Archive for October 2011
Marina Del Rey Luxury Condos
October 31, 2011 | 
Author Marina Del Rey, the community that almost never was, is a beautifully landscaped community on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, separate and yet a part of Los Angeles County. It’s totally surrounded by the city of Los Angeles, accessible literally in minutes, even by walking, to the city and all that it has to offer.
The housing community of Marina Del Rey includes many condominiums, both for rental and for sale, that are only blocks away from the ocean. Some are high rise condominiums, while a few are nearer to the beach. Both types offer either quick access to the ocean or beautiful ocean views from the comforts of their living rooms.
Of course, since Marina Del Rey is more of an adult community, with only 6.7% of children, and a community where the average couple earns close to $ 85,000 a year, you can expect that condos will cost you.
And they do, whether they have bedrooms or not. Loft condos are very popular in the area, as they offer space that having a bedroom would take away. These are usually in high rise buildings, where the prices will usually start in the $ 285,000 range. However, living in high rise buildings in this area comes with amenities such as tennis courts, 24 hour security, swimming pools, and, of course, access to the ocean.
Of course, if you’re the stickler type for a bedroom, one bedroom condos are also very popular in Marina Del Rey. Building views are usually either of the ocean or the mountains, and either one offers its own beauty. Of course, prices can jump drastically once you start adding bedrooms, even one, and these usually average between $ 375,000 and $ 450,000 per unit, still with the same amenities as the studio loft condos.
What if you decide to splurge and move up again, into 2 bedroom condos? Depending on whether you’re only shooting for 2 bathrooms or 2 ½ bathrooms, you’re now looking at between $ 550,000 to $ 695,000, but you’re not talking cramped quarters.
How about a formal dining area, master bedroom suite, and a wet bar? Some come with patios and gyms, some with utilities and even cable included in the price.
What if you wanted to start looking at 3 bedroom condos? Three bedroom condos start around $ 799,000 and top out around $ 830,000. Now you’re ready to add health clubs, spas, and a restaurant into the mix. Always offering great views of some part of the city and surrounding areas, or views of the beach, depending on angle.
Of course, we’ve only scratched the surface. If you’re looking for true luxury in Marina Del Rey condos, you don’t look at how many bedrooms. You look at space, you look at location, and if you have at least $ 1 million to spend you’re going to get your dream condominium, with guaranteed beach views, spacious internal living, and with only two bedrooms. Many of these condos offer lots of windows for almost panoramic views, offices and dens, fireplaces,… you just can’t lose with a condominium of this style, and the price is right.
Can you stand more? How about 3 & 4 bedroom condos, all with panoramic views, all with the amenities mentioned above, all with more space, private elevators, media rooms, private balconies and patios, saunas and surround sound throughout the condo? How much will this kind of elegance cost you? Only between $ 2.5 and $ 4.5 million dollars.
But you can afford it; after all, this is Marina Del Rey. Boating, surfing, swimming, the high life, the beauty of the sea, the wonderful weather, and the proximity to one of the best nightlife cities you could ever imagine. Think about it; luxury at its finest.
Becoming a Real Estate Agent: Getting an Online Course
For people who want to learn how to get a real estate license, a good entry point is searching online for real estate education courses. Getting a real estate license these days does not have to be as difficult as it has been in years past. All you need is some determination, a few hours, and an internet connection. So what does it take to become a real estate agent?
A prospective candidate for a real estate license should learn how transactions work for buyers and sellers, understand the laws concerning real estate in their state, and have a plan on how they plan to launch their real estate practice. Future real estate agents must know how to deal with people since they often mediate between buyers and sellers, know how to balance personal and professional life as you could work hours on end if you don’t create a schedule. They must be knowledgeable enough on mortgage matters too.
Of you are a really busy person and you don’t have time to go to a traditional real estate licensing school, then why not get an online real estate course? Here are some benefits of getting your real estate license.
• You can manage your time, meaning you can study the course when you want it and when you want it. This is ideal for people who have other jobs and do not have time to take real estate training at a local real estate school.
• Since you would not be studying in a real estate school, this will decrease your fees for teacher salaries, gas, hotel, food, etc. So maybe you can have some deductions from the thousands of dollars you’ll have to spend in an actual training school.
• Learning is interactive in online real estate courses. Statistics show that by getting your real estate license online you retain the information 20% more.
Now before you do, you may wonder if by taking an online real estate course that it will be approved by your state licensing agency. The answer is yes! Double check with your state to verify exact requirements. There are lots of legitimate online education companies which offer an online real estate courses.
Once you make a decision about becoming a real estate agent, check out the ways in which you can take your real estate training and go for what’s makes the best sense for your current situation.
Hard Money Lenders Are Doing Great Job in Collaboration With Real Estate Investors
Houses have been in human use from time immemorial, as providing shelter for oneself and to the loved ones is always a prior instinct of every human in every civilization. If you feel a desire to buy your own dream house then you are thinking exactly what your forefathers used to think and perform. Similarly if you are planning to buy a house for the sake of investing in for future benefits then still you are doing a very good thing. Real Estate Investment has become very practical and profitable business and the emergence of different Hard Money Lenders has made it quite easy for everyone to enter for prosperity into this business. You need to have that flare for selling different categories of properties and especially houses, and you will get much profit.
Hard Money Lendersare making great differences in people’s lives. They have given new directions to those who were stressed out due to unemployment or low paying job. The modern day’s life is full of so many gadgets and luxurious items that we keep on striving for more and more and it never ends. So, in order to spend a balanced and honest life, you can become a real estate investor as it involves no fraud or cheating at any level. If you are fair then things are definitely the same for you. You have every right to check the credibility of the Hard Money Lender that you are going to deal with. These lenders are operating in business with their own money and they are doing it for greater goods of themselves and their clients.
Everyone can become a very successful realtor only if a desire is very high plus you are able to select some of the good properties in your own neighborhood. There is no need for you to go to other towns and state for investment, especially in the starting days of your career. You have to make a thorough research and get some good advices that are relevant with property dealings, by visiting the local real estate clubs. Here you would be able to listen to the good and bad experiences of different realtors and then you can understand many things, even before getting loan funds from your desired Hard Money Lenders. You need to be all active and work before time if you are going to make a sound career in this field.
When you apply for loan funds to any Hard Money Lenders then they are going to send their independent evaluators to the place. These evaluators would judge the actual worth of the property and the change in market price after doing necessary repairs over it. If things are not going to benefit you or your lender then they won’t recommend that property for purchase. It is really beneficial as you are not going to spend your acquired money on something that is going to pay nothing at end. Your success is also very important for your lenders and they are not going to compromise on it.
Posted in Luxury Real Estate | 
Tags: Collaboration, Doing, Estate, Great, Hard, Investors, Lenders, Money, Real | 
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Real Estate Foreclosure Investing – The Perfect Storm
After one and half years of declining housing sales, the trend is changing and sales are bottoming in most regions in the US. The latest US Housing Numbers (released July 30, 2009) reported that the rate of declining home sales is decreasing at a lower rate and is on a path of actual overall growth by years end.
Possibly related is the fact that the majority of areas in the US are starting to see the values of their homes increase once again. This is a long time coming as many people have seem their home investment turn upside down, meaning the mortgage owed is more then the house is worth. So with the housing prices starting to rise it signifies hope that more homeowners will be above water again before long. It’s morel lift is already starting to improve sentiment, which in turn will help the US come out of the current recession at a quicker rate.
Simultaneously the number of foreclosures is still increasing resulting in a surplus of foreclosure homes on the market for investors to choose from.
Surprisingly there have been more then 1.5 million homes that received a foreclosure filing in the first half of 2009. Foreclosure investors can get the absolute best value right now, many times for 30%-40% less than the building and land costs. They can also feel comfortable because the price of the homes have bottomed. So not only are foreclosure investors receiving a deep initial discount on a home they will start to benefit from property appreciation.|
If the cost of a house is $ 100,000 and is foreclosure discounted 40% ($ 60,000) and the property value 30% above that cost ($ 130,000), then the investor has immediately doubled their investment. This occurs far more often than you would expect, however, in order to double your money property improvements must be done to improve it’s curb side appeal.
Often this simply requires a good cleanup and some paint.
Probably the best investment available is obtaining a foreclosure, improving it’s visual appeal and flipping or renting it; just ask Donald Trump. Most home buyers either do not understand foreclosures so they are reluctant to try, or they have a false perception that good foreclosure properties are hard to find. That’s okay if that is what they inaccurately believe, it just leaves that many discounted houses left for astute investors like us.
Posted in Real Estate Foreclosures | Tags: Estate, Foreclosure, investing, Perfect, Real, Storm | Comments Closed
$4.8 Million Grant For Memphis
As part of a new government innovation program aptly named the Mayors Project, New York City Mayor and billionaire philanthropist Michael Bloomberg is doling out a combined $ 24 million in grants to five of his colleagues around the country. The grants will go to the mayors of Memphis, Tenn; Atlanta, Chicago, Louisville, Ky; and New Orleans. In particular, this initiative through Bloomberg Charities is designed to assist mayors who are in the first 18 months of their term and who are in appropriate positions to improve conditions in their cities in addressing a wide spectrum of issues, from energy efficiency to handgun violence. In an article by the Huffington Post, Bloomberg stated that he hopes that the grants will fuel these efforts and encourage the sharing of effective strategies and programs between cities, allowing mayors to work together in new ways to tackle common issues.
Throwing off the yoke of a stagnant 18 years of previous administration, during which the very spirit of the city seemed to be dwindling, this grant and a new leader will undoubtedly propel Memphis on a new, brighter path–good news for real estate investors, industry leaders, and citizens alike. The newly elected Mayor A.C Wharton Jr. said his city’s $ 4.8 million cut of the grant will be used to help attract the intellectual capital necessary to lure investment while keeping already cash-strapped citizens in contention. Growth in a city leads to jobs, which leads to stability. Stability leads to an easing of the housing crisis and a general prospering of neighborhoods and local economy. Home values slowly begin to increase and the demand for both new housing and rental housing continue to rise in turn as well.
As his two main priorities, Wharton plans to revive areas of Memphis cut off by highway construction and approach handgun violence as a public health crisis. While not directly effecting the Memphis housing market, his goals will allow him to capitalize on the existing momentum for change and improvement, and his receptiveness to working with commercial leaders will allow for the progression of where home buyers and long-term investors want property values and incomes to go.
Real Estate License Required
Article by Joe Carr
Looking for a very lucrative business opportunity? Real estate brokering is the top choice for a lot of people. Real Estate Brokers and real estate agents are working throughout the nation. Not only are they making excellent incomes, they are also contributing to the economy in direct, as well as, indirect ways. By helping the sellers in selling their property and at the same time helping the buyers in buying a property these agents help satisfy their need for shelter. Creating this transaction often entails many other services to be ordered. So, can anyone start real estate brokering? Well, not really.
Possessing a Real estate license is a pre-requisite for becoming a real estate agent. However, obtaining a real estate license is not difficult. In most states, the qualifications for getting a real estate license are very minimal. So you should first check the eligibility criteria for obtaining a real estate license (rather pre-license) in your state. The real estate license eligibility criterion includes things like the minimum age limit (which is mostly 19 years) and educational qualifications (which is mostly high school). Most states do require a clean criminal record, sorry. Once you know that you satisfy those real estate license (pre-license) eligibility criteria, you can go ahead and enroll for a pre-license training. There a number of real estate schools that offer real estate license training. Some real estate schools offer online training for a real estate license. Choose a course that is spread over a sufficient duration of time e.g. 1 year so that you are able to grasp the concepts properly (after all you want to become a successful real estate agent and not just another real estate agent). You will be taught a number of topics as part of your real estate license training. All this will help you develop a basic understanding of real estate and various aspects related to real estate (e.g. real estate law, deeds, contracts, ownership transfer, etc) Once you have undergone this real estate license training, you will be required to undergo a state exam. After you pass this exam, you will generally need to undergo additional training on state approved courses. And that’s it, you can now get a real estate license which is worth that effort (as you will find in a couple of years of starting real state brokering). Most states also require you to go for continuous education after you have received your real estate license. However, this is a just a few hours every few years.
So a real estate license is what you need to start your career as a real estate agent. But your success after that will be dependent on how seriously, ethically and effectively you carry out your job. Unfortunately, eighty percent of new agents will have left the business within five years. Remember, this is a very competitive business and you will find that the top twenty percent of agents earn nearly eighty per cent of the money. Being average in the sales business will leave you hurting financially.
Investor Real Estate Foreclosure Software and Foreclosure Letter Templates
Article by Aiden Win
Investor Real Estate Foreclosure Software and Foreclosure Letter Templates
If you’re an investor and you are looking for some fancy expensive software for foreclosures then you should go find it at another site. What I’ve used in my foreclosure flipping business is not really “software” per say. It’s mostly excel spreadsheets that I have programmed to quickly calculate the potential return on investments on prospective properties I’m looking at, calculate cashflows, do quick comparisons between several properties and other calculator type tools that give me raw numbers for analysing deals.
I have never used software for real estate foreclosures. The only time I think some kind of software would be handy is some kind of prospect management software that keeps track of all the foreclosures sellers that you are dealing with. But unless you are buying a lot of properties every year, I don’t think it’s that necessary.
Tools I use on every deal that I analyse are:
1. Property Comparables Calculation Tool
I use this spreadsheet to quickly compare the prices and features of 2 or more similar properties to determine the market value of a foreclosure property I’m looking at.
2. Cash Flow Analysis Tool
By inputting the rental income, itemized expenses, mortgage amount, down payment, and other fields, I can calculate the monthly cash flow down to the penny, the cash-on-cash return on investment, the net return on investment over a 1-5 year period, all in less than 30 seconds.
3. Buy Fix Sell Analysis Tool
I use this for foreclosure properties that I intend to do quick flips on. I input the potential sale price, the detailed costs for renovations, carrying costs, my desired profit, and it will calculate the maximum price I am willing to pay for the property in order to have a profitable deal.
4. 10-Year Investment Analysis Tool
For foreclosure properties that I intend to hold as a long term investment. I use this spreadsheet to calculate my returns over 10 years.
I also use forms that I complete by hand for easy analysis.
1. Property Selection Score Form
I use this to give a “score” for a certain property I’m looking to determine if it’s a high enough score to be considered a deal worth further investigation.
2. Crunching The Numbers Deal Analyser Form
An all-in-one form I use to do a final analysis of a certain deal. I plug in the numbers I get from all the tools and get a complete picture with this form.
So this is what I use as far is investor real estate foreclosure software. If you like the K.I.S.S. principle (Keep it simple stupid), then these tools and forms may benefit you too.
Posted in Real Estate Foreclosures | Tags: Estate, Foreclosure, Investor, Letter, Real, Software, Templates | Comments Closed
Comparing Chinese Real Estate and Dubai Real Estate Markets
Chinese and Dubai real estate markets have many things in common. They both kick started at almost the same time, the amount of construction work seen in Dubai and China at that time was seen nowhere else, both economies have seen a constant upsurge despite recession all over the globe and a healthy growth rate has been witnessed in both Dubai and Chinese property prices throughout these years. By comparing these markets, we can get an idea on what sort of changes we can expect in near future.
The beginning:
Dubai real estate market soared in 2002 when foreigners were allowed to purchase and own properties on freehold basis. Chinese real estate market started to show signs of growth in 2001 when China was all set to enter WTO and Beijing was announced as the host of Olympics 2008. The governments of Dubai and China have invested heavily on infrastructure since then and many investors’ friendly laws were introduced.
Acceleration:
Since the beginning, both the economies and real estate markets of Dubai and China have grown in tandem.
The sustaining factor in Dubai economy has been its oil reserves and tourism industry, while the China excels in exports. Both of them have seen stacks of foreign investment coming into their economies.
Great momentum:
Real estate markets in China and Dubai have shown a robust progress in demand and prices. Both have their mortgage markets performing really well unlike the mortgage crisis seen in major real estate markets like United States. As stated above, there has been a lot of spending on building infrastructure like roads and airports. Governments are actively involved in making all the right moves needed to maintain this momentum.
Amazing Architectures:
If Dubai has amazed the world by some of the most marvelous designs in real estate, China has not been far behind.
Dubai has Burj Dubai as the world’s tallest building; China came up with a magnificent 101-story Shanghai world financial center. Ski Dubai is regarded as one of the largest indoor ski resort, while National Swimming Center “Water Cube” is equally unique. Dubai rotating skyscraper stunned people all around the world, so did the design of Central Chinese Television CCTV in Beijing.
What the future holds:
The boom is almost over in Chinese real estate market, while Dubai market is also showing signs of losing the pace to some extent. Although, there are predictions of growth getting a little sluggish, there is still some room for growth in both real estate markets.
5 Reasons To Buy Atlanta Real Estate Now
Article by Ryan Ward
5 Reasons To Buy Atlanta Real Estate Now
The Atlanta Real Estate market, like many around the country, has seen several years of above average home appreciation. Sellers have enjoyed steep profits from selling their homes and using the revenue to upsize, pay off debt, pay for college or enhance their retirement options. Following traditional economic cycles, this trend has now shifted in favor of the buyer. If you have been sitting on the fence, undecided, waiting for the right time to buy a home, now is the time. Here are 5 reasons why.
Inventory – Supply and demand mandates that on a whole, when supplies go up, prices come down. The supply of homes competing for buyers has been on the rise all year. Home sellers have offered more incentives to attract buyers from other homes.
Interest rates – Mortgage interest rates remain at historically low levels allowing buyers to buy more home for less money per month. Undeniably, interest will rise and as they do the size and features you want will begin to be out of reach.
National Economy – Low inflation and unemployment, high consumer confidence, the stock market at all time highs and a national economy that continues to grow provide additional support that we are not in a housing bubble which will burst shortly after you buy a house.
Mortgage Programs – New and thoughtful financing programs have allowed for a greater number of variables to be considered during the loan application process which were unavailable just a few years ago. As the sellers market cools many lenders have begun to scale back certain lending programs. If you plan to buy a home, one of these programs may benefit you. By making the decision to buy a home now, you will have more lending options available to you.
Prices leveling – Real Estate values in Atlanta and around the country have declined for some types housing since the beginning of summer. Inventories of existing homes are beginning to fall and recent statistics from local listing services and the National Association of Realtors indicate that housing prices may have reached their bottom in this cycle. If you are waiting for the best deal on a home, now may be the best time to find it.
Your patience to wait out the increasing home prices has paid off. You now have more homes to choose from and sellers know it. Prices have leveled off or dropped and have begun to level off again. Interest rates are low and the economy is fundamentally strong. You want to buy a new home and now you know the reasons why you should. Now is a great time to be in the market to buy a home. Find a great Real Estate agent who knows your market and find your next home.
A Beginners Guide To An Online Real Estate Auction
If you are interested in setting up an online real estate auction with a company, you most certainly will have some questions regarding relevant procedures and methods. A residential or commercial online auction is the best way to conduct real estate transactions, for both buyers and sellers. Here are a few questions that people may initially have regarding their participation in these auctions:
Im a Buyer Do I Have to Sign Up to Use an Auction Website?
Yes. You will have to register with the online real estate auction auction website. It should only take a minute or two; most sites keep it short and simple for registration. Once you register, you will be ready to get started on the site. Remember the whole idea of performing transactions online is convenience. It is that simple!
Will my Personal and Financial Information be Kept Safe?
Many who use the Internet are concerned about security, and rightly so. The best online real estate auction websites will have a strict privacy policy that they adhere to and follow regarding the privacy of those who use the site, and they will always respect the privacy of their registered users.
Im a Listing Broker How do I Start an Online Property Auction?
Set up usually is going to be much easier than you might think. You will pay a set up fee for the auction, then you provide all of the details and information about your property, including auction information, property details, your contact information, your company logo and all of the necessary due diligence materials, such as photos. The best online real estate auction websites will have staff available to help with anything you might need assistance with, every step of the way.
Here are a couple of very important tips to help you be the most successful with your online property auction: The starting bid that you set should not be a high one; in fact, most experts recommend that you set it at half of the original asking price. This is because a lower starting bid is going to attract a larger pool of potential buyers. The second tip is regarding making sure that only serious bidders bid on the property. The best way to discourage casual bidding is to require that a winners deposit be paid, which is a non refundable deposit that is set by the listing broker. All bidders will pay the deposit, but it will be refunded to all bidders except the winner of the online real estate auction.