HCAD employees open vanpool to all residents
After the price of gasoline neared $ 4 per gallon in 2008, a group of coworkers at the Harris County Appraisal District decided to put their heads together to see what they could do to save money.
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Filed under News by on Sep 4th, 2010. Comment. 
Relay for Life, Naples, FLorida
Naples, FL (PRWEB) May 6, 2008
On April 18 – 19, ResortQuest Southwest Florida employees opened their hearts and walked for 18 hours straight and raised over ,300 for cancer research. Taking a break from Naples Vacation Rentals, ResortQuest employees participated in weekend events, including opening ceremonies with a Survivors Lap, Survivor and Caregiver Reception, Luminaria Ceremony, activities and entertainment.
Relay for Life, the American Cancer Society's signature event, is a fun-filled overnight experience designed to bring together those who have been touched by cancer. At the Relay, people from within the community gather to celebrate survivors, remember those lost to cancer, and fight back against the disease that touches too many lives.
In Southwest Florida, ResortQuest manages nearly 1,000 vacation condo rentals and vacation home rentals in Bradenton, Anna Maria Island, Longboat Key, Lido Key, Siesta Key, Sarasota, Venice, Fort Myers, Sanibel and Captiva Islands and Naples. For more information on Southwest Florida vacation rentals and see a complete listing of our properties, log onto ResortQuestSWFL.com or call 800-820-1532.
About ResortQuest:
ResortQuest, one of the nation's leading vacation rentals and resort real estate companies, provides a one-stop resource in North America's premier resort destinations, ResortQuest.com. ResortQuest is the largest marketer and management company of vacation condominiums and home rentals in the U.S. ResortQuest Real Estate is one of the nation's leading real estate companies focusing exclusively on resort properties, offering superior brokerage services in the country's premier beach, ski and golf destinations. For more information, visit ResortQuest.com.
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Filed under News by on Sep 4th, 2010. Comment.
Cheap French Property – A French Tip To Save You Money!
Ten years ago cheap French property brought a lot of people to the country. New air routes were opening up and with the associated cheap flights it became much easier to get here. As a result, prices increased more or less everywhere and finding cheap property in France isn't as easy as it was. They are still out there though, and I have an extra little tip that the French use that could save you eight or nine per cent of the price if you buy your French house from the right place!
The price of the property you are looking for will, of course, depend a great deal on location. A flat in Paris or Cannes is never going to be cheap. On the other hand a French farmhouse in need of renovation at the eastern end of the Loire valley can still be had remarkably cheaply. The cost of renovation is another matter and will depend to a large extent on whether you want to get your hands dirty or if you have the necessary skills.
Whether you think something qualifies as cheap French property will also depend on your budget and the kind of house you are looking for. The French tend to prefer to buy new so renovation properties remain affordable. On the other hand coastal properties, like in most other countries, command a premium. If you're not concerned about fast international travel then you will find prices cheaper away from the airports and main cities. The center of France (a big rural area of farms and forests) is least expensive, with properties in the "Indre" region probably the cheapest of all.
But what about that saving I mentioned? Getting your dream home for six, seven, eight or even nine per cent less may not be exactly cheap French property but it's nice not to have to pay it!
The trick is to avoid the real estate agents (called "immobiliers") and look for the "notaires". Notaires are the people who do the conveyancing. You need one to handle your French property purchase by law. It's not something you can avoid but you shouldn't be at all concerned about it. Charges are fixed by the French government and notaires are highly qualified. The interesting thing a lot of people don't know is that notaires can also offer houses for sale.
What difference will that make? Well a French real estate agent will charge you somewhere between five and ten per cent on top of the asking price of the property. In France, the buyer pays that fee so it's common practice – and sensible – to allow ten per cent on top of the advertised price to cover all eventualities. On the other hand your notaire normally wants much less – they make their money on the paperwork so they don't need to make it on the actual house sale!
It's true that perhaps you don't get the same level of help from a notaire that you might from a good agent. Not all agents are good though! If your command of French is reasonable (most won't speak much English) then you could save yourself thousands!
Although the rules may differ slightly the housing market in France is like any other. Cheap French property is still out there if you know where to look and are prepared to compromise. Take your time, learn some French and have a good look in the notaire's wndow!
More about French property and all things French at Frenchlife4real.com. If you can't find what you're looking for just ask – it won't cost you a thing!
Filed under News by on Sep 4th, 2010. Comment.
Wholesale House for Big Profit
You have heard a lot of good reasons on why you should start a real estate career now. Probably the best one would be "because you are tired of your daily job." If you think it's now time to quit your job to venture on something new that's worth your time and effort, do it. No worries because you can start investing in real estate with no huge bank account in tow. Wholesale house for profit. Get ready to earn BIG!
For starters, these simple wholesaling steps can help you earn BIG:
Find the deal. Your first task is to find the vacant, ugly, cheap house. Don't get bothered even if it's a rundown house. When you wholesale house, your goal is to find a cheap house that you can flip immediately. What's hard in this first step is locating the owner. These houses were abandoned by their respective owners. The easiest way to find the owners is to ask the neighbors. You can also check the tax documents from the community tax office. See if you can track the owner through that.
Once you've found the owner, call him or send a letter to arrange a meeting. Prepare a set of important questions before the meet up. Ask him about your offer to buy the house, the price he is willing to sell it, unpaid taxes if any, and repairs needed. This part needs your full attention. Try to negotiate for a much lower price. Remember, your goal is to buy cheap. When the seller is decided to vend the property, it's time to look for a buyer.
Wholesaling houses does not require the investor to buy the property with his own money. He just needs to look for a buyer. The end buyer is the one who will pay for the house. This step is the "assignment of contract" step. The house will be placed under a contract. For instance, the property will be assigned to the investor for a week. Meaning, only he has the right to buy the property for that time. Then, he will sell that right to an end buyer who has the money to close the deal. Finding a buyer is easy especially if you have a good deal. You can place ads in the newspaper or on the Internet.
Once the buyer decides to buy the wholesale house, you need the help of a title attorney. The title attorney processes the papers. Under the contract, you need to specify the selling price of the property, which you and the seller agreed on. The best thing about this, you can specify the amount of your assignment fee, your profit in transacting the deal. That is big profit in an instant because believe it or not, you can close a deal in a week. Be persistent.
The next step is finding your next deal. Wholesaling houses is very easy. You can do this even if you are still learning the basics of real estate investing. You are sure to have a steady cash flow by doing these easy steps.
Big profit awaits you. If you want to learn more about wholesaling houses, visit RehabList.com now.
Rehablist.com – the No. 1 Real Estate Investing, Flipping Houses, Fixer Uppers Homes, and Hard Money Lenders!
Filed under News by on Sep 3rd, 2010. Comment.
Regularly Do Business In San Francisco? Why You Should Look Into Buying A Condo
Are you a business owner or a business executive who regularly finds yourself traveling to and staying in the San Francisco area? If so, where do you currently stay when on business? If you are like many other individuals who travel to San Francisco for business, you may choose to stay at a hotel or you may even choose to rent a San Francisco condo. If your first choice is renting a San Francisco condo, how you would you feel to know that you could actually own your own San Francisco condo?
When it comes to owning your own San Francisco condo, instead of staying in a traditional hotel or renting a condo, are you wondering what you should do? If you are, you are definitely not alone. There are a large number of San Francisco business travelers who wonder whether or not it is really worth it for them to purchase a San Francisco condo. Of course, you will not want to purchase a San Francisco condo if it would end up being considered a poor investment or a waste of your money. That is why it is important that you take the time to thoroughly research and examine your decision to buy a San Francisco condo for business, before actually doing so.
Perhaps, one of the most important factors that you need to take into consideration, when deciding whether or not to buy a San Francisco condo, is travel. If are a business owner or a business executive who doesn't reside in the San Francisco area, you need to examine how much you will be traveling to the area. Although this can be somewhat difficult to do, you will want to estimate. In addition to knowing how many trips you think that you would take in the coming years, how long do you expect those trips to be? If you could see yourself taking a weeklong trip to San Francisco each month, it might be a wise investment for you to look into the purchase of a San Francisco condo. In fact, over a period of time, you may even be able to save yourself money.
Although it is advised that you only purchase a San Francisco condo if you plan on using it, it is important to remember that a condo can be used for other purposes, besides business purposes. For instance, are you in relationship or do you have children? Each year, a large number of romantic couples and family takes romantic getaways and family vacations, respectively. Should you choose to purchase a San Francisco condo, you can make sure that you get good use out of it by traveling to San Francisco whenever you have free time with your family or with your romantic partner. Although you may have spent a reasonable amount of time residing in your San Francisco condo, should you choose to buy one, there is a good chance that the experience would be relatively new and exciting for your family.
In addition to using a San Francisco condo that you bought for vacation purposes, you may also be able to make a little bit of extra money on the side, when you are not using it. It is not uncommon for condo owners, including San Francisco condo owners, to rent out their condos, when they are not using them themselves. Of course, you will want to examine any condo complex rules and restrictions before first taking this approach, but most of the time you will see that you are well within your right to rent out your San Francisco condo to others. These other individuals could include those that are traveling for business or those who are visiting the San Francisco area while on a trip or a vacation.
The decision as to whether or not you want to purchase a San Francisco condo is yours to make, but, as you can see, you should be able to get good use out of one, even if it isn't just you using it. That is why, if you haven't already done so, you will at least want to look into buying a San Francisco condo.
We specialize in finding the perfect San Francisco Condos at an affordable price. If you are in the market for a San Francisco condo please visit our site today and save thousands!
Filed under News by on Sep 3rd, 2010. Comment.
Should You Become A Real Estate Agent?
If you like money you might want to become a real estate agent. If you like working for yourself and want to make a break from a corporate life then sure, it might be an option. Let's take a look at what being a real estate agent really means.
I'm going to assume since you are reading this that you really want to make it, you'd like to be able to afford the good things in life or you have some other benevolent goal in mind. In real estate sales you can make it. It's possible to realize the sky as your true limit. However, you probably should not do it. You should probably pack up that pipe dream and put it back on the shelf. Here's the one reason why: discipline.
In this business if you don't have discipline you're not going to make it. Being an agent is not about creating wealth through a hobby. If you really want to succeed you have to approach every aspect of it as a business.
Even though it may not be a brick and mortar store front you can see and touch with your hands it has a product and service you have to sell just like a retail store sells goods. Our phrase for getting people into a store to browse is called lead generation. Our inventory is houses that are being sold or about to be. Our service is helping them buy or sell their home.
If we don't lead generate to get people in the store then the customers won't use our service to buy or sell a home, we'll close up shop. If we don't manage our finances properly then we won't be able to advertise and get people in the store or service them if they come. If people come in but we can't service them properly then we've wasted our money and bad reputation spreads faster than good. Every one of these areas requires discipline: lead generation, service and managing our finances.
Everyone loves a large pay day but without these foundational disciplines at work they will be few and far between and we'll more than likely burn our selves out. If these disciplines are at work then we will more than likely be successful and living the life we day dream about.
Lead generation
Lead generation is the lifeblood of any real estate venture. Simply put, a lead is someone who may want to buy or sell a home. It sounds pretty simple, doesn't it? Though the real question follows: How do I find people who want to buy or sell a home? It's actually not a direct approach.
Some agents look at it like they have to meet people and that's when they'll either be a lead or not. The real treasure comes when we collect the names, addresses and phone numbers of everyone we know and we stay in constant contact with that person. Keller Williams publishes a statistic that for every 12 people we've met and effectively market ourselves to we should be able to generate 2 sales. As an agent we must be disciplined to meet people and market to the ones we know. This is how we generate leads and if we have our skills honed we'll produce a constant income.
Servicing Our Clients
Do you know what to do to sell someone's home? If you had a buyer do you know how to consult with them to figure out their needs and the best type of home to show them? As a professional agent we should be able to answer these questions and do them well. We must be disciplined in our studying and learning to develop our skills.
Finances
We must run our business based on a budget. We must be disciplined with money management and with our expenses. If we do not then how can we sustain the growth of our business? It's imperative we watch every dollar closely especially with marketing and service expenses. As agents we watch our numbers closely. If we don't then we're only mediocre and who wants to settle for that? This is a very important key to any successful business.
The broker/company you sign on with as an agent should provide ample training on building your own business and it shouldn't cost you a lot to get started. When shopping brokers make certain they provide training on how to start and grow your business.
Selling real estate can be a rewarding career. It's worth the dedication and hard work required to achieve great success. Some agents net over a million dollars a year. Most agents sell a few houses a year and treat it as a hobby. Which one will you be?
Brien Satzinger is a real estate agent with Keller Williams Realty and specializes in relocating families. Click here to find out how to take advantage of Memphis Real Estate for investment or home ownership.
Filed under News by on Sep 2nd, 2010. Comment.
Costa Del Sol Property – Good News For Investors
For quality bargain properties please click here.
It seems that when property buyers from all accross Northern Europe choose to buy a property in Spain, almost a quarter of them used to decide to buy in the Autonomous Region of Valencia.
But that seems to have changed recently as foreigners are leaving the Valencian market in droves, according to a recent article on Levante-emv.com. The article shows that new figures from the Valencian College of Notaries (a service one must use to transfer deeds) home sales to non-residents plummeted by 44% in 2009, whilst sales by foreigners leaving the Valencian region accended by 45%. To surmise; last year there 4,291 foreign vendors, compared to 2,939 the year before and 5,631 foreign buyers compared to 10,040 the year before.
Remember that there are a lot of properties on the market that may not have sold so they wouldn't have entered in the College of Notaries figures. Spain as a whole dropped 21% last year. This obviously affects the Valencian region more than any other and could in part be due to bad press concerning Valencian property laws where they can appropriate ones property or part of one's property to build urbanisations or multi-dwellings. Understandable that people are reticent to invest.
This all bodes well for Marbella and Costa del Sol Properties where, although property sales have dropped in numbers, there is now a slow increase as foreign investors are purchasing bargain properties at hugely discounted rates.
We at PropertyPointMarbella think time to invest some money is now.
For more information on bargain properties please visit: http://www.propertypointmarbella.com
Property Point Marbella
PropertyPointMarbella
Calle Padre Francisco Echmendi 2 Bajo, Marbella, Malaga 29601
Tel: (+34) 951 254 144
Fax: (+34) 951 968 272
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Filed under News by on Sep 2nd, 2010. Comment.
Affordable Home Insurance – Save More
Home insurance coverage is so very important that many have been laboring under the weight of high premiums due to the importance of this coverage. Laboring to keep god coverage over your home might not be your only option. You could look for ways to get discounted rates on the same full coverage you enjoy. I'm sure that sounds interesting. Read on to know more.
There are some discount you may qualify for which may not be pointed out to you and you may not avail yourself of these benefits unless you are fully aware of them.
What discounts?
Every normal insurer would not want you to make a claim on your home insurance this way they make more money. If you therefore engage in any acts that would seem to be a source of danger to your home, you would be increasing the chances of your making a claim and therefore your premium would also be increasing to accommodate the likely claim. If on the other hand, you take actions and precautions that increases the safety of your home thereby reducing your chances of making a claim, you would be reducing your rates.
Any and everything we do that increases the safety of our homes can and should qualify us for discounts. Some examples are:-
Having security gadgets.
Having dead bolts on doors leading outside.
Having someone at home always.
Renovating your home.
Having sprinklers.
We've just looked at a few points. You can find out more if you directly asked your insurer.
One very important point where a lot of people increase their cost significantly is when they add the cot of the land to the value of the building they are insuring.
Do not add the cost of the land on which the building stands as you would be increasing your cost significantly without necessarily increasing the value of your coverage.
Just ask yourself an important question. What could possibly happen to my land that my insurer duely covers? If there is any peril that can affect your land, it is likely that such peril is not covered by your insurer. So do not waste funds by doing this.
One very important thing to note in searching for affordable home insurance coverage is to comapre lots of quotes so as to get a much better idea of what different insurers are charging for coverage you demand. When you compare quotes, you get a sneak preview that helps you make the right decision.
This is a very effective way to get affordable home insurance rates. Visit at least 5 quotes comparison sites and get several quotes. It would take you about half an hour to get these information so you have no reason to delay.
Start your quotes comparison at these two great free quotes sites.
2insure4less Insurance Quotes
insureme Insurance Quotes
Chimerenka Odimba is the publisher Several finance based sites.
Fox Business News Interview of Alex Anthony and Albert Fernandez on August 13, 2009 Northern Capital Insurance Group ranks #1 on Inc. Magazine 28th Annual List of America's Fastest-Growing Private Companiesthe "Inc. 500" Miami, FL, August 12, 2009 — Inc. magazine today released its 2009 "Inc. 500" list, an exclusive ranking of the nation's fastest-growing private companies. The list represents the most comprehensive look at this most important segment of the economy. Florida-based Northern Capital Insurance Group is ranked number one in growth in the US. Northern Capital Insurance had million in revenue in 2008 and an impressive three-year growth rate. Topping this year's list, Northern Capital Insurance has moved beyond its roots in homeowners insurance, and into auto and commercial lines. The Company is expanding its operations throughout the state of Florida. The Inc. 500 Rankings: "Were excited to be recognized as the leading growth company on the 2009 "Inc. 500" list. It is a tremendous validation of the consistent hard work and commitment to customer service of the Northern Capital Insurance team," said Al Fernandez, Vice Chairman of Northern Capital Insurance Group. "Weve experienced significant company growth over the past several years. The key to our success is our focus on our core competencies within the insurance industry, and serving the markets we know throughout Florida by providing outstanding customer service from underwriting to claims," added Mr …
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Filed under News by on Sep 2nd, 2010. Comment.
Buy A Cheap Repossessed House At Government Auctions
Want a good deal for your money? Then why not attend a government repossessed house auction. It is the best way of getting a house and there are a lot of choices. All you have to do is to make a study and research for possible ways to buy a cheap house, and there you have it; your dream house in reality.
Houses sold in auctions advertised by governments are repossessed, which means that previous home owners were not able to pay for the house and so the government repossessed the property. Your goal is to save money in purchasing a repossessed house, so you have to look into the house' pros/cons to get the best transaction.
First deals are usually low priced, but during the day of the auction, the price can discourage you since it will eventually rise up. The secret is to join the game. Make a research online since sites have a compilation of these houses. You can look into their pictures (though pictures are deceiving), visit the actual house, and bid low. By using these strategies, you may be able to get the house you want. Remember that you're not alone in the game. There are plenty of others who want the same thing.
How will you buy a repossessed house? Finding a repo house is not that difficult if you're searching in the right place. This is considered a real estate sale and it's happening all year round. Many people can't afford to pay for their home mortgages, and so the lender (the government) has to repossess the house. This will ensure the government of a bounce back from the loss of non-payment.
Government repossessed house auction works just like repo boats, cars, bikes, etc. The repossessed house is set up for a government auction and the person having the highest bid will get the house. The bid amount however, should be more than the actual loan amount.
Many investors are attracted to this event, and unlike you, they know how the game works. They know the right stuff in order to win the bid. So the best way is to seek a real estate agent who can help you in purchasing a repossessed house. They have plenty of contacts that inform them whenever a government auction is coming up.
You have to open your eyes, as well as your ears to know when an auction is coming up. Not all people are lucky to attend a government auction because most of them learn about the offer quite late.
Being well-organized and finan
Now Pay Close Attention –
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Filed under News by on Sep 2nd, 2010. Comment.
Why You Will Not Get Cheap Properties At Tax Sale
Many, if not most, of my subscribers initially come to my site because they are interested in learning more about tax sales in general. I'm going to give you the information you're looking for right here. I'll tell you how bargain purchases are made at tax sales, and why I don't think most people should try to buy at tax sales.
When a property owner does not pay his taxes for a certain period of time, the city, county, or state will take action to collect those back taxes. The procedure varies by state, and sometimes within counties and cities in a state. For the latest statutes, you can search online for your state's procedures.
Most states and localities follow one of two formats: A tax lien format, or a tax deed format.
In a tax deed format, the county or other governmental entity adds up the amount of taxes owed, and sends notice to the owner and all interested parties (like mortgage companies) that the county will sell the property to the highest bidder at a tax deed sale some time in the future. If the owner or any interested parties do not pay the taxes, fees, and tax sale costs owed, the county will auction the property. The winning bidder at the sale gets a deed to the property.
In a tax lien format, the county does not sell the property itself. Instead, it sells a lien against the property, starting at an amount equal to the taxes owed on the property. Sometimes these liens are auctioned to the highest bidder as well, or there is a lottery system to determine who gets to buy each lien. Usually the investor who buys the lien will have to wait a period of time for the owner to pay off the lien with interest and costs. The investor earns a good percentage rate on the money he paid for the lien, usually 8-30% or more, if the lien is paid off. If the lien does not pay off during the time allowed by the state, the investor can apply for a deed to the property.
Most tax deeds, whether bought directly at a tax deed sale or received after holding a lien, convey the property free and clear to the purchaser. The former owner is wiped out, and generally speaking all liens are wiped out.
So how do bargain purchases at tax sales happen?
In a tax deed format, maybe all of the other bidders could overlook a valuable property and you would be the highest bidder at a bargain amount. Or maybe there won't be very many bidders at the sale, and everyone else's money will run out before all the properties are auctioned.
In a tax lien format, maybe the owner would not pay off the lien and you would acquire the property for the amount that was owed in taxes, or a low amount.
Here's the truth, which you won't hear from most people selling information about getting rich from tax sales:
Tax deed auctions are almost ALWAYS very competitive. Prices for the properties paid often reach or exceed the current value of the property. There are too many investors out there who think a property at a tax deed auction is automatically a bargain and will get auction fever. Unless you're working with a large sum of money, there will be deeper pockets there than you, guaranteed. Therefore, there is not generally any money to be made by buying property at a tax deed auction.
Most bargain purchases come through a tax lien that matures into a tax deed because of non-payment by the owner.
However, many states have competitive bidding to buy the lien itself, and the amounts paid for the lien reach or exceed the property's value. If you manage to purchase some liens at a bargain price, or your state doesn't have competitive bidding, be prepared to wait. Some states allow the owner to pay the lien off for 4 or more years after it is sold.
Then, 95% or more of bargain liens pay off, leaving you with just an annual return on your money. If you're looking to invest a large sum of money to get a percentage return, and not property, tax liens may be great for you. Large companies managing various funds often attend tax lien sales and invest millions of dollars at one sale on tax liens. It can be very difficult to compete with them. You may have to buy liens for several years to get a lien at a good price that does not pay off.
Your quest to get a deed to the property does not end there, however. You must do legal noticing along the way, at your upfront expense. If your lawyer makes any errors along the way, you could be denied a deed to the property or even lose your investment.
If you get a tax deed from a lien, or buy one at an auction, you will then often have to do an additional legal procedure to get clear title, called a quiet title action. During this procedure, all parties involved with the property get to appear and challenge your deed. I have seen many deeds overturned in the quiet title process due to a number of issues like improper legal noticing, bankruptcy, and judge's discretion.
So, if you have a six figure sum to invest, you can research hundreds of properties and buy some liens. Maybe you'll even wind up with a property or two after you wait the redemption period, and you'll get a good return on your money on the liens that pay off. Or maybe you can attend enough tax deed auctions to get a bargain property there. Just remember you're going to have to research every property first and assign a value to it that you're willing to pay, without inspecting the interior, and show up with cash at the sale.
Why not just contact the owners who are about to lose their property to tax sale and buy the property? I suspect most readers of this article want to get tax sale property now, without waiting for liens or bidding at auctions.
Avoid all of the frustration of buying property at tax sale, and get some properties now!
Rick Dawson is a former tax sale investor, turned DeedGrabber! DeedGrabbers purchase tax sale property from the right before the tax sale investors get their property. You can get deeds to these properties for as little as . Learn how today with Rick's new Ebook, Go
Ahead, Be a DeedGrabber!, available at his site DeedGrabber.com Or subscribe to his free 5-day email Mini-Course to learn more.
Gutted Double, approx. 1700sf, 2 beds/1 bath each side. Needs total renovation. Located in Gentilly at Marigny and Pressburg near the intersection of Elysian Fields and Robert E. Lee. Could be a good double close to UNO or convert to a single. Current value about k, Asking k. ARV as a double approx. 9k, ARV as a signle approx. 9k
Filed under News by on Sep 2nd, 2010. Comment.
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