Friday, April 24, 2009

Patience and Making Money in Real Estate

When most people commence in the investment of real estate, they do so with lots of fervor, but they become disheartened after failing to achieve their instant fortune. After discovering that they cannot acquire riches easily and quickly, they move to a different investment scheme. A common mistake such investor make is learning several tricks and assuming success is granted.

Another mistake that is commonly made is seeing a different person’s instant success and assuming you will achieve the same results. This hardly happens in reality. Despite having good plans, people fail due to lack of the required effort for achieving their goals. There is so much work required in achieving real-estate success in the long-term, and that is why only few people accomplish it.

The Starting Goals Can be Lofty but Reasonable.

It is great to think big, but most people cannot help cringing whenever they overhear someone saying that in their first year of real estate business, their mission is to acquire one million dollars. Although everyone loves dreamers, there exists a line between delusions and dreams. Someone with a yearly income of 50,000 dollars but with no previous experience in the business of real estate can hardly make this sort of money in a year’s time.

What sort of expectations would beginners find realistic? The ideal approach is setting long-term, intermediate and short-term goals. It is important to ensure that these goals are attainable, specific and realistic. This is an outline of how these goals may appear:

• Fifteen years goal: Retirement benefit of a monthly passive income of 10,000 dollars. This requires between three and four million dollars in a free and clear real estate rental.
• Five years goal: Acquire 3 or 4 million dollars of real estate in areas that are steadily appreciating. Flip, fix and buy fiver properties every year at 20,000 dollars average profit to replace the current income.
• One-year goal: Wholesale 2 or 3 properties, flip, fix and buy 2 properties at retail and acquire 3 rental properties for keeps.
• Six-month goal: Do 2 or 3 wholesale flips and buy 1 rental property.

To avoid personal setups where disappointment is certain and financial disaster imminent, the dream of being a millionaire overnight must be forgotten. It is better to focus on the route that is slow but steady while aiming at wealth accumulation systematically with a single deal at any particular time. Assistance should obviously be sought from experts who are qualified and active in this business. Avoiding most of the mistakes on the road to riches ensures that the destination is reached much faster.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Other Foreclosures

Other ForeclosuresIt’s a situation facing hundreds upon thousands of people and the numbers are growing rapidly. Foreclosures aren’t just happening to people who have over spent and got into risky loans. They are happening to homeowners who are getting divorced, facing health issues, needing to relocate for a job, and numerous other reasons. Regardless of how you may end up falling behind on your mortgage, knowing what to do next is critically important.

A lot of the news media is talking about the first thing you need to do is contact your lender. However, if homeowners who are facing foreclosures contact their lender first, the first person they interact with is the customer service agent who may threaten them and tell them that they are going to foreclose on your home right away to scare them into not taking action. If they get to a loan mitigation person and they are talking to them, they may agree to a workout that they cannot afford just to get the phone calls to stop. However, if they agree to a workout they cannot afford and they miss a payment, homeowners have essentially lied to their loan agency and that’s not something good.

What people are finding is that lenders are willing to work with them. It will take a whole lot of persistence on the part of homeowners. They really need to make sure that they’re not intimidated by the conversation they need to have with their lender but they need to step up and say ‘I am not going to be able to make this. What can we do to suspend the payment or lessen the payment or modify the payment until I get back on my feet?

In case you just need a little bit of extra money to get caught up, there are some employers who have a five-thousand-dollar loan that they are able to give their employees with low interest. They can pay it back through their pay over time; that’s one. Two, there are grant programs through housing counselors like HUD; there are grant programs that are available to people who are going through foreclosure.

Due to the housing crisis, A lot of people are taking in boarders and renting out rooms. Some people are renting out their entire house and they are staying with family so that they can make the mortgage payment. These are all things that homeowners need to do—think a little bit outside of the box when it comes to a solution. Another thing is, with the gas prices being as high as they are and people having to commute back and forth to work, you may want to ask your employer if you can cut down to a telecommuting schedule and think about selling your car.

Looking for solutions to an emotionally and financially draining situation such as a foreclosure is fatiguing and frustrating. However, if you realize there are options then you can begin to build momentum to rectify your situation. Ultimately, it’s critical to consult with experts on this matter, to be open about your financial dilemma, and to seek help immediately. Real estate agents can either help you sell your home in a short sale, if necessary, or rent it out to help you pay your mortgage. Trying to do it alone can be a painfully disastrous experience — seek the help you need.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Dunedin Florida

Downtown Dunedin’s Main Street impresses visitors and locals alike with over ten blocks of unique shopping, dining, nightlife and recreation options. What began as a simple restoration project to capture pedestrian traffic brought through Dunedin’s downtown by the county’s recreation trail is now one of the most successful downtown revitalization projects in West Central Florida. Celebrating a 100% occupancy rate on Main Street, the City of Dunedin already knows a downtown’s success is a result of catering to the diverse needs of the area’s residents and visitors. From recreation to shopping and dining, downtown Dunedin strives to have something for everyone.

As far as recreation, Main Street Dunedin is a favorite of both land and sea lovers alike. Sea lovers appreciate that Main Street runs right into the city marina facility where boat dockage for both residents’ and visitors’ boats is available, as well as a myriad of rental and charter boat options for those without a boat. On the other side of Main Street, for those that prefer dry land is the “Pinellas Trail” a thirty-four mile pedestrian trail gives visitors the option to walk, run, bike or ride throughout town and even throughout the entire county!

Just as downtown Dunedin’s recreation offers variety, so does Main Street’s shopping. Choices range from an economically priced consignment shop, The Little Thrift Shop, which offers bargains on gently used wares to Kina Kouture, an exclusive couture boutique that specializes in chic trendy one of a kind clothing. In addition, there are antique shops, art galleries, unique collectibles, wooden furniture, tropical gifts and over twenty-five other stores to suit the preferences of most shoppers.

In addition to all of this, Dunedin’s Downtown boasts over fifteen restaurants and cafes. For a casual atmosphere, diners can sit outside and enjoy light fare at Café Alfresco, Jolli Mon’s Café or Cappuccino’s Café. If one’s prefers a bit livelier of a meal, Casa Tina is an excellent dinner choice that serves patrons Mexican food accompanied by live music, dancing and Cirque style shows weekly. Other live music options along Main Street include Flanagan's Irish Pub and Dunedin Brewery; both offer a diverse beer selection and high quality pub-style meals as well as showcase distinct musical talent up to four nights a week. At the other end of the spectrum, the Black Pearl is a romantic restaurant well known for its intimate setting and award winning cuisine.

Once you have finished running, walking, sailing, shopping and eating in Dunedin there are still more choices. Whether you prefer a sweet treat at one of Dunedin’s three ice cream and sweet shops or a cocktail at one of the many bars and nightclubs, you won’t run out of things to do in this lively town!

More about Dunedin. See all Dunedin Homes for sale and Dunedin Real Estate including all MLS Listings in Pinellas County.

Thursday, January 01, 2009

Clearwater Marine Aquarium

aquarium.jpgJust off Clearwater’s Memorial Causeway, in a renovated city water treatment facility adults and children are spending the day feeding sea turtles, petting stingrays, shaking hands with dolphins and learning how to preserve and restore Florida’s marine life.

At The Clearwater Marine Aquarium, visitors experience a unique working marine facility that specializes in the rescue, rehabilitation and release of local sea life. The Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s focus is on educating its visitors while entertaining them. Unlike large metropolitan aquariums, this aquarium’s small size allows visitors a chance to view the marine life in a more intimate setting. Utilizing a see, touch and learn method the aquarium provides various opportunities for encounters with sea turtles, stingrays and dolphins that are housed at the aquarium until many of them are ready to be released back to the sea. With thirteen different exhibits including stingray beach, otter land, numerous turtle habitats, the animal’s kitchen and the various rehabilitation areas, there is something for everyone. One of the most popular exhibits at the aquarium is the Dolphin Show where every seat is front row and all guests are warned they are in a potential “splash zone!”

For individuals and groups that want an even more personalized and extensive experience, the aquarium offers actual animal encounters. Both the Dolphin Encounter and the Trainer for a Day Encounter allow participants the chance to spend time with the animals and their trainers preparing meals, feeding the animals and learning about the maintenance and care of the aquarium’s resident marine life.

The aquarium is open daily and guided tours are available. Visitors wanting to participate in either the Dolphin Encounter or Trainer for a Day program must have advance reservations, so be sure to call ahead. For more information, the aquarium’s extensive website features videos of many of their marine rescues and releases as well as a live web cam of the dolphin habitat at www.cmaquarium.org.

See all Clearwater Florida Homes for sale and Clearwater Real Estate including all MLS Listings in Pinellas County. Info and Demographics on Clearwater Florida.