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Find Cheap Insurance Rates Online - How to Get the Best Insurance Rates Online

An average individual knows very little about the insurance industry. That is the reason why people accept premiums offered by insurance agents without any debate or discussion. It is blindly presumed that premiums offered are the best deals that insurance companies can offer. That is definitely not the case. Those individuals who refuse to accept the offered deal and insisted on better deals end up with cheaper insurance. How can you find the best insurance rates? Can the World Wide Web help?

The web is the best possible tool that can assist you in this task. You can find cheaper insurance rates online and you can find it very quickly. The trick is to find the right insurance company. We all know that insurance premium vary from company to company. This is because different companies have different risk perceptions.

Some companies may have had a very bad year while others may have earned high profits and may be in a position to offer cheaper insurance deals. If you compare deals offered by such insurance companies, you can quickly identify the best deal.

There are a few ground rules that you must follow before you can find the best rates online. The first is that you should be in a position to compare multiple insurance rates at the same point of time. Secondly, the insurance rates offered by the company should be relevant to your circumstances and situation. That is to say, it must specifically be the cost of insuring YOUR health, automobile, life or home. Generic insurance rates are of no use whatsoever.

The best place to find the right insurance rate is the World Wide Web. A multiple comparison website is the best option. All you need to do is submit the information and wait for the estimates to be flashed on your screen. You will have top rates offered by top notch insurance companies in a span of a few minutes. Once this is done, you can quickly opt for the coverage that offers maximum benefits.

Such websites permit you to complete formalities online and even finalize the insurance deal over the web itself.

Real Estate Investment Properties - 5 Of The Many Types

Most real estate investments will fall into five categories - single-family residential investment properties, multi-family residential investments, commercial properties, undeveloped land or lots, and real estate investment trusts. To learn about each type of investment property, keep reading.

Single Family Residential Investment Properties

Whether you're purchasing a traditional single-family home, condo, town house or cooperative, these all fall under the header of single-family residential properties.

Typically, the traditional single-family home offers the easiest purchasing and selling process along with a fairly reliable market and rate of return. Buying a condo means you not only get the unit, but also a share of the common areas. However, you'll also be paying for condo association fees each month to cover the maintenance costs associated with the building.

Town homes are simply attached homes - that is, more than one attached to others. Their only stipulation is that they may have to meet requirements about exterior paint colors, gardens and possibly parking. Finally, co-operatives offer a share in the entire building, which includes the space in which you live. Generally, you need to obtain permission from the co-op association if you want to rent or renovate your unit.

Multi-Family Residential Investments

From a simple duplex to a four-unit apartment building, these are all multi-family residential investments typically purchased to provide the investor with ongoing rental income while the property appreciates in value.

The advantage is that these properties provide cash flow which improves with time since the mortgage payments will remain fixed while rents eventually increase. In addition, buyers of multi-family properties with existing tenants can use a percentage of the rental income toward their monthly income statement on their mortgage application.

Commercial Properties

Commercial property includes large apartment buildings (more than five units), industrial space, retail space and office space. Typically, investment in these properties can be complicated and dragged down with bureaucracy and taxes.

If you're considering jumping into commercial properties, hire a good accountant and a very experienced commercial real estate lawyer.

Undeveloped Land

This involves simply buying a plot of land that doesn't have a building on it. The advantage is it often costs less and you don't have to deal with tenants or property maintenance. The trick is finding land in an area where property value is steadily appreciating. So, look for an area where a community is expanding, and then purchase land there.

Real Estate Investment Trusts

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REIT) are private, for-profit companies that let small investors invest in large, commercial, income-producing properties.

Easy Tips to Get the Best Insurance Policy

Insurance is slowly and steadily becoming a necessity in the modern world. Individuals, corporate and even governments need insurance. The question arises; why do we need insurance? Before answering it, let us see what exactly insurance is. To put in simple words, Insurance is the prepayment of a small fixed amount of money called 'premium' to shield against a bigger unpredictable expense called 'loss or claim'. In this way, the risk is shifted from you to the insurance company.

The necessity for insurance springs up out of the dangers we all run throughout our daily lives. Our lives are continuously in danger through illness or accident; our assets may be subject to damage or loss, while losses suffered by others may involve us, in one way or another. There is also the risk of causing injury to other individuals or damage to their property at a subsequent heavy cost to ourselves, in case we are sued for compensation.

Thus, there is a constant need for protection, for some way of wiping out the risk; diluting it or transporting it to someone. This is where insurance comes into the picture.

It is commonly seen that majority of the people are overpaying for insurance. Any type of insurance, whether it is life, auto, home, travel, or medical insurance, presents a challenge to even the most seasoned customer. Getting the best insurance policy is not an impossible task; we just need to research all possibilities.

Since choosing insurance is a bit dicey, here are a few tips:

Before buying insurance, take your time to research and be sure to choose the right policy for your needs.
Do not let an insurance agent confuse you with insurance terminology. Ask him or her to explain all the points in a plain and simple language.
Get quotes from different companies and compare them for price and features. You may find a low-priced policy with better coverage.
Always ask for a discount. Most companies give discounts, but they are not forthcoming about it. Make enquiries and be prepared to bargain.
Ask about the fines and penalties for lapse and charges for renewing.

Purchasing insurance can be a wearisome experience. You need to speak to many companies or their agents, then fix appointments and compare all the policies physically. It is much faster and easier to do these chores online. Checking for insurance online gives you many advantages.

First, there are many websites from where you can get a quote on any kind of insurance policy you may need. Second, you have all the data and comparisons in front of you. You can check it in detail and really get all the information. No hiding and misinformation on the agent's part and no surprises for you in the future.

Regarding the rules, it doesn't matter whether you are doing your insurance shopping online or offline; these would always be the same. Be patient, don't rush, ask for the discounts, don't get confused with terminology, always compare the policies and be mindful of the fines and penalties.

Last but not least.....always remember that a knowledgeable and educated buyer is a happy buyer.

Real Estate and Property Services Go Hand In Hand

If you have decided to become a landlord or have a few properties that you own that you do not have enough time to oversee properly; maybe it is time for you to consider hiring a company to take care of your real estate for you. There are companies that specialize in property services. They in action only, take over your duties and maintain your houses, buildings and facilities for you. It doesn't matter what the reason is why you can't attend to them yourself, just know that once you hire a reputable property services firm, your days of being a mediocre owner are over.

There are many benefits to using property services. The first is that it allows you to spend more time investing in more real estate. Instead of having to be localized to one are, you can actually travel to different states and diversify your portfolio. If you decide to move to another state, you don't have to get rid of your properties, you can maintain ownership and leave them in the capable care of a good property management company.

You could use a property services company to increase the value of your properties. This is really great if you have tenants or other entities that are leasing your facilities. By fixing up your properties, you can collect more rent.

You don't have to deal with your tenants yourself anymore. With a property services firm, the only point of contact your tenants will have with you is through the company. This allows you to keep all of your business dealings strictly professional. All correspondence from and to your tenants will be done by the service. This will make your actual business operations much easier for you to handle.

As you may be aware, the task of being a landlord is very liberating since you are self-employed; but it can be challenging, draining and frustrating as well if you manage all of your properties by yourself. One of the biggest problems that can arise out of this type of situation is that you may end up with bad tenants who destroy your property or do not pay their rent. Instead of you making a profit and running your business successfully, you are struggling and losing out on your investment. Instead of throwing in the towel, you need to get a good management company right away.

All of your tenants can be screened more thoroughly, so there is no risk of you getting a lousy tenant. Your property will always be looked after to prevent damage from occurring, so instead of you constantly having to fix things that have been destroyed, if you wanted to, you could make improvements to increase the net worth of your properties.

Before you hire any companies to make over your duties, make sure you know all there is to know about them. Make sure you are comfortable with any agreements you both come up with. Get everything in writing and make sure that you come out on top. After all, it is your real estate they are maintaining.

Is Buying Real Estate and Investment Property Still Worth It?

Real estate investing is still a great way to earn extra income. The past several years has brought about massive drops in home and investment property prices. This means you can find better deals that garner much greater monthly cash flow. The rents charged have not dropped nearly as much as property prices. For example in Las Vegas, NV property has dropped up to 60% in some areas while rents have dropped only 10-12%.

I recently saw a 4 unit property listed for sale at $195,000 but in 2004 sold for $330,000. This is a massive drop in price and will make for a massive drop in monthly payment. The rents have not dropped nearly as much and this property still brings in nearly as much rent as in 2004.

There is no evidence that real estate is not a great investment even after the housing meltdown. The advantages of owning real estate far outweigh the disadvantages and if you are serious about making money and improving your prospects for the future, you need to start learning the real estate business. You can start as a part-time investor and just get one property, get your feet wet and learn the details of managing property for profit. Once you try it you will realize that most renters are good people and are excellent tenants.

Everyone has heard the horror stories from a disgruntled landlord who has left the business after years or weeks of headaches. Of course they all advise everyone to stay out of the rental real estate business. However, this is not the advice you want to take because most of it is just not true. Typically you will get good tenants if you treat them well and treat your property for what it is: It is someone's home. Your rental property is your tenant's family home. It must be treated with respect and care. Your tenants should always be treated with respect, care and dignity as well. If you treat your tenants well, in turn, they will do the same.

Of course there will be issues with tenants if you are in the business long enough but most tenants want a nice place to live and a good landlord. It is so rare that you will find someone trying to get free ride or who refuses to pay rent if you provide them with a clean, well cared for home or unit.

I have done this in more than one area of the country and have seen it first hand. It is a myth to say that tenants are going to always give you nightmares. I have had wonderful tenants over the years and many have been wonderful people.

You likely will have to address some of your own misconceptions and fears if you are going to enter the real estate business but it is well worth it. It is well worth it because you can set yourself up for a fantastic future. It will be hard work but anything that is worth doing usually ends up being hard work. The rewards of investing in real estate are much greater than the drawbacks.

Atlanta Real Estate And Flat Fee MLS - A Winning Combination To Sell Your Home Fast

I work in the Atlanta, Georgia real estate market, and I can tell you that homeowners are hurting. If you want to sell your house in our city or state these days, you're going to have a really hard time because of the glut of foreclosures and people selling really cheap on the market. If you own Atlanta property, you might want to look into a Flat Fee MLS service to help you enable to sell your home at a very competitive rate.

How Do I Sell My Home Cheaper?

Whether we are talking Alpharetta homes for sale or Marietta homes for sale, no matter what county or neighborhood, it's difficult to stand out from the ocean of single family residences out there. The number one factor in how fast your property sells is the price. Someone is looking for a home in your neighborhood's price range, but unless that price is very attractive, that person is going to have a lot of choices that seem just as good as the next one.

So how do you sell your home for cheaper? Cut out unnecessary costs!

Real Estate Agents Fees Can Eat Up 3% to 6% of Your Home's Sale Price

The typical contract gives the listing agent 3% of the final sale price of your property, and 3% to the buyer's agent. There's a way to cut out each of these, but one is easier than the other.

The easiest approach is to cut out the listing fee. And the best way to do this is to list your property on the MLS yourself. The MLS is an online database of homes for sale that only real estate agents have access to...UNLESS you use a flat fee service that will list your home for you. This means that you don't pay the 3% listing agent fee when your house sells!

Now, is there any worth in having an agent do the listing for you? Maybe...but is it worth $6,000 on a $200,000 sale price? One of the main things he or she will do is put your residence on the MLS. If you can do that for $49 to $399, and put up your own sign, don't you think that maybe that's worth $5,600 on a $200,000 sale price?

Or think of it another way: if you could list your $200,000 home for $194,000 because you didn't have to pay a listing agent's fee, don't you think you could sell your house faster? Of course you could!

For instance, in the suburbs of metro Atlanta, a price range of $350,000 - $400,000 is somewhat typical. In Gwinnett county (which, incidentally, won the 2010 Broad Prize for best school district last week, which is an astronomical plus for selling a home in any residential area), a house that is on the market for $350,000 could immediately knock off $10,500 from the sale price. When a house in a good school district lists for $339,500, while comparable houses are going for $350-400,000, wouldn't you say that house is going to get a significantly larger percentage of traffic and views than comparable homes?

Another great example is Buckhead, an upscale neighborhood inside the perimeter of Atlanta and closer to downtown. Prices here range from $350,000 at the low end to $800,000 at the upper end (before you start getting into ultra luxury homes). If you have a home that is priced at $500,000, you are going to see more foot traffic and interest if you can advertise that it's a $500,000 home priced at $485,000. The psychological impact of bringing down your home from the $500,000 range into the $400,000 range should not be discounted, plus a $15,000 savings? Fantastic, IF your Buckhead home was priced competitively to begin with at $500k. And what kind of buyer response do you think you would get if you advertised that you could offer another $15,000 discount to people who buy without an agent? A $500,000 home for $470,000? Outstanding!

Let's say that you decided to aggressively pursue buyers without agents, through your own advertisements, local real estate clubs, etc. Now you could offer the same house for $329,000 - $21,000 less than your nearest contenders. That's a phenomenal deal for any home buyer. You benefit in two ways: your house will have much more to offer than the competitors in the same price range, which draws in people looking in the under-$330,000 price range. And if you specifically advertise that you are giving greater savings so that people know you are offering a $350,000 valued house at a 3 to 6% discount, you can draw in a large number of people looking in the $350,000 price range.

Now, getting rid of the buyer's agent commission is tougher, because buyer's agents actually look at the MLS and bring prospective clients to your home. That 3% fee is what makes it worth their while to drive clients to your house and show them the property. If you are really motivated, you could work overtime (open houses, signs in high traffic areas, approaching real estate clubs, online and print ads, etc.) to find your own buyers instead of going through a buyer's agent...but I don't necessarily recommend this approach. You cut out too many good leads. If you do decide to go this route, you must totally commit and be very motivated to make up for the leads that buyer's agents would otherwise send your want.

If, however, you find a buyer without a buyer's agent, jackpot! You've just eliminated that extra 3% fee. If you sign with a listing agent, though, in their contract will be an item guaranteeing them the entire 6% - even if they didn't do any work at all! So, remind me...why would you sign with a listing agent, when you can get the vast majority of what they do for a reduced price of $49 to $399?

Producing Cashflow With Real Estate Investment Properties

Producing cashflow is one of the primary reasons people invest in real estate. In order to maximize profits and minimize expenses, investors need to analyze all scenarios that can occur. These include property prices, rental income, or profits produced from selling the realty.

Finding real estate that produces cashflow can be challenging; especially in today's tumultuous market. Although there are plenty of discounted properties there is much more to real estate investing than buying houses below market value.

Investors often seek out short sale and bank owned houses because distressed properties are priced lower than homes listed by private sellers. Furthermore, bank owned foreclosures sometimes qualify for grants such as those offered through HUDs Neighborhood Stabilization Program.

Although investing in distressed real estate can be a profitable strategy, investors have to carefully weigh the pros and cons. First and foremost, a vast majority of bank owned homes require repairs and renovations. Investors will need to conduct due diligence and acquire estimates for repairs to determine an accurate cost of the property.

Another consideration is figuring out how long it will take to return the home to livable condition. If it takes several months to restore the property, investors will lose out on cashflow that could have been acquired from renting or selling the house.

Investors should also calculate which strategies will produce the highest amount of cashflow. Investment properties can be sold, rented, or traded using 1031 exchanges. Making use of 1031 exchanges is a preferred method for reducing capital gains tax. However, these kinds of transactions require hiring a Qualified Intermediary to oversee the transaction and handle finances associated with it.

Although selling houses isn't as easy as it used to be, there are plenty of people ready and willing to buy a house. Investors can list their properties through realtors or as for sale by owner. They can offer owner will carry financing or enter into lease purchase agreements.

Using creative financing strategies can produce greater amounts of cashflow as long as the deal is constructed properly. People that need owner financing usually have bad credit that prevents them from obtaining a bank loan. Therefore, investors need to investigate buyers and validate they can meet financial obligations.

Seller financing is in high demand due to the number of foreclosed homeowners. Once a person has the black mark of foreclosure on credit reports they won't qualify for bank financing for several years. Private financing can bridge the gap and allow them to buy a house while repairing their credit.

Investors normally don't carry the full amount of the sale price. On average, investors cover half the amount and require buyers to pay the balance with cash. When buyers obtain bank financing for the balance the bank becomes the first lien holder and investors have the second mortgage lien. This can place investors at risk if buyers default on either loan.

Lease purchase option agreements are a good choice for investors that aren't comfortable providing financing. People that enter into rent-to-own contracts tend to make excellent tenants. Not only do they pay rent on time, they also take better care of the property. There is also less chance of them skipping out without providing notification.

Both strategies provide opportunity to produce cashflow immediately because buyers provide a down payment to secure the property. Oftentimes, investors can retain down payment funds if buyers default on the agreement.

It's always best to work with a real estate attorney when entering into lease purchase or seller financing contracts. The process for these methods differs by state so it's important to have contracts reviewed by lawyers.

These are a few ways for investors to profit with real estate investments. Although the market appears bleak there are still plenty of opportunities to make money with realty. Those who take time to learn how to capitalize on market trends can build a strong portfolio that provides consistent cashflow for years to come.

Why You Should Buy Your First Real Estate Investment Property Today

When it comes to real estate, there are plenty of people out there that are unaware of the many tax advantages available for real estate investment properties. One of the most popular ones is that of the 1031-Exchange. For those of you unfamiliar with this, the 1031 Exchange is actually a section within the United States IRS Code which states that certain eligible properties may be exchanged for properties of equal or higher value without having to pay any taxes on the transaction.

This tax treatment of trading properties for larger ones is an absolute god-send for the serial real-estate investor. Imagine having the ability to regularly trade up one investment property for a larger one every time you had the resources to be able to upgrade? Well, that is very well possible thanks to this very important IRS provision! Larger properties mean generally higher rents allowing you to increase your annual cash flow, so it is definitely a good idea to trade up for bigger properties whenever you get a chance.

Other tax advantages for rental property owners include tax deductions on interest expenses, depreciation expenses, repairs, travel expenses, and insurance costs.

Interest Expense:
Any interest expense on a rental property is tax deductible. This means deductions for mortgage interest payments, and interest on credit cards for expenses that were used in a rental capacity.

Depreciation Expense:
As a real estate investor, you have the opportunity to claim depreciation on your property as a deductible expense by deducting a portion of the value of your property over the span of a couple of years. While this tax deduction provides the investor with immediate benefits, this benefit is eventually returned to Uncle Sam when the property is sold. This benefit is lost primarily because depreciation serves to reduce the total cost basis for the property, so any capital gains are taxed from the lowered cost basis. This concept is known as depreciation recapture.

Repairs:
Any repairs on your investment property are a deductible expense in the year that you pay for the repair. This means things like painting rooms, and replacing faulty lighting. Any improvements to the property, on the other hand, are not deductible.

Travel Expenses:
Real Estate owners are eligible for tax deductions every time they have to travel for their rental activity. This deduction could be broken down one of two ways: either as actual expenses (receipts may be required), or the standard mileage deduction (which is currently 56.5 cents per mile for the 2013 fiscal year).

From the above deductions, it should be clear that there are plenty of tax advantages available for real estate investors! If you haven't already, it's definitely a good idea to start claiming all the above deductions you are eligible for. They may very well make a difference between losing money on a property versus earning a profit.

By: Ketul Kothari

Cheaper Health Insurance - How to Get the Best Insurance Quotes the Easy Way

Since you do not want to take any risk with the health of your family, it is important that you look for the best insurance along with the best quote. But how can you look for affordable health care plans which can provide the coverage which you and the family truly need?

Decide the type of health insurance you need.

When you are looking for the best insurance estimate, the first step will require you to know what insurance you need. There are several available options including:

* Major medical plans- these can protect you during a serious illness or an accident but also enable you to manage the daily health care costs by your own.

* Managed care plans like a HMO or a PPO. These plans trade flexibility for lower rates.

* Medical savings plans. These insurance types will allow you to set aside your money every month in an account which is tax free so that you can pay your medical expenses later on.

* Traditional indemnity plans. This insurance type will cover most of the medical expenses you incur after you have met your deductible.

Before choosing which is best for your family as well as yourself, you need to go through each of the above mentioned types.

Look for the best insurance quote.

After determining the health plan type you want and need, your next step involves obtaining quotes from different companies which you can compare.

Since every company has a different price that can vary by hundreds of dollars, you should not just get one quote from one company. In order to guarantee that you have the best price you will need to get quotes from several companies.

Luckily, there are insurance comparison websites which offer their services for free making it easier for you to obtain quotes which you can compare.

The only thing left to do is to go to these comparison websites and accomplish a form which requires information regarding yourself and your needs for the insurance. You will then receive several quotes from a lot of rated insurance companies which you can compare.

Costa Rica Real Estate! Great Property Bargains Are Still Available

There are currently many misconceptions about Costa Rica when it comes to property prices. The news and media are currently leading many people to believe that the prices of real estate in this country are getting out of reach for most people. After living here for a few years I have found that there still is plenty of great investment opportunities available. The issue that most people were faced with is dealing with real estate agents. Many real estate companies are in the business to make money and they want you to look at the properties in which their commissions are the highest.

When purchasing property in a foreign country it can be difficult to know who you can, and who you cannot trust. This tends to lead people to rely on what they are familiar with so that they can protect their investment with the use of someone else's knowledge. It is important to understand that it is not always necessary to use a real estate agent to find a very inexpensive piece of property or home to purchase. Many people in Costa Rica are not in a hurry to sell their property and nor do they really understand the fact they have to pay a real estate agent to sell their home or business. When faced with this proposition of commission, many choose to just wait until someone comes along so that they can deal with them directly without having to pay. This is a great benefit for you the buyer to take advantage of. But, where do you start?

Self-employment is very popular in this Central American country. Many men and women do miscellaneous types of odd jobs to support their family. They are very good at this though their income is very low. By asking around you can find some of them that are trustworthy to help you in your cause. You have to be careful because they do have a tendency to try to take advantage of people from other countries just for the chance of making money. On the other hand there are a few that are very honest and will do almost anything to help you. These men and women know people throughout the country and keep close track of anything for sale. It doesn't matter to them if it's a cow, chicken, car, or a small piece of property that is located on the Pacific Coast. You can hire these people to find a home or business for sale in which you will pay pennies on the dollar in comparison to what a real estate agent will charge you.

Probably, more than 90% of real estate construction in Costa Rica is composed of cement and cement blocks. The reason for this varies from place to place, but in general this is because they believe that cement foundations and walls will handle earthquakes better than wood construction. The use of insulation is almost nonexistent and in most places unless located on the coastlines, is not needed. If you are one that likes the idea of being your own general contractor you can build a house very inexpensively here. Typical construction costs through completion for a normal three-bedroom home can be around $30-$40000. Property costs can range from $1000 per acre on up.

To wrap this up in a nutshell here's where you might begin. Plan a trip to visit Costa Rica and reserve some time for looking at real estate. Upon arrival find yourself a copy of the Tico Times newspaper if you speak English, or the country's largest Spanish newspaper named La Nacion. If your cell phone does not work here then you can find one to rent that is very affordable. Many of these phones come with unlimited minutes for around $10 per day. You can rent a car by looking in the newspaper with full coverage insurance and unlimited mileage for around $35 per day. This amount is far below the rates you will pay from most chain car rental outlets. Contact the people that have real estate in which you have an interest and find out if they speak your language. If not make a note to call them back when you have someone that can interpret for you. The newspaper will also possibly help you find someone to assist you with your Spanish if needed. Ask many of the people you run into if they know someone that can help you communicate while you are here, and that they are trustworthy. Make sure that they come with good references so that you don't have to be concerned with theft.

Some of the places you might check to find someone to help can include local large and small grocery stores, your hotel, furniture and white goods stores. Make sure to ask each and every person that you call from the classifieds if they have any ideas also.

The majority of Costa Rica's population is hard workers though the pay is usually around two dollars per hour. If you buy a home, small farm, or ranch in the country, you can hire a person or a family to take care of you and your property. For much less than you can imagine they will clean your house, cook your meals, take care of your yard, and watch your property while you are gone. Most Costa Ricans are very interested in learning English or another foreign language if it involves making an income. Basic things are usually very easy to express to them even without the use of Spanish. There's always someone nearby that does speak English, French, German, and sometimes even Russian.

By using some of the methods discussed in this article you'll be able to possibly find a piece of property, or a home, in which you can buy for the right price. This procedure will not produce results as quickly as a realtor but you won't go broke so quickly either.

Some final notes of caution! When visiting Costa Rica never allow anything you own to be out of sight. Theft rates for foreigners are exceptionally high. As long as you carry what you have with you the chances of something going wrong are very small. Do not leave things of value locked in your car or in your hotel unless you have someone watching them for you. Do not wear expensive jewelry on public streets and always keep a tight grasp on anything you wish to keep. Does this mean that you have to be concerned about your physical well-being? Typically there are only problems with theft. Rarely are people ever mugged or molested in any form. If you feel uncomfortable in an area then you should leave it.

There is real estate in Costa Rica that is still available and will be for many years into the future that could be no better described than Paradise. The weather and the clean air alone is plenty enough for most people to want to stay here forever. Make sure that you find a good attorney that comes with many references from the locals, and also from people in the area that speak your language. Use this attorney to make sure that the title of this property you have an interest in is clear and free of liens or outstanding past-due bills. The legal system in this Third World country is not the same as it is in the US and other more advanced countries.

Purchasing Real Estate Or Property in 2009?

Looking to purchase a home, condo cottage or other property. It can be said that in 2009 there are no shortage of properties and even commercial and office real estate. It is a buyers market most established Realtors will advise and even urge you. Yet the same basic rules, strategies and financial techniques that always work and worked in the past when land and dwellings were not so reasonably priced should still be followed and practiced arduously.

First things first decide and evaluate what you can afford. This determination should be in a form of a general range. What this means is the dollar or monthly mortgage payment value is not cast in stone. For good reasons and evaluation of the real estate market of your choice you may well decide to make a wise choice and either increase the limit or sometimes things are so good for buyers on the housing market and marketplace that you may well come to the decision that the house, condo or summer vacation or retirement cottage is much less costly than you thought, before starting the whole property hunting process. It is a range and within reasonable amount you can go somewhat more or somewhat less. This gives you greater flexibility on picking your real estate choice does not lock you in as much and can give you greater negotiating flexibility.

Next in line, after you have determined your general price range and cost structures is to determine what it is that you exactly wish for and need in a home. For example - how many bedrooms? How close to schools and or shopping. It is often said that location is the most important consideration for restaurants and the position, district and neighborhoods of real estate and housing. Thus questions can well involve city or suburbs? City or small town. Winnipeg based experienced real estate consultant and analyst notes that although many think by locating a large home in the suburbs , and enjoy a more isolated , scenic landing with relatively less expensive property tax ratings and charges, that what they save in real estate and property taxes is more than made up and offset by the increased cost of fuel and transportation back to the office in the city every day as well as costing them a fair amount of time as well, never to mind automotive repair and maintenance costs. On top of that you can bet that the local municipal tax board will not be far away in time from reassessing your property or realty taxes.

Once you have made these two decisions or at least have a general list and listings its time to get down to serious business. At this point in time there should be no shortage of homes and properties to look at and evaluate.

It can be said that new homes or even homes that are partially finished and that you can pay to have completed to full new home state are always a good and sure bet due to their extensive warranties and pristine condition. On the other hand you will most likely not have mature trees or landscaping, both of which require a fair amount of effort planning, hard work and will a time period of many years to grow and mature into the state which you like and prefer.

Next in line are resale homes. It can be said that overall resale homes offer a great combination of both affordability and character. In addition many resale homes will include improvements such as finished basements, rec rooms, decks or patios as well as mature landscaping. On the other hand you may well have to include calculations for repairs, maintenance and improvements that would not come as a matter of course in brand new real estate.

In summary, even though its a buyer's market in real estate , before you go out shopping for that new home - be it house, condo or lake cottage retirement cottage or home take the time to do your initial home buyer's workup. Two factors should be established and laid to rest promptly - your maximum real estate price range and location.

Real Estate And Residential Property In India

Having a proper roof over your head, while opting for the perfect family life, is not a hard thing to do anymore. Residential Property In India makes the intricate hunt for a property a lot easier as it values your useful time and strives to get the best deal about real estate properties, enlisting the best and the certified developers who are famous in this arena and enable you to own the most reasonably priced, legitimate and property ownership.

The advancement in the standard of living and the continuing expansion of the aiming Indians has provided a massive thrust to the Residential Property In India. With India imbibing globalization at a fast rate, bringing in more trade from the MNC sectors, there has been a major shift to the construction of more professional and office buildings all over India like Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Kolkata and Delhi. Investing in these residential properties of India is another lucrative business in the field of property market in India.

Residential Property In India provides all sorts of living accommodations from condominiums, farmhouses, vacant land, up to four bedroom apartments and bungalows. Also included are luxurious apartments, fashionable villas and mid-range residential understandings.

Residential Property In India is one of the most upcoming and remunerating market presently in India. In each passing day, the price of the real estate area is striking up. The specialty about these residential properties is its vast extent. No longer is the residential properties are limited to the metro states. It's also spreading in to the Special Economic Zones which also lets the entrepreneurs to extricate more profits and mint money.

Starting from the north, Delhi has many real estate properties you might be interested of. It has the Emaar MGF Villa Plots, Emaar MGF Palm Gardens, Vatika Urban House, Emaar Villa Plots at Emerald Hills, Tata Sector 72 Gurgaon and Raheja Vedas.

In Chandigarh you have the Eldeco Mansion, DLF Valley Panchkula, Unitech Unihomes Mohali, Collage Windsor Apartments, Parsvnath Pride Asia, Omaxe Panache Homes Ludhiana, Emaar MGF The Bungalows, and Dreamcity Amritsar.

Coming down to the City Of Joy, in Kolkata you have the Eden Court Primo, Unitech Unihomes Kolkata, Godrej Properties Prakriti, Unitech Air, Unitech Harmony UC, DLF New Town Heights, Mani Group Residency, Surekha Group and Unitech Nirvana Country.

In Mumbai, real estate properties includes Hiranandi Palace Garden, India Bulls Sky Suites, Mahindra Eminente Mumbai Ph II, New Haven Mumbai, Rustomjee Township, Kalpataru Estates- Andheri East and Mahindra Splendor Mumbai.

Real Estate Agents & Property Buyers - What's The Difference?

Estate agents & property buyers are the two most common terms which are used while dealing with any kind of property. Broadly, dealing with property refers to either buying or selling of any possession, which clearly shows that there has to be a buyer and seller to initiate the deal. And estate agents & property buyers are those professionals who open the deal so that it can be closed, this way they help both buyer and seller in some way or the other. No doubt, estate agents & property buyers both deliver highly professional assistance and services, however they are different from each other. Before you take up the services of estate agents & property buyers, learn the nature of their job and the reason stating who should be dealt with under what conditions.

How real Estate agents & property buyers are different from each other? Lets discuss one by one:

Property buyers: They are more interested in buying your property. Suppose you are planning to sell your property, say your land, here approaching property buyers is a better option as they can offer you one of the best deals. Another reason is that they do not charge any kind of commission and usually buy property quickly.

Generally, people seek property buyers' assistance when they choose to sell their property really fast. There could be numerous reasons for that such as facing a divorce, relocating due to official transfers, professional investor wanting to cash out property, selling inherited property, not able to maintain your possessions so on and so forth.

Real Estate Agents: They provide highly useful services to those who either want to buy or sell real estate property. As a return, they get some percentage on the property as commission. Estate agents put all their marketing strategy, valuable time and efforts to let you find best deals on property.

Technically speaking if you want to sell property contacting property buyers is a fastest way to do that, however if you are planning to buy property consider real estate agents a better option.

Marketing Real Estate To Property Investors

The biggest difference when selling a property to an investor is keeping in mind you are not selling to a consumer but to another business. When selling the house you can often increase the price by making it aesthetically charming to the possible buyer. But that all changes if the buyer is an investor as they are not looking at the appeal of the house, rather that they are looking at how much income they can make out of it. The figures, for example rent, is more often than not more imperative than the building.

As an investor there are lots of ways you can raise rental income and below are a few ideas.

1. Do your research - look around at rental homes that are similar to the building you want to rent and find out how much rent is being asked for. Compare your charges to theirs; if you are charging less then you could reasonably raise the rent without losing tenants.
2. Though finishing a basement to code may involve significant investment, it may pay off in the long run.
3. Listen to what tenants want, the more you listen the more the you can make a home more attractive on the rental market. Laundry facilities, in fact all kitchen appliances, could make the house more rentable and bring in higher rental fees.
4. Can you update the insulation to lower the heating costs or switch to a high-efficiency furnace that will save on heating expenses?

Putting together a marketing plan, which will paint your property in a good light to investors, needs to be put in place once you have worked out and understand the financial worth of your home.

You are nearly ready to market your Calgary real estate property, before you do take a look at some final points that will conceivably make things run a little better:

• You may even have tenants, keep them informed about the decisions you make and what is going to happen. It is extremely disrespectful and unfair on existing tenants if you don't.
• Take the chance to listen to your tenants concerns, after all they are going to be worried that they will lose their home. The closing date is going to be crucial to rent payers so try and give them a rough idea when it will be.
• Even though property investors are more interested in the financial ramifications of the property, this doesn't mean you don't need to stage it properly; the property still needs to look its best.

Commercial Real Estate and Its Benefits

Some individuals who have gotten involved with commercial real estate feel like it was one of the best decisions they have ever made. The business of commercial real estate is a secret kept by those individuals who are involved in the world and succeeding at it. Some of the rewards and advantages of becoming involved with commercial real estate is far greater than the rewards and advantages of other real estate ventures. Any individual who feels as if the business of commercial real estate is something that they would not be able to succeed in is wrong and should really reconsider this idea. Anyone who has down a little bit of research in order to become more educated on the matter and has the proper amount of motivation needed in this business can succeed. After one has become educated on the matter, they may come to realize that the benefits of this business are much greater than the expenses associated with it. Individuals that become involved with commercial property and truly commit to it and succeed are able to enjoy a life that others wish they had.

The very first benefit of dealing with commercial property is that the individuals involved in this business are able to create a work schedule that is best for them and their unique situations. Commercial property enables individuals to either work full-time or part-time, but still obtain a level of wealth that they never thought they would.

Working part-time in this business can be just as effective as working a full-time job. Some individuals new to this business may decide to keep their job and work with the real estate part-time until their cash flow increases, then they commit to it full-time.

Full-time commercial real estate professionals are able to avoid dealing with a boss and get to be their own boss. They can work in the comforts of their own home and build their very own business from the ground up. A positive cash flow along with an impressive net worth can be built relatively fast.

An appealing benefit of commercial property is that individuals do not have to train for years and years and work themselves up the corporate ladder. The barriers to become involved in this business are few which allow individuals to dive in whenever they want.

One of the benefits that entice individuals the most is the amount of profit that there is to be had. The great thing is that with the amount of profit that can be earned individuals do not have to use a huge amount of effort. One commercial property deal can provide individuals with the same amount of profit as they would see if they sold 100 individual family residences.

No matter how many deals an individual makes in commercial real estate they have to use the same process every time. One of the key words used in the business of commercial real estate is synergy. It means that huge results can be had by making very small changes.

Green Real Estate and Education Go Hand and Hand and the Timing Couldn't Be Better

What a better time to think of value in residential real estate than in the present challenging times. Most are still wondering if the projections of a turn around in the current marketplace are just fiction or truth. Five steps forward and two back, then three forward and three back. So what is really going to drive value for the buyer to buy again? What does a buyer consider in today's economic climate for the decision to buy a home? Do they think of a home for their family in terms of how their parents looked at the purchase? Do they still think a home is the American Dream where investment returns will be offered in the 6-8% in annual growth patterns as in the past?

The current climate offers a new sales technique for mortgage and real estate companies in moving property. The "short sale" market is of value to the investor, but counter productive for future community values. So, if you want to sell a home in this market, what are your options? The appraiser will always look at recent sales, and there have been several homes foreclosed and resold as short sales in your neighborhood. The bad thing is the family that wants to move across town into a nicer home, but the short sales will affect the value of their home dramatically. Appraisers will look at the most recent sales using the cost approach to determine value. This gives you only one real option to take less for your home, and hopefully buy a short sale across town if any are available. I mean why should we take such a loose; we were always on time with our mortgage and taxes, why are we being so affected by others hard times.

So you don't sell, because you do not want to take such a loss and there are no foreclosures in the area you want to go. What do you do to build value for the future? What do you honestly think will help your home stand out in front of the others? What do you think a buyer is thinking about today? Low utility bills? Are they considering looking into solar or energy savings? Are they curious about green building and green renovation products? Here is an idea. Put $15,000 in energy efficient upgrades in your existing home, taking advantage of the tax incentives and rebates. Now, depending on the upgrades you have chosen, the property stands out in this development. With offering up to 65% lower energy bills alone a buyer desiring your neighborhood may lean towards your home even if there is a short sale for less money. The timing couldn't be better as most are curious on how to renovate to lower utility bills. Green renovations, can make a difference in real estate values. Using healthy materials and installing more high efficiency systems will making a difference in quality of life. While economic times are challenging those involved in the energy sector hold promise for growth. Our company, Green Real Estate Education is educating all sectors in the real estate industry to bring these points to those is there markets. Our educational programs are in demand even in these economic times.

Energy Efficient Homes and proper marketing especially if they offer the added benefit of being green certified properties are some of the most sought after residences and gaining strength daily. The entire building industry is changing towards sustainable and green techniques; it's about time we embrace the new green revolution.

It is our opinion that a home seller should separate their property from the short sales and get green products and systems into their home as soon as possible. Some may not be thinking of selling right now, maybe in the future. But all renovations need to have energy conservation and the concepts of offering healthier indoor air quality in all they do in the future. . To investigate the best and most affordable way is to do a green renovation that will produce future value, is to hire a one of the 5,000 Green Real Estate Education has trained. A GCMP-GL is a Green Certified Mortgage Professional with a Level One Green Leadership Certification and a GCREP-GL is a Green Certified Real Estate Professional with a Green Leadership Certification. These professionals will offer options many do not even realize exist. Preparing your home for your future and the future of others will be a key to a successful sale. As a buyer, using these professionals will bring you additional information for becoming more aware of what your investment can bring in the future. This can and will support value while separating your home from others.

How to Get the Best Insurance Quote Online

It goes without saying that you can get the best insurance quote online through an aggregator website which puts together all information from various insurance dealers. You get to compare their features and choose the one that is tailored to your benefit. You can get insurance quotes by calling up various insurance companies and insurance agents, but it is not worth it because you will not only get high priced quotes, but you will also end up wasting your time and energy. Secondly, you will be leaving the door open for insurance companies to call you up and irritate you with continuous calls.

Now through online insurance you have an avenue to get fair deal on your insurance with quotes at low price. Further you will be able to make decisions by giving them a lot of thought. You won't have the marketing people of insurance companies calling you and troubling you or even pressuring you to make a choice. The sweetest part of the deal is the fact that you can be the judge and choose the insurance product that has the lowest price.

The process of getting an insurance quote online is pretty simple. You do not have to choose the kind of insurance that you want, look at the prices or premiums charged by various insurance companies in that field, the benefits, the coverage, the exclusions etc and then make the right choice. How can you find sites that are good as insurance aggregators? The simplest way to do so is by typing 'online insurance quotes' or 'insurance quotes' (with adjectives like best, cheapest etc before them) or 'insurance aggregators' and you will come across many sites on these lines. You can either go to an online insurance aggregator site through the search engine or if you know any of their names, you can directly type their name on the browser. It is better to subscribe to or register with one of these online insurance aggregators so that you can always come back and find out what is happening on the insurance front.

To get a good insurance quote online, you can supplement your decision making process by reading reviews about people who have bought the insurance. Read about how the product and the company are doing, find out how successful the company is and how much is the trust level of people for that particular insurance product. All of these information can be quite handy in the decision making process.

Insurance providers are now changing their marketing perspective and using the online approach to sell insurance products because it works out cheaper for them. If they had to project their products through television or print media (which they do), they are at risk of losing out on some ad spend because the cost of advertising and marketing is very high. Doing the same thing online can be a much cheaper investment and they can get access to the right target audience as well. They are able to reduce their operating cost and reach out to their target audience easily. So, it augurs well for the insurance company as well as the person who wants to buy insurance does so online

Finance Your Real Estate Investment Properties

Unlike traditional residential real estate mortgages, real estate investment financing is way more creative and offers more options than you think. The golden rule in real estate investment is OPM (Other People's Money).

I have enough money; shouldn't I buy my real estate investment for cash? No, I absolutely advice against investing large sums of cash into a single real estate investment. There are two reasons why not. First, you give away most of your profits by not leveraging your real estate investment. Second, it is far too risky to put every egg into one basket.

Let me explain the leverage issue for a moment. I will give you an example of a $100,000 investment property that typically increases its value (appreciates) by 7% average a year. Maybe more, maybe less depending where you live. Paying all cash for this property will yield in a 7% appreciation profit plus the net profit from renting the place. Now you're looking at roughly 15% of returns.

If you're conservative with your investments you might be satisfied with this kind of a return. These days you might get equal or better returns with other conservative investments minus the hassle of being a landlord. But you don't mind being a landlord, because you understand and utilize the leveraging method with financing your real estate investment.

With the example above you will make roughly $15,000 a year in profits from your investment. Now let's take a closer look at what leveraging can do for you. Today a typical real estate investor can get financing as high as 95% - 97% of the purchase price. Occasionally 100% financing is available as well. But this would be totally unfair in this example to compare this with all cash purchasing.

15% return sounds like a lot, but wait till you see this. Let's assume that the rental income will cover all your expenses including the mortgage payments. Taking the same example from before your net return would be the 7% appreciation profits of your property. This would translate into a $7,000 a year profit. With a 95% financing in place you would get $7,000 return on $5,000 (your 5% down payment) invested. This is a whopping 140% return on investment.

With the same $100,000 you can go out there and get 20 investment properties, finance 95% of it and make an amazing $140,000 profit a year. This beats the projected $15,000 profits with an all cash transaction any day.

Of course you will have a lot of trouble to get financing for 20 properties in a single year. Typically 5-6 new rental property mortgages are the maximum lenders will allow these days. This is the signal to get creative with your financing structures.

In this case sellers financing would be your key to achieve your goal of maximum leverage of your investment dollars. Despite the message from all these late night infomercials, seller financing is harder to get than they want you to make believe it is.

It all depends on the seller's ability to offer seller financing and the seller's motivation. Only about 1 out of 20 properties for sale are able to get seller financing. That means that there's no mortgage balance on the property. From this narrow selection the seller must be motivated to sell under these conditions. This could be tax reasons, time constraints, personal reasons and many more.

As you can see this translates into a lot of work to achieve your goals. But let me tell you one thing. This separates the tire kicker real estate investors from the real go-getters. Wouldn't you agree that a little bit of hard work and determination is well worth it to build a real estate empire?

I think it is well worth the trouble and hard work. At the end of the day you keep building your real estate investment portfolio and sooner than later you will be able to cash in.

Sincerely,

Peter Dobler

(c) 2005

What You Must Know to Get the Best Real Estate Investment Property at the Best Price

Every potential real estate investor hopes to get the best property for the lowest price. And, we often make our profit when we buy a property rather than when we sell one. In fact, we cannot always count on a profit when we sell so a very good strategy is to make our profit at the purchase. How can we do this?

Here are some of the things we must know:

• the true value and the after repair value of a property.
• the cost of repairs: which repairs are necessary or desirable?
• the gross rent multiplier: will the potential rent you receive make the property worthwhile?
• what will happen if there is no tenant? Will you be able to carry a vacant property?
• the best and worst case scenerios of ownership.
• how to control or buy a property with little cash up front.
• how to buy a property that is in foreclosure and whether you should.

But, does the "best price" always mean the lowest? Not necessarily. There are many additional factors to consider including:

• the neighborhood and area: are there any projects of various types scheduled? How will they affect the value of your potential purchase?
• the vacancy rate in a given area: will you be able to rent your property?
• the potential for profit from an increase in property values: can you determine which direction real estate is heading?
• and many other factors.

Since the best price can be affected by a neighborhood, here's something else you may wish to consider. Living near your investments is most often a good idea. Why? It allows you to keep your finger on the pulse of the area. You are available if you are needed to make a decision (unless you hire a manager.) It's much easier to take care of any issues, pick up rent checks, or check on your property.

Getting the best price means you must do your homework and legwork. You must make sure that your potential investment property will be profitable. You cannot rely on instinct in such an important matter. Follow the necessary steps and you will be able to buy a property that you will be happy with at the best price.

Land Surveying Real Estate and Property

Understanding how to properly identify a Jamaica property is vital in any sales transaction. Property identification in general relates to the identification of a lot or parcel of land on ground. This is an important issue when it comes to purchasing Jamaica property and fundamental if you intend to buy homes in Montego Bay Jamaica. All parties involves should know where the property is located before any negotiations is started and all boundaries are clearly outlined.

For the salesman property identification would be confined only to a rough identification of the lot or parcel to a prospective purchaser that would suffice to aid his or her decision whether or not to purchase the property.

When the sale is one that involves a financial institution for the purposes of a mortgage, that entity will usually require a Commissioned Land Surveyor to inspect the property, verifying its very existence, as the possibility of a fraudulent title cannot be ruled out The Surveyor will then prepare a Surveyor's Report, which confirms:

(1) That the land mentioned and described in the title is in fact situated at the location stated in the title. For example, homes for sale Montego Bay Rose Hall, St James and the civic address assigned to the property.

(2) That the measurements of the boundaries given on the title agree or disagrees with the measurements obtained on the ground;

(3) The state and condition of the physical boundaries, if any

(4) Whether there are any easements affecting the property

(5) The breach, if any, of the restrictive covenants endorsed in the title

(6) The number of buildings on the land and that they are properly sited thereon. The report contains a sketch supporting the above.

This is key when you intend to buy homes in Montego Bay Jamaica. For an effective and positive identification of the property, a map of the area is required as well as the Deposited Plan (D. P.), in instances where the property is a part of a subdivision. The correct procedure is to identify the nearest road intersection to the parcel, and by using measurements given in the plan, the first corner of the lot can be identified on the ground. In the case of single parcels in urbanized townships, the measurement to the nearest intersection is usually stated on the plan. From this point the general location of the boundaries of the property can be identified using the remainder of the measurements given on the plan.

In the property identification process, the salesman should be careful not to give the impression that this is a rigorous location of the boundaries, even if fence exists. The fences may be incorrect and this is a case for only the Surveyor to state. The salesman job is to say "this is lot".

In rural areas where the title plans of properties state only "from" and "to" where any adjoining Main or Parochial roads leads, some correlation of the plan with the map must be identified, for example, the bends of the roads. In the absence of this, the situation will exist where effective property identification is even more complex and a dependence on the locals and the use of adjoining owners' information is now the only solution to properly identifying the location of the property. Colin Scott helps all members who are a part of the industry and many other individuals who want to buy homes in Montego Bay Jamaica to identify property boundaries.

Tips for Investing in Foreclosed and Real Estate Owned Property

If you play your cards right, investing in foreclosed properties can be a very profitable venture. Although it's not quite as simple as the late-night infomercials lead you to believe, the following tips can help you prepare for what lies ahead.

Before property is labeled "Foreclosed" it must first be placed for sale through a real estate auction. In order to purchase property through the foreclosure auction, individuals must place a minimum bid equal to the amount of the loan balance, along with any other costs associated with the process, such as accrued interest and attorney fees.

Typically, foreclosed real estate is sold "as is". Occasionally, the ex-homeowner may still reside in the home and individuals who purchase the property will have to deal with having them evicted. This is not a pleasant experience, so conduct research on any foreclosed property you are interested in to determine if the home is vacant or occupied.

If your bid is accepted, it will be your responsibility to pay-off any liens and/or back taxes attached to the property. You will also be responsible for taking care of necessary repairs or renovations.

While it is true foreclosed property can yield a good return on your investment, it is imperative you engage in due diligence. Learn as much about the property as possible before placing your bid at auction. Keep in mind much of the real estate placed on the auction block is not worth the amount owed on the note. Therefore, you want to look for properties that do not have tax or creditor liens attached or those in need of extensive repairs or renovations.

If the foreclosed property is not sold through auction, it is returned to the mortgage company, who returns it to the bank. At this point, foreclosed property becomes real estate owned (REO) property.

Once foreclosed real estate becomes bank owned, the mortgage note no longer exists. Generally, the bank will negotiate with lien holders to remove or reduce liens placed against the property. They will also take care of evicting individuals still residing in the home. Occasionally, they will invest in repairs and renovations.

REO properties are frequently listed on bank websites. Included will be the name of the contact person, along with their phone number or e-mail address. Prior to contacting the specialist, thoroughly investigate the property and conduct research on the market value of other homes in the area where the foreclosed home is located.

If possible, obtain estimates to determine the cost of repairs or renovations. If you plan to do the work yourself, determine the length of time it will take to complete the repairs along with the cost of materials.

Keep in mind banks are just like any other business. Their eyes are on the bottom line. If you want a good deal on an REO foreclosed property, make a respectable offer and leave room for negotiation. More often than not, the bank will respond to your original offer with a counter-offer. You may have to submit several counter-offers to obtain the price you want. Be persistent and remember, virtually everything in a real estate transaction is negotiable.

Not every foreclosed property will be a good deal. You will probably have to sort through quite a bit of rubbish in order to find your diamond. But, it can and does happen and there's no reason you can't grab your slice of the real estate pie.

#EANF#

#EANF#

Tips and Secrets to Flipping Real Estate and Making Money

Fix and flip real estate, commonly known as flipping houses, is an increasingly popular trend in the real estate sector. The reason is rehabbing properties can be a potential source of income if you know the right way to do it. It is not an easy process but learning a little more about house flipping might just be the motivation you need to try it out yourself.

House flipping refers to process of buying up real estate and quickly reselling it at a higher price a few weeks or a few months later. The technique is to find foreclosed homes or properties which are under-priced and whose values can be marked up after some work and renovations. Fix and flip real estate can normally be found at lower prices because of factors such as a divorce, the owner was laid off, or a death occurred in the household.

There are actually two common methods to flipping houses. The first involves purchasing a home and then reselling it at a profit without ever occupying the property. The other method of rehabbing properties is buying a property, renovating it and then reselling it for a profit.

Those new to rehabbing properties should be mindful of the work flipping houses involves. It starts with researching prices in the local markets to find foreclosed homes. Search for properties which need repair done. Try to develop a rapport with real estate agents who can let you in on any properties like this right away. Serious flippers even do direct-mail campaigns or place advertisements in local papers or on billboards.

Real estate investors can see huge profits from fix and flip real estate. There are several important factors to take into account, especially in setting the selling price. The common rule most people follow is a six percent realtor commission if you plan to sell the property through an agent. But if you can find foreclosed homes and sell it yourself, the better. It is also smart to consider any repair costs, time and labor you put into the process.

Property flippers look for foreclosed properties first. The banks who own them are often very interested in getting whatever they can for these homes.

Understanding the real estate market is crucial. You must be aware of what local home buyers are shopping for and then trying to find foreclosed homes they want. The best property flippers are the one who have buyers before they even purchase a property.

Real Estate Investment Property - Smart Moves For a Smart Investment Plan

The society is in itself a trading town where selling is a major source of livelihood. And to make the trade keep up with its cyclic behavior, fiscally able people invest a great deal of capital to get the property licensed under their name and possession. But hold it right there! If you're so certain and the figures conspire that the property is really intended to be in your rights, then there'll be no questions ask. But even if a single qualm is perturbing your assessment, its better that you try to assess the potentials first to verify the property's feasibility. If you think it isn't a worthwhile deal, follow your instincts and have the following evaluation steps come in handy:

Exercise prudence when dealing with different parties

And this primarily involves real estate brokers, agents, and another investor. It's not easy to trust people these days, for the next thing you know, you've been hoodwinked with a property that only has rights sans the land. Meaning to say, without you knowing it, what you just paid for is only the rights of the property and not the asset in its entirety. Therefore, exercise caution, know whom you're dealing with and determine what real estate company they're specifically affiliated. If you can do the aforementioned precautionary measures, it would be easier for you to know an entity or a company's trustworthiness and credibility.

Practice "back of the envelope" reckoning

If you're the type of person who values security more than anything else, then make it a habit to generate a ballpark figure of every deal's worth. Calculating your net income subtracted by the total expenses you're about to tackle once property purchase is made will help you come up with reasonable and realistic approximation of the overall sums you're about to face. At this point in time, it's not enough that you have to money to purchase a real estate investment property deemed appealing. What matters is the property won't be much of a burden on your part financially.

Scrutinize and carry out due diligence

Primarily check if the property has a license to sell. Also, verify if the real estate acreage does not have pending cases in court, and as much as possible, confirm all the legalities of the property from documentations to ownership and other real estate essentials. Review all pertinent citations and credentials and don't be afraid to ask questions. These agents or brokers may be focused on making a sale, but still, you shouldn't let any distractions or sweet tongues fool you. Do not go for verbal promises. Instead, put every little detail in black and white.

Check the numbers and time frame

A responsible investor makes realistic plans and actions. Doing your own research matters before purchasing a property. This is to ensure that everything will do well and that that the property will account for a profit should you decide to have it renovated and fixed up at once. Construction overheads must be less and should not in any way cost a notch higher than the amount you paid to purchase the property. Remember, it pays to be financially wise and responsible so as not to incur any losses in the end. Leave enough room to easily make returns even under down and difficult circumstances.

Selling Real Estates And Properties On Online Auction Sites Aided By Web 2.0 Tactics!

I bought this incredibly cheap eBook on selling real estates and properties through online auction sites last two days and I must say that I am pleasantly surprised and absolutely delighted with the knowledge that I had gained from it. As someone who has spent years selling items that comes in different shapes and sizes on eBay, this eBook caught my eyes at first glance!

What made this eBook special is the fact that it's teaching people on selling real estates and properties on online auction sites with the aid of Web 2.0 categorized websites! Now that is something that I did not hear everyday and I am glad that I got my hands on the eBook.

Under normal circumstances, selling real estates and properties would be carried out by professional real estate agents. To the best of my knowledge, real estate agents primary methods of seeking potential buyers are as follows:

List real estates and properties intended for sale on specific database (known as the Multiple Listing Service in the US)

Seek the assistance of their wide network in doing promotions

Posting ads on newspapers and magazines

Posting notices on neighbourhood and community bulletin boards

Even though some established real estate agents have started using online auction sites to secure sales, many are still quite hesitant to follow suit since it is rather risky and expensive. Most online auction sites charge high premium per listing. So, there is still plenty of room for anyone to further explore the potential of using online auction sites to market real estates and properties. Great!

I have been observing the world of real estate for quite some time now and found that nowadays there are many international real estate agents here in Malaysia that accepts part timers. This is indeed good news for any Malaysians interested in trying their luck on international real estates and properties! There are a few short courses and examinations that you have to go through first of all but the opportunities are there ripe for the taking.

I saw the light yesterday and it is on real estates and properties. The secrets that I gained from the eBook showing me how to use Web 2.0 categorized websites to assist real estate agents in their work regardless whether they are full timers or otherwise are magnificent! Let me just share with you two examples:

You can use Social Networking sites such as MySpace that have millions of users to find ready made groups that are interested in investing on real estates and properties!

You can also use Video Sharing sites such as YouTube that also have millions of video lovers to showcase your real estates and properties online!

My goodness, the potential is enormous! Malaysians currently have a rejuvenated interest in real estates and properties especially those living in the southern part of Peninsular Malaysia. This is directly caused by the development of a multi billion dollar project called the Iskandar Development Region. The project is co managed by Malaysia and Singapore and all ready I can see that Singapore has begun their promotion of the Iskandar Development Region in full swing. I all ready saw a couple of online ads on selling real estates and properties in the Iskandar Development Region on Google recently!

Let us throw that multi billion dollar project aside and get back to the real world. What I had learnt from the eBook gave me the confidence to say that ordinary folks like us can now easily get involved in real estates and properties. If you are a bit hesitant to go for the international real estate and properties market, you can always go local and try your luck here. I'm bent on doing this in the near future since I knew well in hand the strategies of generating profitable sales on online auction sites. I knew their potentials and with the aid of Web 2.0 categorized websites to help me as I go along, I could not ask for any better winning combination!

Now, I'm sure that there are those among you that have sold real estates or properties on online auctions sites such as eBay some time in the past. I would love to hear your opinion on something. Tell me, are you satisfied with your previous sales of real estates or properties on online auction sites? Please leave your answer here.

Tampa Real Estate and Why Buy in Tampa

Tampa, a city in the southeastern part of Florida, is part of the urban municipal commonly called the 'Tampa Bay Area'.

Real Estate in Tampa

Tampa is ranked as the largest seaport in the U.S.A. and consists of four counties namely Pasco, Pinellas, Hillsborough and Hernando County. All types of housing units can be found in Tampa. The cost of homes ranges from $100,000 to $2million depending on the type of home. Research indicates that the cost of living and of property in Tampa was relatively low but increased in the recent past. It is also generally felt that properties outside of the city are less costly, especially areas between Tampa and Sarasota. Further research shows that in 2003, approximately 10,000 houses were sold. This number increased toward the 2nd quarter of 2005 to roughly 20,000 homes. The upward trend ceased in 2006 and has been dropping steadily. In the early quarter of 2008, sales are approximately 4,000 to date.

Why You Should Buy Real Estate in Tampa

The many real estate agents found in Tampa make it easy for a buyer or tenant to find the perfect property or house that they need. There are many property management plans that are available and are also affordable. The agents will even appraise property for free to their clients; whether buying or selling, permanent or leasing. Tampa is a seaport and as such, many holidaymakers are expected to visit this fabulous city. For the person investing in rental property, tenants will always be bountiful. Investments include sale of residential property, vacant land property, commercial property or income property. Being a seaport, there is a wide variety of home-types to choose from. One can choose a waterfront property, a town house or condominium. The weather in Tampa is humid and subtropical. Highest records are 65oF to 95oF all year round. In the once-in-a-year winters, the lowest temperatures to be recorded have been 18oF. The temperature makes it worth investing in real estate. With a growth rate of 4.8% for jobs, seasonal or permanent income is easy to come by. The city is actually ranked the 12th on the list of best areas to work and live in America.

When purchasing property in Tampa, Florida, one would be buying into historic folklore and cultural diversity. Needless to say in a few years, the investment will have doubled in value and the investment would be well worth it.

Best Insurance Leads For the Best Insurance Agents

You are tired of the same old day to day dealings you are going though and you want the best insurance leads out there. Hey, you are came to the right place. Let me explain. To get the best insurance leads you can, you have to invest into buying leads from online companies. However, you can just buy leads from any company because some of these places will not provide you with the best.

That is the reason why you have to do research when looking to buy leads online. There are far more advantages to buying leads from online insurance companies then any other place. This is because these companies are getting hundreds of requests for insurance help each day. This is your bread and butter. If you want to have the ability to access this type of lead generating you have to pay for it. Now, there is good news. Most of these leads will not cost you much money at at. In fact most leads range from $6.00 and usually don't go past $15.00. Now if you are selling life insurance only, you can still get these types of leads. It does not matter what type of insurance you do prefer. You can get any type of lead you want, and you can also deny leads that are offered to you if you don't need it or like the lead.

There will be times that you may run into a bogus lead. Companies that offer the best insurance leads try filtering through all their insurance requests to make sure you get only the best. With a few good companies out there you will usually get a credit for leads that are fake.

How To Buy Vacation Homes As Real Estate Investment Property

Vacation homes are popular with people for lots of reasons, one of which is to be able to enjoy a favorite vacation getaway spot in style. But increasingly, vacation homes are also being seen as possible real estate investment opportunities. But before rushing out to invest in a vacation home, here are some important considerations to keep in mind.

First of all, not all vacation homes are equal. Some will be located in more popular areas of the country than others, and this will have a direct impact on their property value as well. So just as with most other kinds of real estate, location will be one of the most important ingredients for success in choosing a vacation home as an investment vehicle.

Some areas of the country are extremely popular as vacation getaways, and a vacation home bought in one of these areas can often be expected to increase in value steadily as time goes on. But oftentimes, a very useful strategy is to buy a vacation home in a smaller city or town in that same general area, but not in the major city itself. Usually, vacation homes will be less expensive in these outlying areas, and there will also be less competition to have to deal with as well.

One of the most important characteristics of the popularity of a vacation home is the weather and general surroundings. If you take into consideration these factors, some of the most popular vacation spots in the US these days can be found in the southwestern and southeastern parts of the country. For instance, Las Vegas has proved to be a popular vacation destination almost year-round now, while Arizona is extremely popular because of its pleasant climate in the wintertime. Florida is another area where the growth of vacation homes has been steadily on the increase in recent decades as well.

For those who enjoy winter activities, there are several popular destinations in Colorado, the western states and the northeastern part of the US.

In addition to weather, another point for consideration in buying a vacation home is what kind of recreational activities are available in that general area. This could be anything from major theme parks to sunny beaches, or even ski resorts. The more there is to do, the better.

Cultural activities are also popular with vacationers, so look around the surrounding towns and areas to see what museums and attractions of local interest are available that could be useful to vacationers.

If the area seems to be in a constant state of growth, there is a very good likelihood that property values will continue to rise for the foreseeable future. So look around to see how much new construction is going on, including both commercial and residential in nature. This will often give you a good clue to the kind of overall growth that the area is experiencing.

If you use the suggestions given above to help identify the most popular vacation home locations, you can usually buy a vacation home that will turn out to be an excellent real estate investment.

The Best in Calgary Real Estate and Calgary Real Estate Listings

Buying properties, selling real estate, or just thinking about it, no matter what your need is in real estate we can help you. We are experienced real estate investors and have been investing in the Calgary real estate market for over 20 years. We are extremely concerned with finding the solution that will suit your needs and we would like the opportunity to sit down with you and discuss how we can help. We have numerous Calgary real estate listings for you to select from when choosing your next home. We also will buy your home if you need to sell We are not Real Estate Agents and are not asking to list your home which is generally what happens when you sign an agreement with an agent. We do not charge commission and will offer a fair price for your properties or home. You are making a smart move investing in Calgary real estate.

Browse our Calgary real estate listings that we have purchased from many other home owners just like you. We buy and trade homes. You may even be interested in trading your home for one of our properties for sale. Again we work with you to satisfy your needs We are also very successful with renting and rent to own properties if this is a need for you. We would like to help you with your search for Calgary Real Estate. Whether your needs are short or long term we have the experience to assist you in finding the ideal home or investment property. We have all the information you need to help you in your real estate needs. Just think, you do not have to wait 90 days to sell, sell today and do not pay commissions. We have the expertise and proven experience in real estate to help you and have done so with hundreds of other happy buyers and for sale by owner people just like you.

We have numerous Calgary real estate listings for you to choose from if you are considering buying a home or investment properties. We also buy homes on a regular basis and prefer to buy homes through private owners just like yourself, so if you considering selling your home give us the opportunity to speak with you. Spending an hour with us can save you time and effort, help reduce the stress of selling your home or buying a new home and possibly save you hundreds of dollars in real estate commissions. One call is all we need and we will be pleased to meet with you. We are very interested in homes throughout Alberta but in particular Calgary real estate.
So please give us the opportunity of creating a winning solution for your needs.

5 Reasons Why Real Estate and Property Management Companies Should Embrace Local SEO

There are about 11 million companies, organizations, and business all over the world with Facebook pages and about 9 million who have claimed their Google Places Pages. These were the figures given by Facebook and Google as of June 2012. The reason for this boom is clearly due to the massive movement of Google to go local on its algorithm. What this means is that Google will now take the locale of a business when ranking its website, blog, or any relevant content about the business on searches.

This is the new trend. Unfortunately, not all real estate and property management companies see it. That being said if you are a real estate agent or property manager still on the fence on whether to claim your Google Places Page or set up a Facebook Business Page, here are 5 logical reasons to get you over that fence and into the realm of Google Search Domination.

More Visibility
The number one reason for getting into the Local SEO picture is because you want your business, your name, and your services to be seen by your target market online, particularly on Google. With a well-placed and optimized Google Places listing or page, you can be sure that your business will show up in the top 7 ranks for the keywords relevant to your business and locale. Facebook pages may not be put you in the top 7, but it will help you dominate searches on page 1 or page 2 of the results.

More Credibility
Let's face it, with a Google+ page, a Google Places listing, or a Facebook page in a search result, you are actually giving your business, name, and brand a big boost in the credibility scheme of things. This is due to the fact that these pages will contain crucial information such as your address, contact numbers, your website link, videos, and images.

Go Mobile
Having a smartphone and using it to hook up to the Internet is the trend these days. And in a year or two, you may soon find that a larger number of people have shifted to mobile devices rather than the traditional notebooks and desktop computers when searching for stuff on the net. Well, you can ride that trend to the bank if you have a Google Places Page and a Facebook page.

More Conversions
You are seen more, your business is more credible, and you have gone mobile - what does that mean? Yes, you guessed it right - more leads, more listings, more closed deals, and definitely more money for you.

Not Much Effort in It
Local SEO isn't something that will cost you a lot of money to do. Nor will it deprive you of the quality time you need with your family. It is relatively easy to get things going. Simply set up a Google Places page by signing up for Google+. Give Google the info it needs from you and verify that the page is owned by you. Once you are done, it is all about building your presence online to strengthen that new listing you just claimed. This will entail setting up a Facebook page, getting people to submit reviews for your business or service, and having people blog about you.

Local SEO is where the whole Internet is moving into with regards to searches. In the real estate game, being seen locally (in the areas you cover) is extremely important and right up your alley, so to speak. Now is the time to grab this trend by the balls and yank hard.

Real Estate and Wealth Expos

Going to local conferences and classes can be great way to learn more about different real estate and wealth building opportunities. Most people don't take advantage of these great opportunities which makes them an even better deal for you.

You may see many advertisements in your paper or on TV for free or low cost real estate or wealth building meetings in your town. I encourage you to take advantage of these opportunities at every chance you get.

Many people blow these meetings off as useless sales pitches, but if you get just one idea from it and you can make money from it, they are worth it. A lot of people don't go to these meetings because there is inevitably a sales pitch at the end. I admit that I don't like these parts of the programs myself, but usually I can get one or two ideas that can really help me in my part-time business.

Another advantage of going to these meetings is to meet like minded people who are also looking to increase their knowledge and build wealth. Networking with these people can lead to partnerships or mentoring opportunities. Ask other people around the room what their plans are or what they do to earn extra income. Find out how the guy next to you managed to buy his first rental property.

In order to get wealthy in your lifetime you must look for opportunities to expand your income. You won't get wealthy by trying to save money or by using coupons. You need to find a cash machine so that you can take that cash and reinvest it into wealth building assets.

Real Estate and Property Flipping

Opportunity breeds business and subsequent profits. How does one locate opportunities? One successful industrialist spoke the "golden words" that meant that if you give what people are dying to procure, you have a successful transaction and one can become a millionaire or even a billionaire in supplying what people need or want. Flipping property is one such area in the United States where most of the towns and cities provide opportunity to the entrepreneur for carrying out a legal successful business. If you know how to seek opportunity, you can make a lot of money! The profit margin that is considered to be reasonable needs to be well defined and the revenue generated in the flip property business can be significant if one takes a few knowledgeable steps in the right direction.

Anyone can get into this flipping property business with just a little bit of capital and a lot of perseverance or acumen in conducting viable deals. There are even e-books available on some sophisticated and dedicated websites that one can purchase with instant delivery for under S 30. These publications guide you step by step in understanding and carrying out the flip property technique. Many people have benefited through the e-books as can be read by the testimonials given on the websites. If you have an inclination in real estate and property dealings, the flip property opportunity could be all that you were waiting for!

Flipping real estate is not a difficult or unapproachable task and you only need to know the basics of the trade to initiate the deals. Buying flip property, fixing it up or getting it fixed up, and selling it at a reasonable profit constitutes the crux of the deal. It may sound a bit daring but to be honest the process is quite understandable if you take on a professional consulting firm in the flipping business. To learn more about these opportunities talk to your local realtor or survey the videos available on several websites in your city. Who knows, you may one day become a well known real estate flip property expert helping many who are in need of a comfortable and affordable home!

Real Estate and Homes - What to Expect When Attending an Open House

As a first time home buyer in Ahwatukee you are likely to encounter numerous first-time experiences. The process of buying your first home can be exhilarating and daunting all at the same time. During this process you may work with a real estate agent who will make appointments for you to view various homes for sale in the area that meet your needs. You may also have the opportunity to attend open houses. If you have never attended an open house, you may not know what to expect.

An open house provides multiple prospective buyers with the opportunity to view a property that is for sale during a window of time on a specified date. For example, an open house might be held from 2pm to 4pm on a Saturday afternoon. During that time real estate agents and buyers are encouraged to tour the home. The sellers may or may not be present during the open house.

When you first arrive you will likely be greeted by a real estate agent and asked to sign in. This will allow the agent to follow-up with you later regarding your interest in the home. In many cases you may also be provided with a flyer or brochure that details information about the home. Many real estate agents conduct tours of the home to new arrivals, while others encourage interested buyers to wander through the home and inspect it.

Refreshments are often provided at an open house as way to encourage buyers to feel at home and mingle while they are there. Generally, there will be a real estate agent present who will be able to answer questions you may have, but you should not expect to have the agent's undivided attention.

Do not be afraid to poke about, open closet doors and ask questions. Even if there are others present, including the sellers, you should take full advantage of the opportunity to find out as much as possible about the property. Purchasing a home is a big decision and an even bigger investment, so take full advantage.

If there are several open houses being held in the area where you want to buy on the same day you may find it helpful to carefully schedule your outings that day so that you can take advantage of the opportunity to attend as many as possible and find out what is available in the area before making a decision.

With that said; however, you should be prepared for the fact that there are often several prospective buyers who attend an open house and if the property is highly sought after more than one offer may be submitted on the property on the day of the open house. As a result, if you are interested in the property you should not delay in making an offer or you may find that it already has a contract on it by the time you get around to submitting an offer.