Log Homes - What is the Log-Home Lifestyle?
July 31, 2008
Typical log home company advertisements in popular log home magazines talk about the “log home lifestyle” or “it’s not just a home, it’s a lifestyle.” What does this mean? What is “the” log home lifestyle?
It’s often difficult to discuss the particulars of log home living without also talking about where the log home is located. It all goes together. A house on the side of beautiful mountain certainly offers a different lifestyle than the same house in a city.
Therefore, the log home lifestyle is actually induced by the combination of the attributes of the house and its location. If the location is one of natural beauty and serenity that creates a feeling of closeness to nature and escape from the pressures of everyday life, the house should complement and enhance those feelings. Everything should fit together as part of the lifestyle “package.”
For many people, logs and stone represent a return to a simpler natural lifestyle. Log homes are often described as warm, cool, quiet, cozy, relaxing, enchanting, secure, or comfortable. Often, a pleasant childhood memory or experience in a vacation log cabin or log lodge helps build these kinds of feelings.
Is Housing and Real Estate Bubble Hype Irrational Exuberance?
July 30, 2008
Not so, says the author of this article and four real estate books including the recent "1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home". The upside of the hype is for real estate consumers and investors. The housing bubble topic has produced real estate market information for new or nervous investors about specific markets. Little reporting on the bubble topic exploits the "sell now" syndrome. The downside of the hype is the occasional real estate industry naysayer (never say never?) who has a financial interest to protect.
Media stories have included balanced perspectives from real estate analysts, brokers, consumers, educators, and trade associations. Their experiences remind us that real estate remains a market based upon supply and demand. The value for consumers is the wealth of updated information about their market and current real estate practices. These new resources help them make informed investment decisions concerning the management of their real estate holdings.
Housing once relegated behind the headlines has become the cover and lead story. It’s certainly struck a relevant cord with its appeal to consumers, as sixty-eight percent of us are homeowners. Online monitoring service Hitwise confirmed consumer searches for real estate and housing bubble information reached a twelve-month high at the end of May 2005.
Sell Your Income Property For More
July 29, 2008
Selling income property isn’t like selling a house. You can paint a house, and get a little more because it looks nice. Rental property is different, because it’s bought by investors, who look at income more than new paint. Raise income, and you increase value.
Let’s assume investors in your area expect a capitalization rate of .08. That means that they want a net return (before loan payments and taxes) of 8% on the purchase price. If your three-plex generates $12,000 net income annually, they’ll value it around $150,000 ($12,000 divided by .08). Make it generate $16,000, and you make it worth $200,000.
Get More Income From Your Income Property
Higher rents is the obvious way to boost income, if you can justify it. Find out what similar units are renting for. If you’re $60 below the going rate, you can raise rents and not lose your renters. Raising the rent $60 for three apartments means $2160 more net income annually. At a .08 cap rate, you just added $27,000 to the value of your property.
Why Property Investors can Crash and Burn
July 28, 2008
Many experts say you can’t lose if you put your money into Property. Not true. Hundreds of investors who have lost their savings through property investment tell a different story. Nothing is a foolproof investment - including property.
Learn why some fail in property and prevent it happening to you:
- Reason 1 - They don’t give it the time. The complaint is that the person has a job and family and therefore very little time to devote to this investment opportunity. The truth is, if they cut down on wasted time, such as watching television, or surfing the Internet, they would have the time to put into creating financial independence for them and their family in the future.
- Reason 2 - “They don’t know how to start.” The excuse is that you don’t have the knowledge to get into this business. The reality is that most people who have investigated property investment would have done some study or talked to successful people. The best way to learn is to read books, or take seminars or join up courses.
The other thing is to enlist the help of others. Henry Ford once said, “I don’t need to clutter my mind with information when I have experienced men around me who can supply that type of knowledge when I need it.” You don’t have to know everything yourself, but you need to have people you can call on who will help you while getting started.
Be Careful - A Real Estate Agent Could Lead You Astray
July 28, 2008
The real estate agent is a valuable source of potential deals for you as an investor. They have access to the multiple listing resources and of course, have a monopoly on this information so they have to be part of your game plan as an investor. Working with real estate agents can be difficult depending on the agent.
Some of the factors that you should take note of include the following:
Create a Great Webpage to Sell Your Home
July 27, 2008
The majority of people in the UK who are looking to move house use the internet to find properties for sale. So it makes sense to ensure that your property is on the web if you want to sell. If you are with an estate agent, most will list your property on one of the major property portals. However more and more people, tired of paying thousands of pounds to estate agents who do little work, are voting with their feet and deciding to sell their home by themselves.
There are over 100 websites in the UK where you can advertise your home for sale, ranging from a basic text listing to a full internet estate agent service. However most will have a limit to the amount of information which you can add and the number of photographs which you can include. Often this will be much less information than in an estate agent’s details.
The answer is to create your own webpage to sell your house. You don’t have to be a great computer expert, and you could do it all in an evening, using this step by step plan.
Where can I host my webpage?
The Benefits of A Real Estate Agent 101
July 26, 2008
Buying and selling property is not as easy as you may think. There are many things that you have to consider when purchasing a home, or when putting a home up for sale. That is why there are real estate professionals out there armed with the skills and knowledge needed to make this process easier. Read below to see how a real estate agent can help you in your real estate transaction.
The Benefits of a Sellers Agent
When you list your property through a real estate company, the individual with whom you list is known as the sellers agent, or listing agent. The very first thing that a listing agent has to offer a seller is a comparative market analysis, or, a CMA. A CMA compares your property to other real estate property listings, preferably ones that have sold. The goal of the agent is to compare apples to apples. In other words, they compare MLS listings (a.k.a the multiple listing service) with similar square footage, whether or not the property has a garage, the types of flooring the home has etc. In the end of this analysis, the agent provides you with a figure for which he or she feels that your property will sell.
Find Out If There Are Sexual Predators Nearby Before You Buy A Home or Property!
July 25, 2008
When looking for a new home or property, buyers ask many questions. Typical questions might be about the history of the property, property tax amounts, the school system, proximity to medical facilities, shopping malls, etc. Of course these details are important but fall short of getting all the information necessary to make an informed purchase.
We all like to think that we live in a perfect world and that our new neighbors will be just great in the location we’ve selected for our new home! It might even look like paradise, making it all the more tempting to view it as such! You might have heard wonderful things from friends and family about the new location you’ve selected. Chances are these wonderful things are true and you’ll be very happy. Nevertheless, you might want to ask just one more question when considering buying a home or property in any location…”Are there sexual predators nearby?”
The answer is closer than you think! Information about sexual predators is public and easily obtained. Before you buy a home or property contact State or Local law enforcement for a list of area sexual predators and remember to get updates often even after you move. Many cities and towns have this information online, complete with photos and addresses of offenders. If you don’t have online access or don’t know how to contact law enforcement,ask your real estate professional to assist you!
5 Simple Steps to Sell Your House Fast!
July 24, 2008
The decision to sell your house wasn’t made on the spur of the moment. It may have been spurred by the desire to live in a nicer home, the need to move for a new job or the necessity to get a handle on out-of-control costs. But whatever the reason for the decision, you’ve got a lot of work ahead of you before you’re ready to actually sell your house on the market if you want to get the best possible price for your property. Is this your first time to sell a home? No problem! Read our tips below that will show you how to sell a house.
Step 1: Assess The Value Of Your Property
Pricing your home right is the key factor in selling it in a reasonable amount of time. Setting a price too high will make your home undesirable to buyers. Pricing it too low may, in fact, deter buyers who wonder what’s wrong with it - or simply not get you a fair price for your property. Now is the time to do your research.
Real Estate Investing Works In Your Area Too!
July 23, 2008
I hope you had a spectacular weekend!
Things have been going great here at Investor Wealth Academy, and we are very excited about some major developments coming down the line for us later this summer.
More on that later.
Last Friday I was on the phone with a perspective client of ours. Let’s call him "Jeff". Now, I have to be honest with you here, what Jeff had to say during our conversation was very bothersome to me, and by the end of the call I finally had to tell him that before we Could help him succeed, he’d have to change his perception about the Business.
After thinking about his comments all weekend I realized that Jeff’s limiting beliefs are probably more common than I’d like to admit. But how can I help people change their perceptions?
Then, I was browsing around in my neighborhood Barnes & Noble yesterday, looking for a good read, when the newest edition of TIME magazine caught my attention!
Now I usually don’t read TIME, but a headline on the cover caught my attention: Home Sweet Home ? Why We’re Going Gaga Over Real Estate”
