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    The Four Flipping Truths

    I went on vacation to Yellowstone with my family a little while ago. We flipped on the TV when we got in one evening. There was a show about house flippers on. I don’t watch a lot of television, so it’s not surprising I hadn’t seen this one before. In case you haven’t seen it, what happens is that they show people who buy a place, fix it up, and then sell it at an enormous profit. You know, they flip it. And at least all of the ones I saw did in fact make serious money.

    The trouble is, a lot of people see a show like that and they think it’s easy. They think all you have to do is go out and buy a property, fix it up a little, slap on some paint, and immediately sell it for a $50,000 profit. In the real world it just doesn’t happen that way too often. Sorry.

    We can, however, learn from these intrepid TV house flippers, and that can lead to a much greater chance of success for ourselves in the flipping game. I noticed four things specifically that made these flips successful, and I present them to you as…

    The 4 Flipping Truths

    1) Buy ugly and cheap, but not broken.

    All of the houses shown were very ho-hum looking, inside and out. They had no personality, and nothing “cool” or unique about them. They were all just another drab house that looked like every other house. None of the houses shown had anything seriously wrong with them, either. No major structural problems, chronic flooding, or burnt-out electrical system. They didn’t have to waste any time fixing things that people don’t notice. They also only bought places that were selling for way less than other homes in the area. When you’re out looking, look for a good deal that can be dolled up.

    2) Plan Everything Before Purchase.

    Each of the investors had everything that they were going to do to the place mapped out before they signed any papers. The new windows were picked out, all the colors chosen, everything. They didn’t have to waste any time when they finally closed.

    3) Move Fast.

    Each of the flippers practically had their hired crews waiting, parked on the street in front of the property, just waiting to receive the go ahead call the second after the papers were signed. With a property that is not earning any money, you have to move fast, or you go broke very fast.

    4) Improve Things People Notice.

    Practically all of the changes the flippers made were cosmetic. They gave the homes and condo shown character. This goes hand in hand with #1. Yes, you could tear out that electrical system. Yes, you could replace the water heater. Here’s the problem: no one will pay that much more for the house if you do. I’m not suggesting you should sell an unsafe house, I’m saying only do the necessary repairs. People love decks and fire pits and modern kitchens. Make the improvements that are cool or unique, stuff that buyers will remember. It’ll sell faster, and for more.

    There you have it, the 4 flipping truths. It’s amazing what you can learn just by watching a little TV, isn’t it?

    Bryce Beattie is a real estate investor and the webmaster at middleclassmillionaires.com middleclassmillionaires.com

    Cost Segregation Studies Can Be Deal Makers!

    In today’s competitive commercial real estate market, you need
    to use every tool available to make a deal happen. One tool
    that is underutilized that could make a difference in creating a
    viable deal from one that is border line is a Cost Segregation
    Study.

    How can a Cost Segregation Study help? (I’ll explain what a
    Cost Segregation Study is later.) The future owner benefits
    from the study by creating tax benefits that result in almost
    immediate increased cash flow. All this can occur very soon
    after the purchase of the property. So this can be taken into
    account when working the numbers in a deal. The increased cash
    flow can push the deal over the top. It will also put the owner
    in a position for additional transactions sooner than
    anticipated.

    Cost Segregation is a strategic tax benefits tool that allows
    property owners who have constructed, purchased, expanded, or
    remodeled any kind of real estate to increase cash flow by
    accelerating depreciation deductions and deferring federal and
    state income taxes.

    Cost Segregation is the identification, separation and
    reclassification of building components to shorter, accelerated
    depreciation lives that are less than the traditional 39-year
    life required for the building itself.

    In general, it is easy to identify furniture, fixtures, and
    equipment that are depreciated over 5 or 7 years for tax
    purposes. However, a Cost Segregation Study goes far beyond that
    by dissecting construction costs that are usually depreciated
    over 27 ½ or 39 years.

    The primary goal of a Cost Segregation Study is to identify all
    construction-related costs that can be depreciated over 5, 7 or
    15 years. For example, 30% to 90% of the total electrical costs
    in most buildings can qualify as personal property (depreciated
    over 5 or 7 years). Reducing tax lives results in accelerated
    depreciation deductions, a reduced tax liability, and increased
    cash flow.

    Here’s a table showing the typical eligible percentages of a
    property’s value (not including land) that can be reclassified
    to shorter depreciation lives:

    Property Type: Typical Eligible Percentages
    Assisted Living: 15 - 25%
    Apartment Building: 20 - 35%
    Automobile Dealership: 25 - 50%
    Bank/Financial Institution: 15 - 30%
    Computer Technology Center: 20 - 60%
    Distribution: 5 - 15%
    Fitness/Health Club: 20 - 30%
    Golf/Resort: 20 - 40%
    Heavy Manufacturing/Processing: 30 - 60%
    Hospital/Medical Office Building: 20 - 50%
    Hotel and Motel: 20 - 30%
    Light Manufacturing: 20 - 40%
    Office Building: 20 - 40%
    Research and Development: 20 - 60%
    Restaurants (single or multiple): 20 - 40%
    Retail (dept/specialty store): 20 - 30%
    Self Storage Facility: 20 - 80%
    Strip or Regional Mall: 10 - 30%
    Supermarket: 20 - 30%
    Tenant Improvements: 10 - 50%
    Theater: 20 - 30%
    Warehouse: 5 - 10%

    Here’s a table of some actual examples:

    Property: Acquired Outpatient Surgery Center
    Tax Basis: $1,843,000
    Percent Reclassified: 45%
    Present Value of Tax Benefits: $154,000

    Property: Acquired Office/Warehouse
    Tax Basis: $6,050,000
    Percent Reclassified: 15.9%
    Present Value of Tax Benefits: $148,000

    Property: New Bank Building
    Tax Basis: $3,600,000
    Percent Reclassified: 31.7%
    Present Value of Tax Benefits: $180,000

    Property: New Assisted Living Center
    Tax Basis: $2,860,000
    Percent Reclassified: 32.1%
    Present Value of Tax Benefits: $156,000

    Property: Acquired Retail Shopping Center
    Tax Basis: $7,140,000
    Percent Reclassified: 18.4%
    Present Value of Tax Benefits: $215,000

    As you can see, a Cost Segregation Study can help increase cash
    flow and may be enough to make a deal viable. The actual study
    would not be performed until after the acquisition of the
    property but a fairly good estimate can be made beforehand by an
    experienced firm based on industry knowledge and their own
    database of performed studies.

    Even if a transaction is financially sound, it would be wise to
    recommend a Cost Segregation Study to the new owners because of
    the potential tax benefits and resulting cash flow. It could
    only enhance your position in their eyes and could lead to more
    business from them and referrals as well.

    Don’t overlook recommending a Cost Segregation Study to your
    existing clients. By saving your clients potentially hundreds
    of thousands of dollars, you will keep them as clients a long
    time and make asking and receiving referrals much easier. It’s
    a great strategy that will pay dividends over and over again.

    Mark Lauber is an Authorized Affiliate of Commercial Property
    Consultants (CPC). CPC has over 20 years combined experience
    conducting almost 4,000 Cost Segregation Studies resulting in
    hundreds of millions of dollars of tax benefits to clients. For
    a Free Course on Cost Segregation, use this link:
    cost-segregation-study.com cost-segregation-study.com
    For any questions, call Mark at (866) 378-4310 or email him at
    mailto:mark@cost-segregation-study.com mark@cost-segregation-study.com

    Penny Lane Realty Presents - Credit

    Real estate company Penny Lane Realty presents new service - purchase of elite real estate with the use of credit. Now the clients of company have the capability to acquire with the use of mortgage credit

    Real estate company Penny Lane Realty presents new service - purchase of elite real estate with the use of credit. Now the clients of company have the capability to

    acquire with the use of mortgage credit the objects of urban and out-of-town real estate both on the second and primary market. In the near future it is planned to extend this service for commercial real estate as well.

    According to the opinion of the experts of Penny Lane Realty, new service will be demanded, before of all, by the owners of businesses, to whom it is more
    advantageous to take the mortgage credit and to pay out percentages, than to withdraw money from their business’ operations funds and use it for the acquisition of real estate. Also this service will be interesting to the highly-paid specialists, who spend significant amount of money on the lease of an apartment, but also would want to buy their own real estate.

    Penny Lane Realty has developed a direction of the mortgage credit since January 2007. Company has already signed agreements with the leading mortgage banks, among them: Bank Societe General Vostok, Raiffeisenbank Austria, Russian Mortgage Bank, Moscow International Bank. In the near future company plans to sign the agreements with other banks as well: Sberbank, VTB 24, with Moscow Bank, with City Mortgage Bank, with Moscow Credit Bank, Sobinbank and Moscommercebank.

    “Despite the fact that mortgage credit – is a new service for the market of elite real estate, we are assured that it will be in demand, says Marina Melkoian, the head of the department of the mortgage crediting of the Penny Lane Realty. - The advantages of the acquisition of real estate by means of credit are obvious indeed: firstly, our client gain the possibility to purchase an apartment of higher quality than they could normally afford to rent; secondly, acquiring real estate with the use of mortgage credit system, gives buyer an option to easily justify money he or she spends to purchase an apartment in the state structures. Furthermore, because of the exclusive contract relationships our company Penny lane Realty has with many above mentioned banks our clients gain significant privileges on obtaining a credit.”

    for more information please visit our website eng.realtor.ru eng.realtor.ru

    4 Tips To Buy Bank Foreclosed Houses

    Bank foreclosed homes are houses or properties that are currently owned by the bank itself. The previous owner had failed to accomplish their duties on paying their loans or mortgage so in turn, the bank foreclosed it. It is one of the many kinds of foreclosure in the market. It is also one of the safest and easiest ways on buying foreclosed houses.

    The main reason why it is very easy to buy and transact with this type of foreclosure is because the deal is directly with the bank. The banks sell their foreclosed properties because they want to get back the money that they lost. Finding the best foreclosed home is very easy.

    There are banks that advertise their foreclosures on the newspapers and magazines. The internet is also another good source of information on bank foreclosure listings. These sites provide a wide range of foreclosure houses from different cities. Banks can even use the help of real estate agencies in selling their foreclosed properties.

    The bank’s main objective is to re-sell these houses to new buyers by financing a mortgage. Most bank foreclosed houses are reduced to 10 to 15 percent from the original market value. Though the rate is not as good as the rate of the others, bank foreclosure aids the novice or first time consumers on easy buying.

    Generally, there are no other liens on the property of bank foreclosures which is also the other reason why it is very easy to purchase. Usually it involves no unpaid taxes to be worried about. Another reason is that it saves you from worrying on how to evict the former owners from the foreclosed houses which is one of the most difficult things to do.

    Compared to other foreclosures, the bank foreclosed houses are open in letting you inspect and examine the house first. This will help you decide more effectively in whether you’ll be buying the right home or not. All of these are just some of the advantages with bank foreclosed houses.

    In purchasing homes or properties form bank foreclosure, you can always negotiate with the bank on the manner or method of payment. You can ask for a low down payment, low interest rate and even to further reduce the foreclosed home’s cost. Just don’t forget to also be realistic in making your negotiations.

    Banks will always stick to their goal which is to earn money. The tendency is that they won’t give the foreclosed houses just like that without making money from it. There are different lenders which you can try to avail a bank foreclosed home.

    Here are tips on buying foreclosed houses:

    1. Check the condition and quality of the house. Most non-productive foreclosed houses can be avail at a much lower price than those in good conditions.

    2. Inspect the house and estimate your total expenses including the fixing and the likes. This is to know whether you’re buying a great deal home.

    3. Hire someone with an expertise with home foreclosures. This is to know whether or not the foreclosed home you’ll be buying is a bargain.

    4. Be smart in negotiating. Don’t forget to know your legal rights as a consumer to prevent future conflicts.

    Bank foreclosed houses may not offer the lowest rate but it offers a lot of advantages. It is very easy to transact that is why first time buyers would not have a hard time at all.

    For listings of bank foreclosed houses, please visit

    Repo Homes - Obtain A Real Estate Property At A Very Affordable Price

    Repo houses are homes that have been repossessed by the government from the previous owners because of failing to pay back loans from the government. As a consequence for not paying back the loan, the government will repossess the real estate property as a way to pay back the loan. Some are repossessed because of cheating their taxes or because of other criminal activities.

    The repossessed homes are under the care of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. This particular branch in the government has the right to auction the homes or to put it up for sale. You will see that government sponsored auctions can be known through newspapers and through the internet. This means that you will be constantly updated about any auctions taking place as well as any repossessed real estate properties available for sale.

    If you wish to obtain a real estate property at a very affordable price, you should consider getting one through government sponsored real estate auctions. These repossessed homes can cost much lower than actual market price. However, you also have to consider the fact that there are also a lot of people who are looking for affordable homes. This means that there will be quite a lot of competitions when the auction day comes.

    Government repo homes are considered to be best buys. However, you should consider that you know how to bid and know how to set your limits. It is recommended that you should bring a professional along in order to let you know about the estimated market price for the home and also advice you on when to start bidding and also when to stop bidding. A house agent or broker can be very helpful when the auction day comes.

    Although these houses are quite cheap, you have to consider that some may need minor renovations. This is also an important factor to look at when you are participating in a government sponsored real estate auction. If the estimated renovation cost can be quite costly, you have to decide whether you want the home or not. There are always other homes to choose from if the home you are looking at isn’t worth you money.

    If you get the home, you should consider that the payment is not automatically paid. There are various payment plans that the government can offer you for the home. This means that it can make it easier for you to pay for the home and can be very convenient for your pocket.

    To find different types of repossessed homes, please visit real-estate-foreclosed-home.info/ real-estate-foreclosed-home.info

    Pricing Your Apartments

    How do you fix a price point for an apartment? Take a guess? Figure it based on your carrying costs? Check comps and do a market analysis? Charge whatever the market will bear? If you’re looking to place quality tenants, less is sometimes more.

    We all want to make money with income property; the more the better! When you’re looking for a new tenant, however, don’t assume that you’re going to make more money by charging more. If your property is priced high for what you’re offering, you won’t get a lot of calls, and the ones you do get will be either uneducated about your local rental market, desperate, unscrupulous, or a combination of any of these.

    What to do? Perform your due diligence: check the advertisements for similar apartments, make appointments to look at them, talk to real estate agents and others in the business, and get a clear idea of how much others are getting – not just charging – for similar rentals. Then, advertise yours to undersell the competition.

    Why undersell? It’s a basic rule of economics that price is a great way to compete. If you offer a good product for slightly lower, you’ll get a lot of calls, which means you’ll be able to screen more applicants and get the best possible tenant into the unit. Once you have a quality tenant that likes the place, you’re golden – you can make increases annually that put your unit in line with others. Tenants who don’t have slumlords for landlords won’t go to the trouble of searching for a cheaper place because of the costs associated with moving. Your first-year discount got the best tenant in the door, and providing quality housing will keep them there.

    In conclusion, don’t let your greed cloud your judgment when you’re trying to find the right tenant.

    Terence P Ward is a freelance writer specializing in business and web writing. His website at theplanwriter.googlepages.com theplanwriter.googlepages.com provides links to writing samples and information on hiring him to provide articles, blog posts, business plans, and copy of all types.

    Dangers of Buying Real Estate Foreclosures Too Quickly

    Are you trying your hand at making money with the real estate market? If so, your prime targets should be real estate foreclosures. Real estate foreclosure properties are the easiest to turn into investment properties, as many are sold at prices below their fair market value. Although it is advised that all real estate investors examine real estate foreclosures, you need to be cautious when doing so. Many beginners do not realize that there are many dangers to buying too many real estate foreclosures, especially too quickly.

    One mistake that many investors just getting started making is buying too many foreclosures too quickly. Many beginners mistakenly believe that the more they invest, the more likely they are to see larger profits. While this is true, in many cases, it is advised that you proceed with caution. When it comes to real estate foreclosures, you are advised to first only purchase one or two properties. You will want to experiment with different techniques, like repairs, as well as renting or selling, before banking too much on one method. Should you later find real estate investing not as profitable or more difficult that you imagined, it would be easier for you to get out of it, without losing all of your hard earned money.

    Another mistake that many new real estate investors make is by not carefully examining the real estate foreclosures that they want to buy. Many beginners mistakenly believe that all real estate foreclosures are a great deal, just because of their discounted prices. This simply isn’t the truth. Real estate foreclosures come in all different conditions, including perfect and completely run down. As a reminder, you are urged to never judge a book by its cover. Before agreeing to buy a real estate foreclosure, make sure that you see more than just an asking price. You will want to see pictures of the foreclosure property in question. If the property in question is a building, you will want to see exterior and interior pictures.

    The two above mentioned real estate investing mistakes are just a few of the many that many beginners make. To prevent yourself from making these common real estate investing mistakes, as well as many others, you may want to think about taking a real estate investing course or investing in a few real estate investment guides. As outlined above, most real estate investors have the best chance of success when they look into real estate foreclosures. For that reason, you may want to take a real estate investing course or purchase books that cover real estate foreclosures, like how you can find them and buy them.

    While it may seem time consuming to read a few real estate books or take a real estate investing class, you need to remember what you will learn. Many successful real estate investors learned what they know about real estate investing and real estate foreclosures by using the same or similar resources. The more knowledge you have about real estate foreclosures and real estate investing in general, the more successful you are likely to be as a real estate investor.

    Amon Minor is a writer for Fastcashinrealestateforeclosures where you can find accurate information about

    Italy Hotels For Sale And How To Buy Them

    Italy is one of the busy and beautiful European countries and has a vast coastal line on the sea. It is all surrounded by Alps Mountain in the north, Adriatic Sea on the east, Ionian and Mediterranean Sea on the west. The culture and history of Italy attracts people from all over the worlds towards Italy and is most popular tourist destination in Europe. The demand for stay in Italy is thus continuously growing and has a good scope for hotel business in the country. There are some beautiful cities in the country and you will find a number of hotels for sale in Italy.

    Italy is not only world automobile hub but it is also famous for fashion, food and its architectural styles. It is also associated with the holy place Vatican. People from all around the world visit Vatican and Italy and Italy has a lot of more to show the world and therefore a good tourist destination. Italy hotels for sale are offered to the people and are therefore a good investment opportunities for many of us. The hotels in coastal cities or around the holy place are in much demand and the expected demand for these hotels will also grow in feature.

    The currency of Italy is Euro and you can buy a small hotel in Italy from a few thousand euros onward, however depending on the location and the size of the hotel the rates will vary. The investment in Italy hotels offered on sale will provide higher return on your investment if you have purchased a right hotel at the right location. The demand for hotels is higher in certain area as people visit these places more often.

    It is very easy to search a hotel in Italy as you find many Italy hotels for sale are advertised properly either at web or local papers. You can also contact to the real estate agents in any of your preferred destination and can find detailed information. You can also look for detailed information about these hotels in online information provided on the hotel owner’s websites. The information gathered through website or real estate agent is preliminary information and you need to look into more details of the hotels and you should ask for a visit to the hotel offered for sale.

    Once you make up your mind to purchase a Italy hotel offered for sale, it is necessary for you to bargain the price as most of the time the normal cost will be far less than the listed price. A good bargainer can bring down the cost. In Italy many good hotels are for sale and purchasing a hotel at the right location will be an added advantage as you can expect a very high return on your investment from it.

    … Was this Hotel Investment Article Helpful? Learn More About Hotel investments, Hotels For Sale and the Ins and Outs Of Hotel Brokerage. Smart Hotels Buyers - Buy Hotels From

    Online Home Mortgages

    Property rates have skyrocketed in this dynamic political and economic environment. With the current high prices of real estate it has become very difficult for regular nine-to-five workers to purchase their own place with a one-time lump-sum payment. This is where an online home mortgage helps. The Web serves as a good tool to find the best possible home mortgage option. Searching for the right mortgage company becomes an easy task, as the net is filled with the addresses of hundreds of vendors and brokers, most of whom are VA guaranteed and FHA insured.

    A tailor-made mortgage loan can be available at either mortgage companies or saving banks. But taking a loan from these banks can be risky, as these are not under the umbrella of FHA and lack the VA guarantee. Commercial banks also give you these loans at a very low and competitive rate of interest. Weigh your options carefully and choose between these available loan vendors. Looking for alternatives on the Internet will take you to some sites where you can find other vendors like credit unions, state and local finance companies and, on a smaller scale, some employers and unions who would fund your dream project at a suitable rate of interest.

    It is easy to get lost in the maze of information made available to you on the Web. People find it difficult to pick the right alternative from the various sites. Experts advise that you use the mortgage calculators available online. If you find this task tedious, go for the Websites which give you an online analysis of the data offered by the various institutions. If nothing appeals you, turning to a mortgage broker would be a good option. With some common sense and research you are sure to find the best home mortgage deal for yourself on the Net.

    e-OnlineMortgages.com Online Mortgages provides detailed information on Online Mortgages, Online Mortgage Brokers, Online Home Mortgages, Online Mortgage Quotes and more. Online Mortgages is affiliated with e-MortgageNetBranch.com Mortgage Net Branch Companies.

    How To Buy Your First Home With No Money Down

    The current home buying frenzy has resulted in rapid escalation of home values during the last several years. Certain areas of the country have seen values climb by 100% or more during the last four years. Many first time home buyers have sat on the sidelines watching as the cost of owning a home has spiraled out of reach. Traditionally, future home buyers were taught to save their money to get into their first home. This thinking left many with a dilemma. How does one save money when they are stretched too thin on a monthly budget with high rental prices and little to no tax deductions? It is and has always been nearly impossible. Federal Housing Administration (FHA) was the only option for low down payments up to the late 1990s until some of the larger mortgage investors came up with their own low down payment options and took on the larger risk of home depreciation by requiring little to no money down.

    How do you get a low to no money down loan?

    First, talk with a qualified company that has experience with 100% financing and first time home buyers. Check local mortgage Web sites to see some innovative programs.

    Second, find out how much you can afford based on your monthly income and budget. It is a good idea to add in all of your expenses so you are leaving room for entertainment. Yes, many people sacrifice a bit of their “Pleasure” expenditures when buying their first home. You will not be alone in this respect. Don’t forget the tax deduction you will receive as a home owner, in most cases. The tax savings should improve your monthly cash flow.

    Third, get a good credit check up. You can visit freecreditreport.com” target=”_new freecreditreport.com and obtain a credit report on yourself. You should obtain the credit score version because they will be important on most 100% financing programs. Your scores should be somewhere above 640 or more to qualify for most programs, though some programs allow lower scores than that.

    Forth, obtain a pre approval letter from your lender or broker so you can present this to your Realtor when shopping for your home. Make sure the terms and costs are accurate so you don’t have any surprises at the closing table.

    Fifth, don’t bite off a larger payment than you can afford. Many times, lenders allow you to spend 50% to 55% of your monthly gross income on your credit items. This doesn’t always leave much for essentials like groceries and utilities.

    Lastly, remember the first year of home ownership is usually the toughest. After a year or two, you can generally refinance your home loan into one loan that may be a better interest rate, depending on where interest rates are at the time of refinancing. The plan is to eventually have equity and start your nest egg growing.

    About The Author
    Pete Wagner writes for California Mortgages Online ( californiamortgagesonline.com” target=”_new californiamortgagesonline.com ). Learn more about California second mortgages at californiamortgagesonline.com/credit-solutions.html” target=”_new californiamortgagesonline.com/credit-solutions.html.