Real Estate Investments : Land

With today's focus on investingin and flipping homes, there is an investment that has become lost in the glamour of high profile home flipping. The purchase of land has always been one of the more secure forms of real estate investment, and if you are looking for a long-term asset land is perfect. There are numerous ways you can go about making a profit off your purchase of land, but most involve proper zoning and selling to the right person or company.

Before you purchase any parcel of land, do some research into the zoning of the area. Find out if it is zoned for residential, commercial or both. Finding something that is zoned for both is a great find because it gives you the widest array of options when selling. Also try to find out if there are any liens or easements on the property, this information will be critical when selling. Now consider the area that the land is in, is it an area that is likely to be developed? How does it match up in terms of location and proximity to amenities existing or proposed?

Also try to find out how the surrounding land has appreciated in the past years. If the area you are looking at has seen a push on development there is a good chance that land will be selling for a premium price as the development continues. To make your land more attractive to buyers, try clearing it yourself (if possible). Having all scrub and stumps removed is an attractive aspect to developers as it will save them time and money in the long run. Prospecting on the value of land can really pay off in the end if done correctly. development companies will pay top dollar for land in the right place so do your homework and good luck!

Sarah Miller offers real estate services in Bryan-College Station Real Estate. She is one of the RE/MAX Bryan-College Station realtors that has a long list of the finest real properties bryan tx, that any intending settler or buyer can choose from.

Hire Your Own Agent To Buy A Home

Are you interested in buying a home? Is it about time that you move on from your current living situation? If so, you will be up against a tough market. Many buyers find it very difficult to find and buy a home for one reason or the next. If this happens to you, there is one thing that you should look into doing. Do you know what it is? Simply put, you should look into hiring a real estate agent to work on your behalf. Many people think that agents are only for sellers, but this is far from the truth. You can do yourself a lot of good buy hiring a real estate agent to work on your side.
The biggest benefit of working with a real estate agent when you are buying a home is that they are familiar with the market in a particular area. This means that they will be able to tell you when new homes open up, and also what you need to do in order to get the best deal. Generally speaking, a real estate agent can give you all of the help that you need. For many people who are not familiar with the real estate market this is a great idea.
Another benefit of hiring a real estate agent is that they can help you to negotiate the deal. Not only will you be able to ask them any questions that you have, but when you are ready to make an offer they can get in touch with the other agent in order to iron out the details. This sure beats having to do this on your own. When you leave things up to your real estate agent you can be rest assured that they know what they are doing, and are working on your behalf to get you a great deal.

As you can see, buyers can use real estate agents as well. You do not have to be selling your home in order to take advantage of what a real estate agent has to offer. So before you take on this process alone, look into what hiring a real estate agent can do for you. You may be surprised at all of the help you can get along the way.

Sarah Miller offers real estate services in Bryan-College Station Real Estate. She is one of theRE/MAX Bryan-College Station realtors that has a long list of the finest real properties bryan tx, that any intending settler or buyer can choose from.

Fixer Upper Or Not?

So you are in the market for a new home? With so many properties to choose from it is not always easy to decide on the one that will be best for you and your family. And to take this a step further, there are two types of homes that you could consider buying. You can either opt for a new home that is in good condition, or you can buy a fixer upper. Both of these options have pros and cons, and it is up to you to decide which one is best. The most important thing to remember is that you should not just into either purchase option unless you are 100 percent sure of yourself.
 The biggest benefit of a fixer upper is that you will be able to get a great deal on the home. When somebody is selling a fixer upper they never expect to get the full market value. They know that there is a lot of work to be done, and for this reason they are willing to cut you a good deal. If you are interested in saving money, or do not have a lot to spend, a fixer upper may be something that you want to considering. Saving money is not reason enough to buy a fixer upper, but it is a good place to start.
 One common mistake that a lot of people make is that they buy a fixer upper, but have no intentions on actually doing any work. This results in them living in a home that is in need of major repairs, but they do not actually want to help themselves in this capacity. If you are not totally committed to putting work into a home than a fixer upper is not right for you. You will need to make this decision from the start.
 Finally, when you buy a fixer upper you will be able to have full control over the repairs and renovations that you make to the home. A lot of people like this because it allows them to give the home a look and feel that they are comfortable with.  
 A home that is designated a fixer upper may or may not be right for you. Some people actively seek a home like this, whereas others do not want to touch a fixer upper with a ten foot pole. The choice is yours. Be sure to make it a good one!

Sarah Miller offers real estate services in Bryan-College Station Real Estate. She is one of the RE/MAX Bryan-College Station realtors that has a long list of the finest real properties bryan tx, that any intending settler or buyer can choose from.

Real Estate Investment in Buenos Aires: Buenos Aires, a one way trip

The city's charm adds to the convenient exchange rate that sets Buenos Aires as an ideal city for international tourism and furthermore, a mine for investment. The investment opportunities are multiple and the channels are open for independent developments: real estate, independent business, technology, importing, and many more.
An attractive road for foreign investors is within the real estate market. It is a realistic option both for small investors and big economic groups. The initial investment cost for a property is quite low and the return is surprisingly high, in short and long term basis. The cost of property and land is beginning to increase in Buenos Aires due to the high demand for permanent housing and short-term rental. There is in fact a deficit of apartments, what also explains the springing of loads of new developments that are.
The acquisition of a property carries along a series of implicit business opportunities apart from its personal use as a private residence: remodeling and resale, traditional rental, temporary rental, among others.
Short-term rentals is one of the most simple and feasible directions for small investors and most especially for those not currently residing in Buenos Aires. Alojargentina, other than selling properties and providing counseling in real estate, offers a full "Property Management" service. This consists in renting the property to tourists and companies following a short-term manner and in the property's maintenance according to each customer's particular needs.
Someone using this service from abroad, for example, can forget about taking care of the property since it can be left in the company's hands. It is a complete service that includes renting the apartment, the guest's full assistance, bills and taxes payment, property maintenance and coordination of any required repairs. The proposal anticipates the property owner's interest in being informed of what is going on with his/her apartment and this is why reports are sent regularly. Customers may choose between a full management or a temporary rent solely management.
Frequent visitors may have their property in Buenos Aires to enjoy during their trips and use it as an extra income source through temporary rent. So, purchasing an apartment in Buenos Aires is an opportunity for a double investment: generating short and long term profit added to having a vacation home in an evermore alluring destination as Buenos Aires.
The apartments apt to be offered for temporary rent have different characteristics but there are certain mandatory requirements such as full equipment, basic amenities and demanded location. The preferred neighborhoods are Recoleta, Downtown and Palermo, but guests often ask for Las Cañitas, Barrio Norte, Belgrano and Puerto Madero as well.
The Real Estate Sales area in Alojargentina specializes in this type of investment. The firm sells properties for personal use but mostly assists on temporary rent investment opportunities. It holds extensive experience in handling sales for foreign citizens and thus has the necessary know how in regards to processes, paperwork and requirements for non-resident buyers.

Contact or  refer to Sarah Miller’s page for more details.

Downsizing can save you money.

Let's face it, we all want to save money.  With the increased cost of utility bills, operating a large home has become a large expenditure these days.  Sometimes it is almost ridiculous the amount of money we pay every month just to heat our homes.  If you stop and think about it, downsizing can save you money.
There are four things a house costs.  The mortgage, the insurance, the taxes, and the utilities.  By starting with the mortgage, you can save money just by moving to a smaller home with less of a payment.  The larger home usually costs more so the mortgage will be larger.  By opting to sell and buy a smaller home, you can save some money on the monthly mortgage payment. Not to mention if you have equity built up in the larger home, you can really have a great down payment on the new place.  This would allow you to pay it off earlier than the larger home, saving you even more money in interest charges.
With the smaller home, the insurance premiums would be less.  Again a savings you would be able to recognize.  This can really add up over the years.  The reason the premiums are lower is because it would take less money to rebuild or repair if something were to go wrong.
Usually the taxes are based on the appraised value of a home.  They can also take into consideration the square footage and the road frontage of the yard.  The taxes in some areas is astronomical.  By downsizing you can save money because the taxes on the new property will be considerably less.  The square footage will be lower.  The appraised value will be less.  Generally in a smaller home the yard is smaller too.  This is not always the case, but it can be true in some areas.  Either way the lower taxes will definitely be a plus for downsizing to a smaller home.
Downsizing can save you money with the utilities just because the home is smaller.  You do need to make sure the property is weather tight.  This means you will want to insulate where you need to, caulk any leaky windows, or even replace them, and make sure weather stripping is in place.  The furnace or heat pump should also be checked to make sure it is operating at full efficiency.  This will ensure you will save money on the fuel bills in the winter.  The electrical system should be up to code and as efficient as possible.  If you have fuses instead of breakers you may want to change over.  When you have completely weather proofed your home you will see a marked difference in the utility bills.
Many people have started to downsize due to a loss of income or illness in the family.  This is becoming more and more common with the economy the way it is right now.  If downsizing can save you money it may be worth looking into.  Sit down and calculate how much you could save over the next five years if you lived in a smaller home.  The figures may surprise you.
Contact or  refer to Sarah Miller’s page for more details.

Real Estate Investment Clubs?

Your local real estate investment clubs or associations will educate you. It won't be book education, but useful knowledge about your local real estate market. The people there are investors, many who have gotten wealthy investing right in your town. This means you'll get meaningful and specific advice on what is working in your area, where to go for an inspector or property manager, and many other tips and based on real experience.
There are also the actual money-making opportunities that you'll find. People there may need a partner with money, or a partner with time to find deals. Some have properties for sale and want to save the sales commission by selling to one of the members. Also, if you have a business that's in any way related to real estate, you can make valuable contacts. Handyman or landscapers can often find business at our local real estate investment club meetings.
Real Estate Investment Clubs
The local association that my wife and I belong to is AZREIA, or "The Arizona Real Estate Investors Association." I'll tell you a little about it. If you don't have a similar organization in your own town, this may give you ideas for what to include if you start one.
The association sponsors many educational events and seminars for reasonable fees, but the regular meetings are once each month, and included in the membership fee. It cost $195 per year for the two of us to join. As I write this, I am looking forward to tomorrow's meeting, which will include a winner of the TV show "The Apprentice," Kendra Todd, telling us how she made her first million in real estate.
Speakers are great, but I also like the regular events. Every meeting starts with "Open Networking," for thirty minutes or so. It's an opportunity to meet people, learn a little, and take down names and numbers. We each have a name tag that also tells everyone Publishwhat our primary interests are, ranging from rental properties to fixer-uppers to wholesaling.
The monthly meeting then officially starts with "Structured Networking." This involves filling out 3 x 5 cards with your name, occupation, real estate experience, and investments you are interested in. This information is systematically traded with randomly chosen others. It's surprising how often profitable connections are made during this process.
The best part of the meeting is the "I have / I want" event. Members (or even visitors) can stand up and announce what they have and what they want. The host writes their phone number on the overhead projector. It is sometimes something as mundane as a microwave an investor needs to get rid of, that someone doing a fixer-upper might need. Often, it is someone who has money but needs help finding good investments. I once announced that I was looking for a mobile home park to buy, and I received three calls within a week.
The meetings are not formal affairs. The millionaires in the room are as likely to have on jeans as a suit. Everyone shares a common purpose - to make money investing in real estate. In fact, even if you have no money to invest, yuo can do just fine. Just go find a great deal, and if the numbers truly work, you can probably find the money at these meetings. It is just one more great thing about real estate investment clubs.

Contact or  refer to Sarah Miller’s page for more details.