Indian Property Listing

New Investments Will Boost Demand For Properties For Sale in Gurgaon

2010-12-01T04:30:00.001-08:00

The proposed new investments in the property sector in India will boost demand for properties for sale in Gurgaon. Reportedly, an additional investment of approximately 1.5 billion USD via foreign direct investment and institutional investment in India is expected to come to the property sector in India in the coming years. This new investment will definitely have a direct bearing on the property market in Gurgaon. Naturally, this will boost up the demand for properties for sale in the urban stretch. Most of the new investors are reportedly interested in the purchase of Gurgaon properties. The main participants of the additional fund are reportedly RedFort Capital, Xander Real Estate Partners, ICICI Prudential Infrastructure Fund, Sun Apollo and HDFC India Real Estate Fund. They have identified properties suitable for development and housing projects in the urban stretch.

Industry insiders in the region concur that the new investments will boost up the demand for properties for sale in Gurgaon. The property market has been in a slump for a year or so due to the recent financial slackness felt in the global market. Right now, the Gurgaon property market is in a recuperating phase in which there is some appreciation in prices over the preceding quarter. In fact, on an average there is an approximate appreciation of 8% to 10% in prices of residential properties during the preceding 6 months over the prices during the preceding period. In the case of commercial properties, however, in the prime locations like DLF Phase I, DLF Phase II, Sushant Lok II and Sushant Lok III, there has been an average increase of 10% to 15% in prices during the corresponding period. With the new investment, this will further go up making investment in Gurgaon properties for sale a lucrative option.

The new investments in Indian property sector will definitely boost up the demand of Gurgaon properties for sale. Abhishek Kiran Gupta, research head of the property consultants of global repute, Jones Lang LaSalle Meghraj (JLLM) categorically maintains: "While abnormally large returns can be found in specific projects throughout the country, we have limited our analysis to India's seven largest cities due to high residential demand from their large populations, relatively higher transparency levels and presence of premium regional and national developers. In order to round out our top 10 list, we have also included three additional noteworthy cities which we feel have the potential to provide significant returns to investors." Understandably, Gurgaon is a prime location for these new investments and hence it will boost up the demand for properties for sale in Gurgaon.

Joseph Smith have 3+ years of experience in content writing of Gurgaon Properties, Gurgaon Property Dealers, Gurgaon Property, Property India.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_Golu_Smith

Intellectual Property and Its Pervasiveness in Industry Trade and Commerce

2010-12-01T04:29:00.001-08:00

Intellectual Property And Its Pervasiveness In Industry Trade And Commerce.

What Is Intellectual Propoerty:-

Property which comes from the Human Brain and for which Government gives protection is called Intellectual Property Right(IPR). Trademark.Patent,copyright,geographical location are few examples of Intellectual Property(IP). Intellectual property has gained in prominence in many fields of business in recent times. Today, it is a major asset for many of the world's most powerful companies. The intellectual property of a company is its legally protectable and exploitable invisible assets .It is a sub-set of assets known as "intangibles". The term "intellectual property (IP)" refers to property in a legal sense. It is something which can be owned and dealt with. The legal rights that give rise to intellectual property are usually referred to as "intellectual property rights (lPRs)". There are several types of IPRs that qualify as intellectual property. The most widely known lP category is patents. Other categories include copyrights, trade marks, design rights, trade secrets and plant breeders' rights. In the emerging knowledge economy, lP has become a critical success factor for most high- It is an Intangible Asset.But the future benefits to be derived is uncertain. Hence valuation cannot be made correctly.

It has no objectivity or supporting documents unlike our accounting system which is based on objectivity.

HISTORICAL BACKDROP LEADING TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF (Intellectual Property Rights)IPRs:-

For most of the 19th century, the USA provided no copyright protection for foreign

authors; the argument was that it needed the freedom to copy in order to educate the new nation. Similarly, parts of Europe built their industries by copying the inventions of

others. The same model was followed later by Japan and even later, after the second world war, by both South Korea and Taiwan.

Today, however, developing countries do not have the luxury to take their time over lntellectual Property Rights (IPR). As a part of the trade deal hammered out nine years ago, countries joining the World Trade Organisation (WTO) also signed up to TRIPS (trade-related aspects of IPR), which include patents, copyright, trade marks, trade secrets, geographical indicators and such other items. The poor-er countries of the world were given until 2006 to comply in full with the requirements of this treaty.

Contrary to popular perception, TRIPS does not create a universal patent system..

Rather, it lays down the ground rules describing the protection that a country's legal system must provide, Much of the recent debate over the impact of IPR on the poor has

centred on the issues of access to expensive medicines, In April 2001, South Africa won a victory against major drug companies fighting patent reform there, allowing access to cheaper versions of patented rnedicines for AIDS, Encouraged, the developing countries issued a declaration at the WTO meeting at Doha in November 2001 asserting the primacy of public health over IPR. They also resolved that the least-developed countries should bo given at least until 2016 to introduce patent protection for pharmaceuticals.

Tricky Proposition:-

For the last one year, the (World Trade Organisation)WTO council responsible for TRIPS was involved with a tricky proposition : 'compulsory licensing"- the manufacture and marketing of a patented drug without the patent-holders consent, This provision has been available since the formation of the WTO and Brazil has already used the threat of "compulsory licensing" to ring substantial price discounts out of major patent-holding drug companies. This has boon permitted under contain conditions, including national emergencies and can be used by countries such as Brazil or India, which have domestic drug industries to copy the medicines. The problem comes with countries that have no drug makers, They can import generic copies from the likes of India. But, can they do so after 2005, when these copying exporting countries are supposed to have fallen in with the TRIPS line? The big patent-holding drug firms in rich countries have worried that Indian and other companies might abuse the deal to flood their markets To arrive at a compromise, the TRIPS council of the WTO Issued a declaration just before the Cancun ministerial started in September 2003,saying that countries could override patents only "in good faith, to

protect public health', Special measures are also stipulated, such as different shapes, color and packaging, to prevent these generic drugs from getting into rich countries' markets.

Not such a Big Deal:-

"Compulsory Licensing" involves poor countries like Kenya, Uganda or South Africa- unable to copy patented medicines to fight scourges like Aids-importing cheaper copies from India. The concerned governments will have to sure public d to people who need such medicines and thus money needed for Imports. Therefore the afflicted countries will have to depend on rich country donors to find tho money. Alternatively, they can approach world bodies which are again funded by rich countries, As such, even though the margin (difference in prices between patented drugs end Indian copies) can be fairly high, these are not really "lucrative" markets. There are also at the vexed questions of red tape and government inefficiency.

Look at Ourselves:-

In India, to stop and reduce the spread of Tuberculosis there is already in place a framework for Directly Observed Therapy Short-course (DOTS), overseen by several world bodies and our government. The growing number of tuberculosis cases, combined with HI V/Aids, places an immense burden on tuberculosis control activities, The Indian pharmaceutical industry does not look at the prospect ("No sale of over-the-counter prescribed medicines") - with relish. Perhaps, there is a lesson in this : not a moral lesson (involving right or wrong) but an ethical one (involving fairness or unfairness). There is a limit on profits for drugs fighting public scourges, particularly in poorer countries. Perhaps, there is no scope for "sadistine" pleasure in others' misfortunes.

Medicines for rich (and poorer countries too:-

Diseases afflict people in rich countries also. There are two separate kinds of enormous opportunities here.

First: For the research-oriented Indian pharmaceutical companies like Ranbaxy, Dr. Reddy's and many others inventions (and delivery) of new drugs are no longer a possibility but a reality, They will be interested In protecting their IPR through suitable patents.

Second: A large number of drugs are going off-patent in the US market very soon, In other words generic versions of these drug can be made by anybody, legally-If they are able to do so. And the Indian pharmaceutical companies - several of them are able to do ao in the most cost-competitive way. During the first six months of the calendar year, thirty four Indian companies made fifty eight filings (called Drug Master Files-DMF's) more than the combined total of the next five countries. (Itally 21, China 10, Israel 9, Hungary 9 and Spain 5). Outside the US, India h thu highest number of FDA approved manufacturing plants. In fact, the number of such facilites is almost equal to that of approved plants in the US.

Beware Bulk Generic drugs

Manufacture of bulk generic drugs is, however, not a bed of roses. Indian firms producing Penicillin are mortally afraid about imports of the same from China (which is much cheaper) and want protection through tariff barriors raised by the Indian government This will not be possible under the WTO rogime for any length of time.

Constitutional And Legal Aspects Relating To IPR On Trade And Services:-

Intellectual property rights fall under item 49 of list I Union list of Seventh Schedule to the constitution. The item reads patents, inventions and designs, copyright, trademarks and merchandises marks. Patent is hence a union subject. Protection of patent right was first introduced in 18th century. The Patents Act, 1911, introduced formal protection of patents rights. In Biswanath Prasad Vs Hindustan Metal Industries [ 1982 CS 144 (1979)] the Supreme Court observed, "the object of Patent law is to encourage scientific research, new technology and Industrial progress. Grant of exclusive right to own, use or sell the method or product patented for a limited period stimulates new inventions of commercial utility. The price of the grant of monopoly is the disclosure of the invention at the patents office which after expiry of the fixed period of monopoly passes into public domain".

World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), one of the 16 specialised agencies of

(United Nations Organisation)UNO, wan established in 1970, WIPO with headquarters at Geneva, Switzerland, became en agency of UNO in December 1974, and It administers 23 InternatIonal trea ties dealing with intellectual property protection.

International patenting relationships are based on Paris Convention 1883 for protection of intellectual property. Paris convention is a multilateral treaty covering Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCI) administered by WIPO. PCI provides for the following:-

a) Filing a single application in one language and International Search which gives a report on previously published application;

b) Centralized publication and option for international preliminary examination.

c) Seeks protection in a specific country.

Two important amendments of the Indian Patents Act 1970, viz., the patents (Amend- ment) Act, 1999 and the patents (amendment) Act 2002, made recently seemed to be of utmost attempts to adjust Patent Law with the international standards laid down by the TRIPS Agreement as part of Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiation. The whole history of Indian patent law was a history of adjustment with the west allowing them to exercise the Industrial and Import monopolies. Since the Paris Convention, 1883 the West in order to protect Industrial property and to promote expansion of trade monopoly adopted several policies; and one of such policies related to intangibles including patent rights, Because, they visualised that the East and other parts of the World would no longer be effective in operation imperialism. Intellectual property (IP) was considered as a splendid technique to be used for this, laid the initial foundation of successful unification between the patents rIghts and the corporate monopoly, and that ultimately led for form (General Agreement On Traiffs And Trade)GATT in themId Indian Patent law was nothing but the culmination, of joint effort exorcised by the GAIT end MNCS.

Valuation Of Intellectual Property:-

It is highly difficult to value it since it is highly uncertain to calculate the expected flow of future benefits we are going to derive from it.

This paper is about valuing IP assets; it is about how these assets should be valued in the context of external financial reporting. The generation of useful estimates of lP value is also of crucial importance in the context of internal reporting. But internal reporting requires valuation parameters or indicators that are different from those used for the purpose of external reporting. Internal reporting is outside the purview of this paper.

Asset Valuation Practices

Asset valuation first of all requires asset recognition. Assets are recognized in the accounts when they meet the definition and recognition tests. There are two principal approaches to valuing assets in accounting: input approach and output approach. Under input approach, the value of an asset is determined based on the cost inputs that have gone, or ought to have gone, into its making. The output approach, on other hand, seeks to determine the value of an asset according to what can be recovered from it either from its outright sate or from its continued use in business operations. Although both approaches are currently in use, the input approach takes the first place of interest. Under the existing GAAP, historical cost is the primary basis of valuation for most assets. In recent years there has been a tendency for the accounting standard setters to prescribe current value measurement in some areas, but historical cost-driven valuation is still the predominant valuation basis in accounting. Asset valuation in accounting is guided by two principal considerations,relevance and reliability. The values assigned to the assets reported on the balance sheet should be relevant as well as reliable. If there is a conflict between relevance and reliability, the latter wins over the former. Since historical cost- based values are derived from past transaction costs, they easily pass the reliability test. Historical values are adjusted downwards when there is evidence of impairment of value. But upward adjustments generally are not permitted. However, in some jurisdictions, upward revaluation is permitted when certain specified conditions are met.Most common example is the valuation of "Land & Building".

Why IP Assets Need a Different Valuation Approach ?

Accounting Standard 26 And International Accounting Standard(IAS) 38,contains valuation of Intellectual Property.

The transaction-cost based approach is inconsistent with the role of IP assets. Acquired IP assets may be valued based on transaction costs, but valuing internally developed IP assets according to past transaction costs is not a feasible proposition. In most cases the transactions that give rise to an lP asset cannot be objectively identified. For example, patents developed over a long period have no identifiable costs. Even if the costs of developing an IP asset are identified, those costs may not bear any relationship to the asset's actual value. This is an important reason why most internally developed lP assets are not reported on the balance sheet. Accounting standard setters are grappling with the issue, but the mismatch between accounting principles and the appropriate valuation of IP and similar assets continues to exist. They are yet to develop an acceptable basis for solving the problem of trade-off between relevance and reliability.

lP assets are different in many significant respects from the traditional assets. Many of IP assets are contexts specific. In most cases, the real value of an lP asset depends to a great extent upon the ability of the company owning the asset to utilize it efficiently and effectively. The value in most cases also depends upon the ability of the company to exclude others from using the asset. Because of this, it becomes. often difficult to determine reliable ways of assigning values to IP assets. Considerable research in recent years has gone into solving the problems of valuation of lP and other intangible assets and, consequent upon which, some valuation models have been developed (e.g., Intangible Assets Monitor of Sveiby, the Skandia Model and the Balanced Scorecard of Kaplan and Norton). But none has gained common acceptance.

Alternative Valuation Approaches:-

There are a number of tested ways of valuing IP. While choosing a valuation method a company should first of all determine how the asset being valued will create value for it. An asset may create value for its owner by generating additional revenues, by saving costs or by giving competitive advantage. It is the way an asset creates value for the owner which should determine which valuation approach is to be adopted. An overview of possible valuation approaches is provided below.

(1) Discounted Cash Flow(DCF) Approach:-

The DCF approach is considered as an ideal approach for valuation of assets. At the most fundamental level, the value of an asset is determined by three factors; how much it is expected to generate in cash flows; the timings of generation of those cash flows; and the degree of uncertainty associated with the cash flows. The DCF approach takes into consideration all these factors. Under this approach, the value of an asset is the discounted present value of its estimated future cash flows. To apply this valuation approach it is necessary to examine the conditions under which the lP asset will be used and to develop an agreed basis for projecting future earnings and expenditures attached to the asset. The projected amounts are then discounted by applying an appropriate discount factor. The success of this approach depends on the accuracy with which the future cash flow projections are made.

(2) Excess Operating Profits Approach:-

The excess operating profits approach determines the value of an IPR asset by capitalizing the excess profits the business expects to generate with the help of the asset. There are several ways in which the excess profits may be calculated. One possible way of computation of such profits is to make estimates of profits the business would earn without the asset.,i.e. to say the profit the firm would earn in the normal course of business had the IPR being not inducted into the business.

(3)Replacement Cost Approach:-

This approach seeks to value an IP asset by quantifying the amount of money that would be required to replace the asset or creating an equivalent asset. The replacement cost approach is based on the assumption that there is some relationship between cost and value.

(4)Market-Based Approach:-

The market-based approach values IP assets by looking to the prices of comparable assets which have been traded between knowledgeable parties at arm's length in an active market. If it is possible to identify transactions that are exactly comparable, the approach will work satisfactorily well. But in most cases the search for a comparable transaction proves to be a futile exercise.

(5)Cost/Royalty Savings Approach:-

The cost savings method values savings that the enterprise expects to make as a result of owning the IP asset. If the enterprise owning the asset is in a position to calculate the costs it has saved as a result of introducing the new asset, it can easily arrive at a basis for assigning an appropriate value to the asset. Under the royalty savings approach, the enterprise is to develop estimates as to the amounts of royalties it would have to pay if it were to license an asset to generate the return it is earning on the existing asset.

(6)Twenty-five Percent Approach:-

The "twenty-five percent" technique is used in many cases to value patents and technology. The technique is based on rules of thumb. Under this technique, the value of an lP asset is computed as being equal to twenty-five percent of the gross profit earned on products that use the services of the asset. The validity of the technique is difficult to prove.

(7)Options-Based Approach:-

The options-based approach requires the use of the concept of options in assigning value to IP assets. Options-based approach is currently used in valuing financial derivatives. But the options-based valuation model can easily be extended to other categories of assets. The owner of an intellectual property has a variety of choices as to how he will use the asset. Option pricing models attempt to estimate the economic values for each of these possible choices.

The choice of valuation methods should not be arbitrary. It should be determined by the company characteristics and by the way in which the company delivers its products and services. If the value attributed to lP assets cannot be incorporated into the balance sheet for technical reasons, the information may be provided on a supplementary basis. But this should be done in a systematic and consistent way.

Assigning a value on lP assets is a challenging job. It is a challenging job especially when the exercise needs to be done in the context of preparation and presentation of external financial statements. But the accounting profession should be prepared to ac cept the challenge. It should promote measures for revamping the existing accounting system. The existing financial reporting gap caused by the failure of the accounting

system to acknowledge important assets needs to be shortened. Effort should be made to see to it that financial statements provide an accurate portrait of corporate resources.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS IMPLICATIONS FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Most countries aim at encouraging innovations by framing laws to regulate the copying of Ideas, inventions, literary and other creative expressions, unique names, busir. modo Industria proco symbols, computer program codes, etc. Four separ and dlstinct types of intangible property, viz., patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets are together referred to as intellectual property (IP), IP Is therefore any product of human Intellect that is unique and un-apparent having some market value. IP has many of the characteristics possessed by real and personal property. However, the most significant difference between IP and other forms of property is that IP is Intangible and therefore It cannot be defined or identified by physical parameters. It has to be expressed in some characteristic manner in order to be protected.

Since PP Is an asset, It can be bought, sold, licensed, exchanged, or gifted away like any other type of property, Again, the owner/creator of an lP has the right to prevent the unauthorized use or sale of such property, All the four types of PP are protected by national governments by conferring rights to IP Intellectual property rights (IPRs) have been defined as 'rights given to people over the croations of their minds' (WTO) website TRIPS material). Since IPRs are protected by national governments, the scope of protection and the requirements for obtaining protection will vary from one country to another.

In the developed world there exIsts a powerful lobby of those who believe that all IPAs are good for business, benefit the public at large and act as catalysts for soclo-economic end technoloqical progress. In the developing world, there exists a strong view that lPRs are likely to cripple the point of national Industry and technology, harm the people and benefit only the developed world. The process of implementing the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) has not resulted in reducing the gap between these two sides. In fact, It has helped to strengthen the opposing arguments in existence. Those who are in favour of more IPRa and the creation of a level playing f/old consider TRIPS as a useful tool with which to achieve their objectives. But those who view IPRa as damagIng for developing countries believe that the economic playing field which was already uneven before has become much more unequal with the introduction of TRIPS.

The developed world has accepted and adjusted to lPRs since long. Though some times the disadvantages of IPR8 are more than their advantages, most of the countries

in the developed world are economically strong enough and have well-developed legal mechanisms to take care of the problems Involved. Again, those countries have adequate national wealth and infrastructure to capitalise on the opportunities available when advantages of IPRS are more than their disadvantages. But, in all probability, this is not true In the case of developing countries.

The issue is how national IPRs can be designed with a view to benefitting the developing countries to the maximum extent. Rigorous standards relating to IP so tar as the developing countries are concerned should not be insisted upon before an objective assessment is made of the Impact of such standards on development. Developing countries may find lPRs useful only when they are accommodated to suit local conditions and the International institutions and all the countries, both developed and developing, need to consider that.

The advocates of IPRs, particularly those in business and government in the developed countries, are of the view that IPRs help to stimulate economic growth and reduce poverty in the developing countries in the same way as in the developed countries, However, people from different social quarters in the developing countries have rightly pointed out the fallacy & this argument. They have categorically stated that IPRs can help to generate invention In all the developing countries because the requisite human and technological capability may, in all probability, not always be present. Contrary to the assertion of the proponents, lPRs have lead to increase in the costs of essential medicines and agricultural Inputs, and have made life difficult for the poor people, including farmers, in the developing countries.

The scope, extent, and role of IPR protection have expanded at a very fast rate over the last two decades or more. lPRs have been created to cover many new technologies, viz., information technology and biotechnology and a large number of patents have been taken particularly with respect to genetic materials. Minimum standards for IP protection have been made global as a result of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Agreement on TRIPS. Extensive discussions are also going on in the World Intellectual Property Qrganisation (WIPO) in order to harmonise the patent system still further, This apart, bilateral or regional trade and investment agreements between the developed and developing countries in most cases cover mutual commitments to implement IP regimes surpassing the minimum standards set by TRIPS. This means that the developing countries are under continuous pressure to increase the levels of IP protection in their own countries at par with the standards set in the developed countries.

Even in developed world, apprehensions are there regarding the functioning of IPR

systems. In recent times, application for patents has increased manifold and it is being perceived that many patents of poor quality and/or having too wide scope are being issued. There is also the possibility that many companies may have to spend considerable amount of time and money in order to determine how or whether to carry on research without the infringement of others' patent rights, or allowing others to infringement upon their own patent rights The benefits arising out of such expenditure of time and money need to be weighed against the huge costs involved in patent litigation and efforts should be made to reduce such non-productive/less-productive expenditure.

These apprehensions about u impact of IP are equally true for the developing world. Moreover, the developing countries should be cautious about the direct impact that the IP systems In developed countries may have on them, e.g. the developing countries may not be gettIng the benefits of research work (on some Important matters seriously affecting them) that are being carried out in the developed world. Again, the developing countries are being largely deprived of their legitimate share of benefits arising from commercialisation of their knowledge/resources if these are patented in the developed countries.

An important point to consider is whether the rules relating to IP protection and institutions entrusted with their implementation which have evolved so far in the developed countries can at all be useful for the developing countries In the process of their socio-economic development and particularly in their efforts towards poverty alleviation.

In some social quarters there Is a strong belief that IP protection of some kind is also useful for the developing countries as it may motivate them to make inventions and develop new technologies that will ultimately be beneficial in their soclo-economic envi rons. But that will result in high costs for the consumers and other users of such protected technologies. It therefore becomes necessary to consider whether the benefits outweigh the costs. This, in turn, will depend on the nature of application of IPRa and the socio-economic conditions in vogue in the country where they are being applied. There fore, IP protection standards, benefiting developed countries, may be disastrous for developing countries since the latter have to satisfy even their basic needs largely by drawing upon the knowledge developed in other countries, particularly the developed ones.

The situation in the developing countries is quite different. While it Is true that most of the developing countries are not technologically very advanced, they do possess very rich knowledge developed over the centuries and valuable resources of varied types ; can benefit not only their own countries but the world at large, The fundamental question that arises is whether the IP systems so far generated in the developed world can help to protect such knowledge and vast resources and guarantee justice to their owners.

From the point of view of the government, conferring of the IP right is a matter of public policy and hence the IP policy should be so designed that the benefit to society (in terms of improvement in basic facilities and infrastructure and technological innovation) must out-weigh the cost to the society (in terms of the high cost to be paid by the consumers and the cost of administering the system). But the point is that the IP right Itself being a private one, the financial benefits and costs fall on different social groups.

An IP right may be viewed as a means for enabling countries to facilitate the enjoyment of basic socio rights. IPRs should never be allowed to dominate over the fundamental human rights. In fact, IPRs (e.g., patents and copyrights), granted by governments, are short-term in nature but the basic human rights are inherent to the human being. Unfortunately, today in most cases, lPRs are treated as economic and commercial rights held by the corporations rather than individual inventors. The granting of such

rights and their application in their developing countries will, in all probability, benefit the holders of the lPRs at the expense of the basic human rights of the poor people of the

developing countries who will be largely be deprived of even the basic necessities of life due to the high costs involved.

The problem is that, the interests of the owners/creators of IPs continue to dominate

the formulation of lPR policies, and those of the ultimate consumers are pushed to the hedge. The developing countries operate from a weaker position while negotiating with the developed countries in matters relating to lPRs, Thus, policy makers should seriously examine the possible effects of implementation of the IPRs on the ultimate consumers before going for further extension of IPRs instead of simply taking care of the interests of the owners/creators of lPRs,

The crux of the whole thing is that the commercial interests of the developed world often come in conflict with the developmental needs of the developing countries. What is important is that too high IPR standards should not be indiscriminately imposed on the developing countries and relevant technologies should be made available to them at competitive prices. The developing countries also need to strongly put up their causes in different world forum and countries like India and China are expected to play a leading role in this respect.

References:-(1)Adapted From Website Of Policy Statement Of Embassy Of India.

(2)Referential Notes Of Dr.UttamKr.Dutta,Reader , Department Of Commerce,University Of Burdwan,Golapbagh,Burdwan:713104.

(3)Journal On Intellectual Property ,published from Burdwan University,Page no.23-26,Pages.50-56.

(4)Abstract From Sujit Sikdar And Pranjit Kumar Nath,prof. and Lecturer respectively,of the Department Of Commerce,Gauhati University.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Avik_Ranjan_Roy

India Property Market

2010-12-01T04:28:00.000-08:00

In India, the reforms programme has been going on for past one and a half decade and in the process it has led to a phenomenal growth in several sectors like IT, ITES, Telecom, etc.

Facts speak for themselves. The growth in the India property market is all round with hardly any element of the value chain being out of this "being on fire" trend. The real estate sector is perhaps the most recent one to join the coveted list of sectors which have taken off in a major way and all slated to hit the stratosphere in the years ahead. It indeed has the capacity to display "sky is the limit" syndrome and this is what it has begun to display in India.

Be it housing construction, malls, state-of-the-art office complexes, mid-sized retail stores - the rapid fire development in the Indian real estate sector can be seen all around especially in locations which have come up as commercial hubs. New concepts in construction like specialty malls or weekend property have barged in much sooner than expected and they are adding new dynamism to the Indian property sector on a consistent basis. Some of the key reasons which are driving the growth of the Indian real estate sector could be summed up as:

* The emergence of several satellite towns around prominent metropolitan cities as commercial hubs (like IT, ITES), * Increasing spending power of Indian consumers, * Supportive policies of the central government and several state governments.

The icing on the cake is: the real estate development in India is now no longer metro centric rather it is moving to Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities and within a time span of next 5-10 years, the entire landscape of urban and semi-urban locations in India is slated to change in a way that will be unbelievable. Government's recent approval of development of over 100 Special Economic Zones (SEZs) is expected to provide another shot in the arm of the real estate development in the country.

All in all, the real estate bandwagon which has just picked up momentum in India is all slated to shift to top gears soon. A proof of this gathering momentum theory is the substantial spurt in the property price in India in last couple of years in several locations like Pune, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai, etc. where the valuation has just doubled. And present frenzied real estate demand in India confirms that these properties will continue to remain a gold mine for quite sometime.

For a full review on the Indian property market, visit: Think Investments Original article source: India property market [http://www.thinkinvestments.com/property-market-in-india/growth-in-the-indian-property-market.html]

Think Investments is a full resource on property investment in India. Think Investments offers listings for properties in India, legal guides, home loans in India and more.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Hetal_Shah

Transforming Ways of Property Dealing

2010-12-01T04:26:00.000-08:00

With so many ups and downs happening in all the sectors due to global economic slowdown, investments in Indian real estate is the hottest topic for discussion. This phase of slowdown is also witnessing mass developments in real estate sector. Everyone is touched by one of the aspects of selling, buying or renting property. Apparently, changes in behavior of consumers and financial firms can be seen with the changing trends in unprecedented times.

Each one of us is generally involved in property related issues of investing, leasing or selling. Since it is difficult to take these decisions and there is some amount of risk involved, we mostly depend on property brokers and the prevalent word of mouth. These tendencies are now facing a make over with the ever growing internet penetration and the constantly increasing internet users. With user base exceeding 50 million, online property portals are set to revolutionize the real estate sector.

Real estate portals in India introduce a completely new way of sending across property related information and transactions. The developed real estate markets abroad are accustomed to the concept of online portals but it is comparatively new for Indian sellers and buyers. Even as the popularity of these portals in India is growing, it is expected to burgeon in the coming years. Number of listings and conversions of both residential and commercial property is multiplying everyday. Moreover, the feedback of both buyers and sellers of real estate in India has been favorable.

Online property portals are a platform for exchange of information relevant to property. They display residential and commercial property listings; buying, selling and renting options; other recommendations for property registrations, property loans, property laws, property news, etc. This newly developing trend of portals has made internet an acceptable as well as effective medium for real estate transactions. Both property sellers and property buyers find this medium highly cost effective, descriptive and extremely helpful.

For real estate sellers i.e. the supply side Internet is useful in more than one way. It can be noted as following;
o Advertising on internet allows more descriptive ads as against space restricted print ads.
o It enables lower costs as compared to other modes of advertisements.
o It offers various add on features like virtual walk through, uploading video clips, online databases, archives of listings, etc.
o Internet is the most interactive way of advertising as it connects the sellers with the potential buyers through chat messengers, etc.
o It extends more exposure to targeted buyers and offers measurable returns.

The real estate buyers i.e. those who stand on the demand side of property also find internet a feasible way of looking for property because:
o It is convenient and time saving to search for available property online than visiting real estate agents and waiting for their response.
o Portals reduce dependability on third parties as all the information and listing are available online.
o There is no limitation to number of properties available as property agents are generally popular within a particular area.
o The search and comparison between properties according to localities, etc has become effortless as portals are doing that too.
o Buyers can soon make online transactions, see featured galleries and walk through vacant properties.

The current times witness tenants and landlords interacting in a high tech way. The concepts of 'automated transactions' and 'smart buildings' is gaining popularity on this front. Apartment owners and commercial builders welcome automated rent payments, placing of work order requests online, display of facilities management, etc.

Creating a system that blends bricks and clicks is instrumental in changing the face of Indian real estate sector. Internet connectivity and meeting of buyers and sellers online only further enthuses the property market.

Deepika B writes on behalf of 99acres.com, which is an internet portal dedicated to meet every aspect of the consumers needs in the real estate industry. It is a forum where buyers, sellers and brokers can exchange information. At 99 acres, you can advertise a property in India, search for a property, browse through commercial property and residential property.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Deepika_B

Key Advice to Indian Divorce For Smoother Legal Proceedings

2010-07-27T13:44:00.003-07:00

When the family systems and bonds are stronger, as observed in countries like India, Japan and China, the number of spouses seeking legal separation in the name of divorce is very less. The close knit family system had ensured that the marital bonds are not broken that easily. However, with the emerging trends of globalization and faulty inculcation of cultural shifts, the Indian divorces seem to be in an uprising trend. Once deciding about divorce, you need to take the advice to Indian divorce from a good family lawyer.

There are many laws governing an Indian divorce. There are separate laws to help people from different beliefs and religions to get legally separated. Certain types of religions are grouped together to reduce complications. Hindu marriage law, which is aimed at Hindu families, also covers Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs. Your advocate can explain you the legal nuances in your type of divorce.

Make the decision of separation along with your spouse. The various factors should be analyzed before proceeding legally. A few of them are listed below:

* Dividing of the joint accounts and properties should be decided. If the children are majors, then they would also become eligible for appropriate shares.
* Many Indian women are homemakers and are dependent on their husbands for funds. It is necessary to ensure continuous income source for them, especially when they have little children to take care of. The plans would impress the court and would quicken the proceedings.
* Generally, the mother will become the legal guardian of the very young infants. For grown up children, the couple should mutually decide of who will take care of their future, till they can survive on their own.
* Even if one spouse is the custodian, the other spouse and his/her family should be provided periodic access to the children.

Once you have decided to separate, take the necessary Advice To Indian Divorce to know the process and procedures. The Advice To Indian Divorce can give you a clear picture of what is in store for you during the court proceedings.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donald_Casik

The Rise of the Indian Pharmaceutical Companies

2010-07-27T13:44:00.001-07:00

The Indian Pharmaceutical industry is the 4th largest industries in the world. It consists of around 20,000 businesses. Pharmaceutical companies in India are on a roll both on domestic as well as international grounds. Pharmaceutical companies boast of skillful workforce along with the latest technology in use. These features help to expand their market and business overseas.

The latest trend in the pharmaceutical business is the tie-ups between Multi National Companies and Indian Pharmaceutical companies. These MNCs turn to their Indian counterparts to achieve cost-efficiency in terms of R & D. Besides offering skill and technology, offer affordable Research and Development facilities. For example, mergers and acquisitions between MNCs and Indian pharmaceutical companies are common for research on third world diseases like cancer, AIDS, etc.

Moreover, India is gradually moving up from being just a service provider to a value-add in profits. Here, MNCs purchase / license new products or share Intellectual Property. Pharmaceutical companies of India are slowly becoming a popular destination for collaborative research and development.

Adding to this is the success of the Indian pharmaceutical industry as an exporter of high quality generic drugs. The companies owe this success to the system of product patents which were introduced on 1stJanuary, 2005. Now, the Indian pharmaceutical industry exports drugs to approximately 65 countries around the world with the United States as its biggest market. The industry's export was worth US 3.75 billion dollars and growing at a compound annual rate of 22.7% according to the National Pharmaceuticals Policy for 2006.

However, the these companies can hope to achieve more by discovering untapped markets both in India as well as abroad. Another area that calls for attention is the Research & Development department. The government needs to invest more for Research & Development as innovative drugs are high on demand.

Also, the relationship between pharmaceuticals and biotechnology in India needs to be more cemented. This is because biotechnology has a lot of room for growth with the rise in vaccines and bio - services. Lacks of funding and skilled employees are the obstacles for the development of biotechnology in Indian pharmaceutical companies. However, a wind of change is expected as the drugs go off patent, giving the Indian pharmaceutical companies an opportunity to upgrade their manufacturing capabilities.

To conclude, the companies have a lot of potential in store. It is estimated that the Indian pharmaceutical industry will soon enter the top 10 list of the pharmaceutical industries in the world.

Pharmaceutical companies of India are growing its pharmaceutical business to keep the feet stuck in world pharma industry.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Shirley

Indian Property Market and Indian Real Estate

2010-07-27T13:43:00.000-07:00

India Real Estate market has been seeing multi stage increase in the past few years. If industry sources are to be believed, this growing float has no sign of coming down or even deceitful flat for few more years to come. The facts that major real estate companies in India are going communal, proves the probable of the Indian property market. Real-Estate Online.in provides a general platform for Indian property owners, prospective buyers & property dealers in India. We have widespread listings of residential & commercial property in all the main as well as the second level cities in India, as well as real estate in Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, Agra, Hyderabad, Gurgaon, Chennai, Pune, Kolkata, Noida and so on.

The beginning of Indian Property Market Bubble can be traced to the interest rate reductions made by the NDA association government in the years following 2001. Home Loan Rates cut down to a (then) historical low of 7.5% in early 2004. This equipped the basis for the amplify in real estate property prices across in India. Low interest rates triggered interest in folks to sponge to own their own homes and this triggered an amplify in insist for real estate across India.

The Indian Property Market has been rising fast since March 2005, when the current UPA government decided to open FDI in Real Estate. Several suggested that given India's population solidity is closer to that of Europe than that of America the real value of Indian Real Estate should be close to European levels moderately than American levels. While looked at in that way Indian real estate is motionless low-priced. This dispute assumes the fast economic development in India will have brought per capita income in India to European levels within the next 5 years in urban areas. Challenging argument to this is US prices should perfectly move with economy/price rises rate of 2-3% even as Indian prices will hurtle at the rate of 10% a year and maybe more as the land allotment market is ineffective.

By means of its very characterization a bubble is a squat term occurrence as Indian real estate market had continued on a worldly upward glide, apart from intervallic adjustments, in the last 10 years. Swallow in mind that there are almost 400 million Indians waiting to hit the middle class group and they will put forth additional anxiety on the system. Affordability is the most important reason when it comes to housing prices and middle class housing is much levels of affordability in most of the major cities in India. People, who evaluate India with developed European cities, forget the huge difference in affordability in both areas. For sure that there is a massive demand for housing but they can only buy what they can give.

One of the big problems of real-estate market is that supply lags behind demand by about 5 years (Plan-Approve-Finance-Construct time).Lack of professional signals to market participants revenue that there will be periods of variance between suppliers and buyers therefore leading to cycles of booms and busts.

Read More on Post Property Free and Property Sites in India - http://www.infovision4u.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amit_Chauhan

DLF may exit Amanresorts to focus on properties

2009-10-23T02:57:00.000-07:00

India’s largest property firm, DLF, that scaled down ambitions in the hotel
business, following an economic downturn, to focus on core
areas of building homes, offices and shops, is planning various options to fully or partly exit from the international luxury hotel chain Aman resorts that the developer had purchased at the peak of the economic boom in 2007 end. The company has also held preliminary talks with at least two Indian hotel chains, but a huge gap between the buyer and seller’s expectations has played spoilsport for concrete deal discussions.

Founded by Indonesian hotelier Adrian Zecha, Amanresorts is a super luxury chain of resorts usually built with small inventory of rooms to offer exclusivity. The company is known to charge one of the highest average daily room rates that sometimes cross $600. The hotel company owns and manages 23 small luxury resorts worldwide and will open a new resort in Utah, USA, in October, as per the company’s website. It operates three resorts in India — one in New Delhi and two in Rajasthan.

In 2007, Adrian Zecha, announced that he has formed an equal partnership with DLF, which has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a controlling interest in the Aman Resorts group. DLF, currently, holds 50% in Aman and as per the agreement, would acquire controlling stake in due time.

As per two executives in the hotel industry and one at DLF, the Indian real estate developer’s interest in carrying Aman in its portfolio has whittled given the economic downturn that has substantially pared occupancy levels as well as room rates across the hotel industry.

As per industry estimates, Indian hotels together lost Rs 4,000 crore in revenues due to the economic slowdown and after the Mumbai terror attacks in the last financial year. Following this, few tourists visited India or stayed in five-star hotels and room rates dropped by at least 20-30%.

A senior DLF executive, who asked not to be named, said: “There is surely an interest among potential buyers. They have spoken to us. But it’s just been talks, little else, as their offer price is too low compared with the price we had paid for Aman in 2007.” He did not name the companies that has shown interest in Aman.

But the DLF spokesman denied the company was planning to dilute equity or sell any property of Amanresorts. In the past, while announcing the company’s falling interest in the hotel business, DLF vice-chairman Rajiv Singh had said the company would want to retain Aman as it was a boutique brand.

As per two hotel industry executives, who did not wish to be named, DLF has held some preliminary talks with ITC Hotels. But the ITC spokesman said: “We have made no move” to acquire stake in Amanresorts. But hotel consultants said it makes sense for an Indian hotel company like ITC to bid for Aman since they have no presence in that segment.

Another senior hotel industry executive said DLF could consider an option to hive off Aman properties in Alwar, Rajasthan, and two loss-making properties in Sri Lanka to some investors or hotel chain without the Aman brand.
It is speculated that the realty major spent $200-250 million with plans to get into full-fledged hotel business.

It planned to build around 75 hotels in a joint venture with foreign hotel chain Hilton in India. But following Hilton’s takeover by private equity player Blackstone, Hilton’s interest in hotels with DLF waned. Meanwhile, DLF, too, had started facing cashflow pressures. The two partners scaled down their ambition to just four properties.

In early 2008, the stock market started seeing turbulence and the entire economy took a nosedive following the collapse of US investment bank Lehman Brothers later that year. As demand for homes, offices and shops dried up, property firms were faced with cash crunch. Realtors reprioritised their plans in order to ease cashflow pressure.

DLF decided to sell assets and shift focus from capital-intensive businesses such as hotels to those like homes where revenue could easily be generated. DLF plans to raise Rs 5,500 crore through sale of assets and exit from some businesses such as windpower and township projects in Dankuni, West Bengal and Bidadi, Karnataka.

DLF has already sold its small hotel project in Saket, Delhi. It has put on block over 10 hotel plots across the country, including in Gurgaon and Mumbai. The company has since been able to successfully sell some of its assets.

As per reports, Amanresorts was adversely impacted after 2002, due to the tourism downturn in south-east Asia, following the Bali bombing and other disaster since a large chunk of its resorts are in Asia. The current economic slowdown, which significantly reduced business and leisure travel, has hurt all luxury and five star hotels.

Planning the Perfect House

2009-07-22T23:32:00.001-07:00

Planning the perfect house in which you can peacefully and serenely reside may seem quite complicated. But, achieving this little piece of heaven may be easier than you think; especially if you consciously strive to discover the most important things that are currently missing in your life. This concept proves the importance of house plans; you can't incorporate a spirit lifting improvement in your home without first identifying what that something is.

Try to picture, for a moment, a large multi-windowed living room which is being flooded with indirect sunlight. As you quietly recline in your deeply upholstered arm chair, you can't help but be drawn in by the exquisitely flowering garden that was conveniently planted right outside of the living room windows. There are roses, lilies, rhododendrons and hydrangeas. The fireplace, clothe with dancing flames, provides the small amount of heat that may be needed on a cool summer's night. Does this sound enticing, or what? Just think, this indescribable beautiful room is right inside your own perfect house.

What a nice coincidence? No way! Nothing worthwhile just happens. The importance of planning the perfect house can not be stressed strongly enough. Building a home is a process that needs to be carefully outlined with a specific plan that will smooth out all the construction phases of your home. What a tremendous pick-up it would be to walk into such a room. However, this scenario can become a reality only if you know the full importance of planning the perfect house.

And, to help you sell your other house in the fastest, most reliable and least expensive way, don't forget to list it on a Flat Fee MLS system.

John is the author of Flat Fee MLS articles for Flat Fee MLS Listing. You can find more information at Flat Fee Listing.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_R_Roberts

Architectural Ironmongery Products and Materials

2009-07-22T23:31:00.002-07:00

The term Ironmongery represents the iron items that are used in buildings and structures. These things are used for a number of different purposes. The most frequent use of these items is in banisters, handles, and railings in buildings. There are an array of different products and materials for ironmongery that are used as fixtures and fittings in buildings.

In Ironmongery, there are lever handles, pull handles, gate latches, bolts, hinges, locks, knobs, holders, restrictors, door openers, and many other different kinds of equipments. High quality iron is used for making lever handles that are meant to be corrosion resistant. These handles are available in different kinds of designs and sizes depending upon the needs and requirements of the buyer.

Latches are available for all kinds of gates and these latches can also be custom made according to the specifications of the buyer. High-grade iron is put to use for making towers and Breton bolts in which the threads of the bolts is paid high attention in terms of precision and quality.

Hinges in different designs and sizes are available for use in doors, cabinets, and windows. Other than door hinges, front hinges are also available at many stores for different uses. Manufacturers specify endurance test for ironmongery products, and the products should confirm to this test to verify that the product is of good quality.

The main types of Ironmongery, in terms of sales falls in hinges, door closers, and locks. When buying the hinges, it is important to consider the kind of conditions in which the construction is being done. This means that the coating of the hinges should be able to withstand ambient weather conditions and should not deteriorate. Different kinds of product finishes are available for different kinds of places, for example the seaside.

The locks also need to fulfil certain conditions in order to be good for buying. First is the fact that the door lock should ensure quality security conditions. The finish should also be the right one and resistant to weather. When it comes to door security, the different kinds of products that are available are door viewers, door restrictions, door chains, and many others.

Door handles come mainly in brass and chrome and vary in the design and size. Window security and equipment is also available and falls under the category of architectural ironmongery. Products made from black antique iron are also very popular products, and people often use products made of antique iron in different places of the building.

Draught and rain excluders are other very popular products. There are also Escutcheons, which serve the purpose of not only offering security, but also decorating the door. Fingerplates are also used in homes and offices and serve the purpose of decoration. Knockers and letterboxes are also available with many sellers and they are made in different materials including antique black iron. There are also drawer pulls, doorknockers, and signage made from iron, which are good for conveying important instructions on doors and other places.

Paul J Coleman is an Engineer. Check out this site for a range of Anti-Ligature and general Architectural Ironmongery products.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_J_Coleman

Choosing a contractor ranks right up there with choosing a business partner

2009-07-22T23:31:00.001-07:00

Choosing a contractor ranks right up there with choosing a business partner. For better or worse you are entering into a relationship with high stakes and even higher consequences. There are countless stories about promises made but not kept, materials suppliers not having been paid and jobs left in limbo because of disputes between owner and contractor.

Here are some initial questions to ask yourself when you are considering whether or not to consider a particular contractor.

Is the contractor licensed by your state or locality? Licensing determines that the company or person is indeed a contractor and helps to establish that they have met some basic requirements. It's not a guarantee but it does mean you should have fewer things to be concerned about.

Does the contractor have experience doing the kind of work you want to have done? If you want some plumbing fixtures replaced then hiring an electrician that happens to need the work may electrify you in more than one way.

Is the contractor organized? If you have to call and leave repeated messages and endure excuses when all you're trying to do is get an estimate then don't expect anything different after you hire them. There is such a thing as a contractor who is too busy and they can cause you just as much heartburn as one who is not busy at all.

Will the contractor spell out the details of the job? Arm waving and penciling ideas on napkins are good starting points but they don't make for a well-thought out plan that will be predictable in terms of cost and quality. You want someone who will pay attention to the details because that's one of the biggest reasons you hire a contractor in the first place.

Is the contractor's experience verifiable? Are there completed jobs you can go look at? Can you talk to former clients? Are there contractor or builder associations where the candidate is active? Can you talk to the contractor's material suppliers?

All of these things can help to give you a very good idea about the stability and experience and professionalism of a contractor. You owe it to yourself to begin your building project on the right track. This is not the place to cut corners so take the time to get to know your potential new business partner.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stephen_Hann

Building and Remodeling Challenges

2009-07-22T23:30:00.001-07:00

Building and remodeling both come with their own sets of challenges but, for many consumers the costs associated with a building project seem mysterious. On top of that there is the surprise factor that creeps into the process as people see the real costs of the things they like. Let's face it, quality things cost more and everybody likes quality.

The strange thing about building costs is how little people really know about them. Most people would expect to pay a lot more for a Lexus than they would expect to pay for a Chevy Cavalier, yet many of the same people are surprised to find out how much more an Anderson window costs than a builder's window. To give you some ideas about the differences in costs of just a few items take a look below.

*A beveled glass entry door could cost $1000 more than a steel, panel entry door.

*A quiet range hood could cost double what an economy range hood costs.

*Spa tub faucets can start out at 10 times the cost of standard tub faucets.

One of the things you can do to help you get costs in perspective is to take a trip to a building supply store and spend some time looking at the things you would like to have compared to similar things that cost less. Go to some housing developments and tour some homes. Look closely at the details of the homes and the materials that are used. Compare how you "feel" in one home when compared to another. Then compare the costs of the homes.

It won't be long before you'll begin to have a better understanding of what it is going to cost to build something that suits your style.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stephen_Hann

Regardless of all the safety nets we have in place for everyday life

2009-07-22T23:29:00.000-07:00

Regardless of all the safety nets we have in place for everyday life, there is no escaping that living is a dangerous proposition. People routinely make critical mistakes in how they interact with their environment and those mistakes lead to injury and often to death.

I have often wondered why it is that thoughts of safety are not the very first thought in our minds whenever we consider doing anything. Especially in construction the dangers are magnified just as they are in other heavy industries.

Of course, attitude is really the biggest killer. It's the attitude that "Nothing can hurt me," or, "It won't happen to me." So, people routinely take chances like working without safety glasses or dust masks. But the other big one is just plain not paying attention. Last month alone at least two people fell to their deaths on construction sites because they forgot where they were and made a wrong step in the wrong direction. These are mistakes that you can't recover from. Once that foot is set to come down on a hard surface, but instead comes down on air, you're going over the edge.

As we venture into the New Year it's a good time to reaffirm our commitments to working safely. I encourage all of you to review your programs and see where they may be lacking, or where they have lost their luster, and then breathe new life into them. It's only through constant reminding that we stand a chance at making safety the first thought.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stephen_Hann

surprising strength shows on Home sales in December

2009-02-06T19:04:00.000-08:00

Sales of existing homes posted an unexpected increase last month, as sales of bargain-basement foreclosures in California and Florida boomed, closing out the worst year for the U.S. real estate market in more than a decade.

Analysts, however, cautioned that prices are likely to keep falling through 2009, and said the outlook for home sales is highly uncertain, despite a boost from low mortgage rates.

“I don’t think we’re close to a bottom yet,” said Michelle Meyer, a Barclays Capital economist who sees nationwide prices falling another 15 percent this year. “We’re still very far away from a normal housing market.”If President Barack Obama’s administration enacts a plan to keep borrowers in their homes, Meyer said, that might stop some foreclosures from flooding the market, but it’s still unclear how successful any government efforts will be.

Sales of existing homes rose 6.5 percent to an annual rate of 4.74 million in December, from a downwardly revised pace of 4.45 million in November, the National Association of Realtors said Monday. Without adjusting for seasonal factors, sales nationwide were up 1.1 percent from a year earlier, reflecting a surge of more than 36 percent in the Western states.

The nationwide median sales price plunged to $175,400, down 15.3 percent from $207,000 a year ago. That was the lowest price since May 2003 and the biggest year-over-year drop on records going back to 1968. With sales of foreclosures and other distressed properties making up about 45 percent of sales, many economists expect prices to keep falling.

For all of 2008, there were 4.9 million existing home sales, down more than 13 percent from a year earlier, and the lowest total since 1997.

Making matters worse, layoffs continue to accelerate as the recession deepens.

Home Depot Inc. said Monday it plans to eliminate 7,000 jobs while closing four dozen of its smaller home improvement stores. Sprint Nextel Corp. said it is eliminating about 8,000 positions as it seeks to cut costs.

Experts say that when the housing market turns around, price increases are likely to be modest.

“We have another year to go of soft home prices, primarily at this point because of the recession and job losses.” Norm Miller, a real estate professor at the University of San Diego, said in an interview last week.

One encouraging sign — the number of unsold homes on the market in last month fell nearly 12 percent to 3.7 million, the lowest level since January 2007. At the current sales pace, it would take 9.3 months to sell all the properties, down from 11.2 months in November.

However, Patrick Newport, an economist with IHS Global Insight, noted that the Realtors’ group tends to underestimate the inventory of homes on the market because many foreclosures are sold through auctions.

Lawrence Yun, the trade group’s chief economist, called on lawmakers to include tax credits for home buyers in the economic recovery package being considered by Congress.

He said, “The economy just simply cannot recover as long as home prices continue to decline.”

Fannie Mae may need another $16 billion in aid

2009-02-06T19:03:00.000-08:00

Mortgage finance company Fannie Mae said Monday that it likely needs up to $16 billion from the government as conditions in the U.S. housing market continue to deteriorate.

Fannie Mae’s disclosure that it expects an injection of $11 billion to $16 billion in taxpayer aid comes after sibling company Freddie Mac disclosed last week that it’s likely to require as much as $35 billion in federal support on top of the $13.8 billion it received last year.

Fannie, which has yet to receive any government aid, said in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing that the actual amount needed “may differ materially from this estimate” because its fourth-quarter financial statements are still being prepared.

Home prices drop by record pace in November

2009-02-06T19:02:00.001-08:00

Jacquie Jacobs has lived in San Diego all her life, and finally now, she can afford to buy a house there. That's the bright side of plunging home prices.

"I love it here, but for so long it's been out of my reach to buy a home," said Jacobs, a 32-year-old utility inspector.

Not anymore. San Diego home prices fell nearly 26 percent year-over-year in November, according to Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller housing index released Tuesday. And with mortgage rates near historic lows, Jacobs, who says she has good credit and a small down payment, is taking a stab at homeownership.

Home you save could be your own

2009-02-06T19:02:00.000-08:00

Luis Molina is not a lawyer and he has never played one on TV.

But that didn’t stop him from putting on his best suit, marching into a Miami courtroom this month and going up against an attorney with 30 years of experience to stop a foreclosure proceeding against his family’s home. Molina did such a good job of representing himself that the judge in the case thought he was a lawyer and punctuated his ruling in Molina's favor by tearing up the other side’s motion for summary judgment and throwing it over his shoulder.

“I felt like a million dollars,” Molina told msnbc.com, describing his day in Judge David C. Miller's courtroom in Florida’s 11th Judicial Circuit Court. “I felt like if there was anything in my life that I had done correctly, it had to be that. Every single lawyer after the fight came over and shook my hand.”

Both parties suddenly move to aid homeowners

2009-02-06T19:00:00.000-08:00

Four months after Congress tried to rescue the economy with a $700 billion bailout for the financial industry, Republicans and Democrats are suddenly competing to bail out financially struggling homeowners.

Having spent hundreds of billions of dollars rescuing financial institutions, only to see the economy spiral even deeper into crisis, liberal and conservative economists and lawmakers are pushing to redirect the economic stimulus bill to what they say is the core problem: the housing market.

Senate Republicans are seeking new tax breaks and up to $300 billion in mortgage subsidies to attract homebuyers. Democrats want to spend at least $50 billion on federal programs aimed at reducing mortgage foreclosures.

sales at slowest rate on record On New homes

2009-02-06T18:59:00.000-08:00

Sales of new homes plunged to the slowest pace on record last month as the hobbled homebuilding industry posted its worst annual sales results in more than two decades.

The Commerce Department said Thursday that new home sales fell 14.7 percent in December to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 331,000, from a downwardly revised November figure of 388,000.

“This is an awful report. ... Builders just can’t cut back fast enough, so prices remain under downward pressure,” Ian Shepherdson, chief U.S. economist for High Frequency Economics, wrote in a research note.

post increase of 6.3 percent in Pending home sales

2009-02-06T18:57:00.000-08:00

Buyers wade back into market as prices fall along with mortgage rates

An index that tracks signed contracts to purchase existing homes rebounded in December, as buyers snapped up properties at deep discounts, especially in the South and Midwest.

It was the second positive sign in the past two weeks for the troubled U.S. housing market, and may indicate that a bottom is forming — at least for home sales. Analysts, however, caution that prices are likely to keep falling through 2009, and say the outlook for home sales is uncertain, especially as layoffs mount and banks’ lending standards remain tight.

“Buyers are dipping their toes back into the housing market, but they have yet to really take the plunge,” wrote Joel Naroff, chief economist with Naroff Economic Advisors.

Building a Green Home - Six Ways to Save Energy (and Money)

2009-01-07T17:08:00.000-08:00

There are many areas where you can experience significant energy savings when you are building a green home. By working with an architect in the early design stages, many of these areas can be addressed in the design of your energy efficient home, helping you to save money in the future and enjoy a healthier home:

1) Footprint: Reduce the size of your home. Your home design should be limited to only as much space as your family needs. This will keep your energy usage to a minimum right from the start.

2) Windows: Windows are a break in the thermal insulating barrier of your home. The higher quality window you choose the better performance the entire home will achieve.

3) Insulation: Even if you do nothing else, by choosing a superior building envelope for your home like structural insulated panels (SIPs panels) and/or an insulated concrete form foundation system (ICF), you will enjoy huge savings in heating and cooling your home (up to 50%-60% over a home without SIPs).

4) Passive solar design: By incorporating sunlight for lighting and heat and natural ventilation into the basic home design, you can reduce the size of mechanical systems and lighting in the home.

5) Heating system: Consider a renewable energy system to heat and cool the space and tap water in your home (solar, wind, geothermal).

6) Ventilation: Incorporate an air-to-air exchanger, or heat recovery ventilator (HRV) system into your home. This will replace stale air with fresh outdoor air while maintaining the temperature inside the home and conserving energy.

There are many other areas of the home that can be addressed to increase energy efficiency and save money over the life of your home. In the beginning stages of the home design, your green architect will discuss your opportunities to save money while providing a healthy environment for your family.

About the Author: Jeremy Bonin, a principal partner of Bonin Architects & Associates http://www.boninarchitects.com, is an award-winning green architect and the author of TIMBER FRAMES: Designing Your Custom Home. With a special interest in sustainable design and green homes, structural insulated panels (SIPs), as well as timber frame construction, Jeremy incorporates renewable energy practices where possible, including geo-thermal, solar, radiant heat, and energy-efficient foundation systems.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeremy_Bonin

Geographic Micro-Markets in Real Estate

2009-01-07T17:07:00.000-08:00

When seemingly endless statistical reports show steadily declining home values, it is essential to analyze geographic micro-markets to properly assess the value of residential properties. Although many media and data tracking sources will often cite national declines in median housing prices, a significant number of areas, or micro-markets, will simultaneously experience an increase in home values. So how does this micro-market phenomenon repeatedly occur with each turn of the real estate cycle?

As if the old adage of "location, location, location" needs to be repeated ad infinitum, prospective home buyers will attempt to reduce the stress and confusion associated with house shopping by focusing solely on the amenities offered in each home. Unfortunately, when determining the value of a home, features like granite countertops and floor coverings are relatively insignificant when compared to the quality of the neighborhood in which a home is located.

In support of this point, both government assessors and private appraisers utilize the "comparable sales approach" to determine the value of a property. According to this method of valuation, the sizes and prices of homes sold in the surrounding neighborhood are analyzed to determine the worth of the subject property. Some weight will be attributed to the degree of features included in a house, but the value that amenities typically contribute towards a home's determined worth is relatively nominal. This explains why a discrepancy in price between identical homes located in different geographic micro-markets can often amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars, while a home with unsurpassed amenities may be worth only thirty thousand dollars more than the basic home of similar size across the street.

Housing boom markets often cause home buyers to disregard the importance of location and concentrate only on how much house and how many amenities they can get for the money. Why worry about location when housing values will undoubtedly continue to increase in every neighborhood? It isn't until the boom bubble bursts and prices begin to decline that buyers become weary and truly start to analyze whether their prospective purchase will amount to an appreciable investment in the future. As a result, buyers will start to purchase only in quality neighborhoods. They bypass those areas teeming with rental homes, bank owned foreclosures, and desperate owners and builders rapidly dropping sales prices to compete while driving down the neighborhood's comparable home values in the process.

Consequently, home values in quality neighborhoods are stabilized and eventually increased due to heightened demand generated by these selective buyers steadily reducing the available supply of homes for sale in desirable areas. So despite computer generated statistical reports showing national price declines, stable micro-markets are created, begin to appreciate, and the wheels of the real estate cycle go around and around.

About the Author:
Brian S. Icenhower, Esq., BS, JD, CRB, CRS, ABR, a California Association of Realtors Director, practicing real estate attorney, a real estate expert witness and litigation consultant, a prosecution consultant of Tulare County District Attorney Real Estate Fraud. He may be contacted at bicenhower@icenhowerrealestate.com, or http://www.icenhowerrealestate.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brian_Icenhower

Home sales down in Philadelphia area, up for U.S.

2008-10-02T21:35:00.000-07:00

In the eight-county Philadelphia area, sales declined 22.6 percent in July from July 2007. The average price dropped 2.5 percent, to $234,000 from $240,000, according to Prudential Fox & Roach HomExpert Report, based on Trend Multiple Listing Service data. Nationally, median prices tumbled 7.1 percent from July 2007, to $212,400 from $228,600, the National Association of Realtors said yesterday. Month-to-month sales in the Philadelphia metropolitan area were 9 percent lower. By contrast, sales nationally rose 3.1 percent in July from June. "While the bounce in July existing sales is a welcome improvement, the housing market still suffers from high inventories

Long Island Real Estate Market - It's Starting to Look Ugly

2008-09-25T22:14:00.001-07:00

For the Long Island real estate market, as we move forward into the abyss...no scratch that...

As we move forward towards certain doom...nope, not going there...

As we look toward the dark days that lie ahead...no, no...

As we look toward the future...(breathe)...there are definitely going to be some bumps in the road. Okay, that was much better. I recently went ahead and started taking a close look at individual towns throughout the Long Island real estate market and their last 30 days of activity. I focused on a few characteristics and I will share them in this article.

They are:
1. Highest-Priced Sold Home in the Area.
2. Average Selling Price in the Area.
3. Number of Units (houses) Sold.

I will be delivering an updated foreclosure report in the coming weeks, because ultimately, the situation with home values is going to be crushed by the wave of pending foreclosures throughout the Long Island real estate market.

The following is a breakdown of towns that I randomly chose to include in this article. If you want information on a specific town, not featured in the article - leave a comment or call me.

Town
Deer Park
$435,000 = Highest-Priced Sold Home
$345,267 = Average Selling Price
15 = Number of Units Sold

West Islip
$994,000
$478,308
13

Babylon
$618,000
$472,125
8

Farmingdale
$575,000
$379,265
17

Amityville
$725,000
$493,688
8

Huntington
$1,600,000
$581,597
39

Smithtown
$810,000
$476,556
23

Brentwood
$450,000
$278,735
26

Massapequa
$1,200,000
$481,940
34

Elmont
$450,000
$357,639
15

W. Babylon
$380,000
$313,091
11

Riverhead
[Only 4 closings in the previous 30 days - data insufficient]

Manorville
$495,000
$406,214
7

Mastic
$295,000
$214,472
12

Now after looking at these numbers, you can see that the amount of closings is significantly low. For example, in Mastic, New York, there are over 500 homes for sale. With only 12 closings in the last 30 days, that translates to less than 2% of the market selling. In Riverhead, New York, there were less than 5 closings during the last 30 days.

Additionally, in West Babylon, the average selling price for the previous 30 days was less than $315,000 and in Farmingdale, the average has dipped below $400,000 down to $379,265.

While some high end homes closed in towns like Huntington, West Islip and Massapequa, you can tell by their averages that most of the homes in those areas are significantly less in selling prices and, those homes that did sell for over 1 million dollars have lost significant equity value to sell at those prices.

With the continued increase of foreclosures throughout the Long Island real estate market, homeowners must take into consideration that it is not going to get better overnight. Anyone who wants to sell their home should know this information and take it very seriously.

If you would like more information on the Long Island real estate market, please feel free to email me at th om as . m c g i v e r o n @ topproducer.com (please remove all spaces - I do this to avoid spambot emailing). Or feel free to leave a comment on this article.

(c) Copyright, tommcgiveron.com

By Thomas McGiveron, Licensed Real Estate Salesperson, New York State

For more information on the Long Island Real Estate Market or to find great resources for your real estate needs, you can also visit a fantastic website, tomsresource.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Thomas_McGiveron

Real Estate Management Code of Conduct

2008-09-25T22:12:00.000-07:00

Professional real estate management is practiced in a fair and clear manner only when the professionals involved follow a formal code of conduct. This ensures client satisfaction which is a very important element for the success of any business. There are certain ethical norms that have to be strictly followed by the assets managing executives.

Loyalty is a very important aspect of the attitude of the assets managing executive towards his employers and his clients. While safeguarding the interests of the client he should not compromise with the interests of his employing organization; and vice versa. There are many executives who compromise with their sincerity towards their employers and their clients to meet their selfish ends and make some fast money. The employing firms have their own set of rules which may differ from one firm to another. The professional real estate management staff may be directed to either give more weight age to the preferences of the clients or the employer, in case of any differences in opinion. They should never engage in any activity that is detrimental to the interests of their employers or their clients.

No client will want his private information to be leaked out to anybody. Hence, the assets managing professionals are expected to maintain confidentiality in their dealings with the client details. They should not leak out information about one client to another, even if it is for promoting the good reputation of the firm. If it is necessary at all to provide details on an official basis to some concerned staff, he should do so with the consent of the client and not otherwise. If it to be done without the knowledge of the client , the concerned professional real estate management executive should do so in strict adherence to the laws of the land regarding such activity.

The client has the right to ask the executive managing his asset to give him accurate information regarding his assets, at any point of time, without any notice. Hence, the executive should be prepared with all the client details. They should be neatly documented and should be in an auditable format. These records should also be available to the inspectors and other executives who need to access them for their work. However, the particular executive dealing with a particular client is responsible for safeguarding the documents of the client. He should not conceal any relevant information from the client. He should not distort facts while conveying them to the clients. The professional real estate management executive should not resort to any of these methodologies to convince the client. He should always give a truthful and frank opinion.

The assets managing executive should be very careful when dealing with the money of the client. He should maintain an exclusive account for each client and not store it in a common pool. All records pertaining to finances should be accurately made and recorded. The financial privacy of each client should not be compromised with at any cost. The monetary deposit of the client should not be used for the expenses of the firm or to meet the expenses of another client, whatever the emergency may be. If at all such a thing is to be done, it should be done with hundred percent consent of the client. The professional real estate management executive should not try to influence the client in any way, with distortion of facts, in matters related to finances.

Kamyar Shah writes about different topics including self storage , property management , secret shopping and management consulting issues.

Real Estate Management

Free Article content

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kamyar_Shah

Real Estate - Possible Next Boom in USA

2008-08-28T22:41:00.001-07:00

The next few decades are bound to see some big waves of development which have the potential to turn America's metropolises into mega cities bursting with opportunities at the seams.
How?

Since the past decade, people have been buying plots of desert land in states like Arizona which was witnessing a veritable building boom. Phoenix was one of the cities raring to go. Speculators who took the bet with Phoenix have been laughing all the way to the bank. Today, Phoenix is still going strong with a building boom which has seen more than 500,000 homes being built here alone.

Investors have been buying acres of land for building ranches and farms and many are spread over an area which is probably double the size of Manhattan. Interstate 10, which is presently housing 15,000 farmers, is about to take off in a major way with housing colonies emerging on either side. Brokers here say that the region will be completely transformed into a metropolis comparable to Phoenix itself.

As the population increases, these fast growing areas will represent lucrative business making opportunities. Growth trends are rife already in Oregon and Washington, and it is estimated that by 2030, the cities of Portland and Seattle might just merge and form one big megapolitan area. Atlanta and Raleigh-Durham are two other cities which in the light of things today may also be joined by transportation, banking, and biotech.

While Americans in the southern and western parts are trying to cash in by buying pieces of land in the proposed boom towns, others elsewhere are speculating on parking lots and underutilized land trying to locate the cheapest property which may yield great returns. Companies like Target and Wal-Mart, which will always head towards areas with growth are also looking at speculating on land and creating a whole host of opportunities.

While land everywhere is being eyed with passion, few territories possess the potential to make a profit and create that storm for growth. Arizona offers building worthy land at low prices and given the continuous water supply from underground rivers, aqueducts, and mountains the new inhabitants can all be taken care of.

However it is silly to speculate on land under conditions prevalent in the congested suburban metros like Chicago, Los Angeles or even Washington. Spiraling fuel costs and trying commutes zoning disasters and delays in approvals can be hazardous to the developers. But the latest trend is to hedge bets on parking spaces given that America has 30 per cent more parking lots than it needs, which may be a reason why many developers believe they'll deliver the biggest returns.

A burgeoning Latino immigrant population is also a potentially good bet. At a time like this, one does not need to capitalize on the development boom by just grabbing land. One can also start businesses catering to a burgeoning immigrant Latino population which will soon become the fastest-growing ethnic group and the fastest growing group of buyers of services.

Bob Lipply, the top Real Estate Broker Associate in the Tampa Real Estate area, offers you a unique buying experience. We have helped many families relocate to Florida over the years. We also sell Safety Harbor Real Estate.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_Lipply

Development Agreements For Real Estate Deals Small and Large

2008-08-28T22:41:00.000-07:00

A development agreement is an understanding reached by two or individuals or parties about their respective rights and obligations in relation to a certain thing or a specific subject. The development on which these two parties are reaching agreement can fall into a number of categories.

In terms of real estate, the development agreement could pertain to land improvement, construction involving land, or buildings. In the technological fields, it could pertain to new product development, software development, or other improving techniques for technological development. It can also refer to business or corporate development.

The developer is the one who will do the designing, developing, and sometimes even manufacturing and marketing of the product or subject to be developed. The specific details will be laid out in the development agreement. The agreement will also discuss the obligations of each of the parties, the deliverables, specific milestones, and other details of the project to be developed. Specific exchange of information will be detailed, as well as where and/or how these exchanges will take place. The terms on which the deliverable will be accepted will also be spelled out specifically in the developer agreement. There may be a specific time limit associated with this acceptance. Any potential fees will be laid out, along with any other payment terms. Other elements such as distribution may be discussed.

Having a written development agreement can be important. If properly created, this document will prevent disputes. If problems do develop, the development agreement will provide ways to resolve the issues. If the parties were to end up in court, the development agreement establishes their legal responsibilities to each other. Having a written development agreement can prevent delivery of an unsatisfactory product. The best way development agreements break the project down the project into distinct parts or stages. These are generally referred to as milestones.

As each milestone is reached, the developer is required to provide an acceptable deliverable. While this may not be a completed product, it should be something that will allow the other party to assess the progress of the developer. These milestones are usually tied to a payment, which gives the developer motivation to meet any deadlines for the milestones. This process enables both parties to monitor the development process and resolve any problems or issues early on. In a worst-case scenario, there should be provisions in the development agreement to end the project early if mutually satisfactory progress is not being shown through the milestones.

Having this sort of development agreement has benefits for the developer as well. Since the client signs off on each step of the project, they can avoid any potential claims of an unsatisfactory product or performance. The developer has a chance to address any of the client's shifting needs and requests as well. Few development projects ever develop exactly along initial specifications. Development projects tend to grow and change as the process moves along. The key is to have a development agreement that allows for communication between the two parties regarding changes and a delivery timetable that is realistic yet flexible.

Mark A. Warner is a Development Agreement Research Analyst for RealDealDocs.com. RealDealDocs gives you insider access to millions of legal documents online drafted by the top law firms in the US that you can download, edit and print. Search For Free at RealDealDocs.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_A._Warner

Tramita Real Estate Fund Has Grown 2,342.40% Since Its Inception

2008-08-22T02:08:00.000-07:00

Tramita Real Estate Fund is a name for trust. It is the perfect solution for investing in real estate securities. The firm believes in giving strong return potential to its clients. Tramita aims to circumvent the numerous factors that typically affect the traditional financial assets. The boom in the real estate market in the Middle East has opened new avenues for profit making ventures. Tramita believes that real estate securities are a means of achieving meaningful diversification in order to enjoy the benefits that may be associated with it. The real estate in the Middle East offers strong opportunities for making money and Tramita aims at delivering the advantages to its customers keeping in mind the need for protection in a bear market and favorable returns.

Investing in the real estate funds in the Middle East has been made easy by the products offered by Tramita. Tramita Real Estate Fund offers the security of a growing investment with due consideration to its security. Tramita allows you to liquidate your assets within a span of twenty four hours since they are evaluated on a regular basis. The entire process is transparent and easy to understand. Tramita emphasizes on the importance of long term investments since you stand to gain the most out of them. Tramita Real Estate Fund jumped above $150 in 2007, which is nearly 600 percent since the inception in 2002. Also, Tramita Real Estate Fund has grown 2,342.40% since its inception, giving 86.42% returns in year 2007 and average of 62.52% since year 2002. Hence, the Middle East real estate fund is being regarded as the next big offering in the scheme of

Real Estate in India - Growing Towards New Heights

2008-08-22T02:07:00.002-07:00

The factors such as booming economy, favourable demographics and liberalised foreign direct investment (FDI) regime, the Indian real estate sector has witnessed a revolution. The real estate in India is growing at 35 per cent. This sector is estimated to be worth US$ 15 billion and anticipated to grow at the rate of 30 per cent annually in the coming decade. India has become a new market for foreign investors due to its potential economical growth rate. As a matter of fact, this sector is attracting foreign investments worth US$ 30 billion in number of IT parks, hotels, medical, telecom and residential townships which are being constructed across India.

Real estate in India is the second largest employing sector including construction and facilities management. This sector is linked to about 250 supportive industries such as cement, brick, transport, steel, etc through backward and forward linkages. Accordingly, a unit increase in expenditure has a multiplier effect in this sector, as capacity to generate income is as high as five times.

Rising income levels of a growing middle class is the main reason for growth in the real estate. Apart from the income, other factors such as increase in nuclear families, low interest rates, modern attitudes to home ownership and a change of attitude amongst the young working population are responsible for real estate development. Therefore, it can be said that real estate property have changed the attitude from 'save and buy' to 'buy and repay' to boost housing demand.

As per the information by 'Housing Skyline of India 2007-08', a research firm Indicus Analytics, it has predicted that there will be demand for over 24.3 million new dwellings for self-living in urban India by 2015. Moreover, rapid growth of the Indian economy has faced a cascading effect on demand for commercial property to meet the needs of business such as modern offices, warehouses, hotels and retail shopping centres.

With the significant investment opportunities emerging in this sector, international real estate players have entered in the country. Effective participation from large local and international industrialists have resulted in potential economical growth of India which is moving towards maturity. Currently, foreign direct investment or FDI inflow into this sector is estimated to be between US$ 5 - 5.50 billion. A unit of Deutsche Bank for instance, aims to invest more than US$ 1 billion over three years in Indian construction and real estate property projects. Russian conglomerate Sistema plans to develop hotel, offices and residential complexes in major cities of India with an initial investment of US$ 100-200 million.

The boom in this industry has attracted large number of realty funds to step into this market. Prominent global players such as Carlyle, Blackstone, Morgan Stanley, Trikona, Warbus Pincus, HSBC Financial Services, Americorp Ventures, Barclays and Citigroup among others have all already checked into the Indian realty market.

Among international players, the many Indian realtors are going global by making their name in the international market through significant investments in foreign markets. Prudential Real Estate Investors for instance, has acquired Round Hill Capital Partners Kabushiki Kaisha, a Japanese asset management firm. Embassy Group has settled a deal with the Serbian government to construct a US$ 600 million IT park in Serbia. Parsvnath Developers in collaboration with the Al-Hasan Group in Oman.

Importantly, government has introduced many innovative reform measures to discover the potential of the sector. 100 per cent FDI is allowed in realty projects through the automatic route, for instance. 51 per cent FDI permitted in single brand retail outlets and 100 per cent in cash and carry through the automatic route. With growing economy in India, the demand for all segments of the real estate sector are likely to continue.

About The Author: For more information about real estate India - Please visit our website: http://www.paisawaisa.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Addi_Vardhaman

The Real Estate Agent Income Crisis - There is a Way Out

2008-08-22T02:07:00.001-07:00

Many real estate agents are suffering financially. Possibly this is you. It is unfortunate but houses are selling much below their value and are staying on the market for months. There are more sellers than buyers and there is no relief to be seen in the very near future.

People are struggling; struggling to pay bills to pay debts. The real estate industry is a tough market to be in right now. Possibly you have been wanting to find a way to get you through.

One of the best solutions is to start a home business. There are many tax advantages and you have the benefit of writing off many of your household expenses at tax time. It is also flexible. Something you can do while still being a real estate agent. Maybe something to tide you over until the economic situation improves or maybe something that permanently creates an income for you. The key is to find the right business. One that is recession proof.

We have chosen to build a recession proof business and are helping others to do the same. When searching for any home business there are some critical evaluating tools you need.
Want to Work from Home? Have you considered These Crucial Evaluating Tools?

So you have decided that you would like to work from home. Maybe you want to stay home with your children, maybe you want money for that extra special something or maybe you want to create financial freedom. Maybe you just need to pay your bills and pay off debt. So you know your reasons why. This is a great start but now what?

It is easy to want to jump into the first thing that comes along. Something may sound good on the surface, so you should jump right in, right? Wrong.

There are several key factors that anyone and everyone should consider when deciding on what business would be right for them. Ensuring you have thoroughly researched the opportunity can save you a lot of money, a lot of time, and more importantly, a lot of heartache. I have heard too many stories of people going broke trying to find the right one. I even know someone who has tried 23 opportunities before finding the right one. Can you imagine?

The first key in researching a business is knowing what features you should be looking for in a company. You will definitely need to know the following:

- Is there an established track record?

You want the company to be at least seven years old - successful home-based business companies experience a surge of growth in their first 3-5 years, but most cannot support the increased capital and organizational needs this growth demands to continue their success. Be wary the person who says "this is a ground floor opportunity" or you need to "catch the wave".

- Is the company financially sound?

You should be able to get access to this information. Another great way to know if a company is legit, is trustworthy and has integrity is if they will let you see their previous years' income statistics. If they're not willing to share what their business people make, do you really think they're doing that well. And I don't just mean the top earners, find out what the "little guy" is making.

- Do they have a strong management team and company credentials?

Beware! There are some companies out there who are "touting" scientists behind their products that have received their degree by mail order over the internet. Do your research! What is the history of the management? What awards have they received? What does the Better Business Bureau have to say about them?

- Does this company have unique, consumable products that are guaranteed?

There are companies that have only one product. How many of that one product do you think you have to sell to make any money? If this is a luxury item, you most likely won't get repeat sales from the same person which creates much more work for you. If it's a hobby, you are looking at the same thing. The product should be something that a person goes through and needs again fairly soon, preferably monthly. These products should also have a 100% guarantee.

- Does this company require that you keep inventory or 'front end load'?

This is a very fast way to the poor house. I know lots of folks who have garages full of products. You may think it will be easy to 'unload' it but it's not. Make sure the company does not require you to have stock or inventory.

- Is there a low personal production requirement?

Essentially, this means how much of their product do you need to order to stay in business? If they are asking you to order more than you would use, then you guessed it? Straight to the poor house for you.

- Is there a high customer re-order rate?

Some companies have a re-order rate of only 5%. Does this tell you how hard you will have to work to win customers and keep them? Again, if the company won't give you this information then they have something to hide!

- Is there low initial investment?

You should be able to get started in any business for $500 or less. In addition, any investment should be guaranteed. Any more than that and the risk sky rockets.

- Is there low attrition?

If more than 10% of the people are leaving every month, what does that tell you?

- Is there breakaways?

No breakaways!!! What that means is that you work really hard and then when you reach a desired level, they have the rest of your team "break away" from you and you start all over. Does that sound like what you are looking for? Know the compensation plan. You should be able to earn an income from each person you offer your product or service to. No breakaways, no balancing sides.

- Does the company have any risk?

Risk is a 4 letter word. It has its place but not in your business. This is your life. There should be no risk. You should only be using products you would use anyway, and there should be a full guarantee on everything. If this is the case, there is no risk!

Alright, so now that you know what is important to look for in the company, what product concept makes the most sense, you ask?

REPEAT Consumables (necessity items) and I can't stress this enough. This is a 200 billion dollar industry. People must already want or need to buy the products. It is much easier to interest people in something that is better or less expensive than their current brand than it is to get them to buy something new that they hadn't considered before. The concept of "switching stores" works best because people spend "no new money", they just switch brands. Durable goods won't generate residual income because people won't buy each month.

The products should always be competitively priced (have a low cost per use). No matter how well people like something, they won't stay customers forever if the product costs more than the store bought equivalent. Since commissions depend on customer purchases, the longer they stay, the more RELIABLE your income. The products must also be unique and exclusive to the company. It is of benefit if there are patented products that have been scientifically developed. The re-order rate should be above 90% and it has to make sense to just be a customer, continuing to buy the products without being a business builder.

Lastly there are a few more things that you may want to consider. Does the company manufacture its own products? Does the business offer a system that you can duplicate for success? Does the organization provide you with free training and support? Do you have to leave your home to build the business? Do you need experience in sales or business to be successful? Can you make enough to replace your income? What are the tax advantages to owning a home-based business?

I know this seems like a lot of work, but the end result will make for a happier, wealthier you. Good luck in your search!

Alana Demler is a work at home mom. She has a passion for helping others and specializes in helping people to reach their financial goals. For further information on this article or building a business Alana can be reached at 204-772-8152 or go to http://www.momswantmore.com/workathome or http://www.teamvitality.com/workathome

Helping, one person, one child, one family at a time...

There IS a Better Way!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alana_Demler

Realtor Conflict of Interest - The National Association of Realtors Should Reimburse the American Ta

2008-08-22T02:07:00.000-07:00

Real Estate Development - Three Essential Things You Must Do Before Starting in Property Development

2008-08-07T21:08:00.003-07:00

If you start your property development business the right way, you are building a foundation for success. Start it the wrong way, and you could be headed for disappointment, stress, and possibly even large financial losses.

1. Manage Your Property Development Projects As A Business

Unless you're prepared to forfeit some of your profits and engage someone you trust to look after your property development project, it's very important that the mechanics of property development are understood fully so you don't end up in all sorts of trouble. We decided right from the start to treat building our property portfolio as a real ongoing business and therefore created a property development strategy and planned and acted accordingly.

Advice from our property development legal and accounting advisors was to set up our property development business in the right type of entity from the very beginning - some things can't be "bolted on" later. We also ensure that we keep good records and use property development accounting and property management software. We found a strategy that would be a good fit for us, looked at the big picture and began with the end in mind.

Initial and ongoing property development education is extremely important. A good place to start is to learn the basic techniques of property development. Then continual reading and listening to financial news to determine current and future trends.

2. Develop A Property Developer Millionaire Mindset

Learning and implementing the mechanics of property development may allow you some level of initial success, but newcomers who aren't passionate about property development and don't alter their way of thinking and create a property developer's mindset inevitably can run into problems. Many of the decisions you make as a property developer are counter-cyclical, for example, you may be buying when other inexperienced property developers are making panicked sales.

People who haven't mastered their emotions around money tend to make poorer decisions under those circumstances. For example, many novice property developers aren't able to preserve when needed, and a lot simply give up after struggling, both financially and emotionally, during their first attempt at property development.

We've spent a lot of time researching the rich and identified certain common characteristics and habits that contributed towards their success. As soon as we adopted some of these ourselves, we were able to accelerate our learning curve and we saw a marked improvement in our own ability to make larger profits through property development in a much shorter amount of time.

3. Learn How To Leverage your Time

We had a clear vision and a huge desire to work smarter and not harder so we sat down and worked out an achievable step-by-step plan that would enable us to reach our goals much quicker.

One thing that made a huge impact on us achieving our goals faster was adopting the 'Pareto Principle' (more commonly known as the 80/20 rule). This helped us to stay focused on the "20 percent of things that mattered to achieve the 80% of results" and saved us from wasting an enormous amount of time and energy on things that just weren't necessary.

We also leveraged off other people's knowledge (OPK) other people's time (OPT) and other people's money (OPM). We built a great team of experts who continually advise and support us - especially a 'property development savvy' lawyer, accountant and finance broker.
A strong foundation requires a good business plan, the right mental attitude, and the ability to get the greatest possible results from the time you invest in your property development business.

If you try to start in real estate investing or property development without this strong foundation, you are subject to a much higher level of risk, and the consequences can be catastrophic. Start well, on the other hand, and you can use property development strategies to build a long-term, profitable real estate empire.

Adrian Zenere is a Registered Architect and Licensed Builder with over 25 years experience in the design and construction industry along with his wife Amber they have built a multi-million dollar property portfolio through Real Estate Development. Together they run their own architectural practice http://www.archizen.com.au specialising in Holistic Architecture combining eco sustainable development with feng shui principles and creating harmonious living that is respectful of our environment. Their projects are regularly featured in the Australian Property Investor, Luxury Home Design, Lifestyle Magazine, Home at Yellow and several newspapers.

They are also co-founders of the Real Estate Development Club where they use their knowledge and experience to help real estate investors become successful real estate developers. To have a closer look at Adrian and Amber's entire Real Estate Development process and download your FREE REPORT visit: http://www.RealEstateDevelopmentClub.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adrian_Zenere

What Will Home Inspectors Evaluate in a Fixer Upper Property?

2008-08-07T21:08:00.002-07:00

Buying a fixer upper property requires that you hire a real estate investor that is quite knowledgeable about inspecting fixer upper property. You see, home inspectors alert buyers about problem areas in a house and its systems, before you buy. In essence, they act as your insurance that you're making a well informed and good investment decision. In this article, we will discuss what things home inspectors evaluate when viewing fixer uppers.

First of all, the inspector will evaluate the property for defects on the outside of the house. That is, he will evaluate the fixer upper property for structural problems like foundation cracks or roof leaks. Either way, he will evaluate the "soundness" of the home.

Second, the inspector will examine the fixer upper's windows, patio, deck and doors of the fixer upper property. He will also evaluate the sidewalk, driveway and other outside areas to make sure that there are no visible defects.

Third, the inspector will check the inside of the fixer upper property. This includes evaluating appliances, walls, sinks, ventilation and cooling units, countertops, etc to make sure that there are no defects and that everything is in working order.

Fourth, the inspector will check the property's crawl space and basement areas. He will look for signs of water leakage, mold, mildew and other defects. If any problems are discovered, he will make note of them on the report.

Fifth, he will evaluate the fixer upper property's electrical system and wiring. He will ensure that the property is properly grounded and that there are no unsafe wiring exposed that could cause problems.

Sixth, he will next check the plumbing of the fixer upper to make sure that the pipes are functioning properly and that there is adequate water flow and pressure. He will also check all fixtures, drains and toilets for proper drainage.

Seventh, he will check the heating and conditioning systems of the fixer upper to ensure that units are allowing for adequate air flow throughout the house.

Lastly, he will check the fixer upper for evidence of any pests, like ants, roaches, or mice. He may also look for wood-destroying insects, like termites. Note: In some instances, it may be a good idea to hire a separate person to complete a more thorough investigation if any suspicious activity is suspected.

Sal Vannutini is the author of " The 8 Power Profit Secrets To Making More Money With Less Risk In Real Estate, " a free strategy report for investors. Get your complimentary copy at http://www.FastFixerUpperProfits.com today.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sal_S_Vannutini

Pros and Cons of Using a Real Estate Buyer's Agent to Buy a Fixer Upper Property

2008-08-07T21:08:00.001-07:00

Purchasing a fixer upper can be an extremely difficult and frustrating experience for the newbie fixer upper investor however it can have significant rewards. If you're a newbie and you're considering purchasing a fixer upper, you may wonder if you need an agent. In this article, we'll tell you the pros and cons so that you can make your own decision.

Pros of Using a Buyer's Agent

1. By hiring a buyer's agent that specializes in foreclosures, you will have access to homes that are currently listed on the MLS system or not even listed yet. Many agents have partnerships with banks and credits and have viable lists of properties that aren't even available to the public yet. And, by hiring an agent, you'll have this information too.

2. A buyer's agent knows the marketplace and can give you sound information based on their experience with fixer uppers.

3. A buyer's agent likely has good contacts and can likely put you in contact with mortgage companies and/or bank loan officer that may be able to offer you financing options.

4. A buyer's agent is hired by you (not the seller) so it is quite likely that they will work diligently on your behalf. That is, unlike the seller's agent, they are not trying to secure the best price for their client. Instead, they are working diligently to find a suitable properties and secure the fixer upper deal on your behalf.

5. A buyer's agent will listen to your needs and help you discover fixer upper properties that meet your precise needs. In addition, they can also negotiate on your behalf so that you secure the best possible deal.

Cons of Using a Buyer's Agent

1. You will not be able to negotiate directly with the seller. In essence, you won't be able to establish a relationship with the seller that could very well equate to a better profit for you.

2. Your agent will have to be paid a fee for their services. Since most buyer's agents are paid directly from their clients and not from the sale, this money will likely come out of your pocket.

3. You may be able to find suitable fixer upper properties for sale on your own and if you're a good negotiator and know the business you may not need a buyer's agent working on your behalf.

4. Some buyers agents pressure you into signing a contract however if an agent is being paid upfront and not based on whether a sale is made, you shouldn't feel pressurized to purchase any specific fixer upper property.

In conclusion, there are pros and cons to working with a buyer's agent. By carefully evaluating both sides and your personal situation, you should be able to determine if you need to hire a buyer's agent to represent you in your next fixer upper property purchase. If you do, use good judgment and choose someone who is well versed in fixer uppers and make sure that they have your best interest in mind before signing your exclusive agreement.

Sal Vannutini is the author of " The 8 Power Profit Secrets To Making More Money With Less Risk In Real Estate, " a free strategy report for investors. Get your complimentary copy at http://www.FastFixerUpperProfits.com today.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sal_S_Vannutini

Buy an Apartment in Maui and Enjoy a Relaxed Stay

2008-08-07T21:08:00.000-07:00

Real Estate on Maui is always a very lucrative investment. Buying an apartment will always pay you back many times over in the future. With the rise in demand real estate is booming in the area like never before. So as the saying goes you need to make hay when the sun shines, it's highly appropriate to go for an investment in real estate in Maui.

There are numerous real estate agencies willing to help you realize your dreams. With their active assistance you can always own an apartment in prime areas of Maui. No matter where you desire to own a part of Maui real estate you can always have one. The special areas worth mentioning where you can always gain if you go for a house include Kula upcountry, Wailea or Makena, Kihei, Makawao or Pukalani, or Kaanapali, Lahaina, Kapalua or Napili and Kahanah, Paia or Haiku, the North Shore in Spreckelsville in West Maui. These apart you can also buy luxury homes or condos, commercial properties as well as vacant land in Maui.

The best way to know more about real estate in Maui is by going through the various websites of Maui Real Estate. It facilitates searching through all the Maui MLS listings and even latest Maui listings. All website is a treasure house of news on Maui Real Estate and is always one stop information source for everything about Maui real estate.

Real estate in Kihei is high on demand. This sunny vibrant area close to Wailea and Makena has many homes for sale on offer. There are several large, luxury condos and multi-million dollar mansions along with standard tract housing and mid-level condominiums. Arguably this is the best place to look out for a home. In all likelihood you can find a home of your dreams only in Kihei. Along with the personal charm of the place the diverse mix of architectural designs gives Kihei an unique identity of its own. No other area in Maui offers a more relaxed atmosphere than Kihei homes.

In Wailea you can come across many beachfront and oceanfront real estate. In fact investing in Wailea is arguably the best investment because the place has many world-class resorts, beautiful sunny weather, long stretches of white sandy beaches, renowned spas, tennis clubs, good dining options and modern shopping places.

So look for a house in the various Kihei homes for sale

Justin Eliot is a regular contributor of information on real estate properties to http://www.mauilistings.net

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Justin_Eliot

Real Estate Agent - How They Make Money

2008-07-17T22:12:00.003-07:00

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.

How to Hire a Real Estate Lawyer

2008-07-17T22:12:00.001-07:00

Most people by now have heard of the benefits of using the professional services of a real estate agent, home inspector or mortgage broker in the real estate transaction process. However some buyers and sellers my not pay as much attention to choosing the real estate lawyer that will be representing them from the time they sign on the dotted line to the closing of the deal itself.

If you are a first time home buyer or seller, it is always a good idea to be safe with the paperwork and transaction. The safest way to make sure everything goes over smooth is to hire a real estate lawyer. They can handle a lot of the details for you and make sure that everything is taken care of properly. But do you know how to hire a real estate lawyer?

It is really a fairly simple process to hire a real estate lawyer. Before you do anything, it is always a good idea to talk with family, friends and neighbors for referrals. If you can get a good referral, you may be able to save yourself the hassle of searching for days for the right lawyer. But even after you get a referral, still make sure to research the lawyer before making any rash decisions.

The next place to look is with local real estate brokers. Real estate brokers are constantly associating with lawyers that deal with real estate. This is one of the many advantages you can get by hiring a real estate broker is the ability to find a quality lawyer. Therefore, talk to local brokers to see who they refer you to.

It is important that you understand you should keep all of your options open. The more referrals you can get the better. Then you can take the time to research and call all of the referrals you got to see who you think would be best for you.

Aside from getting referrals, you may also want to look in the yellow pages under Attorney: Real Estate. This will give you a list of local real estate lawyers you can call and talk with. It can be a bit tedious looking in the yellow pages and calling up random numbers, but it is worth the time to find the right lawyer.

The next step toward how to hire a real estate lawyer is to prepare a list of questions that pertain to your situation. Typically, simple questions lawyers will answer over the phone allowing you to get a general idea of whether or not it is the right lawyer for you.

The last step before hiring a real estate lawyer is to ask how much each charge per hour and request a general time frame of how long it will take to complete the tasks you require. This should include looking over contracts, handling disclosures and helping with the closing. After you have done all of this, choose the lawyer you feel will be best for your situation.

Luxury Beach Villas - Some of the Most Luxurious and Affordable Homes - Just South of the Border

2008-07-17T22:10:00.004-07:00

Mexico has seen a lot of growth in the development of luxury beach villas, exquisite surf side residences and vacation homes alike. There are some very affordable luxurious oceanfront property options to explore, just south of the border, and well worth checking into.

Whether you are looking to purchase a home, looking for beachfront real estate investments, or checking out vacation homes for your next holiday, Mexico has a lot to offer.

Why The Move To Mexico?

A large number of Americans have chosen the Baja area as their permanent or retirement home because of its various enticements: beautiful luxury beach villas, ocean views, beaches, mild climate, relaxed lifestyle and the warmth and friendliness of its people. But probably the biggest reason for the move south of the border is the lower cost of living and the close proximity to southern California. Some of the most exclusive beachfront real estate can be found in the Baja area; luxury beach villas, seaside estates, and beautiful vacations homes all at far lower prices than the same type of homes just a few miles away in the states.

Area Attractions and Features

The Baja area attractions include tours of its wine country and colonial era missions, ecotourism options in several natural parks, deserts and protected areas, hunting and sport fishing, and water sports like snorkeling, surfing and sailing. Whale watching is another favorite attraction and tours are quite popular during the season from January to March. With so much to offer; a warm and friendly atmosphere, mild climate and accessibility by land, sea and air, the Baja area has been the choice of tourists for decades when in search of the best value vacation homes.

Not only do visitors to this area receive more amenities for their money but the vacation homes located on oceanfront property in the area have the most breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean and most beautiful sunsets in the world.

Living a Luxurious Lifestyle in your Affordable Dream Home

Known for their architecture and amenities, luxury beach villas, exquisite surfside residences, and private homes on oceanfront property are all favorite choices for Americans moving to Mexico. The reason the move to Mexico is more affordable is just a matter of economics. You get far more home for your money. More space, more amenities, more luxuries, and more enjoyment from living a life that would be less affordable in the US. Beachfront real estate has become overpopulated in most areas stateside leaving the opportunity for privacy and enjoyment at a far lower level.

The trend for development of beachfront real estate in the United States has leaned more toward the building of high-rise condominiums and large resort type residences. In Mexico there are many communities that were developed to cater to those wanting to get away from it all and enjoy a more private less inhibited lifestyle.

Now that we've taken a look at why other Americans are moving south of the border to improve their lifestyle and save some money, you may want to check it out for yourself. Finding a new home in the Baja area or any other area of Mexico isn't as daunting of a task as you may think. A simple search on the internet will help you start your search. For an up-close look find a community with homes for sale and ask about their free tours and specials. Many new communities offer you first-class service tours and are very helpful in assisting you in finding the oceanfront property home of your dreams.

Do you want to escape to your very own beachfront paradise?

If the answer is YES, we have an exciting online private tour you've got to see!

The Benefits of Becoming a Real Estate Bird Dog

2008-07-17T22:10:00.003-07:00

The best benefit of becoming a real estate bird dog is that you get paid for your information while learning real estate investing. Check out the following list of benefits of bird dogging real estate:

You don't need to have a college degree in order to get started real estate bird dogging. Unlike real estate agent, you don't have to sit for examination. So long as you have the right attitude and willing to learn the trade, you can make money by locating properties for real estate investors. Investors will be more than happy to work with you and accept your offer to work and generate leads for them.

You don't need to buy properties. Your task is to locate properties and then compile the required information such as parcel address, lot no, name of owners, title records and so on for your investors. Therefore, you don't need to worry about your credit, your bank balances as you are not required to buy any properties.

You can start in your spare time and work at your own hours. You can start bird dogging in your spare time and supplement your full time income. So, you are basically your own boss and you don't need to report to anybody but yourself. You decide how many hours you want to work every week. You can start out as a a part timer and the best part is, you get to write your own pay check.

Generate income without risk - Bird dogging is basically a risk free method of generating extra income in your spare time. You can easily make few hundred dollars a month by passing information to investors.

Bird dogging real estate is an attractive way of learning real estate investing while getting paid for the information. It is never too late to get started as the demand for the service is huge.

The Bright Side to the Slow Housing Market

2008-07-17T22:10:00.002-07:00

Believe it or not, there may just be an upside to the slow housing market. There is a lot more bad news out there than good news, with record numbers of foreclosures, the largest inventory of homes for sale ever, and a mortgage industry that is increasingly stingy with loans. What could possibly be good when so many things are bad?

As only a pure optimists would, I have come up with a few things that may brighten up the dark void of the housing market. We know that new construction has slowed down considerably, and home prices are dropping due to the foreclosures. Can anyone make money in a market like this? Absolutely. The laws of investment tell us to buy low and sell high. If you have the opportunity and the means, now is the time to invest in property. Prices are at a low, inventory is high, and rates are at their lowest levels in years. If you can afford to sit on property for a little while, then the benefits in the future may far outweigh the cost.

This poses a problem for the middle class citizens though. Gas prices are at an all time high, the dollar is weakening, and expendable income is decreasing with rising fuel and food cost. If we can't invest in a new home, what options do we have?

With interest rates as low as they are, it may be a smart option to try to refinance your existing mortgage. If you have equity, you can try for a cash-out refinance, and take your homes equity and pay off consumer debt such as credit cards, loans, and other monthly payments. You can also use these funds to make additions or improvements on your home to increase its value, such as finishing a basement, adding tile, updating fixtures, or remodeling bathrooms and kitchens. These will prove to be valuable investments when the market turns around, and you may find that you get your money back in equity faster than you think.

The ultimate goal is to find creative ways to make the best of the situation. It's time to reverse the effects of spending more than we make. If the average consumer can use the low points of our economy to find ways to decrease debt, lower interest rates, or make good investments, then the long term results are more usable income for really stimulating the economy and investments in retirement accounts. The most important thing to keep in mind is economic discipline and planning ahead for the future.

Brought to you in part by Hill Street Builders (an Athens GA Construction Company) and Majestic Modifications (the complete car accessories solution, specializing in auto accessories, cold air intakes and performance upgrades).

Find Your Dream Spanish Properties - Which Are Available For Sale

2008-07-17T22:10:00.001-07:00

Spain is different!

Spain is a wonderful country and so big, vast and widely known for Flamenco music and dance, bull-fights, fantastic beaches and lots of sunshine, Spain has to offer much more than that. Spain has beautiful cities and towns, offering really old monuments as well as futuristic architecture. Its various regions are all different one to each other, geographically, climatically and even in personality. It is a fascinating country to know and to know more about it before planning to buy Spanish property for sale you must have a sound knowledge of the Spanish property market. Use one online database service to manage your Spanish property. Online you can have a quick access to genuine requests for properties within hours of listing Spanish properties for sale.

Essential things about Spanish property:

1) Learn the Spanish language first if you are foreigners. This will help you
-to understand what will ease the process.
- To negotiate prices better
-to prepare you for settling down in Spain.
2) Know the health care facilities and the basic medical supplies offered.
3) Schools and education
-this information will help you be better prepared when you land there
-prepare your children for their education.
4) Seek a real estate agent's help
-hire a real estate agent who will guide you better and get you the best deals in the market.
5) NIE number
-to invest in any Spanish property you will need an NIE number.
-It is a unique tax identification number that will enable you to complete formalities of any property purchase.
-You will get this number through a solicitor.

Owning a Property in Spain, Living in Spain or even Retiring in Spain is a dream of many people. There are two million foreign property owners in Spain and vast majority of who are happy with their Spanish property purchases and encountered negligible or no problems when buying their homes. Currently 50.000 houses in Spain were sold each year and a group of Spanish property organizations estimated that 226,000 British, 135,000 Germans and 35,000 Scandinavians are living here.

Advices when buying property:

1) Visit the site and consider more than one region.
2) Watch legally and take high degree of protection under Spanish law.
3) Take and pay the services of reputable Spanish lawyers.
4) Check out all the legalities prior to signing any documents regarding the sale.
5) Don't buy during inspection trip.
6) Don't buy just because it seems cheap - it might not be!
7) Research the Spanish property market first and then drive a bargain from a position of market knowledge and strength.

Bend Oregon Mortgage Defaults Skyrocket

2008-07-17T22:10:00.000-07:00

The Bend Bulletin reported Sunday that the Bend Oregon real estate market is not doing well. There were 788 notices of default filed in Deschutes County for the first six months of 2008.

A notice of default occurs when the mortgage lender files a notice of foreclosure. Lenders generally file notices after a borrower is two to three months behind on their payments. As foreclosures increase lenders tend to file notices sooner to try and cut their losses.

There were 192 notices of default filed in 2007 over the same time period. This year's defaults show a 410% increase over last year. Prices continue to fall as more bank repossessions come on the market.

The Bulletin reported that 75% of the notices of default filed this year were on homes purchases made in 2006 and 2007 at the peak of the Bend Oregon real estate market. Not all of these notices of default will result in foreclosure. Borrows have an opportunity to bring the loans current. If they do the default notice and foreclosure proceedings will be stopped.

Most homes purchased in 2006 and 2007 are currently worth substantially less now than they were then. If a purchaser bought a home during these years with nothing or little down they cannot sell their homes and pay off the mortgage.

Some lending institutions are allowing owners to sell their homes for less than they owe. The bank takes the loss. These are known as "short sales".

If a loan is not brought current after 90 days of the notice of default the lender will put the home up for auction on the court house steps. If the home isn't sold for more that the delinquency the bank takes possession. Thus the name "bank repo".

The increasing number of short sales and bank foreclosures will add additional lower priced homes to the market and continue the price decreases we are currently experiencing. Prices are currently down approximately 23% from this time last year.

The latest market report for Bend showed that the median prices of homes rose slightly for June 2008 over June 2007. Statistics can be tricky though. There were 22 homes sold over $500,000 and one of those homes was a sale for $3,000,000 during that period. Naturally that increased the median price substantially. The average price per square foot was up also.

The fact is our prices are still falling and will continue to fall until bank foreclosures slow down considerably. A decrease in notices of default will predict a decrease in Bend foreclosures. The current amount of notices of default guarantee more bank repos will be hitting the market this year.

Bank repos can sometimes be a good buy. The banks have to sell them to get them off of their books. Country Wide and other lenders made mortgage loans of question over the past several years and they are now coming back to haunt the banking industry.

There are currently many homes on the market in Bend that are over priced. The values continue to fall and people won't lower their prices to market value to sell their property.

Inflation is up. Gas prices are up. Unemployment is up and it seems that interest rates are inching up also. I don't think the Federal government will let interest rates get too high. But you never know. They raised them to 16% in 1981.

Keep an eye on mortgage notices of defaults and they will tell you where the real estate market is headed in Bend Oregon.

Real Estate - It's a Buyer's Market!

2008-07-03T06:07:00.000-07:00

It's currently a buyer's market, which means there are more sellers willing to sell their homes in the market than potential buyers...plus mortgage rates are very high at the moment. In this scenario, residences can stay longer on the market and prices of homes may begin to fall. Interest rates may also continue to be lowered. For example, a large percentage of the listings recently have had at least one price decrease since entering the market. This means that many sellers are waiting, knowing that the property may fall in price a few times.

In a buyer's market, buyers have more opportunities and leverage than sellers which means that purchasers are more likely to remain patient by taking their time and shopping around. Many of them opt to choose an agent who only represents the buyer and not the seller. The agent will only benefit if you buy a house. If you are buying a brand-new house, ask builders for incentives such as free upgrades or suspended HOA costs. A purchaser should talk to other lenders and the best financing for the house.

If you are selling your home in the market, you should sell it for an appropriate price. Make sure you realize that most houses stay on the market longer during a buyers market. Homeowners should prepare to spend more time in their home than they may want. Save money just in case it does not sell. If you find a residence before your house sells, consider renting out your home until the market changes. But if you are a seller, it is especially important to price your home appropriately. Since there is an overabundance of them available, buyers will avoid a residence that is overpriced. Make sure you determine how long houses in your neighborhood stay in the market.

When selling your residence, make sure it is clean and odor free. Mow the lawn, rake the leaves and clear the sidewalks. Clean the walls and deep clean the carpet and make sure the children's toys are out of the way. If you decide to paint the inside of the house, make sure you use neutral colors. Make sure you let light in because this can make the rooms look larger.

Offer the purchaser offers certain incentives that would encourage them to consider it. For example, offer the purchaser a realistic carpet allowance or include appliances and furniture in your home. You may offer to upgrade certain appliances. You may even want to offer to pay the closing costs, which can cost up to six percent of the total cost. These costs include loan appraisal or any other paperwork. To first time home buyers who do not have much cash, this can be very enticing.

In addition, you should arrange to have a professional home inspection, because the purchaser definitely does not want to find a major problem during the inspection process. When buyers have to wait for the repairs in a buyer's market, this could encourage them to break the deal, especially if there are plenty of other houses in the market.

Qualify Your Prospects - Or Lose Them to a Competitor

2008-07-03T06:06:00.003-07:00

Innovations are a mixed blessing. Because new developments offer the potential to improve personal or work lives, many people welcome the latest advances. Conversely, the newest way of doing things also carries the potential to annoy many people.

Take for example, current technology that simplifies how we can communicate with others. Using hard copy format (aka paper), we can send messages by hand, Canada Post, courier and various print media such as newspapers, magazines and books. Electronically, there is a wide range of telecommunications including wireless and Internet-based formats. As a person interested in marketing, I understand and value the contribution that today's technologies make to marketing communications. However, as a consumer, the misuse of these technologies drives me crazy.
Newsletters are one of the most popular and potentially effective of all marketing communications. Suitable for distribution in hard copy or electronically, they are ideal vehicles for keeping in touch with prospects, clients and network contacts. Properly used, they can enhance agents' credibility as knowledgeable real estate authorities. Inappropriately used, they have the opposite effect: instead of reinforcing credibility, they can raise questions about an agents' basic competence.

Through membership in the same organization, my wife and I have become acquainted with a real estate agent who is building his business. One component of his business development plan is the use of printed newsletters and Christmas cards. In building his list of contacts, he has taken our names from the membership list of the organization to which we all belong. And with list assembled, he has started regular mailings to his contacts, including us. I am less concerned that he is mailing to us without our consent than I am puzzled by why he considers us prospects. We have never discussed either real estate in general or our housing preferences in particular. I am no more sure that if I were looking for an agent he would be the right one for me than I would be a suitable client for him.

Unfortunately the mailings confirm this uncertainty. With content apparently mass produced by a third party, the newsletters are very generic and contain little information that is relevant or of interest to me. In creating the image of a dream home for last year's Christmas card, the agent described a scenario that is about as far from my ideal home as it's possible to be. It may well have been his vision of a dream home; it certainly wasn't mine.

In the overall scheme of things, receiving several mailings a year from this agent is not a big deal. These mailings do however illustrate the down side of the ease of communicating, especially sending newsletters. Certainly it's easy to assemble a list of people to whom newsletters can be sent. But just because you have some one's name and address, does that automatically mean that person is interested in hearing from you, let alone choosing you as their real estate agent? It's also very simple to purchase pre-packaged newsletter content for distribution to your contacts, but how effectively does this satisfy their need for useful information?

Undoubtedly, like many marketing programs, the agent's newsletter initiative was undertaken with the best of intentions and with no desire to annoy anyone. Ironically, in attempting to build or perhaps enhance a relationship with us, he has inadvertently caused me to question his skills as a real estate agent. Why did he not pre-qualify us as people who would be interested in receiving his newsletters? Why did he send us information without knowing whether or not it was relevant to us and our situation? And why did he think my idea of a dream home is the same as his?

Again, in the overall scheme of things, these issues are insignificant. However, in a competitive industry like real estate, they become relevant factors in the decision-making process. When and if it comes to pass that I am looking for an agent for my own needs or to refer to some one else, who will appeal most to me? The agent who doesn't know much about me and continues to demonstrate this though his mailings? Or am I likely to be more attracted to another agent who is prepared to take the time to get to know my preferences, needs and wants?

Certainly today's user-friendly communication tools can improve the effectiveness of marketing communications. And just as surely, these same tools can bite the unwary agent who misuses them. User beware.

Apartments in Kochi

2008-07-03T06:06:00.002-07:00

In India real estate is flourishing every year and it has resulted in numerous openings for investments around the country.

There are numerous cities across India where Real Estate investments are a booming factor and Kochi is one of them.

Kochi, the Gateway to Kerala is booming as the major city for establishing real estate market. Many commercial and residential properties across Kochi have been urbanized immensely and they are all still in the process of development. Real estate investment in Cochin is now a striking asset.

There are many ready to occupy apartments, luxury flats, bungalows, in Kochi. New apartment units in Kochi are anticipated to reach around 100,000 in the next few years. Kakkanad, the eastern end of the city was a hilly village in Kochi and now it is growing as a new city hub.

A considerable number of Kerala residents dwell in foreign countries and t real estate in Kochi has always been the subject of NRI interest. A large number of employees are settling in Kochi and this might be a reason why the real estate business in Kochi is growing as ever before. Apartments in Kochi were always a hot topic to NRIs. They have keen interest in sub-urban areas in Kochi like, Kakkanad, Kaloor, Kalamassery etc. So it is highly prestigious to buy apartments in any areas of Kochi.

Investments in Kochi are arising due to the fact that Major Projects such as Smart City, Info Park in Kakkanad will be sharing a huge part of employments across Kochi in near future. As a result, the need for more and more apartments in Kochi are arising day by day. Thus the builders in Kochi are investing in more and more apartment projects near to Infopark / Smart City, Kakkanad.

Need a luxury apartment in the heart of Kochi, Kerala? Olive Builders, the ISO 9001-2000 certified Company presents before you luxurious apartments in Kochi Ready to occupy apartments in Infopark, Smart City,

Kerala.

Booking open for all. For more details, please contact us in

Tel: +91-484-2332190,2332890,3297359

Mob: +91-9847900111,+91-9947622110

Open For Business 24 Hours a Day - 365 Days a Year

2008-07-03T06:06:00.001-07:00

With the advent of globalization, businesses need to cope with trading internationally. Since time difference is always a problem the aspiration of setting-up a 24/7 office is one's businessman's dream. For a Tax Delinquent Investor this is almost a necessity. There is not one time where opportunities are latent. But there is GOOD NEWS!

There are ways to achieve this and one of them is to physically open your office 24 hours a day and fill it with staff. With this set-up your office is open 24 hours a day and has 3 work shifts in a day: The morning shift, the afternoon and the graveyard shift. This kind of set-up is very tedious and needs a lot of monitoring. And since your operation is 24 hours, you will be lead to hire ample number of people thus making your cost on salaries and wages balloon. It is sort of going against the Tax Delinquent Investor Goals, don't you think?

Then there is another way, which is an easier and cost efficient way. You can get all of that done by setting up your own website. Nowadays, almost everyone is connected to the Internet whether via computer, PDAs or cellular phones. A website is a virtual store that resides in the Internet. Everyone can access it anytime of the day thus eliminating the time zone differences around the world. Sales transactions are done electronically and payments are made via credit card using a secured payment gateway. But before you can setup your Tax Delinquent Investment business over the Internet, first you need to have a working system, some valuable information at hand and knowledgeable content to share to your audience.

Your Tax Delinquent Investment business website can accept queries, suggestions, information and even actual land/property purchases. It can also publish information and advertise properties you are selling. You can even have an interested buyer enter some of their information in so that by the time you contact them you would have most of their valuable details at hand. Lastly and the most important thing of all is that it can also accept payments from the buyer. Once you have packaged the basic requirements needed to setup a website then your business is open for business 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This will enable you to maximize operations, decrease operational expenses; global expansions, thus, a much bigger chance to increase profit. Having your own real estate website makes selling land properties global in just a click away or to be precise just a mouse click away. You put your business out there for the whole world to see and you're client base is diversified, breaking all barriers, in terms of time and geographical zones.

Jack Bosch began investing in real estate in 1999. Along the way he discovered a secret system of buying land for literally pennies on the dollar and reselling the property for thousands more. Since his first transaction he has personally bought and sold over 5000 properties using his fine tuned system. Jack to this day still invests and profits from real estate, however now he also offers his secret strategy of buying and selling real estate for huge profits to You!

Discover the Next Boom Area Within the Gulf Region

2008-07-03T06:04:00.000-07:00

The growth in specific regions within the Gulf Region has been widely publicized and documented by the financial as well as the wider media. Those who got in early and had the foresight to accurately predict the radical growth in specific regions are sitting on very good returns, especially in the real estate market.

The more aggressive returns within the Gulf Region has been within the U.A.E, specifically in regions such as Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Development is still happening in these area's but compared to other parts of the market Abu Dhabi and Dubai are much more mature. This is generally not a bad thing it just means that prices in this region are generally a lot more expensive in comparison to other regions.

So what does this mean for investors, it means that generally liquidity will denote where you can buy and at the moment with inflationary pressure's related to commodities as well as the fear of small corrections in the more mature property markets many are turning their attentions to the more northern Emirates for property investment's within the U.A.E.

A lot of financial analysts in the area's are endorsing and turning their attentions to the less developed Emirates such as Ajman. Ajman is currently the cheapest freehold property market in the U.A.E ,and with it's proximity to the most developed state of Dubai in the U.A.E it is looking very attractive.

The fundamentals as many agree look right to facilitate a prudent investment including low prices, massive investment, prestigious developments and location.

A Second Look at Custom-Designed Modular Homes

2008-07-03T06:03:00.001-07:00

If you like the idea of creating your own modular home from scratch, you should make an appointment with a local architectural engineer. Come prepared with a list of both what you need to have in a custom-designed modular home, and what you'd like to have. Have a realistic budget in mind, and the specifics of your building site.

The architectural engineer will have a list of home features which can be included in a different selection of modular home designs, and once you have settled on the architecture and floor plan you want in your custom-designed Modular Homes , the architectural engineer will draw up plans which include all your requested custom features. The plans will be sent to the modular home manufacturing company, which will construct it in sections.

Each section of your modular home will have to pass strict a on-site quality control inspection, and your custom-designed modular home will be built to meet all the zoning and building codes in your municipality. Once all the sections are completed ( which normally takes about two weeks for a two section home) and approved, they will be covered and shipped to your building site. Some modular home manufacturers offer share-load shipping, so that you can split the shipping fees with other people in your area who are also building modular homes.

Construction of Your Custom-Built Modular Home

While you're waiting for your custom -Built modular home to arrive, you will need to have a foundation built. The home will be joined to the foundation, and the remainder of the construction process will usually run between tow and three weeks. Because you have a fairly accurate idea how long it will take your new custom home to be ready, you can have a much easier time of planning your move.

You may be surprised to leant that a custom-built modular home will actually contain between twenty and thirty percent more lumber than a traditional home of the same size, and that all its sections will be not only nailed or screwed, but glued together. From architectural appeal and energy efficiency to solidity of construction, custom-designed modular homes are equal or superior to traditional homes in very way!

The Easiest Way to Prevent Bankrupting Your Home Staging Business - Stop Giving "Free Estimates"!

2008-07-03T06:03:00.000-07:00

When I ask many real estate agents today about the state of the market and its effect on their income, I often get an earful about tiny, intermittent commission checks and complaints of record breaking gas prices cutting into already bleak profits. Things aren't great for many in the front lines selling real estate right now.

However, if you're a home stager, chances are you are building your real estate staging business with the help of the market's downward spiral. In a buyer's real estate market, the people prepared to make offers are pickier than ever. Homeowners are desperate to sell. They're scrambling to find an edge that doesn't mean dropping their asking price, and that's great news for home stagers.

More homeowners than ever before are turning to home staging professionals for advice on how to best decorate their homes to stand out before they list with a real estate agent. If you're one of the lucky stagers enjoying an increase in inquiries because of the market's decline, you have to keep the fine line between 'free estimate' and 'free advice' good and clear. Otherwise, you could burn out and bankrupt your business faster than you think.

If you are a home stager, you know what you can expect when you walk into a house to meet with a home seller to provide a home staging estimate. Not long after being greeted at the door, you're peppered with questions like; 'Do you think I should repaint the bathroom?', 'What do you think of the rug in the living room?', 'Should I leave the high chair in the dining room for showings?', 'Do you think the kitty litter in the washroom will turn off buyers' Of course these are legitimate questions for a home seller to consider. But when they're asked of a professional home stager, the real goal is to obtain free home staging advice.

Because you can increase the perceived value of a home from $10,000 to $70,000 by staging it properly, you deserve to be paid (and paid well) for your expertise and advice. Unfortunately, if you're new to the business of home staging, you might be tempted to visit sellers to provide a free estimate of what it will cost for you to stage their home. If you continue down this road, you should know it almost always leads to burnout and bankruptcy.

If you consider yourself a professional stager, I hope you're not out there wasting your time (not to mention gas) visiting potential clients to give away free advice. Any serious home seller seeking professional home staging advice will be happy to pay for your services - they know your work will result in a quick sale for top dollar.

It is rarely necessary to visit a home to provide a rough estimate of what it will cost to stage it, especially if it's already furnished. If you have any experience at all, you'll be able to tell from one telephone interview, approximately how long it will take and roughly what staging will cost the seller. However, you have to be confident enough to explain everything thoroughly to someone who has probably never hired a real estate stager before. They need to understand the services you provide and how it will benefit them.

So how do you stop walking right into the free estimate trap and start taking the reins right from the get-go? You arm yourself with the information you need to enable home sellers to understand your services and realize how much they need you. I've recently created a tool called the 'Staging Diva® Sales Script: How to Avoid the Free Estimate Trap and Turn Homeowners Into Home Staging Customers in One Phone Conversation.' It's my script of what I say to a prospective customer to turn them into a buyer. I've been using it for five years to build my staging company Six Elements Inc. This resource teaches home stagers what to say when the caller asks, 'I';m thinking of having my home staged, what does it cost?', so they no longer have to fall into that 'free estimate trap'; in the hopes of winning business.

With the opportunities opening up for you as a home stager in today's slow real estate market, it's certainly not the time to give your services away for free. Educate yourself and enjoy the profits waiting for you as you help desperate homeowners sell faster and for more money. Their real estate agents will appreciate it to since you make their selling job so much easier!

Bangalore Real Estate Goes Green

2008-07-03T06:00:00.004-07:00

Bangalore real estate activities are witnessing a stagnation period. There is identified stock of unoccupied properties in the Whitefield area. The reason gauged is all the IT and IT enabled service companies are heading towards green buildings. Green buildings are the peg of the year as the world is adapting green arena to counter various environmental issues. All builders and developers are bound to adopt green technology to construct their buildings.

The upcoming real estate activities in Bangalore are happening at outer ring road and peripheral areas. Few buildings where the construction has just completed are lying vacant. The Bangalore real estate market is experiencing such vacant unit supply in past couple of months. The reason sought is the increasing demand of green building. The newly constructed Bangalore properties are not meeting green buildings requirements and thus they are not rated as green.

The IT and ITES companies are not occupying this space and as a result the real estate values are stagnating and the property prices are going down with time. In the last quarter demand - supply mismatch was approximately a million sq.ft. (as stated in Cushman & Wakefield report).

The Bangalore Real Estate Builders and property developers are still reluctant in building green homes and using new technology because of their profit margin. Also all the upcoming and current projects are overpriced than the market value.

The Whitefield region in Bangalore, where IT and ITES firms occupy most of the office space, could be delivered another blow when a Bangalore government scheme which provides rebate in tax to the companies located at "technology parks" comes to an end next year.

Most of the companies will head towards Special Economic Zones (SEZ) which is designed as per the green codes and this will further render some Bangalore properties vacant. Thus Bangalore real estate builders have no choice but to start constructing green buildings to save the environment as well as their own business

Foreclosure - Cut Your Risk Get Home Inspection

2008-07-03T06:00:00.002-07:00

FSBO - Avoid Some Common Mistakes

2008-07-03T06:00:00.001-07:00

For selling your FSBO property, you need to avoid some of the common mistakes. There can be a number of things that you might need to perform before you actually offer your property for sale.

1. Avoid jam- packed rooms, kitchen and stores before offering your FSBO house for sales: A potential buyer would like to view the rooms, store or kitchen keeping in mind the requirement of the buyer. So, all unnecessary items should be removed from the rooms, store or kitchen. You need to pack all these items so that they do not occupy the needful space.

2. Maintain leaking water tape and connections: Many times a small tap or water pipe start leaking in our houses and most of the time we forget to repair it or even sometimes we do not give much attention to the leaking pipes. These leaking pipes cause damages to wall paints and before offering your FSBO property, you need to repair all the leaking pipes.

3. Improve the look of your garden: You need to give some time for improving and maintaining your garden. Most of the time a potential buyer gets the first impression of your house from your garden. So, avoid congested garden and if possible plant some flowers of the season. You can also take the help of a nursery or any botanical garden of your area, which will suggest the type of plant that will grow in the soil of your garden.

4. Replace broken glass windows or doors: Sometime we avoid repairing a minor crack on the glass of our window or doors. Especially you should take extra care if your main entrance door or window is not in good condition. It gives a poor impression to the potential buyer of FSBO property, so you should at least keep your entrance door and adjoining windows in good condition.

5. Maintain the exterior of your FSBO house: Most of the FSBO owners don't care about the exterior or interior of your house. The exterior of the house is as important as the interior of the house. So, before offering your house for sale, you should at least put a coat of paint on it.

So as an FSBO owner, you should keep the above points in mind and it is necessary for you to improve your house as per the few points mentioned above so that you quickly get a buyer for it.

Getting the Best Deals on Miami Beach Condos

2008-07-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

Settling down in Miami Beach requires a residential unit that will fit your specification of a family home. Considering that the city is a hodgepodge of cultures, you can practically see dozens of different architectural designs available that will suit your taste.

One of the most sought after residential properties in Miami Beach are the condominiums. These luxurious homes are prized among the rest considering the functionality and the convenience of having one for your very own. Despite the fact that Miami Beach condos are quite expensive to acquire, as compared to other residential units like single-family homes or apartments, having one under your name is a big change in regards to your daily upkeep and lifestyle.

Finding The Right One

If you want to maximize your condo acquisition, you need to decide on several factors that will determine its usefulness for your needs. First, you need to do a little research regarding the prices of condominiums in Miami Beach. Though most of them are quite expensive for your taste, some of these residential complex do exists that providers lower rates than the rest.

Aside from the price, you need to look into the different amenities and facilities in a condo unit so that you can decide on which one would be perfect for your needs. Take into consideration the amenities of each unit, like the number of rooms, floor area, furniture and fixtures, and so on. Check also the available facilities that you will jointly own with the rest of the residents, such as swimming pools, housekeeping staff, security and privacy features, entertainment and recreational facilities, and so on.

The Status Of The Miami Beach Real Estate Market

If you want to purchase these luxury units at the lower price, then you need to keep a close eye on the real estate market of Miami Beach. We can never deny the fact that the prices of assorted residential units fluctuate depending on the status of the real estate market, as well as the demands and availability of these units for acquisition.

You might want to exercise a little bit of patience and wait until the prices of condo units in Miami Beach is at its lowest. You can consult a real estate agent to get the info you need, or hire their services to look for a Miami Beach condo that will fit your budget.

Considering that the real estate market of Miami Beach is currently recovering from the effects of the housing crisis that hit the entire U.S. You can safely say that the market will be returning to normal in a few years time, but the demand for such commodities is high considering that the prices are still lower compared to the market boom in the last decade.

Central Delhi - Million Dollar Baby

2008-07-03T05:55:00.003-07:00

The slowdown in the real estate sector has not been able to stop the affluent from buying a house at sky-rocketing prices in central Delhi's swanky locality. Though the inflation is on an all time high but it has hardly made a difference to the well-heeled.

According to media reports, in the last two months, three high value transactions have been made worth Rs 300 crore in central Delhi's elite Golf Links locality, where infrastructure major GMR, a prominent auto-dealer, a former Prime Minister's son and a politician have bought a house. Limited availability of properties in the area and rising demand from rich-getting-richer customers has resulted in such price appreciation, articulate industry experts.

The central Delhi has always been a hub of real estate activities in the city. South Delhi comes the close second. Though west, north and eastern zones of the city have so far been bustling with real estate activities but it's the central Delhi which has remained the hot cake of the Delhi property market.

Also known as Lutyens' Delhi, it includes areas like Aurangzeb Road, Prithviraj Road, Mansingh Road, Shahjahan Road and the nearby posh localities of Chanakyapuri, Golf Links, Jor Bagh and Sunder Nagar. All these areas have always been the most preferred locales of Delhi, an ideal location for all Delhi Real Estate Builders and a place-to-be-in by all and sundry.

The main reason for the popularity of these areas is that being the central most part of Delhi, it is well connected to different parts of the city. Being home to the political and business bigwigs, it boasts of superb infrastructure than any part of the city.

Further, with Connaught Place revamping, it is going to be a value-add to the already high-profile property market of central Delhi. Moreover, as Delhi real estate developers look around for various business opportunities the redevelopment could be the next big thing for Delhi properties.

Selecting an Online Construction Management Service

2008-07-03T05:55:00.002-07:00

Today, construction teams need to do a lot more with a lot less. In this competitive environment, many look at online (Web-based) construction management software to help them make decisions faster, automate documentation and reduce costs.

Three of the most important criteria for selecting such software are ease of use, focus and affordability.

Ease of Use - The software must be intuitive and easy to use. It must mirror the way the project team has communicated for years and not ask them to learn a new way to exchange information. It must employ familiar methods for formatting and presenting information so that field personnel can put it to use immediately, inputting information with ease.

If users can virtually teach themselves with little or no training, they are more likely to use the software. If the construction management software looks complicated, the project team will either spend too much time learning how to use it (minimizing its benefits), or avoid using it altogether (sabotaging its effectiveness).

Focus - The construction project management software should focus on the areas where it can make the most difference, namely routine, repetitive tasks such as RFIs and CCDs.

The greatest benefit comes from using the software to automate these exchanges of information that move projects forward on a day-to-day basis. The software can ignore - or link to - other applications that are needed less often such as CAD drawings or CPM schedules.

The first online software tried to do too much. They were too complex and difficult to use, making many construction professionals reluctant to use them. Software that does a few things well is much more valuable than one that does many things poorly.

Affordability - Good online construction management software can pay for itself in a short period of time due to increased productivity.

Of course, it is still important to check the price. Most online construction management software is sold as an annual fee, typically based on the number of users or projects. Other possible costs include a set-up fee, maintenance fee, training (if required) and customization (if available). Better software vendors offer a free trial or a month or so.

But price is not the only factor in affordability. Productivity is another important measure, and study after study shows that lost information and paper-based systems are expensive indeed.

For example:

The Butler Group, a London-based IT research and analysis organization, contends that as much as 10 percent of a company's salary costs is "frittered away" as employees scramble to find information to do their jobs.
According to the Delphi Research Group in Elmwood, Connecticut, 15 percent of all paper handled in a typical business gets lost and each lost piece of paper costs a business $120.
The German firm AWV concluded that companies could increase productivity 20 to 30 percent, and save 20 to 40 percent of the time spent on document handling, by managing documents electronically.

A rough ROI measure of productivity improvement is: (number of employees) x (salary) x (% time savings) x (productivity rating). With that formula, if the software saves a few hours a week (a conservative estimate), it probably will pay for itself in a few months.

Summary

By concentrating on ease of use, focus and affordability, construction teams can choose an online construction management service that fits their needs. Such software can reduce workloads, minimize delays and maximize profits.

Real Estate Ideas For Buying a Home

2008-07-03T05:55:00.001-07:00

Think you are ready to buy a new home? It's not as easy as visiting a few open houses and rifling through pictures online. Before you take the plunge, consider some of the following questions to help guide you through the complex process of buying a home. Home buying is a big financial investment. There are a number of things you can do to make the buying process enjoyable and successful.

1. Is this the right time for me to buy?

Besides taking the current real estate market into account, give some intense thought to your own situation and lifestyle. Buying a house is one of the biggest financial investments you will make. Not only that, but it's a time investment as well. If you're unhappy at your current job or in your current city of residence, buying a house might not be a wise option. You should feel fairly confident that you will be comfortable staying there for at least five years, especially if you're a first-time home-buyer. Research is very important to know what you want and what is available. It is very crucial to consult with your family and friends.

2. Can I afford it?

It's true that paying a mortgage is often times more economical than paying month-to-month rent, but there are many hidden costs. Initially, you may have to cough up some cash for a down payment, home inspection, insurance, and other fees. You may also have the burden of paying for the moving expenses, paint, and furniture. Turning your new house into a home might eat up some of your weekends. If you don't have any extra funds squirreled away to handle the surprises of home ownership, you may want to build up your savings account first.

3. Do I need a realtor?

Probably. Unless you are a realtor yourself, you will need someone to represent you and assist you with the process. You don't have to open the phonebook and pick the most convenient agent. You're hiring them; therefore, you must interview. It's important to find an agent that you communicate well with and who is experienced with your particular needs. Some agents specialize in condos, others might only do mansions. Agents will help you with budgets, loans, and market trends. They also know about properties before they are listed, potentially lessening the buyer competition. By having a real estate agent, you will see more properties and it will increase your chances of negotiating a good deal.

4. When should I get a loan and where?

Money will constantly be a factor in your house hunt. Rather than becoming frustrated by all of the dollar bill signs, it is recommended that you get pre-approval for a home loan before beginning your search. This will help you outline your initial budget and you will avoid potential disappointment, if you can't get a high enough loan for that dream house you saw. You can get as many pre-approval loans as you would like, but each will appear on your credit score so don't shop around if you don't have to. The pre-approval loan is also the gateway into better negotiations. Some sellers will balk at signing over the deed if they don't have some sort of proof that you have the finances.

You can find a lender with a mortgage company, online, or through suggestions by your realtor.

Building a New House

2008-07-03T05:55:00.000-07:00

There are many good reasons to build your own home. The first is probably saving money. The stats show you can save easily thirty percent if you have a good idea about what it is you are doing. There are always exceptions to the rules and it could be more or it could be less but more than likely you will save money over buying an already built house. Another reason is that you get exactly what you want in a house. You get to decide just how big the rooms are and where they are located. If you want the master suite on one side of the house and the rest of the bedrooms on the other, you get to plan it out.

The kitchen is one of the most important rooms since you will be spending so much time and effort in that particular room. Having it laid out in an ergonomic way is very important, especially if you are a gourmet cook and enjoy cooking and baking. Since it is a room where people seem to congregate during parties it may be connected to a larger open family room. You get the idea; it is all up to you.

For instance, you can be creative with a variety of precast concrete products either underground or in the yard or as part of the house. For one, if you live in an area without city sewers, you will need to choose one of the precast septic tanks for your waste. It gets somewhat technical so hiring a professional to help plan this part of it might be wise. Other precast possibilities include making walls out of precast bricks. They are relatively easy to do as they go together nicely. If you are in California you might be able to find some Sacramento precast concrete products for your creative ideas.

Creativity is the fun part of building your own home. There is the business side to it and it is equally as important. Having the right contracts and agreements in place will make the building of your own home a nightmare or a dream. There are numerous things that can go wrong and you need to be as proactive as possible. Having a plan is imperative to heading off those irritating showstoppers such as having the materials on site when the work is suppose to start. There are a number of activities that can occur concurrently and some that have to happen in sequence. If you've never built a house, purchasing a plan may be the prudent thing to do.

Appraisal Institute Selects PropertyFirst to Develop and Host First-Ever Online Database of Appraiser-Verified Commercial Real Estate Sales, Lease and

2008-02-15T04:12:00.001-08:00

Business/Real Estate Editors

CHICAGO & LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 20, 2000

Facilitating More Efficient Pricing, Benchmarking and

Decision-Making by Real Estate Professionals Nationwide

The Appraisal Institute and PropertyFirst.com, Inc. today announced an exclusive 11-year arrangement under which PropertyFirst.com will develop and host the Appraisal Institute Commercial Database, the first-ever online databank of appraiser-verified commercial real estate information. Set to launch early in the first quarter of 2001, the foundation of this new service will be appraiser-verified sale, lease and operating expense data for commercial properties across the country. Appraisal Institute members will provide content for the national database, utilizing Appraisal Institute-approved methods and standards. The data will be available to all commercial real estate investment, finance and leasing professionals via the Internet.

The geographic reach and scope of the Appraisal Institute Commercial Database will move the market from a patchwork approach of gathering and sharing comparable information to a streamlined, efficient system with data verified by the leading sources of appraisal information. No other service provides appraiser-verified data on a national level, combining comparable sales, actual leases and operating expenses. "Bits and pieces of market data are available everywhere, but what's missing is a comprehensive single source of high quality, up-to-date, verified commercial property data," said Woodward S. Hanson, MAI, president of the Appraisal Institute. "Our members have the best quality information available anywhere. It's our responsibility to demonstrate leadership by developing the Appraisal Institute Commercial Database to fill the current void."

"With this national database, our members will be even better equipped to develop valuation reports, trending analytics and other products consistent with their skill set, and the commercial real estate community overall will benefit from timely, firsthand access to the best quality information available anywhere."

Hanson said the Appraisal Institute's 40-member board of directors unanimously selected PropertyFirst.com as the platform and developer of the new database. "With their expertise in commercial real estate, software development and database management, PropertyFirst.com was a natural to execute this important project for us," Hanson said. "They appreciate the value of high quality information, shared widely, and of using technology to enable the real estate community to operate more efficiently and productively."

"The Appraisal Institute Commercial Database will transform the market for commercial real estate data," said John Stanfill, president and CEO of PropertyFirst.com. "At long last, verified commercial property sales and lease information and other critical data will be available to the real estate industry and be easily accessible online. Commercial property pricing will become even more efficient, investment and leasing decisions will be better and faster, and everyone who needs it will have fast access to the best data. This is another way the Internet will bring increased efficiency to the commercial real estate industry."

Stanfill said industry studies have shown that commercial real estate professionals often spend up to 40% of their time in data research and collection efforts. Appraisal Institute Commercial Database users -- appraisers, lenders, brokers, owners, investors, tenants, economists, investment bankers and others -- will be able to significantly reduce their data acquisition time and costs as a result of this service. This allows them to devote more time to their core business functions.

PropertyFirst.com estimates that about $300 billion of commercial property is sold in the U.S. annually, with $250 billion of loans initiated every year. Over 300,000 individual commercial properties are listed for sale in the U.S. annually, and there are over 1,000,000 commercial spaces for lease in the U.S. currently.

About the Appraisal Institute

Throughout its 65-year history, the Appraisal Institute, based in Chicago, has been the leader in residential and commercial appraisal education, research, publishing and professional membership designation programs. Its 19,000 members are identified by their experience and knowledge of real estate valuation and counseling, and adhere to a strictly enforced code of professional ethics and standards of professional appraisal practice. The Appraisal Institute is a recognized leader in valuation technology and has established a national database for residential properties (www.airdport.com). The Appraisal Institute is participating in the creation of a national management company providing valuation and consulting services in both residential and commercial markets.

About PropertyFirst.com

PropertyFirst.com provides a web-based platform and services for commercial real estate professionals, including owners, brokers, investors, lenders, property managers and corporate space users. PropertyFirst.com is dedicated to using technology and its high-level commercial real estate industry knowledge to lower real estate transaction costs, increase industry efficiencies, heighten transaction volume, build relationships and otherwise help its clients operate more efficiently. The company, based in Alhambra, Calif., in Los Angeles County, has strategic alliances with leading commercial real estate services firms such as MortgageRamp.com, CB Richard Ellis, Cushman & Wakefield and Transwestern Commercial Services.

Real Estate Professionals Can Now Search and Map Property Information with New Property Profiles Capability Developed by PropertyInfo and Stewart Re-S

2008-02-15T04:10:00.000-08:00

Residential and commercial real estate professionals can now call up, layer picture-quality aerial images, and create tangible property information maps on PropertyInfo.

HOUSTON -- PropertyInfo and Stewart Re-Source have teamed up to enhance PropertyInfo's existing Property Profiles product, incorporating a "click-and-drag" mapping component.

Users such as residential real estate agents and commercial brokers will still be able to search properties by ZIP code, addresses, transaction dates and more, and produce Property Profiles for marketing purposes. The new capability, called "Paint Your Farm," for residential professionals and "LandMap," for commercial professionals, allows use of selection tools such as a rectangle, line, polygon or cursor to do such actions as: * Select all properties within a certain radius that touch a subject property

* Send selected property addresses to mailing labels or download in another format

* Click and measure land area or any other point-to-point distance

* Add text to a created map, convert it to a PDF, and send or save it

"Thanks to the teamwork of our partners in Re-Source, we now have a seamless way of marrying up rich public record data with high-quality aerials and mapping tools," said Cathy Bell, president, PropertyInfo.com. "We've already introduced the enhancement to key Property Profiles clients and have received rave reviews."

"Residential and commercial multiple listing services will find this enhancement an extremely valuable tool for their subscribers," added Bell. "Using it is very easy and intuitive. Any real estate professional can immediately see marketing applications for it as soon as they sit down and view a demo."

The technology that enabled this enhancement, re-source[R], is a site analysis tool used by commercial real estate professionals, including developers, lenders, brokers, insurers and investors.

"The project with PropertyInfo.com has been in the works for several months now," said Kas Ebrahim, president, Stewart Re-Source. "Stewart Re-Source specializes in commercial data solutions and showing clients how they can harness the power of their own data. Coupled with PropertyInfo.com's expertise in residential and commercial property information, customers now have a powerful 'one-two' punch toward getting ahead of their competition."

PropertyInfo and Stewart Re-Source are wholly owned subsidiaries of Stewart Information Services Corp.(NYSE:STC).

About PropertyInfo

As a real estate information provider, PropertyInfo serves the title, realty and lending markets via data access, integrated data applications, and online product distribution through its Web portal, PropertyInfo.com. It provides real estate transaction professionals with the electronic data and integrated applications needed to increase their business efficiency and improve the quality of information used throughout the real estate transaction process. More information about PropertyInfo is available at http://www.propertyinfo.com.

About Stewart Re-Source

Stewart Re-Source Inc. markets the Web-based product, Stewart re-source[R], a site analysis tool used by commercial real estate professionals, including developers, lenders, brokers, insurers and investors. re-source[R] also can be licensed as an application by small-to-medium-sized municipalities to offer access to property information and associated market data as offered by large economic development agencies.

About Stewart

Stewart Information Services Corp. is a customer-centric, technology-driven, strategically competitive, real estate information and transaction management company. Stewart provides title insurance and related information services required for settlement by the real estate and mortgage industries through more than 9,500 policy-issuing offices and agencies in the United States and international markets. Stewart also provides post-closing lender services, mortgage default management solutions, automated county clerk land records, property ownership mapping, geographic information systems, property information reports, flood certificates, document preparation, background checks and expertise in tax-deferred exchanges. More information can be found at http://www.stewart.com.

North Texas Real Estate Information Systems Installs New Data Center At Collocation Solutions

2008-02-14T02:38:00.000-08:00

Don Frasier, co-founder and executive vice president of Collocation Solutions, announced today that North Texas Real Estate Information Systems (NTREIS) has completed the migration of their data center to Collocation Solutions' Dallas-based facility.

Jim Harrison, chief executive officer of NTREIS, said that the contract, originally signed in August of 2001, is a result of an internal re-engineering of the company's technology (IT) infrastructure. "We've streamlined and upgraded our legacy dial-up and frame network to a more diverse and accessible IP network, resulting in this new center which we will use to house primary IT systems and offer unmatched connectivity," Harrison said. "Accessibility and maximum up-time are, of course, a top priority for us, and our expectations were met and exceeded by the solutions they custom designed and built into our private data suite in a very short window of time." Harrison added, "In our world, down time translates into 15,000 real estate professionals being cut off from their business. Collocation Solutions helped us minimize that down time in the migration, and is helping us avoid down time as we have shut down the old network."

NTREIS' primary move occurred in November, and remaining portions of the legacy network have gradually been decommissioned as real estate professionals have been moved over to the new infrastructure. "In this case, NTREIS was looking for a high availability, off-premises solution for their primary IP infrastructure, not their back-ups," said Frasier. "However, their concerns are indicative of a trend we see towards higher security, greater demand for network availability and a diversification of risk through multiple data center networks. Disaster recovery and data security have never been more important to the IT professional."

Collocation Solutions is a privately held, build-to-suit telecommunication and data center infrastructure service provider. Founded in 1999, the company was formed to assist telecom companies, Internet service providers (ISP), application service providers (ASP), and enterprise companies in meeting their collocation and data communication needs. Collocation Solutions provides unbundled services in a carrier neutral environment with branded spaces engineered and constructed to the same high standards as large data center applications or switch sites. For more information, visit www.collocationsolutions.com.

Owned by 18 REALTOR associations in the greater Dallas-Fort Worth area, NTREIS maintains the property database for an area over 16,000 square miles with 15,000 subscribers, including 3,000 real estate offices.

Business Wire, Sept 15, 2004

2008-02-14T02:37:00.000-08:00

HOUSTON -- The Board of Trustees for AIM Select Real Estate Income Fund (NYSE:RRE), AIM's closed-end real estate fund, has declared its monthly dividends for the fourth quarter of 2004.

A dividend of $0.1030 per share will be paid each month of the fourth quarter of 2004 as follows: For October, the dividend will be payable on Oct. 29, 2004, for fund shareholders of record on Oct. 19, 2004. In November, the dividend will be payable on Nov. 29, 2004, for fund shareholders of record on Nov. 17, 2004. In December, the dividend will be payable on Dec. 30, 2004, for fund shareholders of record on Dec. 17, 2004. Additionally, August portfolio information for AIM Select Real Estate Income Fund is now available upon request. Fund information may be obtained by accessing www.aiminvestments.com/reit, by calling 800-959-4246 or by writing to A I M Management Group Inc., 11 Greenway Plaza, Suite 100, Houston, Texas 77046-1173. Besides the daily pricing and performance data, information for AIM Select Real Estate Income Fund is updated on or about the 15th day of each month.

About AIM Investments Houston-based AIM Investments represents one of the nation's leading investment management companies. It is dedicated to building solutions for its clients with exceptional products and services through multiple investment management styles and a broad range of investment portfolios under the AIM and INVESCO brand names -- mutual funds, retirement products, separately managed accounts for high-net-worth and institutional investors, annuities, cash management, college savings plans, alternative investments and offshore products. Founded in 1976, AIM Investments had $139 billion in assets under management as of June 30, 2004. For more information, visit www.aiminvestments.com. AIM Investments is a service mark of A I M Management Group Inc. and is the subject of a pending application for trademark registration. A I M Advisors, Inc., A I M Capital Management, Inc., AIM Private Asset Management, Inc., and AIM Alternative Asset Management Company, Inc. are the investment advisors for the products and services represented by AIM Investments. A I M Distributors, Inc. is the distributor for the retail mutual funds and Fund Management Company is the distributor for the institutional money market funds represented by AIM Investments.

About INVESCO Institutional

INVESCO Institutional (N.A.), Inc. is the North American institutional division of AMVESCAP PLC. It is registered as an investment adviser with the SEC and subadviser to AIM Select Real Estate Income Fund. Dallas-based INVESCO Real Estate, the real estate division of INVESCO Institutional, commenced operations in 1983 and, together with its affiliates, managed or provided advisory services on more than $19 billion in private real estate and publicly traded real estate securities as of June 30, 2004. For more information, visit www.institutional.invesco.com.

About AMVESCAP

A I M Management Group Inc. is a subsidiary of AMVESCAP PLC (NYSE:AVZ), a leading independent global investment manager dedicated to helping people worldwide build their financial security through a comprehensive array of retail and institutional products for clients in more than 100 countries. AMVESCAP had $372 billion in assets under management as of June 30, 2004. Additional information is available at www.amvescap.com.

Real Estate Brokers -- Using PPC To Generate Online Real Estate Referrals

2008-02-02T02:20:00.001-08:00

The housing market is hot and there is a lot of commission to be made for real estate brokers that sell homes. Competition for new business is fierce and the enterprising real estate broker uses all means possible to generate real estate referrals, including online generation of real estate referrals and sales leads.

One of the easiest ways for real estate brokers, especially new brokers, to generate real estate leads and referrals is through PPC advertising on internet search engines such as Google, Yahoo, and MSN. If you are not already doing so, know that competing real estate brokers are generating their fair share of real estate referrals on the internet. You should too.

Home buyers are, more and more, searching for home buying services on the internet. You need to have a presence to gain these people as prospects.

If you are just getting started with generating real estate referrals and leads via PPC, I've compiled a sample list of keywords that you can use to start to target home buyers that are doing online searches. The following is a short sample list. Of course the keywords that you choose should be directly targeted to the market that you target. In no particular order, here they are:

* First time homebuyer in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
* New York, NY apartments
* Dallas real estate agent
* Vacation properties in Hawaii
* Mortgage rate calculator
* Toronto Remax realtor
* Phoenix, Arizona housing market trends
* Buying a new home in Cleveland, Ohio
* Miami Beach, Fl real estate
* Wilmington, NC real estate broker
* Real estate negotiation
* American mortgage rates
* Century 21 Realtor in Memphis, Tennessee
* Chicago commercial real estate
* Denver, Colorado condos for sales
* Calgary, Alberta house values
* San Diego, California investment properties
* Ottawa, ON MLS listings
* Portland, Oregon housing prices
* Buying a home with bad credit

Of course, when developing your own keywords to generate real estate referrals, substitute any of the cities above with the city that you work in.

Finding a Real Estate Agent in Bulgaria

2008-02-02T02:16:00.000-08:00

It can be long and tedious search to find a good real estate agency no matter where you are. This can be true for finding a real estate agent in Bulgaria. One of the things that make finding a real estate agent in Bulgaria harder is trying to find one that speaks English if you are not fluent in the language spoken in Bulgaria. There are some that do speak English, but many who do not. There are ways to make finding an agent easier, so, the question is how to find a real estate agent in Bulgaria.

When trying to find a real estate agent in Bulgaria the internet can your most helpful tool, especially if you do not currently live in Bulgaria. Two of the first places you may want to check at on the internet are the National Real Property Association and the Bulgaria Real Estate Directory. These two sites deal directly with real estate agents in Bulgaria. This insures that you are getting professional and qualified real estate agents; plus, some the real estate agents sites are in English so as to reach a broader market of people interested in property in Bulgaria. There are many websites you can go to online that either deal with finding real estate agents in Bulgaria or are owned by real estate agents from Bulgaria. Another site, is very helpful in giving you information about Bulgaria, advice about obtaining property there, and lists property on the market. You just have to get out there and search and you will be able to find a real estate agent in Bulgaria.

Now that you know how to search for a real estate agent in Bulgaria, you need to know what to do with the information you get. There are a few things to keep in mind no matter where you need a real estate agent and are as follows:

• First of all, you need to make sure that the real estate agent has a license and is registered, if applicable.

• It is of utter importance to make sure that you get references from the real estate agent. This will tell you if the agent is good at what he/she does. This is more applicable if you are dealing with them in person, but can be true for internet found agents as well.

• If you found the real estate agent online you may ask them if they are apart of any real estate associations. This will let you know more about them in terms of quality and such.

• Compare! Compare! Compare! You need to compare real estate agents to make sure that you are getting the property you want at the best price you can. Also compare the quality and professionalism of the work you see, this could be pictures on the agent’s website, or, if you are in Bulgaria, the properties you see.

• You might want to check and see how the agent handles over seas transactions if you can not be in Bulgaria personally and that the agent knows all the regulations concerning foreigners purchasing land property.

Keep all of these things in mind and you should be able to find a qualified real estate agent in Bulgaria with as little stress as possible.

One Percent Real Estate Agents:Do They Exist?

2008-02-01T02:15:00.000-08:00

If you are like many other Americans, you may be interested in selling your home. Selling your home may enable you to profit from the sale; however, many individuals are concerned with the fees associated with the sale. These fees most often come from a real estate agent. If you live in or around the Los Angeles area, you do not have to be afraid of real estate agent fees.

Los Angeles is a popular city. It is known all around the world. This popularity makes it a successful place to sell a home. If you live in or around the Los Angeles area, it is likely that you will seek assistance from a Los Angeles real estate agent. Using the services of a real estate agent will cost money, but Los Angeles residents have an advantage that many other American citizens do not. That advantage is a one percent real estate agent.

One percent? Yes, one percent. There are many individuals who have heard of a one percent real estate agent before, but many believe it only to be a myth. This untrue assumption can cost a homeowner thousands of dollars. One percent real estate agents do exist, but they may be a little bit difficult to find.

If you are interested in finding a one percent real estate agent in the Los Angeles area, you have a number of options. You can search for an agent by using your local phone book. Most phone books will not classify real estate agents by their fees; therefore, you may need to contact each real estate agent directly. When you contact a real estate agent or company, you need to determine how they will be paid their fees and at what percentage.

In addition to finding a real estate agent through your local phone book, you can also use the internet. There area number of online websites that are devoted to finding real estate agents in the United States. In addition to online real estate resources, it is likely that most real estate agents in your area will have an online website. Their online website should contain valuable information. If a real estate agent is a one percent real estate agent, it is likely that their online website would say so.

If you cannot determine whether or not a real estate agent is classified as a one percent real estate agent, you may have to contact them directly. When speaking to a real estate agent it is important to remember that there are one percent real estate agents available. It is possible that a competing agent may try and downplay the success of a one percent realtor. While it may be hard to believe in a one percent real estate agent, they really do exist.

As a homeowner, you have the ability to select whichever real estate agent you want to work with. Whether that real estate agent charges one percent, two percent, or three percent, you have the ability to decide. However, why would you want to pay more in real estate fees than you have to?

Should You Take a Real Estate Program Online or In Person?

2008-02-01T02:13:00.000-08:00

Are you interested in taking a real estate program or a real estate training class? If you are looking to learn the ins and outs of the real estate market, like how to make a profit with it, there is a good chance that you may be. When it comes to taking a real estate program or class, you will find that you have a number of different options. Two of those options involve taking an online real estate program online or in person.

When it comes to determining whether you should take an online real estate program or class in person or online, there are a number of important factors that should be closely examined. One of those factors is your ability to learn and retain information. There are some individuals who actually have to see what they are learning for themselves, in person, as well as hear it, to properly retain the information. If reading materials online and participating a few online activities doesn’t sound like it would be of assistance to you, you are urged to think about taking your real estate program in person. Most in person classes take place in a traditional, classroom-like, setting.

Another factor that needs to be examined is your ability to attend classes. If you would like to learn about real estate while still continuing on with your daily activities, like spending time with your family or working, you may want to think about taking an online real estate program or class. Many of the real estate programs that take place in person require that students attend all classes, which are scheduled at a set, predetermined time. Many online real estate programs don’t work the same way, as they often give students more flexibility. By taking an online real estate program or class, you may be able to proceed at your own pace, whenever you have time to do so.

Another factor that should be examined, when trying determine whether you should take a real estate program in a classroom-like setting or online, is cost. While each real estate program is likely to cost different prices, it is often easier to find more affordable real estate programs or classes online. One of the reasons for that is need for space. Many of the individuals or businesses hosting real estate programs in classroom settings needs to pay to rent the classroom or the location being used. This often drives up the cost of an in person real estate program. Although cost is important, it should be one the last factors that you examine.

To ensure that you get the most use out of a real estate program you will want to make sure that you carefully choose which real estate program or class you take. What you want to do is try and take a class where it is easy for you attend or participate in, as well as one that is easy for you to retain the information being taught.

Las Vegas Real Estate: Why You Need to Find a Buyer Agent

2008-01-31T03:31:00.000-08:00

One mistake that Las Vegas real estate buyers often make is to forgo using the services of a qualified real estate agent. The reason many people do this is because they wish to save a few extra dollars. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work out that way. Most people who don’t bother to find a good agent often lose money, sometimes without being aware of it.

One reason why you want the services of a Las Vegas real estate agent is because he most probably knows more about real estate in Las Vegas than you do. Think about it. You may have participated in one, two, even five real estate transactions in your lifetime. A real estate agent most likely has hundreds of them under his belt. Because of this, you will most likely be able to negotiate the best deal possible on your property when you have a Las Vegas real estate agent by your side.

By hiring a Las Vegas real estate agent, you will be able to take advantage of his expertise in certain situations, such as when drawing up a buy/sell contract. These contracts are complex and legally binding. An improperly written contract can cost you thousands of dollars. This mistake can be avoided by asking your agent for professional advice.

Santa Barbara Real Estate Comparison of this Year vs. Last for Hope Ranch Through December 30th '05

2008-01-31T03:29:00.000-08:00

In the Hope Ranch Real Estate area of Santa Barbara Real Estate for the Condo Market there was no significant activity. There is a development called Carriage Hills which borders Hope Ranch and is included in the statistics for the area but for the entire period of 2005 there was only one recorded sale for $915,000.

In the Single Family Home market for the Santa Barbara Real Estate area of Hope Ranch Real Estate there are 15 fewer properties on the market right now as opposed to last year for a total of 64, and there are also fewer new listings this year with 67 for last year vs. 49 for this year. The sales are down with 31 this year vs. 37 last year for a -16% decrease. But the Average Sales Price is up with $2,633,287 last year to $3,906,371 this year for a 48% increase.

In the Planned Unit Development Market of the Santa Barbara Real Estate area of Hope Ranch Real Estate there was no activity because currently there are no Planned Unit Developments that are inside the Hope Ranch area. These types of complexes have been proposed from time to time, but currently there are no plans to build such structures.

That's it for Hope Ranch Real Estate for now.

Gary Woods is a Real Estate Broker in Santa Barbara California and is the Computer Trainer for the Santa Barbara Association of Realtors. You can hear him on Radio 1290 AM Mondays from 9-10AM in Santa Barbara

Real Estate Marketing and Blogs

2008-01-30T01:32:00.000-08:00

Internet has lead to revolution in communication technology. With the fast expansion of internet, blogs have become the order of the day. By a click of a mouse, you will find hordes of information dispersed in blogs on variety of subjects from history, literature, arts, science, architecture, real estate and many more. Blogs carry information on almost all subjects under the sun. People are using blogs not only for dissemination of information but also for supplementing their marketing efforts.

Real estate marketing via blogs is fast catching up. This is because of two reasons. Firstly, blogs are easy to use and wide ranges of free services are available on the net for hosting and maintaining your blog. Services like Google’s Blogger.com provides a fast impetus in getting your Blog on different aspects of real estate marketing seen by the prospective customers at a much faster rate.

Real Estate Marketing Blogs: What and How

Creating blogs for real estate business is both a business and adventure. However, you must be clear enough in your perception as to what all you should write while setting up blogs for real estate marketing.

Listed below are some essential tips that might help you creating a successful real estate blog:

1.Follow a stringent naming convention - This is necessary to attract potential customers and clients to your blog. A blog with a title say balloons for fun containing information on real estate will surely mislead the visitor to your blog. While creating a new Blog always make sure to use the term “Real Estate” or “Realtor” in the Blog name as well as the title. IF you are targeting a business niche or a local market, include the name of the market as well in the blog. It works wonders.

2.Effective Presentation Technique- Real Estate marketing via a Blog will generate good amount of traffic to your post, provided your blog is presented in a neat, clear and smarter way. You can place your listings on your Blog along with photos of some commercial or residential real estate properties.

3.Arranging Information on your Blog-Keep your blogs succinct and to the point. Unnecessary and chaotic information will thwart the audience away from your blogs and the very intention of generating good business fails. It is generally recommended keeping a single entry restricted to around a paragraph or two.

4.Relevant information on Real Estate business - Your blog should provide to the point information related to all the issues of the real estate. It can contain free home appraisals, neighborhood information and advice to sellers on how to market their properties, commercial real estate, residential real estate, discount or fee-for-service, besides many more.

By following above-mentioned steps, you can generate good traffic and business for your real estate marketing blog.

How Belief Systems Can Make or Break Your Real Estate Fortunes

2008-01-30T01:31:00.000-08:00

What's the difference between a real estate millionaire, and someone who is broke? It's their "behavioral programming". To create financial freedom in real estate, it comes down to the software that runs your mind... your subconscious thoughts that create your beliefs about what you can achieve, what you deserve, and the habits you put into action to attain your goals in life.

As you were growing up, you may have been told, for example, that “real estate is hard”, or that “real estate is risky business”, or that “there's no such thing as creative real estate”.

Worse, you may have been told that you'd never achieve – or deserved – financial independence.

Unfortunately, those belief systems gave you a different approach to what creating financial freedom with real estate is all about, rather than the belief systems of someone who thinks that “money is the chance to contribute” or “real estate deals are everywhere – and with the right knowledge, I can achieve financial freedom in real estate.”

The fact is, you will have much easier time investing in real estate if you believe that you deserve financial freedom because money allows you to contribute to good causes and to reach your goals.

This simple programming can truly build massive riches for you... Each time you find yourself having a negative thought about achieving financial freedom or real estate success, replace it with a new belief. Read about and mentor under successful people who created financial freedom. Then focus on these tales of real estate success whenever you find yourself thinking that it will take you too long to generate a fortune.

If you want to create powerful belief systems in real estate that naturally lead you to affluence and financial freedom our breakthrough real estate investment system will not only give you all the information and resources you need to get started in creating financial freedom, but it will show you how to motivate yourself and how to train your belief systems to make money a real possibility for you.

Pros and Cons of Taking an Online Real Estate Course

2008-01-07T05:24:00.000-08:00

Are you interested in making money through real estate investments? If you are, you may have heard of online real estate courses before. Have you? If so, you may be interested in taking one. The only question is should you? When it comes to taking an online real estate course, there are a number of pros and cons to doing so; pros and cons which may impact your course taking decision.

Perhaps, the biggest pro or plus side to taking an online real estate course is the information that you will walk away with. Although real estate investments are a great way to make money, it isn’t for everyone. By taking an online real estate course, particularly one that has a focus on investment properties, you should be able to learn the ins and outs of making money with real estate properties. In addition to outlining exactly what real estate investing is, an online real estate course should also give you plenty of tips; tips that may help you get rich.

Another pro or plus side to taking an online real estate course, especially one with a focus on real estate investing, is that it is easy to do so. Since the real estate investment business can be considered a tricky one, you may not want to put all of your eggs in one basket. This means that if you are currently working, you may continue to do so or keep on searching for other ways to make money, while still taking a real estate course. This is where the internet can offer you assistance. Many online real estate courses allow participants, like you, to work at their own pace, whenever they have time to do so. Essentially, this means that whether you would like to learn about real estate investing in steps or all at once, you should be able to do with an online real estate course.

Another pro or plus side to taking an online real estate course, especially one that has a focus on real estate investing, is the choices that you will have. There are a number of online learning centers that offer real estate investing courses for you to take. When choosing an online real estate course, you are advised to thoroughly examine all of the course information given to you. Examine the points or topics that will be discussed, as they may give you insight into whether or not a particular an online real estate course can offer you assistance.

Although there are a number of pros or plus sides to taking online real estate courses that teach you about real estate investing, there are also a number of cons or downsides as well. One of those cons is the cost. Real estate investment courses can sometimes be considered high priced. With that in mind, however, you are advised to remember that there are a number of online real estate courses for you to choose from. So, even if you are on a budget, you should still be able to find at least one affordably priced real estate course that could offer you assistance.

The above mentioned online real estate course pros and cons are just a few of the many that exist. To determine whether or not you can benefit from taking an online real estate course, you will want to make your own in-depth list and compare your findings.

Majority Start Home Search on Internet

2008-01-07T05:23:00.000-08:00

The availability of homes for sale on the Internet has exploded recently. National real estate websites sponsored by brokerages, trade associations, and newspapers provide real estate surfers with the majority of properties listed. Anonymity and convenience of the Internet have changed how consumers begin their home search. Learning about a community and the historical financial data on comparable properties allows the consumer to drive their search before they contact a real estate agent. This shift from the real estate industry controlling information to consumer driven continues to force the industry to provide new value and business models for savvy Internet real estate consumers.

Fast Fact: How many homebuyers are using the Internet to find a home? According to the 2005 National Association of REALTORS® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 79% of homebuyers used the Internet as an information source.

Fast Tip: Look for your real estate agent to have an e-PRO® designation. It certifies that they have completed a training program presented entirely online to certify real estate agents and brokers as Internet Professionals.

Real estate help desk. Dear Mark: While surfing real estate brokerage websites I found several properties that I wanted to tour. When I called the agents representing the properties to schedule appointments, they all were no longer available as they had been sold or closed. Is this bait and switch? Susan, Montclair, New Jersey

Dear Susan: Yes and no, depending on the brokerages intent with keeping closed or sold property listings on their website. Some real estate agents look for prospects to call on all listings despite their availability to acquire new clients. Some brokerages are slow at removing listings that are no longer available. Your best source to view available properties is at public pages of Multiple Listing Services or Realtor.com as their information is updated more frequently.

Mark Nash's fourth real estate book, "1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home" (2005), and working as a real estate broker in Chicago are the foundation for his consumer-centric real estate perspective which has been featured on ABC-TV, Associated Press,CBS The Early Show, Bloomberg TV, Bottom Line Magazine.CNN-TV, Chicago Sun Times & Tribune, Fidelity Investor’s Weekly, MarketWatch, HGTVpro.com, MSNBC.com, Smart Money Magazine,The New York Times, Realty Times, Universal Press Syndicate and USA Today.

Why Online Real Estate Services Are Getting Popular

2007-12-19T22:52:00.001-08:00

If you have a bitter experience of dealing with real estate agent and don't want to engage one to assist you in making a decision on real estate transaction, just chill. Online property sites provide you all possible information on properties around the length and breadth of the country, at a few mouse-clicks.

Of course, the online real estate services provided by various portals have been transforming the way property transactions take place in India, in fact the whole world.

You no longer have to run around an agent, or friends or relatives to get information on properties around. Simply log on to a good real estate portal or 99-acres and get going. You simply have to select the desired city where you want to buy, rent or sell out a property, in order to get information on various properties available in the segment.

Here, we list out a few other advantages that these services bring you as a package.

Speed: Online Real Estate services offer you instant information, unlike property agent services that you may find irritating. You don't have to chase a property broker, who works at his own pace and many times not systematic enough to get you desired information.

Independence: Of course, you are no longer dependent on your friends, relatives, neighbors or property agents. You also don't have to face pressure from the mediating people to get the deal closed, as you have an independent source of information available 24x7.

Reliability: Since, the online property services are available on mass level, they are not biased or manipulated. A property agent may drive you to undertake a property transaction, even if that does not suit your needs and aspirations, for his own sake of commission.

Free of Charge: Online real estate services are absolutely free of charge. You don't have to shell out a hefty fee as in the case of deal through property agent.

Undoubtedly, with these many advantages, popularity of online real estate services is touching skies, with each day passing on.

Fall Trends In Maryland Real Estate

2007-12-19T22:39:00.000-08:00

Annapolis Maryland is a hot spot for real estate. In fact, it is one of the hottest areas in Maryland real estate and it is no wonder. The city sits within a short distance for the nation's capital making it perfect for those that need to be near the capital.

As a result, this market area of Maryland real estate is fiercely competitive. There is a low availability of homes, and a larger number of buyers than sellers. The market trend is increasing and home are going so fast they are spending no more than a month on the market. Part of this is because the interest rates are at all time low bringing this area into a more affordable range. The average price of a home is around $315,000, which is up from last year. Because of the competition in this area of Maryland real estate, expect to pay the full asking price on any property. The greatest activity can be found among all buyer levels, first time, move up and repeats, as well as single family, townhouses, and condominiums.

Gaithersburg is another Maryland real estate market you should consider if you need to be near Washington D.C as it is the nearest metro area to this location. If you are looking for a home you may find better luck here than in Annapolis. There is a good supply of homes available, but homes are maintaining their on the market status for between 60 and 90 days. However, the market trend is decreasing. The other unfortunate note for some is the fact the average home price in his area is a solid $400,000 dollars making it difficult for lower income or new time buyers; however, the price of homes is down between 5 and 10% from last year. Sellers in this area of Maryland real estate are receiving somewhere between 95% and 100% of the asking price initially set for the home. Single-family homes hold the greatest activity and the increasing positive trend in the economy is what is driving the market.

If you are looking for an area of Maryland real estate that is near to Washington D.C. and Alexandria then you may want to consider Clinton. Housing prices are on average $216,000 making it more affordable for first time buyers; the trend is increasing with more buyers than sellers looking. This leads to multiple offers and homes sitting on the market for less than a month. Compared to last year these numbers are up a solid 5%. Sellers are receiving somewhere between 95 and 100% of the initial asking price. The drive behind this market currently is the positive economy turn of the area with single-family homes holding the greatest activity.

These areas of Maryland real estate are perfect for anyone who wants to enjoy being near the capital. These areas are also perfect for people who are going to be working in the capital or working in the surrounding area.

How Free Real Estate Articles And Information Could Pave the Road to Your Investment Success

2007-12-19T22:38:00.000-08:00

There is a little-known marketing secret that is used by PR professionals in order to explode their on-line and offline businesses. If you are a real estate investor entrepreneur, you could, of course, hire a marketing firm in order to exploit this type of marketing. However, there is a way to make use of this secret without spending thousands up front.

The secret are real estate articles, and it can literally bring business right to your doorstep.

You see, when many entrepreneurs think of marketing, they think of paid advertisements in newspapers and other media. While there is nothing wrong with paid ads, a free and informational real estate investment article or two is a fun, easy, and rewarding way to get even more effective marketing - often at no cost.

Providing free real estate articles on investing techniques or certain types of property investments work so well for a number of reasons.

*First, people like real estate investors pay more attention to articles than to paid ads.

Customers, including your potential homebuyers or investing clients, are bombarded with ads each day. They often appreciate - and are willing to spend time on - reading an article on property investing that gives them useful information without using the hard sell.

*Secondly, providing property investing information in the form of free real estate articles can establish you as an expert.

By publishing a real estate article - or a series of several real estate articles on a particular topic - you can easily position yourself as an expert to the media. In some cases, a reporter or media professional may contact you for a story. The fact is, investment-related articles can easily lead to more marketing and more exposure.

*Plus, real estate articles can mean additional income.

Depending on where your real estate article appears, you may get money for your work. You can also publish your real estate article on your website, where its keywords can attract more traffic to your business. You can even gather several articles together into a book.

Writing real estate articles is obviously a good idea, but many entrepreneurs get nervous about committing their ideas to paper or to the computer screen. They worry about their writing abilities or they worry that someone will steal their ideas. Both fears are unfounded.

If you can speak reasonably well, simply write the way you would speak to a client. Explain everything in simple terms and share the ideas that are important to you. There is no need to worry about someone stealing your article ideas, either. A quick search online will likely show you that just about every real estate topic has already been written on. It is very unlikely that your real estate article will contain information that no one in the business has ever encountered before.

If, on the other hand, your real estate articles contain fresh new information presented in an interesting way, it is very possible that your innovation will mean more attention and more marketing opportunities for you.

With so many advantages to writing, start developing and distributing free real estate articles today. Write about what you know best and then consider submitting your piece to a newspaper, magazine that publishes similar articles, or consider posting your article in an online article directory. Just remember to include some information about your business, so that your piece can bring you more profits!

Around the Town: events seminars meetings talks - listing of real estate industry events - Calendar

2007-07-25T03:20:00.000-07:00

June 25 -- The Manhattan Association of Realtors will hold its Code of Ethics Orientation course from 9:00 a.m. to noon. The class will take place at the Warwick Hotel, at 65 W. 54th St. Members: free of charge. For registration and additional information please call (212) 879-9166.

MetroZone Seminar-On-Wheels

June 25 -- MetroZone's full-day specialized "seminar-on-wheels" on NYC real estate and development. Focus on Manhattan (Harlem to Battery), downtown Booklyn, Williamsburg, Greenpoint, LIC, and S. Bronx. Special emphasis on waterfront issues.
July 7 -- The National Realty Club will hold its monthly luncheon, entitled "The McBurney YMCA Deal: Serving the Needs of Not-for-Profits," starting at non. Arlene Wysong, senior managing director of Newmark & Company Real Estate, will be the featured speaker at the event.

Real Estate ladies search for their Man of the Year

2007-07-25T03:18:00.000-07:00

The Association of Real Estate Women (AREW) has announced that it is undertaking an historic first for the 28-year-old organization dedicated to supporting the professional growth of women real estate professionals: It will name a "Man of the Year" in early 2006 who will be honored at a breakfast to be held in May 2006.

The initiative is being undertaken under the auspices of the AREW Charitable Fund, a not- for-profit affiliation of AREW, with proceeds from the event to benefit Women In Need, Inc. (WIN) with which AREW has a long-standing charitable relationship.
Co-chairs for the "Man of the Year" award and event are AREW Charitable Fund co-chair Dorothy Vermeer, vice president, H.J. Kalikow & Co., and Presidents' Council member Ruth A. Agnese, senior vice president, Appraisers & Planners, Inc., who also co-chaired AREW's 25th Anniversary Gala at the St. Regis.

AREW, the oldest and largest real estate organization for women real estate professionals, has been in the forefront of contributing to and raising awareness of the growth, power and position of women in the industry since 1978. The association has previously spearheaded numerous awards initiatives which named outstanding women real estate leaders.

"It is exhilarating that women have progressed so far in the real estate industry and that AREW has risen to a level from which it is now timely and appropriate to name a Man of the Year," said Ms. Vermeer. "The AREW Charitable Fund is excited to be the originator of this prestigious award."
"AREW has been an innovator in acknowledging women of outstanding achievement," said Ms. Agnese. "Now we are turning the tables by shining a spotlight on a man of high achievement. It is more than fitting that AREW is, once again, taking a leadership position."

Nominations for "Man of the Year" will be accepted from AREW members only and are due by December 15th. An announcement of the honoree is expected in January 2006.

The Nomination Committee is being chaired by AREW Presidents' Council member Marie-Claire Cunningham, senior vice president, Corporate Solutions, Jones Lang LaSalle. According to Ms. Cunningham, the Man of the Year will be not only be a man of achievement, but also a "man of value", someone who gives back to the greater community and makes a difference in the quality of lives and the world through generosity of heart, mind, spirit and philanthropy.

AREW is partnering with Real Estate Weekly on the "Man of the Year" initiative. The publication will serve as the event's sole media sponsor and publish a special "AREW: Man of the Year" supplement honoring the recipient on May 10, 2006.

"We are excited about the AREW Charitable Fund's origination of this unique award and to have Real Estate Weekly, who has been a stalwart supporter of both AREW and all women real estate professionals, as a partner in this initiative, "said AREW 2005-06 president Amy S. Applebaum, vice president, JPMorgan Chase Community Development Group.

Green acres - Funds - investing in real estate funds - Brief Article

2007-07-04T02:43:00.000-07:00

Real estate. Whether it comes in the form of dirt, shopping malls or apartment complexes, it's the stuff we love to own--and it's been known to reward some investors. If owning property outright isn't your thing, real estate funds just might be.

Look down Lipper's roster of fund types, and real estate funds are one of the few offering their investors plus-side returns this year. At the end of the third quarter, the average performing fund in that category was up 3.03 percent--not too shabby considering the overall stock market. At the top of the real estate performance list is the Alpine Realty Income and Growth fund. Through October 1, the fund was up 13.41 percent; for the past three years, its average annual total return was 19.86 percent.

So what makes this fund so special? First, it's value-oriented. Portfolio manager Bob Gadsden likes to find undervalued and overlooked companies. Second, because it's a small fund, with about $35 million in assets, Gadsden can take a position in companies that can pay off handsomely for the fund. And third, the fund's not wed to following any particular model or index.

On the downside, real estate funds--like other sector funds--perform in cycles. Many variables make it hard to call the future, so most pros say keep asset allocations in them in the 5 to 20 percent range.

The Young Men's Women's Real Estate Association is pleased to announce it raised and donated $7,200 towards Habitat for Humanity of NYC

2007-07-04T02:41:00.001-07:00

Caption: The Young Men's Women's Real Estate Association is pleased to announce it raised and donated $7,200 towards Habitat for Humanity of NYC. In addition, two dozen YMWREA members (pictured above) volunteered at a job site on 237 W. 134th Street in Harlem, during the summer, to rehabilitate an existing five-story building to provide ten new homes. Each unit will have a large living room, full kitchen, full bath and laundry facilities. It was especially meaningful for YM/WREA to help provide assistance for much needed affordable housing to local families. For more information about donating, please contact Judith Werner at (718)

Meyers Group launches web site - Meyers Group Real Estate Information L.L.C., introduces www.meyersgroup.com

2007-07-04T02:29:00.000-07:00

The Meyers Group, one of the nation's largest providers of housing information and consulting services, announced today the official launch of their new Web site, www.meyersgroup.com.

Designed to help those interested in monitoring the new home building and housing markets throughout the United States, the site has a number of valuable reports for immediate download, as well as free analysis on economic and housing market conditions. Through an advanced scalable application infrastructure built by The Meyers Group, site visitors can query the company's proprietary data warehouse, which contains over 1,000 different data fields on 1.9 million new homes and more than 20,000 subdivisions across the country.

Meyersgroup.com is divided into three key real estate information categories, each focusing on a specific aspect of the nation's housing market. In each area, users can peruse a wealth of relevant housing market information and analysis. Meyersgroup.com's three areas include:

Housing Information -- allows users to order custom reports on specific projects or geographic regions.

Housing Analysis -- offers a series of analytical reports that monitor and forecast housing market conditions.

My Markets -- allows registered users the opportunity to monitor housing market conditions on their markets, including average single-family new home sales prices, annualized new home sales for the region, the number of active projects in the area, and the weeks of speculative inventory.

Around the town: events seminars meetings talks - listing of various real estate industry events - Calendar

2007-06-19T00:42:00.001-07:00

NYARM Breakfast

Aug. 14 & 26--Cowan Financial Group will hold a conference entitled "Giving Value to Your Client as Property Manager Through Long-Term Care" from 6-8 p.m, both dates. The conferences, sponsored by Neuhaus Chocolatier, are free and will take place at 530 Fifth Ave. Refreshments will be served. RSVP by Aug 12 for 1st seminar and by Aug. 22 for the 2nd seminar. For registration and other information please call the event's host, CFG's Jeanne Brutman at (212) 536-7733.

PWC Networking Event

Aug. 19--Professional Women In Constuction presents "Meet The Architects," a networking event with exhibit tables at La Maganette Ristorante, Third Avenue at 50th Street from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Honored guests include representatives of architectural firms and government agencies. Tickets (includes buffet): $50 members; $65 non-members ($10 surcharge at door if no reservation). Exhibit tables: $350 members; $450 non-members (includes 4 tickets & ad); sponsorship: $650 members; $750 non-member (includes exhibit table, 8 tickets, ad, name on invitation). Call (212) 486-7745; fax: 212. 486-0228

Aug. 20--MetroZone will hold a "Seminar-on-Wheels" from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The seminar will focus on Midtown North and Upper Manhattan, with special emphasis on Harlem and East Harlem. The motor coach classroom will leave Times Square at 8 a.m. The cost is $175 per person or $150 per person for groups of 3 or more. For more information call Steven Barshov at (212) 421-2150.

NRC Lunch

Sept. 8--New York Post journalist Lois Weiss will be the featured speaker at a National Realty Club Inc. lunch from noon to 2 p.m. at The Williams Club, 24 East 39th St. The cost is $40 for members, $65 for non-members who pay in advance and $85 at the door. Payments should be sent to NRC, 380 Lexington Ave., Suite 1700, New York, NY 10168. Reservations must be made the Friday prior to the event. For reservations or information call Tamara or Burton Beck at (212) 551-1013

Events seminars meetings talks - Around the Town - listing of various real estate industry events - Calendar

2007-06-19T00:41:00.001-07:00

Sept. 10--New York Building Congress will hold a breakfast forum, starting at 8:30 a.m. Mysore L. Nagaraja, president of MTA Capital Construction Company, will be the featured speaker. The breakfast will take place at Club 101, at 101 Park Ave. Members: $45 per person. Non-members: $65 per person. For registration please call (212) 481-9230.

BOMA Lunch

Sept. 10-The Building Owners and Managers Associates of New York will hold its monthly luncheon meeting from 12:15 p.m. to 1:30 p.m The meeting will take place at the Marriott Financial Center, at 5 West St. Members: $75 per person. Non-members: $85 per person. For registration please call Hallie Sherck at (212) 239-3662.

ICREW Gift Drive

Sept. 11-ICREW will hold its membership breakfast and gift drive intended to benefit the Jersey Battered Women's Shelter. The event will take place at the Woodbridge Hilton Hotel. Participants are encouraged to bring journals, picture frames, disposable cameras, nightgowns, phone cards, and $5 gift certificates for department stores and supermarkets. For registration and additional information please call (973) 227-4278.

RealShare New York Conference

Sept. 16 - Real Estate Media will hold its second annual RealShare New York conference. Mary Ann Tighe, director of CB Richard Ellis-Insignia/ESG, and Doug Shorenstein, chairman of Shorenstein Co., will be among the featured speakers at the event. The conference will take place at the Roosevelt Hotel. Admission: $255 per person. For registration and additional information please call Wendi Grinnell at (212) 2553620.

AIR teams with MyContracts to expand member services - American Industrial Real Estate Association - Brief Article

2007-06-18T23:41:00.001-07:00

MyContracts, the leader in collaborative Web-based lease and contract management, today announced that the American Industrial Real Estate Association (AIR) has selected MyContracts as its exclusive lease management service provider.

AIR and MyContracts will work together to promote MyContracts' online lease management software to AIR members.

In addition, AIR and MyContracts will work toward the integration of AIR's standardized real estate forms with MyContracts software, developing a solution to automatically abstract the data from form leases.

"MyContracts delivers a cost-effective, Web-based lease management solution that is both user friendly and leading edge, adding tremendous value to our membership service offerings," said Tim Hayes, managing director for AIR.We're excited about the opportunity to collaborate with AIR," said Tom Turley, vice president of real estate for MyContracts. "We believe that MyContracts' solution directly supports their commitment to excellence and is a natural complement to their comprehensive offering solution-oriented services."

Around the town: events seminars meetings talks - listing of various real estate industry events - Calendar

2007-06-18T23:40:00.000-07:00

Aug. 13--The New York Association of Realty Managers will hold a breakfast seminar titled "Controlling Cost, a Financial and Operational Perspective" from 8 to 10 a.m. at the Brooklyn Marriott located at 333 Adams St. Parking is available. Certification credit for the NYARM designation will be given. The topic is for both property managers and for NYARM's associate members, who are expected to work hand in hand with managers to reduce waste. The cost for members is $25 and non-members $50. For more information contact NYARM executive director Margie Russell at mrussell@nyarm.com or call 212-216-0654.Aug. 14 & 26--Cowan Financial Group will hold a conference entitled "Giving Value to Your Client as Property Manager Through Long-Term Care" from 6-8 p.m, both dates. The conferences, sponsored by Neuhaus Chocolatier, are free and will take place at 530 Fifth Ave. Refreshments will be served. RSVP by Aug 12 for 1st seminar and by Aug. 22 for the 2nd seminar. For registration and other information please call the event's host, CFG's Jeanne Brutman at (212) 536-7733.

NRC Lunch

Appraisal Institute Course

Sept. 16 to Oct. 21--The Long Island Chapter of the Appraisal Institute will offer a continuing education course, entitled "Appraisal Principles," on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The course will discuss such topics as the valuation process, money and capital markets, and data collection. It will take place at the C.W. Post campus of Long Island University, at 720 Northern Boulevard in Brookville, N.Y. Tuition: $400 per person. For registration and additional information please call (516) 248-8964.

IREM Lunch

Sept. 17--The Greater New York Chapter of the Institute of Real Estate Management will host their monthly luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the New York Helmsley Hotel, 212 East 42nd St. The keynote speaker will be announced at a later date. The cost to attend the luncheon is $65 and advance reservations are recommended. To reserve please call Sheila Still at (212) 944.9445.

Real Estate Course

Sept. 16&17--The Manhattan Association of REALTORS[R] is sponsoring a 2-day course called "Essentials of International Real Estate" from 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. at the New York Athletic Club. The course is designed to provide both residential and commercial agents a better understanding of the international business environment, global cultures, and the practical aspects of international brokerage including the flow of capital and currency. The course has been approved for 15 hours of NY State CE credit and is the first step in earning the prestigious CIPS designation. The course will be taught be David M Michonski, CIPS, the 2004 NAR International Liasion and Board Member of the International Real Property Foundation. The cost of the course is $295 for REALTORS[R] and $350 for non-REALTORS[R]. For further information and registration materials call (212) 879-9166 or email lfrubinfeld@manarrealto

Now is the perfect time for real estate shuffles

2007-06-07T03:27:00.000-07:00

One of the major issues facing corporate users today is decentralizing operations while still ensuring efficiency, productivity and creativity amongst its employees. This is a monumental undertaking for any corporation and is especially daunting given the series of events that led to its consideration. However, given current market conditions, this move can offer key advantages not only for a company's continuity, but also its bottom line.

Although most prevalent throughout the financial services and information technology industries, decentralization is an option that should be considered by any company that has 100% of its operations or 100% of any given business unit in a single location.

With corporate profits on the rise and growth prospects improving, now is an advantageous time to review local and state tax incentives and perform a "stacking analysis" of office space within a building or office park in order to consider relocation opportunities.

A restacking analysis will reveal two basic options: either a creative use of existing space or the need to take additional and/or new space. With hiring on the rise, the need to lease additional space has started to increase. Market conditions have just started to trend upward, so the near future will be an opportune time to revisit decentralization issues. This can be done by simply transferring portions of business units into a new facility or by reshuffling groups throughout existing facilitiesthis process does have repercussions for human resources by either disrupting existing teams within a unit by rendering them less deployable or affecting the lifestyle choices many professionals make by working in a particular location. Someone working and living in an urban location might seek out a competitor when faced with the prospect of moving to the suburbs, and vice versa.

In addition, the outbound personnel may feel that they are being moved away from the power base. However, these factors are negligible when looking to enter a market already boasting a large and well-educated labor pool. On the other hand, companies have the opportunity to create a leaner, more cost effective organizational structure.

The decentralization of any company is an onerous process. Some of the larger full service commercial real estate brokers have consulting departments well equipped to assist clients in the analysis.

Robert Marc takes 500 SF on West Broadway - real estate contract information - Brief Article

2007-06-06T05:13:00.001-07:00

Robert Marc, a fashion eyewear retailer, has signed a 10-year lease for 500 square feet of ground floor plus basement space at 436 West Broadway for its first ever SoHo store, which it is slated to move into this August.

Yair H. Staav, along with his team of retail and fashion specialists, Bill Melville, Christine Emery and Douglas Zinn, of The Lansco Corporation represented the landlord and Joel Isaacs of Isaacs & Co. represented the tenant in the negotiations. The space was formerly occupied by Antique Addiction.

It is really difficult to find a small storefront in SoHo, so naturally the tenant was happy to be able to find space in this location," commented Staav, who also sold the building to the landlord two years ago, creating the opportunity to begin the transformation from old tenants to more high fashion ones, such as Villebrequin, Cecile Jean Jewelers, Perlier Kelemata and Swatch.

Willingboro Town Center going "green" - commercial real estate property information - Brief Article

2007-06-06T05:12:00.002-07:00

The Willingboro Town Center development plan employs sustainable building practices in creating a mix of retail and commercial establishments, adult housing and community-oriented institutions. The Route 130 Corridor of Burlington County, in which the Willingboro Town Center project is located, consists of 12 municipalities, covering 59 square miles. The area lacks a central commercial node, presenting an opportunity for the project to fulfill that role. Much of the land area within the corridor is developed, presenting options for additional development that include in-fill housing and the redevelopment of abandoned or deteriorated properties. Willingboro Town Center is recognized as being a significant factor in revitalizing the Route 130 Corridor.

Willingboro Town Center will feature a new state-of-the-art, environmentally sustainable town library, residential housing, village greens, office space, daycare center, and over 175,000 SF of retail space. Renovations and an expansion began in September 2000 on the 160,000 SF former Boscov's department store by Sweetwater Construction Company on behalf of ReNEWal Realty and the purchaser, Merck-Medco.
Advertisement

Set to open later this year, the 260,000-SF Merck-Medco facility will feature an automated mail-service pharmacy at this location, introducing over 700 jobs to the community. In addition, ground has already been broken for the 19,000 SF facility for Burlington County College, which is scheduled to be completed during the first quarter of 2002. The college will utilize the facility as a branch of its main campus. The site will also feature a new, 42,000-SF, $6 million dollar Willingboro library. The library will include an exhibition area and state-of-the-art auditorium. In addition, it will house a children's area, adult reading area, multimedia facility, computer room and abundant storage area. Situated next to the development's village green, a dedicated open space area with heavy landscaping, the library will be the first building to greet visitors at Willingboro Town Center as they enter the complex from Route 130. The new Willingboro library will be connected to the Burlington County College facility by a walkway. Approximately 13,000 SF of retail space will be part of the new library facility.

Acustaff, a Cherry Hill-based temporary staffing company, Chapala Cafe, a Mexican restaurant, and Java on High, a coffee shop, are all on track to become new tenants occupying part of the total 175,000 SF of retail space available at Willingboro Town Center.

Avalon Pavilions sold for $81.5M - real estate acquisition information - Brief Article

2007-06-06T05:12:00.001-07:00

The immediate area has over 1.5 million square feet of additional retail developments primarily located in four power and community centers, as well as several large freestanding stores. This is the largest concentration of shopping, restaurants and theaters in the state of Connecticut.

The confluence of highways supporting this retail base provides excellent access to major destinations throughout the region. As a result, this residential location provides a unique blend of suburban living with many of the features usually found in cosmopolitan urban settings.

"Northland has purchased a unique residential investment property that cannot be reproduced anywhere in the region.

Avalon Pavilions offers high quality apartments with an extensive amenity package on an extraordinary site in a very tight rental market." stated Dunne.
Advertisement

The seven-person Tri-State Investment Team, which in addition to Jeff Dunne and Chris McManus includes partner Jim Tully, specializes in the marketing of investment properties on behalf of owners in the suburban New York area and in secondary cities along the East Coast.

The Annual Borrower's Forum on Real Estate Mezzanine Loans sponsored by the Information Management Network will be held December 4 and 5 at the Roosev

2007-06-02T03:53:00.001-07:00

The Annual Borrower's Forum on Real Estate Mezzanine Loans sponsored by the Information Management Network will be held December 4 and 5 at the Roosevelt Hotel, 45 East 45th Street in Manhattan. Over 375 mezzanine loan borrowers, investors and market participants attended last year.

Legal information available to RE execs on NY State Bar Association Web site - Technology - real estate executives - Brief Article

2007-06-02T03:51:00.000-07:00

Real estate executives can now access valuable legal information and resources, including legal referral services and educational brochures, from the New York State Bar Association's recently redesigned Web site (http:www.nysba.org).

"Access to information is key in navigating our legal system," said Lorraine Power Tharp, president of the New York State Bar Association and a partner-in the Albany law firm, Whiteman Osterman & Hanna. "Our new site is a go-to source for comprehensive information about New York State law, legal services and procedures. We hope it will be a valuable tool for those seeking legal assistance, as well as for the attorneys who provide it."

Among the resources the site provides for the general public are:

* A lawyer referral and information service designed to help individuals find an attorney or other legal resources, including legal organizations and pro bono lawyers. For added convenience the information is organized by county.

* Educational brochures prepared by NYSBA members to provide basic information about specific areas of New York law. Topics include: buying and selling real estate; rights of residential owners and tenants; and the role of a lawyer in home purchase transactions; among many others.

* The Courts of New York, a guide to the state's court system with a glossary of legal terms, published as a public service by the Committee on Justice and the Community of the New York State Bar Association.

* Resources to aid victims of the World Trade Center disaster.

* Information on attorney-disciplinary procedures in New York State, the grievance process and how to file a complaint.

The new site also provides a wide array of resources and information for NYSBA members including: Ethics opinions, a practice management resource library, products and publications, free online legal research, CLE, calendar of events, opportunities for pro-bono service, jobs, legislative developments, and a sample letter of engagement, among others.

NYSBA partnered with Active Matter, a Fairfax, Va. Web development firm that provides strategic Web consulting and advanced Web solutions to associations and non-profit organizations across the country.

Finding Your Ideal Home

2007-04-21T03:47:00.001-07:00

The purchase of a home is a exciting time in anyone's life, especially if it is your first home. Naturally you want to find the best home that suits all of your needs, and your budget. This is a purchase that requires planning on every aspect. The last thing you ever want to do is impulse buy a home, only to find out later that there are problems with the home or that it does not suit your needs.

OK. Now its list time. Sit down with pen and paper and start planning out what you need in a home. Don't be afraid to think big, but stay within reason. Remember if you think you need a pool and cabana but can only spend $150,000.00 chances are you will be disappointed. Things like number of rooms, or a fenced yard, or proximity to work and schools should be the priority at this stage. You can also make a list of things that you would like to have in a home. This is where you can let your imagination run wild.

Consider all the aspects of the area you are planning to move into. Talk to some of the people that live there. Ask if they like living in the area. Try to find out if there are any problems with it. The long-term residents are a great source of information, and if they are to be your neighbors, get to know them! Also be sure to find out about the schools and recreational programs in the area if you have children. Another good thing to look into is the kind of commute you can expect to deal with getting to work every day. If there are major congestion problems between the area and the home then you might want to consider a different location.

With these things in mind you can now begin to look at the available homes. When you have found something that suits your needs and wants, its time to start your homework on the home itself. Have a thorough inspection conducted to determine the structural integrity of the home and the condition of the plumbing and wiring. Also have the home inspected for mold, as mold can cause health problems and structural problems in the long term. Never forget; this is likely the largest purchase you will ever make. You can not afford to not be picky!

Interior Staging of Your Home

2007-04-21T03:46:00.002-07:00

There is a big question that you must consider when selling your home. How to best showcase the distinct qualities of your home and create a warm and inviting environment that will impress even the most critical buyer. Staging is a process that should be considered on a room to room basis. No two rooms have the same features, its quite possible to find something to highlight in every room in your home. Is there a real "conversation piece" or element of the rooms that stands out to you? If so, roll with it and you should be able to come up with something very special.

Good things to do when preparing to stage your home are really the basics, cleaning out any clutter, ensuring that the house is sparkling clean and that there is a feeling of comfort, but not one that is too personal. This is why it's a good idea to remove overly personal knickknacks and items. The idea is that people feel as comfortable in your home as possible and at the same time be able to picture their belongings in the space.

A properly staged home will invite viewers in, and the properly highlighted aspects of the home will keep them interested and wanting to explore more of what your home has to offer. Pleasing smells are a big factor for many people. Comforting aromas such as cinnamon or the champion "fresh baked chocolate chip cookies" are great things to catch people's attention. Just remember, if you have cookie smell, buyers will want cookies to go with it!

Relocating to Scottsdale

2007-04-21T03:46:00.001-07:00

Many years ago, the Scottsdale area what thought to be inhospitable and inhabitable. The land was mostly desert with little water or apparently, hope. How things have changed. Scottsdale has developed into a desert oasis that is one of the most popular resort destinations in the country with more than 8 million visitors every year. One of the first things that strikes visitors about this area is the verdant greenness of this city surrounded by barren desert. The evolution of this city has definitely created a lush oasis where there once was only sand and sagebrush.

Forming the economic backbone of scottsdale is the famous tourism industry. This area has become a global destination that features some of the best golf in the world. The active lifestyle is featured here year-round, with the golf, tennis, baseball and a number of other sporting activities. If you are an active individual then you will never be at a loss for great and interesting things to do in the Scottsdale area. This city is designed with this lifestyle in mind as parks feature prominently in the city's makeup.

Home in Scottsdale have been steadily appreciating for many years now and shows no sign or indication of slowing anytime soon. Not only is this a fantastic place to live, but its a wise place to invest in as well. With such rampant popularity, there is a huge call for vacation rental homes and condos. The tourism industry is a demanding industry and many tourists are demanding options other than hotels and resorts for their vacations.One nice aspect of a vacation rental in Scottsdale is the fact that it will pay for itself many times over in a short period of time while gaining equity quickly.

This is an ideal market to get into if you are looking to enhance your real estate portfolio while enjoying one of the most notoriously beautiful climates in the nation.

The Role of a Buyer's Agent

2007-04-21T03:35:00.002-07:00

The Buyers Agent is a role that has become critical in the world of real estate. Primarily because home buyers have come to realize that it is a good idea to have someone who specializes in dealing with their needs as a buyer during the home purchase process.

For many years the entire home transaction was typically handled by one agent, or one type of agent. That is an agent who deals with both buyers and sellers. Much of the time the whole deal was seen to by the listing agent. While this is fine for the seller, buyers found that their unique needs were not being seen to completely. This is understandable as the agent's primary responsibility was to their original client, the seller of the home.

So, the role of the buyer's agent evolved. The buyer's agent is primarily concerned with the location of suitable homes for their clients. Sometimes there is quite a list of requirements and the time that is necessary to dedicate to such requests can be demanding. Once a suitable property is found, the buyer's agent commences the contracts and offers on the property. They see to all aspects of this process including the inspections of the home, and all other aspects of the sale. This role is pivotal as there are usually numerous steps to closing a home and they can be quite complex if one is not knowledgeable on the topic of real estate contracts. Usually the agent will also ensure that all of the buyer's subjects are met or dealt with in a acceptable manner.

Staging Your Home During the Winter Months

2007-04-21T03:35:00.001-07:00

Staging your home for a quick sale can be a time consuming task, even more so during the winter months. Not only does one have to contend with other homes on the market, and numerous buyers, but the weather can present a problem in terms of access to the home and the cleanliness of the interior. In some areas this is not really a big deal. Places like Arizona and Florida do not have to contend with snow and ice. In order to ensure your home shows to its full capacity during the winter months, here are some good things to do.

Access to a home is crucial during the winter. Sidewalks and driveways can easily become danger areas as ice and snow can turn even the nicest yard into a skating rink. Its a daily task to ensure that the driveways and walkways are clear and safe. Keep a good supply of rock salt or another de-icing agent on hand. The last thing you want is a prospective buyer to slip on their way to the door. Remember if people have to trudge through knee deep snow to reach your front door, it won't look good for you as a seller. Keep the driveway shoveled and de-iced at all times. Its also a good idea to clear snow off the eaves and edges of the roof. Make sure there are no dangers to the visitors to your home.

Keeping the inside of a home clean while the weather is cold and snowy presents a different challenge. This is compounded if your home is a popular showing. With numerous people coming in during a day, its a great idea to have plastic shoe covers to help stop the problem of snow and dirt getting tracked into your home. During the cold months is a great idea to keep the house warm and inviting. If you have a fireplace, light it. The ambience and warmth will help visitors to stay longer and explore all that your home has to offer. Ideally you would like your home to be as inviting and interesting as possible. The winter months give a homeowner the opportunity to showcase their homes during the dreary winter weather. It's a chance to turn your home into a winter palace that will interest buyers from the moment they see it.

Tips For Building a Log Home

2007-04-17T04:21:00.002-07:00

Log homes have a long and valued tradition in the United States and other countries, and despite our modern age, they've never really gone out of style. In fact, they're more popular today than ever. In our busy stressful lives, more and more people want a first home, vacation home, or retirement home that's off on a piece of land of their own, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. If this sounds appealing to you, and you're seriously thinking of taking the plunge and building a log home, let's talk about some tips that can save you time and money.

First off, buy the land on which you're going to build. Do this before you make a commitment to a log home manufacturer or decide on a particular design. Often the lay of the land will dictate the best way to go about building a home on it. (And going against the lay of the land will only cost you money and trouble.)

Second, have a realistic idea of how much the total project will cost before you sign up for a log home package. What they quote you for the kit and what the actual costs will be are going to be a lot different. To get a feel for how much more you'll end up paying once labor and non-kit necessities are included, talk to builders, contractors, and other homeowners who have built a log home. Don't be afraid to ask the manufacturers how much actual costs tend to run in your area.

Whether you're browsing kits or planning to have an architect design your dream home, keep a scrapbook of pictures and clippings in the months leading up to your purchase. Trying to say everything you want in words can be difficult, but if you can point to a picture and say "do the kitchen like that and the bathroom like that..." you'll be more likely to get the home of your dreams. Don't be afraid to spend months in the planning process, considering everything, before actually committing to a design.

Before you buy, check references. Look for a log home manufacturer that is a member in an organization such as the Log Homes Council. This means they have a comprehensive construction manual and have agreed to hold up to certain log-grading standards.

Make sure you've taken care of financing before starting construction (and make sure that financing will cover the cost of the whole project--there are too many tales of partially finished log homes out there that have been abandoned because the erstwhile builders ran out of money). Some home buyers with disposable income will start the process paying out of pocket and then try to get a construction loan when they run out of cash. This is a bad idea, since lenders usually refuse to loan money on construction that is in progress.

Make sure you understand the manufacturer's terms of purchase and that your financing covers those terms. Especially pay attention to the time period of the agreement (and what happens if you exceed the time limit). Examine the refund and warranty policies.

Keep these tips in mind as you think about your future log home. Plan copiously and don't rush. This way you'll be more likely to survive the building process and get the home of your dreams.

Searching For Benidorm Propertry

2007-04-17T04:21:00.001-07:00

The growth in Benidorm has been occurring at a rapid rate. There are many reasons for this. It ranges from people building a vacation home to those that are using the property as an investment to use as rental or lease property.

Here are some tips for buying property in Benidorm, Spain. First do your research. Look into potential areas of growth as well as locating the hot spots. Look at the trends and determine where people are buying the most property or which section is the most likely to be developed so as to attract the most people if you are looking at investment property. Look at the location and talk to local realtors to determine where the best spot will be.

Make sure that you go and look at several areas on your own to determine what you view to be the best investment. Look into making multiple trips or making multiple stops on a single trip in order to help you in your decision making process.

Make sure you know how much you can spend when you are looking into getting these properties. Determine your limits and figure out how much house or rental property that you will be able to maintain. You do not want to lose your primary property in the process as it will in most cases be used as collateral.

When you do decide to go and visit different locations on your visit to Spain make sure that you use a real estate agent. They will be able to get you in and out of properties easier as well as be able to set up multiple visits in one day. If you do not speak Spanish, be sure to locate an agent that speaks your language.

Make sure that you have an attorney who is familiar with real estate law in Spain to make your purchase go smoother. This will make your Benidorm property purchase smooth and easy.

Determine If You Will Rent Or Own In Benidorm

Make sure that if you will be renting during your visit that you do book far enough in advance so as to secure the property that you want to use while you are there. Make sure you know when the peak seasons are on the Costa Blanca so as to determine what will work best for you.

If you want to own and do not want to live in n area that is very busy you may want to consider looking into one of the outlying areas of Benidorm.

Accessible Home Design

2007-04-17T04:20:00.002-07:00

“Accessibility”, as it pertains to the design of buildings, is a term that most of us are somewhat familiar with. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (the “ADA”) mandates that most buildings used by the public be designed for ease of use by persons with many kinds of disabilities. We’ve all seen accessible parking spaces, ramps, and washrooms in retails stores, airports, and office buildings.

Homes, too, should incorporate design features and products that are easier to use by people of all ages and abilities. It’s a concept called “universal design”. For most people however, the image of an accessible home is one of fluorescent lights, wheelchair ramps, and white porcelain plumbing fixtures – more like a clinic than a home.

But an accessible home needn’t be like that at all. In fact, many design features and fixtures that work well for accessibility are also well suited for just about anyone. Accessible design is often just plain good design - a well-integrated accessible home design can and should extend a home’s usability through more than just one phase of family life.

Start In The Kitchen

Making a house more accessible isn’t particularly difficult or expensive. You might even have some universal design principals at work in your kitchen now.

“Side-by-side” refrigerators are more usable by a person in a wheelchair - unlike a unit with the freezer mounted on top. Inside the refrigerator, sliding shelves eliminate the need to reach all the way to the back to retrieve what you want.

A very common disabling condition associated with aging is reduced physical strength, which can make cooking in a large pot difficult if it has to be lifted into and out of the sink to fill with water. Instead of a standard kitchen faucet, install a “goose-neck” spout that allows the pot to be filled without lifting it into the sink. And place the cooktop nearby so that the pot can be easily slid across the countertop to the burner – no lifting required.

The latest in dishwasher design is the “drawer” type like those from Fisher & Paykel and KitchenAid. Drawer dishwashers don’t require as much bending over to load and unload and because there’s no door in the way, they’re more easily used from a sitting position.

Staying Home

As the American population ages and as housing prices escalate, many homeowners are trying to stay in their homes longer. Too often however, family homes are primarily designed for young families and become rapidly obsolete when they can no longer provide the convenience and safety that older citizens need. It’s an unfortunate result of a “disposable home” mentality – but that’s a topic for a future article!

A few simple design changes can make almost any home better able to support changing lifestyles, as ease of use and safety become important issues. One of the easiest is the installation of blocking for grab bars at appropriate places in the bath when the house is built. These simple and inexpensive structural supports are used for the future installation of grab bars, which provide increased safety in showers, tubs, and at toilets.

Another easy change is using “lever-type” door hardware - popular because of its looks and ease of use but also a requirement for persons with reduced strength or restricted mobility. Widening the doors a few inches can also extend the useable life of the house. Standard thirty-inch doors aren’t wide enough for wheelchairs and can be difficult for anyone with trouble walking. A thirty-six inch wide door solves both problems and makes moving furniture a lot easier, too.

Ups and Downs

Stairs are the biggest obstacle to making any home accessible. Typically, a fully accessible home must be all on one level – no stairs, step-downs, or even door thresholds. But a one-level home is more costly to build than a two-story and may require a larger property.

A better solution is a residential elevator. Sound expensive? Compared to the cost of a one-level home on a larger lot, an elevator is a very reasonable expense. It only adds about sixty square feet to the floor plan, and enables easy access to the first floor, the second floor, and the basement. Even better, only the elevator shaft need be installed now – the actual elevator equipment doesn’t have to be in place until it’s needed, maybe many years down the road.

Easier Than You Might Think

In most cases, accessible or universal design isn’t much more than good design sense and a desire to make houses usable by everyone – and isn’t that a worthy goal for any house, regardless of the current occupants? Our houses are sometimes a little too disposable – we can easily make them less so by making them more functional for a wide range of homeowners with and without disabilities. We’ll all benefit from design that helps people stay in their homes longer.

Live in Spain - Enjoy Life

2007-04-17T04:20:00.001-07:00

Would you believe that you could be looking at pictures of new homes in a catalog one day and just a few weeks later that one of these homes could be built for you from several boxes of materials? That is just how over 100,000 people built new homes across the United States during the period between 1908 and 1940. This offered affordable housing to people who would otherwise not have been able to own a home of their own. Also, when the boxes arrived at your door the home could be assembled and completed that day!

Many people received the Sears catalog and would look through more than a hundred different models to find the one that would suit their needs. They ranged in price from about $400 for a three room model without a bathroom to over $3,000 for a seven room home with oak doors, shutters, and a granite bath tub.

These homes were referred to as “kit houses” and were very popular during this time. Sears offered a payment plan, a cross between a credit card and a mortgage, so that people could live in the house while they were still paying for it. You could also pay extra to have a construction supervisor assist you with putting the kit together.

Other companies like Montgomery Ward and Aladdin also sold homes by mail, but Sears was the most well known and sold more than the others. This was seen as an affordable and quick way to build a house for your family. Entire neighborhoods across the United States consist of these homes. Sometimes a company needed housing for its workers and ordered a dozen or more at a time. Water and sewer lines were connected and the new neighborhood could be completed within a week of receiving the materials.

Today there are still kit homes available from many companies that specialize in them. They are primarily used as vacation homes or cabins. Many communities prohibit manufactured homes in certain areas of town because of the belief that they will bring down property values.

Sears destroyed many records over the years so it is now impossible to find all of the homes. There are people who have made a hobby of locating them and listing them as historic buildings. Many times someone currently living in a kit home is not even aware that their home is of that type.

This is another part of the history of home building across the United States. The American dream of owning a home can take on many different forms and this is just one of them.

Kit Houses - Building a Home in Less Than One Day

2007-04-17T04:19:00.000-07:00

Plano Texas Real Estate - How to Find a Competent Professional to Sell or Buy Your Home

2007-04-12T04:38:00.000-07:00

If you are looking to buy a home, there are hundreds of properties in the Plano Texas real estate listings. The problem is that there are almost as many real estate companies in Plano Texas as there are listings and choosing the right company can be difficult.

Whether you are buying or selling, choosing the right Realtor® can save you time and money. In fact, choosing a Realtor® rather than the average real estate agent can make all the difference in the world. The designation is further explained below. Looking at certifications and experience, as well as asking the right questions can help, as well.

Plano Texas real estate is in high demand. On a list compiled by Money magazine of the best places to live in the United States, Plano ranked number 11 in 2006. It has been designated as the most affluent city in the United States, with the lowest poverty rate for a city of its size, and the city enjoys a very low unemployment rate.

With more than 25 different major corporations headquartered in Plano, including Triad Hospitals, Texas Instruments, JC Penney and Frito-lay, most residents find that they can live and work in the same city. But, for those who work in Dallas, Plano offers the Red Line, part of the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) public transportation system, with stations downtown and at Parker Road.

Appealing homes in the Plano Texas real estate listings cover a wide variety of architectural styles and price ranges. From multi-million dollar mansions to modest town homes, the Plano Texas real estate market caters to people in many different income brackets.

Easy commutes, major employers and beautiful homes are just some of the reasons for the large number of real estate companies in Plano Texas. Outdoor activities, public amenities, museums, petting zoos, good schools, a major University and an active night life round out the Plano experience and keep the Plano Texas real estate market popular.

The best real estate companies in Plano Texas should ask you about more than your price range. They should try to help you find your “dream home” if you are buying. If you are selling they should be able to help you get the best price in the shortest possible time, with the least amount of hassle.

They should be familiar with the neighborhoods, the schools and nearby activities. If you are selling, ask them how they will determine the asking price. A Comparative Market Analysis or CMA will show the market value of similar homes in your area and is one of the best tools for setting a price.

If you are buying Plano Texas real estate, find out what the agent knows about the area. You may want a home close to the world famous Southfork Ranch, which offers public tours of the property used as the setting for the Dallas TV series.

You might want to be near the Heritage Farmstead instead, where history “comes to life”. You might want to be near the Arts Center. You may want playgrounds and parks for the kids. You might want to be down the street from Billy Bob’s Texas, a country music honky-tonk, recognized by the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music as the best country music nightclub in the world.

Whatever your interests, if you want to find the best piece of Plano Texas real estate for you, then you want a Realtor® that is concerned about your interests and desires.

One way to filter through the real estate companies in Plano Texas, or the surrounding area, is to look for a Realtor®. You may think that all real estate agents are Realtors®, as the names have come to be used interchangeably, but those who display a sign designating them as a Realtor® are members of the National Association of Realtors®.

While both real estate agents and Realtors® are licensed to negotiate and transact a sale, Realtors® are experts in the real estate industry. They are well educated professionals with more experience and expertise than the average real estate agent. The designation separates and sets them above the rest.

Many of the agents who work for real estate companies in Plano Texas and the other Dallas suburbs work limited hours. You should know how easy it will be for you to get in touch with your agent, when to expect a phone call and when to expect results.