are looking to buy really well and who can direct you to the types of homes and neighborhoods best suited to your needs.

Any good Tucson AZ realtor will tell you ?location, location, location,? is one of the most important pieces of the home buying puzzle. Look at potential homes not only during the day but at night as well. If possible, meet some of the neighbors as well. Check for any factors that are important to you. Do you need good schools, or a terrific golf course? You can find them with the help of a Tucson AZ Realtor. One note about price-if your home is a much higher value than others in the neighborhood, it could cause problems down the road if you want to sell.

A good Tucson AZ realtor will help you to find financing which will meet your budget and lifestyle needs. Your total debt after buying the home should not be more than 36 percent of your gross income before taxes and your mortgage payment should be about 25 percent of your gross income. A Tucson AZ realtor should be fully aware of your financial situation before you begin looking at homes so that they can show you homes in your price range. They may also have you pre-qualify with a lender or mortgage broker that they do business with.

A realtor is an invaluable asset when finding and purchasing a home.

Eriani Doyel writes articles about Real Estate, Home and Family. To learn more about what a good Tucson AZ Realtor can do for you, visit real-estate-lx.com.

วันศุกร์ที่ 14 พฤศจิกายน พ.ศ. 2551

Buying or Selling Real Estate: Make Your Decisions Based on Your Core Beliefs

Before buying or selling anything you should first consult with your core beliefs. For instance if you were in the need of a new car and you felt that over the long run gas prices were going to trend downward and eventually stay low than gas consumption would not be an issue in your decision making process.

If you are in your 30's or 40's considering health insurance and the plan you are reviewing does not provide for prescription drug coverage, you have to ask yourself.....Self....am I more likely or less likely to need prescription drugs in my future?

This kind of base thinking helps you to make long term decisions.

What brings this topic up in today's blog is that I just traded e-mails with a person who lives in the Northwest, lets call him Tom. His concern is that the real estate bubble is about to burst and prices and values of properties are about to drop. Needless to say, if you've been reading this blog, we do not agree on this point.

Even though we do not agree we are both right, for the moment, based on our core beliefs.

Tom believes that the real estate run up has run its course and that the type of appreciation we have seen can not be sustained for the simple reason that if it went on who could afford a house? The price would soon out strip the general publics ability to buy. So his decision, for now is to wait. Perhaps for interest rates to come down, perhaps for inventory to go up, or maybe for home values to fall. In any case based on his core beliefs of today's market he has made a decision and is on a plan.

I understand that some may think I'm jaded, that my sole goal is to go list and sell more houses. That my job is to sell the idea of home ownership. To a degree this is correct. I think homeownership is one of the greatest things we have going for us in this country. I know that people in other countries would love to have the same opportunities that we have in the United States. We have choices of where we work, where we live, if and when we want to buy a home, if and when we want to start a family and when we do go to buy a home we have choices in style, price and almost an endless array of mortgage programs that allow even the youngest of us to be able to afford our first home.

Yes, over the past 18 months or so many markets have seen a double digit run up in values. Some of these areas may even see a roll back in the coming year. I think what sets the Northwest apart, for now, is the short supply of houses to meet the current demand by buyers. Even if our home values only go up by 8 to 10% this year, you are still way ahead of the game than if you were to choose to pay rent.

So, my answer to buyers who are considering whether or not they should buy would be....................YES! If you are going to be staying in the area for at least 3 years......buy now.

Interview and choose a good real estate agent, have them recommend a good lender, meet with that lender, get a good faith estimate. Choose a home that meets your needs and buy it. Because my core belief says that home prices in our area will hold due to increased government intervention it is becoming harder and harder to build, we are having more and more people who need homes and this is a pretty great place to live and bring up a family.

I live and work in Kitsap County Washington, which is across Puget Sound to the west of Seattle. I'm with a real estate firm by the name of Windermere Real Estate. My 4 partners and I own 3 offices; Bremerton, Silverdale and the Poulsbo office. The Silverdale office, which is the one I'm responsible for has 52 agents and I've been with the company since 1990. My goal is to help real estate agents become as successful and balanced as possible while assiting buyers and sellers in smooth real estate transactions. My web address is http://www.franklyrealestate.com and my blog is franklyrealestate.blogspot.com

วันพฤหัสบดีที่ 13 พฤศจิกายน พ.ศ. 2551

A Prelisting Package to Ensure You Acquire that Listing

In today?s competitive world, real estate agents have to continually think of unique ideas to score listings, to build clientele, to retain them etc. The sky is the limit when it comes to strategies to impress prospects without resorting to illegal or unethical methods. A Pre-listing package is the marketing tool that holds the potential to get you that listing even before you meet the prospective client.

A Pre-listing package can include just about anything ? documents, photographs, charts, figures, videos etc. It aims at preparing the seller for the upcoming event (sale of his home) and to prove that you are the agent he should list with. Remember that the seller probably has several other similar packages from competitors; so you have to prove yourself better and more capable than the rest.

A pre-listing package should ideally be sent immediately after you get a lead. Once the date, time and place are set for the appointment with your prospect, customize a pre-ready package and send it out immediately. You have to give the seller the chance to go through all its contents.

When composing your pre-listing package, think: simple, easy to understand yet professional. You don?t have to overspend, make it elaborate or exaggerate about your services. It should not be complicated and too time-consuming. The key to a fantastic pre-listing package is to cater to your client?s needs. Think of what your client may require at this point and put a package that hits the nail on its head.

Generally pre-listing packages contain the following information. A confirmation letter detailing the date, time and place of the appointment. Information on pricing, home staging and an outline of the home selling process. Copies of documents that the seller will have to deal with during the selling process, such as listing agreement, property disclosure forms etc. A comparative market analysis. An overview of your marketing plan ? include what you generally do as well as how you are going to tailor your strategy for this particular home.

Next you must tackle with seller involvement. To show your professionalism and to make the seller a part of the process, provide a seller?s checklist. Ask him to keep certain documents ready for your appointment. This can include utility bills, surveys, mortgage papers, any declarations etc.

Include information about yourself and your agency. This means your mission statement, information on your past performance and homes you have sold, the team who will help work with you in the process, other partners or individuals whose services may be required during the process etc. Try not to brag too much about yourself and keep this short. Let testimonials or referrals from past clients do this for you. Provide their contact numbers and addresses for the seller?s information.

A whole load of other items may also be included in your pre-listing package. It all boils down to how you want to sell yourself effectively. Make sure that the package is attractive and well-organized. Every bit of information does not have to be put down in words. Use different techniques appropriately ? for instance, use a simple graph to indicate your past performance, a video on your team or how to sell a home, a flowchart of the home selling process etc.

You can spiral bind the entire contents or use single sheets in a file or employ any other design strategy that looks good and is organized well. If you do not already have a pre-listing package, create a template right away. Keep it handy so you can just customize and send it out when required. It is a great way to let your prospect know that you are the right listing agent for him!

Sadiya Anjum - ChoiceOfHomes.com - Offering free real estate leads to real estate agents. ChoiceOfHomes.com also has a searchable database of the latest real estate listings of Homes for Sale and Homes for Rent in the United States.

Calculate Cost Basis

How to calculate cost basis can be a confusing concept to those who contemplate selling their real estate. Along with fair market value and holding period, cost basis represents one the three key components in identifying the amount of potential tax that may be due on the sale of the property.

Unfortunately, how to calculate cost basis is not a common concept ingrained in us through our normal day-to-day educational experience. However, it very quickly becomes very real as we explore various real estate exit and transition strategies.

A good place to start in developing an understanding how to calculate cost basis is by defining capital gain. What are capital gains and how do they apply to real estate? In simplest terms, a capital gain is the appreciation between the original cost and current sale price. The federal government and most state governments tax this "gain" if the asset is sold.

The sales proceeds less any associated selling costs represent the "value" of the property being sold. It does not matter if the property is encumbered by debt or not in this calculation. And, it does not matter if all proceeds are received at the time of sale or not. The net result is still the value of the property at the time of sale - the top number in our simple mathematical equation to determine the amount of "gain" in the property.

In contrast, cost basis is the bottom number that is subtracted from value to give us the answer to our gain question. Simply stated, cost basis is the original cost of the property, plus any improvements made by the owner. Improvements can be items such as:

  • Installing utilities on a building lot (electrical pole, well, septic system, etc)
  • New roof or deck
  • Remodeling the interior of the home
  • Numerous other improvements performed by the owner
When selling property, it is imperative to define the cost basis of the investment. Accurately define any improvements made on the property and compare it to the current value. The difference is the capital gain and subsequent amount that could be taxed by the government during the sale. By having developed an accurate cost basis, you will be better prepared to take advantage of the various capital gain tax planning options.

วันพุธที่ 12 พฤศจิกายน พ.ศ. 2551

Are Current Account Or Offset Mortgages Made For You

In the case of an offset mortgage, your main bank current account and/or savings accounts are linked to your mortgage. Each month, the amount you owe on your mortgage is reduced by the amount in these accounts before working out the interest due on the loan. For instance, if you have an interest-only mortgage of $100,000 and have savings in your offset account of $25,000, you will pay interest only on $75,000. As a consequence, when your current account and savings balances go up, you pay less on your mortgage. As they go down, you pay more.

This type of mortgage can also be tax-efficient if you pay tax on your savings. This is because you do not earn any interest on your savings and so don?t pay any tax on them. Instead you pay less interest on your mortgage. Finally, depending on your lender, the savings accounts of family members can be combined to offset against one person?s mortgage. This could be useful if, say, you want to help your child buy their first home.

Second, a current account mortgage is almost identical to an offset mortgage in that it offsets the balance of your savings against your mortgage. However in this case, both accounts are usually combined into one account.

The mortgage lender will plan with you the minimum amount you should leave in your account each month to pay back your mortgage according to the agreed mortgage term. If you leave more than this in your account then you pay less interest and may pay your mortgage off early but if you leave less in your account each month, you will end up paying more for your mortgage. Should you choose current account or offset mortgages? Probably yes, if you are a higher rate taxpayer and have substantial savings to offset. The answer is negative if you don?t have much left in savings after paying your deposit and other mortgages may be cheaper for you.

Check Out More Articles:

Fix Credit Do It Yourself Fix Credit Cards Newgood , Credit Find Fix It Rating Whats Wrong , Home Fix It Show

Understanding Seller Pricing In Real Estate

Many homebuyers make the mistake of assuming the price listed with a home is somehow related to the actual value. In fact, the price often is not.

What is the fair price of a home? Many would argue the fair price is the one agreed upon between a buyer and seller when negotiations conclude in the offer and counteroffer process. While this is certainly one approach to the situation, many buyers make the mistake of assuming the listing price on a home has some inherent relationship to the appraised price. This is sometime incorrect because of issues involving the seller.

Obviously, the first issue to consider with pricing is the natural tendency of the seller to try to get as much as possible for the property. In practical terms, this means the property will almost always be priced above what the market will support. It may be just above or well above, but it will definitely be above. The only exception to this situation is if the seller is motivated to sell fast for some reason such as divorce. In said situations, the seller may price the property at or below what the market will support.

A less obvious motivation for overpricing a property boils down to simple financial numbers. If you own a home, you are bombarded with offers for home equity credit lines. The credit line is essentially a way of liquefying the equity in a property. Many people use these lines to pay a wide variety of bills. When it comes time to sell the property, however, they suddenly realize their profit from it is going to be very small. In such a situation, the natural reaction of the seller is to ask for price at the high end of the local market. In such a situation, the seller is unlikely to be amenable to negotiating down the price because they simply cannot.

When looking at homes it is important to understand the motivation of the seller when setting the asking price. Doing so allows you to determine if the price is negotiable or the seller is stuck.

Raynor James is with the site - FSBO America - FSBO homes for sale by owner.

วันอังคารที่ 11 พฤศจิกายน พ.ศ. 2551

Mortgage Broker Marketing: Face Your Fears and Anxiety Over Marketing Position

The best advice you can get in regards to marketing to real estate agents is to establish a unique position. You should work hard to develop a niche position as the foundation for your marketing efforts. This can be a scary prospect for some people because they fear that if they narrow their focus, or develop a niche position, they may lose opportunity for business. If you share the same fear, read on and some anxieties surrounding positioning will be addressed.

Establishing a single position means you will sacrifice other opportunities.

It may seem like a logical conclusion, if you focus on only one niche you are going to eliminate a great source of business. But actually, narrowing your focus creates additional opportunities.

Take the example of Countrywide Home Loans. When they first started out, Countrywide focused on a branch without salespeople concept and focused on offering FHA and VA loans exclusively.

Countrywide developed the retail branch concept, where clients could simply walk in and receive service much like a bank branch. How did this narrow focus affect their business? They earned significant market position, even when interest rates were at an all time high of 18%.

All mortgage services are alike

We can argue that just about any line of products or services are all the same, despite the competition. But even when products are the same, it is still possible to differentiate between companies that offer the same services or products.

As an example, consider the Morton Salt Company. This company has become a cultural icon based on its brand, the blue can with the little girl holding an umbrella and walking in the rain. There is more than one salt company selling essentially the same product, but Morton has found a way to make them stand out from the competition.

No two people are alike, even identical twins have subtle differences, and no products or services are identical. People will perceive those differences, and in fact, may actively work at finding differences.

An interested agent will look for differences in services with mortgage agents. They will notice that you have a passion to serve them, you have commitment that is unsurpassed among other loan officers, and you exhibit sincerity and caring. If you do not think these differences are obvious, you need to take a closer look, and perhaps work a little harder.

Taking a single position will limit appeal

Many sales people construct sales presentations around every service they could possible offer. Unfortunately, whether it is a sales presentation or your marketing materials, you are always competing for time with prospects that are virtually inundated with information.

People naturally try to narrow their focus to the simplest form. When you have a narrow focus, you are able to demonstrate your superiority within the focus. When you render great service, real estate agents will naturally associate your superior service with an ability to deliver great service on many different products.

Think about the luxury car Mercedes. Without even thinking about it you naturally associate the car with wealth, success, taste, and style. Even though you know nothing about the person driving the car, you still make the association.

Jeff Nelson helps loan officers increase loan originations by attracting quality relationships with real estate agents from the development of customized relationship-building strategies.

Click here to get a free copy of the Marketing Planning Guide, a 20-page workbook designed to help you outline a strategy to become an Agent Magnet.

Visit us at http://www.loan-officer-marketing.com

Real Estate Investment Tips

Real estate investment presents optimistic cash flow along with tax benefits. However, much like any other investment niche, real estate is dependent on intricate market trends that must not be overlooked, in case the investor may undergo a major loss. Surprisingly, many of the newbie investors are keen to part with their hard earned money, devoid of carrying out a preliminary research of their investment. They also bank on intuitions and traditional trends instead of relying on a meticulous analysis. But before you risk your investment, do heed the following real estate investing advice, in order to make certain some momentous returns on your property investment.

a) Verify the seller?s credentials ? Newbie investors find a lucrative property but don?t find any inconvenience while verifying the seller?s credentials, since they are in a scurry to bag the property. They should also confirm some definite aspects as well, together with rent payment records, taxes, and other possible expenses.

b) Avoid negative cash flow ? This is an additional real estate investing advice for selecting a property that does not eat away your working capital on a standard basis and there is no point in buying a property that necessitates more money for its upkeep relative to the revenue it generates. You might also be forced to sell such a worthy asset former to the realization of any remunerations of ownership.

c) Original tenants can afford the much required information ? Ask the tenants if they are troubled by pest infestation, lack of basic amenities, or some other recurring problem. Of course you don?t want to buy a property that requires an awful lot of repair, and even if you do, you must know the problems outspoken.

d) Look for an insurance cover ? A decisive real estate investing advice is that you must have sufficient insurance coverage for your property bought recently and insurance will also offer the much needed shroud to guard your personal assets against legal actions.

e) You must charge fair rents ? No expense hurts more than what?s acquired in the upkeep of a vacant property and so arraign fair rents to make certain that your tenants affix with you for as long as you wish for. Moreover, you must also ensure that the chosen tenants are not defaulters. Verify their credentials, talk to their previous landlords, and also check their credit history.

f) Sustain a certain degree of stinginess until and unless you have a healthy source of income ? Once you have closed a profitable deal, you must ward off from going on a profligate shopping spree. Instead re-invest your profit towards another property payment on a normal basis until you conquer a significant affirmative cash flow.

On the whole, real estate investing can be an extremely profitable investment niche. But you must have a good grip of what the procedure entails, and must not leave any stone unturned. Just stick on to the real estate investing advices, and you shall be on your way to develop into a professional real estate investor. Now let us see how to value any piece of real estate. When considering real estate VALUE, whether it?s a real estate stock or a property, there are two value rules that are to be applied:

  • Don't pay too much for the earth.
  • Don't pay too much for the business.
As a good real estate investment rule of thumb, net rents in real estate have averaged about 1% above Treasury bonds. Once you?ve figured your P/E, it may be very different from the current nationwide fair value P/E guess of 16. If your P/E is low, you may have gotten a good deal, or you could collect high rents from your place. If your P/E is twice as high as 16, my advice is that you ought to consider selling. The tricky thing about selling real estate is that real estate is not liquid. Unlike stocks, where we have the luxury of being able to sell whenever we want and the luxury of trailing stops to get us out exactly when we want out, in real estate, it?s not so easy. You unfortunately need to be a good guesser, because you actually need to sell into an ?up? market, and buy in a down market.

Ron Victor is a SEO copywriter for http://www.real-estate-investing-information.net/

He written many articles in various topics.For more information visit http://www.real-estate-investing-information.net/
Contact him at ron.seocopywriter@gmail.com

วันจันทร์ที่ 10 พฤศจิกายน พ.ศ. 2551

Iowa Mortgage What to Expect When Buying a Home in Iowa

Maybe you?re buying your first home in Iowa, or perhaps you?re relocating to Iowa from another state. Either way, it?s important that you educate yourself on Iowa home loans before shopping for a home and mortgage. This article explains what you?ll need to know before buying a home in Iowa:

The median home value in the state of Iowa is $82,500. Current interest rates in Iowa are above the national average, and job growth rates are below the national average.

In the state of Iowa, purchase transactions on sub-prime loans are subject to a $30,000 minimum. Additionally, if you live in Iowa and file bankruptcy, you do not necessarily have to forfeit your home. If you have been current on your payments and continue to be, state law does not require you to surrender your home.

If you?re buying a home in southern Iowa, you qualify for state FHA loans through the Southern Iowa Home Ownership Program. First-time home buyers qualify for loans with below-market interest rates and down payment assistance. Borrowers must meet certain income requirements and specific guidelines, and must purchase a home in a southern Iowa county: Appanoose, Davis, Jefferson, Keokuk, Lucas, Mahaska, Monroe, Van Buren Wapello, or Wayne.

These loans are revolving, so there are only a specific number that can be given out at any period of time. When a person with a FHA loan through this program sells their home or refinances it, then their loan is made available to another qualified applicant.

Jessica Elliott recommends that you visit Mortgage Lenders Plus.com for more information about Iowa Mortgage Rates and Loans .

วันอาทิตย์ที่ 9 พฤศจิกายน พ.ศ. 2551

10 Keys to Success as a Beginning Real Estate Investor

Ever thought about becoming a real estate investor but weren?t sure where to start? You?ve got company. People just like you have purchased millions of books, tapes and videos from the Robert Kiyosaki?s, Carlton Sheets? and Robert Allen?s of the world looking for the keys to investing puzzle. However, very few actually get started and even fewer make any money at it. You might still feel as if there are too many obstacles in your way.

Let me encourage you. Just because you might lack a large cash balance, may not have a great credit rating or may not have years of experience as a wheeler-dealer doesn't mean that you can't enjoy success as a real estate investor. I am walking proof. I have helped real estate investors obtain millions of dollars in financing for their projects and, along the way, I think I?ve seen every type of investor possible.

In my job, I?ve had the benefit of seeing many people succeed wildly and many others lose thousands of dollars almost overnight. Here are some ideas that, in my experience, will lead to greater success for you:

1.Determine your goals. Where do you want real estate to take you? Approach your real estate career just like you would any other business by deciding where you want to be in one year, three years or deeper into the future. Knowing where you want to end up helps you choose the right road.

2.Choose the best path for you. What level of profitability do you want to achieve? How much risk can you tolerate? One thing I love about real estate is that there are at least 100 different ways to make money. For example, you could consider

?Rehabbing and reselling single-family properties

?Buying homes and holding them as rental properties

?Becoming a real estate agent

?Brokering or owning office and commercial properties

?Investing through limited partnerships or becoming a private money lender

The thing that matters most is that you find a path that is in line with your lifestyle in terms of how much you want to participate in various investment vehicles.

3.Do your homework. You can lose a lot of money fast if you don?t exercise the discipline to educate yourself and get good advisors. Talk to people about various lending programs, rates and terms in the marketplace. Read some trade magazines or subscribe to wonderful newsletters such as Peter Pike?s Dispatch (http://www.pikenet.com/) to bolster your understanding of real estate trends.

4.Location, location, location. Learn the makeup of your local market. Buy locations. You can change everything about a property except where it is located. I haven?t seen too many folks make money by having the market bail them out of a bad situation. It usually doesn?t happen that way.

5.Ask questions. When you find a property or project, talk to the neighbors. They will tell you everything you could want to know and more?including why the owner is really selling. Interview Realtors. Some have worked in certain neighborhoods long enough to have brokered the same property several times over the years.

6.Appraisals and inspections are your friends. Unless you are already a millionaire real estate investor, stop listening to your ?gut? feeling. If you are a millionaire real estate investor, you probably aren?t reading this article. Therefore, I feel safe in recommending that you always get a second and third set of eyes to look at every investment you?re considering. Better to spend a few dollars to save thousands, right?

7.Line up your professional team. Ask for references and check them. Be willing to fire them and move on if they aren?t performing. You?ll want to establish a relationship with a good attorney, real estate broker, mortgage broker, accountant, inspector, appraiser and a title company along with others that you may work with from time to time.

8.Know your numbers and respect them. You are probably not so much brighter than everyone else that you can rewrite the rules. (Not yet.) Take the time to learn how to analyze debt coverage ratios, local days-on-market, property rental rates, occupancy averages, etc. Respect what your research tells you and?

9.Always be willing to walk away from a deal. It is your money and your time that are at stake. You are making all the ongoing commitments and taking much of the risk. Don?t let anyone pressure you. No one gets paid until you start signing papers; so wait until you are ready before going forward. Once you?re ready?

10.Get started and never give up. You might do a bad deal or two. That?s okay. It?s better to learn early in your career, right? There is a way to breakthrough and accomplish all your dreams. You just have to hang in there until you find it.

In most of the cases, people lose because they violated one or more of the above keys. The more you guide your real estate investing career by these rules, the better off you?ll do. Maybe you?ll be sending me a testimonial recounting your latest success one day? I hope so.

In the mean time, if you need assistance identifying your goals, locating advisors, evaluating opportunities or financing your projects, contact me today for help. In fact, I have a free ?Deal Evaluator? in Microsoft Excel format that I will send you free when you e-mail me. No matter where you are starting, the exciting and wealth-building world of real estate investing isn't closed to you.

I wish you great success.

Mark Anthony McCray, author of the upcoming books, ?The 31 Rules for Succeeding as a Mortgage Broker? and ?The 31 Rules for Prospering Financially? (http://www.the31rules.com), is the Founder and CEO of Houston, TX based First Capital Mortgage Company (http://www.dealsdone.net). First Capital is a commercial mortgage banking and brokerage firm that has helped its clients leverage millions of dollars in financing for their real estate acquisitions, developments and investments over the years. Write to Mark at mark@dealsdone.net or call 713-267-4040 for more information about the author or First Capital?s services.