California Real Estate

Writen by Michael Colucci

The process for purchasing a home in California is different from the procedures that are used in other states. Unlike the East Coast, attorneys are not used to complete the sale of real estate. Instead, an escrow is used. Once you have located a home you want to buy, you will begin hearing people talk about the escrow. In California, there are no closing meetings. It is not common for sellers and buyers to meet each other on a regular basis. If you want to buy a home in California, you will want to make sure you have a loan before you begin the process of looking for a home.

All real estate agents in California must be licensed to buy or sell real estate. Every agent you deal with should either have a Salespeople or Brokers license. Brokers are allowed to receive payment for the sale of a property, while salespersons must work under the broker. Multiple brokers are allowed to work together, and are called sales agents. Sales agents must answer to a Broker of Record, and this is the person who will supervise them. There are three agencies that will be found in California, and these are dual-agencies, buyer's agencies, and sub-agencies.

Before you decide to get a loan or broker, you will first want to find the right home in the best possible neighborhood. You will also want to consult an agent to find out what type of home is best for your income level. The agent will want to know what home you're interested in. You should always be ready to buy a home when you visit the agent. If you are truly ready, you will be given a better deal, because agents will often have to deal with people who are just "looking," and are not commited to making a purchase. Once the agent knows what type of home you want, they will begin driving you around to show you the different homes that are available.

The agent will not want to drive you around until after they've interviewed you. As the buyer, you will want to make sure the agent is experienced. When you deal with agents in California, they should put you in the loan qualification process as soon as possible. By getting approved for a loan, you will be placed in a powerful position where you can negotiate. Once you have found the home you want, you will want to make an offer to the agent. In California, the offer should always be made in writing. The paper that it should be written on is named the Deposit Receipt.

You will want to place all the information about your offer on the Deposit Receipt. The agent will help by providing you a list of homes that are much like the one you're interested in. When an offer is made, it is also customary to write a check which is about 3% of the offer that you are making for the home.

Michael Colucci is a writer for California Real Estate which is part of the Knowledge Search network.

Top Tips For Buying And Selling A Home

Writen by Mark Nash

Buyers

Looking for a home

-Use Internet for overview of properties, communities, and schools.
-Visit potential neighborhoods at different times of day.
-Research price trends in communities and neighborhoods.
-Consider resale prospects on home before you purchase.

Get your new home inspected before you buy.

-Hire a home inspection professional who is certified or licensed.
-Attend inspection, ask questions and take notes.
-Use inspection tour to verify home fits your needs.
-Submit inspection problems to seller for remedy.

Research home financing options before making a decision.

-Fixed rate. The interest rate you pay is fixed over the term of the loan.
-Adjustable rate. Interest rate changes at end of adjustment period.
-Seller financing. Mortgage contract between property seller and you.
-Avoid paying Private Mortgage Insurance. An insurance fee charged monthly to higher-risk borrowers less than twenty percent down payment.

Retain a real estate attorney and buyers real estate agent. -An attorney should review contracts before you sign them. -Your attorney is your legal advocate from contract to closing/escrow. -Locate a real estate agent who has a fiduciary responsibility to you. -Fiduciary. Part of the common law of agency, indicates a relationship based on trust.

Understand common contract terms.

-Contingencies. A provision in a contract requiring certain acts to be completed before the contract is binding.
-Approvals. Contract period where the sellers, their attorney, you or your attorney can approve or void the contract.
-Earnest money deposits. Money given to the seller at the time of contract is made as a sign of the buyer's good faith.
-Tax Pro-rations. Credit issued at closing from the seller to the buyer for unpaid property taxes.

Sellers

Gather opinions of value from professionals on your home.

-Invite three real estate agents to submit a price range based on recorded recent sales.
-Consider hiring an independent real estate appraiser.
-Use similar properties based on age, condition and size.
-Properties sold in the last six months offer the best indicators of value.

Stage your home before buyers come through.

-Streamline clutter and place the focus on your home.
-Neutralize colors so buyers can visualize their belongings in your home.
-Visit new-construction model homes to gather ideas from the pros.
-Invite family, friends or real estate agents over for feedback.

Internet marketing provides wide exposure for your home.

-Have a virtual or digital tour of your home in multiple websites..
-Post interior and exterior photos of your home on the Internet.
-Hire a professional to write a description of your home.
-Utilize maps to showcase your location for out-of-town buyers.

Understand the elements of a contract to purchase.

-Require all offers to be in writing.
-A good contract has favorable terms in addition to price.
-Limit fixtures excluded from sale of home to a maximum of three.
-Keep negations non-emotional and amicable.

Recognize the variables that real estate agents can't overcome.

-Buyers bypass over-priced homes.
-Homebuyers discount homes in poor condition.
-Homes with poor locations have longer market times.
-Buyers are more relaxed and curious during showings when sellers are gone

Mark Nash real estate broker, writer and author of 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home (Thomson 2005) specializes in helping others succeed in real estate. http://www.1001realestatetips.com

Location Location Location The 3 Most Important Factors When Buying A Property

Writen by Alan Forsyth

Location, location, location - known as the 3 most important factors when buying a property, and it is easy to see why. The location of your property dictates how much yield you get, and how much capital growth, which ultimately decides how well you do.

And yet people still get it wrong...

Most investors only consider location within the area they live ... rather than asking themselves where else they may gain even better and higher returns. It may seem to make sense to invest in a location near to you - you can pop in to check on it, help fix any problems, and keep eye on local market better.

However, this approach to property investment could be costing you thousands, or even tens of thousands of pounds, euros or dollars in lost opportunities in the long term.

Compare this to professional property investors, who own property all around the country they live in, or even all around the world.

By asking themselves "Where can I buy property that will give me a great return?" instead of asking "What's available down the road?", they stack the odds in their favour.

Investing in property is all about the numbers, this is something I realised very early on - forget about whether you would like to live there or whether the property is down the street from you.

Instead, what I pay attention to is:

The likely return - yield, and capital growth

Buying costs and selling costs, including taxes

Cost to borrow money, ie interest rates

How attractive the property will be for likely tenants/buyers

So how do you recognise a great location?

To build wealth through investment property, you need a location where there will be capital growth ie where the property will rise in value, which builds wealth, which can ultimately allow you to purchase additional properties, and build up a portfolio.

Factors that suggest growth include:

1. Growing, developing economy eg Countries entering EU, regenerated towns

2. Demand outstripping supply ie more people want property than can be supplied, usually due to increased numbers arriving which could be due to higher birth rate, high numbers of jobs created, lower prices than similar properties else where, immigration laws being relaxed.

3. Low cost of borrowing – if interest rates are very low, people are more likely to buy, in particular for buy to let, as they will be confident can cover all costs and make good yield. It is for the above reasons that UK investors have started to look overseas recently, and why international investors target developing countries, and growing cities when deciding where to invest.

It is for the above reasons, why UK investors have been looking overseas over the last year or so, and why international investors target developing countries, and growing cities when choosing where to invest. Remember the location of your investment will dictate how well your investment performs.

Alan Forsyth is a full time property investor and developer with 10 years experience in UK and overseas. He is managing director of http://www.property-investment-tips.com which offers free independent advice and tips on property investment, courses, countries, strategies, mortgages and much more - with a free newsletter every 3 weeks giving latest tips and offers to over 500 investors. Sign up today at the site for free independent advice!

Changing Real Estate Market

Writen by Kim Polinsky

Studies in demographics and trends abound in the market of real estate. Every day new reports are speculating about the ups and downs, the insides and out of this industry. In deciphering the material for building real estate business, the consensus shows that niche markets utilizing specialized services, provide the largest profit for the least amount of time investment.

How does the average agent/broker tap into that knowledge?

No longer is the real estate agent/broker set to go upon passing the real estate exams. Further training is needed in the area of marketing for success in today's business place. Broker Price Opinions, Short Sales, Credit Scores, REO, Staging, Retired Clientele, Investors…. The list goes on and on to divide the real estate market into specialized segments. Real estate exams are for legal proficiency, not marketing success.

Why is the market becoming so segmented? Due to the rapid rise in real estate appreciation realized over the last few years, many newcomers have entered the field of real estate. Higher commissions were regularly realized and there was no need (or time) to study market segments. Now, the interest rates are starting to rise and whether or not they reach their previous highs, the market will experience a tightening of the belt. This tightening will weed out the real estate professionals that are unable or unwilling to increase their level of knowledge in specialized markets.

Since there is no real estate exam for marketing to specialized niches, the agent/broker is left to his/her own resources for finding, training, and providing these necessary skills. There are many ways to do this. Certainly experience in the particular niche is valuable, but what if the professional doesn't have the experience? There are companies out there that are providing the knowledge to real estate professionals along with the marketing suggestions to build the specialized niche into a full fledged, profitable business. Agents/brokers need only to browse the resources available through the internet.

Try www.realestateproguides.com. There are complete programs for specific real estate marketing. These programs provide knowledge of the specific market, including forms and examples for analysis. Some are touted as computer programs; however, we know that real estate is sold through the provision of specific, timely, knowledgeable attention given to the client in an easily comprehendible format. The personal touch is the most excepted, expected source for this.

New paths are exciting, and real estate is not known for a "boring" ride. Real Estate Professionals change with the times, and provide a comfortable, enjoyable experience to themselves and their clients.

About The Author
Kim Polinsky is a real estate specialist in the Portland Oregon area. She works closely with Margot Murphy and has authored two books on real estate niche markets. You can reach her at www.realestateproguides.com or k..

The Benefits Of Commercial Real Estate Revealed

Writen by Yolanda Bishop

Getting involved with commercial real estate could be the best decision you have ever made. Whether you are currently working within the real estate industry, or are new to the business, commercial real estate is one of the best kept secrets of those already succeeding in the business. The rewards reaped within this industry compare to no other, as you will soon learn.

If you feel commercial real estate is something you are not able to accomplish, I would have to say you are greatly mistaken. With a little knowledge and a great amount of motivation, anyone can succeed in this business. The benefits far outweigh the costs, as you can create a life of which many dream, but never actually experience.

The first great benefit is one that allows you to create a schedule that best fits your personal situation. In commercial real estate you can work full or part-time and still create wealth and equity you never knew was possible!

Commercial real estate can easily be a part-time job that brings in incremental cash flow. You can even start out part-time, and hold a job until you have enough cash flow and money so that, eventually, all you do is commercial real estate.

Commercial real estate as a full-time job allows you to have many benefits such as being your own boss and having the ability to work from home. You can create your very own commercial real estate business and quickly build a strong net worth as well as positive cash flow.

Another great benefit is it does not take years of training, or years of moving up the corporate ladder to be successful. You can start right now, today! You can begin your commercial real estate endeavors whenever you so desire because there are very few barriers of entry to this industry.

Probably the most enticing benefit of commercial real estate is profit. Huge profits, in fact, which can be made with a limited amount of effort. You can make the same amount of money quick turning or selling 100 single family residences as you would make with a single commercial real estate deal. The profits can be astonishing!

It takes the same amount of work for every commercial real estate deal, meaning you must go through the same processes each time. Why not maximize your result and go for the larger returning deals, rather than the smaller ones? Synergy is a key word in commercial real estate, as small changes can yield huge results.

In commercial real estate, your financial investment is very low, perhaps even non-existent. You can purchase property with 100% of other people's money (OPM), and create large profits for yourself. This is the only industry where there are literally hundreds of millions of dollars just waiting to be borrowed! Find the money and get to investing! As you can see, commercial real estate meets and exceeds the expectations many people wish they could have in their own career and personal lives. You can make commercial real estate whatever it is you want it to be… a supplemental income or primary career. Take some time and imagine that all these great benefits were yours. How would life be?

If you think commercial real estate is more than you can ever dream of, begin your research and start learning all about it. Find people working in the business, and get acquainted with the investment strategies and methods that can return huge profits in a very short amount of time. Once you truly understand and experience firsthand what commercial real estate has to offer, I know you will look no further for other money-making, equity building, life creating businesses.

Tony Seruga, Yolanda Seruga and Yolanda Bishop of http://www.maverickrei.com specialize in commercial and investment real estate. As of May, 2006, they and their partners are managing over $600 million dollars worth of new projects.

Dont Be A Victim Of A Drive By Bpo

Writen by David Neese

Memphis, TN has its share of drive by violence. But we are talking about a different type of bad drive by, being the victim of a drive by BPO as a real estate investor. We have been victims and want to help you from becoming a statistic.

We are Memphis real estate investors and work extensively in the pre-foreclosure market. Many times sellers are financed 100% or close to it and there is no deal to be had so we try to negotiate with their lender to do a short sale or short payoff. As part of the process the lender needs a BPO to determine fair market value.

What is a BPO? A Broker's Price Opinion is a market value assessment usually performed by a licensed real estate agent or broker. These are most often done on properties that are in foreclosure. A lot of times when the property is not sold before or at auction, the BPO that did the opinion will get to list the property. Sometimes it can be a full time appraiser looking for extra work that may do the BPO. Because of the fact the agent may eventually get a listing they tend to sometimes give a high appraisal.

Now realize that market value generally assumes a home in great shape needing no repairs. 90% of retail buyers will not buy a home that needs any repairs. Many lenders will not finance a home that needs wood replaced or roofing done.

What is a Drive By? A drive by consists of a BPO going to the house and stopping in front, taking a picture of the outside and driving off. They never get out of the vehicle, never to see the inside or any damage or repairs needed on the property. Comparable sales, past appraisals and tax records will be used to determine the value of the home without taking needed repairs into account. A lot of houses have good curb appeal, once you step thru the front door it's a different story. We have had the BPO agent miss the fact that a tarp was on the roof to stop the rain from coming in the house because the holes in the roof were on the back of the house and the agent never stepped out of their vehicle.

How can I get an accurate BPO Appraisal? Be there early. Bring pictures and the list of repairs from your first visit. Develop rapport and become best friends with the appraiser. Do your homework on the neighborhood. Look for true comps. Example: If you are looking at a stucco home and the rest of the neighborhood is brick. You can't find true comps. For future reference if you are in a mid to high humidity area, get a moisture test on the stucco and bring the results with you.

How can I keep from being a victim? Arrive 45-60 minutes before appt. Do not allow the home owner to greet the BPO instead of you. Stay where you can see the road. If you see a vehicle pull up and stop, jump out and holler politely," Would you like to see the inside of the home"? To make the experience better for yourself and the BPO offer help. Tell them what you have found. Don't take it personally if they don't want help from you. Do your homework. Don't let the homeowner show them around as they will try to point out nice things. Your job is to point out the flaws of the house and drive the appraisal down. Make sure the lender knows you are the point of contact for the BPO agent and to contact you to set up the appointment for the BPO. The pictures that you took on the first visit need to be printed out; if digital take them to a kiosk that makes prints. Have 3 copies made. Put two to a piece of paper, go with colorful construction paper, yellow is a happy color, go to your local office supply store and get printable file folder labels. In detail tell what's wrong in the picture. Give the BPO agent 1 copy. Let them know what you have found wrong with the house or yard. Give them a repair list. Any true comparable sales you have found within a 5 mile radius will also help. Always pick the lowest comps. You will document a lot more problem area's with the house than the BPO will see. This will be the difference of making 30k or 5k on a house.

David Neese is a real estate investor, hard money lender, entrepreneur, ecommerce marketer, writer, motivator, husband, father and athlete. David offers a free E-course on quick start strategies for getting started in real estate investing that is delivered free via email and tele-clinic at: http://www.FreeRealEstateInvestingCourses.com

Find Out If There Are Sexual Predators Nearby Before You Buy A Home Or Property

Writen by Deborah Brown

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!

My name is Deborah Brown, Realtor-Associate with KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY of the West Coast (of Florida). I am a Licensed Real Estate Professional and sell homes and property in Hernando County, Florida. Hernando County is located in the Tampa Bay region along the Gulf of Mexico. Visit me on the web at http://www.debbrown.net

Alternative Housing

Writen by Steven Gillman

Why alternative housing? To save money, to travel, to live creatively - there are many reasons why people choose to live in tents, RVs, cabins, underground homes, rental rooms and anything else that's less common than the houses, condos and apartments that most people call home. Below are some of these housing options, and their advantages.

Alternative Housing That Moves

Camping at a hot springs area, we sat around the campfire one night with several young men living in the desert in their old converted school bus. It cost them nothing to park it in the desert (on BLM land you have to move every two weeks, though), bathed for free in hot spring tubs that were as nice as those in nearby expensive resorts, and played guitar around the fire each night. Not such a bad life.

In Arizona there are whole communities that spring up each winter, full of people living in their RVs. Advantages of RV housing are obvious, and include moving with the seasons, trying out different places, and not paying property taxes. I've talked to people living in Rvs that cost $200,000 and ones that cost $600, so the selection of accommodations is varied, to say the least.

My wife and I lived for almost a month in our conversion van as we traveled from Arizona to Florida and then to Michigan. Advantages of a van include better mileage than an RV, and being inconspicuous. We found that could park and sleep almost anywhere.

Other Alternative Housing

In most areas where rents are high, renting rooms has become common. This makes sense for single people. Just pay a set amount each month or week, and (if it includes utilities) you have a predictable and lower cost of living. I rented out rooms in my own home for years, and even put carpet and lighting in a shed so I could get $50 per week for it in summer.

A friend of mine lived in a shack he built for $3,000 on a small piece of land he bought for $7,000. Eventually he ran into problems with the county because he had no occupancy permit. Apparently you can't live on your own land in the woods if your home is too small. However, you can camp on it, so a $2,000 used RV parked on your land makes for a cheap and legal housing alternative.

Some people live on houseboats and avoid paying property taxes. Some live in the jungle near the beaches in Hawaii, so they can afford to be in paradise. I know people who lived in a basement while slowly building the house above for cash. People live in cabins built in the national forest wilderness, moving every few years as they are discovered. Truly, your imagination is the only limit to your alternative housing options.

Steve Gillman has invested in real estate for years. To learn more, get a free real estate investing course, and see a photo of a beautiful house he and his wife bought for $17,500, visit http://www.HousesUnderFiftyThousand.com

Costa Rica An Exciting Real Estate Investment Prospect

Writen by Rhiannon Williamson

The CIA world factbook clearly states that in its opinion Costa Rica is a 'Central American success story', and the government of Costa Rica is keen to expand on the country's success and have announced the implementation of a seven year plan for the economic expansion of the country.

To this end they are actively encouraging international real estate investors and those looking for a retirement or second home overseas to come to Costa Rica and explore its exciting and affordable property market.

The Costa Rican real estate market is one of the most exciting in Central and South America right now as a direct result of the Costa Rican government's commitment to promoting the property sector. With the implementation of a series of tax breaks and investment incentives available to overseas real estate buyers the success of the Costa Rican property market is practically guaranteed.

For those looking purely for real estate investment opportunity, Costa Rica offers two main angles for property investors to explore: -

Firstly as the natural beauty of Costa Rica proves an irresistible draw for more and more travelers and those in search of the perfect getaway, so the demand for rental and hotel accommodation in Costa Rica is on the increase. The supply of quality accommodation in Costa Rica cannot meet current demand and this situation is likely to deteriorate as the popularity of the country increases. The government is well aware of this fact and is keen to attract those wishing to develop specifically for the tourism market.

Secondly Costa Rica is becoming increasingly popular with the soon to retire US baby boomers who are actively seeking an affordable and attractive location in which to retire. Because Costa Rica enjoys relatively low crime, is neutral, has a relatively high standard and low cost of living it is gaining a reputation among pre-retirees as a must-consider destination. There is therefore room for the development of real estate to suit this particular market or for the purchase and long term lease of real estate to this market. This particular group of people also represents a strong resale demand for those who buy now, improve property and intend to resell in the medium term to release gains accrued.

The real estate investment climate in Costa Rica is hot right now with the government working flat out to attract sustainable foreign direct investment – those interested in making a move should consider committing to the market sooner rather than later while it remains a buyer's market and before opportunities for the strongest investment gains are eroded by increased levels of investor awareness and interest.

Rhiannon Williamson writes about real estate investment in emerging markets worldwide. To read more about real estate investment in Costa Rica click here.

What Is A Predatory Lender

Writen by Jeanette Joy Fisher

Several months ago, the 3,000-member California Association of Mortgage Brokers (CAMB) created the first real definition to describe the abusive lending practices of predatory lenders. According to the CAMB, predatory lending was described as "placing consumers in loan products with significantly worse terms and/or higher costs than loans offered to similarly qualified consumers in the region for the primary purpose of enriching the originator and with little or no regard for the costs to the consumer."

Most mortgage brokers provide good service to their clients, yet there are a few who use unethical practices. Those brokers, called "predatory lenders" by the CAMB, not only over-charge consumers, but they also get paid in other hidden ways.

For instance, avoid lenders who charge more than the usual three percent fees for a conventional loan or four percent fees for a government-sponsored loan. Even non-prime lenders can't justify excessive fees.

Also watch for hidden loan costs, such as the Yield-Spread Premium. This term refers to a rebate that's given to brokers when they place a borrower at an interest rate higher than the rate for which they qualify. Refuse to pay yield-spread premiums and unwarranted fees, and avoid brokers who include these charges in their loans.

Besides charging high points and fees, predatory lending practices may also include such things as "packing" credit insurance on to a loan, making mortgage loans to homeowners who don't have the income to repay them, and repeatedly refinancing loans.

When it comes to obtaining a real estate loan, it's your responsibility to become a knowledgeable consumer, which means you'll need to keep asking questions of your lender. If you aren't able to get clear, easily understandable answers to your questions, it's possible that you may be dealing with a predatory lender.

Copyright © 2005 Jeanette J. Fisher - All Rights Reserved.

Jeanette Fisher, author of "Credit Help! Get the Credit You Need to Buy Real Estate," helps people buy their dream home or finance multiple investment properties. Jeanette teaches real estate investing and Design Psychology. For help with your credit or answers to your questions, visit the Real Estate Help Credit Center at http://www.recredithelp.com Subscribe to Credit Help! Tips. Send a blank email to CreditTips at reCreditHelp.com

Get the credit you need to buy your dream home or multiple investment properties!

Understanding Real Estate Investment Trusts

Writen by Joel Teo

So you want to be a landlord without having the problem of repairing faulty roofs and lights? Maybe real estate investment trusts are for you. These structures are basically legal structures to allow investors to get access to the rental proceeds via dividends. These rental proceeds are net of property management fees and other legal fees pursuant to the transaction.

Developers use this instrument to offload properties in their stable into the real estate investment trusts so as to generate cash to purchase other commercial buildings while retaining a sizeable stake in the REIT. Each year or half yearly depending on the REIT, they distribute rental income in the form of dividends to investors. Things to take note off include what the properties in the REIT are. Sometimes developers try to move their non-performing assets into the REIT so that their listed companies can report better illusory earnings and you should take note of this.

Now that we have explained what a REIT is, the rest of the article will highlight three reasons why you might want to invest in a REIT.

Firstly, owning units in a REIT allows us to gain rental exposure to large commercial buildings. Let's face it most of us real estate investors do no have the financial ability to own large commercial buildings so sometimes it will be good to purchase units of a real estate investment trust so that we can participate in the upswing in office rental of a commercial building.

Secondly, owning units in a REIT because of its trust like structure allows for a tax flow through of the profits (this means no tax on profits from the REIT). If in doubt, spend some time consulting your tax attorney for advice on this. Another way to get some tax knowledge is to ask for a copy of the prospectus of the REIT and read the section on tax advice.

Thirdly, listed REITs are tradable like shares so you can do the normal things that you would do with shares. The advantage of this is that you can examine the usual commercial rental data to determine whether rentals are going up or not and when you should purchase the units in the REIT. Always remember the importance of value investing especially so in an investment involving real estate. Spend time researching on the REIT that you are interested and figure out the value that you think it is worth and wait for the unit price to drop and swop in to make your purchase.

In conclusion, we have gone through the basic concepts of how real estate investment trusts work and highlighted three reasons why you might want to invest in a real estate investment trust (REIT). Remember that like with all investments, do your due diligence, time your entry and exit properly and you can make money both from the equity value and the rental yield of the underlying properties.

By Joel Teo 2006 All Rights Reserved

Joel Teo takes a keen interest in real estate investment as part of a larger investment portfolio. For more tips on real estate investing check out our real estate investment success series at our real estate investing resource.

Classes In Real Estate For Buyers Or Realtors

Writen by Tom Coleman

If you've ever played the game of monopoly, you've had that great feeling of snatching up Park Place and Broadway at least once or twice, then waiting patiently to build hotels everywhere and put everyone else out of the game. Those of you, who like that feeling, may want to study real estate. Similar to monopoly, real estate professionals are masters of buying and building property all over the world. These professionals know how to make investments work for them, and once you take some real estate classes – you will as well.

If you're ready to put value on property, real estate is where you need to be. You'll also be closing deals, which can be very profitable. To get into real estate classes and succeed in real estate, you'll need to be a persuasive team player who is really good with jumbling numbers. You'll also need to be good at being aggressive, and sealing the deal when everything is finished. Real estate can be a great career if you like to make decisions and build things.

Among the several real estate classes available, you have international real estate, real estate appraisal, real estate commercial, finance, investments, law, principles and practices, and even residential. While all of them are very interesting and can take you far in your career, you should pick one of the majors as it best relates to your needs and interests. If you're just looking to sell homes and land, residential real estate is everything you need.

Your career in real estate begins with real estate classes. There are several schools and colleges that teach real estate, all you have to do is find one in your state. The requirements and classes will vary from state to state, which would make it better to inquire ahead of time. Real estate is a career like no other, simply because you can invest in some property then sell it and make double the profit. If you've been looking for the perfect career to make a lot of money and challenge yourself – real estate can do it all for you and then some.

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Bypassing Environmental Site Assessments

Writen by Gil Strachan

Contaminated soil or water can be harmful to humans and other living organisms, and careless waste disposal and leakage of underground fuel storage tanks are only two examples of how contamination can occur.

In addition to the 10,000 spills reported every year in Canada, it is estimated that as many as 40,000 contaminant spills go unreported. Upward of 20,000 fuel storage tanks may be leaking, and any number of the 10,000 landfills in Canada may be seeping further contaminants into our soil and water.

Although there are presently (2005) no legal requirements in Canada to conduct environmental site assessments, purchasers, mortgage lenders and real estate practitioners should be aware of the potential financial, legal and environmental consequences of bypassing assessments where they may be advisable. Resale industrial, commercial or farm properties are among those which can represent an elevated risk to anyone involved in a real estate transaction.

An environmental site assessment (ESA) in Canada typically consists of three phases. A preliminary (Phase I) assessment is first conducted to determine if there is any evidence to suggest that a site could be potentially contaminated. As of 2005 the costs are approximately $2000 to $3000 which is not pocket change, however considerably cheaper than the costs involved in a major clean-up.

A Phase I assessment consists of site history research, a site visit, interviews and a written report provided by a qualified consultant adhering to the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) guidelines for environmental site assessment.

If a Phase I assessment discloses evidence of contamination or potential contamination, a Phase II site investigation should be conducted to confirm the presence of contaminants. A Phase II investigation may include drilling, sampling, testing and groundwater monitoring, and cost $5000 to $10,000 and sometimes more.

If a Phase II determines that unacceptable levels of contamination exist, a Phase III Remedial Investigation should be carried out to determine what approach should be taken to clean up, or contain the contaminants present at the site. Ballpark costs cannot be offered for this phase, as every site will have its own specific set of considerations.

Actual cleanup is not considered to be part of an environmental site assessment.

The Bottom Line:

Applying "due diligence" is a key responsibility of everyone involved in a real estate transaction. Ignoring potential problems at sites where prior usage may have led to contamination, can lead to serious legal and financial costs for anyone involved in the purchase and sale of such property, in addition to the environmental ramifications.

To locate an environmental consultant:

Canadian Environmental Auditing Association http://www.ceaa-acve.ca

Associated Environmental Site Assessors of Canada http://www.aesac.ca

Related Resources:

Canada Mortgage and Housing Association http://www.cmhc.ca

Environment Canada http://www.ec.gc.ca

Environmental Science & Engineering (ESE) Magazine http://www.esemag.com

Gil Strachan is a certified home inspector representing Electrospec Home Inspection Services in east-central Ontario, Canada. Find more useful information for homebuyers, sellers and real estate professionals at http://www.allaroundthehouse.com

Realtors Association Lowers Forecast Of 2006 Home Sales

Writen by Martin Lukac

The National Association of Realtors has announced a lower prediction for U.S. home sales in 2006.

Previously, the NAR had expected 2006 existing home sales to hit 6.62 million, but they have revised that prediction to 6.60 million for the year.

Last year, the nation saw a record sales level of 7.08 million.

The trade group predicts that new home sales will decrease by 13.4% to 1.1 million. Last year, 1.28 million new homes sold. The NAR had expected new home sales to hit 1.13 million for the year, but are now less optimistic.

Many economists are still predicting that 2006 will be in the top five record years for housing, despite the falling market. The key is where the market is coming from -- record highs. It can still go down and be way above historic levels.

The NAR predicts the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate to be at 6.9% for the second half of the year. The predicted national median existing-home sale price is expected to increase by 5.3% for the year to $231,000.

Due to the reported vulnerability of the market, the NAR has requested that the Federal Reserve stop raising interest rates.

"Experiencing a slowing from a hot market is a good thing because we need a solid housing sector to provide an underlying base to the economy, and slower appreciation will help to preserve long-term affordability," said David Lereah, the NAR's chief economist.

"But this is a time for the Fed to pause on rate hikes because we have some interest-sensitive housing markets that have become vulnerable."

Martin Lukac (http://www.MartinLukac.com), represents http://www.RateEmpire.com and http://www.1AmericanFinancial.com, a finance web-company specializing in real estate/mortgage market. We specialize in daily updates, rate predictions, mortgage rates and more. Find low home loan mortgage interest rates from hundreds of mortgage companies!

Home Buying Checklist Paint And Stucco

Writen by Raynor James

Buying a home is a big investment. You should use a checklist when sizing up potential homes. In this article, we cover a home buying checklist for paint and stucco.

Paint and Stucco

The exterior of a home typically makes the biggest impression when you first view a potential buying opportunity. Many homebuyers, however, often make the mistake of looking at color schemes as the principal issue. In truth, a close review of the exterior of the prospective home can tell you a lot about the quality of the structure.

A person selling a home is not stupid. Before putting a home on the market, they are going to take steps to spiff it out to raise buyer interest and the rate you are willing to pay. There is nothing devious about such conduct. It is natural to want to put your best foot forward and a person selling a home isn't going to act differently. This is why you want to take a close look at the exterior paint and stucco on a home.

1. The first thing to look for is peeling or flaking of paint on the exterior walls. If you see this in an obvious place on a wall, run for the hills because the house needs a total repaint. Typically, you are not going to find such obvious problems. Instead, you need to poke around behind bushes, up under roof overhangs and in nooks and crannies. If you find problems of this sort, it tends to mean the paint job on the home was not applied correctly. Once these problems start occurring, you can count on them getting worse over time.

2. The second thing to look for is stains around perforations in the paint. For instance, look for an area where bolts or nails penetrate a painted surface. If you see rust around the hole, you may be seeing an indication of poor maintenance. Even worse, you may be seeing an indication of a water drainage problem. Investigate such occurrences very carefully.

3. With stucco homes, you are typically going to find some cracking do to earth movement and temperature changes. As long as these areas are relatively small, you shouldn't have problems patching them for a nominal price. The bigger problem, however, is if you find stains or soft spots on the bottom section of a stucco wall. This can mean there are problems with the drainage screen behind the stucco wall and water isn't getting out. If water isn't getting out, the stucco will continue to degrade and you may have a mold problem at some point. Both situations can be very expensive to fix.

When checking out perspective home buying opportunities, the exterior of the home should be looked at very closely. In this case, the merits of the home all come down to the details.

Raynor James is with the FSBO site - http://www.fsboamerica.org - FSBO homes for sale by owner. Visit our home buying page - http://www.fsboamerica.org/buyer.cfm - to view and buy homes, houses, condos, land and real estate.

Property Rental Portals Making The Most Of The Services

Writen by Chris Courtis

Looking for a new rental property can be a daunting task; chances are good that if you are searching for a property online you may be looking to move to a new area of the country for work or family reasons. Even if you are not moving to a new area but are looking to move to another property in the same region it can still be a big task.

What methods are there to help with the search?

There are still the more traditional methods open to rental house hunters which will include the local papers (if you are in the area to receive one) or visiting the letting agents offices directly. These are still valuable methods but can be time consuming or impossible depending on your situation. To visit the local letting agents may take a whole day or even worse a whole weekend, depending on where you are living and where you are moving too, plus there are no guarantees that you will find what you are looking for. If you set out a weekend to look for a property it could be likely that a knee jerk reaction could happen if you become desperate to find a property during the time you are there.

One of the most important things to remember is that you need to take your time, don't leave your hunt to the last minute, this could result in you having to accept a property that is not ideal for your requirements. It is important to remember the more time you leave for your search the more selective you can be when choosing your rental property.

How do the Property Portals/Directories Help Me

In days gone by the portal sites and directory sites that advertised property were often found to be frustrating to use, you may have found the house or flat that you would like to take a look at, make contact with the agents only for them to announce that the property had already gone and the site was out dated. The portals have now become much more sophisticated and are as up to date as the agents own websites. Taking feeds automatically from the agents own databases on a daily basis often the property found is current, OK, so you may be unlucky and have selected a property that had already gone that day, however more often than not this wont be the case.

The Available Information

The information on these sites is good and provide full property details, location maps, landlord requirements (ie/ no smoking, dss, pets) and even have the facility to download the property details so you can review your top selections in your own time offline. The rental market has always been a step behind the sales market when it comes to particulars and advertising documents, this now is not the case and you will find that rental property online is documented as well as sales. The good sites will also provide agent profile pages which outline their services and also give you a link through to their company website so you can check for further information.

Are Rentals Still Second Behind Sales

A lot of sites are focused on sales and estate agents and have the rentals as a side issue. The rentals market is an entirely different market and is aimed towards a different sector of people, it is important that the marketing online and offline is aimed towards the correct demographic group. There are specialist sites which are aimed purely towards the rental market of which it would make sense to use these services first. As always there are some better sites to use than others and it makes sense to research each one and check as many properties as you can (online) first.

Reviewing the Information be Prepared

As stated in the earlier part of this article remember to take your time in searching for property, decide on what is important for you. Don't go into this blind; be prepared as you would if you were buying a house, a bad decision at the beginning of the process could mean you spend 6 months (usual minimum tenancy agreement length) in a house/flat or an area that you would rather not be in.

Rentright is a dedicated rental property portal site and there are a number of different articles which can assist you in making the right decision about your next rental property, along with a whole host of other interesting information.

View The Rentright Articles.

Chris Courtis is the co-founder of the Rentright Rental Property Portal and is dedicated to residential lettings within the UK.

Cheap Land For Sale 7 Proven Tips To Make Huge Profits Quickly

Writen by Sacha Tarkovsky

Buying cheap land for sale and then selling it at profit has been used to great affect by some of the worlds richest investors including Donald Trump and Howard Hughes.

If done correctly buying cheap land you can make triple digit gains in a year!

When buying cheap land for sale and selling it at a profit you need to follow some basic rules so you don't get burnt.

The 7 tips below will show you how to buy cheap land for sale and make big profits, so here they are:

1. Don't Go For The Cheapest Land!

When buying cheap land for sale dont just look to buy land because it's cheap.

Some investors simply buy because it's cheap, with no thought to how quick the land for sale will become profitable.

There is plenty of cheap land available in the middle of Arizona or Haiti, but will it increase in value? This is what you need to focus on.

When you buy cheap land for sale, you should not buy the cheapest, but cheap land in comparison to its growth potential - this is the key to profits.

In the US and many developing countries you have problems with the price of land becuase its expensive already with low growth potential.

If you want to get more for money and bigger potential take a global view.

2. Look at Overseas Land

Cheap land for sale overseas offers huge profit potential, as many new emerging markets not only allow you to get in cheaply but allow you to take advantage of booming growth economies

A great area to consider is Central America.

Costa Rica land has been rising in value for years and investors have literally been doubling their money year on year.

3. Don't be a Pioneer

Look for a land market that's on the move already and has steady growth.

You can buy cheap land for sale in a country that may become the next hot spot but the big question to consider is:

"may" but will it?

There is plenty of cheap land for sale in Romania (just got a mailing telling me I will triple my money) but think I may pass this one by!

Stick with markets that are on the move.

You can still buy cheap land for sale as trends up in investment land can last for many decades.

It may not be the cheapest but its growth potential will be more with less risk

4. Location – Location – Location

Costa Rica is an area where cheap land for sale is available as land prices are rising as the economy booms and more US Citizens pour in to retire, buy holiday or second homes.

The key to buying cheap land for sale here should be to look at where the next big developments are coming, like roads, marinas and airports.

You can then be sure developments will spring up when they reach completion and you can bank your profit quickly.

Many investors are doubling their investments in a year or two and with the right location you could to.

5. Buy a stable safe market

Buy in a country that's stable.

Cheap land for sale is all well and good but you don't want to buy it and then find someone has a claim on it from 60 years ago ( this happens a lot in Eastern Europe ) or one where the government may suddenly change policy.

Costa Rica is a great market as its safe, stable and grants overseas buyers the same rights as residents.

6. Use Common Sense & Draw Your Own Conclusions

When buying cheap land for sale don't be taken in by sales hype, make your own mind up in your own time and ask yourself the question:

Will anyone want to buy the land quickly, how safe is the investment? etc

Buying cheap land for sale and selling at a profit is easy, if you follow the above guidelines and do a bit of homework.

Triple digit gains could be yours

Land is one of the best ways to build wealth quickly.

All you need to approach investing in land is to adopt a cool, calm approach and focus on the facts before you.

If you can do this you could soon be making triple digit gains!

For FREE guide

On how to build wealth by buying land - visit our website and grab a copy and see videos articles and much more at http://www.net-planet.org/costarica.php

How Do I Know I Am Not Buying In A Housing Bubble

Writen by Peter Kopitz

The most noticeable indicator is an increasing gap between the seller's asking price and buyers offer price. This difference usually indicates a slowing housing boom. During an active boom, the gap is very small, or even non-existing. Further signs of a troubling housing market would be a downward change in the asking price over a longer period of time. This clearly indicates an overall decline in the buyer's confidence. This can easily be used as a measurement tool helping a home buyer make a decision.

Before entering a certain geographic area, the buyer should always monitor the weekly house prices in the local newspaper. If there are any downward trends in the prices, the buyer should stay away, and ether wait for a while, or look at a different location. On the other hand, if home prices are listed unchanged in the newspaper, or many properties disappear from the listings in-between weeks, it is clearly a sign of an active and booming housing market. So don't rush making any decisions while looking for a proper home. Spending sufficient time on research can save you lots of money and ensure you bought an asset at a proper and economically feasible price. This will ensure that the price you paid for your home will be much more stable during a market downturn, so you will sleep well at night because you know you paid a fair and reasonable price for an asset you call your home.

Numerous articles broadcasted over all kinds of media are talking about a crashing housing market similar to the dot-com-bomb a few years ago. That makes many potential buyers nervous and unsure when, or even if to buy. Should you rather wait and see how this trend will develop over the next few months? Better safe than sorry, right? Not necessarily, it really depends on what your main objective is. If you want to make a quick buck, and "flip a condo" (buying a place based on pure speculation with the hope on selling it immediately at a profit), or buy a second home for investment purposes, then I would rather wait for a while. But if you want to purchase a home for your family to live in, and you have done your homework to ensure you are not overpaying, then I would definitely recommend to go ahead with the purchase. Mortgage rates are still low compared to a few years ago, so you might still be able to find a good deal. Just make sure you work with a professional mortgage broker. Big name brands are not necessarily the cheapest options, so shop around. It is totally up to the mortgage broker what rates you are getting, so bargain to get a decent rate.

Peter Kopitz is currently living in Bangkok, Thailand after graduating with Honors from the University Of Chicago Graduate School Of Business with a Masters Degree in Business Administration. He is actively involved in researching economic and political development in Thailand, focusing primarily on property development, security analysis and investment banking. Online Mortgage Advice | Honolulu Realtor | Hawaii Rentals

Home Buying Strategies

Writen by David McGuire

So, you want to buy a house. Do you pick up the phone and call a real estate agent? Absolutely not!

You don't take an exam without studying if you expect to do well. Buying a home requires preparation on your part. There are questions to be answered before you make that first phone call.

Here we go...

Where do I want to live? You should zero in on a neighborhood that best fits your lifestyle needs. Are the schools top shelf? Is it close to your workplace? Is the neighborhood improving, declining or in transition? Is it convenient to shopping? Is it relatively crime free?

What requirements must the home meet? One story or two? What are the minimum number of bedrooms, bathrooms, and living areas you need? Do you want a formal dining room? What size lot do you need? What type of floors, i.e. wood, tile, carpet, do you prefer? Is a pool necessary? How important is a porch, patio, or deck? Do you require a minimum maintenance exterior?

How much can I afford to pay for this house? This is a biggie! I always and strongly recommend that before you begin your search, you contact at least two lending institutions to 1) see how much you are qualified to borrow 2) get a pre-qualification letter and 3) see what financial "deal" they can provide to you.

Are all real estate agents created equal? Of course not! The yellow pages are ads, not competency ratings. The name on an existing real estate sign doesn't have a competency rating after it either. Sally might be your friend but that doesn't mean that she is the best and most competent person to represent you. This is a business transaction, a big business transaction involving thousands of your dollars. You have to make a strong business decision here. Do your homework. Get referrals from satisfied people. Call agents. Then interview, interview, interview. Remember, it's your money, a lot of your money. Don't waste it. The most competent agents will negotiate the best price for you. It's their fiduciary responsibility.

How many houses should I look at? Very simply, as many as are necessary and as few as possible. Buying a new house is a huge decision, not to be rushed into. But, your time is very valuable also. If you have done the homework above and you have selected an agent that listens to you, then you can eliminate viewing many homes that do not meet your requirements. This saves you time because you are focusing on the right group of homes from which to choose.

Is Murphy Law applicable to this process? Yes. Mr. Murphy has been hanging around for centuries messing things up for people. You've heard it many times before: if it can go wrong, it will! Please listen carefully to this. If you find the home you like, if it has the positives you are looking for and, if it doesn't have major negatives, make an offer immediately. If you don't, Mr. Murphy will make sure someone else buys it while you're thinking about it. Don't ask me why it happens, it just does.

It's time to start doing your homework.

David McGuire is a Realtor in Dallas, Texas and a contributer to the Flower Mound Homes Weblog.

How To Prequalify A Buyer When You Sell Your Home Quotby Ownerquot

Writen by Bruce Andrews

One questions many "for sale by owner" sellers ask is "how can I determine if a potential buyer can afford to buy my house?" In the real estate industry this is referred to as "pre-qualifying" a buyer.  You might think this is a complex process but in reality it is actually quite simple and only involves a little math.  

Before we get to the math there are a few terms you should understand.  The first is PITI which is nothing more than an abbreviation for "principal, interest, taxes and insurance.  This figure represents the MONTHLY cost of the mortgage payment of principal and interest plus the monthly cost of property taxes and homeowners insurance.  The second term is "RATIO".  The ratio is a number that most banks use as an indicator of how much of a buyers monthly GROSS income they could afford to spend on PITI.  Still with me?  Most banks use a ratio of 28% without considering any other debts (credit cards, car payments etc.).  This ratio is sometimes referred to as the "front end ratio".  When you take into consideration other monthly debt, a ratio of 36-40% is considered acceptable. This is referred to as the "back end ratio".  

Now for the formulas:

The front-end ratio is calculated simply by dividing PITI by the gross monthly income.  Back end ratio is calculated by dividing PITI+DEBT by the gross monthly income. 

Let see the formula in action: 

Fred wants to buy your house.  Fred earns $50,000.00 per year.  We need to know Fred's gross MONTHLY income so we divide $50,000.00 by 12 and we get $4,166.66.  If we know that Fred can safely afford 28% of this figure we multiply $4,166.66 X .28 to get $1,166.66.  That's it! Now we know how much Fred can afford to pay per month for PITI.  

At this point we have half of the information we need to determine whether or not Fred can buy our house.  Next we need to know just how much the PITI  payment is going to be for our house.  

We need four pieces of information to determine PITI:

1) Sales Price (Our example is 100,000.00)

From the sales price we subtract the down payment to determine how much Fred needs to borrow.  This result brings us to another term you might run across.  Loan to Value Ratio or LTV.   Eg: Sale price $100,000 and down payment of 5% = LTV ration of 95%.  Said another way, the loan is 95% of the value of the property.  

  

2) Mortgage amount (principal + interest).

The mortgage amount is generally the sales price less the down payment.  There are three factors in determining how much the P&I (principal & interest) portion of the payment will be.  You need to know 1) loan amount; 2) interest rate; 3) Term of the loan in years.  With these three figures you can find a mortgage payment calculator just about anywhere on the internet to calculate the mortgage payment, but remember you still need to add in the monthly portion of annual property taxes and the monthly portion of hazard insurance (property insurance).  For our example, with 5% down Fred would need to borrow $95,000.00.  We will use an interest rate of 6% and a term of 30 years.

 

3) Annual taxes (Our example is $2,400.00)/12=$200.00 per month

Divide the annual taxes by 12 to come up with the monthly portion of the property taxes.

 

4) Annual hazard insurance (Our example is $600.00)/12=$50.00 per month

Divide the annual hazard insurance by 12 to come up with the monthly portion of the property insurance.

 

Now, let's put it all together.  A mortgage of $95,000 at 6% for 30 years would produce a monthly P&I payment of $569.57 per month.  This figure was produced by our payment calculator.  Add in taxes of $200.00 per month and add in insurance of $50.00 per month and the PITI necessary to purchase our house equals $819.57.  

 

Putting it all together

From our calculations above we know that our buyer Fred can afford PITI up to $1,166.66 per month.  We know that the PITI needed to purchase our house is $819.57.  With this information we now know that Fred DOES qualify to purchase our house!

 

Of course, there are other requirements to qualify for a loan including a good credit rating and a job with at least two years consecutive employment.  More about that is our next issue. 

Bruce Andrews has been in the real estate business for over 20 years.  He has experience in real estate investing as well as practicing real estate as a broker for several years.  He is currently President of Fifty States Realty, www.fiftystatesfsbo.com a national "for sale by owner" website.

1031 Tax Exchange

Writen by Ray Walker

1031 exchange is one of the most talked about tax deferred exchange of real property and its name is assigned due to its number in the Internal Revenue Code Section. Since 1990, when these Deferred rules were formulated, 1031 Tax Exchange has became much more popular as it provided some protections to the property exchangers against tax as the exchange formulate the whole procedure for turning a sale and purchase type transaction into an exchange.

1031 Exchange has a lot of value for anyone who is looking for deferral strategies to avoid paying tax against the exchange of property and other stuff. Every one can get benefit from this 1031 tax exchange by using one or the many ways, like by exchanging your property to something that can give you more value and is much better for you without involving any money, the same is true for some non-income producing real estate investments, such as raw land that can be exchanged for a better value land that is income producing. Most of the people worry about paying income taxes when they sell or buy a property but with the helps of 1031 tax exchange they never have to pay income taxes on the sale of property if they intend to reinvest the proceeds in similar or like-kind property.

The 1031 tax exchange has a lot of value when it comes to the gains by not paying capital income taxes, it can in one way help you exchanging the property at a better place without much hassle, no cash transactions and no tax deductions, which in return helps you in starting a cash flow with better exchanges. In the last few years when the property values have rose quite a lot, 1031 Exchange has become an important factor for anyone involved with advising or counseling real estate investors as every one looks out for tax-deferred exchanges.

In most of the ways, 1031 Exchange helps the taxpayers to sell income, investment or business property and replace with like-kind replacement property without having to pay federal income taxes on the transaction, which in other hand involves a lot of taxes and many people are not willing to change, sell or buy the property because they have to pay a lot of taxes. But the 1031 exchange talks mainly about exchange without involving any cash, there must be an exchange, not a sale of property and subsequent purchase of a replacement property. This section has made a lot of things easier for people and they can exchange their properties with ease and people can take advantages of tax-deferred exchanges.

But the section has a lot of disadvantages as well, if some one gets involve in some sort of reduced basis for depreciation in the replacement property. If the exchange is done in such a way that one gets a gain out of that then it becomes a tax basis of replacement property and it is been taxed in future. Like if an exchange is done in a way that the replaced property is of more value than the exchanged property, the gain out of that is liable to be taxed, so it is better to exchange the property with the property without the need

By Ray Walker
More Information about 1031exchange resources

No The Bank Doesnt Want Your House

Writen by John Nazareno

When faced with the threat of foreclosure it is very easy to assume that your bank or lender simply wants to foreclose on your home and it isn't worth the fight to keep the home. This defeatist attitude will not help you keep your home, and the reality is that the bank does not want you to think like this! The bank really doesn't want your home, and a bank never wants to foreclose. Ever. Having this information can help people that are in the process of being foreclosed on develop the right attitude and keep their homes instead of losing the homes that they have worked so hard for.

The fact of the matter is that foreclosures are a pain in the side of banking or financial institutions. They do not want to mess with the court proceedings, with the auctions, and with the local laws in your state or county. They simply want the money that they lent you when you purchased the home, paid in full with interest. If they foreclose on the home they aren't getting that. Sure, they are getting the home back, but that is not what they set out to do. Foreclosure costs the bank money and they aren't in the business of spending money, they are in the business of making money. So, if you work with your bank you can stop foreclosure a good deal of the time because they are just as adverse to the process as homeowners are. The bank will often work to keep the home with the owner harder than the owner is willing to work to keep their home.

While many of us feel contempt toward the bank while going through a foreclosure or when we are threatened with foreclosure, this needn't be the attitude. Your bank wants to work with you to arrange for repayment, so start taking their calls and responding to their mailings. In the long run both you and the bank will be better off. The bank is so willing to work with most people that fall behind on their mortgages that they will often allow them to repay their debts before making current payments, they'll help owners refinance so that they can more easily afford their monthly mortgage payments, and they'll even waive late fees that can add up and make the situation even more overwhelming for those trying to get on top of their debts.

Most of us don't think about it, but foreclosure isn't good for the bank, either. It takes time to foreclose on a house, and during this time the bank will not be making any money off the money that was borrowed from them by the buyer of the home. The home will be sitting, sometimes empty and uncared for and the bank will often have to repair the home to make it suitable for sale or to keep up with deed restrictions. All of this costs the bank money that they did not intend to spend on your home.

Even when the foreclosure process comes to an end, the losing of money is not over for the bank. Many foreclosed homes are sold at auction, and while most of us assume that the bank makes back all of their money at auction, they often do not. The first buyer is usually required to pay the difference, but this is a debt that will commonly go unpaid for years because the foreclosed on owner simply cannot afford to pay back the money. So, the bank is still short the money that should have been paid on the principal, not to mention the interest that would have been paid over 13 or 30 years for the original mortgage.

Many people that are about to be foreclosed on will file for chapter seven bankruptcy. While this provides the owner with the respite that is needed from over due bills and collection agencies, this is not what the bank wants you to do. In a chapter seven bankruptcy all of the debt is usually taken away, meaning that the owner will be allowed to keep the home, but the unpaid debts will never be paid. The bank is expected to just deal with the loss and go on. This is another reason that a bank or lender will usually try really hard to work with the owing party, because they would rather wait for the money than not get it at all.

As you can see, the bank simply wants their money. They don't like to foreclose on homes because it means that they won't be getting their money right now, and they certainly won't be getting the interest on the money that was borrowed from them, that they were planning on. Working with individuals that owe money gives the bank a better chance of recovering the funds that they are owed than taking a house.

It is important for people to realize that the bank simply does not want your home. They want to work with you so that you can keep you home and they can get their money that is due to them, with interest. Because the bank is watching out for themselves and they want their money, this gives the individual in debt quite a bit of wiggle room to work out payment arrangements and keep the foreclosure process from going any further. With this knowledge you can change your attitude toward the bank or lender and pick up the phone and respond to mailings so that you can get the situation straightened out. If you make a reasonable attempt to pay off the debt you will realize that the owner actually has the upper hand because the bank is willing to avoid foreclosure just as much or more than the owner! Foreclosure simply costs everyone too much time and money, and this does not just apply to the owner, it applies to the bank as well!

Visit http://www.theforeclosuresinfo.com for more information on foreclosures.

Are You Tired Of Tenants Toilets And Trash

Writen by Paula Straub

Wouldn't you rather go to Tahiti? Are you a landlord with rental property whose value has significantly appreciated? Are you ready to cash in those profits and take that trip to Tahiti?

Before selling your property, check with your accountant who will tell you that you will be paying $60,000 in Capital Gains Tax to Uncle Sam. Your accountant will also tell you that adding another $20,000 to your income by that sale is called recaptured depreciation. This will bump you into the next tax bracket and doom you next April 15th into sending the IRS a check for maybe another $7,000.

Are you still ready to sell that property? It looks like that trip to Tahiti is going to be sometime in the far future…

But wait! You decide to check with your realtor and then find out about a 1031 exchange to defer your Capital Gains. Your realtor tells you if you buy another like-kind rental property of equal or greater value, you won't get hit with the gains tax on the sale. That is all fine and good, but it does not really get you out of the headaches associated with collecting rent, keeping your unit occupied, finding clean/classy tenants that won't trash the place, nor does it keep you from getting that 2am call to fix an overflowing toilet. To top this off, now you have to pay more in property taxes and must charge higher rent.

Hmm…maybe this idea is not the ticket to that South Pacific paradise either.

This is the dilemma I heard from my financial clients again and again. They were frustrated and felt trapped in their current situation. So what is a frustrated income property owner to do? After a lot of research and roadblocks, I found the perfect solution that has changed the lives of my clients and took away stress to bring enjoyment of life.

For anyone who is tired of being a landlord and who owns a rental/commercial property that has gone up a lot in value, take heart. A 1031 exchange into a Tenant In Common Property may be your answer.

There are very specific rules to follow set by the IRS, and the entire detailed process is the subject for a future article, but here's the gist:

1-Sell your current income property;

2-Before the close of escrow, you declare via a Qualified Intermediary (also called an Accommodator, who is a qualified third party) that you intend to do a 1031 exchange into a Tenant in Common Property;

3-Work with a reputable company to identify a property that you would like to purchase an interest in;

4-At the close of escrow, your proceeds are transferred by the Accommodator to purchase your proportionate share of a larger "A" rated commercial building;

5-You may choose a business center, a medical office building, or similar high-end property; and lastly,

6-You get a deeded interest in this property, so you can keep it, resell it, pass it to your heirs, or even gift it to charity upon your death.

The way that this works is all the new fractional owners, or "Tenants in Common" hire an ace Management Company to handle all the property management tasks. The company finds and keeps high quality tenants, does the maintenance and upgrades, pays the property taxes, and handles all the day to day crisis that arise. Probably the three most important factors in this entire process are:

1-Your choice of company that offers the properties for sale;

2-the Accommodator, and;

3-the management company.

Make sure each of the three parts is a top notch with proven track records. Anything less could spell disaster.

When this 1031 option is done properly, your benefits will be:

Deferral of all Capital Gains,
A monthly contractual income (usually based on 6-7% return on equity),
Building depreciation for tax savings,
Unlimited property appreciation potential, and
No more headaches of property management.

Good-bye Tenants, Trash and Toilets! Hello Tahiti!

Paula Straub is a Financial Advisor, Insurance Agent and Mortgage Loan Originator in San Diego, CA. As a successful business owner, Paula strives to guide clients to financial independence in the most timely and efficient manner possible.

(c)Paula Straub - All Rights reserved

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Real Estate Investing An Alternative To Traditional Stock Market Investment

Writen by Bianca Tavares

From a historical perspective, investing in real estate is almost as old as the construction of property itself. Indeed many business owners who created their wealth through companies then went on to diversify into real estate investments. In fact, over the years real estate investments have produced similar returns to those found in the stock market. Let's take a look at some of the reasons:

First of all, and most obviously, the supply of building land around the world is limited, even when taking into account landfill opportunities. Since the world's population is growing and the demand for housing ever increasing, then there would seem to be a never-ending and increasing requirement for real estate of all types.

Now let's take a look at the mechanics of buying property. Here it can be seen that investing in real estate is quite different from most other traditional investments such as stocks. With real estate you can often borrow up to around 80 percent of the value of a property, sometimes even the full value and beyond under special circumstances. Thus a more modest investment of say 20 percent of the value can be used to buy and control the full value of the larger investment. Naturally, if the value of your investment increases, I.e. property prices rise, then the value of your real estate investment also increases. If so, then you are into profit, including that on the money you originally borrowed.

Naturally, there will be costs associated with real estate investing (such as legal fees and property maintenance, taxes, etc), but these are usually small in comparison with the potential gains.

Borrowing in order to invest in real estate makes real estate a type of leveraged investment. But if you know anything about leverage, you will realize that leveraged investments can also go against you. What, for example, if the property you purchased for $300,000 decreased in value to $240,000? Even though the value only dropped by 20 percent, you actually lose 100 percent of the original $60,000 investment. And if you have a mortgage on this property making up its full purchase price, you will actually need to pay money to the mortgage provider in order to cover the costs of selling the property. That's in addition to the loss of the whole of your initial investment.

So, as you see, investing in real estate is something to be taken very seriously and should not be done with money which you might need for other things in the near future. Investment in property is more secure as a long-term investment. In the above example, if you could have held onto the property and not sold it, the loss would purely have been 'on paper'. In all likelihood, over time the value of the property, unless grossly overpriced when you originally bought it, will rise and you will likely not only recover the full value of the initial investment, but also possibly make a nice profit when you do come to sell.

Another reason that real estate is a popular investment is that there are profits to be made from it whilst you are the owner. In addition to the tax-saving benefits (in that any tax due on the property's increase in value doesn't become due until it is eventually sold), you can also make additional money from renting out the property. This can often cover all your running costs of the property, plus providing a profit on top.

Unless you make a large down payment, early on during your ownership the monthly operating profit from your property business is likely to be small or non-existent. But over time this profit will increase as the amount of rent you can charge increases at a higher rate than the running costs. Naturally these profits will be subject to normal income tax rules.

A further benefit of investing in property is that you might be able to purchase cheaply a run-down or 'distressed' property and fix it up or develop it further. Properties like this can still be found if you look around carefully. Naturally, investing in this type of real estate can still produce large gains. This is something you certainly can't do with traditional stock market investments.

However, returning to the initial question about whether real estate investing is still a viable option when current prices seem to be nearing their peak: yes, it can still be so, but you might need to be more creative and prepare to be in for the long haul. Property 'flipping' methods that worked extremely successfully yesterday, might not work at all well tomorrow.

You might also consider diversifying into overseas real estate markets. Whilst this will require greater study and analysis, and there are many more legal issues to consider, seeking out what appear to be undervalued international real estate opportunities has the potential to be highly profitable if handled correctly.

Naturally, you should always seek the advice of professionals, both financial and legal, before investing in properties of any description, particularly when considering investing overseas. There might be major implications to your overall taxation. Risks can also be substantially higher when you are not there to oversee your investment in person.

You can learn more about real estate investing and Bianca Tavares' guide to Florida property at Florida Real Estate.

Why Is Now The Time To Buy In Turkey

Writen by Paul Burrows

Turkey is a paradise of sun, sea, mountains, and lakes that offers the vacationer a complete change from the stress and routine of everyday life. From April to October, most places in Turkey have an ideal climate that is perfect for relaxing on sandy beaches or enjoying the tranquility of mountains and lakes.

Turkey also has a magnificent past, and is a land full of historic treasures from 13 successive civilizations spanning 10,000 years. Even if you spend only a short time in Turkey, you can see a lot of this great heritage.

There is no doubt that one visit will not be enough, and you will want to come back again and again as you discover one extraordinary place after another. All of them, no matter how different, have one thing in common: the friendly and hospitable people of this unique country.

Real Estate Agents who once worked Spain are now turning their future business plans to Turkey, with the figures so high in Spain of 1.5 million homes sold in the last 10 years, prices soaring and cashflow and resales on a downturn, Turkey has sold only to date a mere 90,000 homes.

With those figures in mind it doesnt take much to figure out the potential growth for Turkey.

Turkey has provided big advantage to the investors since it is a growing market and has friendly environment with one-stop investment opportunity. In the year 2002 its market share is 1.7 by visited 13.2 million tourist and generated 8.5 million revenue. Those figures were recorded 5% higher for 2003.

According to World Tourism Organization Turkey will be the fastest growing country in tourism demands with an annual rate of %10.

As it has been ranked in the world first fifteen destination by 14 million visitors a year Turkey has tried to offer different projects to have developed its accommodation facilities and tourism kinds. In order to diversify the tourism product Turkey has promoted the sites located inland areas to those having different taste than 3S (sea, sand and sun) combination and coastal region as well. Currently, tourism activities in the country are concentrated along Aegean and Mediterranean coasts where about 80% of Turkey's bed capacity exists. However investments have been made on accomadations are not sufficient to correspond the future tourism demands that will be directed to Turkey, therefore Turkey has a strong desire to attract both the national and intenational investors particularly in the regions mostly visited.

IF you are Planning a Trip to Turkey:

USA - CITIZENS ONLY

A visa is required for all U.S. citizens entering Turkey. U.S. citizens may obtain their visas upon entry at any point in Turkey or in advance from one of the Turkish Consulates around the U.S. Please see the Jurisdiction list of the Turkish Consulates for your state. Application for a business visa must be done ahead of time, before entering Turkey.

The tourist visa is valid for a year starting from the issue date. There are two different visa types. With a single entry visa, you can enter Turkey only once and stay up to three months. Multiple entry visa, on the other hand allows you to enter and exit the country more than once within one year period specified on your passport and you can stay in Turkey for three months each time.

Visas given at entry points are valid only for three months. Therefore, visas must be obtained in advance for visits lasting longer stays and for study, research or employment purposes.

The passengers who do not leave the international airports do not need any visas

NON-U.S. CITIZENS

Non-U.S Citizens need to have to apply for their tourist or business visas in advance BEFORE going to Turkey. Applicants should directly contact a Turkish Consulate in person, by mail or by a courier service. Please see the Jurisdiction list of the Turkish Consulates for your state.

CANADA

Canadian Citizens can obtain a multiple-entry sticker visa at the Turkish International Border Gates to stay in Turkey for a maximum period of three months. If the planned stay exceeds three months or the individual intends to study, work or be engaged in any kind of gainful employment in Turkey, visa must be obtained in advance by applying personally to Turkish Embassy in Ottawa.

Is it safe to travel to Turkey?

Turkey is one of the safest countries in the world in which to travel, because its rate of crime is relatively low in comparison to many Western European countries. A few years ago, Interpol, the well-known international police association, ranked Turkey as the safest holiday destination in Europe for travelers. Naturally, we recommend that travelers to Turkey exercise the same precautions as anywhere else, and be aware of security concerns that affect all international travelers.

The Turkish Government takes air safety very seriously, and maintains strict controls, particularly on international flights. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the government of Turkey's civil aviation authority as Category 1-in compliance with international aviation safety standards for oversight of Turkey's air carrier operations. In the days following the September 11 attacks, Turkish Airlines became one of the first international airlines cleared by the FAA for flights into the United States.

Global-Choice has been providing real estate hot spot information for the last 2 years and has successfully matched Investors with Investments within the same period. If you would like to know more about Turkey and our 6 Hot Reasons to invest Right Now then please click here http://www.global-choice.co.uk/turkey

Real Estate Marketing Personal Realtor Marketing Systems Make Good Business Sense

Writen by Lanard Perry

A Personal Realtor Marketing system can provide the ultimate method for listing properties. Like farming expired listings, for example. If you can mail letters you can get listings!

Many agents know about expired listings and how profitable marketing them can be, but opt not to pursue them. I'm not sure why, but there inaction can definitely be your gain!

It's not rocket science, but before you get too excited be forewarned that not just any old expired real estate listing letter will do. Effective ones must have enough information on them to get the most desirable response; a phone call or email message to you.

But if you're going for the ultimate most wanted response, an actual listing, your letter must be outstanding. Hint! A FREE cookie cutter letter won't cut the mustard if you are competing for a $300,000.00 listing.

Fortunately, there are some pretty good ones available to choose from at reasonable cost. But if you're bound and determined to create your own then have at it.

However, the going will probably be slow and you'll lose valuable time and customers to competitors while refining it; neither of which you can afford.

There's another big upside to marketing with pre written letters; they're time tested and can be effective in any state, county, or city in the United States. Effective ones can generate a steady stream of warm, responsive prospects month after month; all interested in one thing, listing and selling their properties. It doesn't get any better than that!

Some letter writing come with complementary letters. If you like the idea of repeat mailings go with a letter series, but if you're not interested in repeat contacts go with the single letter approach. Either way can be effective and there are pros and cons to both, but ultimately the choice comes down to your personal preference.

Your expired listing letter should at a minimum have your full name, address, and phone number(s), and other contact information. It should be as grammatically correct as possible without sounding unnatural and spell checked to be free of misspelled words.

Your letter should also have lots of white space. What I mean is don't have run on sentences in paragraphs seemingly without end. Instead, have short, 2-3 sentenced paragraphs.

For example, every paragraph on this page, excepting this one, is 3 sentences or less. • Also, use bullets whenever possible to break your sales message to help your reader better comprehend it.

Let's face it - you need listings. The more you have the more money you'll make. On the other hand the fewer you have the shorter your real estate career is likely to be.

A good real estate marketing system, with expired listing letters, can help you get listings – period!

If you're a new agent it can help you get off to a good start. You'll end up contacting a lot of "known" sellers in a relatively short period of time. And if you've been licensed for a while, but don't have the volume of business that you want a real estate listing campaign can supercharge your marketing results.

It's all about contacts. The more people you market your services to the sooner you'll get to the people that you can "close".

Imagine your many listing signs dotted throughout your community. Now, create a plan to make it happen. They will give you instant credibility and help you generate even more listings and make more sales.

Everybody likes doing business with a winner and a good real estate listing campaign can help make you one.

Lanard Perry is the owner of Real Estate Marketing Talk, a real estate marketing site for real estate agents, buyers, sellers and investors. Discover more marketing ideas today.

Putting Property Into Pensions

Writen by Dave Hazlehurst

What is exciting about Property Pensions is that people will be able to borrow money and invest in residential property via their Self-Invested Personal Pension for the first time. Given the property market boom in recent years, this could be very profitable.

The way that Property Pensions work is as follows:

When you purchase a property within your pension you get a rebate of 22-40% on your investment from the government.

In other words you are able to get a discount of up to 40% off the property purchase price. On top of this you are able to avoid paying income or capital gains tax on your new property.

Under the new rules you are allowed to put your own home within your Self-Invested Personal Pension. However, this is less lucrative that doing so with a buy-to-let property.

The reason for this is that first homes are already exempt from capital gains tax and you are unlikely to earn an income from your home which could be taxed.

A note of caution however:

Although Property Pensions could be a very way to save and invest money, do remember that as with any other investment. Diversification is essential to enable you to manage your risk. Therefore do consider investing in property, but ideally invest in something else as well.

http://www.propertyforme.co.uk is a private sales site covering the whole of the UK designed to help you save money in estate agents commission fees.

Featured Location Villajoyosa Alicante Spain

Writen by Martin Dell

Located 30 kilometres north of Alicante on the Costa Blanca, the town of Villajoyosa lies at the mouth of the River Sella. Colourful, vibrant and decidedly Spanish, Villajoyosa (literally 'joyful town') is situated just south of Benidorm and is sandwiched between the mountains and the sea.

A bustling fishing port, the distinctive, brightly painted facades of the town's houses were designed to guide the fishermen home from sea. Steeped in history, this is one of the few towns on the Costa Blanca that remains undiscovered, and property here is some of the most competitively priced in southern Spain.

Why Villajoyosa?
Villajoyosa has a colourful history, with the Romans building the first settlement here, but today the feel is overtly Spanish. The town has retained many traditional features, such as its fish market, and there are a number of restaurants along the harbour that serve some of the best seafood in the region. The town is also known for its production of chocolate. The old town has been declared a historic site, and it's here that you'll find the multi-coloured houses, Villajoyosa's gothic church and a number of Roman bridges.

Only 10 kilometres from Benidorm, residents can enjoy the perks of being close to such a major town, while avoiding the tourists that inundate the resort in summer. Couple this with friendly residents, a welcoming local community and the fabulous weather (the temperature rarely falls below 16 degrees Celsius) and you're looking at a fantastic destination.

The scenery is stunning, with a mountainous backdrop and surrounding citrus fruit plantations, as well as olive, carob and almond trees. The town is home to one of the region's best fiestas, the festival of the Moors and Christians, which culminates in a colourful parade with fireworks. There are also a number of picture-book beaches, with talcum powder sand and clear blue waters. These include Playa Centro de la Vila, Playa Paraiso, Playa Bol Nou, and further afield, Torre and Estudiantes.

Where to buy
In Villajoyosa itself, average house prices range from 170,000 Euros to 300,000 Euros, depending on proximity to the city centre or beach. Villas are fetching roughly 350,000 to 800,000 Euros, again depending on the location. It's possible to pick up a one bedroom apartment for as little as 85,000 Euros, while a two bedroom townhouse will cost you 110,000 Euros, and a country house as little as 133,000 Euros. Travel further north and you'll come across Cala Finestrat, a cove in the borough of Villajoyosa that's close to Benidorm's Poniente Beach.

Cala Finestrat is a stunning resort, with a wide, sandy beach and shallow waters, making it perfect for families. It's beaches have won the EU coveted Blue Flag every year since 1998. Enjoying its own special micro-climate, Cala Finestrat is sheltered from the southerly winds by the El Puig Campana Mountains.These are just a few kilometres away, so as well as snorkelling, scuba diving and beach sports, you can also enjoy mountain activities such as rock climbing, cycling and hiking. It's also only one kilometre from Benidorm and three kilometres from Villajoyosa, although there are more local amenities and attractions close at hand.

In terms of property, there are mainly apartments and villas for sale. The cost of a two bedroom apartment varies from 146,000 Euros up to 150,000 Euros, while an average two bedroom villa close to the beach will cost around 255,000 Euros.

The property market
The town offers a range of properties to suit every budget, from inexpensive apartments to luxury cliff-top villas. There are a handful of developments springing up in the town, but not enough to damage the environment or spoil the coastal area.

During the last five years, property has more than doubled in value, and in some cases tripled, appreciating by as much as 100 to 150 per cent in some areas. Thanks to its proximity to Benidorm, with all its golf courses and attractions, there's no sign of this trend slowing, especially as more people discover the area. It's predicted that the market will continue to grow by between 15 to 20 per cent over the coming year.

Typical properties
In this area you will find something to suit every budget, with prices ranging from 115,000 Euros in Villajoyosa to over 1,000,000 Euros for a villa in Cala Finestrat. Apartments and villas are much more abundant than townhouses. Restoration projects are currently underway to repair and maintain traditional village houses, and a scattering of new developments are being built on the outskirts of the town.

The rentals market
Being close to Benidorm, there's scope to secure a healthy rental income from a property, depending on where it is located and how close it is to the beach and amenities. If a property is well marketed and in a premium location, for example on the beachfront, it's possible to secure an annual income of roughly 10 per cent of it's sales value. For the average property, a yield of 7 per cent is more likely.

There's been a rise in the number of people investing in buy-to-let property in and around Villajoyosa. Given that the tourist industry is growing, and that there are major renovations and development works being carried out on the seafront and old town, including the building of a theatre, swimming pool and football stadium, it's likely that the next few years will see a rise in rental demand.

Living there
Villajoyosa is more popular with Spanish buyers than foreign investors, although the demand from overseas buyers is increasing. Those who purchase here tend to be mostly British and Norwegian, along with some Belgians. Buyers tend to be aged between 40 and 60, and are looking for apartments and villas.

The town is dominated by its local Spanish residents and life is very traditional, with fishing and the fish market central to Villajoyosa's economy. Tourism is a growing industry, but for those looking to buy, be aware that despite being very close to Benidorm, life here is a very different proposition.

The town's amenities are currently limited, but the development of the seafront and other investments means that facilities will improve. However, this situation is easy to endure - it's reputed that the sun shines more in Villajoyosa than in any other part of the Costa Blanca.

The expat community is also on the increase, and given that Benidorm is just down the road, you shouldn't feel too isolated. Couple this with it's unique Spanish features and traditional lifestyle, it's easy to appreciate why Villajoyosa is a 'joyful town'.

Steve Murphy and Christine Dawson moved to the Costa Blanca in 2004. They left behind their pub, 'The Rising Sun' in Sidmouth, and moved to Venta la Nuza, close to Villajoyosa, where they purchased a villa. At first they found it difficult to settle and adjust, having been used to running a business and keeping busy.

However, this all changed when they purchased 'The Bodegon' in Villajoyosa itself. This hole-in-the-wall pub helped them settle into life in Spain, and they now spend their time with Christine working behind the bar and Steve beavering away in the kitchen, producing his British 'pub grub' of liver and onions and a ploughman's lunch. "The pub has taken off really well," says Christine, "not only do we attract the tourists, but many of our clients are locals."

Costa Blanca statistics
Population Villajoyosa: 23,430
Population Alicante: 1,300,000
British Homeowners: 350,000
Foreign population: 15-20%
GDP Growth: 1.8%
Inflation: 2.4%
Unemployment rate: 3%
Length of coastline: 160kms
Languages spoken: Castilian and Valenciano Spanish

Martin Dell is Managing Director of Kyero Media S.L. - publisher of the largest English-language property portal in Spain, http://www.kyero.com