Financial News Hub

Why Real Estate? What do Creative Real Estate Investors have to gain? How about early retirement? How about a shorter work week with more pay? How about loads of money in the bank? Sound good? This is the perfect atmosphere in which to get started.

I’d like to discuss a couple of things with you. Defaults are at an all time high. People are spending way beyond their means and this is not only on their homes, but with credit cards and other forms of debt as well. We have the bank as well as the home owners to thank for that.

Let’s take a step back and look at the root cause of all of this. Basically, banks would give money to anyone in almost any financial situation. In many cases, this was way beyond the means of most people. So, fastforward a few years and it only makes sense that the real estate market for all kinds of homes is suffering more foreclosures than ever.

We are also seeing more bankruptcies, along with more bank repossessions. There are more VA, HUD, FHA, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and other government-insured loans defaulting than ever before in history. Can you say Short Sale?

The number of homes selling below market value is at an all time high. Because so many people are in a bind and can’t sell their homes when they need to, it’s a buyer’s market. That means we have Motivated Sellers. With so many options, it should be much easier to find a profitable deal.

We have all heard this saying – “in real estate you make your money when you buy and get paid when you sell.” You may put money in your pocket when you sell the property, but if you bought the property correctly, you have lots of money making options. But if you bought the property incorrectly, you may not have any options. So finding motivated sellers and properties below market value is the first goal while investing in real estate.

A key thing to point out about investing in real estate is that there are a multitude of people looking to buy homes, assuming you can tell the prospects from the suspects. Because of the financial crisis around the world, many of these would-be buyers are having a tough time getting money from banks. An investor can turn these lemons into lemonade with the right amount of innovation. With the know-how and some ingenuity, an investor can take the place of the bank and take a pretty penny for their time. Are you able to finance the transaction with the sellers money? Whos on your buyers list? Do you include only traditional buyers?

Now that seems crazy doesn’t it? If there are more properties than ever before and at better prices, and if there are more buyers, then why don’t the buyers just buy those properties? The reality is in most cases they don’t have the techniques that I told you about. So now that you know it can be done, it’s time to start investing!

The government will likely give a $15,000 for first time home buyers in order to revitalize the housing market. The Orlando condos market in recent months has seen some up tick in the sales due to low interest rates and prices declining for past year or two. This is the best condition for new home buyers since 2004.

Over 4,000 condos are currently listed with Multiple Listing Services of Orlando, Florida. Majority of these available inventories are foreclosures, short sales, and bank owned properties, which have driven down the sales prices. The majority of these condos sell for anywhere from $100,000 up to $120,000 making it a bargain.

There seems to be some optimism in the marketplace as the sales have increased over 42 percent from 2007 with over 137 Orlando condos changing ownership in the last month of 2008. The downside is that majority of these sales are happening in condos below the $100,000 prices level, far from the over $500,000 condos couple of years ago.

For all of 2008 the sales have declined 32 percent compared to 2007, majority these sales happening in the below $100,000 market. Many buyers have been on the sideline waiting for the prices to fall even more, but at these affordable prices you are seeing some buyers come back into the market.

With the recent turmoils in financial markets, many Orlando condos that have begun construction have stalled and many developers are in bankruptcy. But few condominium projects have come to market recently in Downtown Orlando. The Plaza and The Jackson have recently finished and new tenants are moving in although lot of the units are unoccupied.

According to some statistic, over 50 percent of condos in Orlando are in distress. Which mean they are bank owned or for short sales. With current low prices, buyers should have plenty of options to choose from with more condominiums coming to the market from new developments. You will see values never seen before.

Sitting in the centre of Manchester, the Beetham Hilton Tower is a breathtaking 47-storey skyscraper and is one of the most amazing structures in England. The Beetham Organization, the buildings namesake, constructed it in 2006. And when paying a visit to Manchester, it is not hard to see that the Beetham Hilton tower is the tallest structure in Manchester. It has gained that very title because it stands at 168.87 metres, or 554 feet. What one will find inside is a Hilton Hotel with rooms that end at the 23rd floor. It is then between floors 25 to the triplex penthouse that reaches up to the 47th floor that you will find the Beetham Tower apartments. As for where everyone parks, there are two basement level garages for the residents of the apartment to make their lives a little easier.

The Beetham Tower also has two postal addresses. The tower sits in Deansgate, which is why it is commonly referred to as the Deansgate Hilton. This is a tower of many names, but the residents of Manchester and many of the visitors are familiar with the many names that this Hilton Hotel in Manchester is known by. The first address that you will come across is 301 Deansgate and 303 Deansgate. This fact shows how massive the building is because it needs two addresses.

When it comes to the history of the towers construction, the Beetham Hilton tower design was the brainchild of Ian Simpson and the construction company, Carillion based out of Wolverhampton, is responsible for the building. In addition to being located along Deansgate, the building is also found to be right along the Liverpool Road and Great Bridgewater Street junction. Inside the Hilton Tower part of the building, there are 285 high class bedrooms that the Hilton name is known for. The construction of the building is very unique because after sleeping in your hotel room, you can go to the 23rd floor and stand on the skybar, which enables you to look down to the ground. This is possible because the 23rd floor is 4 metres deeper than the rest of the floors. This means the skybar is the only one like it in Manchester. Youll also find a bar and a lounge that Hilton operates when visiting the 23rd floor.

But there is even more that is interesting about the construction history and that is that the tower sits exactly where a railway viaduct once sat. Everyone was so excited about the development of this building that when building permission was granted in October 2003, 206 of the apartments were already sold. Additionally, 4 penthouses had also been sold. This shows how excited individuals were to be able to live within the amazing apartments within this building.

And speaking of the amazing apartments, they are very modern with a view that could make you gaze for the rest of your life. There was a time in which the option to buy was the only way to live in one of these apartments, but times are a little tight. Because of these tight times, individuals are able to rent apartments for as little as 750 per month. This rate is incredibly affordable considering the type of apartments that are being acquired. The location is also an incredible plus. The hype surrounding this building is quite amazing, so an affordable rate such as this is quite the treat for someone who has the desire to live in Manchesters centre, where access to everything is quite easy to acquire.

Because of the easy access, an individual staying at the Hilton or living in one of the apartments can easily access the big city, enjoy the nightlife that is very exciting in Manchester, and so much more. There is definitely not a shortage of things to do. And for those who enjoy Manchester United, access is quite easy when wanting to catch a game.

There are also some famous guests living amongst the flats and studios. One of them is Ian Simpson, the buildings designer. He lives in the penthouse that takes up the 46th and 47th floors, which means he has the highest living space in Britain. He made the decision to purchase the penthouse for 3 million. There are also some other famous residents that include:

* Shane Ward the famous R&B and pop singer. You will find him in one of the many apartments.

* Phil Neville is living in the triplex apartment that is right below Ian Simpsons penthouse. He is a famous English football player.

* Another famous football player, Christiano Ronaldo, lives in an apartment facing Old Tafford.

It is easy to see that The Beetham Hilton Tower is the epitome of elegance in the centre of Manchester. Many individuals envy those who live there. They even envy the individuals who stay there while visiting Manchester. Fortunately, the Beetham Hilton Tower has become an affordable place to live so that virtually anyone can enjoy the views, the rooms, and the hospitality that is offered. It is an amazing structure built with magnificent imagination and anyone who sees it is absolutely taken aback by its beauty. Those who stay there immediately fall in love with it and never want to leave.

Are you thinking about moving to Atlanta, Georgia? If your thinking about making this southern city a home, you should consider Atlanta condos. Condos are perfect for families and singles, with so many amenities one can find all they need right within the building. The weather is nice all year long and you do not have to worry about snow in the winter.

You can burn those ugly winter clothes if you buy a property here. And there are plenty of things to do. From Braves’ games to the CNN Museum to the hottest clubs in the world, you’ll never be bored in Atlanta. Even a quiet evening at home is enjoyable, especially when it’s all yours. Rent a movie, curl up on the couch, and enjoy another hot summer night. If you are considering Atlanta condos for sale, check out the following tips to make sure your property is to par.

Make sure you do plenty of research, credible and legitimate website now offer many listing with photos and detail information about the property. Compare prices in Zillow.com, stay away from comparable sales prices within certain sub markets. The prices can swing wildly depending on the neighborhood you choose. But most of all, make sure you visit the property and do a thorough walk around. Contract a Realtor if you need assistance and need some advices.

Visit your potential property in the evening. While Atlanta condos for sale may seem to be safe when the sun’s shining high overhead, things look a whole lot different at night. You’ll spot things you missed the first time.

With sales of Atlanta condo falling over 88 percent in the second half of the 2008, you sure will find bargains. Huge surge of new construction have over supplied the market in last few years and many developers have auctioned off the available condos at unbelievable bargains.

Prices are the lowest since early 2000′s, interest rate is at all time lows, and the federal government is offering $15,000 in first time buyer tax credit, you should not care about pre-construction deals anymore. There are plenty of deals and value in this market.

The first step when interested to but a property is to write an offer of purchase to the seller, which is not as simple as it may seem. The goal that you want to achieve when doing this is to get what you want. And since this is the start of transactions, it is an important thing to consider the feelings of the seller by placing empathy in his part. Doing so would greatly help you in understanding the seller’s feelings and on achieving your goals.

Offering a price of purchase is not as easy as deciding on an amount and then stating that “This is the price I am going to buy your property.” No, definitely not as simple as that. The reason for this is that since huge amounts of dollars is concerned and because of the “hard” days today, you or the seller would not want to risk but rather, both would want to create higher possibilities in protecting your investments.

Not only the amount you are going to pay, but also other details of the purchase should be enclosed when writing an offer to purchase a real estate property. It should also constitute how you plan to pay for the property, the down payment you will provide, who will pay for certain closing costs, inspections that needs to be done, timetables, whether properties that are personal will be included, terms of cancellation, repairs you wanted performed, professional services utilized, the time you get hold of the home, and how you will solve if any disputes happen.

It is more complicated and involved compare to that of buying a car.

Taking half an hour for making decisions on writing an offer when buying a home will affect both yours and the seller’s life. It will affect your finances more than any other investment you did in the past. And it will also affect the seller’s finances, the reason why they will give a proper review on your offer. This is a crucial part for the rest, of both you and your client’s life.

It may seem that this is so familiar and fabricated, but all articles and books about real estates would tell you the same thing.

They say the same thing because it is true.

Are you sick and tired of working the 8-6 hours, never seeing the family and restricted holiday time? Life is meant to be fun – surely making our companies rich while we struggle financially and with family relations. Well here are 5 ways to step you out of the rat race you are in, and get you on your way to living the lifestyle you choose!

5 options to take into account and ponder – each has the opportunity to help you out of the rat race:

PROPERTY – Yes, I can hear you say – property NOW? In this economy! To be honest, yes property is a great one. Do the research, look in the papers, talk to real estate agents, and your bank. There are many ways of making money in property – a fantastic book to read is “0 to 150 properties in 3.5 years” by Steve McKnight. It shows you many different ways in an easy to read format! Follow this and you will be on your way!

STOCKS – Again, I hear another moan of resistance. This is where I will simply say – read the article (“Buy American, I am” New York Times) by Warren Buffet the man who has made the most in the world off stocks. He basically says right now he is buying stocks. He has survived two other stock market crashes and has done the same in each one, why do you think he is wealthy? As with property – the biggest thing here is to research, research and do more research.

DEVELOP YOUR OWN BUSINESS – You may be sitting on an idea that the world is craving right now! Put a comprehensive business plan together and ask people what they think. This may be hard, as it is your “baby” they are talking about – but see if there is a recurring theme in their comments, if there is, adjust it so it becomes a positive attribute. A fantastic book to read is “The E-Myth” by Michael Gerber – he writes in laymen’s terms on how to make a business work for you, not you work for the business. After all you are after freedom not working harder than you are now right?

FRANCHISES – These are proven systems that make you money. The biggest thing here is you will need to outlay a reasonable amount of money. However as these are proven, it may be easier to get a business loan for a franchise than for an unproven business of your own. Again, find a franchise that aligns with an interest of yours, which has similar values to you and yep, you guessed it, research! If you are looking for less of a risk than building your own business, then this will definitely be something to consider.

HOME BASED BUSINESS – now a day with the internet easily available anywhere and phone coverage is wide and cheap – a business can run from almost anywhere. These businesses are ideal for those stay at home parents. Also for those people who want to be able to travel with an income, or even just those that want to live their own lifestyle and fit the business around that. There are A LOT of home based businesses around these days, it is a good idea to find out all you can about the business, research them more on the internet, check they are legal and then once it fills your criteria of creating a lifestyle you want – then go for it!

What now? As you read the above options, one may have stood out more to you than the others. Begin your “escaping the rat race” journey with that one. If it doesn’t work out, don’t be discouraged move to the next. You will learn more about what you do and don’t like as you go, enjoy the triumphs and learn from the mistakes. If you stay committed, it won’t be long before you are living the lifestyle of your dreams.

Three years ago, there was a real boom in real estate in the state of Toronto. Our family who lived there took a decision to move out, and sold our town home. The result was a nice tidy sum, enough to pay off a previous mortgage, and give a good profit. The money we got from this sale enabled us to purchase a large house in Winnipeg. We paid in cash for a house that had four bedrooms in it and seemed to have plenty of character! The relocation and parting, though not very pleasant, was worth every penny!

Coming to the house itself, the property seemed almost double in size with a sprawling house in the center! If one could speculate how much such a house would have fetched in the Toronto real estate market, probably $300,000. And if it was renovated and placed in a popular location, the sale would have been close to $500,000. We had to shell out just $65,000 for this house as it needed some repairs. But with the estate prices going up by 20% year after year, should we decide to sell it, our profits are going to multiply manifold! Yes, a few repairs had to be carried out; some are still pending. Our plans include installing a brand new hardwood flooring for the entire living area. Whatever it may be, these are just minor problems, considering the size of the house and how less we paid for it!

Toronto prices have shot up so much that people who want to buy a house have to shell out $250,000! Others have to forget about settling in a nice neighborhood or a place with good amenities, the condition of the place, etc. They can only live in town homes or condominiums. The house could be in any condition–the price would not change. The real estate listings of the city of Toronto therefore prove to be quite mind-boggling for someone who is not prepared for it!

Obviously we’re thrilled that we made our move when we did. We no longer battle through gridlock to and from work. Road rage is virtually non-existent in our city. There are tons of actual houses for sale well below $100,000 in a variety of neighborhoods to choose from. Manitoba Hydro offers several incentives for homeowners, so even if you buy a fixer-upper, you have options for installing brand new windows and high efficiency furnaces, without having to worry about high interest rates on your loan payments. And yes, we even have townhomes and condominiums for sale, but the maintenance fees are a fraction of what is demanded in Toronto’s real estate market.

Toronto real estate prices drive people away; Winnipeg prices and conditions attract people. Thus, anyone will find this a place to be comfortable in.

What is the best thing about Winnipeg is that life moves at a slower pace over here. Every one has time for each other. The children are happy with the wide open spaces. We keep in touch with family and friends, though we are far away. The silver lining on the cloud is that we took the right decision three years ago when we decided to move out here!

Buying Realtor In order to get the best deals on the market, you need to have a realtor who is plugged into the foreclosure market. Often, these realtors work directly for one or several banks in the area that are trying to get rid of distressed homes. These realtors can give you advice on the market, advice on how to bid for a property, and they often have connections with a mortgage banker who can get you financed in today’s market. How do you find this realtor? Ask around.

Mortgage Professional Find a mortgage broker who will work with you. A young broker is likely to be able to spend more time with you, one with experience will likely ad wisdom to the team. It is important they have the skill and desire to get you the lowest rates, and to close quickly.

Selling Realtor If you get the right buying realtor, they won’t have time to sell your home. They are too busy with their bank contracts. You need a selling agent that is well versed in your city, or even in your neighborhood. The key is to find an agent who is honest with you to price your home correctly to ensure a sale. Time is money when you are flipping a house. Price it wrong and you could carry a property months longer than you should. Mortgage, taxes and utility payments can easily run into the thousands of dollars and cost you time gong towards your next project.

Home Inspector If you don’t get this right it can cost a lot. Imagine buying a house without running radon tests or asbestos tests, only to find out months and tens of thousands of dollars later that you can’t sell because the beautifully remodeled home is contaminated. he key to choosing a home inspector is to make sure they hold certifications and can check your investment for mold, radon, lead paint, and asbestos. Also, if you pay attention to the home inspector reports, you will learn what to look for when you first visit a house.

Contractor As the investor, a lot of what you need to know to buy wisely is learned by working with your contractor. The contractor controls the pace of work. The contractor also spends your money for you. They help you to develop and adhere to a budget. Some people walk into an investment property, see holes in the walls and ceilings, and get scared off. I walk in, see those same holes, and know that for $400-$1,000 there are no more holes in the walls, the plumbing is repaired and I can move onto another phase of my renovation.

Suppliers Don’t buy retail you can save twenty to forty percent buying from a building supplier instead of Home Depot. Plus they usually deliver for free. Look them up in the phone book under “Building Suplies” To get an account, you need a company name, a credit card and a bank account, that’s it. Don’t buy retail!

Accountant Find one early, interview them and get their advice months ahead of time. This will make the tax season a whole lot easier and less stressful. This is not where you want to save money with turbo tax. Make sure they are familiar with real estate investing. Also don’t wait till after the first of the year. sometimes you can make changes in Nov and Dec that will salve you thousands. Make sure they have degree in accounting, they don’t actually have to be a CPA.

Attorney They can help you decide whether you should incorporate, form an LLC or go it alone as a sole proprietor. A real estate attorney can save you money on title work, can draw up rental/ lease agreements and can advise you on tax strategy when buying and selling your real estate. If you buy a commercial building a real estate attorney is a must.

Insurance Agent You need an agent you trust. Ask the tough questions so that your exposure will be at a minimum. Are you covered in case of loss from fire, flood, theft, or injured workers/ tenants. If your policy leaves you exposed in any one of these major areas, your work could all be done for nothing.

Friends & Family Two of my favorite words. They will give you advice which is often good. If you feed them well, provide a frosty beverage or two, and don’t overwork them, the friends and family work crew will have fun, make your job more fun and most importantly work for free. Jobs like light demolition, painting, cleanup and many yard projects can be handled by anyone who owns a home.

Let me tell you about a really great website I found the other day! It’s all about property overseas, and in places like the Mediterranean. There’s pictures and maps and all sort of information about dream homes in exotic places. It’s worth visiting the site, just to take a look at the buildings that are being built in places like Dubai, even if you aren’t an investor or looking for a home abroad.

I was impressed by the articles they had on this site. I mean, sure they sell overseas property, but the site is much more than that. It has loads of information about architecture and innovation in building designs. And let me tell you, some of the futuristic designs they are putting into buildings these days is simply amazing!

I never thought I would be passing on information about a web site that sells real estate. But even if you aren’t currently in the market, you’ll find some interesting information about locations around the world. And if you, like me, find something that’s too difficult to pass up, this site can show you how to pick it up with the least amount of hassle.

Having a bookmark to a website like this one makes researching foreign and exotic places easier, especially in relation to architecture around the world. What “first world” nations think of as inexpensive property overseas is often being sold to them at high profits in their local economy. Now my wife has decided she wants a vacation villa in Spain, and I can’t help but agree with her.

My ancestors came from the Mediterranean. I remember my grandfather telling me stories about Cyprus when I was only a child, and when I saw homes for sale on the island, I was enthralled. Unable to resist my curiosity, I looked up some property in Cyprus at this website, and was amazed to find out I could own a vacation home in my ancestral homeland at unbelievably low prices.

I hadn’t really given much thought to owning property overseas before I stumbled on this website. But now I realize that having property in what seems like an exotic location doesn’t have to be super-expensive. They have offerings to fit almost any investment budget, which really came as a shock. I had always though that property overseas would cost a lot more than what it really does.

I thought it was cool, the way this site had locations from all over the world, gathered together in one place. It was easy to take a look at what was available in different locations. I was even able to compare a villa in Spain with one in Cyprus, which are two places that really interested me.

Property in foreign lands is a big step. But just looking through this web site is enough to make you dream, and having a dream is the first step to making it a reality. In this case, the reality of property abroad isn’t even a difficult step to take. For myself, I’ll be returning to the site often, and looking forward to the prestige of owning land overseas.