If you are looking to add some value to your home to improve its value and selling price then renovations are the answer. Its a proven fact the buyers are attracted to homes that have a clean and new look to them. Even heritage homes are more popular when rooms are renovated and given a facelift (within the original style of course). Kitchens and bathrooms are great examples of this. Nobody likes tired, old, outdated appliances that do not work properly and use large amounts of energy. Why not rip them out and put in some new stuff that compliments the theme of the room and saves money at the same time?

Of course the question arises of how to fund these improvements? Well there are a few options. The first of these is the easiest. Win the lotto and pay for them in cash. Of course if this does not work out, there are other ways. One of the most common is the second mortgage. Re-financing your home is a very common process and many of these type of loans are designed precisely to fund additions and renovations. This kind of loan is based on the amount of equity that you have accrued in your home. The easy way to figure this amount out is to take the total value of your home and subtract what you have paid off on your existing mortgage. This will give you the amount of accrued equity. For example, if your home is worth $300,000 and you have paid off $150,000 then you have $150,000 in equity. These loans are available at low interest rates as the loan is secured by the home's equity.

Another type of financing is known as a home owners line of credit. Again this amount is based on the equity you have in your home, with the difference that this loan has no limit save your equity amount. It works much like a credit card where you may borrow as much as you like as long as it does not exceed the equity limit. This is quite a popular choice as it allows room for unexpected costs that always crop up during renovations. As with the other loan option, the amount of the loan itself is secured by the equity. No matter which option you choose, the value that can be gained by a renovation is impressive. It is more than enough to justify the time and effort.

This is not another everybody knows article about the great advantages of buying real estate. Yes, it is a great buyer's market and yes, you can get the house in that street you always wanted and now it's even affordable! But I already told you about this.

This month I want to tell you why the over publicized event of Zillow.com did not scare me. Not a bit. Not even when a couple of clients warned me about the possibility of being replaced by a computer database: homes, prices, and days on the market. That sounded like fun! I immediately went on line and checked out my house, the curiosity was just way too strong, so I admit it, I pretended not to be in real estate and asked Zillow.com "How much is my home worth?" Wow, about 80K more than I would have guessed, and probably even 80K more than any sane appraiser would have ever told me. OK. The value is a bit off, but after all it did tell me I was richer!

Let's check out the area, an aerial map! I can see where I live in Clearwater. The oak trees, the park. Wait a moment, can you see it? If you were a buyer, a buyer Zillow.com claims to address - Can you see how much care homeowners in my subdivision put in their gardens or how well these homes were built? Can you see if a ruthless developer is about to build a chemical plant near by?

Statistics state that over 80% of homebuyer’s start their search on the Internet, and then over 85% of them turn to a realtor before they purchase. Surprised that the web will not be able to replace a good agent after all? No. I knew it. A computer might replace an agent turned to the dark side, but never a good one. Truth is: we need the human touch.

I personally have met too many agents, who, like me, crave that personal connection, that person that they can look in the eye and say, "you are important enough for me to put down my cell phone, my computer, my sales personality and talk with you". Just for a moment, that look in the eye makes the difference between human and machine, the difference that communicates, "I want your business and I really care about you". Agents that want to tell you the hidden potential a house has also want to tell you about the projects around it that will affect its future value; they want to help you see what is not visible to an inexperienced eye. Whether you are a client or an agent, the real estate is about paying attention to the details. As Oprah says "love is in the details".

Yes, take your time to research before you buy. Research for the most knowledgeable, most caring realtor you can find. Take that moment to connect with him or her. Let them know what you need and want. The right one will show you that they care, that you are important. They will go out of their way to find the best deal of all - just for you. And that is an investment all by itself.

Transferring money to Argentina (a second-world country) isn’t as simple as it is in the U.S. or Europe. The people of Argentina don’t believe in the banks after the peso devaluation in December of 2001. Western Union has a low limit, so they’re not an option. And I definitely wouldn’t advocate that you bring $100,000 in your carry-on luggage.

I recommend that you demonstrate “proof of origin” for the funds that you’re transferring into Argentina (W-2 forms, 1040, etc) because the government is beginning to regulate the influx of money. The AFIP (equivalent to the U.S.’s IRS) has the authority to audit you, and you need to be careful so that you don’t have problems when you sell the property in the future.

Transfer fees are usually between 1-3%, depending upon how you transfer your money. You can use “money exchanges,” which are technically illegal, but used regularly by the locals and foreigners. Or, you can use the Central Bank, which is the safest way, and the most costly.

There is new legislation scheduled for March 2007 to mandate that all real estate purchases are conducted by: check, bank wire or some other method, except CASH. The reason for this is that many locals buy/sell properties and change the recorded purchase price by 30-50%. This limits the amount of income taxes that people pay on the sales price and the amount of property taxes the new owner pays the government.

The government is losing millions of dollars every year in lost revenue. Tax evasion is a common practice in Argentina. I do not advocate this practice due to the risks its poses for my clients. Fines can be exorbitant, and when investing in a foreign country, risk mitigation is important. Currently, the government is worried about money laundering, as well as looking for more ways to increase tax revenues. So, consult a lawyer and a banker when you’re serious about investing in Argentina.

Opening a Bank Account in Argentina

The majority of the foreign banks left Argentina in December of 2001. The crisis prompted the people to march in the street, and the banks ran home with their tails between their legs. Now, if you go to a local bank in Buenos Aires, it’s not uncommon to see a half-dozen security guards and/or policeman. Argentina is serious about the safety of their financial institutions and is trying to rectify its international image.

A bank account in Argentina will help you manage your property from overseas. Opening a bank account in Argentina is more difficult than most foreigners expect. By law, the requirement to open a savings account is a CID (tax ID number), an address certificate and a Passport. But many banks have stricter requirements.

If you have an account with HSBC, CitiBank, BankBoston or BBV in the U.S. or Europe, they will generally open an account for you in Argentina. Or, if you’re referred to them by a current customer, they will speak with you.

Banco Nación, http://www.nacion.com.ar, opens accounts to foreign non-residents requiring only the CDI (tax ID), address certificate and Passport. The minimal deposit is $50 pesos and they charge a maintenance fee of $3 pesos.

Important things to inquire about: online banking, maintenance fees, wire transfers, minimum deposits, debit/credit cards

Nancy Landi and Christian DeBlis formed Nancy Landi International with a focus on the Buenos Aires real estate market. We provide rental properties, property management services and real estate investment expertise.

Nancy Landi International has developed partnerships, locally and globally, to serve the needs of our unique clientèle. We have relationships with real estate developers, lawyers, accountants, translators, wineries and many other individuals and organizations to make your stay exquisite.

Nancy Landi International represents select properties for rent and investment at this time. The NLI team can help you locate distinguished properties for investment and guide you through the process. Our vision is to exceed your expectations.

The Real Estate market is forever changing. Factors beyond our control has a tremendous affect on the United States Real Estate market. It is impossible to forecast market conditions, but it is imperative to know where we are today by looking at recent events to make an informed decision about buying or selling Real Estate in Arizona.

Right now in Arizona, it is becoming harder and harder to get a loan for a few different reasons. Many banks in Arizona have gone out of business because of an extremely high foreclosure rate. The reason many banks went out of business is because these banks home buyer approval standards were too low. When something like this happens, the other banks that are still in business begin to tighten up their home buyer approval standards. The banks now are requiring more documentation on buyers, and raising the bar when discussing getting approved for a home loan. Banks are going to want buyers that have higher credit scores, make more money, and have a very good work history.

About a year ago, the Arizona market was booming, it was nearly impossible to get a home without competing with four or five other buyers for the same home. Out of state investors were coming in and buying up a lot of Real Estate in Arizona because the interest rates were at a nearly all time low, and home prices were affordable. Investors drove the home prices up to a point where it became un-affordable to low and average income families. Home builders in Arizona decided to start building massive communities to feed the investor frenzy. The prices topped out, and began to fall. On top of this fall, the interest rates started to climb. Now, in many areas of Arizona, builders are stuck with homes that are built with no one to buy them. Residential re-sale sellers are having the same problem. Who would buy a home in Arizona when home values are dropping, and interest rates are climbing?

Over the last few months, prices have continued to drop. Sellers and builders are giving buyers incredible incentives to buy. A few weeks ago in the United States, Wall Street took a big hit because of foreign market fluctuations. There was a huge loss on Wall Street and worried many that the United States may be facing another recession. The United State economy thankfully started to bounce back after the big loss. What does this mean for the consumer?

When Wall Street takes a hit, and the United States economy indicates a possible recession, they drop the interest rates to stimulate the market. The interest rates at this point in time are actually very good. Many sellers in Arizona right now are re-financing, and many buyers are beginning to buy because the prices have dropped to a point were the average person can afford a home. When the prices start to level out, and the interest rates drop, it may be an extremely good time to buy in Arizona right now. If you have a high interest rate and you are a home owner, now is a great time to re-finance your home. It is not the best time to sell right now, but not impossible. The home just needs to be priced correctly. The days buying a home one month, and selling the home a month later for a forty thousand dollar profit are gone, for now. So if you are selling, you home needs to be in the top one or two in the neighborhood when talking about price per square foot.

Mobile home parks are known for their cash flow, and this will usually grow in time. I asked a real estate agent if the mobile home parks in this area ever are for sale. Almost never, he told me, because they provide so much cash flow that owners don't want to sell. That's worth remembering.

Another important point is that being a landlord or owner of a mobile home park is not like owning or managing apartments or rental houses. You are responsible for the big things, like plowing the snow off the park roads and keeping the park looking nice. Toilets and light bulbs and broken doors, on the other hand, are never your concern. The tenants own the home and just rent the lot. This makes for simpler landlording in general.

Of course you do still have the issues of collecting rent on time and dealing with problem tenants. But look at the leverage you have. If they don't pay, or if they cause problems, they can effectively lose their home. You decide which homes are allowed in your park, and if they have to take their home out of the park, it is expensive. In fact, if they want to sell it, it may be worth $15,000 in your park, but only get them $4,000 from a dealer.

In other words, the tenants have a lot to lose if they don't follow the rules. This makes it easier for an owner to deal with the occasional problem. I recently spoke to an owner of a mobile home park in Arizona who had to evict a tenant with the help of the sheriff. He left without his mobile home, and under the law, the owner will soon be able to file for an abandoned property title, and then sell the place to recover lost rent. It's nice to have these options.

Cash Flow With Mobile Home Parks

Many mobile home park owners have such great cash flow because they have owned the park for a long time. They may have paid off the original loan for the property, and in any case have certainly raised the rent over the years. It may not be so easy for a new buyer to get decent cash flow at the prices that sellers are asking.

However, it may be easier than with many apartment buildings or rental homes. This is because mobile home parks are not popular investments. Investors invest for income, but prestige also plays a role in what they buy. It is more fun to say you own an apartment building than a mobile home park, so many will take a lower rate of return from the former.

Suppose you are looking at a mobile home park that has 42 spaces, and all but two are rented. The lot rent is $260 per month, although some pay more for pets or an extra parking space. Some income is also derived from the laundry facilities. The current annual income is about $130,000.

The owners pay taxes, insurance, electricity for common areas, advertising when spaces are vacant, maintenance on common facilities, legal expenses, and maintenance for the road through the park. This came to a total of $33,000 the previous year. Income before debt service was $97,000.

They are asking $800,000 for the park. You talk to a banker, and do some other homework, and make an offer of $720,000, explaining that you need to hire a manager, and although he'll live on site for free in the home that the owners currently occupy, you still need to pay him. You have to have cash flow after all expenses, or the deal doesn't work for you. You have already found that you can probably get a manger for free rent and $12,000 per year.

You also make the offer contingent on obtaining a loan for 80% of the total, and on the sellers providing financing for another 15%. This means you will need enough cash for a 5% down payment and closing costs, plus a contingency fund for any surprises. They counter back.

In the end you agree to $750,000. A loan from the bank for $600,000, at 9% interest, with a ten year balloon, but amortized over 30 years, will cost you $4,828 per month, or $58,000 per year. The sellers agree to carry back a note for $120,000, due in total in ten years, but with interest only payments each month, at 12% annual interest. That means $1200 monthly, or $14,400 per year.

That means you'll need $30,000 down, plus about $10,000 in closing costs. You also intend to spend $5,000 in improvements. Your total investment will be $45,000.

Expenses will go up because the new insurance policy costs more. The property taxes will also rise, because the property was under-assessed. You figure that the total expenses, with your new manager, will be around $49,000. Adding that to your loan payments, you project a total annual outlay of $121,400.

Based on the previous years income of $130,000, you'll make about $8,600 on your $50,000 investment. That's a cash-on-cash return of 17% or more. Not too exciting, but then you will also be building equity. You also have an ace up your sleeve.

In the course of your research, you found that lot rent in other comparable parks is averaging $285 per month. After you spruce up the place with the $5,000 you allocated for that, you will raise the rents to $290 as the leases expire. There is no reason for anyone to go to the expense of moving over a $30 increase that is in line with what other parks are charging. That $30 times 40 spaces is $1200 per month, or $14,400 more income annually. Add that to the $8,600 and you'll have $23,000 net income by the second year, on an investment of $50,000.

Furthermore, you arranged to close on the 5th of the month. 90% of the rents are collected for the month, a total of around $9,000. Since rent is paid in advance, you are credited for the remaining 25 days of the month. This amounts to $7,500, reducing your cash needs at closing by that much. In other words, you really only have to invest $42,500 to get that $23,000 in annual cash flow.

Real estate marketing is one of the fast growing industries all over.

If you’re working on a real estate company as an agent or broker that means lots of competitors awaits you? Do you still remember the time when you last received a big commission from the house you sold? Or probably are your buyers increasing or decreasing in numbers? Is it so easy to sell a house to difficult customers? These questions are just some of the realities in the real estate marketing world.

So if you’re planning to consider real estate marketing as your full time profession, you should know how to make yourself an effective agent and broker.

One famous person that is well known for her trainings that educates sellers about the real estate marketing shares some of her tips on how to be an effective seller even to the most difficult customers you can encounter.

Angela Stamoulos, an education manager for Coldwell Banker for Residential Brokerage in Massachusetts said that every agent should be aware on the changed market of the real estate industry. Stamoulos said that you should know how to distinguish your property compare to the common homes that are growing in large numbers rapidly.

You have to be aware in giving the price to buyers initially . Make sure that you answer all their questions right to avoid too much interrogation when you’re giving the price.

If you get a lot of visits and showings don’t accept offers urgently. Tell the buyers that you’re allowing time for other house hunters to view it, to be able to get a higher bid. Feed yourself with knowledge about the local market. Always provide your buyers with the statistics compared to last year for you to be more credible. Tell them about the current number of homes in the market, days on the market, average sale price, the median price, and the ratios of list to sell homes.

And also as an agent make sure that before joining a real estate company ask about the company’s profile. If it’s a large network or part of a large company? And also take in consideration asking how many employees do they have, and how long it has existed. All these things are very important to be able to win the trust of your clients.

The day has come and you are about to close on your new home. Once all parties sign the papers, the deal will be officially closed and ownership of the property will be transferred to you. This is your opportunity to make any last-minute changes to the transaction.

The day before closing, be sure to gather all of the paperwork you have received throughout the home-buying process (good faith estimate, contract, proof of title search, private mortgage insurance, home appraisal and inspection reports, etc.). You may need to refer to these documents at the actual closing.

Most contracts entitle you to a walk-through inspection of the property 24 hours before closing. This is to ensure that the seller has vacated the property and left it in the condition specified in the sales contract. If there are any major problems, you can ask to delay the closing or request that the seller deposit money into an escrow account to cover any necessary expenses.

The Buyer's Responsibilities

At closing, your will be required to:

Sign legal documents - These fall into two categories: the agreement between you and your lender regarding the terms and conditions of the mortgage, and the agreement between you and the seller transferring ownership of the property. Be sure to read all documents carefully before signing them, and do not sign forms with blank lines or spaces.

Pay closing costs and escrow items - Borrowers handle the numerous fees associated with obtaining a mortgage and transferring property ownership in one of two ways. First, they either roll them into the principal balance of the new loan or agree to pay higher interest rates and have their lenders foot the bill. Second, some home buyers may be required to pay these out-of-pocket fees.

The Actual Closing

Although closing procedures vary from state to state, the following parties will generally be present at the closing or settlement meeting:

- Closing agent, who may work for the lender or the title company.

-Attorney: The closing agent may also be an attorney representing you or the lender. Both sides may have attorneys. You may or may not want to have an attorney present, depending on how comfortable you are with the mortgage provider or lending process.

-Title company representative to provide written evidence of the ownership of the property.

-Home seller.

-The seller's real estate agent.

-The borrower of the mortgage (you).

-The lender of the mortgage.

The closing agent conducts the settlement meeting and makes sure that all documents are signed and recorded and that closing fees and escrow payments are paid and properly distributed.

Once you've reviewed and signed all closing documents, you will get your new house keys and the house will officially be yours.

Have you spent years renting homes or apartments and have grown tired of paying all that rent money to someone else? If so, then it might be your time to consider purchasing a home, and keeping that cash for yourself. However, you do need to ensure that you are prepared on more than one level before jumping into the equity market. There are many financial considerations to make note of before you start looking for a home. But, if you can arrange your finances into a sensible plan and secure a mortgage then this can ultimately be the most rewarding purchase you have ever made or will make.

Finance plays a huge role in the decision to purchase your first home. This is to be expected as if you are purchasing your first home you will not likely have a few hundred thousand dollars sitting around and will have to find a mortgage of some sort. You should really make sure that you are prepared for the application for a mortgage as it will involve a thorough investigation of your past credit history. If there are any issues that you know of with your credit then you should take care of them before you apply for the mortgage. Sometimes this is a simple case of oversight, some things have been taken care of and not recorded as such, and sometimes there can be some debts that you will need to see to. Once these are taken care of, be sure to get a letter of release that you can show to the mortgage broker or company if necessary. If there are no issues with your credit then that will only make the process easier.

There is no stronger tool in the home buying process than having all your financing in line before you start shopping. This is a great attraction for sellers as they want their homes to sell quickly and without incident or trouble in the money phase, a buyer with ready-to-go financing's offers will hold greater favor with almost any seller. If you are mindful of these things then when the time comes to make your offer, the whole affair will go much more smoothly and you will be able to dedicate your time to what is important. How to decorate your new home.

How many times have you said that you want to enter into Sarasota real estate investing, but after how many months where are you, still haven’t invested any property at all?

If you really want to enter to Sarasota real estate investing or to any real estates, knowledge, action and determination are very important factors. These factors are needed to anyone who plans to invest in Sarasota real estate.

Knowledge is an important factor in real estate investing. You have to be prepared in entering to real estate investing. You have to gain the necessary information, and you can do this by researching. Do a lot of research. You have to research about the market, research for properties, and so on. You can get information with lots of books and even through the internet. If you are truly determined, then you can do everything just to obtain the information you need in Sarasota real estate investing. There are actually plenty of ways to have that information; all it takes is the eagerness, determination and action to obtain it.

Soon as you gain the knowledge, you can now search different properties or houses for sale, better to take time to look at them all. Jot down the positive and negative points of each house while you’re into the house tour. The information you listed can be useful in deciding which property to invest.

After searching for a lot of houses, it is time to choice which property that fits your qualifications. As soon as you pick out the house you want to invest with, making offer is the next step to do. Indeed, there are lots of people who want to invest in real estate, but all they do is research and research, they are afraid to do the next step. You see, if you really want to be successful in Sarasota real estate investing, action is very important. After all the preparation and learning, it is time to make it happen. Make an offer. And close a deal. These should be done to make the plan of yours in investing to Sarasota real estate happen.

Let us say for an instance, if you want to lose weight, determination and action are needed. If you want lose that unwanted weight, you have to be determined and take that into action. If you said you won’t be eating chocolates, pastas and sodas and just replace it with fruits and vegetables, then do not let yourself be tempted with chocolates, pastas and sodas. In doing so, you are making that losing weight to happen.

It is like in Sarasota real estate investing, if you are determined to invest, make it happen. You have to make your plan into action. If you already gave a lot of your time in real estate investing, then you do not have to be afraid, it is time for you to come out of your shell and make that investing happen.

If you finally found a good deal, grab it and go for it. Do not just let yourself feel fearful and suddenly needing more time. You’ve been spending much time and effort in Sarasota real estate investing, so you deserve to collect the reward.

When you sell a conservation easement, you get to keep the property while making money on it. Of course, you may reduce the value of the property by doing this. But this may not matter if you have no plan to sell.

Conservation easements are getting more common every year. Essentially they are a way to guarantee that a piece of private land will remain undeveloped. Sometimes owners give an easement away, and get a tax deduction for it. Other times they are paid. Whether or not this is a taxable event is something you'll have to discuss with a tax professional.

Who pays? Almost always it is a private environmental organization. The Nature Conservancy is one of the most active in this area.

Conservation Easement - An Example

Suppose you have a home with twenty acres of land spread out along a river. Conservancy groups have been wanting to keep the riverside undeveloped. They are afraid that properties like yours will be split up so more expensive riverfront lots can be sold. Even if you have no intention of doing so, the next owner might. How can this be prevented?

A conservation easement that is attached to the title of the land can keep it from ever being developed. The easement may include all of the land except for the acre or so around the house. This allows you to continue using your property as you normally would have. You might receive $10,000 for granting such an easement.

The easement you grant to the conservation group may include the right for them to enter the land to do research. It might include your right to still collect firewood, if you wish. It may even include the right for the organization to put a small hiking trail across part of the land. All of these things are negotiable, but permanent once you sign the contract.

Normally, granting an easement of any kind reduces the value of a property. This may be a small reduction in value, or it may even cut the value in half. It depends on what the land might be used for. A perfect piece of development land might lose most of its value if it is no longer possible to develop it. This is why owners are compensated for these easements.

On the other hand, while there may be a theoretical reduction in value with an example like the one above, it isn't certain. Perhaps future buyers are all likely to desire the whole twenty acres with the house, with no intention of developing or changing any part of the land except around the house. In this case, a conservation easement may have a negligible impact on the value.

It is possible, then, to negotiate with a conservation group for the purchase of an easement, while simultaneously negotiating the purchase of the property. You might find that you can buy the property at a good price, sell an easement, and then sell the property at the same price or more and so make a profit. This is unlikely, however. Selling a conservation easement is a primarily a way to protect land and make some money for doing so - with land you already own or intend to keep.