Realty Vs Real Estate Vs Real Property

Realty and personal property terms have often been confused as to what they exactly mean. Here we will clear that right up for you. We will look at the terms personal property, realty, land, real estate, and lastly real property.

Let's begin with personal property. Personal property also known as chattel is everything that is not real property. Example couches, TVs things of this nature. Emblements pronounced (M-blee-ments) are things like crops, apples, oranges, and berries. Emblements are also personal property. So when you go to sell your house, flip, or wholesale deal, you sell or transfer ownership by a bill of sale with personal property.

Realty.
Realty is the broad definition for land, real estate, and real property.

Land
Land is everything mother nature gave to us like whats below the ground, above the ground and the airspace. Also called subsurface (underground), surface (the dirt) and airspace. So when you buy land that's what you get, keep in mind our government owns a lot of our air space.

Real Estate
Real estate is defined as land plus its man made improvements added to it. You know things like fences, houses, and driveways. So when you buy real estate this is what you can expect to be getting.

Real property
Real property is land, real estate, and what's call the bundle of rights. The bundle of rights consist of five rights, the right to possess, control, enjoy, exclude, and lastly dispose. So basically you can possess, take control, enjoy, exclude others, and then dispose of your real property as you wish as long as you do not break state and federal laws.

Lastly there are two other types of property we should mention.

Fixture
Fixture is personal property which has been attached realty and by that now is considered real property. So you would ask yourself upon selling to determine value "did you attach it to make it permanent?" The exceptions to this rule are the garage door opener and door key, these are not considered fixtures.

Trade Fixtures
Trade fixtures are those fixtures installed by say a commercial tenant or can be the property of the commercial tenant.

I hope this clears up some misconceptions about personal property, realty, land and real estate and now fixtures and trade fixtures!

Real Estate Fort Lauderdale, FL Market and Trends

Fort Lauderdale, Florida is a booming market for real estate. As the city grows, so does the market and the trends also evolve with the growing population. Real estate in Fort Lauderdale, FL offers many waterfront condos and homes. With the current trend of low interest rates drawing its fair share of investors and individuals, real estate in Fort Lauderdale, FL is a hot commodity.

Situated approximately 23 miles north of Miami and 42 miles south of Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale's property values reflect its racy, prestigious neighbors. However, as home to Broward Community College, it does have a young, lively feel. It is this atmosphere that gives real estate in Fort Lauderdale, FL an appeal to all ages and commercial investors as well as home owners.

Fort Lauderdale is centrally located so that it has convenient access to a variety of cultural attractions and entertainment venues. There is an eclectic mix of baby boomers and young professionals who are swarming to Fort Lauderdale to purchase their home or vacation property. Real estate in Fort Lauderdale, FL appeals to young and old alike which makes it a generation jumping trend.

The city of Fort Lauderdale maintains a variety of professional, proactive economic development programs. These are designed to attract new employers as well as encourage expansion and retention of the city's existing companies. Commercial real estate in Fort Lauderdale, FL offers many opportunities as the city works with local, regional and state organizations in an effort to encourage economic development. As it attracts new businesses and industries, more people are attracted to the area as well.

As well as the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, Fort Lauderdale has three marine facilities. The New River/Downtown Docking sits in the heart of downtown in the Riverwalk area. The Las Olas Docks is located on the Intracoastal Waterway, near the beach. Cooley's Landing is situated next to the arts and science district. Each of these facilities are conveniently located throughout the city. This adds to the value of real estate in Fort Lauderdale, FL.

Choosing real estate in Fort Lauderdale, FL is a wise investment whether you are purchasing your dream home or prime commercial property. Fort Lauderdale offers a variety of options for lifestyles and all ages.

Real Estate 101

Peter Schiff video blog Oct 27th 2009 Also check me out on www.facebook.com and twitter.com

Real Estate - Where To Incorporate?

A lot of people remain curious for where they should incorporate.
There exist so many jurisdiction promoters. From the point of view of the favorable corporate law, Nevada and Delaware limit the liability of the directors.

In several cases, the law applied in lawsuit depends on the working of the corporation.

Nevada and Delaware offer maximum protection from the liability of director.
Shareholder privacy is most secured in Nevada as there is no state corporation income tax returned filed.

In almost all the cases, the benefit that we have described above can not be applied to your decision to incorporate.
This is because you are doing most of your business in your home state only.

A corporation that is doing business in its own state only has to register here as a 'foreign corporation' with the secretary of the state.

This is a process that involves some terms and conditions as well. You will have to pay an annual processing fees in both the states of incorporation and home state.

If you see some other states, such as Texas, you will find that filing fee is quite higher for a foreign entity than that for a domestic corporation.

Moreover, whatever you earn in your home state is taxable and your organisation has to file a return at the end of year.

The income earned in a foreign state is taxable too. You cannot expect yourself to avoid tax in a state with Nevada corporation.
You will have to show the identity of your shareholders if you file a return there.

Nov 2006 Peter Schiff Mortgage Bankers Speech Part 1 of 8

In 2006 Peter Schiff tells over 1000 mortgage brokers they are about to be out of jobs. Watch how he completely nails the coming real estate/mortgage debacle before anyone else even realized it was coming.

Attention Real Estate Developers - What Is In Your Business Plan?

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

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

Executive Summary

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

Brief description of the overall project. For example, develop a 4 star, 250 room luxury hotel in downtown St. Louis, Missouri.

Brief overview of the company - Is it a corporation, LLC, etc? Who are the owners and/or board members? Brief company history & experience level.

Brief summary of the market & demand.How large is the market and at what stage of development is the market currently in?
Brief summary of the competition and what separates you from them?
Brief description of key Management team members.

Key financials - total acquisition & construction costs, nature & use of funds, future revenue & expenses.

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

The Company

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

Project Description

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

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

The Market

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

The Marketing Plan

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

The Competition

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

The Management Team

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

Well what if this is your first project?

Then you want to make sure that you have an excellent support team in place. These team members should have the experience that you are lacking (team members doesn't necessarily mean company ownership). These team members can be legal, accounting, construction, architecture, etc. So for this section of the real estate development business plan, you will want to include:

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

The Financials

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

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

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

Use a table of contents, with numbered pages.
Make sure that the writing style is simple and conversational.
Don't use long or complex sentences.
Paragraphs should be short & simple.
Use graphics & pictures but don't get carried away.
Use charts & tables to back up your data.
State all sources of your data and studies.
Proofread your real estate development business plan for grammatical and spelling errors.
Have someone else proofread it for you.
If you have the resources, hire a professional business plan writer.

Seattle Real Estate Market - Historic Growth Trendline

We took a look at the recent release of the Case-Shiller Seattle index and the OFHEO Pacific index, as well as the implications for first time homebuyers.

A quick explanation, the Case-Shiller index essentially measures all housing prices (subprime, conforming, and Jumbo) in 30 geographic markets in the U.S. Seattle is one of those markets. The OFHEO index (Office of Federal Housing Oversight), on the other hand, measures a wider geographic range, dividing the data between East North Central U.S., Middle Atlantic, etc, rather than specific cities, like Seattle. The other critical difference between the two indexes is that the OFHEO index measures only conforming loans from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The methodologies of the two indices are essentially the same, but they measure different variables.

The latter distinction is critical, because the segment of the real estate market that has been hardest hit is the part of the market that was articificially inflated with the use of the new derivative related loans: subprime, Alt-A, Jumbo.

February 1991 to June 2004 Growth Trend Line: 4.50%...We are using this time period because this is when the data began for the OFHEO index. The Case-Shiller data goes back an additional year, but using February 1991 allows us to use the same time period for both Case-Shiller and OFHEO.

Growth Rates During The Bubble: 2004 to 2007Case-Shiller Seattle Index: 11.52% annualized (Begin June 2004, Peak July 2007)

OFHEO Pacific Index: 9.95% annualized (Begin June 2004, Peak April 2007)

Current Status:

For the price data through March 2008, the two indexes are both still above the 4.5% long term price trend, with the OFEHO Index further along in the correction process (closer to the long term growth line). As of the March 2008 data (published in late May 2008) the OFHEO index is 7.19% above the long term growth trend line, while the Case-Shiller index is still 28.13% above the trendline.

Our reading of the data is that the Jumbo market in the Seattle Area is due for a continuation of the correction it has experienced. Given the current financing alternatives available, including the new expanded conforming loans (in the Seattle market this amount is $567,500), I would define the Seattle Jumbo Home market as those homes selling for $620,000 and above. This is the price range we expect to see the greatest deterioration in prices moving forward.

However, keep in mind, another major part of the equation that we have not addressed in this article, is housing affordability. As interest rates rise and the probability of rising unemployment at least through 2009, housing becomes less affordable, which would act to further dampen home prices in the Seattle market.

First Time Home Buyer Implications:

For First Time Home Buyers in the Seattle market, however, the implications are considerably different. Assuming that a FTHB is using an FHA loan, with the current allowance of 3% gifting from a non-profit organization paid by the seller, with 6% closing allowance paid by the seller, this 9% total allowance in closing costs more than compensates for the 7.19% OFHEO Pacific index is above long term trend.

Given the fact that the Senate appears poised to eliminate the 3% Gift provision from non-profit organizations such as Nehemiah, AmeriDream, etc. I would suggest that now is actually very rational time for a first time homebuyer to be considering a home purchase.

Conclusion:

Given the current state of the mortgage lending markets, where a lack of liquidity persists; the increase in interest rates from higher inflationary expectations, an unfavorable view of the expected employment situation through 2009, it appears that Seattle real estate, especially in the high end of the market, will continue to struggle at least through the 1st quarter of 2009.

Sources: Standard and Poor's Case-Shiller Home Price Index

Sources: OFHEO Pacific Home Price Index

02/08/10 - Market Sell-off and Preparing for Risk

American Football - Stay Home

Finally, my first indie upload of a band I love and also I wish didn't break up. I know Mike Kinsella has continued onto other things but nothing matches how good American Football is. Though Owen is infact awesome, American Football was my first love. Also uploaded right before the Super Bowl. ha I know there is a wiki entry about this band name being a joke much like the band name (Sunny Day Real Estate). Nontheless enjoy some American Football that I've never seen uploaded onto youtube. This band was great. Expect more indie uploads in the future too. ***Addendum*** Thanks so much for all the views and the comments! I didn't expect this video to blow up like it did. Over 30000 views now! When I first uploaded this I didn't realize quite yet how many people were into this band. I bought this off interpunk and there were only positive reviews, but wow finding this band was like finding Sunny Day Real Estate in the late 90's. Another revelation. This was my first indie song upload. I wish I did a better job with the video/sound, but thanks again for your interest in American Football! Please check my video response if you want to see a instrumental American Football song set to a picture slideshow, I am extremely proud of! Notes: These were mostly digi cam shots. I wish the shots of the inner booklet came out better, but alas my digi cam I guess isn't good enough to pick them up. I tried to type some lyrics out for fun on a blank pic I got ha but as usual when it gets ...

How to Negotiate in Tough Situations

A piece of a David Knox seminar talking about commission objections in the Real Estate market. www.davidknox.com

Google Base and Real Estate Listings - Ignored by Real Estate Agents?

Google has expanded again, this time moving into the world of real estate--or at least real estate listing services. Their website, called Google Base, launched in November 2005, and lists properties for sale, which can be uploaded free. Home buyers can narrow their search by typing in particular areas, such as "San Francisco real estate."

Although the information isn't nearly as complete as the typical MLS listing, the new Google service allows buyers the opportunity to search with more anonymity than most similar sites. Before Google Base, viewers were generally asked to reveal personal information before they were given a chance to look at properties, and that information was then used as leads for agents.

It's a free advertising vehicle for agents, similar to Realtor.com, but doesn't offer nearly the choices of the actual MLS. However, the site has been up and running for less than a year, so it's yet to be determined what the site will eventually look like, in terms of the number of properties and the site's overall features. For instance, buyers can currently narrow their search by ZIP Code or county, but it's not yet possible to search specific neighborhoods within a target area.

Perhaps the biggest change is that buyers can search for real estate listings through Google itself, rather than having to go onto the World Wide Web for information. The basic concept is similar to craigslist--the popular site that allows people to buy and sell goods and services nationwide.

At the moment, only properties that have been uploaded by agents appear on Google Base, but time will tell if Google will expand the information to include properties that have been "spidered" from World Wide Web listings on other sites. There will likely be a considerable amount of debate as to whether information that's traditionally been held solely by the MLS will ultimately become accessible to all home buyers. If the trend toward open access continues, it's possible that home buyers will gain access to what has previously been available only to real estate agents.

Eventually, the MLS may finding itself needing to enter into some sort of partnership agreement with Google Base, that is, unless they decide to team up with one of the other two search engine giants, Yahoo or MSN. Only time will tell how this latest Google venture will play out, but as always, it will be consumer demand that dictates the final outcome.

It seems as though real estate agents haven't taken to Google Base in all areas. In a search for Lake Elsinore, California, few of the listings available on MLS came up on Google Base. Interestingly, Trulia.com uses the Google Base map and more properties came up listed on Trulia.

Copyright © 2006 Jeanette J. Fisher

4981 Oak Tree Court, Yorba Linda, CA

For more information about this property, please contact First Team Real Estate at 866-938-5812. View all our videos at www.youtube.com Company website www.firstteam.com MLS ID P734633 ***SINGLE STORY POOL HOME***Light and bright open floorplan with high vaulted ceilings***New interior paint and carpet ~ neutral colors***Formal living room and dining room combination with view of pool***Separate family room that opens to spacious kitchen***Casual eating area in kitchen***Spacious master suite with view of pool***Pool had been recently acid washed***Convenient side patio (covered) off the kitchen ~ great for BBQs*** Covered patio off living room***Low maintenance yard with planting areas***Pool has security gate***This is in the new Yorba Linda High School district.

Three Skills Necessary to Be Successful in Real Estate Investing

Success in real estate investing is all about knowing what to buy and how you approach the deal. Real estate investment therefore requires some specific skill sets that can be developed and honed. This article highlights three skills that you might want to develop to be more successful in your real estate investing business.

Firstly, interpersonal skills are important in real estate negotiations. What breaks or makes a deal usually is whether you have good interpersonal skills and are able to make the other party trust you. Spend time establishing rapport when you meet prospective sellers and then try to apply the win win formula so that they feel the value in doing a transaction with you and maybe recommend their friends to sell property to you in the future.

An example of this was when John talked to the seller of a large factory, the boss told him that what they needed now was cash flow and they did not want to move out of the property. So John did a sell and lease back transaction with the boss and today he has a good tenant and owns a factory building which he bought at a reduced rate.

Secondly, to be successful in real estate investment, you need to be able to do simple maths analysis of the monthly cashflow and analyze the longer term appreciation prospects of the real estate investment property that you are interested in. Spending time to analyze your buying price relative to similar units in the area is important and buying
it at an under value is always good.

Alternatively, when buying properties that you want to improve, always spend time doing the sums on how much the repairs and renovation will cost and if you are new to the fix and flip real estate sphere, bring your contractor and architect along to ascertain whether the deal is feasible.

Thirdly, real estate bargain hunting requires persistency as you might have to look at hundreds of properties before you find a property that you think can yield good rental returns and is suitable for you to buy. Remember that similarly, not all foreclosure and auction sites represent bargains. Make an appointment to go down to the property and physically examine it to satisfy yourself that it meets your requirements. Staying persistent in your search for the right real estate investment is thus key to making a good real estate acquisition.

In conclusion, take some time to examine whether you have the three skills sets mentioned above and then take massive action to start looking for your next real estate bargain. Believe in yourself today and focus on achieving your real estate investment goals. Carpe Diem!

By Joel Teo 2006 All Rights Reserved

Real Estate Inspection - Do Your Own

Why should you do your own real estate inspection? To get a better deal. It isn't necessary to learn building codes, and you probably should use a professional inspector in any case. The point of learning what to look for is to have negotiating points.

Home Inspection Checklist

With a good inspection checklist, you won't forget things. There are more than a hundred items on my own list. Could you keep all those in mind as you walk through a property? Did you remember to look for water stains on the basement walls the last time you looked at a house? Bring a list!

A good list is organized by area of the house, usually starting outside. As you walk around and then through the home, check each item on the list. Be sure to take notes. If the gutter is coming loose on the side of the house, write that down, along with notes about rotten wood or anything else associated with it.

Don't worry if you don't know the difference between 12-gauge and 14-gauge wiring. The point isn't to become an expert on all the building trades, as useful as that would be. Just use what you do know. Note if something looks "odd" or "smells funny." Then you can have a professional inspector have a closer look.

Real Estate Inspection As A Negotiating Tool

You can, of course, just make an offer on a home with an inspection clause. Then, after an inspector goes in, you can re-negotiate the price based on his findings. This is a common way of doing it. The problem is that it can often offend the seller, and blow the deal. Would you like somebody to drop their offer by $10,000 after they already put it in writing?

A better way is to find as many problems with the property as you can, BEFORE making the offer. That way you can take all of these things into account. Also, a list of the problems presented with an offer is a good impersonal (therefore non-offensive) way to negotiate a lower price.

You don't have to be a carpenter to note that a railing is loose. You can see if a home needs new paint. Real estate inspection can start with simple things like these, and end with a better price for you.

Real Estate Investing - Where Do I Get My Leads?

The most important part of real estate always comes back to finding leads. If you have no leads you have no deals and without deals you will make absolutely nothing. I know when I first started in real estate investing; I gave up real quickly because I could not get any leads. After putting up bandit signs and taking them down each and every weekend, I was not only exhausted, but I did not get any leads. Sure I had a few calls, but it was nowhere near the amount of calls that I had wanted. Now, that is not to say that bandit signs do not work because they absolutely do!

So, back to the topic: Where do I get my leads?

Bandit Signs
Bandit Signs do work. The success you will receive using bandit signs depends on a few things, mainly location, size, reach, and what the sign reads.

Location: Your signs need to be where people driving will actually have a chance to read the sign not just be able to see the sign. I have paid people to put up signs for me and I have never been as mad as I was when I was driving and saw one of my signs on the side of a 55mph road. There was no stop sign, no stop light, there was no reason why anyone driving on that road should ever see that sign. Clearly the best spots for signs are at 4 way stops that have a lot of traffic. Whether traffic stops for a stop light or a stop sign does not matter that much, but it does make a difference. Think about it! At a stop light everyone stops, the traffic backs up, and then everyone goes at the same time. Well, at least they are all hopefully moving slow at this point. But, if you can find a high congestion four way stop with a stop sign, everyone will see the sign. Every person must stop, then go, then stop, then go; until they actually reach the stop sign, they have plenty opportunity to read your sign and write down the number. So the keys to sign location are high congestion areas where traffic is forced to stop!

Size: Size is important. If your sign is too small to read from a distance, then the person reading the sign may not have time to get the number, which does you no good. One thing you could also do that may help in this situation is to have a website. Every real estate investor should have a website, but that is a whole different article. Make your website with a catchy name. It is much easier to remember a catchy name than a phone number. That is of course unless your phone number actually does spell something catchy. The point is, your sign needs to be big enough so that those driving by will take a few steps; first notice your sign, then read your sign, and then actually write down the number!

Reach: By reach I mean your signs need to be everywhere. The point is they may see the sign and be thinking about it. But when they see your signs all over town, it gets put into their heads. Not to mention if they missed the number, well they will see your sign again 200 yards down the road and have another opportunity to read the number. Believe me, when you start looking for bandit signs, you will notice a lot more than you thought.

What the sign reads: Now this is important and encompasses not only what the sign reads but how it is presented. If you are a foreclosure investor, get signs that say "AVOID FORECLOSURE". If you are a lease option investor, get signs that say "We Buy Houses- We Take Over Payments". The sign will work better and you will prescreen your callers by getting signs that meet the criteria of the deals you like to work.

This is not to say that the standard "WE BUY HOUSES" signs are bad. If you like to work any type of deal and want lots of calls, this is a good path for you. When I mentioned above how a sign is presented I mean color and shape. I recently saw signs near my home that were shaped like houses. This caught my attention and things like this may work for your area. People are starting to become accustomed to signs and not pay attention, but if your sign looks different, it will catch the eyes of more people.

Classifieds
The classifieds are another great place to look for leads. There are a few sections in the paper you will want to pay attention to. Namely you want to look in the FSBO section and the For Rent section.

FSBO: This section can lead you to good deals by directly contacting the owners. The owners of these houses may not be the best candidates, but if they have been running the same ad for months, they may be willing to take a discount on the home. You can usually go online and view the time length a property has been posted in the classifieds. By doing this you can weed out the newer listings with the older, but this is not to say that a newly posted classified does not have a motivated seller behind it. Also in the FSBO section, keep an eye out for numbers that are out of area. If you see this, you have found a winning ticket. If someone lives out of area they could have moved for a number of reasons but the fact is most people do not want to own homes other than the ones they live in currently. They could have been relocated for a job, gotten a divorce and moved, any number of reasons. If you see a number from an out of town area code, call immediately!

For Rent: In the For Rent section you will find a lot of burnt out landlords. Some landlords even have places you might be able to take over with existing positive cash flows but the landlord is just tired of being a landlord. If you can find a good lead in this section you may be able to get more than one home in a bulk deal. This is a great place to look for leads. Just call the landlord and start talking, more often then not they will spill there guts and you will have a great lead.

Business Cards
This one may not seem so important, but it can prove to be huge. Every time you talk to someone about your real estate investing business, give them three business cards. Why three? Because then that person has two that they can give out. This does not mean that they will but if you made a lasting impression, many people will pass your cards on. It is also important to have two sided business cards. Have your contact information on one side of the card and a short description of what you do. This is also a great way to get bird-dogs. You can put everything on the back, including what you do and then you should also add "$500 finding fee paid to those who refer deals." That one line right there will grow your business. The whole idea with business cards is to help your business grow through word of mouth. It works. If you are able to shock someone by what you do and have tons of enthusiasm they will pass the cards on. I know I have done exactly that many times and it has actually shaped the way in which I do business today.

Direct Mail
Direct mail campaigns WORK. The problem is that you need to have some money to start out with. As real estate investors, especially getting started this is usually the problem. But when you have some money saved up direct mail can get people to call you! Post cards are generally better than envelopes, but if you use envelopes you should hand write everything. Now where do you get these leads? Well, from a number of sources (which can also generate general leads). You can get leads from the courthouse, local paper, list service providers, MLS, probate court, there are tons of ways to get leads that would be great candidates for a direct mail campaign.

Housing Court
This is a great source for motivated sellers. Make some calls and find out where you have to file for an eviction of a tenant (if you already don't know). This is a great place because if someone is being evicted then they are not paying. If they are not paying the landlord still has to pay the monthly mortgage. And finally if they still have to make that mortgage but are having trouble due to a late tenant, you have a motivated seller. Call these people up and just start talking to them about there house or building. Say you were driving by, liked the house, and asked the tenant for the number. I don't know where the conversation will go but you can easily come up with an excuse to start talking about the property. Right away you should be able to tell if they are a motivated seller. A lot of times you can tell by the tone in their voice.

These are just a few of the ways to get good, qualified leads for your real estate investing business. The important thing is that you get leads from multiple sources. If you have only one way of getting good leads and that source stops to produce, you are out of luck. But if you have 20 ways of generating leads and one source stops producing, your business will continue and eventually you will be able to replenish that source or get a new source.

Arthur Robinson jr interviews Jim Randel the absolute acreage Expert.

This video is only supposed to be viewed through powerfulinterviews.com, not this youtube channel. These videos are placed here to be embedded on our main web site. If you would like to see the correct videos for viewing, you can see Arthur's new youtube channel at: youtube.com/arthurrobinsonjr, or you can go to powerfulinterviews.com. Thank you.

Real Estate Agent - How They Make Money

Have you ever wondered how your real estate agent gets paid? Sure, there is talk of commission, percentages, fees, closing costs- all of these are broken down at closing. But, what does he actually get? Surprisingly, you do not pay your agent a commission. Only a licensed broker can get paid a commission and he is the one who pays your agent. There are also a number of ways to divvy up the pay. The person who worked so hard to sell or find your house may not be making as much as you think. Here are some of the ways the money makes it to your representative:

A real estate agent works for a licensed broker or brokerage house. When he brings a client to the table, either for buying or selling, an agreement is signed between the client and the brokerage house. Typically when a sale is made, an average of 6% of the sale price is commission for the brokers. It is not always a straight split, but close to half, which goes to the broker representing the seller and the buyer.

Once the commission is divided up between the houses, the brokers then decide how much to pass down to the agent who actually did the leg work. This amount varies depending on experience, time with the company and the productivity level of the representative. A brand new representative may only get thirty percent of the cut where as a seasoned pro that brings in a ton of business, may get half or more of the proceeds.

Another option is that the agent gets all of the commission, but pays a monthly fee to the brokerage house. This is sort of a rent. He gets an office and uses the company name to back his reputation. This is an attractive deal to many representatives, because they pay the same amount every month, no matter how much they make. For new people to the business who have not built up a client list and do not benefit from word-of-mouth yet, the traditional split is usually preferable, because they may not make enough every month to make the set payment.

There are some factors that eat into the final profit made by the brokerage house and the representative. If the house is a franchise, there is a fee that must be paid to them out of every commission. Sometimes referrals come into play as well. If a brokerage house sends a customer to you, they will want a referral fee. There is a percentage that also comes out of the commission.

Typically, this commission is paid by the seller at closing. However, depending on the type of market, this is negotiable. Another negotiable point is how the commission is divided. If you are having a difficult time in selling, because the market is flooded with houses, you may want your representative to offer a bigger cut of the commission to the buyer's representative. This may help close the deal.

So, as you can see, there is more to the payment than simply figuring 6%. After everyone else gets the money, your real estate agent is then paid the amount.

Project Camelot Interviews George Green - Part 2 of 2

George Green: Messages for the Ground Crew Part 2 of 2 Spokane, Washington, April 2008 projectcamelot.org George Green's career extends from military service in the USAF (where he encountered alien disk craft in a remote hanger at Edwards AFB), through "playing monopoly" in corporate banking and large-scale construction, to working closely with the Pleiadians and other benevolent intelligences to "wake people up" in preparation for coming changes. Very few people we have talked to have a span of personal experience - and contacts - which is this broad. As George describes, he "used to run around with the big boys". He was asked to build an enemy prisoner-of-war camp in downtown Las Vegas - he refused - and was asked to be Finance Chairman for the Carter administration, but declined after it became clear to him that the ethics of many of the senior players were heavily compromised. Shortly after he turned down the offer, his loans were called in and he lost many millions of dollars as finance was removed from dozens of major construction projects. Undeterred, George rebuilt his world and is in direct contact with Pleiadian intelligences and other beings. He has devoted his life to spreading the word that all is not as it seems. His very important free e-book, Handbook for the New Paradigm, has been read by millions all over the world. George is a delight to listen to: relaxed, friendly and humorous. He has an extremely serious message: there is very little time left in ...

Things Are Looking Down

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Real Estate Investor Business Plan for Beginners

If you're brand new to real estate investing, here are a few things that you can do that will help put you on your way to financial success.

First, it's worthwhile to make yourself a real estate investor business plan. Just like any other business, you need a business plan.

Next, do your homework as to mortgage rates and the various terms that are available through lending institutions. Again, your real estate agent can be quite helpful, since part of their job description is to keep up on that sort of thing. A difference of even a couple percentage points on a mortgage or contract can add up to significant profits for you down the line.

Do your best to get yourself prequalified for financing before you begin your search. This can be very helpful if it's important to move quickly on a particular piece of property that may get snapped up by someone else if you don't act fast. It can also provide you with a psychological bargaining chip, to let the seller know that you're serious about buying the property.

It may seem to go without saying, but you need to have a clear idea of what type of property you want. If you're not comfortable being a landlord, for instance, you certainly don't want to start snapping up every rental house that comes your way. You might do better to buy fixer houses, do the repairs, and flip them.

With your goals clear in your mind, go look at properties--lots of them, so you'll become a knowledgeable consumer. It's like shopping for any other commodity. You have to know a great buy when you see one, and then be ready to act. Keep lots of notes while you're looking at properties, because you'll tend to get confused after you've seen a considerable number of possibilities. Work out a rating system, stay focused, take notes, and be ready to snap up a property that offers great income potential.

Make offers based on inspections. This is important, and gives you an easy out if something about the property isn't what you thought it was at first. You want to know every problem, so you can calculate how addressing that problem will affect your bottom line.

If you start out with a professional attitude, using a real estate investor business plan, you'll be well on your way to achieving success as a real estate investor.

Copyright © 2006 Jeanette J. Fisher

NEW-Steve Wynn fights With Reporter 1 of 4

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Why Phoenix Real Estate is a Good Choice

For those who are relocating to Phoenix, Arizona or current residents who may be looking for a new home, the best choice is to use a reputable Phoenix real estate agency to help you find one of the Phoenix homes for sale. Attempting to locate Phoenix homes for sale without using a Phoenix real estate agency can be a frustrating and lengthy process because of all the Phoenix homes that are available on the market at any given time. One of the best reasons to contract with a Phoenix real estate agency is to make it easy for buyers to find Phoenix AZ real estate and for sellers to connect with buyers who are looking for real estate in Phoenix, Arizona.

Although it is possible to find some properties that are available directly from the sellers, most Phoenix real estate is listed with an agency in order to make the process flow smoother and to allow buyers to have access to a larger network of Phoenix homes for sale. Working with a Phoenix, Arizona real estate agent can help a seller with presenting his home to the largest community of buyers. Although newspaper advertising may work for some things a person sells, it is much more practical to sell your home through a realtor.

For the seller utilizing the services of a Phoenix, Arizona real estate agency means he does not have to do any advertising, be responsible for showing the home, or negotiating the price of the home. In fact, most real estate agencies prefer the seller to leave the home when they are selling in order to prevent the seller from providing any negative feedback to the potential buyer. Leaving everything up to a Phoenix real estate agency takes the responsibility of presenting the property from the seller to the real estate agent who is more experienced in how to secure the sale of Phoenix homes.

One of the most important things is for a buyer to work with his own Phoenix real estate instead of using the services of the listing agent. This protects the buyer because the listing agent is working in the best interest of the seller rather than the buyer. It is essential for the buyer to have someone who does not have a vested interest in the seller and therefore will work with a buyer to help him or her find the property they want. Realtors work from both the seller's and the buyer's angle which is why it is essential for a buyer to secure his own real estate agent and settlement attorney. Buying a home is the biggest investment you will make, and you want to be sure the transaction proceeds smoothly and there are no problems that may develop after the sale is closed.

Everything Old is New Again

RedVsBlue.com for more! Episode 20 introduces the character Doc to the Blood Gulch, and to the Blues. Originally released at RedvsBlue.com in summer 2004.

Real Estate Investing: Infomercial and Mentoring Scams

Flipping through late-night infomercials recently, I saw two real estate get-rich quick schemes, and I couldn't help but wonder--why do people still fall for those old scams? Has anyone really talked a seller out of his home for no money down with owner financing lately?

Real estate infomercials do great harm to beginning investors, who waste hundreds of dollars on old information. Worse yet, those beginners soon get discouraged and miss out on the true (and profitable) adventure of real estate investing.

One of the most popular late night infomercial shows tells beginners that it's possible to make a fortune by buying houses with no money down and then renting them out to cover the monthly payments. It's true that you can buy a home for no money down, but the requirements include having good credit, good income, and the home should be owner-occupied.

Rentals don't normally qualify for no money down financing. Institutional lenders aren't supposed to make no money down loans on investment properties, and even if you could buy an investment home with no money down, the monthly payments would generally eat up the rent.

Late-night scammers also claim that investors can get owners to pay the closing costs, including the down payment. But when a lender asks where your down payment will be coming from, saying, "the seller" is not the right answer! Today's sellers are also fairly savvy, and understand that with no money invested in a property, a buyer could easily walk away and leave them with a home that's been ruined by careless tenants.

Another TV program offers a bogus system for buying houses at ridiculous prices, but think about it: has anyone bought a home, free and clear, for $345.00 at a tax sale recently? Hordes of investors flock to the tax sales in the area where I live, bidding up the prices of foreclosure properties far beyond a few cents on the dollar. It just doesn't happen.

Today, another real estate investment scam is popular in Southern California. Here's how it works: a young person we'll call Charles charged $4,000 on his credit card to hire a real estate "mentor," after the mentor wined and dined him at a fancy Beverly Hills restaurant.

In exchange for the fee, the mentor instructed Charles to find distressed houses by driving around the area and writing down the addresses of ugly houses in nice neighborhoods. Once Charles had given him the addresses, the mentor obtained the owner's address and sometimes a phone number. Then it was up to Charles to call the owners and talk them into selling their houses for no money down, and carrying the paper (mortgage), too!

I met Charles when he called me about buying a property that my husband and I had on the market for $1.2 million. When I asked him how such a young man was going to make the payments on $1.2 million home, he told me that he planned to rent the house out for enough to make the payments.

As a real estate investor myself, I tried not to laugh at his naivete, and after talking to Charles and listening to his frustration about trying so hard to follow his mentor's advice, I offered to help him find a property, and I'm happy to say that Charles now owns his own home. But he'll still have to spend years paying off a $4,000 credit card bill.

If you want to make money as a real estate investor, a good first step is to buy your own home, like Charles did. You can do that for no money down if you have good credit, or for a relatively little amount of money down if your credit is poor. Once you've purchased your own home, fix it up and then either sell it or refinance it and use your profits as the down payment on an investment property.

Don't pay hundreds of dollars for out-dated methods that may have worked in the middle of last century! They're a waste of your time and money. Real estate investing is truly a great way to make a fortune, but you must stick to tried-and-true proven strategies, ones that work in today's real estate market.

Copyright © Jeanette J. Fisher

They're action your abode on this...

www.telegraph.co.uk

Flipping Real Estate

Many beginning real estate investors get started by flipping real estate to make quick cash. If you would like to make more money by investing in real estate, you need to know a few essentials.

What is the definition of real estate flipping?

Simple definition: Buying property and reselling quickly, hopefully for a great profit. Usually, people think of flipping houses, or the buying and selling of a home fast, as the only way to make money flipping real estate. However, some investors specialize in other types of real estate such as land or strip centers.

Some confusion arises over the process of making money flipping property. People who specialize in finding bargain real estate, obtain a purchase contract, and then sell the contract before taking title to the property are known as "Bird Dogs." These beginning real estate investors get started with no money down by:
Finding a seller under stress with a bargain property
Securing a sales contractSelling their contract for roughly $500 to $5,000 to a seasoned real estate investor


Isn't real estate flipping illegal?

Flipping real estate isn't illegal. However, many unscrupulous investors committed mortgage fraud to make fast money. Some of these investors, working with mortgage brokers and appraisers, resold houses to unqualified buyers inflating the property value and home buyer's qualifications. Often these home purchases had no money or little money down. When these new home owners defaulted on the mortgage payment, the mortgage lenders lost money because the house wasn't worth the inflated purchase price.

To avoid legal problems in real estate flipping, don't commit mortgage fraud.

To make money real estate flipping:

1. Prepare your financing so you can close on a deal quickly.

2. Learn your market so you know what makes a good deal.

3. Find a bargain property owned by a seller under stress to sell.

4. Secure a purchase contract in your favor.

5. During escrow, plan your selling actions.

6. Close on the property on time.

7. Immediately set your selling plan into action. If the property needs fixing, be prepared to get this done right away.

8. Market your property to your target market. Don't just list the property and hope for the best.

9. Find a qualified buyer. Have a loan officer check to make sure your buyer meets all the mortgage requirements.

10. Stay legal. Don't use an inflated appraisal. Don't gift your buyer the down payment. Don't help your buyer create false W2s, write phony credit letters, or prepare any false documents. You can pay many of your buyer's closing costs to make the purchase easier.

You can make money flipping real estate. Buy low, sell for full-market value, avoid mortgage fraud, and enjoy your profits!

Copyright © Jeanette J. Fisher

6/25/2009 Peter Schiff On The Glenn Beck Show: National Energy Tax Bill (Update: Passed By House)

Visit www.PhilDeCarolis.com tosign up for my free weekly newsletter that includes Economic and Real Estate updates or for more Peter Schiff videos and real estate advice from an experienced Investor Let me help you protect and grow your wealth NOW before it is too late. Contact me right away for a referral to my own personal broker with Euro Pacific Capital that can advise you on the purchase of precious metals (Gold, Silver, etc..), Commodities And/Or Foreign Dividend paying stocks to hedge against rising prices and your loss of hard earned wealth. Join me in preserving your savings so that we can utilize our retained purchasing power to purchase Discounted/Cash Flowing California Real Estate Assets at the bottom of this downturn for pennies on the dollar.

A Good Real Estate Letter is the Real Deal

It seems like I've written at least a couple of hundred real estate letters over the last year. So, it may surprise you when I say "I hate writing letters." Writing for me is a stomach knotting, finger tightening, forehead creasing, gut wrenching experience. I guess that's why I avoid writing them as often as I do.

However, there's one good thing about the tortuous experience of writing letters and that's this...I love what a good real estate letter does for my business. A good letter generates leads that can be leveraged into paying customers, customers who buy, sell and rent real estate. Nothing has had as big an impact on my real estate business as has a single, but well written letter.

I wish I could say that my letters are magical, but they aren't. However, what I've come to realize is that somewhere along the way of becoming good marketer is that I learned the formula for letter writing success. Specifically, the letters are not about how good I am, but rather a reflection of how well I address the needs of the readers.

Real Estate Letter to Sellers

For example, most sellers want to sell their homes as fast as they can and for the most money they can get. So, my letters to them tend to emphasize the things that I do to effectively market their real estate; networking with agents known for always having buyers, spelling out the unique ways I'll market their home (e.g., market to grad students, college professors, physicians, investors, law enforcement personnel, fortune 500 company employees, etc.).

I tell them the things that they want to hear and then deliver on what I promise. I also sell them on the idea that I'll be available to them 24/7, while secretly hoping that they don't call at 2:00 AM. But just between me and you I'd be okay if they did.

Real Estate Letter to Buyers

On the other hand, letters to buyers emphasizes finding them a good deal, no matter how long it takes. Of course you want to sell buyers homes as fast as you can, but you have to respect the fact that they'll be spending hundreds of thousands of dollars, so a little patience is in order.

The difference between rushing a buyer into a home after only 2-3 three days of looking verses 2 weeks of looking before they find the perfect home is HUGE. In the first instance they'll know that you're all about you and that your main goal is to make a sale. However, in the second example they're likely to think that you have their best interests at heart and are therefore good candidates for a lifelong relationships...and referrals.

Capturing A Readers Interest

Summarily, an effective real estate letter captures a readers interest and compels them to action. It starts with an attention grabbing opening line that makes them stop and actually think about what you have posed. That's followed by a solution to their proposed expressed as a teaser. To get all of the specifics of your solution will require them to pick up the phone and call you.

But when it's all said and done I still hate writing letters, but I love what they do for my business.