Subscribing to Magazines

Comprehensive listing of magazine subscriptions.

Magazines are a popular late holiday gift because the receiver doesn't expect an issue in-hand at gift giving time. MagsDirect.com does send a card with gift subscriptions so there is something to fill the stocking.

The most popular magazine gift ideas for men are fitness magazines and men's magazines. For women travel magazines are the most popular and for children, the selections vary greatly by age and gender.

When purchasing magazine subscriptions online expect to pay significantly less than the cover price, but expect to pay the same price regardless of the site where you purchase the subscriptions. Pricing on magazine subscriptions are fixed by the publishers, so all legitimate retailers will sell the magazines for the same price. Look for a company you can trust.

Most publishers use mail processing centers which print address labels for a month or more at a time. Labels for new orders are generally not printed until the next run of labels. Additionally, most magazines are printed well in advance of shipping, and each printing is pre-allocated only to the amount of subscribers at the actual time of printing. As a result of this, the magazine industry has a standard "lead time" for subscriptions of 4 to 8 weeks for weekly magazines and 8 to 12 weeks for monthly magazines and quarterly subscriptions although these times may vary with different publishers.

If your subscription has not started within these times, the best way to get the status of your subscription is to check the magazine's web site.

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Aaron Rubin
www.magsdirect.com

Tips on How to Buy a Used Car

Comprehensive List of Australian Used Cars for Sale

With economics a major problem, used cars have become great alternatives to people who do not have much to spare in the financial area. Finding used cars is not really a problem as there are thousands of used cars outlets in the country. Buyers of used cars will, in fact, have a wide range of models and brands to choose from.

But as these cars are already… well… used, it is important for buyers to understand the dynamics of buying a used car to ensure that they are getting value for their money. Here are some tips that any buyer can take heart whether they are buying used or brand new automobiles.

Scout for the perfect deal

The principle of collect and collect, then select also applies in buying a used car. Remember that used car outlets need you more than you need them, so make the most of this special privilege and look not only for the better but for the best car and the best deal.

Used car outlets, in fact, have special promos and deals that you can avail of. Some offer discounts, rebates and even installment payments while others opt for free services like changing of tire or cleaning.

Wait up for a good deal. For though you are not paying full price for the car, you still deserve quality from the payment that you are going to make. After all, whether it is brand new or a car already used, it will still put a huge dent on your budget. So you better make the most out of every penny that you will be shelling out.

Give yourself time

When buying or scouting for a used car, it is important that you give yourself ample time to look for one. Otherwise you will only end up buying a used car that you will not be using after a couple of months.

Giving yourself no time to decide and choose will only make you settle for a used car that is not really what you are looking for. This may be well and good for a brand new car because at least with a new one, you will not have to think about the wear and tear. Buying a used car in a hurry is suicide in more ways than one, because you are also compromising your safety when you choose in haste.

Be aware of the lemon law in your state

The Lemon Law covers both used and brand new cars. While different states have different policies for used cars under the Lemon Law, basically, it gives you the same coverage. If you find that a used car is sold to you under false pretenses or did not function the way it was supposed to function in accordance to the guidelines, you have the right as a consumer to invoke the Lemon Law.

Buy from a friend

Buying a used car from friends who you know is way better than buying used cars sold in shops. For unless you have an eye for quality used car, you might end up buying a junk that you will not be able to use in the long run. If you know people who are selling their used cars at lower costs not because the cars are already worn but because they are buying new models, that’s better. It’s better to buy the used cars from private individuals because in a way you know how the car was used.

Ask for referrals

It is also a good idea to ask the help of people who have already bought used cars, as they will be able to guide you with the entire procedure as well as refer you to the right store and person that can help you choose a quality used car. They can also refer you to a reputable used car store that they have already tried. This way, you can be assured of the quality of product and service.

Don’t be afraid to ask your friends, relatives or colleagues at work. You’ll find that they are more than willing to help someone. After all, nothing boosts the ego than the thought that they can be experts in one subject.

Frederic Madore is the founder of the Used Cars Information Center.
Get the best information about Used cars

The Successful Entrepreneur - An Inspiring Example

I have been in the privileged position to watch many successful people rise from poverty to stunning financial success. But one of my associates and close friends, Jennifer Benning did it spectacularly. She used the investment vehicle of real estate as her specialization, but its what she did with it and the results that followed that really sent goose bumps along the arm.

Jennifer took precisely 11 months to come from obscurity to over a $1 million dollar bank balance. She did it with flair and unbelievable creativity. Here's her story.

Jennifer came from a big family and she was the youngest out of 12 children. She had just left school and started her new life as a video shop attendant and was promptly dissatisfied and unhappy with her immediate prospects. Her older brother Andrew was an associate of mine and gave baby sis some ideas. She was not ready in previous years as school was an enjoyable experience and boys and friends took up most of her time. It took the drudgery and low paid demoralized experience of a 50 hours per week job to register with Jennifer that this was definitely not what she wanted from life. She had become the perfect pupil thanks to the very job she sought to abandon as promptly as possible.

Armed with the information she was given in the literature we all had read as a group of friends all those years ago, she had suddenly seen the light and answers were present where once there were only questions.

The following formula struck home with Jennifer.

problem + solution = profit

She had a few thousand saved, however the help she got from her parents was helpful even if it did work out that had she not received the help she still would have achieved the same results. Her parents offered to put the family home up as equity against the property deal she had found and it was a beauty.

Jennifer immediately began scouting for a deal at the local Palm Springs Real Estate agents and brokerage houses. She used the internet extensively and after a few weeks of hard work could not find what she had envisaged. A property with problems that could easily be fixed for a profit. At a family gathering she relayed that information to her brother Andrew who encouraged her and gave her more inspiration to keep looking. That night she was on the internet again and she was suddenly inspired to make a wider search for more expensive properties as previously she had been looking at properties for under $200,000

Her new search included houses under $1 million. There it was, asking price $520,000 She made her calls to investigate her due diligence questions and the results were interesting. The building was a large 52 room boarding house that was unused. An older lady lived there by her self and was looking to sell it so she could re-locate closer to her family.

Jennifer made an offer on the property the following day after inspecting it and traveling back home to talk to Andrew and crunch the numbers. She found the building to be in good condition, if a little run down, the foundations seemed solid. Her idea was to access the excess intrinsic value in the property by getting subdivision certificates for each and every room of the building. Her plan was to have the place painted and minor repairs taken out on the roof and exterior.

Her offer was for full price asked providing the deposit was only $3000 and the escrow was 4 months or 160 days. The vendor was in more of a hurry, but without much other competition for this building she eventually accepted the terms.

Jennifer also negotiated immediate access to the property so the work could begin on her investment. She had never picked up a paint brush in her life, but she was motivated and ready to learn by trial and error. With the help of family and some professional help on the big jobs, she completed all she envisaged within 55 days into the escrow period. The condo certificates had been applied for and were slowly starting to filter through. As soon as the first few came in she had an agent appraise the newly created studio apartments and immediately had them listed. The agents confident opinion was that each was worth between $30,000 and $40,000!

By the time escrow had come and settlement was to take place, she had 15 contracts in place. In other words she had already sold 15 of the 52 trendy studio apartments she had created. With this equity, she didn't need to use her parents equity in their family home to secure the finance required. Her existing sales totaled $612,542 which exceeded the purchase price of the boarding house.

Bank managers were tripping over themselves to offer the finance for this deal despite the fact that she had no long term work history or any immediate access to cash. The equity added up in their books and they didn't need any further security.

Of course the best part was still to come. She was the proud owner of the remaining 47 apartments which were now owned by her free and clear. The total value of those studio's were in the vicinity of $1 and a half million dollars.

But that wasn't the end of the story. She was now ready and capable of adding even more value. She noticed a large percentage of the people looking at the apartments were actually investors and not people wanting to inhabit the studio's so she employed a property manager to fill the existing vacancies of this building. This was another increase in value because with an existing tenant paying a lease the apartment was now an investment ready made package. Just what these potential investor wanted and needed to secure their own finances.

By doing so, she added even more value so her final calculated return after all costs was nearly $2 million before tax. She sold the last apartment nearly to the day of a year after first finding the building on the internet.

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Martin Thomas is a professional investor and Entrepreneur.
If you would like to discover more about being an entrepreneur, you can read "The Million Dollar Mentor" by Hayden Muller. Martin recommends this work highly and has used the very concepts contained in the work for his own successful entrepreneurial activities. http://www.opportunity-investor.com

The Apartment Search

Complete lists of Aparments for Rent In Australia

When you are apartment hunting, prepare a rental search plan. Be sure to know in advance what you want in an apartment and what you can live without. Decide in advance what areas of the city you could consider living in and make a list of apartment buildings within that perimeter.

Be sure to consider how far and how convenient it will be for you to travel to your job or your school or your family and friends. Also, how far is the apartment from stores, banks, hospitals, Church (if you attend) etc. If you have a car, make sure that there is adequate and convenient parking space 24/7. If you don't drive make sure that there is close by public transportation.

Narrow your apartment locating to the size of rental unit you need. Studio apartment or one bedroom apartment or 2 BR apartment or more. Are you considering a furnished apartment or do you possible need a short term rental. If you are renting an apartment with a cat, dog, or other pet, you need to find out which apartments allow renting with pets and which do not. And, if they do allow pets, is there an additional security deposit required and if so, how much it is. Do you need an apartment complex with an exercise room or tennis courts or a pool or a recreation room, etc. or do you simply need and desire a nice clean and quiet pad.

Be realistic about what you can afford. Most apartment renting guides suggest that your rent should not be more than 25% to 30% of your income. This can vary depending on the income bracket, but be sure to be "real world" when budgeting additional apartment expenses such as heating and air conditioning and other utilities. If you fall short of affording the apartment of your choice, you might consider sharing an apartment with a roommate or roommates. Keep in mind that living with roommates can help you afford an upscale apartment or even, in some cases, luxury apartments, but it also has extreme restrictions to your privacy.

If you are familiar with the area and its neighborhoods, that gives you a distinct advantage for your apartment search. If, however, you are relocating to a new city or are not particularly knowledgeable about the city, you may want to contact an Apartment Locator or an Apartment Finder.

Once you narrow your search for apartments down to apts which suit your needs and desires you must be well organized & well prepared for your visits to the apartment complexes. When inspecting the rental premises be on the alert for unsafe conditions, excessive noise from traffic or playgrounds or neighbors. Visit the apartment building at night as well as the daytime hours. This will give you a more comprehensive understanding of the total space you will be residing in.

When you find the apartment complex that meets your renting needs and desires, you must be ready to put your "best foot forward" when you meet the apartment's rental agent. This person may be the apartment building manager or a renting agent for the apts. You should prepare for this apartment renting interview in a professional and intelligent manner. Be advised that you are going to be asked to provide proof that you are a reliable prospective tenant. You are most likely going to need references from previous landlords. You may also be required by the apartments to show that you are gainfully employed and can afford the rent. Many landlords may require a credit report. If you are a first time renter and/or you have limited credit history you may be asked for references from family, friends, employer, professionals, etc. Likewise if you are renting with bad credit you will certainly want to come to the interview with a strong selection of references.

You are not necessarily restricted from apartment renting with less than perfect credit, but you may be required to put up an additional security deposit and possibly have a credit worthy person co-sign the apartment lease with you. Don't unprepared for by requests for any of these things. Be sure to fill out a 100% truthful apartment rental application and come to the interview with references, proof of employment, credit information and any other renting resources at the ready. If you do have a credit history or renting history that might be detrimental, going through an apartment locator or apartment finder may be the best solution. They will present your history to the landlord for you, (make sure they are 100% truthful about it) and they can also be quite helpful and save you a lot of time because they most likely will know which landlords and apartments are more lenient in these circumstances. They can also advise you as to exactly what kinds of references and documents you might need to prove that you can be a responsible tenant.

You Have Located Your “Dream Apartment”

Once you have located your “dream apartment”, or as close to your perfect apartment as possible, now it is necessary to pay extremely close attention to the particulars of the rental agreement. An Apartment Lease is a contract between you and the landlord. Once agreed upon and signed by the tenant and the landlord, the rental lease creates obligations and restrictions for both parties. The most obvious covenants of the apartment lease are the length of the rental, (Six month lease, one year lease, two year lease, etc.) The amount of the security deposit, when the rent is due, who is responsible for what utilities. Also in that apartment lease, however, are stipulations, (sometimes in small print) that can cover a great variety of landlord and tenant obligations and restrictions. They can include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Maintenance of the apartment
• Care of the premises
• Cleanliness
• Insurance
• Governmental regulations
• Eminent Domain
• Nuisance and noise clauses
• Stipulations as to the circumstances whereby the landlord can enter the premises
• Use of Common Areas
• Keys and locks
• Loss or damage
• Parking
• Pets
• Plumbing
• What the landlord may do if the rent is in arrears
• What the tenant can do to bring the rent current before any kind of action might be started
• Non performance or breach of the contract by the renter
• Renter’s penalties in the event of early termination
• Circumstances which might cause the tenant or the landlord to break the lease prior to the end of the term
• Heat and other utilities
• Removal of goods
• Surrender or Non-Surrender of the premises
• Waivers of various obligations
• Prohibited reprisals
• Garbage disposal
• Recyclables
• And the list goes on and on and on.

Prospective tenants should read an Apartment lease thoroughly. Prospective apartment renters should understand everything that is contained in that lease and make an informed decision to be 100% accepting of all the provisions for both the tenant and the landlord, that you are positive that you can live up to your end of the bargain and that you are comfortable with the provisions on the landlord’s end.

If you do not understand every single clause of that apartment lease then do not sign it until you do understand it. If necessary and if possible, request assistance in interpreting the lease from a trusted source such as a knowledgeable friend or family member or employer or professional, or anyone else who can understand it and explain it to you. If necessary get legal advice. It can cost additional funds if you do not qualify for free legal assistance, but that additional cost might save you a ton of money and save you a ton of heartache and aggravation down the road.

If you do not agree with any of the provisions of that apartment lease and/or you feel that you can’t live up to the tenant’s obligations, or if you are not in agreement with any of the landlord’s rights under the agreement, then do not sign the lease until/or unless it can be changed to your satisfaction. If the apartment rental agreement cannot be amended to meet your needs and desires and comfort level then do not sign the lease and do not rent that apartment. The Apartment Rental agreement that you sign as a prospective tenant will not change once you become the actual tenant of that apartment.

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Kyle Thomas Haley of Chapel Hill, North Carolina has been helping people find apartments on the Internet since 1999 for STANZEEKAY Inc's Relocation Websites
http://www.apartment-rental.net

Family Fun in Palm Springs California

At first glance it seems that Palm Springs is a place for mature audiences to find much-needed rest and relaxation and that there is not much for the younger crowd to enjoy. But, on closer inspection, one will find that Palm Springs is extremely family friendly and a great place to take your family on your next vacation.

What once has been known as a Mecca for the retired, the rich and golf enthusiasts, Palm Springs is beginning to show its inner child. From museums and amusement parks to miniature golf and arcades, there is no end to the family-friendly attractions to be found in Palm Springs.

Here are just a few of the many possibilities to be found in Palm Springs that the whole family will be sure to enjoy: Camelot Park. Located on East Palm Canyon, Palm Springs Real Estate, Camelot Park boasts of activities and entertainment to keep the whole family occupied for hours. At the center of this whimsical attraction is a fantastical castle surrounded by video games, miniature golf, go-carts, bumper boats and much, much more.

Children's Discovery Museum of the Desert. Located on Gerald Ford Drive in Rancho Mirage, this museum offers hands-on interactive play. Here kids can shop for their own groceries, prepare their own food, and even withdraw money from an ATM. The museum also features a dress up and make believe section on the second floor.

The Living Desert Wildlife and Botanical Park. Located on Portola Avenue, the Living Desert is full of amazing wildlife and creatures that will be sure to amuse the adults and children alike. Featuring species such as coyotes, the endangered bighorn sheep, cheetahs and meerkats, the Living Desert is a must-see attraction in the Palm Springs area. The park also boats of a discovery center where children can watch demonstrations and have hands-on interactions with small creatures such as snakes, turtles and tarantulas.

Oasis Waterpark. Located on Gene Autry Trail, the Oasis Waterpark can help take the heat out of a sweltering Palm Springs afternoon. Featuring 13 waterslides, a beach and a family-oriented atmosphere, the Waterpark is geared to accommodate guests of all ages.

Jeep Eco Tours. A jeep tour of the surrounding desert can be a great way to get the family out to explore the landscape without having to make the little ones walk too far. On these tours you can visit a natural palm oasis, Indian village or old mining camps. In order to tour, many companies require that children be at least six years of age.

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Karen Stearns
http://www.pslistings.com

Top Ten Tips when Buying Real Estate!

Learn How to Become A Real Estate Agent

In today's financial climate, real estate continues to be a strong investment in many areas. Educated buyers will always make the most out of the real estate market. These top ten tips to buying real estate will help you enter into your next real estate transaction with confidence.

TIP #1: Hire the right Agent!

Hiring the right Real Estate Agent is invaluable. If you are unfamiliar with the area, the realtor you choose is your link to important information regarding schools, zoning, city and county regulations, neighborhood trends, building and remodeling and rental restrictions, and property values. Every city has different laws governing what can and can’t be done with a property. Sanibel is one of the most beautiful cities in the United States due in part to its strict building codes and city planning. Having experienced many aspects of real estate transactions on a personal level, I understand situations and concerns of my buyers and sellers. I have been an island property owner for many years and have walked through several local real estate transactions myself. From buying and selling lots to building new homes with local builders, to investing in rental income producing properties and utilizing 1031 Tax free exchanges, I don’t just sell island real estate; I invest in it because I believe there is no place in the world like Sanibel and Captiva. Whether you work with me or someone else, finding the right realtor is invaluable.

TIP #2: Utilize 1031 Tax Exchanges and Save Money!

1031 Tax Exchanges are tax free exchanges of investment property. Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code is one of the last great tax shelters. If you purchase an investment property of “like kind” within 180 days of the sale of a similar type property, and you are willing to increase the amount of debt or value of the property, your capital gains taxes can be completely deferred. Having just completed a Reverse 1031 tax exchange myself, I believe in using this powerful tax shelter. Feel free to contact me if you are considering using a current Sanibel, Captiva, or Ft. Myers property in a 1031 Tax Exchange, or want to purchase an investment property that might qualify in the future for a 1031 Tax Exchange. A Reverse 1031 Tax Exchange is the same exchange concept as a 1031 Tax Exchange except you have purchased your replacement “like kind” investment property first, before selling the property to be exchanged. Learn more about 1031 Tax Exchanges, and how to use them to your financial advantage. Keep in mind that a neutral party must have act a Qualified Intermediary. Real Estate may also be bought and sold through your self directed retirement account. Whether you utilize a traditional IRA, Roth IRA, SEP, or company plans such as 401 (k) plans, Keogh, or profit sharing plans, investigate your options.

TIP #3: Pre-qualify for Financing!

Pre-qualifying for a loan may not seem that important until you find your perfect paradise property at the same time as another buyer. When a property is priced to sell, it will usually attract more than one buyer. Once a seller receives an offer, the two most important things they consider are …the price, and the contingencies. For some sellers, a contract contingent on the buyer obtaining financing makes them uncomfortable with the offer. Eliminate any doubt in the mind of a seller, by pre-qualifying for the amount you may spend on the purchase of any property. This is especially important if your dream property suddenly has a price reduction. When this occurs other buyers might come into the picture, that didn’t look at that property before it went “On Sale”! Often times a seller will take a financially solid contract over a higher offer. Be ready to put a deal together!

TIP #4: Location, Location, Location!

“Location, location, location”, while overused as a real estate phrase, is still and always should be a huge consideration to you as the buyer! If something about the location of a property bothers you, be aware that the same location drawback will bother any buyer you hope to attract when and if you need to resell the property! It’s important to ask a lot of questions, but often times it is difficult to know the right questions to ask if you are unfamiliar with the community. This is why it is so valuable to choose and hire the right real estate agent to represent your interests when buying a property.

TIP #5: Get a Home Inspection!

Obtaining an inspection report performed by a licensed professional building inspector of your choice, can protect you from many defects that are hidden from view. Why gamble with such a large financial investment? Let a professional building inspector point out areas to be fixed or replaced that aren’t obvious. A good inspector will give you a lengthy report covering all systems in the home from electrical, to plumbing, to roof conditions, and structural concerns. Once you receive a report you may begin negotiations again concerning repairs. Often a seller will agree to make necessary repairs up to a specified financial amount. When a seller lists their property “as is” they are letting you know that they are not willing to fix or replace any part of the property. If you are interested in an “as is” property and aren’t going to level the structure and build new, it is still in your best interest to obtain an inspection report. Don’t rely on the building inspector to look for termites and other harmful pest problems. Although an inspector will see pest damage, it is best to have a separate termite inspection conducted by a licensed company that understands pests and can eliminate them.

TIP #6: Obtain a Survey and Title Insurance!

Surveys will show easements, encroachments, and boundary lines of a property. By surveying a home in an established neighborhood you are assured that the property boundary lines have been maintained. As homeowners add on the their properties over time with fences, sheds, docks, garages, and other structures, boundary lines can be crossed placing part of their structure on your property, or vice versa. Surveying vacant land is also important for same reasons as a home, plus a survey will help determine the size home, or amount of coverage the lot will allow.

Title Insurance will protect your investment from another party claiming ownership interest in your property. Title searches will uncover liens placed on a property by vendors, or mistakes in past transfers of the title. The last thing you want to discover when you’re in the back stretch of a transaction is that there are encumbrances on the property such as tax liens, undisclosed owners, easements, or leases. Should a claim arise after the purchase of a property, the title insurance company is there to protect your ownership interest in that property.

TIP #7: Be Realistic!

“Wants” and “Needs” are very different when is comes to real estate features. If every home you see has the upgrades you “want” but exceeds the price range that you “need”…. be realistic. Who wouldn’t love a large, oceanfront, professionally decorated home or condominium, with all the bells and whistles? Looking at properties that exceed your price range is always fun, but it can be extremely frustrating and upsetting. Be realistic by looking at listings in the price range you “need”, keeping an eye out for that special property that has the potential to evolve into the dream home you “want”. Always look beyond the furnishings, wallpaper, and floor coverings to the architecture of the home; it is then that you will find properties with potential.

TIP #8: Use Contract Contingencies Wisely!

Contingencies in a contract for the purchase of a property are designed to protect you, the buyer! This may seem silly to mention but it’s important to remember that you need to work with the seller to come to an agreed upon contract. Valid contingencies to an offer are expected by the seller. Common contingencies include building inspections, termite and pest inspections, financing, and surveys. Many deals fall apart over small details, and easy to fix issues. Remember that sellers are emotional about their property. If you can see that major repairs or replacements need to be made due to neglect or age, make allowances for this in your offering price. The old adage “Everything is negotiable” still holds true, unless you upset the seller so much that they refuse to work with you. Try to avoid listing cosmetic changes you would like the seller to make as contingencies. Cosmetic changes are subjective, be objective when writing a contract.

TIP #9: Understand Regional Health and Safety Issues!

An informed realtor will help you understand other health and safety issues that should be considered when purchasing a property. Safety and Health topics can include EIFS (Synthetic Stucco), indoor air quality, mold, radon, and lead paint. Many of these require the seller to sign a disclosure statement, while others may not apply due to the age, type of construction, or location of the property being purchased.

TIP #10: Ask for Information!

Don’t be shy. When you have hired a realtor to work for you, ask them for information. Do you want to look at all the properties in your price range, with the features you need, or just the houses a realtor wants you to see? You deserve all the information you need to make an educated decision. Can you imagine buying the home that you felt was good for your family, only to find that you never received information on a similar property that is perfect for all your needs? I provide many services to insure my buyers always have information at their fingertips.

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Eric Pfeifer
www.mysanibelrealestate.com

Buying New Vs. Used Cars

List of wide-range Australian New and Used Cars for Sale

New vs used. Which car is right for you? Consider the following.

Owning a brand new car is exciting. But financially speaking, it makes more sense to buy a used car. As soon as you drive a new car off the lot, it loses a great portion of its value. This is because your car is no longer “new”.

New cars lose about 40% of their value within 3 years, then depreciation starts to slow down. Why not buy a used car and allow someone else to take that depreciation hit?

The previous owner will have absorbed the steepest part of the depreciation cycle. At that point the costs of owning and operating the car will be reduced. The money you save on depreciation will surely go a long way.

Another benefit of buying used is lower cost. By buying used you pay less. You will also save on financing costs, insurance premiums, registration and licensing fees. You don’t have to worry about paying sales tax.

As with everything else there are a few downsides to buying a used car. There are greater chances for costly unwarranted repairs. You may very soon have to do major maintenance on your car, including replacing tires, battery, brakes, muffler, and perhaps even the transmission.

A used car is usually less reliable. You don’t know exactly what you’re getting into and how the previous owner treated the car. However, every situation is different and some used models may actually be far more reliable than some new ones.

If you can pay cash, go the new car way. Enjoy the feeling of knowing you're the original owner of a new car in mint condition. Nothing can replace that feeling.

Otherwise do not hang your hat higher than you can reach. Practice financial prudence. Save your money and comfort yourself knowing that one day you will be able to afford that dream car. One day when money is no object.

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Mantius Cazaubon
http://www.toyota-parts-guide.com

Florida Investment Real Estate and What Are Considerations Before Buying

Complete Listings of Australian Real Estate

Investment Real Estate, First Things First

Considering investing in property? What are some pertinent things to consider before taking this leap? Of all the investment possibilities, investment in land generally produces the most positive results. It is vital, however, to carefully investigate the pros and cons, benefits and deficits of real estate investment. Most people look at investment real estate as risky and feel woefully inadequate to tackle this form of investing. They feel lost, not knowing where to even begin!

A multitude of information is available and knowing how to search can seem daunting. A web site search will produce boatloads of information, some valuable and some not. Some key words to search are real estate investment, investment property, and investing in real estate. This will begin the process for you. Not all available information is worth your time, however. Beware when the site promises high return for little down. Also beware of sites whose main goal is to solicit your money. Web searching is one form of research. Another is talking to a reputable real estate broker or real estate lawyer. One of the best sources of information is a friend you trust who has done real estate investing. A trustworthy friend who started as a novice and progressed to real investing is probably your best source of reliable information. Their voice of experience rings the loudest since they are a layman like you who had to discover for themselves each step of the way how to make successful investments.

Investment Real Estate, Rental Units

Let’s look at some sound reasons for investing in real estate. Real estate generally appreciates at a greater rate than the rate of inflation and offers great tax benefits. Selecting real estate in a desirable location will prove to be profitable especially in burgeoning areas, usually in suburbs which are a reasonable commute to city jobs. Of course the old adage, location, location, location is a very pertinent piece of advice to take to heart. Think of the most expensive housing markets today. If you have lived in an expensive housing market, or have visited there, you will notice that along with exquisite Palm Springs Homes for Sale at exorbitant rates, small, older homes you would never consider buying in another market are being offered for huge dollars. Why? Location, of course. When a housing area becomes desirable, even those small dumpy homes will sell for a considerable amount of money. Let’s stop for a moment and look at the advantages of investing in rental units as opposed to purchasing property for resale. One of the largest factors to consider in purchasing property for resale is finding properties that will resell at a higher rate than purchase, of course. Finding these properties is not as easy today as it may have been in the past. It used to be that fixer-uppers and foreclosures were avoided by homeowners and investors alike. Not so today, those same homes are being feverishly snatched up in the current booming housing markets.

Florida Investment Real Estate – Why Florida Is a Good Choice

Finding homes to purchase and turn over quickly for cash is becoming more and more difficult, leading many to consider purchasing property for the purpose of renting. What are some advantages to renting and what locations would be most desirable for purchase with a rental goal in mind? Owning rental property provides some unique advantages. If you have the time as well as the finances to invest, rental property could end up paying for itself in the long term. In order for this to be true, the most important thing to search for is property in a great location for renters. You don’t want to be searching for renters for months on end while you are being drained of capital. Those mortgage payments never stop, even when the list of renters has been exhausted. Buying rental investment property in a college town is a good bet for the possibility of continual renters and also buying in transient areas and tourist areas. Of all the above, tourist areas tend to be your surest source of consistent renters. Numerous high density tourist areas exist across the nation, but one of your best bets for purchase and consistent renters would be a sun-drenched spot with a year-round temperate climate. California and Texas would fit the bill, but as we all know, the most desirable locations in California may be out of reach due to the high cost. Texas may be considered a good choice, but only one state ranks as the premier tourist destination in the world and that would be Florida, the sunshine state.

Florida Investment Real Estate – The Orlando Area

With Florida’s burgeoning population, Florida investment real estate is a great option. Florida ranks 4th in population behind California, Texas and New York. Florida has one of the fastest rates of growth in the nation, making Florida investment real estate a very attractive option for investors. In the 1990’s, Florida grew by 23.5 percent with five counties increasing by more than 60 percent. Projected state growth would bring the population to over 19 million by 2010. An increasingly higher population obviously increases the need for housing. The increasing resident population being a great reason to pursue Florida investment real estate; let’s not neglect another face of increasing housing need. Florida has a tourism rate of almost 77 million visitors in 2004, making it the top travel destination in the world and producing $57 billion of income. Tourists flock to all parts of Florida, the beaches being one of the most attractive destinations. However, Orlando pulls in the most visitors, with 2.6 million international travelers, not including the steady stream of domestic tourists. This alone would offer sufficient reason to purchase rental property. But considering that the grand total of tourists visiting Orlando in 2004 was 48 million people, what great housing investment potential for investors! The biggest drawing card in the Orlando area is, of course, Walt Disney World. The area surrounding Disney has a hotel rate occupancy of about 80 percent. It’s obvious why the Orlando area is considered one of the most desirable tourist destinations in the world.

Florida Investment Real Estate – What are Reasons Tourists Come to the Orlando Area

Owning Florida investment real estate will give vacationers who visit the Orlando area a place to stay while you collect the rent. Theme park attractions are one of the biggest reasons Orlando has become a #1 tourist destination. The three most popular are Disney, which includes Disney World, Epcot, Animal Kingdom and MGM Studios, Sea World and Universal. Each attraction holds an appeal for people of all ages with families and singles alike enjoying each. Kissimmee is the town closest to Disney where families especially enjoy a few of the more laid back sights including Green Meadows Farm. Green Meadows is in an idyllic country setting with tours of the farm and more than 300 farm animals to touch and see. Also in the Kissimmee area is Horse World Riding Stables. The 750 acres of open pasture beckons horse lovers to enjoy a ride beneath the open sky. The Orlando Science Center beckons science buffs both young and old. Learning happens as a by-product here through the realistic, interactive and just plain fun exhibits. Fabulous night life is to be found both in Kissimmee which boasts two very popular dinner attractions, Medieval Times and Arabian Nights. Both serve delectable large portions of food with fabulous jousting and medieval type entertainment. For the shopper, Shopping and dining abound in the Orlando area also as do all sorts of natural environmental experiences.

Real Estate Investment in Florida – Bimini Bay Resort Florida

A well-kept secret but one located just 5 miles from Disney, in the center of Florida is Davenport, a treasure of a town close to the major attractions, yet a world away. On 80 acres of land in the Davenport area, you will find Bimini Bay Resort, Florida. A grand investment opportunity awaits you at Bimini Bay Resort, Florida where the investor participates in property appreciation but is not affected by negative cash flow during the off season. At Bimini Bay Resort, Florida you will find a planned community of luxurious town homes, offering 3 bedroom two baths that are fully furnished and equipped. Bimini Bay Resort, Florida is unique in that the investor can stay in the purchased unit while on vacation for a minimum fee while renting the unit the rest of the year. Management staff at Bimini Bay Resort finds the renters while you enjoy a guaranteed rental income each month. Planned amenities at Bimini Bay Resort include two major restaurants, a grocery, deli and food court and a sports bar restaurant. Bimini Bay Resort will also include a spa and exercise facility. A large business conference center and twin theaters are also planned at Bimini Bay Resort. Peace of mind will be yours at Bimini Bay Resort with its gated access with security cards. A fantastic real estate investment in Florida at Bimini Bay Resort awaits the investor who desires a consistent income without the headaches of day-to-day management. Bimini Bay Resort is worth investigating.

Our Featured Orlando Properties: You have an opportunity to join one of the fastest growing trends in the United States and the world. Orlando is one of the most explosive markets in the country and the Disney resort area has an average hotel occupancy of around 80%. Orlando is known as the vacation capital of the world and the top rated short term rental market, one that shows tremendous potential for real investors.

Tourism - with 76.8 million visitors in 2004 (a record number), Florida is the top travel destination in the world. The tourism industry has an economic impact of $57 billion on Florida’s economy. Click here for additional tourism facts and statistics.

City Population Rank (2000):
(Rounded to the Nearest Thousand)
1. Jacksonville - 736,000
2. Miami - 362,000
3. Tampa - 303,000
4. St. Petersburg - 248,000
5. Hialeah - 226,000
6. Orlando - 186,000
7. Ft. Lauderdale - 152,000
8. Tallahassee - 151,000
9. Hollywood - 139,000
10. Pembroke Pines - 137,000
11. Coral Springs - 118,000
12. Clearwater - 109,000
13. Cape Coral - 102,000
14. Gainesville - 95,000
15. Port St. Lucie - 89,000
16. Miami Beach - 88,000
17. Sunrise - 86,000
18. Plantation - 83,000
19. West Palm Beach - 82,000
20. Palm Bay - 79,000
21. Lakeland - 78,000
22. Pompano Beach - 78,000
23. Davie - 76,000
24. Boca Raton - 75,000
25. Miramar - 73,000

Most Populous Metro Areas (2000):
(Rounded to the Nearest Thousand)
1. Tampa/St. Petersburg/Clearwater - 2,396,000
2. Miami - 2,253,000
3. Orlando - 1,645,000
4. Ft. Lauderdale - 1,623,000
5. Jacksonville - 1,100,000
6. West Palm Beach/Boca Raton - 1,131,000
7. Sarasota/Bradenton - 590,000
8. Daytona Beach - 493,000
9. Lakeland/Winter Haven - 484,000
10. Melbourne/Titusville/Palm Bay - 476,000
11. Fort Myers/Cape Coral - 441,000
12. Pensacola - 412,000
13. Fort Pierce/Port St. Lucie - 319,000
14. Tallahassee - 285,000
15. Ocala - 259,000
16. Naples - 251,000
17. Gainesville - 218,000
18. Fort Walton Beach - 170,000
19. Panama City - 148,000

Home to 11 of the country's 100 fastest-growing counties, a Florida investment property has high potential as a profit-maker, unlike most other areas. Port St. Lucie, Miramar and Cape Coral are the fastest growing cities in Florida. It’s unlikely you will make a mistake investing in Florida real estate considering the vast number of tourists and new residents flocking to the land of sun and surf. The most difficult decision to make will be which location in Florida to purchase. Good investments abound in each area of the state, from Miami in the south to Clearwater on the gulf coast, going east to Daytona Beach and north to the panhandle. Selecting a location depends on your goals for purchasing Florida investment property. Carefully consider what you intend to do with your Florida investment property. Will your purchase be used mainly as a rental property for vacationers? Do you intend to have access to the property during certain seasons? Or is your goal rental of the property to local tenants? Some of these questions will help you in narrowing down your search. Once you have determined whether your Florida investment property will be used primarily for vacationers or for local renters, and whether you intend on using it as a vacation resort yourself, it is easier to choose the location.

"Each year is better than the previous one," said Abe Pizam, dean of the University of Central Florida's hospitality management college. "But it's not yet where it should be, or where it was."

Pizam said that, while a weak dollar has helped renew interest in Orlando among some foreign visitors, many are continuing to stay away because of heightened security measures in the United States and the hassles that accompany them, as well as increased opposition to the war in Iraq.

"It's a miracle that, despite that, we have improved our visitor counts," Pizam said. "We cannot deny there is still animosity toward the United States in many parts of the world."

Struggling economies in South America also put the brakes on many potential tourists' travel plans in what historically has been a strong market for Orlando.

According to the bureau's figures, the number of South American visitors have dropped substantially in recent years, from 659,000 in 2000 to fewer than 300,000 last year.

Other signs point to a recent upswing in international traffic, however. Orlando International Airport officials said in June that the airport recorded a 20 percent increase in international passengers compared with the same month last year.

On International Drive, a tourism corridor that benefits heavily from overseas travelers, merchants are noticing the difference.

"It's maybe picked up," said Zach Marino, manager of Texas de Brazil restaurant on International Drive. "In this area it's hard to tell because this is the spot to be. We have a strong international clientele."

Asian visitors increased by nearly 40,000 in 2004, and about 100,000 more Canadians traveled to Orlando last year than in 2003.

The visitors bureau noted that it has stepped up its national and international marketing of Orlando, having pulled back on such advertisements after 9-11.

"Our plan is more back-to-normal in terms of marketing thrust," Peeper said.

New York remained the No. 1 source of domestic out-of-state vacationers to Orlando last year. The Tampa Bay area held on as the top source of in-state visitors.

Experts are predicting that 2005 will exceed last year in terms of both international and domestic visitors.

Earlier this month, Walt Disney World reported percentage growth in the low double digits among international tourists, while the number of domestic customers remained relatively flat during one of the rainiest Junes on record.

"If everything stays stable, we should come out on the international side real well" in 2005, Peeper said.

__________
Sharona Murvin
http://www.biminibayresortinvestment.com

How To Make Money With Used Cars!

Comprehensive Listings of Australian Used Cars For Sale

One of the most important purchases consumers make is a car. The average consumer purchases another car every several years. With the High Cost of new cars millions of people are opting to purchase affordable used cars.

There is a Massive opportunity to earn an excellent income. Help fill this high demand for quality used cars at affordable prices. When starting out you should focus on cars under the $4,000 range.

Do some research and find out what the most popular best selling cars in your area are. By staying in the lower price ranges with these popular vehicles you will be in a higher demand market since more people can afford these vehicles than higher priced more expensive cars, this will make it much easer to sell quickly for a profit.

You make your money when you buy, this is an important key to your success. You will need to pay wholesale price or below less the cost of any needed repairs, and other expenses ie: detailing, newspaper ads, etc. Once you know the wholesale price, less repair costs and expenses, you will know how much you can pay for a car. If you buy it right you wll be able to sell it at a profit and still give the buyer a great deal.

One of the most important things you can do to purchase a used cars at bargain prices is to do your homework. You should check your local classified ads and see what the asking price is for the type of vehicle that you are in the market for.

Make sure to get the high and low Blue Book and wholesale prices on the vehicle that you are interested in. Here are some excellent sources for getting pricing:

NADA GUIDES - www.nadaguides.com
KELLEY BLUE BOOK - www.kbb.com
EDMUNDS - www.edmunds.com

Other resources to check with is CARFAX. They can supply you with the vehicle history report. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has a research area to check recall history on cars. We recommend that you have the vehicle you are interested in purchasing be inspected by your own mechanic prior to purchase.

Newspaper Classified Ads are an excellent place to find cars at well below retail prices. Many of these people will be happy to sell their used cars for several hundred dollars more than what was quoted by the dealer and you will end up with an EXCELLENT BUY!

Online Auctions can be a great place to find bargains. You can shop right from the comfort of your own home. Look for auctions with no reserve, these auctions don’t have a minimum price before they will sell.

Public Car Auctions are open to the general public and do not require you to have a Dealer’s License. Public auctions can be an excellent place to purchase cars at wholesale prices. Some of these auctions are: Auction Repossessions of Credit Unions, Banks & Lending Institutions. Some public auctions also auction Police and Local Municipalities, City, State, & County vehicles.

Estate and Bankruptcy Auctions can be a very good place to purchase vehicles at wholesale prices. These auctions are usually advertised in newspaper classified section or handled by Probate Estate Auctioneers.

Government Auctions are an excellent source for bargin vehicles. They include vehicles from DEA drug raid seizures, FBI, IRS, U.S. Customs Auctions, Department of Defense, General Services Auctions, Resolution Trust Corporation, Department of Housing and Urban Development, and U.S. Postal Services.

Rental Car Companies often sell their fleet of cars by auction. They can be a great source of cars. Contact these large companies and inquire.

Dealer Auctions can be one of the best sources to cars at below wholesale prices. Most of these auctions require that you have a dealer’s license. These auctions include lease cars, trade-ins, rentals, and fleet vehicles.

Stay away from used cars that need major mechanical repairs or body work. Look for good, dependable cars, if the pait is a little dull or the rug is dirty, you can detail, polish and wax the car and clean the carpet. Replace the floor mats if needed. By doing a few hours of work, you can make your car worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars more. By having a clean care, inside and out, you will attract more buyers that will be willing to pay you top dollar for your car.

When your car is ready to sell, you can place and ad in your local newspaper's classified section, or you can place your ad on the internet and reach a wider audience. CARS.COM and AUTOBYTEL.COM has a lot of traffic and is enexpensive. Selling cars through online auctions has also become very popular. It has become one of the easiest, fastest, and most cost effective methods to reach your target audience of hundreds and even thousands of people looking at your car. EBAYMOTORS.COM or AUCTIONYOURAUTOS.COM are both online auction sites.

Most states require that you have a Dealer's License when you buy and sell vehicles for profit. Check with your states Department of Motor Vehicles or Department of Public Safety for more information on how to obtain a Dealer's License. It is important to consult with your attorney, insurance agent, accountant, and other government officials to determine what permits, licenses, records, insurance policies, etc., are required.

_________
C.L.Spartalis
http://www.turnusedcarstocash.com

Real Estate Investing – The Job Escape

Learn more on how to become a Real Estate Agent

Real estate investing is pretty unusual in lots of ways. Real estate investing is creative. Real estate investing is risk-taking excitement. Real estate investing is diverse activity. Most of all, real estate investing is very profitable.

I'll never forget the words of one of my professors who said, "2% think, 8% think they think, and 90% would rather die than have a thought."

Boy, is that ever true!!!

According to surveys, 75% of the workforce hates what they do every day at their job. The survey was unneeded. Common sense and observation tells you that.

Why don’t people love what they do every day?

They hate the commute. They hate the demanding routine. They hate being demeaned by their superiors. They hate some of the people around them. On and on it goes, but most of all, they hate their limited salary – payment per what the job pays rather than payment according to their personal contribution.

The locked-in salary cap is most despicable because it pays an employee what the job is worth and not what the person is worth. The color of your skin is not the problem. The fact you were born as a female is not the problem. Your lack of superlative educational degrees is not the problem. The problem is that a job pays what the job is worth and not what the employee is worth.

Entrepreneurism is not for everyone. It takes guts to “go out on your own.” It takes guts to work on commission or for projected profit-per-job. It takes guts to live in the unknown. Some can’t make the transition from salaried job to entrepreneur.

But think about it. The beauty of real estate investing is that you can do it on a shoestring budget, and you can do it part time until full-time is justified! Real estate investing is possible without cash reserves and without good credit. Real estate investing doesn’t require a big bank account or an 800 FICO score on a credit report. Real estate investing can be initiated without ever walking into a bank to request a loan and without ever filling out a mortgage app.

When I started investing in real estate, I found it incredible that I could buy a $500,000 rental property with a $10 bill, and without a credit check or income verification! And that’s exactly how I launched my real estate investing career 25 years ago. It’s even easier today because credit is the easiest to obtain ever in history. Today, someone can be released from bankruptcy and even get 100% financing the next day! We are in an amazing period of opportunity for entering real estate investing.

True, you have to know what you’re doing. But you can learn what to do. Know-how savvy in real estate investing can be learned like any other skill. And it doesn’t require one of those complicated $3000 real estate investing seminars or costly $25,000 real estate investing coaches. Many of these “graduates” finish their education and don’t know where to start! And real estate investing doesn’t require full-time activity.

What it takes to transition from a job to a real estate investing career is “know-how savvy” and guts. After that, the sky’s the limit.

You can investigate the possibility of “escaping the job” at Real estate investing is not in any list of high school electives. You can’t get an accredited degree in real estate investing. You won’t find a high school or college guidance counselor who recommends a career in real estate investing (if the guidance counselor understood real estate investing, he or she probably wouldn’t be a guidance counselor!)

The public school system and educational curriculum in the U.S. is only a feeble attempt to prepare students to just “get a job.” Unfortunately there is no class in “Making Money 101.” You don’t have the opportunity to take a class in “How to Become Financially Independent.” No teacher ever taught a class in “How to Succeed When Everyone Else is Failing.” I never learned anything about succeeding as an entrepreneur or becoming wealthy during my 10 years in the university classroom. I only became a multi-millionaire when I learned the skills of real estate investing, and I paid the price out-of-pocket and out-of-the-classroom for that education. I learned these skills in the ole University of Hard Knocks through trial-and-error.

Never disparage the cost of education. There ain't no free lunch. You’ve gotta get this know-how outside of a classroom, and learning how to make money is gonna cost you. But if you think the cost of education is expensive, you should calculate the cost of ignorance!

However, learning on how to Buy Palm Desert Real Estate investing doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. Yes, I know, the real estate investing TV infomercials and the real estate investing seminars held around the country charge big bucks for those 3-day seminars and week-long Boot Camps. But that’s pocket change compared to the fees they want to collect from you later. Catch this fact: all the real estate investing infomercials and seminars target you as a candidate for “real estate investing coaching.” That’s where they charge you up to $25,000 and over $50,000 per year for “coaching.” And often you are assigned to some kid “still wet behind the ears” to call you each week or month to hold your hand and whisper in your ear what common sense and a persistent drive should already tell you! I’m not exaggerating the real estate investing educational system, because I know it inside and out. I personally know many of the so-called “gurus.” I’ve been close to it for 25 years. My opinion is that the fees charged are exorbitant because the promoters have found deep pockets in the marketplace.

When I started my real estate investing career 25 years ago, real estate investing TV infomercials were unknown and real estate investing seminars were extremely rare. Back then, Mark Haroldsen followed an emerging trend started by Al Lowry and Nick Nickerson by holding occasional real estate investing seminars across the country. Later Robert Allen expanded the industry. Robert Allen promoted real estate investing conventions in the major cities across the U.S. He found a market for costly real estate investing packages of information with cassette tapes and note books. TV infomercials, expensive seminars, and outlandish coaching fees followed in subsequent years. Would-be real estate investing aspirants today who want more than an inadequate salary from a job in Dullsville often conclude that they have to “pay through the nose” for real estate investing know-how.

However, through diligent searching, these wanna-bees often find that this education in real estate investing is more readily obtained from other sources than they previously imagined.

Real estate investing is probably one of the most easily learned skills never taught in school. Real estate investing is probably one of the most prolific careers available on Planet Earth. Because families now live in houses instead of caves, houses available for fix up are everywhere. And probably nothing contributes to upgrading the deplorable housing conditions across America comparable to real estate investing in fix up properties.

The entrepreneur-minded aspirant who discovers the real estate investing industry often catches a vision of life-beyond-a-job. Books and online courses offer an alternative to expensive seminars and coaching.

Some employees should hold on to their job because that’s where they are best suited. But part-time real estate investing is an opportunity for anyone to check out personal congruity in the entrepreneurial world.

_________
Phil Speer, Ph.D.
http://www.cashinhouses.com

How to Write a Classified Ad for Your Car - Part 2

Comprehensive Listings of Used Cars for Sale in Australia

Cars Sitemap

In part 1 of this series I talked about some key points when advertising your car in classifieds. To get the most out of this final article in the series, I suggest you read Part 1 first.

Now, I promised I was going to give you a sample advertisement. So here goes.

The way I,m going to do it is to give you the ad first. See if you can work out why each element has been included and why? You should be able to do this if you have read and understood part 1.

*** 00 Ford Contour***
V6 2.5l,only 30k,1 female owner
n/smok,all pwr opt,auto,dual air,
exc cond,must see,must sell
$5100 call xxx-xxxx-xxxx

Now that looks harmless enough doesn't it. A classified ad usually doesn't have the punch that a full page ad can have or a TV ad.

But this is not a problem. Why? Because you are only really competing with other ads in a similar format. The only people putting better ads in than you are dealers and people looking at classifieds don't want to buy from a dealer.

So in that little space is where you need to shine.

Ok, so let's break it down.

The first line you have the little stars "***" and it's in bold. That's your attention grabber. It's not huge but remember you only need to make it stand out in relation to other ads.

It also has the make, model and don't forget the year - if you leave this out you are costing yourself inquiries.

Now, the next section "V6 2.5l" gives more specific info about the car. It's the V6 2.5l engine version. More car identifying. It's important to identify the car fully.

The next part - "only 30k" - states that it is low kilometres. Cars generally wear out faster the more they are driven. So this is a good selling point.

1 female owner - female drivers are statistically less hard on their vehicles than males. Good selling point so mention it. (For security reasons if you do this it is a good idea to have the car viewed off your property in a public place with a male to help you sell it)

"Non-smoker"- shows not just that you don't smoke but that you are aware of the cleanliness factor in your car and hints that you most likely have kept it clean, without stating it.

"All pwr options" - more identifying data - has to be mentioned because it ads extra value. And the same goes for dual air - this adds the safety dimension.

"Exc Condition"- you basically have to make a statement of condition. A car in excellent condition has not been in an accident, has no rust, clean title and has had no bodywork. The paint looks new and interior is very clean. As well as being mechanically sound.

"Must See" and "Must Sell" - these little gems add a little bit of urgency. They work best in combination with this ad because the ad is for a pretty good car. If you were selling a wreck I wouldn't use them.

Include the price

Now you must include the price in my opinion. I don't have the space to go into why fully. It has to do with buyer confidence. He doesn't want to have a price change done based on the sound of his voice or the way he dresses. It just takes one factor out of the buyer's confusion.

The last part is the call to action. Pretty simple. Instead of putting the phone number alone, add the word "call" in front of it. People actually respond to direct commands to do things. It's a principle of direct selling.

So that's it. I hope that has been helpful.

Happy Selling

---------
Graeme Sprigge is the author of The 90 Minute Car Salesman
http://www.sellmycarforcash.com/

Buying And Selling Cars For Profit

Buy and Sell Used Cars at OZ Free Online

Our neighbor Jose doesn't speak much English, which makes it tough to live here in northern Michigan. Despite that, he made a profit of over $30,000 last year selling cars out of his front yard. It's true that he's a mechanic, and that helps, but it isn't the key to his success.

The Key To Buying And Selling Cars

To make money selling cars you have to know the value of cars. Knowing which cars people most want might help too, but any car will sell for some price, and you need to know that price. Drive around looking at cars for sale, or cars just sitting idle in people's yards. When you can easily look at a car and guess how much it will sell for, the rest is easy - just offer $1000 less. You'll eventually buy a car, and sell it for a profit. Then you can and repeat the process.

To start learning about the used car market, you can watch the classified ads, keeping in mind that the asking prices are not the sales prices. Take notes. Used car pricing guides, such as the "bluebook," generally show inflated retail prices. Use them, but assume you'll sell the car for the "loan value", or average wholesale price. In any case they are good to show to your prospective buyers.

If You Know Nothing About Cars

What if, like myself, you know nothing about buying and selling cars and don't want to learn? Find a friend who knows cars and wants to make money. For example, I gave my brother $950 to buy an old truck because he said it was worth more than twice that. Sure enough, he sold it in a week and returned my money, plus half of the $900 profit.

I gave another friend $3200 to buy an old plastic-bodied car. He paid $2200 for it, and put a transmission in it, along with other minor repairs. I didn't know what a Corvette was, why anyone would want a car from 1976, or where to go to get a transmission put in for $800. Fortunately, my friend did.

Less than two weeks later he sold the car for $4200 and returned my money plus my half of the profit: $500. I've done this a number of times now with friends who know more about cars than I do. Are you cash poor? A short term cash advance on a credit card would have cost me about $50, still leaving a profit of $450.

Here in Michigan, the law says you need a dealer's license if you sell more than six cars in a year. You could have six titled in your name, six in your friend's name, and six in your wife's name. That gives you a good chance to see if you like the business enough to get a car dealers license. Check the relevant laws in your state.

The key to buying and selling cars for profit is knowledge - but you can get that from a friend.

________

Steve Gillman has been studying every aspect of money for thirty years. http://www.UnusualWaysToMakeMoney.com

Tips on Finding Employment as a Corporate Flight Attendant

Make your Career Move! Search Job Listing Opportunities

I will not pretend that this is the easiest topic to write about. In fact, my knowledge of how one finds work as a private flight attendant is based chiefly on what others have shared with me. You can find some useful tips within the many threads written on the Corporate Flight Attendant Community message boards at http://www.cabinmanagers.com, but to save you from culling through hundreds of threads I will highlight various standout points and include others that have been shared with me over the past several years by industry insiders:

* Cold calling. Time honored and time tested this is an important method for finding work and it is also one of the hardest for the majority of people to do. If you do not have the skills to contact strangers you will find an important avenue for securing work omitted. Even the unskilled can accomplish much by attempting this step...practice, practice, practice and you will get the hang of it. You many never feel comfortable doing it, but you accomplish much by trying. Always keep this in mind: every person that you meet is a potential contact for helping you find work; conversely, you may also be able to help someone out too.

* Attend conferences/meetings. Attending NBAA related conferences and events will get your name and face out there. Preferably, you would also attend events where a lot of pilots hang out, especially pilots of cabin class jets which include the Global Express, G-V and Falcon Jet 2000. The NBAA's annual conference is a very important venue for networking as well as are their one-day regional conferences.

If you are an NBAA member you get a copy of their directory which lists many companies that fly these very same jets. In addition, membership will give you access to their message boards and other important information on events that they host.

How about attending the annual NBAA Flight Attendant Conference? Yes, it can be an important place to learn more about the industry, attend seminars, and network. Many of the newer folks find it helps them gain a better understanding of private flying, while some veterans will tell you to save your money for the big conferences. Your call: conference fees, hotel and transportation charges can add up significantly. Not many people have the luxury of attending every event.

* Local airport events. Is your airport hosting a seminar? Is an important industry leader speaking? Well, why not attend? Sure, aircraft de-icing/anti-icing may not be the most exciting topic, but it is to pilots. Guess what? Some of the same people you want to fly with will be attending. Guess what? There is usually a social time afterwards. After the recent crashes involving corporate jets you certainly do want to be knowledgeable about industry best practices involving ice. Oh, by the way, have several copies of your résumé with you and copies of your business card to hand out. Yes, get business cards made up and be prepared to share them liberally.

Consider joining your local airport's advisory board, helping out with special community outreach programs, organizing an airport wide event, etc. Anything that you like to do and that helps get your face and name out there is a plus. In this business your name is golden. Promote it and protect it for all that it is worth! Become an expert self marketer/promoter.

* The internet. Do Google searches and start reading and bookmarking every page that interests you pertaining to business aviation. The internet has more information then any library and it is updated frequently.

* The Corporate Flight Attendant Community [http://www.corporateflyer.net]. This website was created by me to be a resource center for private flight attendants, for those who aspire to become one, and their supporters. I draw upon industry leaders as well as the private flight attendants themselves to communicate what is going on in the industry, particularly from the cabin crewmember's point of view. Helpful articles, relevant links, catering information, résumé posting, and message boards are some of the more important features of the community. This is truly a niche community one that has gained the attention and respect of many in the industry.

Of particular importance for learning/growing/networking are the message boards. Mostly everyone who participates is already working in the field as a crewmember either full time or on a contract basis. Others are working on the skills they need to enter the industry, while still others offer important help or guidance to the industry. Let me say this: your screen name is your business and I do not reveal who you are if I happen to make the connection between your screen name and true identity. Many business relationships and friendships have been made between our members because of the message boards. By participating in our Open Chat time or via p.m. [private message] contact you can "meet" our members.

* Job sites. There are many sites on the internet listing aviation related jobs. They include: Skyjobs, Plane Jobs, AviaNation, Climb to 350, AEPS, and the Aviation Employment Board. This last community, the Aviation Employment Board [http://www.aviationemploymentboard.net] is run by me and is a companion to the Corporate Flight Attendant Community. Naturally, it is my preferred method but some of the other sites are helpful too. Unlike the Aviation Employment Board, most will charge you a monthly fee to register. A big hint: if you do sign up check out the jobs listed on the "pay sites" with the free sites. See if you notice any difference in jobs listed. If you are a corporate flight attendant, do not expect many jobs to be listed publicly in any case. There just aren't all that many available at any given time and most companies do not want to publicly advertise their openings.

* Agencies. AirCareCrews; Integrity Flight Crews, LLC; Jet Professionals, Inc.; J.S. Firm; Turner Services are all some of the names out there associated with providing hiring services. Expect to pay a fee in most cases; do not expect many opportunities. Your call.

As one of our message board members has advised: build your own sources. You may find that something works better for you than another person. Much depends on your own initiative; I find that those individuals who do the most exploring have an easier time finding work. If flying corporate is something that you want, be persistent. Another good trait: be flexible. This includes having a willingness to relocate and being available to work 24/7/365.

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Matt writes extensively for websites he manages as well as designing and managing websites for others. http://www.cabinmanagers.com

5 Rock-Solid Real Estate Investment Strategies

Real Estate Listings

Investing in real estate is more complex than simply buying and selling homes. To help new real estate investors to decide which strategy might work for them I put together 5 rock-solid strategies. It is up to you which strategy you feel more comfortable with.

1. Buy and Hold

This real estate investment strategy is commonly known as rental properties. Becoming a landlord is easier than you think. You buy a property, you advertise it as “for rent” and you sign a contract with your new tenant. That’s where the love story ends. You need to know a lot about your duties and your rights as a landlord or you will find yourself in trouble.

Screening your prospect tenants is your first line of defense. Protecting your property from damage is your first duty. I might paint a little bit dark picture of being a landlord. But dealing with tenants can be the most frustrating job you ever had. Do yourself a favor and visit a bookstore or library and get as many books on landlording as you can get. Armed with this knowledge you will be able to create a positive cash flow and a long term relationship with your tenants every time you put the “For Rent” sign in the yard.

With the buy and hold strategy you basically have 3 income streams going at once.

Amortization; while paying your mortgage you also lower the amount you owe.

Appreciation; while owning the property it increases in value.

Tax incentive; as a landlord you will be able to deduct your investment cost over several years. (See you tax advisor for professional advice).

Based on this information you can easily see that even if the rent doesn’t cover 100 % of your mortgage payment you will still be able to create a positive cash flow.

2. Flipping

This is the art of “buying” and “selling” real estate investment without actually taking ownership. In a flip situation real estate contracts get assigned and the person who assigns the contract to someone else typically gets a commission for their services. That’s how you can make money with real estate without credit checks or no money down. Because you never take possession of the property, you don’t need to apply for a mortgage.

You only need 2 things to be able to flip a home. First, you need to find an attractive property that will sell very quickly. Second, you need to find a buyer within a very short period of time. Typically 2-3 weeks. Then you simply flip the contract to the new buyer and you will collect your commission at a so called “double closing”.

This sounds complicated at first, but with a little bit practice you will be able to create a nice income from this. By the way, this is the preferred concept of most real estate “gurus” who appear in late night infomercials.

3. Rehabs

Rehabs are the most risky form of real estate investments. You hunt for a cheap, run-down property and you hope that your preliminary remodel cost estimates will leave enough room for a nice profit. Well that’s the theory. Most real estate investors are failing with this type of strategy.

You either didn’t get the property cheap enough to make a profit or the damages are more extensive than estimated which will offset the cheap purchase price. To make matters worst. If during the rehab phase of typically 3-4 months the market is going south all bets are off. Trust me, I made my share of experiences with this and I told myself, never again.

4. Commercial Real Estate Investment

What comes to your mind first when you think of commercial real estate investment? Big factory complexes, shopping malls or maybe huge office buildings. Well, my answer is much simpler. Anything bigger than a 4 unit apartment building, some call it fourplex, is considered commercial. The great thing with commercial real estate is that the value of the property is determined by the rent income it generates and not by how crazy people are going with bidding on residential real estate.

Theoretically there’s no such thing as sellers or buyers market for commercial real estate. I wrote a complete article about the pros and cons of commercial real estate. So I keep this brief. Personally I love commercial real estate. Of course, commercial real estate is more or less off limits for beginners, because commercial real estate lenders want to see some form of prior experience in real estate investments. However, if you got some experience, go for it. As an added benefit; the competition is far less.

5. New Construction

This is the most affordable and easiest way of real estate investment. Getting into the earliest phase possible of a new development is a sure thing to make money. Keep an eye on the market and you will be able to sell your new home before construction is finished. The construction companies don’t like this, so they limit the number of homes an individual can buy. Even so, keep one or two homes constantly under construction and you will make some nice profits. Of course this works only in a sellers market. Stay away from this strategy in a buyers market or when you see big changes in the local real estate market.

Sincerely,
Peter Dobler
(c) 2005

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Peter Dobler is a 20+ year veteran in the IT business. He is an active Real Estate Investor and a successful Internet business owner. http://www.suncoastrenttoown.com

Auto Classifieds -- Online or Off?

Cars For Sale @ ozfreeonline.com

Auto Classifieds are a great way to sell your car. But you have a choice now to sell online, offline or a combination of both.

Let me just give you a few quick pros and cons that should jog a decision.

The Advantages of Online Auto Classifieds

• wide coverage
• nice pictures possible
• more space for description
• usually can be found from a search engine
• run it till you sell more common

Disadvantages:

• search means customer usually searching for that exact car or near to it - misses buyers who chance on your car
• depends on traffic of site as too whether your ad is seen
• lower trust from internet based advertising
• Misses non-internet people

The Advantages of Offline Auto Classifieds

• higher trust factor
• picks up online and offline buyers
• no computer knowledge or site technology to interfere with the buying process

Disadvantages

• pictures expensive
• less room for description
• may miss 'online only' buyers.

You may be able to think of a few more. Now for some facts. The six cars I sold last year, were all advertised in online AND offline auto classifieds, and were sold for the price I wanted. Three were sold from online classifieds and three from offline.

So from this statistic, the solution would seem to be - spread your message across both mediums.

Well that's it for now.

Happy Selling!

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Graeme Sprigge is an automotive writer.
His website http://www.sellmycarforcash.com has numerous auto articles.

Practical Ways To Save Money When Shopping Online

Visit the Buy and Sell section @ Australian FREE Classifieds

There are various ways to save money while shopping online. You can save hundreds or even thousands a year by comparing prices on various products and services before deciding to buy.

To make informed choices when buying products, you need information on the price, quality and the types of products available. You can get this information by shopping around - either directly, or by going to a number of different websites and comparing what is on offer. Look at the prices and then weigh up what you will get for your money before you make up your mind.

1. Use shopping bots

Shopping bots are essentially search engines for gathering prices for products from a variety of vendors. They allow you to quickly search for merchandise across a wide variety of sites. They are an effective way to quickly get a feel for the available deals. Most experts recommend using at least three different shopping bots. Some popular ones include Froogle, BizRate, DealTime (Shopping.com), MySimon, PriceScan, PriceGrabber and Clickthebutton.com

2. Use Discount Sites / Bargain sites

These are general discount sites where you'll find deals on everything from clothing and digital cameras to diamond earrings. They get excess merchandise from other retailers and sell the merchandise at bargain prices. Examples of bargain sites include Overstock and Smartbargains.

3. Use Coupon sites and Deal Aggregators

These sites provide a wide variety of coupons, promotional codes and discounts across the internet. They lead you to retailers, rather than selling you the merchandise directly. Examples: Wow-Coupons, CurrentCodes.com and FatWallet.

4. Use Classifieds or Auction sites

With most goods, buying straight from the high street will add a considerable sum to the price tag. It’s possible to make vast savings by purchasing your item second-hand. You can buy most merchandise cheaper from auction sites such as EBay and Ubid online.

5. Drop Brand Names

You can easily get cheaper products by opting for lesser-known names in the market. These cheaper items are usually as good as some of the more expensive varieties from the big companies. In some instances, you’ll only be paying for the name because some of the products are manufactured by the same companies.

There are many other ways to save money while shopping online, but shopping around before you buy makes it easier to get the best value on various products and services.

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Chileshe Mwape writes for Half-Price-UK.com

Affordable Online Car Auctions

ebay Alternative Auction Site
auctions

Still hunting for the car of your dreams? Public car auctions online are becoming a happy hunting ground for car aficionados for they bring you a huge selection of affordable cars in various models at unbelievable prices.

With online car auctions you can buy a new car at prices, which are quite less than the manufacturer’s price in the retail showroom. You can buy a car at price that you can afford. Automobile auctions have car prices which are among the most affordable and there are all kinds of options available to suit every kind of budget.

For instance, you can find all kinds of auto auctions online - from recreational vehicle auctions to buying used cars on line. Buying used cars online is a win-win situation for you for you can find cars that are practically new in their look and feel but have prices far less than the new ones. Some of the vehicles listed in internet vehicle auctions are still under factory warranty.

Internet auto auctions is open to the people residing anywhere. Online auto bidding auctions include quality vehicles, used luxury and economy cars and even online auctions for car parts and accessories.

Buying car of your dreams at affordable prices gives you immense joy. To make your dream a reality, all you have to do is review all the listed cars in the internet vehicle auctions sites. Most online car auctions try their best to ensure that the cars, which are listed for online public auto auctions are high-quality, well-maintained vehicles. You can decide how much you would like to spend after referring to the catalogues, which have a huge selection of cars in different categories.

But always keep in the mind that our public car auctions online do not give you a GUARANTEE or imply a WARRANTY of any type, kind, or nature on any purchase so make sure you know what you are bidding on.

This is a wholesale exchange between, you, the buyer, and the seller, this is not a retail used car showroom. Please make certain that you are comfortable buying in the "AS IS/Where IS" arena - you will be held financially responsible for any bids tendered.

If you are on the hunt to buy your dream car, visit Auctions4Wheels.com for some truly affordable online car auctions. Registration is FREE with this auction site. You can choose to place a bid and if successful you will receive a confirmation message. If your bid fails to outbid the current high bidder you will be offered the option to place a higher bid.

Successful Real Estate Investing

Buy, Sell or Rent A Home In Australia
real estate

One of the best roads to wealth in America has always been the acclimation and development of good, solid, income-producing real estate. Real estate ownership is one of the best ways to achieve financial independence for the average person. But in order to be a successful real estate investor, you are must become above-average in your knowledge and understanding of how the real estate market works.

There are five basic requirements that you must follow to succeed in real estate.

1. Write out clear and specific goals that have time lines on them. Set a goal for the exact type of property you are looking for. Do want a single family property? A duplex? A four-unit property. You must be specific. Set a goal for getting the money you’ll need to purchase the property. Always make sure your goal has a time line for when you will acquire the property. Will it be six months or a year? Set goals for the amount of real estate you intend to purchase in the next three, five, and ten years. The very act of writing out set goals for yourself in real estate will make it much more likely that you’ll have the success you are aiming for.

2. Write out a detailed plan of action, listing everything you are going to do, organized by priority. The combination of goals plus detailed plans will give you a blueprint for real estate accumulation that you can begin to follow on a day to day basis.

3. Make a plan to learn every detail of the real estate business. Because the potential rewards are so high in real estate, they will go to those who have done their homework and paid their dues. It’s very important for you to become an expert at real estate before you begin investing your time and savings in real estate acquisition.

4. Be prepared to back your plans with hard work, sacrifice, and persistence. Going into real estate is very much like starting a business. There is a tremendous amount that you have to learn and you can only learn by experience. There will be ups and downs, successes and failures, and you must be willing to persist patiently throughout, knowing that you will be successful in the end.

5. If you are really serious about building something lasting and worthwhile in real estate, resolve to get into real estate for the long term, for a minimum of ten to twenty years. Real estate investment is not something that you jump into and out of. It is something that you step into very carefully, and should be prepared to hold onto for a long time.

Many people who purchase real estate, hold it for a long time and then sell it just before it starts to rise rapidly in value. They become impatient when they hear about other people making quick or easy money by flipping real estate properties.

The definition of investment real estate in its simplest term is: “Real estate is its future earning power.” Let me put this another way: “Real estate is nothing more and nothing less than its future earning power, its value at some future date.” In other words, the value of any piece of real estate is determined by the income that can be generated by that property when it is at its highest and best use, from today and on into the indefinite future.

An important question that you should always ask when you are considering any real estate investment is, “When and how will income or wealth be generated on or by this piece of property, and in what amount?” The correct answer to that question tells you how much the property is worth today and how much it is likely to be worth in the future.

Even though interest rates are at all time lows and property values are increasing at record levels, there are still foreclosures happening at record levels today, because of so many people losing their jobs. Having said this as a warning, there are many things that you can learn and do, starting with very little money, to begin building your financial independence in real estate.

If you do not have much money but have lots of time, and you sincerely desire to enter into the real estate field, the simplest way for you to start is to buy homes that need work and fix them up, thereby increasing their value. This is where many successful real estate investors and entrepreneurs begin their careers.

Here are six basic steps you need to follow if you are going to buy properties and fix them up.

1. Do your market research thoroughly and look at houses until you find one that is under priced relative to the neighborhood, because it is run down and needs a lot of work. A house that is under priced is one that is selling for 20% or more below what similar houses are selling for in the same area, based on the cost or sales price per square foot. For you, this type of home could be what is called a “Sleeper.” It can be more valuable than it appears on the outside.

2. Purchase the house at the lowest possible cash down-payment and get the seller to carry back a second mortgage or deed of trust for the property. Your ideal purchase of investment real estate is always to get the very best price and terms. Price and terms are often more important than any other single factor. If you can get a low enough price and generous terms you can make almost any property into a successful investment.

3. Move into the house and begin working on it on the weekends to renovate and refurbish it, doing all or most of the work yourself. Many husbands and wives have launched themselves toward financial independence by working as a team to buy and fix up houses, approaching this as a family project.

4. When you have fixed up the house and yard so that it is attractive again, you can then do one of three things. You can sell the house for more than you paid and take the profit from the sale and buy another house to renovate. You can rent out the house at a rate that covers your mortgage payment and hopefully gives you extra cash flow. Or you can rent out the renovated house and then refinance the property, often for as much as you paid for it, based on the higher earning power of the property when you rented it.

5. You can then repeat this process with another house, again doing the renovations yourself until you have fixed it up and you are ready to sell, rent, or refinance the second house as well.

6. As you increase your assets, your cash flow, and your experience, you move up to buying and fixing duplexes and eventually apartment buildings.

There are two main advantages to buying properties and then fixing them up yourself: First, you can do it while you keep your full-time job, continuing to generate cash flow from your job for repairs and renovation. Second, you can start small, with little or no money, little or no risk, and expand your activities as you gain more knowledge and experience.

Making money in anything, especially real estate, is hard work and requires persistence. Everyone with a property for sale wants to get as much of your money for it as he or she possibly can. Your job is to see that they don’t. So, if you are willing to do your homework and take your time, you can make prudent and profitable real estate purchases and sales.

You make your money when you buy real estate, not when you sell. You make your profit in real estate by buying right, by buying the right property at the right price and at the right terms. When you sell, you simply realize the profit that you made at the time of the purchase. Another important rule for investing in real estate is this: don’t become emotional about a property that you are purchasing for investment. Always look at the property from the viewpoint of a critical purchaser.

Purchasing real estate of any kind requires careful thought and analysis. Just remember that you are buying the long-term future earning power of a piece of property. You are purchasing the property as an asset and nothing more. Always remember, real estate is only an asset if it puts money into your pocket.

These rules are all food for thought if your are planning to become a real estate investor. These are some basics that you need to know to get started in the field of real estate. Read books and attend seminars on a regular basis in the field of real estate. Go out and look at properties every week that are for sale, even if you are not ready to buy. By doing this you will be gaining valuable experience. Nothing can take the place of knowledge and experience, especially in the field of real estate.

Millions of men and women have become financially independent by investing in real estate, and with the proper knowledge and experience, there is no reason why you cannot do it as well.

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Joe Love
Founder and CEO of JLM & Associates
http://www.jlmandassociates.com