Real Estate and Business Tips

Syndication Seminar in LA

2008-03-21T13:30:00.002-04:00

The “How to Raise Money for Real Estate - Harnessing the Power of Syndication” Seminar is the only program of its kind, and you can be among the first to profit from it!

Joel wants you to stop limping along one property at a time and build an INSTANT portfolio. How do you do this? Joel will show you how to position yourself to attract investors who want to get in on your deals. As the syndication promoter, you call the shots. You determine your profits and how they will be paid. You may know real estate well, but few people know how to pull money together to maximize profits. This is exactly what Joel will teach you.

Here’s some of what you will learn step-by-step in the “How to Raise Money for Real Estate - Harnessing the Power of Syndication” Seminar…

How to set up an organization that generates profits on the very first transaction
How the syndication business works and how money gets made
How to leverage your real estate knowledge into massive wealth
How to create and generate profits 8 to 12 different ways on every deal
How to position yourself as a syndication expert
How to raise money (capital formation)
How to minimize your tax exposure and other potential liabilities
How to deal with the legal ins and outs
How to work with professionals (securities attorneys and accountants)
How to know which deals not to syndicate and make money on the deal anyway
And much, much more!

Show Me The Money

Not only will you learn this insider information but imagine the networking possibilities when you rub shoulders with the people who advise the “money people.” These are the accountants, attorneys, and bankers, in addition to all the real estate professionals and investors who you will meet at this amazing live event. There will be ample time set aside for networking and deal making. And believe me…You will be rewarded many times over what you invest in this program by combining efforts with likeminded people who you meet at this “first-of-its-kind” event!

Reserve your seat now and save $2,000! The full price of this seminar is $4,995. But you can save $2,000 when you register before April 18, 2008 and get the early bird price of $2,995. Tickets are limited and on a first come first served basis.

Any participant may bring a “partner” at half price. A partner can be any second person regardless of the relationship that they have to each other.

Due to the meeting room capacity at our host hotel, seminar enrollment must be strictly limited. And we know that there are more people interested in this program than we have capacity for in the room.

You will emerge from this intensive program ready to syndicate your own real estate projects. Joel will even show you how to get all the money that you invested in this program reimbursed back to you. That is just one of the benefits of this powerful weekend course.

And by the time you leave, you will know more than most people learn in a lifetime about creating a backlog of people anxious to give you money and how to profit in up to twelve ways on every transaction!

Okay, the next step is yours! Sign up today

JoelBlocksSeminar

Goverment intervenes in Mortgage Woes

2007-12-09T11:18:00.000-05:00

The government, aka Bush, has created an agreement to freeze interest rates. But, this option is only available for those with certain sub-prime mortgages and will only continue for five years. The reason for this is hopefully reduce the number of foreclosures coming in the near future. The number of foreclosures continues to rise dramatically.

Credit is no longer easy for borrower’s to obtain. In Pennsylvania one third of the number of mortgage banks have closed this year. In New Jersey the decline has been less but still it’s an impressive 22% decline.

This decline is just the icing on the cake – there is also a decline in employment related to the closings. Of course, the snow ball effect begins - less jobs, less spending, therefore less jobs and so on.

So, the governments plan will help but it definitely won’t cure the Foreclosure problems we are experiencing and will continue on into the foreseeable future.

After the Short sale?

2007-11-11T10:50:00.000-05:00

by Nancy Woodward

When real estate is sold, normally there is a profit for the buyer. When the buyer has less equity than the current selling price of the home, it is necessary to do a short sale to avoid foreclosure.

This definitely leads to tax consequences for the seller. They may owe taxes to the government on the amount that was forgiven by the lender. This can be acapital gains.

Many of the homeowners I have spoken to in an effort to help them - don't understand or believe this concept. They tell me ' other investors don't tell me this'.

You should make yourself aware of this situation and how the process actually works. The lender has several ways of handling the deficiency:

1. They can attempt to collect this amount from the seller

2. They can require the seller to sign a promissory note.

3. They can just cancel this amount.

Now we need to see how the IRS handles this process. They consider any amount of mortgage debt ordinary income once it is forgiven. This means income taxes will have to be paid.

More to follow --

New jersey State foreclosures at 16%, South Jersey Falls

2007-11-03T23:12:00.000-04:00

by Nancy Woodward

Foreclosures in the south jersey area in the third quarter declined seven percent. Unfortunately forclosures in Cape May County rose thirteen percent during the same period.

These numbers are still below the state average of sixteen percent and the national average of thirty percent.

Realty Trac Inc. calculated the numbers. They are a tracking firm based in Irvine, California with a major presence on the internet.

I have used the site to find foreclosures in the New Jersey area.

Pre-foreclosure Homeowners

2007-08-09T18:11:00.000-04:00

Contacting Homeowners in Pre-Foreclosure Situations
By Nancy Woodward

I try to put myself in their place. Homeowners who have received legal documents leading to Foreclosure are in a very stressful situation. They are grasping at anything they can to make this situation go away. Some homeowners remain in denial for a long time.

Situations beyond their control can cause a financial drain resulting in default such as:

1. Medical problems
2. Divorce
3. Death
4. Loss of a job
5. Natural disasters

I have considered this issue many times. I have never been in this position and have trouble imaging how the homeowner feels.

I created a list of questions to review before contacting a homeowner for the first time:

1. How would I feel if I had defaulted on my mortgage loan?
2. How would I feel if I were receiving a ton of mail offering to abate my foreclosure?
3. Can I trust the people sending this mail to me to help me and treat me respectfully?
4. How will my family and friends perceive this situation I am in?
5. Will I ever be able to buy Real Estate again?
6. Will I be forced to file bankruptcy?
7. Can I sell this house myself?

I find if I spend a moment reviewing my list before I knock on the homeowners door, I have more compassion and listen well before I speak. I bring homeowners my Foreclosure Assistance Guide. I make suggestion they can pursue on their own.

I explain the reasons they should stop the foreclosure and some of the misconceptions related to this process. I provide a list of questions they can review with their mortgage broker, attorney and realtor, and the foreclosure agent in the Loss Mitigation Department.

Foreclosures

2007-07-28T14:47:00.001-04:00

Real Estate Foreclosures affect the current Real Estate Market
By Nancy Woodward

For many months now, real estate foreclosures have been on the rise. We hear this on the news regularly. The causes are many – a major cause was the creative financing in the form of adjustable rate mortgages which now are adjusting upward.

More than one million foreclosure filings were reported in the United States this year. That represents 42% more than the foreclosures reported in 2005. The increasing number of foreclosures creates an opportunity for Real Estate Investors but have a different affect on the current market trends.

In Atlantic County, New Jersey, most homes sold are ones that are priced right. This means the price that the buyer is willing to pay for the property today. For many homeowners this is not easy to do. It actually means the under priced homes are the ones selling in a reasonable amount of time.

The purchases represent those who plan to occupy the home. The market is much slower and the appreciation in homes will continue to be slower for some time. The day of swift appreciation allowing investors to sell the home quickly for a substantial increase are over for the moment.

Purchasing a pre-foreclosure property might be the right action for you to take if you have been considering buying a home and felt you could not afford to buy one. You can get a better value if you do your due diligence. Research the market before you begin.

Many investors, including myself, will offer a pre-foreclosure property at below market prices. This allows the investor to make money but still move property more quickly. If you are able to find one of these properties, you can get a good deal.

As usual, do your due diligence. Good luck!

Foreclsures

2007-07-19T14:54:00.000-04:00

What should I do to Avoid Real Estate Foreclosure?
By Nancy Woodward

If you are in this position, you have certainly experienced financial difficulties. You may or may not be behind in your mortgage payments. When you realize you are having problems, you should make a list of your creditors and begin contacting them.

The worst thing you can do is to ignore the situation and assume it will take care of itself. Lenders and creditors do not want to take legal action. They are willing to work with sincere people who are experiencing temporary problems.

So, you should:

1. Write a complete list of your creditors
2. Find documentation of your loans to obtain the following information -
a. Your loan number
b. Payment amount
c. Due date
3. Calculate your current living expenses.
4. Determine if you need to decrease expenses and/or payments of liabilities and for who long.
5. Call your lenders

While this sounds simple in theory, you may experience problems reaching persons in authority who can help you. You need to find the right department and person who are handling your account.

Create a spread sheet. Track all calls you make and the conversations you have with lenders. You should know the name of the person you are talking to and what their position is in the company. You need to follow up yourself.

Ask your mortgage lender for help and information. Perhaps they will allow you to refinance your mortgage, take out an equity loan, or pursue forbearance. Once you make it clear that you are willing to work with them, you will stand a better chance of avoiding foreclosure.

Foreclosures

2007-07-14T11:55:00.001-04:00

Foreclosure is now a sad reality of life for many homeowners
By Nancy Woodward

Foreclosures in general have been on the rise for over a year. At this time, sub prime borrowers are scrambling to refinance their loans. They payments have now skyrocketed and homeowners realize they must find a way to reduce the loan payment now. Tighter lending standards put into place by Federal Regulators in recent months are making it more difficult to refinance subprime loans.

According to Brett Warren, president of Buyer’s Home Mortgage Inc., as recently as six months ago, most requests to refinance were from homeowners wanting to reduce their interest rates or take equity from their property. Today, most requests are coming from subprime borrowers trying to reduce payments.

Many of these homeowners obtained loans with teaser rates and high fees. Some now find themselves in a position where the equity in their home is negative. As the number of resetting loans increase, so will the foreclosure rate.

Philadelphia and New Jersey have a majority of mortgages in the prime rate area. These seem to have a lower foreclosure rate according to Mortgage Bankers Association. The highest increases in foreclosures last month were in California and Florida, followed by Ohio and Michigan. The firing of employees in the automotive industry had a direct impact on this.

While this number will continue to increase, homeowners should seek help before they reach the foreclosure point. There are ways to solve the problem.

Sub-prime Loans

2007-06-18T12:22:00.000-04:00

Sub-prime Loans and Foreclosures in New Jersey
By Nancy Woodward

The mortgage market has seen a large increase in the sub-prime market arena. This type of loan is fairly new. These loans provide the opportunity for those with low credit scores to become homeowners. Unfortunately this type of loan has also created an opportunity for purchasers to obtain loans without truly understanding the ramifications and, in some cases, the cost they will be paying in the future.

Lending practices in the sub-prime market contributed to the increasing number of foreclosures that is shaking the Real Estate Market in New Jersey. A new version of loan – the exploding ARM – is responsible for the increase.

These loans are hybrids of the ARMs we are familiar with. They start with a low rate, and run for thirty years. The rate resets after two or three years. The new rate which is significantly higher creates a much higher mortgage payment. In 2005, initial rates were set at seven percent increasing two ten percent after two years. This rate can increase in six months to a year from now.

In 2006 Fitch Ratings reported that 2/28 sub-prime ARMs carried an average ‘payment shock of twenty-nine percent over the initial rate even if the short-term interest rate remained the same. For those given loans with very low rates based on the income they reported when obtaining the initial loan, this increased payment can be a disaster.

The current state of the housing market is softening. Interest rates are increasing and home sales prices are declining. This situation increases the possibility of financial problems. As the sub-prime market loan’s reset at higher rates, this will result in more delinquencies. It is possible for homeowners to find they cannot refinance their loan. The declining prices result in declining equity and perhaps larger loans than the remaining equity in the property.

As usual, I suggest you do your due diligence before signing on the dotted line.

Reverse Mortgage Proceeds

2007-05-16T12:45:00.000-04:00

Reverse Mortgages - How do I receive the proceeds of my Mortgage?
By Nancy Woodward

There are several ways for you to obtain cash from your home using a reverse mortgage without having to repay the loan at all. When you obtain a normal mortgage, you decrease your loan thereby decreasing your liability and increasing your equity. Since this type of mortgage(Reverse Mortgage) works exactly the opposite of a normal mortgage, it essentially increases your liability to the lender and decreases equity in your home.

Four ways to receive the proceeds of your loan:

1. Lump sum - You can take all of the money at one time in a single lump sum of cash.
2. Cash advance – You can take a regular cash advance – i.e. monthly
3. Credit line - You can use an account that will allow you to take cash when you want it up to a maximum amount.
4. Using one or more of the above ways – this gives you the freedom to choose when and how much you want to take. This way can be used to effectively reduce the interest added to the balance of your loan.

After you qualify for your loan and receive funds, no one will have to repay this loan until you die, sell your home, or move out of your home on a permanent basis. You will have to qualify for the loan:

1. You must own your own home
2. You must live in this home
3. You must be 62 years of age or older.
4. Generally you must not have a mortgage loan on your home – generally Reverse Mortgages must be the ‘first’ mortgage.

While Reverse Mortgages can help you remain in your home, you are still the property owner. This means you must pay your property taxes and homeowner insurance, and making repairs on the property.

While you cannot have another first mortgage, it is possible to pay off existing debt, both in your home and credit debt, and with the money you obtain from your Reverse Mortgage proceeds.

As Americans are aging, society is seeking more ways to help them maintain their lifestyles by remaining in their home as long as possible. This is a way homeowners can obtain the necessary income without additional expenses.

As in any financial arrangement, I suggest you do your due diligence. Investigate the subject, talk to your attorney and perhaps your relatives and friends prior to moving forward.

Cash Back On Your Purchases?

2007-05-10T12:44:00.000-04:00

I see many credit card companies offering this feature - cash back on your purchases. You need to determine if this is the best card for the money. How do the terms and interest rates compare?

Don't be lured by 'cash back' if it does not get you equally a good deal when you must pay the interest. Higher credit card bills make your life more difficult. You can't wait for cash back (if you spend enough) to help the situation.

Good luck - do your due diligence. Read the fine print.

Do I quality for a Reverse Mortgage?

2007-05-02T13:01:00.001-04:00

Do I Qualify for a Reverse Mortgage Loan?

This is a good question I received from a friend. There are guidelines to qualify.

1. You must own a home. You can own this home with others but your name must be on the title of the home.
2. You must live in the home and it must be your primary residence.
3. You may be eligible even if you have a small loan on this home whether it be a mortgage or secondary loan.

While these are easy qualifications, you must continue to own the home and live in it for the loan to remain open.

You will not have to make payments on this mortgage. You won’t need to qualify for the loan other than the value of your property must be ascertained. You won’t be asked questions about your health.

Easy… Yes, but consider the costs prior to moving forward.

Can you get a Mortgage Loan with less than perfect Credit?

2007-02-27T12:50:00.000-05:00

By Nancy Woodward

Although everything in the world of mortgages is not black and white, generally you must take good care of your credit history to easily obtain a mortgage. Lenders consider credit scores to determine if you are worthy of a loan.

Most lenders see scores above 700 as positive indicators of good credit health while scores below 600 are deemed to be risky. Interest rates for mortgage loans are higher if your credit score is in the lower ranges.

Lenders seem to be pulling in the reins on mortgages or refinancing if your credit score has marks on it. Many lenders don’t want to handle riskier loans when the market is slower.

Novastar Financial Inc. of Kansas City, MO, lost 42 percent of its share price due to a fourth quarter loss of $14.4 million. Company officials set aside $45 in anticipation of defaulting mortgages.

When the market shifts, investors demand much higher standards to approval a mortgage loan. This shift causes some consumers to be squeezed out of the market.

During the past few years, many homeowners borrowed against their homes while the market was forging forward. They now have second mortgages and home equity loans to pay when the economy is tightening. Real Estate prices are leveling at this point.

The nation’s economy may be affected by the slowing housing market and increase in the interest rates. The trend for lenders and investors will lean toward more care when handing out mortgage loans. This does not mean you can’t obtain financing, it just means it make take a bit of creativity.

Inflation Risk may Increase Mortgage Loan Rates

2007-02-25T13:48:00.000-05:00

Mortgage Rates May Rise – if Inflation risk Increases
By Nancy Woodward

According to Charles Plosser, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, the Federal Reserve may need to raise the benchmark interest rate as recent stronger US economic growth increases the risk of more than moderate inflation.

Mr. Plosser discussed the growth prospects in a speech to the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce. He feels we may not see stability without an increase in the rate to avoid inflation.

The Fed has not changed the benchmark interest rate which stands at 5.25 percent. This is the fifth straight meeting they where there has not been an increase. The benchmark rate affects the rates which bank charges for loans to individuals and business customers.

The Fed is concerned over inflation. Possner thinks it is possible that moderate inflation will continue although he is concerned over the 3.5 percent annual pace the economy expanded in the last quarter.

Greater growth than expected fuels the fear of inflation when the economy is strengthening. Let’s hope the fears are unfounded. Rising inflation affects all of us, particularly the Real Estate – Home Loan Market.

If you are in the market to buy Real Estate, you should keep an eye on this. You will win on the value of the home you buy now, but you can offset that win with a greater than expected interest rate.

Consumer Prices are growing creating Inflation Worries – Where will this leave interest rates?

2007-02-22T14:49:00.000-05:00

by Nancy Woodward

The Consumer Price Index rose .2 percent in January, 2007. Considering there was a large drop in the costs related to energy, this indicates the cost of medical care, food and plane fair rose at a faster pace.

Economists were not expecting this size increase. The Fed held its meeting yesterday and they again expressed concern that inflation is the biggest threat to our economic future. With prices rising and performance slowing, the threat is definitely increasing.

If the Fed becomes concerned enough, Fed Chairman Bernanke will raise interest rates. Rising rates directly affect mortgage rates and the ability of the consumer to buy homes. First time buyers have a harder time qualifying for a loan when rates rise.

The number of homes in inventory rise. Builders and contracts slow their efforts in the new construction arena. Those businesses affected by the rising rates reduce their spending in other areas to compensate for cost increases.

All of this causes growth to slow down thereby affecting inflation. While it is good to slow inflation, those affected negatively by the process would disagree. Hopefully the economy will hold it self in check and Bernanke’s statement to Congress that inflation pressure would decline over the next two years as growth remains moderate will, in fact, be the way it goes.

Credit Rating - How are you scored?

2007-02-17T09:11:00.000-05:00

Credit rating: - how you are scored
by Nancy Woodward

Getting approval for any type of loan depends on your credit rating. If you have average credit rating, you will find it almost impossible to get approved. It’s possible to get good rating or even improve you credit rating. Most companies almost use same rating system and if you are able to know more about it you should be able to have better credit score.

Your age is the first factor which it’s almost impossible to do anything about. Yes it’s possible to lie, but don’t because it will make things more difficult for you in future if the creditor get to know. If you are between 24 to 64 years of age you will get one point. Any age bellow or above that will score you zero point.

If you are married you have chance of adding extra point to your score. If not, you still score zero as most creditors see you as a higher risk. Also if you have no dependant you will score zero. But if you have between one to three you will add to your points. Here is how it works – if you have no dependant creditors believe you can skip town and not pay off your credit.

Creditors will also want to know more about your root. They will want to know where you live. Owning a home with a big fat mortgage or even without mortgage will give you more points. How long you stay in your present or previous residence also adds more points to your score. If you’ve move so often you will score zero point. However, if you’ve stayed up to 5 years before moving, you will surely get more point. It shows you are a good risk to them.

Other factors that will add to your point are your years on job (the longer the better), kind of job, your monthly income, present debt status, previous credit history and your saving or checking account.

Nancy Woodward better known as the Million Dollar Referral Lady provides valuable Real Estate and Business Related info to improve your business. Register RealEstateDirectory

Bad Credit Does not Stop you from Obtaining Credit

2007-02-16T11:09:00.001-05:00

Bad Credit? You can Still get a Loan
by Nancy Woodward

Don’t let bad credit get you down - you can still get a loan. With a mortgage loan, college loan or even a personal loan, many mortgage lenders turn bad credit down. However, there are some who will take a chance with you. Just because you have bad credit does not make you a bad person. When you have bad credit or absolutely no money to put down you should look for a bad credit mortgage lender.

A bad credit mortgage lender helps those who have a bad credit score or low income. They can also help get your loan approved faster than other programs. Although getting a bad credit loan may be easy, a bad credit mortgage loan has its price – you will likely pay higher interest rates and higher closing fees.

For the entire article visit RealEstateDirectory and subscribe.

Mortgage Loans - Refinancing Your Mortgage

2007-02-06T12:37:00.000-05:00

Mortgage Loans -Refinancing Your Mortgage is on the Rise
By Nancy Woodward

Long term mortgages rates are remaining relatively low. The average rate for a thirty year loans is approximately 6.2%. Since home equity loans and lines of credit have their interest most often tied directly to the prime rate, they have gotten more expensive since the prime is now over eight percent.

Many customers prefer to have a fixed rate loan than risk their economic future on fluctuating rates that can continue rising in the future. Freddie Mac says 89% of the loans it owns that were refinanced in the third quarter of 2006 had amounts at least five percent higher than the original mortgage balances.

According to the American Bankers Association, the dollar amount of home equity loans has increased by an annualized 14.6% for the first three quarters of 2006. This includes both home equity loans and home equity lines of credit.

Before you consider refinancing, you should look for the most economical way to accomplish this. You should also consider if refinancing to take additional cash is a wise move. If refinancing gets you a better rate and it has been a long enough period of time since your last change, then perhaps it is a good move.

If you have credit card debt, it is often financed at a much higher rate than you can obtain with a loan connected to your real estate. Sometimes you can obtain a fixed rate loan for a home equity line that will help you reduce your loan expense.

Consider the fees it takes to accomplish new financing and the time for repayment of the new debt. I personally am working on paying off my current mortgage with a Mortgage Payoff program.

I am now in the process of financing a second home. I just obtained a first mortgage at slightly less than 6.2%. Since this article was originally written about a month ago, the rates are remaining at the same levels.

If I had a loan that was at a higher rate - generally more than 2%, I would consider refinancing it to bring down my mortgage payments. You should consider how long it will take you to recoup the fees you spend to do this.

Jim Edwards’ Mortgage Loan Tips will tell you why some people almost always get the lowest interest rate on their home mortgage loan and never pay too much in points or “junk” loan fees!

Check out Mortgage Loans Tips by Clicking Here! You will save yourself time and effort, as well as, money.

Real Estate in Arizona

2007-02-03T21:58:00.000-05:00

Arizona real estate market is really hot. The centre of a lot of action in Arizona is Phoenix metropolitan area. However, when it comes to real estate investing, every area is hot. Based on whether you are looking for Arizona real estate just as an investment avenue or whether you are looking for Arizona real estate to actually live in, your preferences would change a bit. However, one thing which you would always want is a low price. And that is something that would require some effort.

If you are looking to get a piece of Arizona real estate for yourself and your family, then you need to consider a lot of different things which will also influence your perception of the lowest (or the best price) for that Arizona real estate piece. Note that the best price for the same Arizona real estate piece might be different for different people (because their level of motivation to buy a particular Arizona real estate piece might vary). So, if you have a lot of friends living in a particular area in Arizona, then Arizona real estate in that area might become your preference and hence increase your motivation level.

The entire article is posted to RealEstateDirectory

Mortgage Loans -Refinancing Your Mortgage is on the Rise

2007-01-23T23:23:00.000-05:00

Long term mortgages rates are remaining relatively low. The average rate for a thirty year loans is approximately 6.2%. Since home equity loans and lines of credit have their interest most often tied directly to the prime rate, they have gotten more expensive since the prime is now over eight percent.

Many customers prefer to have a fixed rate loan than risk their economic future on fluctuating rates that can continue rising in the future. Freddie Mac says 89% of the loans it owns that were refinanced in the third quarter of 2006 had amounts at least five percent higher than the original mortgage balances.

For more of this article and more visit MortgageLoan

Identity Theft - Ongoing Credit Threat

2007-01-14T13:08:00.000-05:00

Several months ago, the personal information of our veterans was compromised. There are approximately 26.5 million names in the database at risk. This means that they could become the victims of identify theft.

In 2005 the average loss experienced by identity theft victims was more than $6,000.00 as determined by a study completed by Javelin Strategy & Research. They indicate it cost the victims approximately $400 to remove inaccurate information, close or change their credit card accounts and complete all the necessary documentation.

For ....more

Nancy Woodward, better known as the million dollar referral lady, is a Real Estate and Mortgage Professional. You can discover how to achieve financial prosperity by subscribing to her online newsletter to help you better manage our mortgage and real estate properties.

Save Money in Your Home Easily

2007-01-11T12:45:00.000-05:00

You can save some of both with a little effort. Energy bills rise as the rates move upward. So why not make an effort to conserve your hard earned money and as a byproduct, help the environment at the same time?

1. Reduce wasted energy

Limit showers. Use a simple timer - thirty minutes is the max. Since water heaters suck energy, this will help. Just maintaining the temperature of the water in the water heater drains your energy. When you empty it and refill, you just keep the clock on the meter moving upward.

There are systems on the market today that don't use tanks!! Bosch has a system that creates hot water on demand. These units start at about $500 but there is a tax credit available and the long term savings must be considered.

For the entire article visit ...RealEstateDirectory

2007-01-10T10:50:00.000-05:00

Renting and apartment, condo, house might be the right thing for you to do at certain times in your life. Long term, homeownership provides more benefits and may outweigh the advantages of renting.

In general the house market is remaining strong. Real Estate investments are expected to double by the end of the decade. This is the best time to be in the real estate market and is one of the best for the housing market in general .....More

Nancy Woodward better known as The Million Dollar Referral Lady strives to provide you with information to improve your financial position in Real Estate.

Benefits of Incorporation

2007-01-06T21:08:00.000-05:00

Benefits of Incorporating Your Own Business

If you have a small business or starting one in the near future, it is important to look into the benefits of incorporation. The government provides benefits to companies that incorporate their businesses with tax breaks, limits in liability and benefits for employees.

The Ease and Benefits of Incorporation:

Incorporating your business is a very simple process that takes a small amount of time and can cost less than $500 to complete with the help of a lawyer. You can also incorporate your business on your own without the help of a lawyer by purchasing an incorporation book. These books show you the exact forms that need to be completed and the process to register your business with your state government. Incorporating on your own can cost less than $200.

Incorporating your business is an extremely safe and secure way to limit the financial liability of its owners. If your incorporated business fails, you the owner are not responsible. Your business, which is seen as a private entity, is responsible for its losses.

Corporations also include great tax benefits. You may be able to save money on business expenses, travel expenses, entertainment and other related expenses by controlling a corporation. If you purchase healthcare, your business can save on the considerable costs to provide it. So if you have a small business or are thinking of creating once, look into incorporation.

You can create a normal corporation, or perhaps consider a Sub-Chapter S corporation. The additional benefit of Subchapter S corporations is that the income and loss pass through to the owners.

For more articles relating to business and real estate visit Nancy’s newsletter at Milliondollarreferrallady or for information on mortgages Mortgages for articles relating to mortgage financing. Nancy is an accountant and real estate professional with an interest in both subjects and currently conducting interviews for future articles.

Credit Scores are so important

2007-01-04T19:29:00.000-05:00

Credit scores are so important to your financial health. The subject is daunting. I've written an article to help explain the basic functions.

To read the article and/or sign up for the newsletter, visit RealEstatelady

2007-01-01T14:24:00.000-05:00

Real Estate Ownership is the American Dream with Large Debt Attached

The heart of the American Dream is home ownership. You begin by making a conscious decision toward home ownership. This is just the first step in the process.

Of course, for you to reach this goal, you must find a way to pay for your asset. Since most people are unable to save enough to pay for their first home outright, they must find a means of financing it. There are several things you should consider before you start this process:

1. How long have you been employed.
2. Have you created a good credit history.
3. Do you pay your bills in a timely manner.
4. Can you afford to increase your debt level at this time.
5. Have you obtain a current credit report, reviewed the information, and believe it is accurate.

To read the entire article visit
MillionDollarReferralLady’sBlog

Nancy Woodward is a Real Estate Professional and business writer. Her online newsletter provides Mortgage and Real Estate Information, Resources and products for your financial prosperity.

MillionDollarReferralLady’sBlog

Mortgage and Credit

2006-12-22T13:57:00.000-05:00

You can’t buy a home without the ability to pay for it. Usually this takes a mortgage loan.

To obtain a loan, you must apply for it and wait for the lender to determine if you are an acceptable credit risk. They want to know:

1. That you pay your bills promptly.
2. You can afford the amount of debt you are applying for.
3. Your employment history.

It is possible to have a good credit score and still be declined for credit. Handling your credit should be a lifetime project. Over time you can increase your credit score. Improving your score can help you:

1. Get better credit offers.
2. Get better interest rates.
3. Make the approval process happen quicker.

Potential creditors look at your credit report. This report tells them what type of credit you use, how long your accounts have been open and if you pay your bills as agreed.

You should check your credit report yearly. I found a free credit report at www.annualcreditreport.com You should obtain your report and review it carefully. In accurate information can affect your credit adversely.

Well, this has been Mortgage Financing 101. Stay tuned for more information on this subject and Real Estate.

Accounting - Sincce you need it for business, here is a short description.

2006-12-10T16:47:00.000-05:00

What Is Accounting Anyway?
by Nan Wood

Anyone who's worked in an office at some point or another has had to go to accounting. They're the people who pay and send out the bills that keep the business running. They do a lot more than that, though. Sometimes referred to as "bean counters" they also keep their eye on profits, costs and losses. Unless you're running your own business and acting as your own accountant, you'd have no way of knowing just how profitable - or not - your business is without some form of accounting.

No matter what business you're in, even if all you do is balance a checkbook, that's still accounting. It's part of even a kid's life. Saving an allowance, spending it all at once - these are accounting principles.

What are some other businesses where accounting is critical? Well, farmers need to follow careful accounting procedures. Many of them run their farms year to year by taking loans to plant the crops. If it's a good year, a profitable one, then they can pay off their loan; if not, they might have to carry the loan over, and accrue more interest charges.

Every business and every individual needs to have some kind of accounting system in their lives. Otherwise, the finances can get away from them, they don't know what they've spent, or whether they can expect a profit or a loss from their business. Staying on top of accounting, whether it's for a multi-billion dollar business or for a personal checking account is a necessary activity on a daily basis if you're smart. Not doing so can mean anything from a bounced check or posting a loss to a company's shareholders. Both scenarios can be equally devastating.

Accounting is basically information, and this information is published periodically in business as a profit and loss statement, or an income statement.

Nan is an Accountant with a Real Estate info and resource site at
RealEstateLady and her blog to provide basic info to the real estate newbie -
BusinessandRealEstateTips

Generosity in business

2006-12-08T12:44:00.000-05:00

Generosity in business
by Nan Wood

This is the time of year that you should evaluate where you are. Have you reached your goals for both personal and business objectives this year? If not, why not?

Perhaps you should evaulate how you are treating your customers and employees. A little kindness goes a long way.

If your busines is small, try giving your employees a small gift and a card expressing your thanks for their effort. Send a card with your customer's invoices. You can make them yourself if necessary with a card program and copy them on your printer.

Take time to be thankful.

Nan is a Real Estate professional with an online information site
RealEstate

Setting up Your Home Office

2006-11-22T12:59:00.000-05:00

Setting Up a Home Office
by Nan Wood

If you are thinking about starting a small business, one of the major considerations you need to think about is setting up a home office. While your emphasis is probably on your business, it is important to think about where you are going to do the majority of your work.

A home office needs to be quiet, comfortable and practical. You can’t set up shop in the living room or the den where it will be noisy and full of distractions. If you really want your small business to succeed, you need to have a comfortable environment where you can think for hours at a time and be productive. Here are some tips.

One of the things that is important is to make sure your home office has access to a phone line, internet or electricity. Some people need to run wires and have everything in shambles which makes it rather distracting when you need to work.

Figure out where you can work quietly and comfortably for long periods of time. While many people think the basement is a good place, think about creature comforts such as the room temperature and the lighting. You don’t want to be in a room that is too hot or too cold and you don’t want to be in a cellar with no natural light for 8 hours a day.

Give this project some thought. I set up an office in an upstairs bedroom. I thought it would solve all of my needs. Unfortunately, I find that I feel closed in and I actually don't use the room. Make a list of what you need, what you think will work, and ponder it before you start.

Real Estate Investments

2006-11-17T13:47:00.000-05:00

Utilizing a Real Estate Investment for Passive Income
by nan wood

You don't need a million dollars to get a real estate investment and to begin making a living. In fact, it is real estate that could lead you to getting the million dollars. If you want to work your way into a residual or passive income from real estate, then following a few specific rules can help you make your investment into your fortune.

If you are thinking of beginning a real estate investment, you can start by finding one property that only needs a little fixing and can be used for other purposes. There are several foreclosures and other types of programs, such as rent to own opportunities. This will give you the ability to make a small investment in order to get a large profit from what you make.

No matter what type of investment you make, it is only a matter of time before you begin to profit off of the investment. Any source will tell you that real estate will naturally build wealth over time. Because the economy and market continues to change and increase, real estate will also continue to increase. No matter what type of real estate investment you make, you can expect to begin profiting for an income that won't make you work anywhere else.

When you begin your income, you can begin making a residual or passive income. This allows you to make money simply by owning property in a variety of places without having to do the work that is involved with the property. Things such as rental properties can help you to put money in your pocket without you making an effort to go to work.

If you want a change in pace in your career, then you can begin by investing in a place and beginning to build income off of it. Real estate investment is a great way to begin putting income in your bank without having to work long hours and labor at a job that doesn't offer as many benefits as the real estate business.

For online research and a mortgage calculator visit
MortgageLoan

Save Money and Energy

2006-11-06T12:33:00.000-05:00

Real Estate – Saving Money and Energy in your Home
By Nan Wood

You can save some of both with a little effort. Energy bills rise as the rates move upward. So why not make an effort to conserve your hard earned money and as a byproduct, help the environment at the same time?

1. Reduce wasted energy

Limit showers. Use a simple timer - thirty minutes is the max. Since water heaters suck energy, this will help. Just maintaining the temperature of the water in the water heater drains your energy. When you empty it and refill, you just keep the clock on the meter moving upward.

There are systems on the market today that don't use tanks!! Bosch has a system that creates hot water on demand. These units start at about $500 but there is a tax credit available and the long term savings must be considered.

2. Heat Pumps

Heat pumps are more expensive to install but they are environmentally sound. They can reduce your heating and cooling bill by as much as fifty percent. Check out the websites of the manufacturers.

3. All those Lights

I researched this subject for myself. Using small fluorescent light bulbs consumes less energy overall.

4. Windows and Doors

Are your windows air tight? Cracks around the windows allows leakage. When it is time to replace your windows, consider double pain. The energy efficient windows today can cut costs by 15%.

Replacing doors and windows taking advantage of modern efficient models will curb energy costs. You can do this over time as your budge allows. I saw a window that allows you to tint them in the summer but lets all that winter sun flow though.

These are four areas I suggest you check out. There are many more areas you can research to help you make good choices that will save you money in energy costs in the future. Sites online will provide you with good research.

Nan is an Accountant and Business Writer with an information site online
HomeLighting

Business Require Gifts - some ideas

2006-11-02T10:28:00.000-05:00

Business Gift Ideas
by Nan Wood

Most people that work in a corporate environment or own their own business need to send gifts of appreciation or friendship from time to time. Whether it is for your boss, another associate, or a customer that has made a large purchase, finding the right gift for the occasion can be difficult. Here are some tips on business gift ideas.

There are plenty of great gifts available for business associates or acquaintances. When choosing a gift, think about the person and what their interests might be. For instance, if you would like to give your boss a gift for his or her birthday or holiday such as Christmas, you might want to choose a gift that is fun and which he or she might enjoy. Great gifts usually include books, DVD’s, tickets to an event or something that they can use such as an organizer, pen or even a gift certificate.

If you are an executive, there are many web sites, where you can find great executive gifts for others from items that will fit well in an office environment or items that many people may find useful while traveling. Just like other types of gift giving, if you put lots of thought into the gift, you will usually make a great choice.

For research on this subject visit
Gifts You will find online resources to help your find the right idea.

Are we spending ourselves into Bankruptcy?

2006-10-26T11:13:00.000-04:00

Living in the United States - Are We Spending Ourselves into Bankruptcy?
By Nan Wood

For years the United States Government has been adding each year’s deficit into the total of the National Debt. Generally when you hear people discussing the problem, they are usually referring to the current years’ deficit. The problem is much larger than this year’s overspending.

The gap between the amount the government spends and the actual amount of taxes it receives to support this is increasing rapidly. In 2002, the United States Treasury commissioned a study on this subject. The result of the study showed a $45 trillion gap.

Since that time, there have been more tax cuts and discretionary spending has continued to increase. One large increase came in the area of Medicare which now covers prescription drugs.

Former Fed and Treasury economists Jagadeesh Gokhale and Kent Smetters now estimate the gap to be at $63 trillion. Since senior benefits tend to grow almost twice as fast as the economy, the problem will continually grow larger. Baby boomers are reaching retirement and entitlement age. This group is the largest in history to reach retirement at one time.

The unpopular answer would be to restructure benefits thereby reducing the cost for the entitlements given out in the future. Of course this is not a popular approach and it would be hard for the lawmakers to pass the necessary measures to put this into effect.

An equally unpopular way to solve the problem would be to increase taxes or cut actually discretionary spending in other ways. Since there have been no major changes in Social Security since 1983, this program just continues to expand. We will not improve the future by allowing status quo to continue.

Since markets are affected by the economic health of our nation, I am slowly reducing my investments in the market. I was one of the unfortunate people who held a fair amount of technology stock at the wrong time. I am now considering investing in Canada. The Canadians, as well as other countries, have very low fiscal gaps. I am watching to see what moves our politicians make toward closing this fiscal gap to make long term progress in reducing the debt.

Nan is an Account and Business Writer. She has an information site online for reseach on RealEstate

Keep your Focus on the Customer

2006-10-21T19:15:00.000-04:00

Keeping Your Focus on the Customer
by Nan Wood

With so many ecommerce web sites out there and strong competition in each category, it is very important to keep your focus on the customer. Many people are so short sighted on making a profit, that they forgo the most important part of the business equation-the customer.

Most online web developers spend lots of time and money building a web site as well as attracting web visitors to their web sites. Once a visitor lands on your web page, don’t throw all that hard work away, keep your focus on the customer so that they stay longer, hopefully buy a product and become a return visitor.

Everyone has probably landed on a web site that is out to make a quick sale with no respect for the visitor. You probably encounter pop up ads, an overload of flash advertisements and a mouse trap that makes you close your browser window just to leave their web site. Most visitors would run from a web site like this, let alone purchase an item. So if you are a web designer, create a web site that accommodates your visitors, treats them fairly and has a long term philosophy to build a relationship with visitors and offers a fair product.

Your customer is your number one priority. Without visitors who become customers, you will not have a business wether it be online or off. Give good value!!

Nan is an Accountant and Business Writer. She is currently offering a Free Mortgage Calculator for her customers at
MortgageLoan

2006-10-15T16:45:00.000-04:00

Using Customer Loyalty Programs
by Nan Wood

Most businesses don’t realize the amount of time and effort it takes to attract a prospective buyer and then make them a customer. Customers shouldn’t be shrugged off lightly. If you are building a business, it is extremely important to build customer loyalty with your products or services. Here are some tips on using customer loyalty programs.

Customer loyalty programs are simple programs that reward your past customers when they buy something from your business. Many customer loyalty programs that are popular are airline miles, coupons and freebies.

If you have a small internet or brick and mortar business, you should look into ways to attract your old customers so that they come back for more. Many people develop coupons, special offers and freebies for their products. These methods are excellent because they can be measured and analyzed to see if they work well or not.

You can also get great ideas about customer loyalty programs, just by taking a look elf at other businesses and see what they are doing to attract and keep customers. Most of the time, customer loyalty programs are much cheaper than finding fresh customers, so customer loyalty programs are an excellent idea for just about any business.

Turning a buyer into a customer is the way to go. You spend time, money and effort finding new customers. Retaining them is cost free for the most part. Try loyalty programs, give them good customer service, as what their problems are and then solve them. The ideas are unlimited.

Nan is a Real Estate Agent and Business writer with an online site for RealEstate research and information.

Credit Cards - Offers are beginning to decline

2006-10-12T12:27:00.000-04:00

Credit Cards - The Quantity of Offers is beginning to Drop
By Nan Wood

If you are like me, you get these offers daily. My mailbox has become a haven for credit card solicitations. I’ve called my credit card providers and requested they cease sending me these offers to very little avail. Well, it seems that many of us are not taking advantage of these offers; therefore, the credit card companies are finally reducing the number of offers they mail.

Credit card solicitations have increased to more than six billion offers a year. The response rate is decreasing dramatically. Bank of America Corp and JPMorgan Chase & Co are shifting away from direct mail. They are leaning toward their banks and ATMs to cut cost and become more effective. I am sure the increasing postage rates have changed the picture for direct response mailers.

The cost of acquiring a customer via direct mail is much higher than the cost of attaining a customer using an existing branch of the bank. The banks are looking for alternative ways to entice a customer to use their services in general. The competition increases as the number of branches increases.

As the number of companies in the direct mail arena reduces, the companies remaining will become more effective. Their response rate should increase over time. I believe direct mail methods will remain popular.

Nan is an Accountant, Real Estate Professional and Business Writer. She has information sites online for research at RealEstateLady

Business Resources - Make your business Profitable

2006-10-11T07:49:00.000-04:00

Business Resources – Make Your Business Profitable
By Nancy Woodward

One of the most important keys to make your business profitable is to find the right business resources. Business resources can encompass many things including the right labor, business tools, information, analysis and advertising. Being able to tap into the right business resources can take lots of practice and sometimes even a little luck. Her are some tips on getting the most out of your business resources.

Finding the right business resources can take time and energy, but it absolutely worthwhile when you are able to find labor, tools, information or advertising strategies that work for you and your business. Some of the easier ways to find business resources is actively search for them on the internet, small business association or other professional organizations and books & magazines. There are tons of great resources, but you will have to put aside time and filter through all the fluff to find the nuggets of great information that can truly help you and your business succeed.

If you starting out, check for business resources online. There are tons of business resources that are only a click away. There are plenty of business forums, where many entrepreneurs come together to talk about business related topics and share ideas and opinions. Many forums are worth their weight in gold and have hundreds of visitors and contributors daily. You can also check out your local small business association for get together or other professional organizations that are connected with your trade.

To catch up on topical information and to hear opinions from guru’s in the world, it is always good to read business related books and magazines. So if you are starting a business, make sure you develop your business resources. The time you spend on research before you begin, will save you time, heartache and money after you begin.

Nancy is an Accountant and Real Estate Professional. Visit RealEstateLady

Loans and Credit - Reward Programs

2006-10-10T07:18:00.000-04:00

Loans and Credit - Credit Companies – Three types of reward programs.
By Nan Wood

Many credit card companies are offering reward and rebate programs as incentives for new customers. They are aggressively targeting new customers with rewards offers. Since studies have shown that consumers care more about a cards reward program than the interest rate that is charged, the credit limit or anything else, the card companies are focused on the free offer aspect.

The programs fall into three categories:

1. Rebate Offers - Customers receive refunds. The refund is based on a fixed percentage of the amount they spend. The offer sometimes refunds this to charitable organizations. GMAC is currently offering a rebate that applies to the customer’s mortgage.
2. Affinity Rewards Program – Customers chose a theme for their card such as reservations at a restaurant or frequent flier cards. Your rebate comes in the form of points applied to your program of choice.
3. Company rewards – Customers earn points which they use to pick rewards offered by the company. An example is using your points for airline tickets on a range of airlines they have in their program.

If you would like to find a card with a reward program you can visit bankrate.com and creditcards.com, as well as some of the large banks and financial institutions sites. Obtain credit and use it responsibly.

Nan is an Accountant and Real Estate Professional. She is a business writer with an interest and knowledge in the credit area.
Visit MortgageLoan
for online research and information.

Starting a business - Good Personal Credit is Necessary

2006-10-09T19:28:00.000-04:00

Starting a Business: Good Personal Credit is a Necessity
by Nan Wood

If you are thinking about starting your own business, banks will look at your personal credit history if you have no business credit history. Thus, credit scores are more important than ever. While banks previously determined whether to lend to a business or not by looking at your credit, the business’s potential, any collateral you may offer, and your personal career history, this process has become extremely condensed in order to process more applications and level out the bank’s risk, so without excellent credit, you might find yourself denied a business loan.

Start by getting a tax identification number for your business, which helps separate your business credit history and your personal credit history – an important step in building your business credit and helping to launch your business. If you have bad credit, separating your business from your personal credit is crucial. You can do this by applying for a tax identification number for your business, but also by securing a business office address and phone, as well as a business bank account.

Larger and better-known financial institutions often automate their credit application processes now, and having a less than average personal credit score and no business credit history will hurt your chances of obtaining a loan. Try smaller, hometown banks, which are more likely to view you personal credit score while factoring in the potential of the business. Some lenders focus on high-risk loans for entrepreneurs. These loans often start with high interest rates, with the understanding that increased business cash flow can lower the rate. Depending on the amount of your start-up costs, you can also consider opening up a business credit line to help with initial expenses.

Another option in obtaining money is opening up a home equity loan. This may be a risky option, depending on the viability of your business. Home equity loans are loans taken out against your home. These loans can give you the start-up cash necessary to fund your business at relatively low interest rates, but depending on the strength of your business, you could lose your house if your business fails.

Once you have a tax identification number for your business, you can begin building your business’s credit history and score. You can do this by paying any business bills on time, especially your business credit cards. The national credit reporting agencies have also developed a credit report for businesses, and this will allow you to better track your business’s credit. By maintaining good personal credit, you can start off with good credit in the business world as well.

Nan is a Real Estate Agent with an information site online MortgageLoan for your research.

Real Estate Sales - Should you fix up your house?

2006-10-08T12:10:00.000-04:00

Real Estate Sales – Should you fix up your home before listing it?
By Nan Wood

Yes, you should fix all of the obvious things you can. When buyers visit homes, they look for the things they see that obviously need some fixing. Most buyers would rather not see the repairs in front of them. They want to buy a house that is in ‘perfect’ repair.

You should put yourself in the buyer’s shoes. Think like a buyer. Would you want to repair or fix up anything in your new home? No, you would not. While you are still in the buyer’s frame of mind, tour your house. Make a list of all the things you see that need repair.

Here are eleven obvious things to look for and correction any defects:

1. Do your walls need a fresh coat of paint?
2. How about the trim?
3. Are all of your floors and carpets in good shape? Do they need cleaning?
4. Are your windows and shades okay? Are the screens in good condition?
5. Do your appliances work properly?
6. Eliminate squeaks and cracks of all kinds.
7. Is your basement clean and organized?
8. Is your roof in good condition and non-leaking?
9. Check all faucets, fixtures and knobs.
10. Make your lights as bright as you can.
11. Clean the fireplace.

The time and effort you put into this list will save you money and aggravation in the sales process. You can do these repairs yourself or hire someone else to do them for you. The money you spend doing this will come back to you in savings. Your house will show better and sell faster in tip-top shape.

Nan is an Accountant and Real Estate Professional with an information and research site online RealEstateLady

Credit Laws - You must be familiar with laws on this subject

2006-10-04T12:07:00.000-04:00

Credit Laws You Need to Know
by Nan Wood

The Equal Credit Opportunity Act states that all lenders will apply the same credit standards to all consumers, without prohibiting by race, sex, marital status, national origin, religion, age, or public assistance program involvement. This does not guarantee the approval of a loan or credit but does insure that all consumers are given an equal chance to obtain credit. The only acceptable measurement for creditors to use is your ability to pay your debts.

Many applications will contain questions about your sex, your race, or your nationality. You are not required to answer such questions on an application for credit. These may be asked in conjunction with fair housing laws or affirmative action laws, but these are completely optional. Furthermore, you should not be asked about your marital status, unless your partner will help secure and use the loan. You may be asked your age under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, but only to determine if you are old enough to obtain credit (usually 18 years old in the U.S.)

All creditors must notify any applicants of their decision within 30 days. If the application is denied, the creditor must provide a written statement detailing the outcome or decision along with the reason for the denial and information on the applicant’s rights. This act helps ensure that a certain standard is kept with all applications for credit – no matter who the applicant is.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act gives individuals the right to view their credit report. To disseminate this, each citizen can receive one free credit report every 12 months. The act allows individuals to receive their credit history for all three national credit reporting agencies. In reviewing his or her credit, disputes can be logged against specific items on the credit report, allowing the consumer to police the credit reporting agencies. If the correction to your credit is not up to par, you can also add a brief statement of 100 words or less clarifying the particular item.

The act was instituted to uphold the accuracy and privacy of an individual’s information in credit reports. It was also passed with the intention of curbing identity theft, an ever-growing crime. By reviewing one’s credit report each year, he or she could determine if any sort of identity theft had occurred.

Both acts help protect you by insuring the fairness of the lending industry while allowing you to take control of your credit history and ensure its accuracy. Maintaining good credit begins by learning all you can about how credit reporting works. By understanding these laws, you are taking a positive step in creating good credit for a stable financial future.

For online research visit
MortgageLoans

Various types of Credit Cards - Choose Yours

2006-10-03T07:51:00.000-04:00

Types of Credit Cards
by Nan Wood

For people looking to get a credit card, it is important to note that there are many credit card products on the market. It is important to decide which type of credit card is right for you. Here are some tips.

Secured Credit Cards
Most credit cards are unsecured. You promise to pay the credit card company back and they give you a line of credit based upon on your past credit card history. However if you have no credit history or have a poor credit card history, secured credit cards are a great way to establish good credit. You usually open a bank account with the secured credit card company and depending on your account they will give you a credit card with a specific limit. This way, if you deposit $500 in the bank account and have a credit line of $500, the company does not have to worry if you default on the bill or not. They have your money in the account.

Rewards Programs
Some credit cards reward you for using their credit card with perks such as free miles, points for cash back, etc. These cards are a great way to save up miles or get cash back. However, before you sign up make sure you can use the rewards and make sure that the rewards are in a ratio that is acceptable for you to spend. You don’t want to spend $1,000 only to get back $10 in cash.

Nan is a business writer with an information and research site. visit
RealEstateLady

Cutting down on Expenses

2006-10-02T11:53:00.000-04:00

Cutting Down on Expenses
by Nan Wood

If you own a small business, one of the most important things that you must do is keep costs down. The lower the costs, the more profits you can take in and the more you can reinvest in your business. Here are some tips on cutting down on your expenses.

Penny Wise, Pound Foolish. Don’t start cutting important expenses. While it may from time to time be important to do with out special purchases, do not cut expenses that will directly affect the quality of the product or service. Be smart with your cost saving procedures.

Each month analyze your business to see which areas are performing and which areas are not. You may be able to allocate resources from one area to another to either get all areas of your business running on all cylinders or cut the slack from one area to put all your resources in performing areas.

There are plenty of resources to help you cut down on expenses, but many people suggest that you go through all your expenses with a fine tooth comb and tackl new ways of doing business to streamline your operations. If you have a small business and are looking to get the most out of it, check out the above tips.

Credit Cards for your Business

2006-10-01T20:05:00.000-04:00

Business Credit Cards
by Nan Wood

If you are a small business owner and sometimes require some short term funding, one of the best ways to accomplish this goal is with a business credit card. Business credit cards are extremely convenient for small businesses and in many cases essential for them to do business.

Many small businesses need to buy thousands of dollars worth of goods or services which will be reimbursed either in the next few days or within a months time, having the money to purchase inventory is extremely important and business credit cards are an easy way to accomplish this goal.

Most business credit cards work differently than unsecured consumer credit cards. For instance, instead of having a rotating credit limit which can be paid off over the course of a few months, most business credit cards such as American Express requires the business to pay off the entire balance at the end of the month. For most consumers, this would be a nightmare, but since many businesses have a different type of cash flow, it usually works out fine.

Many business credit cards usually cost the business an annual fee, plus other fees including interest. Besides the use of the card, many business credit cards come with lots of great services, such as concierge services, B2B directories and help locating legal advice or small business advice.

Keep Your Focus on the Customer - he is Your business

2006-09-29T23:26:00.000-04:00

Avoiding Business Pitfalls - Take Care

2006-09-27T23:07:00.000-04:00

Business Pitfalls to Avoid
By Nancy Woodward

If you are planning on starting a new business, you should be aware that many businesses fail due to many factors. If you want your small business to work, you should take time to learn about the many pitfalls that can doom a business. Here are a few tips on business pitfalls to avoid.

There are many business pitfalls to avoid. Depending on the type of business you are starting will determine which business pitfalls are prevalent. One of the most common business pitfalls is starting a business without enough capital. Many entrepreneurs try to launch a business with far less capital that is necessary. Not only does this put a strain on inventory, but can also hamper budgets for advertisements, labor and expenses just to get your business launched. Many businesses are dead in the water before they even launch due to lack of capital. If you are starting a new business, plan ahead and make sure that you have enough capital to back up your business.

Another business pitfall to avoid is to be uneducated about your market. Many businesses have a great product but don’t know how to sell it to the market. Most people put their energies in the one aspect of their business but ignore or are unable to comprehend another major aspect of their business. If you are starting a new business, learn all areas of your business. Your business will have a greater chance of success if you are knowledgeable and know about the front end as well as the back end of the business. If you are planning on starting a new business, research your idea carefully before you start. Due diligence before will set you on the right path.

Nancy is an Accountant and Real Estate Professional. Visit
RealEstateLady

Avoiding Business Pitfalls - Take Care

2006-09-27T23:06:00.000-04:00

Timeshares

2006-09-26T12:19:00.000-04:00

Sell Time Share the Best Way

Timeshare selling can be a lucrative business. Timeshare on a property like that of a condo, vacation resorts, yachts, houseboats or motor homes can be a financial exchange as well.

An owner who has time share can sell it to other interested buyers. One reason why one would want to resort to selling his timeshare is he might not be able to use it at that given time and it was already paid for by him. So as to not go through a fiscal loss, he’ll compensate for it by letting somebody else use it – and that someone will be paying him instead.

To avoid the illegal re-selling of timeshare, it is best that the parties involved comprehend fully well the terms of their transaction. First of all, one must know what kind of timeshare does the owner own.

Running it briefly, the different kinds of time shares are:

1. Fixed week ownership
The most basic timeshare unit. Example: Fourth of July Holiday is always in high demand. If you own this particular week at an often-visited resort, you can use it every year to your advantage.

2. Floating
Ownership is the number of weeks. Example: Weeks 22 to 36.

3. Rotating
If the time share has many owners, the weeks that are often most demanded such as week 26 which normally includes the Fourth of July holiday will be rotated among them.

4. Deeded and Right to Use
The use of timeshare in deeded contracts is often divided into weeks and are sold as if they were real property. Therefore, the owner can do whatever he chooses to with his week – he can use it, rent it out, give it to those who are requesting for it or make it an inheritance to his heirs. As for right to use, the person who buys the timeshare must use the property with what is stated on his contract.

5. Vacation Clubs
These are organizations owning units in various resorts in different locations. They are sold as deeded contracts, as well as right to use. Therefore, club members can make reservations at any time at the locations as long as it is available.

Therefore, if you are going to sell your timeshare, you must tell buyers all the information they need to know. Discuss it clearly with them.

You could also seek the help of Timeshare Resale Services. They have programs which will place advertisements in for you. They call these as “Ad-Listing.”

Being the seller, you need to have an exposure. That is exactly what those Timeshare Resale Services provide. With Ad-Listings, your timeshare is made available to the interest of other resale companies, rental companies and most importantly, potential buyers.

You could also opt that they hold an auction for your timeshare. Usually, Timeshare Resale Services conduct auctions each week, considering a lot of timeshare owners can not always use their week at that given point.

With Timeshare Resale Service’s advertising campaign, more people will be made aware of what you are selling. Their campaign covers newspapers, yellow pages, magazines, radio and even direct mail. Lately, the internet is also being used to announce the recent selling of timeshare.

Finally, you must be up on your toes whenever your timeshare is being evaluated. Like yourself, you must know how much your timeshare is worth. Some timeshare resale companies say that your timeshare is worth more than it really is and charge you way too high.

The key is selling your timeshare week for less than what the resort is selling. Mark it down around 20 to 50%.

Or if you’re up to it, you can just not sell it and donate it to charity. Thus it will reflect a write off on your tax return. If you want, you can also trade it in for another timeshare week at a different resort. You can actually trade what you have for something better.

Like what is mentioned earlier, timeshare is a business. And in a business, you always, always have to use your head.

Business Entities

2006-09-23T16:54:00.000-04:00

/Business Entity Options
By Nancy Woodward

When forming your new business structure, you must consider the best possible alternative of the available business structures. While a sole proprietorship is the easiest type to create, there is no separate identity. Personal liability belongs to the owner. Should there be a lawsuit, accident or you incur debts that you can’t repay, your personal assets are at risk.

The type of entity you choose should be based on careful consideration. Each state has specific rules for the structure of each type of entity. You should investigate the type of entity, the rules and laws pertaining to each in your state and at a federal level.

The choices are – sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability partnership, corporation, C corporation, S corporation, and LLCs. Sole proprietorship provides the least protection while corporations and LLCs offer limited personal liability for debts or judgments against the company.

When creating your entity, you should use an attorney to create written documentation of the entity’s organization and structure. Your attorney, accountant or CPA can advise you of the legal and all tax consequences of your choice. Doing a little research prior to contacting a professional will reduce the time spent with an expensive professional. Do your due diligence to protect yourself and your family.

Nancy Woodward is an accountant and real estate professional affiliated with “The Dream Team”. You can visit Nancy online at
Real Estate and
Mortgages

Find Resources to Help your improve

2006-09-20T12:37:00.000-04:00

Desktop Computers

2006-09-19T14:53:00.000-04:00

Desktop Computers
By Nan Wood

You will need some computing available if you plan to create your own business. Real Estate agents use computers daily for research and more. Most offices require computers to perform their word processing, as well as, their accounting tasks.

Both Laptop and Desktop computers are capable of all functions today. There are some advantages to buying desktops today.

Desktop computers are a great way to accomplish all your computer tasks while giving you high performance and a great price. Many people have been switching recently to laptops; however desktops still hold lots of advantages for many people.

If you are looking to buy a computer this year, don’t forget about a desktop computer. Most people are switching to laptop computers due to their portability and now easy access to the web.

Desktop computers will always be better at upgrading and swapping hard drives and other hardware. If you are a person that likes to work on their computer by adding cards, swapping hard drives or upgrading memory, desktop computers can’t be beat. They are easy to work on, have lots of room inside for upgrades and very easy to maintain.

Desktop computers are also more affordable than laptops. With desktops you don’t have to worry about the extra weight or extra heat given off by a component. Desktops are easy to upgrade and are easier to cool. If you are looking to buy a computer this year, don’t forget to check out desktop computers. The price for laptops is definitely higher and this may not be in your budget yet. There is a large selection of both laptops and desktop computers available on the market today.

Nan is an Accountant and Business Writer. She has information sites on line
BusinessTips and information for research on
RealEstate

Use MS to Create Presentations Easily

2006-09-15T09:02:00.000-04:00

Create Presentations Fast and Easy
by nan wood

If you need to communicate with people either regarding sales, training or to help show how your product works, presentations can be a powerful tool. There are a few applications available today that make it extremely easy to create professional presentations in only a few minutes, here are some tips.

One of the most popular presentation applications is MS PowerPoint. PowerPoint is extremely easy to use and powerful enough to make corporate, sales or training presentations look great and very persuasive. MS PowerPoint is intuitively easy to use and you can create an effective presentation in only a few minutes. Of course, if you have important information or would like to be extremely persuasive, MS PowerPoint has the power to include lots of graphs, images, sound files and editable features to truly customize your presentation to your audience.

MS PowerPoint is usually included in MS Office suite so it works seamlessly with MS Excel and MS Word. You can easily include spreadsheets and documents into your presentation with only a few clicks of your mouse. If you are looking for a great way to communicate your message to your audience, MS PowerPoint is just the tool that you are looking for.

In Business, Simple works Well

2006-09-02T16:34:00.000-04:00

Simplicity Can Help

For most entrepreneurs starting a small business can be a huge undertaking. Even the smallest business can require lots of time, labor and mental energy. If you are looking to succeed but feel defeated, here are some tips to empower yourself as well as your business.

Simplicity can sometimes be the key to your businesses success. Many entrepreneurs sometimes feel overwhelmed, because it is difficult to grasp many parts of their business, it is very helpful in these situations to take a step back and take a look at the big picture. Many entrepreneurs break things down until they are easier to understand. There are many different organizational tools that can be used to efficiently look and analyze your business to make better sense of it.

Sometime what entrepreneurs need is a mentor to talk to when things get rough and confusing. Mentors are a great way to get first hand knowledge on what might be wrong with your business and some possible tips to fix it. If you don’t have a mentor, there are plenty of resources where you can also find great commentary and talk to contemporaries, such as online forums. If you are finding your business difficult to run, look at the above tips.

Transcription Services

2006-08-23T12:55:00.000-04:00

Transcription Services
by Nan Wood

Are you good at typing? If you can type fast and have very good accuracy, you might be interested in performing transcription services from home. Transcription services are where people need you to type out a conversation from audio to a document. Sometimes transcription services require you to retype a document as well. If you have good typing skills and have good listening skills, transcription services can be a great work at home opportunity.

Transcription services are a great way to work a few hours a day or a few hours per week, depending on your schedule and you can usually make from $8 to $15 per hours which can add to your weekly spending money. There are many transcription companies available and many of them deal with students looking to transcribe their notes, lawyers looking to transcribe an interview and executives looking to transcribe their meetings or ideas.

You can find transcription services that need help either on internet job sites or by checking college bulletin boards. Many people usually can find steady work. If you have good typing skills and are looking for a great way to make some extra money only working a few hours per week take a look into work at home transcription services.

I have found these ideas have double uses. Perhaps you are in a business and need more time to devote to money making projects. Why not hire someone to do this work for you allowing you time for marketing your services.

Incorporation

2006-08-09T07:43:00.000-04:00

Easy Ways to Incorporate Your Business

If you are starting a small business, or have a small business that is starting to expand, you probably want to look into incorporating your business to make it a separate legal entity from yourself. Creating a corporation or LLC (Limited Liability Company) is a great way to lessen the liability that can occur if your business fails or another party sues your business. Here are some tips on some easy ways to incorporate your business.

Incorporating your business is actually a quite simple procedure. Many people can either incorporate their business on their own or have a lawyer incorporate your business for you.

If you decide to incorporate your business on your own, check out incorporation guide books that have all the information to incorporate your business in the state that you choose. You can easily complete the forms and send them to your government office. You can incorporate your business or start an LLC for less than $200 and that includes choosing your businesses name.

If you don’t feel like going it alone, you can hire a lawyer that will incorporate your business fast and easy. Most lawyers will charge you less than $500 and fill out the necessary paperwork as well as register your businesses name for you. So if you are looking to start a small business or expanding your present business, look into incorporating it.

Computers for Office Use

2006-08-06T18:50:00.000-04:00

Start Up Business Ideas

2006-08-05T12:16:00.000-04:00

Finding Start Up Business Ideas
by Nan Wood

If you are looking to start your own small business but don’t know what to sell, here are some tips on where to find great start up business ideas.

Many people fail to realize that there are thousands of great business ideas right in front of their eyes, you just have to know where to look. For instance, looking to find a great item to sell on large auction sites, the best place to find items to sell on auction sites is to look carefully at these sites. The best thing about Ebay is that all the sales data is right in front of you. Look through the different categories and find a product that is selling well.

You can look at how many of these products are selling, daily or weekly, how many merchants are selling this product, and how much money does each product usually sell for. Selling an item with this type of information makes the entire process much easier. This information is far too valuable to pass up. If you still have questions, hit the merchant forums. There are always interesting posts on how to find great products and to get the latest buzz on what categories are hot.

Ebay has a secion for What folks want right now. This is a good place to look for ideas. Check out the popularity of words in google and yahoo search. Yahoo has search marketing that I find very helpful as a research tool.

Use the tips above, brainstorm with your friends and go for it. An online business in particular is easy to start and very cost effective. Good Luck.

Law, Legal, Services for Legal Stuff

2006-08-04T12:14:00.000-04:00

Law Resources
by nancy

If you have a small business, one of the many areas that you usually need advice on is law. The law can be confusing at times and consulting with a lawyer will be a necessity. If you are looking for a great way to save on legal fees, here are some tips on law resources.

Most businesses need to consult with a lawyer from time to time on serious matters or trivial matters, however no matter what the circumstance; it can cost lots of money for face time with a lawyer. There are a few ways to save on legal fees; one of the ways is to subscribe to a law service. Law services are sort of like health care. You can subscribe each year and pay a monthly premium. If you need a law service, you can usually find services that are free or cost only a small co-payment for a specific service.

If you don’t want to sign up for a law service, but just need some general law documents such as contracts, wills, legal business letters, etc, you can usually find these documents all in one package for a low price. Many legal documents can be purchased in packaged software and is a fraction of the cost that it takes a lawyer to write up a document specifically for you. If you are looking for law resources, take a look at the above suggestions.

Setting Up a Small business

2006-08-02T08:12:00.000-04:00

Setting Up a Small Business
by Nan Wood

If you are an entrepreneur and trying to launch a business, you should first consider the costs and time necessary to set up your small business. Many entrepreneurs are ill prepared for the amount of time, energy and money many businesses cost to set up. Here are some tips on setting up a small business.

Just like everything else, preparation and organization matter in business. You can lose valuable time, money and energy if you don’t set up a plan of action when setting up your business. In fact, many entrepreneurs try to wing it. Unfortunately, setting up a business can be difficult and there are tons of unforeseen expenses that always pop up.

Some businesses never get off the ground because of unforeseen expenses and difficulties when setting up a business. It is not enough to plan out your product, customer base, advertising and budgets. Launching your small business is crucial and should take a lot of effort in order to get off on a good foot.

Many businesses forgo certain expenses because at the time it seems like a waste of money. It is important to be cautious with your money, but don’ forgo necessary expenses that later down the road can make or break your business. If you are setting up a small business, take a look at the above suggestions in order to help your business succeed.

Nan is an Accountant and business writer.

Business Resources

2006-08-01T12:07:00.000-04:00

Business Resources
by Nan Wood

If you are a small business person looking to succeed, there are a tremendous amount of resources available to you. Starting or running a business can be extremely difficult and require you to wear lots of hats. Not being proficient in all areas of your business can cause you limited success. If you truly want to succeed, here are some resources that can help.

There are plenty of resources available, from small business magazines to business forums, to organizations that help small business out. No matter what your business field or industry, you can find great resources.

For people that like to get insightful and inspirational information you can always pick up a handful of magazines or business newspapers. Forums are also a great choice for businesses looking to speak with other entrepreneurs and either ask questions, comment on events or help others out by answering questions.

Small business organizations are also a great resource. Whether it is a professional organization, small business association or a non profit community service that works with businesses, you can find lots of grass roots organizations that are willing to help make your business successful. If you are looking for great business resources, take a look at the above web sites.

Nan is an Accountant, Real Estate Professional and Business Writer. She is online with information on RealEstate

You can improve your insurance rates

2006-07-30T13:56:00.000-04:00

Get Better Rates

If you own a home, drive a car or have a family, you probably have some sort of insurance policy. Most people usually have car insurance, home insurance or life insurance. Insurance can very expensive costing you and your family hundreds of dollars each month, if you would like to save on insurance here are some great suggestions.

No matter what kind of insurance product you are looking for, you can save big. Many people don’t realize that many insurance products are quite similar but can cost much more based solely on the amount of commission the insurance agent makes. If you want to save on insurance, you can find low cost insurance rates on almost any insurance product fast and easy online.

Finding online insurance rates is very simple. Many companies can offer you very low insurance rates for almost any type of insurance product. You can find that you can easily save hundreds of dollars per month on life insurance or car insurance just by searching for rates.

There are many web sites that compare dozens of insurance company’s rates on similar products. Why give an insurance company thousands of dollars extra a year for the same insurance coverage. So if you are looking for great insurance rates, compare them online.

Nan is an Accountant, Real Estate Professional. She is a Business writer online
Whooknew

Credit, Loans, Financing

2006-07-29T12:46:00.000-04:00

Credit offers - Credit companies offer more credit

2006-07-27T13:18:00.000-04:00

Credit Offers – Credit companies offer more cards
By Nan Wood

Credit companies have stepped up the pace. I thought it was just my imagination until I read a recent article on the subject. I receive an offer a day for new credit cards or increases in credit lines.

In the past year, credit companies have mailed more than 6 billion solicitations. This is a record event. Approximately .3 percent of these offers were actually accepted. This represents 18 million offers.

The offers are being sweetened with freebies, rebates and rewards. There are now cards that rebate five percent of the money you spend on gasoline purchases. A card issued by American Dream Card is matching your spending with lottery tickets. Spend $100 and get the same amount in lottery tickets.

Of course, this provides an enticement to use your card. When the month is over, you must pay the balance or begin incurring interest. Since many companies charge eighteen percent interest, you have lost more than your rebate and lottery tickets while incurring an ongoing debt.

According to Mail Monitor, a unit of Synovate, a consumer research company, last year fifty eight percent offered rewards worth several pennies on the dollar. Many companies are now aggressively promoting cards with the images consumers love – such as sports teams, colleges and more. Studies have shown that consumers care more about rewards than interest rates.

In the event you are in the group of consumers who pay their bill in full at the end of each month, then take advantage of the rewards and rebates. If you are not in this group, then take care. Your bill is due in full at the end of your billing cycle, or you will find yourself making payments for some time to pay off the bill. Use due diligence in investigating the offer before you accept it and start spending your future earnings.

Nan is an Accountant and Real Estate Professional. She is a business writer in her field of expertise.
Visit MortgageLoan for information and online resources.

Credit offers - Credit companies offer more credit

2006-07-27T13:17:00.000-04:00

Real Esate - Condos are becoming Single Family Vacation Homes

2006-07-26T12:09:00.000-04:00

Real Estate -Condos are becoming Single Family Vacation Homes
By Nan Wood

Nationally condos have become almost as popular as single family homes for vacation properties. Many families consider their second home as a means of diversifying their portfolio. While the trend is picking up in Wisconsin, the appeal has always been toward cottages and cabins.

Buyers believe that owning homes in two entirely different markets increases the chance that their total equity will continue growing. They also have the advantage of more liquidity. If needed, they could sell one of the homes and live in the other.

The difference in the buying habits today is that buyers are looking for the appreciation in value of the property rather than looking to rent the property. Buyers are also not looking to repair or maintain their vacation property. The trend is leaning toward one of convenience. For these reasons, buyers are vying toward new construction.

Buyers don’t want to work. They are buying these properties to visit them and relax in a different environment. Currently Baby boomers are driving this trend. Since they have more disposable income than prior generations had, this trend could continue for some time.

Nan is an Accountant, Real Estate Professional and Business Writer. She has an information site for RealEstate
And an Auction site
RealEstateAuction

Getting Out of Debt

2006-07-25T13:56:00.000-04:00

Get Out of Debt
by Nancy Woodward

If you are in debt, then you know the feeling, the stress, the anxiety, and the calls from creditors and letters from banks. If you are in debt then, the first thing you would like to do is run away from the problem. However, you don’t have to run away from your debt, here are some tips for getting out of debt.

Many people don’t realize that they are going into debt, they realize once they are in debt there is a problem. If you realize that you are in debt, don’t panic. First it is necessary to understand your expenses and your income.

Create a budget to know exactly how much can be spent each month.
How much do I have available to pay to your creditors.
Contact your creditors. Discuss a plan.
Stick to the plan.

It is highly advisable to contact your creditors and tell them that you are having financial difficulties. They are more than likely to work with you instead of bark at you for their money. If you are willing to work with them, they see it as that you’re more reliable to pay them back.

Stick to your budget, and pay back the most to the highest interest accruing debts first. By paying the highest interest accounts first, you are able to save money in the long run and get out of debt faster. If you require more information then talk to a lawyer or a debt consultant. But if you are in debt, don’t run, do something about it.

If you make a conscious effort to contact your credits and make arrangements, you may be able to stall a negative impact on your credit history. Ask your creditors to work with you. If you have a clean credit history and show a diligence to rectify your problem, your creditors may be willing to work with you.

If all fails, there are companies who work with debtors to help them repay their loans. These companies deal with the creditors to facilitate your debt repayment. They will charge you a fee for this service but using a professional may be the best route. Consider the possibilities and develop a plan.

Nancy Woodward is an accountant and real estate professional affiliated with “The Dream Team”. She is working online at
MortgageFinacning and
RealEstate.

Start a Samll Importing Business

2006-07-24T19:30:00.000-04:00

Start a Small Import Business
by Nan Wood

We live in a small world. Let’s face it, over the past 50 years our world has gotten smaller and smaller. With the rise of the internet and telecommunications, it is not only much easier to contact people all over the world, but to do business with them as well.
For most of us in American, the majority of products that we now buy are from overseas. They are imports and the businesses that are bringing these products into this country are becoming extremely successful and profitable. How can you share in the profits- its easy start an Import Business.

Don’t worry if you don’t have the capital for a huge warehouse. I am talking about a small home based business where you can sell you imported products over the web on either your independent web site or a popular auction site such as EBay. There are many sites that try to connect you with manufacturers all over the world. Many people jump to connect with businesses in China and Taiwan, because there products are extremely cheap, sometimes pennies on the dollar.

For instance, A great product to sell are cell phone accessories. Chargers and holsters which cost about $10 to $15 dollars in the store are literally less than 25 cents or less from overseas. The problem is where do you find these companies

There are many directories that have sprouted in the last few years. One of the biggest directories that bring manufacturers and sellers together is Alibaba.com. This is a great site to get started on because it is filled with products and companies from all over the world that would like to connect with you. They have a large listing of many different products which can easily be sold online for a great price and profit. Other sites are not that well known and will need you to do some research. Many companies overseas have websites that are not only in their own language but also made for English speakers who would like to purchase their products.

So, if you’re interested in extremely cheap products that can be sold for a good profit, take a look at buying the products from overseas and importing them into the country.

Hiring affordable labor

2006-07-23T19:05:00.000-04:00

Hiring Affordable Labor
by Nan Wood

Hiring affordable labor is almost a necessity for many small businesses. While most entrepreneurs would love to be able to pay more for their labor, sometimes their financial condition and budget doesn’t allow it. If you are a small business looking to hire affordable labor, here are some tips.

For most businesses labor is absolutely essential. Not only is labor essential for most service oriented business, but many times recruiting labor, training labor and dealing labor can be a huge headache. While recruiting can be time consuming, it is absolutely necessary to prepare to ask recruits important questions to make sure they are able to perform the job in a satisfactory manner. Many people that apply for a job, especially if it is a low paying job, just do it for a paycheck and are usually not enthusiastic. Make sure you show them respect and appreciation, this may help their performance level to increase.

Finding affordable labor will depend on your business. For many online ecommerce businesses, you can hire a person from anywhere in the country or around the world for that matter, however if you provide a service in your area, you will probably have to put an ad in the local newspaper, internet job site or post a sign in front of your business. It is also helpful to ask around. Many people hire others through word of mouth. If you are looking to hire affordable labor, keep in mind the difficulties and try to avoid pitfalls of hiring the wrong person. Check out the above tips as well as the many resources available.

Nan is an Accountant, Real Estate Professional and Business Writer.

Make Sure a home-based Business Fits Your Lifestyle

2006-07-18T20:12:00.000-04:00

Make Sure a Home Based Business Fits Your Lifestyle
by Nan Wood

If you’re in need of additional income but your schedule requires you to stay at home, then you should look into a home based business.

Many people have found that home based businesses are effective in adding additional income while being flexible enough to go about your important schedule. Most people think that home based businesses are full of get rich schemes, this is partially true. However, for someone that is willing to do the research and find the right opportunity a home based business can be extremely profitable and satisfying. Here are some tips on home based businesses.

Make sure you research a product fully before you put down a lot of hard earned money on a product or business that disappoints. Most people get caught up in how much money they will make and don’t put enough thought in the product and the work that is involved.

Ask for a guarantee. Many businesses will offer you a guarantee that if you are not satisfied with their business or product than they will refund your money. Most guarantees range from one month to 90 days.

Check out what other people say about the product or business, you can check forums for opinions, the better business bureau to see if there are any complaints or ask the business
for references.

Remember, it’s your money, so spend it wisely. Most home based businesses are great opportunities; you just have to make sure they are great opportunities that fit your lifestyle.

Nan is an Accountant, Real Estate Professional and a Business Writer. Visit her online RealEstateLady

competing with Big Business

2006-07-18T20:04:00.000-04:00

Competing with Big Business
by nan Woodward

If you are a small business or developing an internet web site that will sell products and services, the chances are you will go head to head with many larger businesses. With so many large businesses and corporations trying to sell their products and services over the internet, it can seem very difficult to make inroads. However with a few internet tools, you can compete with big businesses and make a healthy profit.

Whether you are selling on Ebay, developing an ecommerce site or creating web sites for ad dollars, you can compete with big businesses and still survive comfortably. Ebay has always been a bastion for entrepreneurs and most large companies won’t sell on Ebay due to the fact that many people look for unique or used items or figure it is too expensive for them to sell on Ebay because profits are sometimes razor thin. You can set up a business on Ebay very easily and sell unique T-shirts to phone accessories to antiques. .

Competing with big business via web sites is surprisingly level as well. While many web sites draw millions of visitors a month, you can easily create a blog or web site that has thousands of visitors a month and very quickly make a living off the advertising income. Many web developers create content sites for the sole purpose of selling affiliate products or text advertising using Google AdSense. No matter what your choice of internet business, you can easily compete with big businesses online with web sites and auction sites.

Real Estate Houses - Foam and Concrete Walls?

2006-07-17T18:17:00.000-04:00

Real Estate Houses – Foam and Concrete Walls?
By Nan Wood

I heard that houses are being made with concrete/foam block walls. This newer technology increases the energy efficiency, security and strength of houses. This new design is part of a construction method called stay-in-place-forms or insulated-concrete forms.

This construction creates one of the strongest and most energy-efficient houses that are possible today. The walls can resist hurricane force winds. Concrete itself is not a good insulator. When the concrete is encased in foam, you gain energy efficiency. The concrete itself provides the strength and helps reduce the amount of noise that penetrates the walls of the house.

Energy efficiency is enhanced when air leakage in and out of the house is reduced. Since the house is built with concrete, it will remain airtight over time since concrete does not settle. While the walls will be thicker than normal, this won’t be noticeable. Should you look closely at the window and door openings, you will see they are slightly wider.

Currently there are several designs of houses available. One company has a system you can use for floors. The cost will be determined by the quality of the insulation that is used. The higher level will cost more. As the technology catches on and is used more, the costs associated with it will decrease.

Nan is an Accountant and Real Estate Professional. Visit
Whooknew for more information and resources on modern things. Visit
RealEstate for Real Estate research.

Real Estate Sales

2006-07-16T17:39:00.000-04:00

Real Estate Sales and Condo Developments -Seniors are being forced to move as their world is transformed into a condo.
By Nan Wood

The rage in real estate is the conversion of rental units into Condos. Developers are buying up buildings with rental apartments in them and converting them into condominiums. According to the National Association of Realtors, this trend began in 2004 and by the end of 2005 more than 260,000 apartments were converted into condo units.

Tenants are always vulnerable to a sale or conversion of their rental units. The economy is driving this trend. Condo units are affordable housing for the families who are priced out of single family homes. Unfortunately, many older tenants can’t afford to buy their unit or just choose not to become a mortgagee again. They downsized their living in many cases to make life easier in their advancing years.

For seniors it is very stressful to have their lives disrupted this way. This changes the future into an unknown grey zone and has the potential to make them ill. They are accustomed to their environment, friends, and way of life. Many sold their homes years ago and moved into rental units to live more simply.

There are no federal laws to protect renters in this situation. State and local laws vary state by state. Conversion laws generally state tenants must be notified and given the right to purchase their units. They must have adequate time to relocate themselves.

I am sure today’s seniors did not expect to be moving at this age. In the past, families took care of their aging parents and relatives. While the social atmosphere has changed, this practice seems too harsh. Consider the future - as baby boomers age, they will face this same threat. How can they overcome the problem? The vast pool of baby boomers will make this problem a greater social issue in the future.

Nan is an Accountant and Real Estate Professional. She is writing articles related to social and economic change. Visit Condo for more resources. Real Estate auctions can be found at
RealEstateAuctions

Mortage Loans - The timeline is growing

2006-07-15T13:19:00.000-04:00

Mortgage Loans – The timeline is growing – 40 and 50 year loans are here
By Nan Wood

Loans in the real estate arena are extending. While this has become the norm in the auto industry, the trend is beginning in the real estate financing and refinancing arena. The reason is the higher costs of purchasing homes. The real estate boom has provided double-digit appreciation to homeowners.

Since a larger down payment would be an answer to making the mortgage affordable, many families are not in a position to make a large enough deposit. Young families don’t have the income to save enough. They are working hard to pay the bills they currently have.

Traditionally car loans ran for a period of three or four years. Today there are loans in the five, six and seven year range. So it is not surprising the mortgage loan programs are now extending their payment periods. Longer time periods allow for smaller mortgage payments when incomes are lower.

In California, lenders are introducing fifty-year terms. Since California’s real estate is among the highest priced in the country, lenders are proactively looking for ways to make mortgages more affordable. This will open up the market to more younger families. A typical mortgage payment in California is two or three times the average rent. Each family must decide if the risk is worth taking when they take on one of these long term loans.

Since more interest in paid on the longer term mortgages, higher tax deductions are possible. Investigate the options and possibilities. Contact professionals and ask their opinion, do your due diligence before making a decision.

Nan is an Accountant with an online presence
MortgageLoans This site provides you with resources to do your research.

Should I refinance my mortage now?

2006-07-15T12:37:00.000-04:00

Mortgage Loans – Should I Refinance Now with Rates Increasing?
By Nan Wood

When rates are rising should you consider refinancing your mortgage loan? When rates are falling this is a moot question. Of course you should consider doing a refinance whether it be a fixed loan or home equity loan. When rates are rising you should, in my opinion, only consider refinancing if you want to take cash out of the equity in your home or if you feel now is the time to lock in a fixed rate.

If the market appears to be on a longer rise, locking in a fixed rate now can save you money in the future. Homeowners with adjustable rate mortgages can rise at the end of the initial low rate ARMs charge for the first twelve months. This currently means your rate can rise 2.75 points or so based on your original agreement. This translates to much higher payments than you currently are paying.

When refinancing, you should take the actual cost of refinancing into consideration. The amount of money you spend to arrange the financing takes time to recoup. Are you planning to live in your property long enough for this to be a wise decision now? If not, I would suggest looking for very low cost home equity loans. If you have a good working arrangement with your Banker, he can perhaps get your costs reduced on a home equity line of credit or loan. Just ask, it does not cost you money to investigate the possibilities.

If you are in a position that requires you have a fixed mortgage payment to maintain your peace of mind, then you should do it. Rates rise for a while, then remain stable for a while before they start coming down. A shift in the market attitude and consumer spending will have to happen for the Fed to reduce rates.

Ask questions, seek out your friends who are knowledgeable, talk to your bankers or investment people, just do something. You can reduce your mortgage payment or just get a fixed payment if that is your goal.

Nan is an Accountant and Real Estate Professional. Visit her
MortgageFinance for more information and online resources for your research.

Credit Scores and Credit Reports

2006-07-13T16:25:00.000-04:00

Credit Reports and Credit Scores – Get a free report once a year and monitor the information contained in it.
By Nancy Woodward

In 2005, the FACT ACT went into effect. This ACT gave you the right to obtain a credit report a year from each of the three major credit bureaus, Equifax, Trans-Union, and Experian. These agencies have set up a central location for you to do this:

AnnualCreditReport.com

Once you have obtained your reports, you can verify the information. Since a credit report is a listing of how much credit you have available, how much you actually owe and how you paid the obligations you incurred in the past, it is used by potential lenders to evaluate your standing.

You need to review this report carefully. Verify the accuracy of all the information carefully. Are the balances of your accounts correct? Is the list of lenders accurate? Have you closed accounts and is this information reported? Are you aware of all inquiries listed on the report? Is the basic information accurate: name, address, Social Security number?

The accuracy of this information is vital to your credit life. If there are listings for credit cards, loans or any other transaction that you are not familiar with, you could be a victim of identity theft. Should you note a serious problem, contact the fraud department and request an alert be placed in your credit report. This will stop all accounts from being opened without the lender contacting you first.

Should you find that your credit rating is lower than you expected, you can improve this score. Steps to help you do this:

1. Make a list of lenders and the balances you owe them.
2. Determine how much disposable income you currently have to pay these bills.
3. Make a list of the lenders you would like to eliminate – those with small balances.
4. Pay additional amounts to those lenders you have decided to eliminate first.
5. After you have eliminated one, work on the next bill.

Overtime, you will pay your bills more promptly, owe less money and, although it will take time, you will improve your credit score. Then when you search for credit, you will find lower interest rates and have an easier time obtaining it.

Nancy Woodward is an Accountant and Real Estate Professional online RealEstate

Entrepreneurs - Find information in the Library

2006-07-12T12:35:00.000-04:00

Entrepreneurs – Find Information in the Library’s Extensive Online Resources
By Nan Wood

Libraries are a great place to go when you are seeking information for your business. Not only can you find books to help you start your business, run your business, create a business plan, locate other potential business customers and so much more. Added to this resource is the fast information available on the internet.

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh has an area on its Web site for business. Visit www.carnegielibrary.org/locations/downtown. I found a lot of information on creating and writing business plans. For the new entrepreneur, this subject is one of the hardest to get around.

According to Leslie Burger, president of the American Library Association, libraries are tailing a lot of what they do specifically to what’s going on in their geographic areas in terms of economic development.

When considering a new business, you must consider what you want to do, who else is doing it, where they are located, where you would like to locate your business and how do I write a business plan.

Many libraries have additional databases, journals and directories to help you. Online there are resources for creating forms and seeing samples and much more. When visiting the library, asking the librarian for help getting started can save time and get faster results. Good luck with your research.

Nan Wood is an Accountant and Real Estate professional online with BuisnessTips

Business Resources

2006-07-12T12:00:00.000-04:00

Real Estate - make small improvements

2006-07-10T13:12:00.000-04:00

Real Estate – Small improvements to your home can be substantial.
By Nan Wood

I just read a fabulous article on this subject. I’ve personally always thought of home improvements as – a major job. I can see dirt and dust flying as sanders, routers and more buzz.

Every time I have had work done to my home, the contractor told me to dump the fixtures and start over. I don’t understand why I must always eliminate perfectly good fixtures and install new ones.

Well, this fabulous article I read suggests I keep my ‘old goodies’. Wonderful, I like that idea so much better. I will save money and still spruce up the place. Where should you begin you ask? Well, here you go:

1. Try cleaning and repainting your kitchen cabinets. Change the hardware.

2. Change the bulbs in your light fixtures. Add lights to an existing ceiling fan.

3. Change the shades on your lamps. Update their appearance.

4. Try using shutters or wood blinds on your windows and eliminate your curtains.

5. Do some painting. Try something modern for a different look.

6. Change the hardware in your sinks and perhaps your bathroom fixtures.

7. Try some crown molding in the kitchen. The same effect will change the entire look of a dining area.

8. Try decorative painting or faux finish where applicable.

Even these changes will make a major difference in the overall appearance of your home. Painting a porch or front door will spruce up your entrance immensely. Just remember you don’t want to go with the new trend. Now that you are updating, do it with an eye to the future.

Nan is an Accountant and RealEstateLady with an interest in Lighting and home repairs.

Staging houses help Real Estate Sales

2006-07-09T19:08:00.000-04:00

Real Estate Listings – Staging Houses is Gaining in Popularity
By Nan Wood

Holding Open house events is one of the ways Real Estate Agents use to sell houses. Recently I had the pleasure of meeting one of the owners of Show & Sell. This team set up their own business staging homes for sale.

They work to accentuate a home’s positive features and minimize the negative features. This increases its attractiveness to potential buyers. The team sells their services to the public by advising sellers on how to show a home properly. Of course, they also offer their services to set up the house.

For more than twenty years, staging has been popular on the West Coast. The International Association of Home Staging Professsionals cites a study saying the average unstaged home spends more than five months unsold, while houses that are staged after being on the market sell in an average of 14 days. While I have not verified the accuracy of this statement, I must conclude that homes staged by a professional will sell faster.

While staging is certainly an investment, perhaps owners who can’t make this investment, can have a consulting service look at their home and make suggestions. Show & Sell provide this service in Atlantic County, New Jersey.

If you are one of the owners who does this themselves, consider the following:

1. Reduce clutter. Clutter reduces equity.

2. Remove personal effects.

3. Improve your curb appeal.

4. Paint those dreary rooms.

5. Do your spring cleaning.

6. Turn the lights on when the house is being shown.

7. Check other houses for sale in your area to determine what others are doing.

You can improve your chances of selling even if the market is slowing. Do your due diligence prior to putting up your ‘for sale sign’.

Nan is an Accountant and RealEstateProfessional affiliated with “The Dream Team”. She suggests you visit Auctions and check out sales in other areas.

Home Remodeling - Home remodeling is on the rise.

2006-07-08T12:43:00.000-04:00

Home Remodeling – Home remodeling is definitely on the rise.
By Nan Wood

The Real Estate market has been moving forward at a fast pace. This market has begun slowing down a bit. Homeowners now appear to be staying home and adding onto their current home.

The long term growth in this area has been 5%. Currently the rise in the first quarter of this year is 4.5%. Impressive to say the least. This represents spending of $155 billion more than the amount spent in the previous 12 months.

The frenzy in home buying is definitely slowing down. Normally the spending associated with purchasing a new home usually lags behind. David A Seiders, chairman of the home builders group, says “The run-up in home sales during the past five years will fuel remodeling growth in the next several years, and the long-term growth looks very solid as well.”

This trend will provide more jobs in the home remodeling industry, including those entrepreneurs in the market place. The Kitchen and Bath Industry Show in Chicago seemed to indicate the growth seems to be in the upper end of the market. Big ticket manufacturers report 20 to 25 percent increase in the sales for the first quarter of 2006.

Many new products debut at the Kitchen and Bath Shows and May’s National Hardware Shows. Consumers are sure to find what fits their needs.

Another trend in the market place is using Glass Block to decorate the indoor and outdoor areas of homes and businesses. Glass block has been used in showers and windows for bathrooms in higher priced housing. Home owners are only limited by their imagination when considering this durable material.

Homeowners are not limited in finding new ways to remodel their homes. Changing cabinets, adding lighting, updating bathrooms can definitely improve the value and comfort of a home.

Nan Wood is an Accountant and RealEstate

Mortgage Loans - FICO Scores count

2006-07-06T16:22:00.000-04:00

Mortgage loans – Obtaining Mortgage Loans Depends on FICO scores
By Nan Wood

FICO Scores were developed by Fairlsaac Corporation. Fairlsaac is a leader in the credit-management arena. Their development has become an industry standard for determining an individual’s credit worthiness. The score is determined by payment history, credit history, which includes how many credit inquires have been made on you over a period of time, how much credit you have actually used and what kind of credit you are using.

The score grades your history. It provides a snapshot of how you make your payments. If you make your payments timely, you will have a low credit risk score. The FICO score shows on credit reports. If you score is lower than 500, you pay a premium to obtain a mortgage. If your score is above 700, you can obtain better interest rates.

Ways to increase your score are:

1. Pay your bills on time. Late payments reflect negatively on your score.

2. Pay your medical bills. If you account is turned over to a collection agency, this will have a negative impact on your score.

3. Pay your school loans. In addition to reflecting negatively on your score, the government will find you and force you to pay this obligation.

4. Since the number of inquires impacts your score, less is better. The assumption is that more inquires indicate you have been turned down for credit.

You can obtain your credit report yearly from each of the three major credit reporting agencies. Federal law makes this possible. The report will lay out your credit history for you to review. Correct all errors. When you find an error, notify the creditor and all three reporting agencies. The credit must send a letter for the mistake to be rectified. You need to stay on top of this process. Finding adverse credit issues when you actually need to obtain credit will hinder your ability to obtain financing.

Mortgage lenders look for at least three open credit accounts older than a year. Maintaining long term accounts will help you immensely. Pay your bills on time. Pay high credit card debt and pay off interest loans first. Don’t use your credit card to its limit.

You can seek a pre-qualified loan for a mortgage before you seek housing. This process is usually verbal and often free of charge. Once you have a pre-approved mortgage, you can complete and application easily. This is a legal loan agreement which should expedite the closing on your home. Of the two – pre-approval and pre-qualified, the best is pre-approved. This approval gives you an idea of your buying power and determines what you can actually afford.

Your Real Estate agent can guide you in the right direction to start your process of applying for loans.

Nan Wood is a RealEstateAgent and Accountant. Visit Real Estate Directoryfor more online resources.

Mortgage Loans - Real Estate Loans

2006-07-02T17:17:00.000-04:00

Real Estate – Mortgage Loans - Find the Right Mortgage for Your Needs
By Nancy Woodward

If you are looking to buy a new home, condo or piece of property, it is important to find the right mortgage in order to get a low mortgage rate and mortgage terms that fit your budget and lifestyle. Today, there are many mortgage products that people can choose from.

Gone are the days that 30 year mortgages and 15 year mortgages were the only mortgage products on the market, today you can find almost a dozen types of products that can fit your budget or situation.

With mortgage rates starting to rise, there is now renewed interest and an increase in competition among mortgage companies offering their customers many types of products. Some of the mortgage products being offered include 40 and 50 year mortgages, adjustable rate mortgage and interest only mortgage. With so many types of products, more home buyers are able to secure a mortgage and buy a home of their dreams.

Although there are many types of mortgages, it is still important to shop around and find the right mortgage that fits your budget and lifestyle. You can create hardship for yourself if you choose the wrong type of mortgage. Many homebuyers try to go for the lowest rates even though down the road your interest rates can rise and cripple your ability to pay your mortgage possibly causing you to default on the loan. Keep in mind the different products and talk to your accountant and family about finding the right mortgage that fits your needs.

Nancy is an Accountant and Real Estate Professional. Visit her online site RealEstateLoan

Start Saving

2006-06-30T16:52:00.000-04:00

Start Saving!
By Nan Wood

So you are loaded down with bills to pay each month and are wondering how you can begin a savings account for emergencies and other high-expense endeavors. In other words, where can you find that extra cash to put away for later?

Firstly, when configuring your budge, plan for your savings first. You will grow richer each month if you begin to pay yourself first. Before paying any bills, decide on a set amount that you will pay yourself first—maybe five or ten percent—or whatever you decide—of your paycheck. Then, deposit the amount into a savings account before paying any bills.

When you do this at the beginning of the month, your entire paycheck will not suddenly slip through your fingers. If you wait until the end of the month, there may be nothing left to save. Paying yourself first will give you a systematic way to make your money grow. Regardless of your profession or your income, this system will work if you stick to it.
Another technique you may try for saving money is to empty your extra change into a coffee can or a jar each day. At the end of the month, roll the coins and put them into your savings account. You may be able to save 30 or 40 dollars each month just with your spare change.

Remember that good money management is more than just a mathematical formula. It’s too closely tied with the ups and downs of living to be just that. Your money management plan is always subject to change if your life situation changes. The object of a good budget is to make your money go the farthest in helping you reach your goals, it is not there to force to you to abide by rules.

Don’t get discouraged if the budget plan doesn’t work perfectly right away. It may involve some revising and editing until it fits your needs. Then, make sure to review it often, and be sure it is making the best use of every penny! Because we know how helpful those spare pennies can be!

Nan is an Accountant and Real Estate Professional RealEstateLady

Cut Back on Spending

2006-06-30T16:51:00.000-04:00

Cut Back on Spending
By Nan Wood

At first it may seem difficult to limit spending and stick to a budget, however there are a few practical changes that you can make everyday that will cut you’re spending more than you expect.

Firstly, alter credit car behavior. Start to pay cash whenever possible. This will help you avoid making a purchase unless you actually have the money available. If you decide to make a credit card purchase, be prepared to pay the balance off monthly. This will save a lot of money through avoiding interest charges. If you already have a credit card balance, then transfer to a card with a low interest rate. Also, find a card that does not charge an annual fee.

Another tip is to pack your lunch everyday. All of those lunch hours spent at restaurants will add up. Bringing your own lunch can save you several dollars every day, which will add up over time.

Use your cell phone during off peak hours. Some people will spend a couple hundred dollars a month on phone charges. Avoid this by making most calls during off peak times. Check with your service and plan to find out when you have cheaper or unlimited calls.

Stop throwing away the Sunday newspaper before skimming through the advertisements. Clip some of those coupons and check out the sales. This may seem tedious, but the savings are often worth it. Many stores will double or triple the amount of the coupon. This technique can save you up to 20 or 30 dollars each time you head to the food store.

Additionally, refinance. Mortgage rates have been extremely low over the past year. This has been a great opportunity to reduce the monthly house payment significantly. If you are planning to have your house paid off prior to retirement, then you may want to factor this in before refinancing.

Finally, bundle your insurance. Many insurance companies will offer their customers lower rates if they purchase multiple policies. For instance, some people use the same agent for multiple cars, and others combine their cars and house. Always keep in mind that a dollar here and there really begins to add up. Avoid the temptation of thinking that changing your spending habits wouldn’t save that much money.

Nan is an Accountant and Real Estate Professional RealEstateLady

Create and Maintain your Budget

2006-06-30T16:40:00.000-04:00

Create and Maintain a Budget
By Nan Wood

The first step to avoiding the troubles of financial debt is to create and maintain a budget. It’s not as intimidating as it sounds, don’t worry.

First off, create a list of all your monthly income and also a list of your monthly expenses. When determining income, list all sources including alimony, child support, side jobs, etc. In calculating expenses, be sure to include housing, food, transportation, utilities, entertainment, etc. To gain an accurate reflection of actual expenses, sit down each night and write down expenses, just make sure to save receipts. Determine if your income covers all of your expenses. If the answer is no, then some expenses need to be reduced.

Adjust expenses. If it is a small discrepancy, it may mean reducing some minor expenses like entertainment or cell phone plan. If the deficit is larger, you may need to downsize your vehicle or living arrangements. If your income covers all of your expenses, you still may want to trim some of the excess fat off your spending habits. This can free up extra money for things such as vacations or college funds for your children.

Additionally, consider if you need to add new categories. Some areas that are often overlooked are debt reduction, emergency savings funds, and retirement savings. An emergency fund ensures there is an adequate amount available to cover unforeseen events (car emergency, etc), should it arise. This will eliminate the need for using credit which can quickly damage your budget.

There are several advantages to sticking to your budget. Firstly, most people have set financial goals that they would like to reach in the future. Sometimes it may be a trip, a brand new car, or a college education. A budget can help people save money to make these goals a reality. Additionally, many people are crushed under heavy consumer debt. Without a disciplined pattern of spending, it is virtually impossible to make much headway in reducing debt. A personal budget will provide the necessary framework to begin eliminating these inflated account balances.

If executed properly, a budget will allow a person to simultaneously meet their expenses, place money into savings, and pay back outstanding debts. Therefore, it is anyone’s best interest to create and implement a budget.

Nan is an Accountant and Real Estate Professional RealEstateLady

Home Prices in New Jersey are Skyrocketing

2006-06-25T14:34:00.000-04:00

Home Prices in New Jersey are Skyrocketing
By Nan Wood

Home prices in New Jersey have been skyrocketing for some time now. Unfortunately, the average income has not been doing so. In 1995, the median single-family home in the Atlantic City area was approximately four times the average annual income in the area. It price is now more than eight times the average income in the area.

Home prices are just too expense for many workers, especially the first time buyers. Average income in Atlantic County was approximately $32,000 a year in 2004. The average income for the State of New Jersey at that time was $$41,000 a year. So many people are looking for houses at inflated prices while they live on lower personal incomes. Prices of homes rose 22.5% in 2005, while wages rose 3.6% . This translates to workers in South Jersey are spending a larger portion of their income on housing costs.

Here are a few ways to increase the chances of starting out:

1. Buy a townhouse or condominium first. Prices are generally lower for this type of housing.
2. Buy a house that requires work. You can buy a house at lower prices when you are willing to do the work it requires to bring it up to your standard.
3. Consider buying a home with a loan from relatives, thereby lowering your interest costs.
4. Consider buying your home with family members to reduce the cost to both of you.
5. Pay down your existing loans, credit cards to reduce your overall debt before you start looking for your new home.

If you work with a Real Estate Professional and explain your current situation, they can help you move forward. Your agent can suggest you get a pre-approval for a mortgage which will help you determine what you can afford.

You should not make any larger purchases prior to buying your new home. That new car you need that requires a loan should wait until after your own your home. Work with a Real Estate Professional – your new home is out there.

Nan is an Accountant and Real Estate Professional. She works with ‘The Dream Team’ in South Jersey. RealEstateLady
MortgageFinancing

Find the Right Mortgage Loan

2006-06-25T14:04:00.000-04:00

Four Steps to Getting Out of Debt

2006-06-25T13:57:00.000-04:00

Four Steps to Getting out of Debt
By Nancy Woodward

If you are in debt, then you know the feeling, the stress, the anxiety, and the calls from creditors and letters from banks. If you are in debt then the first thing you would like to do is run. However, you don’t have to run away from your debt, here are some tips for getting out of debt.

Many people don’t realize that they are going into debt, they realize once they are in debt. If you realize that you are in debt don’t panic, first it is necessary to understand your expenses and your income. Create a budget to know exactly how much can be spent each month and how much money you have to pay back creditors.

1. Contact your creditors. It is highly advisable to contact your creditors and tell them that you are having financial difficulties. They are more than likely to work with you instead of bark at you for their money. If you are willing to work with them they see it as that you’re more reliable to pay them back.

2. Create a budget that is realistic. Stick to your budget.

3. Pay the largest amount back to the highest interest accruing debts first. By paying the highest interest accounts first you are able save money in the long run and get out of debt faster.

4. If you can't handle all of the above, contact a professional. If you require more information then talk to a lawyer or a debt consultant.

But if you are in debt, don’t run away from the problem, do something about it. You can repay your debts and bring your credit score into a good zone. Just take one step at a time.

Nancy Woodward is an accountant and real estate professional affiliated with “The Dream Team”. Visit Nancy online at
Real Estate and
Mortgage Loan

Find an office

2006-06-24T21:12:00.000-04:00

Find an Office
By Nancy Woodward

If you are thinking of expanding or would like to set up a home base, for most small businesses finding an office makes sense. Most offices for small businesses are surprisingly affordable and can be much a more effective work environment than working from home.

While many people love working from home, if you think your work productivity lacks because you are constantly being distracted at home, you may find finding an office is the perfect answer. Office’s for a few people or even one or two people are very affordable and you can usually deduct the entire cost or partial cost on your taxes.

Most people that look into finding an office are amazed that it can be very affordable and easy to set up. Usually phone lines, internet and sometimes even furniture are included in the price of renting an office. Most small offices can be found for less than $1,000 per month and many are less than that. Many small businesses find an office a great way to go legit, not considering them a home based business any longer. If doing this alone is a problem for you, consider advertising in the local paper. You and a ‘share’ person can handle the rent easier.

If your business has been hiring labor, guiding your labor and managing them is much easier in a true office environment. Many home businesses that find an office usually see a spike in productivity as labor and the business owner can focus better and work together. If you have a small business and would like to find an office to expand or manage your staff better, take a look at the above tips. Also consider sharing the space with another small business owner who needs space but does not want to go it alone either.

Nan is an Accountant and Real Estate Professional online RealEstateLady

Changing Real Estate Creates Opportunity

2006-06-23T14:09:00.000-04:00

Yes, it definitely does create a new opportunity. Since the Real Estate market is slowing down, there is a larger inventory of houses. Since a larger inventory of Real Estate exists, buyers can move somewhat slower in making decisions and signing on the dotted line. The market is more balanced at this point in time and there are benefits to this situation for both the buyers and sellers.

Buyer’s advantages are:

1. More choice in houses
2. Decisions can be made slower
3. Sellers will have fewer offers to choose from.
4. Properties will be competitively price from the beginning.
5. Mortgage rates are still at historical lows.
6. Since appreciation is expected at a slower rate, moving up is more affordable.

If you are considering moving, now is a good time to enter the market looking for your perfect home. You will still find a reasonable interest rate; particularly if you have a good credit history and credit score. Sellers will give your offer more attention since they will be receiving fewer multiple offers.

Atlantic County, New Jersey, is one of the areas where prices have just skyrocketed in the past few years. Homes in my neighborhood have risen 75% in the last three – four years. This appreciation makes it difficult for the new buyer or young buyer to enter into the marketplace. The slow down of the Real Estate market will help them tremendously.

Nancy is a Real Estate Professional and Accountant. Visit RealEstateLady

Business Resources

2006-06-21T12:34:00.000-04:00

Business Pitfalls to Avoid

2006-06-21T12:14:00.000-04:00

Mortgage rates are rising.

2006-06-17T13:00:00.000-04:00

Mortgage rates are rising – Energy prices are high – Inflation coming?
By Nancy Woodward

Mortgage rates are rising as the markets believe the Federal Reserve will raise the interest rates higher. Rates on 30 year mortgages hit a high of 6.67%. This is the highest rate in the last four years.

The housing market has been slowing down after five tremendous years. The rising mortgage rates greatly affect the ebb and flow of the nations housing inventory. Some analysts believe that sales will decline 10% decrease in sales as the interest rates rise.

In the Philadelphia area, economic conditions improved. Business activity is improving also. Manufacturing is improving at a slower pace. Retail Sales increased from April to May and is expected to continue unless higher gas prices slow the overall consumer spending. Lending for both consumers and commercial accounts rose in May.

The Fed Chief, Ben Bernanke, stated that consumer prices are racing forward at an annual rate of 5.2%. The rise for all of 2005 was 3.4%. High energy costs affect the economy in so many ways. The economy is flexible and seems to have absorbed shocks of the past years.

Greenspan was such an influence on markets that his replacement must create his own reputation for effective and decisiveness. I am hoping the flexibility of the market continues and we avoid economic slowdown and inflation.

Nancy is an Accountant and Real Estate Professional with an interest in all housing issues. Nancy is online MortgageLoan
MortgageFinancing

Check Scams - take care

2006-06-16T13:45:00.000-04:00

Check scams - When can you be sure a check is actually good?
By Nancy Woodward

Protecting yourself from scams is becoming increasingly harder since credit theft is on the rise in the nation. Thieves steal more than your possessions. They now steal your identity, credit cards, checks and more.

When you deposit a check in your checking account, the bank makes the funds available in two to five days. Does this mean you are really safe? No, not necessarily. Federal rules require the banks to release the funds to you in that time frame. Yet, it can take weeks before the bank actually discovers if the check is fraudulent. Most consumers believe the phrase “the check has cleared” means it is not fraudulent.

Should the check turn out to be fraudulent, the depositor is responsible for the money. You have probably received a notice from your bank called a “Fraud Alert”. This statement tells you that you are the responsible party and provides you some information. Since you deal with the person who gave you the money, you are in the best position to determine if it is risky.

You could find that you must repay the bank for bad checks. This can obviously cause financial problems, stress and, if you are not in a good position, could cause you to have credit issues.

Steps you can take to protection yourself:

1. Don’t accept a check for more than it should be. Question this practice.
2. Is the account in the name of the buyer who is paying you?
3. Don’t agree to pay money to others in foreign countries for deposits you accept here.
4. Play it safe.

Use your good judgment to protect yourself. If there is any doubt in your mind, don’t proceed. As the advice of a qualified professional before you get involved. Using care will help you avoid future problems.

Nancy Woodward is an Accountant and Real Estate Professional affiliated with “The Dream Team. Visit online RealEstateLady and MortgageLoan

Credit Issues - Identity theft gives rise to credit problems

2006-06-16T12:15:00.000-04:00

Credit Issues – Identity theft gives rise to credit problems, 10 Steps to Protect yourself.
By Nancy Woodward

In the past two weeks, I have read three different articles on identity theft in various ways. The VA had a data leak after an analyst took home a laptop with electron data containing names, Social Security numbers and dates of birth of 26.5 million veterans. This is certainly enough information for identity thieves to obtain new accounts using stolen data.

A 45 year old woman in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey got a call from her credit card company asking if she purchased thousands of dollars on Ebay using her credit cards. Fortunately, the credit card company caught this activity in time before she could have serious problems straightening out her credit.

Credit card fraud and identity theft are on the rise in the nation. You need to take steps to protect your information. Checking your credit card statements regularly will turn up problems immediately. The pattern of abuse seems to be toward charging smaller amounts on credit cards, not necessarily maxing out the card. This makes detection harder at the point of sale.

Take care when using your cards. Steps to take to protection yourself:

1. Take the copies and the excess paper with you.
2. Ask the clerk to return your card as soon as they are finished swiping it.
3. Destroy all outdated and cancelled credit cards.
4. Don’t use pin numbers in public areas.
5. If you are using an ATM be careful no one can see what you put into the machine.
6. Obtain your free annual credit reports at various times during the year and check the information carefully.
7. Don’t give out personal information over the phone, thru the mail or over the Internet unless you started the action.
8. No one should call you on the phone and ask any personal information including the phone company, credit card companies, your lenders etc.
9. Don’t ever give out your Social Security number.
10. Be alert when using your personal information in any form.

A little care now will go a long way toward protecting valuable information and your credit rating.

Nancy Woodward is an Accountant and Real Estate Professional affiliated with “The Dream Team. Visit online RealEstateLady and MortgageLoan

FCC Fax Junk Rule - Effective August 1, 2006

2006-06-13T20:14:00.000-04:00

FCC Fax Junk Rule – Effective August 1, 2006
By Nancy Woodward

Since the Federal Communications Commission has revised its Junk Fax Prevention Act of 2005, it is important that you are aware of the changes as they apply to your business. Some of the requirements on the sender are:

1. The sender must have an ‘established business relationship” with the recipient or have written consent from the recipient to sending all unsolicited advertising faxes.

2. Sender must have received this fax number voluntarily.

3. Receiver must have the right to opt-out of receiving future faxes.

4. The sender must honor all opt-outs within thirty days of receiving the communication.

Since the opt-out must be included, you must be sure to follow the following guidelines:

1. Opt-out must be clear. It must be on the first page of the fax.

2. The opt-out must not appear to be part of the advertising. A reasonable user must be able to determine that it is not advertising but a clear statement.

3. It must state the receiver can opt-out of future unsolicited advertisements. It clearly must state the sender must honor the opt-out within thirty days or they will be breaking the law.

Since the method of opt-out must be sent in the same fashion as stated in the unsolicited advertising, it is important that you, as the consumer, follow the letter of the rule. If you receive a fax, follow the directions if they require replying via fax. Only this method is covered under this law. Be sure to provide the required information. If you don’t follow the directions, the sender does not have to comply.

The rule when broken down in steps is easy to follow. It will help you eliminate more ‘junk’ information.

Nancy Woodward is an Accountant and Real Estate Professional. Visit her online RealEstateLady

Real Estate Open House - Stage an Open House with Borrowed Furniture?

2006-06-13T19:42:00.000-04:00

Real Estate Open House – Stage an Open House with Borrowed Furniture?
by Nancy Woodward

Recently I showed a house in an middleclass area. I had the pleasure of meeting the owner of a new business – Staging Open Houses. What a good business. This idea is not new but the lovely lady I met added her own twist to this.

Mary’s primary business is Home Decorating. She has a great affinity for homes, their furnishings and decorations. She explained to me some of her strategies for finding clients for both of her affiliated businesses. She visits open houses and meets the Real Estate Agents. After explaining her business and handing out cards, she offers to go thru the house and give the Agent some free tips to help make the atmosphere more pleasurable for the visitor.

After having experienced this tour, I decided to check out other ways to accomplish this task without having to hire an independent consultant. I found that you can rent furniture from Rental companies and, it may be possible, to make an arrangement with a local furniture store to borrow some furniture. This arrangement can help both the Agent who is now showing a less than empty house and the Store, for free advertising. This is a good way to help your sales efforts and, at the same time, help you to become known in the business community.

Real Estate Sales takes time, connections and serious dedication. An active Agent should look for ways to improve their sales while working on other things. I call this NET time. I attempt to use NET (No Extra Time) whenever I can to accomplish more than one task for both Real Estate Sales and being a good neighbor.

Nancy Woodward is an Accountant and Real Estate Professional. Visit her online RealEstateLady

Credit Reports and Credit Scores - Get a free repor

2006-06-11T20:58:00.000-04:00

Real Estate Prices - Skyrocketing prices are great?

2006-06-11T11:52:00.000-04:00

Real Estate Prices – Skyrocketing prices are great?
By Nancy Woodward

Real Estate prices for homes, land, and commercial properties have skyrocketed in the last decade. While I, as a home owner, am very happy to have my property value increase so dramatically, I wonder how our children and grandchildren will buy homes. Today, more than ever, it is very difficult for low and moderate-income families to buy homes.

The New Jersey Association of Realtors has formed a Housing Opportunity Foundation to help provide greater opportunities for homeownership for New Jersey residents. The Foundation donates funds to 501 C (3) organizations who provide education by developing public awareness to create affordable home options for residents of the state.

This problem will not go away by itself. It will take the effort of community leaders, Real Estate Agents and Brokers to make this subject come into the forefront of discussion. Attend your meetings, make your suggestions to the leaders of your Realtor Associations. Perhaps you can volunteer to obtain more information on the subject, do some research and report back to your leaders.

If your state does not have a program currently, perhaps you could contact the Board of Realtors with your concern and suggestions. I’m glad to see that the New Jersey Realtor Association takes a proactive stance to help residents of the Garden State.

Nancy Woodward is an Accountant and Real Estate Professional affiliated with “The Dream Team”. RealEstate