It has become quite evident over the past months that the housing market is experiencing a significant slowdown; in some parts of the country this has been more evident than in other areas. This change in the market has created wide speculation about what is happening as is always the case with everything that ever happens in any market, be it oil, stocks, commodities or housing.

I am sure by now that everyone has heard the speculation referring to the slowdown as a housing bubble, meaning that home prices are drastically inflated and that a “burst of the bubble” or drastic nationwide decline in home values is inevitable.

I personally do not believe that a bubble exists but I do think price adjustments are and will be occurring in some areas of the country based simply upon the supply and demand.

The current excess in supply comes not only from new construction but also from a record number of foreclosures happening as a result of rising mortgage payments “resets” on adjustable rate mortgages, making it impossible for some to pay for their home.

With all of this activity and uncertainty in the market it can be very discouraging and quite easy to join many others that have gone to the fence to sit and watch. My thoughts are that money is never made by sitting on the fence doing nothing; my experience has been that doing nothing has always got me nothing!

Flipping a house in slower market conditions does represent greater risks and requires more caution and due diligence to what housing prices are doing and what you can buy and sell for, it is definitely a time to be more selective and certain about the choices you make. House flipping always requires a good understanding of your market and what it is doing but the bargains can always be found no matter what conditions exist.

When housing prices are in decline it is a good idea to keep things more on the simple side, lean more toward the cosmetic fixers. Limit the scope of your makeovers and upgrades to what you know will add value, don’t over due things.

Have a solid plan before beginning your rehab projects and know exactly what improvements you plan to make to the house. The more work you can do yourself the better your profit potential will be. If you do hire work to be done be sure of your help, you don't want to be at the mercy of undependable hired help slowing you down. Keep your turn around time as short as possible so that the house is back on the market as quickly as possible. Don't flip out, keep flipping!

There is a real fascination with investing in real estate these days. This has been partially fostered by an abundance of television shows extolling the virtues of real estate prospecting and flipping. This may be a huge factor in the popularity of investing, but the continued interest is founded in the fact that this vein of investing makes money. It is one of the most accessible forms of investing to the average joe and it is also one of the safest forms of investment as it is quite flexible. For example, if you buy a home with the intention of flipping it and the market goes into a slump where not many homes are being bought, you have the option of renting the home until the market picks up.

Planning is essential to any investment and real estate is definitely no exception. You will want to plan your purchase very carefully and consider every aspect of the purchase. Start by looking through some of the neighborhoods where there are homes for sale. Take note of things like schools, shopping, public transportation and other amenities. These will be important assets to consider when buying as the needs of prospective buyers or tenants must be considered.

The next thing you should look at in prospective homes is any renovations or upgrades/fixes that will need to be done to make the home suitable for sale or rent. Be careful not to purchase a home that will need too many things done to make it a viable investment. This is especially important if you are planning to flip the home. You must be able to do your desired improvements and fixes and still realize enough profit to make the investment worth the time and effort. Every fix you do will cut into your profit margin so try to find a home that needs only minor and cosmetic upgrades. Keep in mind, the less you have to spend fixing the home, the more you stand to make when selling. If renting, then make sure that the home is clean and has all the necessary appliances and amenities to make it a desirable place to rent.

Many of my students ask me this question, "Should I Quit My Job?"

I am very conservative in my thinking on this and suggest you have at least a one year cushion in the bank before you think you are hot stuff and go quitting your job to rehab full time.

The money in your account does not include the money you will need to rehab the home and the holding costs. If you are managing your project correctly there should be no problem of working your full time job and rehabbing homes. It is also a lot easier to borrow money when you have a job. Banks do not like lending money to self employed people. They think we are a big risk - I would guess.

Also, you may think you have enough money to rehab your property in the beginning but there are always problems that could arise that you may have been unaware of and then you have no way borrowing additional money from the banks - again because they are uneasy to lending money out to someone self employed.

So, don't rush into becoming self employed and pull the trigger too fast. You'll have the rest of your life to be your own boss. Just make sure the timing is right. You are going to be learning a new business of rehabbing homes and you should not have the added stress of money or lack of on top of quitting your job. It will be a luxury worth waiting for once the opportunity presents itself.

Mandy Sheckles is the founder and President of The Wealth Corp. Her company offers Property Rehabbing Education to students around the country. In just eight years, she went from flat broke to being a real estate millionaire.

This article aims to provide you with helpful information and useful guideline so you can get the right investment decision from the very start of your overseas property investment. We understand how hard it can be to invest in a foreign country and to prevent you from going after the wrong properties and areas we advice to spend time upfront on creating the right strategy and make up a powerful team who will stay behind you and support your interests :

Things To Consider Before Investing Does An Investment Property Fit Your Financial Plan?

Investing in real estate can be a powerful wealth-building tool. It can also be a burden that drains away assets and monopolizes your time and effort. It’s critical to be in control of your finances, have an overall plan, and believe that an investment property is the right strategy for you. Talk to a real estate expert, attorney and accountant about your particular situation and goals. Cultivate your relationships with these advisors. They’ll serve you well throughout your investing career. Here are some questions to ask yourself to help you start clarifying your goals:
• Do I expect the property to provide immediate income or long-term appreciation?
• What’s the status of my retirement savings?
• Will liquidity be an issue for me?
• Will I be able to handle long-term ownership even with an unpredictable cash flow?
• Do I expect my investment property to provide me with income when I retire?

Setting Parameters

Should you invest in a penthouse or in a studio? A three-story house or developing land? The first time out, it’s probably best to invest in something on the small side, keeping your strategy in mind at all stages would allow choosing the best unit! Next decision: locale. City or country? Nearby or away from it all? Residential or resort? This would entirely depend on your strategy! Real estate experts suggest you start with what you want to achieve and the select the area that can most likely achieve your goal. If you are after a whole year rental income then maybe a city location would give you the opportunity to achieve your goal, as well as some resort properties. Every strategy is unique because different investors have different personal and financial circumstances. A prime location in a basic rule in property investing but this doesn’t always apply! There are rules in property investing that might not apply to your specific situation; the best option is to have a specialist advise you to avoid mistakes, especially if this is your first investment overseas.
An Expert Home Team
Makes A Big Difference
Building Your Team

Working with a team of experts can smooth your way to the right investment home, especially if you’re considering a long-distance purchase. You started by talking to your tax advisor and attorney about the feasibility of making this purchase and about potential tax advantages. Now it’s time to contact some other professionals:

Real Estate Consultants. A solid relationship here can make all the difference, especially if you’re considering locales that are farther than a car ride away. A consultant becomes your eyes, ears, and voice as they preview properties and locate homes that meet your criteria — perhaps working online to send you listings. A good consultant can:
• Establish what you want in an investment property.
• Search resources for properties that match your needs.
• Tell you about appropriate properties.
• Provide valuable information on communities, comparable values of neighboring homes, tax rates, rental amounts, and building code regulations.
• Arrange for digital photos or virtual tours to be sent via the Internet.
• Help you formulate an offer on the property you wish to purchase.
• Act as an intermediary between you and the seller, smoothing the negotiating process and negotiating a better price for you.

Mortgage Brokers — a broker is different from a mortgage lender. The broker doesn’t make the loans, he or she has dozens of contacts with lenders and can tailor your financing package to your needs, whether a mortgage, a piggyback combination or hard money.

A Real Estate Attorney — This is all about asset protection; you don't want to amass your empire only to lose it to frivolous lawsuits. In certain states, attorneys rather than title companies do the closings, so you want your own on your team.

An Accountant — The accountant should know real estate and tax law. This is not just to get your taxes done at the end of the year; this is so you can strategize with someone who understands the impact of income taxes and capital gains on what you want to do.

What is the best way to maximize your real estate profit and reach your investment goals? Real estate is a solid investment that offers both short-term and long-term gains. People have been investing in real estate since land and homes were first bought and sold. If you have interest in becoming a real estate investor, there are several things to consider as you move forward. The main point is to determine why you want to purchase the property—Is it for long-term gain? Is it for short term investment? It may be for both. By clearly thinking your strategy through on before you invest, you will likely maximize your efforts as you proceed. Before you purchase a property, you will have to determine if it is best to flip the property - make improvements and sell it fast - or rent it out. Markets do fluctuate, and even people who are not involved in real estate investing know the terms "buyer's market" and "seller's market." Which decision you make depends on what is happening in the market, how much the property costs, and how your choices fit your overall investment strategy.

How to Know When to Flip a Property
Flipping a house can provide huge profits if you do it right. It has become popular and common over the last several years, and there even a number of television shows dedicated to showing people how it is done. Key factors in making the decision to flip include the initial purchase price, the location and condition of the property, and the prices of similar home sin the area. This last point also includes whether the properties have sold and how quickly they sold. Remember, a price is only truly valid when the property has a buyer willing to pay that price!

Generally speaking, if you plan to purchase a more expensive home, the best idea is to turn it around quickly in order to limit your expenses and gain from the current market. Expensive homes come with big mortgage and property tax payments, which usually mean that renting for the cash flow is out of the question. It can also be difficult to find renters for higher priced homes, and if they miss a rent payment for one or several months, your profits will quickly disappear and you may even start to have a significant loss.

If you find a great property that requires mostly cosmetic changes, you should be able to flip it easily for a meaningful profit. A property with major structural problems can be a "money pit," especially if the price was too high to begin with. Before you commit to any major changes in the property, assess not only your own cash resources (this is very important!), but also your work force resources. Do you have relationships with contractors, landscapers, and other skilled labor professionals? Will those people be reliable in terms of time and price? These are critical questions to answer before you begin. How to Know When to Rent a Property

Renting your investment property can provide you with monthly positive cash flow while you build equity through your payments and the appreciation of the property price. Renting also allows you to take advantage of tax breaks for any improvements you make to the property as a tax deduction. Again, key factors are the price of the home, if the market has growth potential, and the condition of the property.

A lower-priced home translates to a lower monthly payment, property taxes and insurance. Remember, you don't need to make a big monthly profit. In order to succeed over the long run, the idea here is to own more properties and make your profits over time. When you rent a property out, you are building equity using your tenant's money. Add up the costs related to the property, including a small amount for repairs and any utilities you plan to pay for. This is a safer way to invest in real estate and can net you very high profits. There will always be good tenants to rent good properties!

Another way to determine if you should flip or rent is if the market is growing. Does the area have a lot of new construction? Are there new industries moving in? Is the location near an urban area, with plans for an existing public transportation system to the city? Properties located in these "growth" areas almost always net the largest gains over time. This is especially true in areas where there are new people moving in. They often are moving from areas where they have sold their homes for larger process, and are looking to spend that money on new properties, thus driving up existing prices. In a growth market, you can make money flipping a house, but you may be able to make considerably more money over a long period of time if you rent it out, build equity, and sell it for an even higher price at the optimum time. Even if you buy yourself a vacation home, you can make money down the road if you hold on to it, and you can rent it out as a vacation home or to tourists when you do not plan to live there.

It's Not Just About the Bottom Line
When deciding whether to flip or rent out a property, assess the market, do the math, and then consider your own interests and abilities. The perfect flip is not so perfect for those who have no construction or renovation experience, and being a landlord may not be a role you wish to take on. In the end, it's about what's best for your pocketbook, what’s best for your investment strategy and what's best for you.

Slovenia property investment may not be as popular as many other well known property investment locations, but savvy investors are buying and making great capital gains, in one of the top markets for capital growth in the world.

With prices starting at just $50,000 and capital growth in excess of 30% per annum combined with the potential for significant rental income, it no wonder more investors than ever are looking at Slovenia property investment.

Capital growth potential

Investors in Slovenian property are currently enjoying capital gains of up to 30% per annum and this growth looks set to continue.

In the next decade capital growth was forecast at 278% by property specialist program “A place in the Sun” which has increased interest from property investors around the world.

Why Slovenia is hot

Since attaining independence from Yugoslavia and joining the EU, Slovenia has seen strong economic growth.

Tourism has been the fastest-growing sector of the economy and this has enabled it to produce the highest GDP of the new EU members.

Slovenia has become popular due to its variety of scenery; good infrastructure and a variety of airlines now offer cheap, frequent flights - making it easy and inexpensive to get to.

Natural Beauty

Slovenia is located between Austria, Italy, Hungary and Croatia and while a small country, it is beautiful and has something for everyone.

Slovenia features forests, vineyards, snow capped mountains, a beautiful stretch of Mediterranean coastline and some great baroque architecture.

Slovenia has a beautiful capital – Ljubljana.

The city has been described as a smaller and less crowed Prague and comes with stunning architecture.

A booming economy

Slovenia’s accession to the EU saw big changes in the economy, as Slovenia opened its doors to overseas property buyers.

Strong growth in GDP has been mirrored by growth in Slovenian property prices.

The capital Ljubljana offers the best returns on investment, with prices predicted to continue rising by around 30% per annum for many years to come.

The limited supply of housing and restrictions on land development are the main driving forces behind this growth.

The economic expansion in the capital which will see rentals soar – giving “buy to let” investors significant income, as well as capital growth potential.

Primorska on the Adriatic coast and the mountain district of Gorenjska are the next most expensive places to buy in Slovenia.

If you are interested in Slovenian property and cant afford these areas there are plenty more to choose from, as this is a market in its early stages of development and offers better risk to reward than the more mature markets that surround it.

Slovenia has a wide range of property investments to suit all tastes and budgets.

Property for sale in Slovenia with good capital growth potential can be bought from under $50,000 in many areas.

You can invest in ski apartments in areas such as the Julian Mountains, or in traditional country houses near the vineyards or finally, in the expanding urban areas.

In Conclusion, Slovenia Offers property investors:

A great opportunity to invest in a stable and growing EU member.

Slovenian property investment offers above average capital growth potential combined with significant rental income from “the buy to let” areas and finally, being an emerging market it’s highly affordable.

In part 2 of this article you will find some of the best new emerging destinations to buy in and also an in-depth look at the buying process.

Discover more about Slovenia and Slovenian property investment and see how it could change your financial future.

You’ve read the headlines about how the real estate bubble has burst in one city after another.

But don’t believe it.

It is a gross generalization, as are so many tales of economic doom and gloom.

There are always exceptions, and in some places the bubble got a little smaller but didn’t altogether bust.

Just yesterday, I was reading about a small, upscale community in Southern California known for its fine public schools and Midwestern atmosphere.

In March, 2006, the average sales price of an existing home was about $1.3 million. A year later, amidst all of the hand wringing over the mortgage lending crisis the average price ROSE to $1.73 million.

That is better than a 25% gain, year-to-year, which still sounds very bubbly to me.

A prominent realtor reacted to the news by noting, “Real estate is very local.”

That’s local, as in the old saying about the three determinants of a property’s value, “Location, location, location.”

Every market presents some opportunities. As an investor or simply a savvy homebuyer we need to look at what is happening “on the ground” with fresh eyes, discounting exaggerated news and dire predictions and ask, “What’s really going on, HERE?”

In some cases and some places, there seem to be two types of buying opportunities: good ones and better ones!

So, check out that community of your dreams. It may not be as pricey as you think, especially if it is a place where the bubble never really burst!

A number of factors have come together to make Moroccan property investment a fantastic opportunity for overseas property investors.

If you want great capital growth and an opportunity for significant income from the buy to “let market” then Morocco can offer you great risk to reward

If you are considering overseas property investment you should think of morocco property as an investment first.

Here are the reasons why:

Investment property in Morocco at present is offering annual capital gains of up 35%.

This capital growth is expected to continue, as tourism and cheaper flights make morocco more popular.

Morocco is already a popular tourist destination and the government is allocating 10 billion euros to increase tourism by several million visitors per annum.

Of course, as tourism grows so does demand rental properties.

You can not only make great annual capital gains with low risk ,but supplement this with a significant income from the “buy to let” sector.

If you are looking for cheap property for sale that has excellent capital growth potential then Morocco offers you outstanding risk to reward.

This market is still growing and capital growth looks set to continue for years to come.

Morocco Lifestyle

With its geographical location, just south of Spain it is seeing an increasing number of tourists and investors from Europe and other overseas locations.

Morocco is a country of stunning beauty, but also has the infrastructure to attract an ever growing number of tourists which include:

• Pristine clean sandy beaches and crystal clear seas.

* The stunning Atlas Mountains and the Sahara desert.

• A wealth of recreational facilities including: Fishing, scuba diving, golf, tennis hiking, Camel treks and a wealth of historic Moorish culture.

* Up-market tourist developments, that bring with them excellent cuisine, shopping facilities and improvements in infrastructure.

• A wide variety of languages are spoken and Spanish, English, Italian and French are common.

• It has a perfect location for other destinations to explore such as southern Spain, which is under an hour away.

• A great climate that includes, both hot summers and warm winters making.

The economic and political climate

Of course, all the above advantages of lifestyle are bringing more people to morocco than ever before.

This mass influx is being encouraged by huge investment to improve the facilities and infrastructure and makes Moroccan property investment attractive to buyers seeking both capital growth and rental income.

• Property prices are cheap and are up to 60% less than other similar Mediterranean resorts.

* Capital gains in property can be up 35% in many locations.

• Morocco has a very Low cost of living. For example, Morocco is far cheaper than its near neighbor Spain and provides a luxury lifestyle at affordable cost.

• Morocco has a booming property rental market with occupancy of up to nearly 90% in the peak summer months.

• Taxes are cheap. For example, tax on any capital gains is a maximum of 20% and in many cases can be nothing at all finally, there is no inheritance tax to pay finally, there is no annual property tax for 5 years.

• Finance is available and up to 70% mortgages are available to overseas investors.

For any property investor the major criteria for buying are:

• Affordable property prices with significant capital growth potential.

• Low taxation and flexible finance facilities.

• A stable economic and political climate that will foster growth.

Add in a buoyant “buy to let” market and it is no wonder Moroccan property investment is growing in popularity and the trend looks set to continue.

Discover more about investing in property in morocco and you may be glad you did.

Fixing up old properties is a good way to make money investing in real estate. When fixing up old properties to get the most profit, there are some things you should know. One thing you should know when fixing up old properties, to get the most profit out of it, is the property value of the area the property is located in. If the property value in the area the house is located in is high, you will have a bigger profit margin to work with. One other thing when it comes to the property value is the direction the property value of the area is going. If the property value of the area is going up, this can maximize your profit.

Another thing you should know when fixing up old properties, to get the most profit out of it, is the condition the property is in. It is recommended that you know what needs to be fix or replace to bring the property up to date. One other thing that is important when it comes to the condition of the property is before you buy any property that you look at the foundation. The foundation is one of the most expensive things to fix in a property. If the foundation is cracked or sinking you might not get the most profits fixing a property like that.

One last thing you should know when fixing up old properties, to get the most profit out of it, is a contractor that you can trust. It is recommended that you know what you want to be done to the property. By doing this you can get an estimate from more than one contractor. Investing in old properties is a good way to make money in real estate. If you use the information you read here you will have some good ways on how to maximize your profit margin.

Finding properties to buy sometimes can be hard work by itself. If you are a new real estate investor finding homes to buy may not be an easy thing to do. One way to find properties to buy if you are a new real estate investor is the local newspaper. The local newspaper almost always has a real estate section with properties for sale. You can make a list of all the properties you’re interested in and prepare to make some phone calls. When you do call, some questions you can ask is the size of the house, how long it’s been on the market, if the mortgage is assumable.

If you are looking to buy properties in an unconventional way you can ask if the seller is willing to do seller financing. The phone is a good way to screen out the sellers or the properties you don't want. Another way to find properties to buy if you are a new real estate investor is the internet. The internet is a good place because some sites have good photos of many properties. It can save you time because if a property looks run down or looks too small you won't waste your time calling.

One last place you can find properties to buy if you are a new real estate investor is driving around. All you got to look out for is the for sale signs. This is a good way the find properties that are close. Another thing with driving around is you can find properties that are not promoted well. You can end up getting a good deal. Finding properties to buy is not an easy thing to do, but if you use the information here you will have some idea of where to look.