tom-beaty.com views on real estate

October 31, 2009

Moving To The Open Country

Filed under: Real Estate — artgib @ 12:00 am

Many people dream of living somewhere with wide open space. Especially for those that live in a small city apartment, the desire to get out into the open country can be overwhelming. More and more often, people are moving out of the city and into the country to fulfill their dreams of living “where the deer and the antelope play”.

If you are one of the many who long to live out in the country, don’t count yourself out on matters of small practicality. It used to be you had to live in a city in order to find gainful employment. Now with the internet and telecommuting, many people can work from home or remotely and make a good living. If you want to move to wider pastures, talk to your boss about the possibility of working away from the office and telecommuting. It may be more of an option that you think. Many companies are having employees work from home to cut down on utility and spacing costs.

If you’ve made up your mind to move out of the city, now you’ve got the task of choosing where. There are some great places to live that might not have crossed your mind. Montana, for instance, is known for its wide open spaces and has many beautiful ranches for sale. Is you find your dream ranch for sale, see what kind of financing you can get to buy it before someone else does. A large parcel of land doesn’t cost as much as you think it might, and land it pretty cheap right now in the economy.

Moving out to the country will undoubtedly be a change of pace if you’re coming from the city. Give yourself some time to adjust and take in the local sights. If you have the money you might keep a small house or apartment closer to a major city for shopping and other home business trips. Making a lifelong dream come true will require some work to make it a reality. Don’t give up if you can’t see the result coming to fruition soon. It may just mean that now is not your time to move but that the opportunity will present itself later. Keep a picture of that ideal ranch you want to live at and then work every day to make your dream a reality. It may come sooner than you think.

David Viers and Associates (http://www.davidviers.com/) is a Montana ranches for sale. Art Gib is a freelance writer.

Altinkum Leads The Way In The Turkish Property Market

Filed under: Real Estate — ProperTea @ 12:00 am

Despite a challenging worldwide economic climate, Turkey is still proving popular with investors, where the property market offers great appeal. With property prices set to keep rising over the coming years and new government laws surrounding foreign ownership of property, interest in the Turkish property market remains strong. Investment once intended for European resorts is being reassigned as the strength of the euro leads holidaymakers to consider cheaper holiday destinations, including Turkey.

Altinkum, a family resort in Turkey’s Aegean region, translates as ‘golden sands’ and is the kind of place that beach lovers dream of! Tourism in the region is flourishing, not only because of the low-cost appeal of Turkey, but also because there is so much to do. The resort offers all kinds of activities - day and night - so visitors are returning year after year. Shallow clear waters are perhaps what make the resort such a hit with families, but activities range from a light spot of shopping (plus haggling, of course) to sunbathing or trips to the ever-popular water parks, keeping everyone happy.

Some of the more active pursuits include jeep safaris, diving and horse riding or, for a fix of culture, there’s a preserved classical city (Ephesus) and the ancient Apollo Temple. For the more relaxed, Cleopatra’s Spa, with its therapeutic waters or the Turkish baths, combined with sauna and marble massage tables, are highly popular. All this, combined with a choice of lively or relaxed nightlife, contributes to Altinkum’s appeal.

Restaurants cater for all tastes; international cuisine - Italian, English, Chinese and Mexican - as well as traditional Turkish menus, are available. On the beach, lounger-service refreshments for the really-really-relaxed or a short stroll to the nearby shops, restaurants or cafes for the ever-so-slightly-less relaxed means that holidaymakers in Altinkum can enjoy a stress-free stay. Car hire is cheap and easy to organise too, so getting around is simple.

All of this, combined with cheap and frequent access to the region (budget airlines fly to Bodrum, which is just over an hour’s drive away from Altinkum) means that holidaymakers can make a quick and easy journey to their destination - and they’re flocking to the region. Increased tourism numbers mean greater appeal for property investors and, with Altinkum property exceptionally well priced in comparison to surrounding areas, it’s an ideal opportunity for investors to cash in on Turkey’s ever-growing popularity.

So, with a range of property types catering to a range of investment budgets, and with a guaranteed tourism industry to generate an impressive rental income, Altinkum is ideal. Whether visitors want relaxation, culture, adventure, nightlife…or a mixture of everything, they’ll find it in Altinkum and they’ll find it at a good price. Property investors looking at the Turkish market shouldn’t overlook the value that they’d get from an investment here.

Mark Burns is a Director of Offplanworld.tv, a real estate consultancy specialising in Turkish property, and offering a wide range of property in Altinkum.

Investors In Istanbul Focus On Capital Returns

Filed under: Real Estate — ProperTea @ 12:00 am

Turkey’s thriving tourism industry continues to grow despite the global economic crisis. With UK holidaymakers showing a growing preference for destinations outside of the euro zone, the country continues to attract growing numbers of tourists and is therefore an increasingly appealing location for international property investors. With prices expected to keep rising for the next five to ten years, there’s widespread agreement that investors will see up to 20% capital growth year on year.

Recent changes to government laws surrounding foreign ownership of property means that less risk is now associated with buying in Turkey. This, combined with the country’s progression with its EU accession application, further enhances its appeal…and a strong economy, which shows no signs of stalling, seals the deal for many.

Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey and is split by the Bosphorus (or the Istanbul Strait) between Europe and Asia. The city - which is in the North West of Turkey and has hot and humid summers along with cold, wet and frequently snowy winters - incorporates European and Asian cultures and offers visitors a wide range of different experiences. It is also the country’s financial centre.

Istanbul’s social, cultural and commercial activities are diverse, with pop concerts alongside more classical entertainment like ballet, opera and theatre. Museums and art galleries and exhibitions add to the city’s cultural scene. Istanbul has several shopping centres and a wide range of cuisine that caters for a variety of different tastes - Turkish, European and Far Eastern. It also has a thriving nightlife; with bars, pubs and clubs suiting all kinds of preferences.

With two international airports - one on the European side and the other in the Asian side - and a variety of cheap routes to and from UK airports, getting to Istanbul is another of its attractions. Demand for property in the region remains strong and those investing can expect impressive capital returns; Istanbul contributes a massive 21% to Turkey’s economy, so it’s not surprising that it’s a popular target for investment. New commercial districts such as Maslak and Levent have further increased the investment appeal of the city.

Istanbul still has an exceptionally strong market for property, which is likely to remain so for the foreseeable future. The market is widely accepted as a safe long term investment and those considering new property in Turkey will be able to judge almost instantly if Istanbul is for them - it’s usually clear from the first visit what the city has to offer.

Mark Burns is a Director of Offplanworld.tv, a real estate consultancy specialising in Turkish property, and offering a wide range of property in Istanbul.

Hurghada Finds Favour With Overseas Investors

Filed under: Real Estate — ProperTea @ 12:00 am

For overseas property investors adopting an ever-cautionary approach to business during a worldwide economic downturn, Egypt is an attractive prospect. As a country that offers scenery, culture and history as well as a hot climate and a thriving tourism industry, many investors are turning their attention to Egypt as they recognise just how much the country has to offer.

Hurghada, formerly a tiny old fishing village and now an international tourist attraction on Egypt’s Red Sea Coast, has been a popular tourist destination for almost 30 years, growing over time due to Egyptian as well as foreign investment and attracting tourism from other Egyptian cities as well as European countries such as Italy, Germany and the UK.

Famed for its water sports, nightlife and scorching temperatures and with an international airport - offering low-cost direct flights to the UK - as well as a generally improved infrastructure, Hurghada has become a property investment hotspot, as investors looking outside the euro zone realise that the city offers all-year-round rental opportunities from winter and Christmas / New Year visitors as well as summer sun seekers.

Attractive off-plan property prices, with continued growth in the housing market as well as increasing tourism numbers (as holidaymakers select Egypt ahead of increasingly expensive Mediterranean destinations) have all contributed to Hurghada’s property boom. Combine this with the country’s tax incentives and a stable economy and it isn’t difficult to see the appeal - Egyptian property is now widely considered to be a safe investment and an intelligent choice.

So, cheap flights, good accessibility, low property prices and a generally low cost of living, as well as an all-round source of rental income from an ongoing stream of holidaymakers have all contributed to the growth of Hurghada’s tourism industry and, in turn, attracted the foreign investment at an impressive rate.

Reasonable travel time from the UK has also made Egypt a more appealing prospect for second home seekers who aren’t necessarily looking for a source of rental income, but who want to make frequent low-cost trips back and forth, where the strength of the euro has lessened the appeal of traditionally popular Spanish and other European resorts.

If you’re looking to invest in overseas property - whether you’re seeking a consistent income from renting the property or require a luxurious holiday retreat to escape to throughout the year - then make sure Hurghada is a location that you consider. With flights, currency, tax and property prices all in your favour, it’s undoubtedly an idea you won’t want to overlook.

Mark Burns works for Offplanworld.tv, a UK based real estate consultancy specialising in investment property in Hurghada and who offer a wide portfolio of off-plan property in Egypt.

Using Real Estate Web Site Content to Generate Leads, Listings and Sales

Filed under: Real Estate — Lanard @ 12:00 am

Are you using real estate web site content to generate real estate leads? Why not? If you already have a website with lots of website pages you probably have all the content you need to generate as many leads as you can handle, and if you don’t have one you can purchase pre-written website content…instantly and inexpensively.

Some agents with web sites under-utilize their content to generate leads. They don’t use the articles for blogging; to make special buyer, seller and investor reports; or in any other creative ways. Conversely, many of them think that having a web site is enough to generate leads, but it isn’t if you expect to make any real money selling real estate.

Using Content to Get Leads, Listings and Sales

On the other hand if you have 7-10 pages on your website geared towards sellers you’re ready to start generating more leads starting today…guaranteed. Here’s how!

Make a flyer that says something like “Want to Sell Your Home In a Slow Market?” Email me today for a FREE Report on “How To Sell Your Home…despite the Slow Market”.

Think people will email you for information? You bet they will and when they do you’ll know that they want to do business with you, even though it might not be right away.

Next, set up your 7 part eCourse in an autoresponder - some agents call them drip mail campaigns - so that when someone emails for the information they’ll get an instant automatic email response with the first lesson with no additional requirement on your par; whether it’s for one person or 300 people. And you thought that real estate web site content was just for your web site.

Next, print 300 copies of your ad on a regular 8 x 10 sheet of colored paper - 2 flyers per sheet so that when you cut them in half you’ll end up with 600 copies for zero additional cost (if you use your home or office computer and current supplies). If you have to go to somewhere like Kinko’s or Office Depot you might spend 5 cents per sheet for a total of $15.00 (.05 X 300 sheets).

Finally, go out and distribute them. In a day’s time you can hand distribute all of them. Place them on wind shields of cars parked at malls, football stadiums, parades, youth activity events (soccer, football, basketball, cheerleading, track), etc. Distribute them wherever people gather.

Leads, Listings and Sales

Now, for the fun part. What will follow is pure magic. By the time the eCourse is over some of the subscribers will have called to do business with you and they will never know that the eCourse was basically part of your real estate web site content.

Some of your subscribers will call wanting to list their homes with you. Others will call from the signs you’ll place on the properties you list as a result of this strategy and even if you only convert 1% of the 600 flyers distributed you’ll end up with 6 more prospects than you have right now…all made possible with real estate web site content that you converted to real estate marketing reports.

Sales are a natural part of this strategy, as the more listings you have the more sales you will make and the more sales you make the more listings you’ll get. So goes the revolving cycle of real estate marketing.

Conclusion

Can you think of a better low cost real estate marketing strategy than this one? Then why not get started today and begin making the kind of money you dreamed about when you got licensed.

Click Real-Estate-Marketing-Talk.com for instant, affordable web site content. And when you visit http://www.real-estate-marketing-talk.com you’ll discover other effective, low cost real estate lead generating ideas.

Why A Counselor Can Tell You How Do Reverse Mortgages Work

Filed under: Mortgage — runner @ 12:00 am

The counselor is always approved by the HUD and represents a nonprofitable organization or some public agency. Your job is to make questions about how do reverse mortgages work, because you need a taylor made solutions and you have your own unique situation.

1. How Do Reverse Mortgages Work Concerning The Eligibility.

The eligibility rules are quite simple. You and all owners of the home in question must be of age 62 or over. Additionally you have to live in the house in question at least 6 months per every year.

And additionally the home must be a single family residence, duplex, triplex, cooperative, a condominium, 4 unit residence, or a planned unit development. In the end of the day, only your reverse mortgage loan lender can say for sure, if you are eligible.

2. How Do Reverse Mortgages Work, Can You Get Enough Money?

You will find a special and free reverse mortgage loan calculator, when you click the link in the end of this article. There is one important thing. If you have a mortgage loan against your present home, you must pay it away. But you can do it with the new reverse mortgage loan. That is how do reverse mortgages work.

3. How You Can Get The Counselor Contacts?

As said above, the job of the counselor is to explain to you how do reverse mortgages work. The meeting is compulsory, when you take a HECM. You can also give a power of attorney to someone else, who can hold a meeting, but still you have to go through your own personal questions.

When you have thought thoroughly about the reverse mortgage loan and alternatives, it is time to contact the reverse mortgage counselor. You have actually one way. You can contact the counseling network, which is organized by the federal government.

You can meet the counselor personally or by phone. The counseling takes about one hour, if you have a personal meeting, but requires about two phone calls. The usefulness depends a lot about how well you are prepared with questions about how do reverse mortgages work.

You can even ask the counselor to send you the most common questions by mail, so that you get the preliminary reverse mortgage information. The counseling agencies can charge a fee from you, but they have to tell this in advance. The fee must be tied to your ability to pay.

Actually the agencies cannot turn you away, if you say that you cannot pay the fee, which is maximum 125 US dollars or less, if the counseling costs are less. You can pay this fee from your your loan proceeds, like other HECM fees, or you can pay it with cash.

Juhani Tontti, B.Sc., Marketing. You Need A Taylor Made Reverse Mortgage Information To Be Able To Decide Your Reverse Mortgages To Get Income. Visit: How Do Reverse Mortgages Work

October 29, 2009

How To Get Out of Credit Card Debt 101

Filed under: Mortgage — Liz_R @ 12:00 am

Having problems with your debts? Starting up the year with stress because of the charges you’ve incurred last holiday season? Is there a way to get out of debt more easily? This article will discuss some tips on how you can get free from your debt problems effectively:

Transfer your high rate credit cards. If you can’t pay off your credit card balance in full by the end of the month, it’s a good idea to transfer them over to another credit card that has no interest. Also, if you have more than one credit card, check which one of your cards have the lowest rate of interest so you can transfer over your balances.

When transferring credit card balances, check if there are transfer fees or penalties. If you’re opening a new credit card, check how long the zero interest rate will last. Promo periods usually end by six months while other credit cards offer a longer time period of up to a year or even more. It’s important that you complete your repayment before the zero interest introductory offer expires.

Focus on paying off your credit card debts. Don’t be content with just paying the minimum of your credit card charges. Make it a point to pay off your balances in full as much as possible. Concentrate on paying your charges on your highest rate credit cards and work your way down to those with the lowest interest. This way, you can avoid paying for additional interest and penalty fees.

Put your credit cards at halt. It is advised to stop using your credit cards until you’ve finished paying off all your bills. Don’t give yourself a hard time paying off too many bills at one time. Don’t risk getting stuck in credit card debts just because you kept charging more expenses on your cards. Exercise discipline and avoid debt problems.

Check your credit limit. How much of your credit limit have you used in purchasing for the holidays? Remember, experts advise all credit card holders not to go beyond 40% to 50% of their allowable credit line. If you go beyond that, you risk getting stuck in debts and there is a possibility that your creditors will increase your rates because you’ll be considered as a high-risk borrower. To avoid such problems, make sure that you stay within below 40% of your credit.

Check your credit card statement. Do you take the time to study your credit card statement? If your credit card enables you to access your account online, take this opportunity to make sure that all charges on your credit are accurate.

Check if your payments are aptly recorded by your credit card issuer. If you have any disputes, call your credit card issuer immediately and clear up your concerns. If by any chance, you won’t be able to submit your payment on time, call your bank right away to explain your situation and ask for an adjustment. Most creditors won’t report your late payment if you can re-submit on the next 30 days.

Liz Roberts is a freelance writer and loan consultant. The website BadCreditResources.com offers resources that specialize in providing bad credit loans and credit cards for bad credit.

How Do You Become A Real Estate Agent In Canada?

Filed under: Real Estate — anoton1 @ 12:00 am

A real estate agent is a fun and lucrative job with many opportunities to advance one’s career. To become a real estate agent, one must be at least eighteen years of age and have a Canadian High School Diploma or equivalent, and speak English. Each province in Canada is responsible for licensing real estate representatives in that province. However, there is a three-step process common to most, with a Board exam unique to each province. British Columbia will not grant a license to anyone with summary convictions until two years after restitution is made. Quebec will not issue a license to someone with a criminal offense in the prior five years. Check with your province of residence for specific local requirements. They can be found in most cases under the provincial Real Estate Commission or Council.

The first step is to complete the requirements for the Initial License. This must be completed within eighteen months. The program is available by correspondence or on-line. Phase one covers the benefits and limitations of a career in real estate, an outline of the requirements for registration as a real estate representative, an overview of the mathematic skills needed, and an indication of the specialties and career options. Phase two introduces the technical aspects of the profession and covers the statutory laws, rules and regulations governing transactions in real estate. Phase three gives a choice of two aspects of real estate; Residential and Industrial Commercial Investment (ICI).

The residential course is completed during eighty hours of classroom time. Practical aspects of real estate are presented through workshops covering the topics of acquiring listings, marketing, qualifying buyers, preparing and presenting offers. The ICI course requires eighty hours of classroom time. A wide variety of workshops cover topics including office, retail, industrial, multi-unit and vacant land practices.

The next step in becoming licensed is to complete a two-year articling period with a licensed broker. During these two years, one must complete three additional courses. Real Property Law is a mandatory course, with optional courses including Principals of Appraisal, Principals of Mortgage Finance, Principals of Property Management, or Real Estate Investment Analysis. There is also a mandatory Phase 3 course. One may renew a license after completing the articling stage and completing these courses.

To maintain a license, one must complete twenty-four hours of Mandatory Continuing Education (MCE) every two years. Other opportunities to advance one’s career are available in Continuing Education Units (CEU). CEU courses offered include: Agency courses, Practical Approach to Agency, Agency for Profit, Agency for Practice, Dealing with Purchaser Agency in the Agreement of Purchase and Sale, Disclosure of the Real Estate Profession, The Broker’s Toolkit: Standards and Compliance, Conflict Resolution Skills, Valuing Diversity; Increase Profits with Multi-cultural Clients, Housing Technology, and Technology for Profit.

If one wishes to become designated in a specialty, the Real Estate Institute of Canada offers several professional certification programs. These include certifications for property management, condominium management, appraisal specialist, and land planning and development.

Real Estate is a large and varied profession with many opportunities for specialization and advancement.

We are Brampton real estate agent and specializes in offering some of the lowest commissions with no conditions. When searching for Brampton homes or condos be sure to check out his Brampton real estate advice at www.hirevic.com.

How to Buy Foreclosures Where You Live

Filed under: Real Estate — Cashcorp @ 12:00 am

The real estate market can be a great place to invest. Foreclosed properties, in particular, are going to be a great way to get the most bang for your buck every single time. Some might try to tell you that they have the ‘exclusive’ information or secrets to buying foreclosures the RIGHT way. All in all there are nine different ways to buy foreclosures, and if you take the time to learn you’ll be more successful in your investing, faster and with less stress.

When you are learning how to buy foreclosures, one of the most basic things that you must understand is that foreclosure laws are different everywhere. The timing will vary and the regulations for other parts of the process will be different from one state to the next. However, once a home goes into default, an owner is sent a notice telling them of the situation. This document is referred to either as a Lis Pendens or a Notice of Default, depending on whether you are in a Mortgage state or a Deed of Trust State. Since they have different names, you might think they say different things, but they are basically the same document. They just have different names depending on how the state you are in regulates the banks seizing of the house as collateral.

The three most basic principles of how to buy foreclosures are: buy low, sell high, and don’t get stuck on any one deal. There is plenty more to learn, but these three elements are critical to your success. Other than that, all you really need to do is maximize your profits with techniques like REO’s, Loan Modifications, buying discount liens, and short sales, and you are all set.

Foreclosed property lists are public information, and if you’d rather do the work yourself you can get them for FREE. If you enjoy the convenience of having them come to you, however, you can also pay for listings with a number of reputable websites and companies.

There is much more to learn about buying foreclosed property. However, you basically need to understand that it IS simple and that there are many ways that you can go about it. You’re not limited to one type of sale. You can even get others to fund your deals if you want. As long as you’re willing to learn, you can make a lot of money by buying foreclosed property and getting your hands in the real estate market.

For more great Foreclosure Investing secrets from Jason Loucks and a FREE CD on how you can start profiting from Foreclosures, Preforeclosures, Short Sales, and REO’s for yourself, go now to:
http://www.PreforeclosureFortune.Com

Buying A Home At Auction

Filed under: Real Estate — artgib @ 12:00 am

Because buying a home is likely the most expensive investment you will ever make, it is essential to do your homework before buying one. If you research you can find a really great bargain on a beautiful home. One of the best ways to find a home-buying bargain is to research the real estate auctions going on in your chosen area. Real estate auctions happen most often when a home has gone into foreclosure.

Foreclosure is a legal proceeding in which a mortgagee obtains a court ordered termination of a mortgagor’s equitable right of redemption. Or, to put it simply, the homeowner defaulted on their mortgage payments and so the mortgage company repossessed the home.

You might wonder why a real estate auction is a good place to find a good deal. The reason is because the base price for an auction property is based on the amount of loan owed against the property plus any fees or expenses resulting from the foreclosure process. This amount is most likely lower than market value. But don’t go into an auction without arming yourself with the facts. To find an auction going on in your chosen area, you can talk to the city or county recorder for the latest auction schedule. There are even websites that list auctions going on in certain areas.

First, once you find a likely home candidate, be sure to research the home carefully. Find out the size of the home and surrounding property and what the amenities include. Most importantly, find out how much is owed on the property and what the opening bid will be. Find out the history of ownership on the house. Once this is done, research similar homes in the area so you have a solid idea of what the average home in that area is worth. Figure out what your bidding limit is before you go to the auction.

Different states have different auction procedures, so be sure to educate yourself on the procedures of the state the home is in. Depending on the state you may be required to have the full amount you want to bid on hand or just a percentage of the amount and then you will be required to pay the rest within a certain time frame. You will most likely be competing against seasoned real estate investors, so do your homework. By doing careful research on the home and auction procedures of your state, you can ensure that buying a home at auction will be a great investment.

Property Liquidators, Inc. (http://www.realtynotebid.com/) is a real estate auctions. Art Gib is a freelance writer.

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