Immobilienmakler Digital

What could you, as a real estate agent, learn from the conman who sold the Eiffel Tower twice?

Back in the good old days (the 1920s) there was a man named Victor Lustig who was a smooth-tongued criminal that went from one con to another, always looking for a way to separate people from their money.

He was involved in many scams throughout his career. But the scam that would make him famous throughout history involved the Eiffel Tower.

In 1925 Lustig, who was always looking for a new con, was in Paris and happened to noticed an article in the newspaper describing how the French government was having a hard time maintaining the Eiffel Tower. Being the consummate conman that he was, an idea popped into this mind. Why not sell the Eiffel Tower?

The first thing he did was have a counterfeiter create official government stationary and personally „appointed“ himself to the prestigious position of Deputy Director General of the Ministère de Postes et Télégraphes. Then, letters were sent out on the official looking letterhead to five different scrap iron dealers; they were purposely vague and simply invited them to discuss a possible government contract.

When everyone arrived for the meeting, and after entertaining the men for a bit, Lustig made the surprise announcement that the government was indeed scrapping the Eiffel Tower.

He noted that the tower had been built in 1889 and was never intended to be a permanent structure, which everyone knew was true. He mentioned how the government could no longer afford the upkeep, something that the men had already read about in the paper. The paper had mentioned that the Eiffel Tower was in great need of repair, the cost was very prohibitive, and there was a brief comment that the government was actually exploring the idea that it might be cheaper to rip it down than to repair it. He was careful to stress that this was a very controversial decision on the government’s part, so the men had to keep quiet regarding the tower’s demise or risk public outcry.

Lustig then arranged to take each man on a tour of the tower to establish rapport, determine their emotions and select his „mark“. After interviewing each scrap iron dealer he selected a man named André Poisson and worked his sales magic.

After the sale was complete, Lustig immediately left for Austria. He made no attempt to hide and lived the life of luxury at Poisson’s expense. Each day, Lustig checked the Paris newspapers for news of his con, but it was never reported in any of the papers. He concluded that Poisson was too embarrassed about falling for the con and had decided to eat his loss. Knowing he was in the clear Lustig headed back to Paris a year later and pulled the same exact scam again.

Yes, you read it correctly, Lustig sold the Eiffel Tower a second time! But he wasn’t as lucky that time around. His mark went to the police and the story exploded in the press. Lustig was forced to leave Europe and head to the United States. There would be no third sale of the tower.

What does this conman have to do with you as a Real Estate Agent? Well, a lot actually. While selling the Eiffel Tower Lustig used specific techniques that Natural Born Sales people use; sales techniques that you should be using too.

Con-men and natural salespeople have exactly the same abilities. However, there is one significant difference between the two and that is intent. Con-men use these techniques of psychology to harm people in a win/lose proposition. The conman wins and the person they are working with loses… sometimes everything.

On the other hand, the Natural Born Salespeople use the same techniques to help people in a win/win proposition, helping their clients obtain their dream and buy a home, while becoming the top 10% of real estate agents doing it.

They are both experts at using psychology.

They are both experts at using the client’s emotions to sell.

They are both experts at using and gaining rapport.

They are both experts at finding out what the client’s unconscious mind wants.

They are both experts at finding out what emotions are driving that person and using those emotions to make a sale.

The difficulty comes when you try and get a natural born sales person to teach you to sell like them, and they can’t. They can’t because most natural born sales people have absolutely no idea how they do what they do. It comes naturally to them and they don’t even have to think about what to do to make a sale. This is why many top sales people make the worst trainers. They can’t teach what they do.

Now for the good news. These psychological sales techniques can be learned and mastered, and once mastered can propel you to the top.

For example, one psychology of sales principle is that people buy based on emotion and justify with logic. I am pretty sure you are even familiar with this principle, but do you know how to use it to make sales?

Imagine if you knew exactly how the principle worked, you could use it to help your clients while becoming a better agent yourself.

One of many natural skills, sales professionals and con men use, is to listen and ask questions until they understand exactly what the person wants, not only consciously, but more importantly unconsciously. This is one of the biggest mistakes many, if not most, real estate salespeople make, they listen but they don’t really understand.

In a sales situation, and even in everyday conversation, people use „Code Words“. For example a client might tell you that they are looking for a house with a view. The word „view“ is a code word. You might think you know what it means but you really don’t. You understand what „view“ means to you but not what it means to your client.. The Natural Salesperson instinctively knows they don’t know what „view“ means and are able to extract the real meaning from the client.

Not too long ago this happened to a brand new agent I was working with. I was teaching her about code words. She seemed a bit confused at first and then suddenly you could see the light came on in her head. She told me that over the last couple months she had been working with a couple looking for a home. She had asked them what they wanted and they told her a house with a view. With that in mind she kept taking them around and showing houses with views. The agent happened to live in the Great North West where there are killer views of the mountains, valleys, and rivers, so there was a lot to pick from. But no matter what she showed them the wife was never happy.

One day while showing them a houses, they passed a neighborhood and noticed a sign leading to a house that had just that day gone on the market. They decided to call the listing agent and were able to go see it that day. While going through the house the wife commented on what a great view the house had and the agent was shocked because the house was completely surrounded by trees, and there was no view! The agent, while looking out the window at all the trees, asked what she meant and the wife said, „I can’t see any cars“.

For months the agent had tried to find a house that had, what the agent considered, a view, but it was never what the wife considered a view, and the agent was clueless. By „view“ the wife meant she wanted to be able to look out the windows and not see any of her husband’s cars, equipment or tools… that’s what a good view meant to her.

Maybe if you understood code words and the other techniques used by the Natural born Salesperson you’d be able to sell the Eiffel Tower too. And if you could sell the Eiffel tower a couple times when it wasn’t even for sale think of how many houses you could sell that are.

Oh and as for our conman Lustig, he ended up dying in Alcatraz prison (where he was sent after being convicted of a counterfeiting scheme) and his death certificate listed his occupation as salesman.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Today, relaxing in tanning beds to achieve the perfect tone of bronzed skin is a common activity. This $5 billion a year industry used to be reserved as a luxury for those in the upper class, but now millions of people enjoy this indulgence, regardless of income. Many of these people want the benefits of a tan, but just don’t have the time to bask in the sun, so they take advantage of the controlled exposure to UV light.

This popularity created a new trend in the creation of home tanning beds. As the prices for a tanning bed for sale decline, more people are buying them for their home. This article details the pros and cons of investing in home systems, including some factors to consider before purchasing a tanning bed for sale.

It Costs Less

Visiting a salon can get expensive over time. Many people have a hard time justifying a trip to a salon, especially those who consider it a luxury. While purchasing a home tanning bed for sale requires an upfront investment, it eliminates the monthly fees of a salon, costing less in the long term. As it can require many salon sessions to develop a base, plus additional sessions to maintain it, it is possible to pay for your home system with your salon savings in a short time.

It Is Convenient

Although visiting a salon offers people the convenience without having to spend hours out in the sun, home tanning beds offer even more convenience. Instead of jumping in the car and driving to the salon, home users simply walk over to their home system.

Offering a higher level of convenience, these home units provide you with the option to tan whenever it’s convenient for you. It doesn’t matter whether it’s the middle of the night, an hour after work, or right when you wake up in the morning, you can tan anytime. Home systems offer a great alternative to those with busy work schedules, especially those who travel frequently or work odd hours because they don’t have to try to arrange their schedule to fit their salon’s schedule.

Lastly, home units offer year round treatments. Whether it’s a bright and sunny day in July or a snowy day in February, people with home systems can maintain their tan anytime in the privacy and convenience of home.

The Cons Of Home Tanning Beds

While there are plenty of pros, there are also a few cons to owning these systems. First, you must manage your own exposure level when using your home system. This includes monitoring the amount of time spent under the lamps per session, the number of sessions per week, and even the use of protective goggles and lotions.

You will also have to keep your system maintained, including replacing the bulbs regularly so it always provides you with an even tan. Regular cleaning is also crucial to the long life of your system. Finally, you will need to make sure you have the proper supplies on hand, including goggles, lotion, and bulbs.

By keeping the pros and cons of tanning beds in mind, you will have the knowledge necessary to decide whether a home tanning bed for sale is right for your lifestyle.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Staging is an essential, and cost-effective, part of the home selling process. Staging your home to show off its qualities can only add to your final selling price. On average, people receive $2 in increased sale price for every $1 they put into staging a home.

When staging your home for sale, there are five golden rules to take into consideration as you work your way through each room of your house.

Five Golden Rules:

De-Personalised

The buyer needs to picture themselves in the house – not you. That wedding photo may mean the world to you, but the buyer it’s a distraction that prevents them from seeing a home for their family.

Maximise

Declutter and maximise the space in your home. Closets packed tight with all your clothes make a place like it lacks closet space. Consider temporarily storing the overflow offsite.

Sanitize

This golden rule is the easiest and cheapest way to stage your home – clean it. A sink full of dirty dishes is as unappealing to you as it would be to the buyer. It is well worth the elbow grease in cleaning floors, walls, baseboards, ceiling fans and windows.

Modernise

Unless your home has exceptional period built-ins, all home could benefit from some updating. If someone feels the house is dated, they will reflect that feeling in a lower offer. Consider a few simple changes like swapping out expensive fixtures for nickel or chrome.

Neutralise

Colour can make or break a buyer’s interest in your home. You may love that shocking red wall, but all the potential buyer sees is a great deal of painting in their future because of red clashes with their style. The picture is one of the most inexpensive ways to change a look of a home.

Bonus Tips

Closets

Clear closets of unnecessary clutter, and organise to maximise the amount of open storage space you are showing off to potential buyers. Use boxes stacked together to keep up and hide the clutter.

Use matching hangers for clothes – hooks are inexpensive so splurging on higher quality are inexpensive, so celebrating on higher quality hangers to replace free wire hangers from the dry cleaners will modernise your closets with visual impact and a more luxurious feel.

Bedrooms

A quick and inexpensive way to improve the appeal of your bedroom is to use gender-neutral colours when touching up paint jobs and re-accessorizing to have the broadest possible appeal. Colour coordinate where possible bedspreads, walls, curtains etc. should have a clear theme to their colours if possible.

Bathrooms

If walls are grimy, spray them using a standard spray bottle filled with a mixture of one part bleach and one part water, follow up with a fresh coat of paint.

Clear countertops of everything but the essential to make space look more open and more extensive.

Kitchen

Modernize your dated cabinets; they can be touched up for less than $200 with a coat of new wood stain and or even a good sanding a coat of paint. Replacing brass or wooden cabinet hardware with brushed silver or stainless steel is an effective way of updating dated cabinets as well.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

You’ve decided it’s the right time, for you to sell your home. While this decision may be based on a variety of considerations, the first decision, the homeowner needs to make (next), is selecting the right agent, for him. One should thoroughly interview prospective agents, and discuss, in advance, considerations, philosophies, perspectives, systems, approaches, etc. One of the most important discussions should be about how one might market the particular property, in order to achieve the homeowner’s needs, concerns and objectives, with the best results. This article will briefly examine and discuss 6 real estate marketing considerations, alternatives, and options.

1. Conventional advertising: Traditional, or conventional advertising/ marketing approaches, include using newspapers, sending postcards, mailings, etc. Over the past decade, there has been far less attention to these methods, because of buyer’s reading policies, widespread use of the Internet, costs, etc. However, this is still a needed, necessary, useful format and media, especially if done, with professionalism and focus!

2. Social media/ internet: There are many popular real estate websites, including: Trulia, Zillow, Realtor.com, MLS, real estate broker sites, etc. In addition, there has been a widespread emphasis on effectively using Social Media, etc, which garners widespread focus and attention. The advantages of this method, include attracting potential buyers, and minimum costs.

3. Word of mouth: Wise Realtors realize, the best form of marketing, is word of mouth! Superior real estate agents, have a following, and references from former clients and customers, generally, produce the finest results!

4. Open Houses: There are two types of Open Houses: 1) Broker’s Inspections; and 2) Consumer Open House. One promotes these, via a combination of the previous 3 methods, as well as by using well – situated signs. The basic advantage of these, is it permits lots of exposure, and there is an adage which states, the more potential buyer views, the better the possibility of a sale!

5. Staging: Certain homes might benefit from the services of a Professional Home Stager. Homeowners should discuss this, with their agents, including the benefits, costs, needs, options, etc.

6. Niche marketing: Does the specific house, fit into a particular niche? Are there, perhaps, certain groups of buyers, who might have a better chance of being attracted to this home? How might one focus on this group, if applicable?

Houses don’t sell themselves. Real estate professionals proceed with a quality, overall marketing system, and customize the best one, for the particular client’s property!

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

For Sale by Owner

The toughening home market in Ontario is making it tough for real estate agents to sell any kind of real estate. Scotiabank has reported a slowdown in home resales in 2008 and prices have dropped. It is definitely a buyer’s market as economic growth has slowed, and people are looking to cut out realtor fees wherever possible.

FSBO.com’s home index recently revealed that on average, FSBO properties were on the market for just over three months and sold for 95% of the asking price. The average amount saved on real estate commissions totaled more than $10,000. That’s a big incentive to move to do-it-yourself real estate sales.

Not that it’s easy for homeowners to sell their homes without the assistance of a realtor. Finding the right buyer with the right price still requires some marketing savvy and a lot of work. The level of knowledge about home marketing has improved dramatically, some of it due to television shows and books that have proliferated on the topic of flipping properties. From remodelling to sales psychology, many people are able to prepare their home and show it to buyers.

Homesellers and buyers are finding that real estate deals can be made without having to pay realtor fees. The question of marketing though is an issue they struggle with. Without having the realtors listing service and an agent funnelling active buyers to their home, how do go about making contact with lots of buyers?

If you’re selling a cottage in Muskoka, Haliburton, or other rural Ontario towns, there may not be any street traffic so posting a sign on the lawn may not generate any serious offers. Other marketing and advertising vehicles will be needed.

Visibility on The Search Engines is Key to Selling Homes today

The Internet is critical to successful selling these days and it is in real estate as well. Search engines, do it yourself sites, and news sites all offer great visibility to homebuyers and sellers. Even the major real estate companies rely on Google to connect with buyers and sellers. The real estate companies draw significant traffic through Google from people interested in everything from real estate, to mortgages to for sale by owner listings. Fortunately, a few web sites show up at the top of the search listings and they are well visited. You definitely want to be advertising with these sites if the cost is sensible and if they will serve single homeowners. Some real estate Web sites won’t.

For Sale by Owner isn’t a new idea. Services to help sellers cut out expensive realtor fees have been around for some time. For these services to be successful, the companies Web site needs to show up in the search engine rankings. A few Home for sale by owner enterprises have their own print magazines which can extend reach into localized markets in small Ontario towns. When you combine that reach via print and via the Web search engines, the overall ability to connect buyers and sellers is strong. These services are often low priced and can help sellers save significantly on realtor commissions.

FSBO services often provide a package of services for a fee that may include a listing in print magazines, web site listings, and various documents along with signs for placement on street locations. Visibility is everything, and these packages may give you all the coverage and help you need to sell your home well. Some will even guarantee that you’ll sell your house or they’ll return the service fee.

Some of the documents include tips on how to prepare the house and stage it for viewing. Check out firms that offer For Sale By Owner listings. The low price may surprise you especially since they offer a very unique service that realtors do not want you to use.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Are your hobbies costing you an arm and a leg

Hobbies can give us a sense of release from our day to day issues; the satisfaction one gets from pursuing a pleasure whether it is collecting stamps, bank notes, beer labels, or any of the stuff which people describe as collectable, boating, sport, car racing, or whatever.

If you are going to have a hobby you really need to make sure it is not costing you more than what you can afford and that it is not at the expense of your retirement fund.

There are ways of keeping costs down with your hobby; take whatever it is you collect. You can list your duplicate items on eBay or other auction sites. It will also give you an estimate of the kind of demand there is for your particular kind of collectable.

It is also important to realise that something is only worth whatever someone else is prepared to pay for. If you cannot find a buyer for whatever your collection is then it is not worth anything.

There are some things that are sentimental however, things which may not have any monetary value but are priceless to family such as old photographs or heirlooms.

These may not have cost you anything to acquire as they may have been handed down through the generations or have been given to you but that is not so with a lot of collectables which are acquired with a passion which can be described as hoarding.

Unless someone has an unlimited amount of spending money all of this stuff must be at the expensive of something.

People will often go without to finance their hobby such as not owning a car, not contributing to their retirement fund, or not spending money on much needed house repairs.

A collector who owns a huge collection of beer labels, 30,000+ I believe proudly boasts about it to everyone who visits. It is anyone’s guess how much he has spent acquiring this collection but the saddest thing is that he is not contributing to his retirement fund and therefore missing out on the government incentives.

The old excuse of „I might die before retirement and so someone else will get my money,“ has been used several times, but then someone else will inherit his beer label collection and if something financial crops up such as a huge medical bill he will not be able to afford it, and it is doubtful if he would be willing to part with his collection even if a lot of money was offered for it.

The same is said for any other activity that is a hobby. The old saying of „Pay yourself first“ rings true because sooner or later a person who mismanages their finances will eventually find that it catches up on them.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

The number of property owners selling their land independent of a realtor has seen a sharp decrease in recent years. In fact, it has dropped six percentage points over the last decade, according to the latest numbers from Chicago-based National Association of Realtors. As of the beginning of 2007, a mere 12 percent of all real estate transactions were for sale by owner, or FSBO.

One factor influencing the statistics may be owner frustrations with a fluctuating housing market. Owners have other things working against them, too. They cannot register property in the MLS listings, one of the most popular search tools for property shoppers. It takes a real estate agent to get property included on that list. Realtors may also have more connections and more techniques, experience and training that could net higher offers.

Property owners, on the other hand, will know more about factors like the home’s specific strengths and weaknesses, the neighbors and the schools. They may, however, shy away from pricing their house high and may agree to come down too quickly. From mid-2005 to mid-2006, five percent of real estate transactions were closed by realtors who took over a FSBO that fizzled. Only one percent of transactions within the same time frame were sellers who started with realtor representation and later switched to FSBO, according to the NAR.

FSBO transactions – particularly when handled by first-time sellers – have been said to sit longer, sell for less, cause more headaches and increase confusion. So why would sellers even want to try? The average real estate commission is about six percent and many property owners see FSBOs as a way to pocket more cash. In reality, however, NAR statistics show that homes generally go an average of about 16 percent higher when sold by realtors.

For sellers absolutely determined to go it alone, there are a few key points to remember. There are some Internet web sites available now that are very professional in appearance and offer FSBOs an alternative to the elusive MLS listings. Plenty of high-quality photos are crucial with any marketing, and Internet marketing is undoubtedly one of the most effective methods. Many of these FSBO listing web sites will now offer extra perks, like yard sign rental and print advertising.

It is important to be patient, price your home fairly but also allow a little wiggle room for the inevitable price haggling and be extra cautious to avoid unqualified buyers. This can help prevent deals from falling through. To get a deal in the first place, however, sellers must market their property and don’t shy away from offering incentives like a decorating allowance or paying the fees of the buyer’s agent. Among the buying community, FSBOs are notoriously associated with great deals. Make sure you arm yourself with the tools to avoid becoming a casualty of that mindset.

FSBOs also have a reputation for misleading buyers on such things as the true condition of the house or the severity of the house’s problems. This is not always intentional. Many homeowners really don’t know the extent of the damage and do not intend to mislead. This is where a crackerjack home inspector can come in handy. Not only can a home inspection help justify the home’s price, but it can also set the buyer’s mind at ease and perhaps help close the deal faster.

Another good reference tool is a local competitive market analysis. This can help ensure that a FSBO is selling for what it is truly worth. The lender’s desk is the worst possible place to find out that a seller overcharged for a home, but it happens all too often.

Realtors are immensely more experienced and knowledgeable in all things real estate – from selling techniques to legal matters. However, at the very least, a seller would be wise to bring in a real estate lawyer to ensure the legality of the transaction. It is also a good idea to involve a bank, as opposed to the seller alone, in the process of handling escrow funds.

FSBO transactions can be smooth if the seller has related experience. FSBOs can save money if the seller avoids backing down on price too much. If, however, the seller finds themselves stalling with no end in sight, it is best to turn to a realtor as soon as possible. The longer a house sits unsold on the market, the worse position the seller will be in. It looks bad to potential buyers and they will wonder why the home hasn’t sold. In reality, it may simply be a matter of ineffective marketing on the seller’s part. Time is money, and a house sold on commission is better than a house not sold at all.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Opportunities for real estate investment for foreigners is wide and varied in the United States. It doesn’t matter where you’re from and what currency you’d be using to purchase a property, you have a property waiting for you.

There are generally three kinds of real estate investment available to foreigners. These investments include the commercial estate investment and residential property investment. Residential properties are further classified into single family properties, apartments or condominiums and recreational properties. Regardless of what kind of real estate you are interested in, there are all sorts of tax ramifications, financing options and legal requirements that you have to deal with.

Why Should You Invest in the U.S. Real Estate Market?

You’ve probably heard of the increasing number of foreign real estate investments in the United States. This is not surprising. With the troubles that the real estate investment market is facing in the United States, greater opportunities in real estate investment were opened to foreign investors.

With the dollar’s value in its all time low, foreign investors are finding real estate bargains all over the United States. There are no shortages of deals in this market. More and more distressed properties are being sold everywhere and foreigners are pouring in millions buying these foreclosed or distressed properties. The United States real estate has become a fairly attractive long-term investment for foreign investors.

In November of 2006, the National Association of Realtors released a report entitled „Foreign Investments in U.S Real Estate: Current Trends and Historical Perspective“. The report showed that there has been a steady increase in foreign real estate investment in the United States. This is especially after the euro and the loonie became stronger in the face of the continuous devaluation of the US dollar. Prime bargains were opened to foreigners. Many foreigners have now looked into the possibility of retiring or settling in the United States.

If you’re a foreigner, you would find a lot of reasons why you should invest in the United States real estate market. Aside from the fact that the floating exchange rate has given you a lot of leverage over the bargaining table, the financial market is a pretty good reason why you should invest in the US real estate.

The financial market in the United States in relation to the real estate market is quite liberal and the restrictions against foreign investors are pretty reasonable. This is ideal for foreign companies that are seeking to invest in the real estate market in the United States in order to avoid tariff restrictions and are considering setting up an office or a company in the United States.

Furthermore, despite the devaluation of the US dollar and the wide foreclosures of a lot of property, the real estate market remains to be stable, though slightly shaky, due to foreign investors‘ capital appreciation. Domestic real estate buyers may not necessarily share the same opinion, but the market has remained to be strong for foreign real estate buyers. This may be largely credited to the fact that there is minimal risk for them.

Why are Foreign Real Estate Investments Safe and Profitable?

There are a lot of investments you can make, but the safest you can make right now is investing your money in real properties. This is another good reason aside from the fact that you can make a pretty nifty profit, if you like, particularly now with the widespread property foreclosures and seemingly continuous US dollar devaluation. This is especially true if you are going to use the euro or the loonie when making your investment.

But why is US real estate investment safe for foreigners?

It is undeniable that stock investments are not a safe avenue at this point. The recession has not only affected the US economy; the same recession has greatly affected worldwide stock investments. Stocks values are dropping. It is also a fact that even without the current economic situation, stock values fluctuates.

On the other hand, real estate investments are pretty stable if you would compare it to stock investments – or even bond or mutual fund investments. With real estate investment, you’d be putting your money in an investment that would grow in value as years go by.

What are the Benefits of Foreign Real Estate Investment?

US state government supports foreign investments and along this line has formulated various tax breaks to encourage foreign investment on real estate. Many of these tax breaks are not available in many countries. In fact, most countries would frown at foreigners owning real properties within their territory.

Foreign real estate investment in the United States is open to everyone. As long as you can afford to buy the property or at least comply with the mortgage requirements and payments, you can secure for yourself a pretty good property in the United States. Again, with the current economic situation of the United States, this is the perfect chance for you to make an investment.

Another great benefit that you can take advantage of is the availability of mortgage financing. Lenders have opened their doors to foreign investors who are looking into purchasing a property. So, you don’t have to actually deplete your bank account. You can actually secure a mortgage loan and gradually pay it off.

I’m Canadian, What Are My Financing Options?

There is a steady increasing rate of Canadian real estate investors in the United States; and accordingly, the government has made certain that they have attractive financing options available to them.

If you’re Canadian – or if you’re a foreigner – you’d find a lot of reasons why you should buy a piece of real property in the United States. For Canadians, the parity of the currencies or the apparent devaluation of the US dollar is a pretty good reason itself. But how do you finance your purchase?

There are various financing options available to you depending on which state you are in. In Arizona, for instance, you’d get favorable financing terms if you are purchasing a property for recreational purposes, that is, you do not derive any income or benefit from your purchase or ownership. You will be required, however, to sign up a disclosure agreement and give a 30% down payment for your loan. To qualify though for a loan, you may be required to show availability of liquid reserves for a period of three to six months. You may also be required to present a minimum of 3-month bank statement.

If you are purchasing a property for investment, you’d probably meet stricter terms. Requirements may be more stringent. For instance, you could be required to give a down payment of more than 30% and you may be required to show one year worth of liquidity reserves.

Regardless of your reasons, if you feel like you can fulfill the requirements of a financing loan, you can then proceed to actually applying for a mortgage loan. Also, keeping yourself updated with the financing terms flux may be a wise idea.

Understanding the Tax Ramifications of Real Estate Investment

The first foreigner to have ever bought a real estate property in the United States was Peter Minuit. This opened the doors to foreign real estate investors. After a couple of centuries later, foreign real estate investment has grown into huge proportions, accounting for billion-of-dollar worth of industry.

The low risk attached to US real estate market, the availability of countless properties, and the steady market liquidity attract foreign investors in droves. The initial snag, however, is the process of understanding the legal ramifications of foreign real estate investment.

What you have to understand is that foreign investment in the United States can take a lot of forms. A foreigner has various options. He can acquire direct interest. He can acquire an interest in the real estate through a partnership, a corporation, or a limited liability company. The latter is the typical structure used by foreign investors.

Limited partnership or Limited Liability Company offers financial protection or indirect asset protection, especially in cases of bankruptcy, law suits and taxes. Foreign investors are generally taxed on the property as if they hold the property in direct interest.

Ideally, you should secure the services of a real estate accountant to help you out with the tax ramifications, but it would help if you, at least, know the basics before you actually talk to an accountant.

There are tax consequences that you have to deal with when you buy a real estate in the United States. You would need an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number which you will use with all your tax transactions. Your investment in real estates can be treated as a portfolio investment and will be accounted for as an investment income which can either be fixed or a periodic income. This is typically taxed at 30% on gross revenues. This tax though does not apply though to all foreign investors. Tax rates would vary depending on the tax personality the foreign investor opted for. For instance, a corporation would be taxed differently.

Other things that you should take note of are availability and requirements of tax refunds and state tax laws on real estate properties as they may differ from federal laws, among other things.

By knowing all these things, you may save yourself from a lot of hassles when you finally approach a real estate accountant. You’d be in same wavelength when you finally get down to talking business. It is, however, very important that you secure the services of an accountant. You’d have an easier time dealing with the taxes ramifications. You’d also have assistance ensuring that you comply with all the accounting aspect of your investment. This is especially true if you are purchasing a real property for investment purposes.

Do You Need to Secure the Service of a Real Estate Lawyer?

If you are considering buying a property in the United States, you need to secure the services of a real estate attorney – someone who could help you with the legal issues concerning your purchase. It is tempting to forego securing the service of a lawyer to save money, but this could cost you a lot of money in the long run. Make sure that you have an experienced and trustworthy lawyer to help you out. Make sure that you have thoroughly checked out his credentials, profile, history of successful cases handled by him, and other factors that would influence your decision. You could check online and look for a lawyer working within the state where you are considering purchasing a property.

Functions of a Real Estate Lawyer

There is no actual distinctive function for a lawyer in a real estate case. However, you would really need the assistance of a lawyer for various tasks. A real estate lawyer would review the sales contract for you. He would also check on the title and other documents relating to the property. A lawyer would also review your mortgage contract and make the necessary adjustments or corrections. You could also get him to review with you the legal and tax issues concerning the purchase. A real estate attorney could also make the necessary adjustments relating to various expenses and costs involved in the purchase. He would assess your eligibility for tax refunds and draft the documents and statements relating to this.

Putting it simply, a real estate lawyer will be your watchdog. He would guide you through the whole process of purchasing a real estate in the United States in order to make sure that you will be legally protected. You will have a capable and trustworthy liaison to help you out with the contract. He will also face legal disputes if any arise.

Tips on How to Invest in Real Estate Successfully

Now, if you’ve fully bought into the idea of real estate investing in the United States, you might just want to know how to go about investing in real estate successfully. If you want to be successful in this venture, the first thing that you have to avoid is overanalyzing. Of course, it is a good idea to carefully think through your actions but it is a bad idea to overanalyze your investment to nonexistence. You might lose a great opportunity.

Before you purchase the property though, it might be wise to check the property value. If it sits well with you and you can reasonably afford the property, go ahead and make the purchase.

If you are considering the property for a quick flip, make sure that the property is in perfect condition and in good area. This is to ensure that you could double or actually triple your return of investment. If you can inspect the property yourself, do so. If not, a good and trustworthy agent can help you with this task.

Another important thing to remember when you’re buying real estate is good financing. You should take your time to carefully consider all your financing options. Foreign investors can email in their queries to various lending institutions. It is a good idea to make sure that you’ve had their terms and rates on paper because they tend to change these terms and charge you with a lot of junk. Your real estate agent can help you with reviewing the escrow charges.

The bottom line, however, is that it is very important that you do your homework before you actually buy a real property. Investing in real properties in the United States can be profitable especially during these times. In fact, it may be the wisest and most perfect investment you can make right now.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

„Data is the new gold mine!“ The statement holds huge significance when it comes to today’s business world. The current corporate arena is largely operated based on data-driven decisions. You might be surprised to know that each day, about 2.5 quintillion bytes of data is being generated. That’s certainly a massive amount, isn’t it! Now just think what would happen if owing to some system malfunction or any other issue, all this data gets lost. It would be a huge mess for businesses and would cost them a lot. This is the key reason why there is a substantial demand for Data Scientists in the job market. In fact, the job profile of a ‚data scientist‘ is already declared to be the most sought after profession in the 21st century. It’s hence the right time for you to ride the growth and build a career that you will be proud of.

Wide Acceptance of Data Science

With Big Data being implemented in almost all spheres of our lives and in the near future, there wouldn’t be any business organization that can afford to ignore the importance of data science. If they do, chances are high that they would lose out on their competition. Smaller companies with adequate data handling skills will triumph over larger corporations with limited data knowledge and experience. Even the start-ups are not losing any opportunity of making data-based decisions. The business world has very well understood the relevance of data science in the modern scenario. If this enormous pool of data can be examined and calculated using a scientific approach, it can help the organizations derive to meaningful conclusions, which directly means better business decisions, more profits, higher ROI.

More Data, More Jobs, More Salary

Be it start-ups or giant corporations, no company exists in the modern age that doesn’t rely on data and analytics for taking business decisions. As per the reports published by McKinsey Global Institute, about 40 zettabytes of data would cover up the internet by the year 2020. This will facilitate a sharp rise in demand for Big Data and Data Science professionals. With more time, the popularity of Big Data shall reach a new level as more companies would start adopting this lucrative opportunity for business growth. With the high demand of qualified professionals and lower supply of the same, as per the economic principles, the salary structure would be quite attractive. It is a given fact that the data scientists are the ones who get higher paying jobs as compared to other engineers and people working on similar job profiles.

Besides, when we are talking about data, how can we miss the opportunity to show some data related to the profession of a Data Scientist? According to a report published by an online education portal, there has been a dramatic rise noticed in the listing and application for jobs related to Data Science. There is a whopping 200% year on year increase in search for ‚Data Science‘ jobs, while at least 50% year on year rise has been noticed in the listing of such job requirements. It is hence, evident that Data Science is here not only to stay and survive but to thrive and rule.

Higher Salary Potential

Data Analytics skills are the demand of the hour. Almost every industry is in dire need of skilled professionals who have adequate knowledge to manage the data properly and conclude to meaningful results that will enable businesses to take their operations to an entirely new level. Having said that, it is pretty clear that only trained professionals can gain maximum exposure in this data-driven era and enjoy greater salary structure.

According to a research report published by an international organization, the average annual salary of data scientists globally in the year 2015 was $130,000. Now, the demand has grown even higher, and the salary structure has also increased to a greater extent. In India, the average salary structure for Data Science professionals is quite lucrative. An Analytics professional in India can take in as much as INR 15 lakh per annum in the initial years which goes further higher with experience. The most interesting factor is that Data Science is not only popular in India, but other foreign markets are also seeking highly trained professionals. Hence, if you have the talent and relevant knowledge and are ambitious enough to grow and succeed, Data Science offers you the perfect opportunity to realize your dreams.

At TimesPro, we have partnered with industry experts like Google, Intel, Flipkart, and Fractal Analytics to create a results-driven, comprehensive professional learning program on Data Science, encompassing the core concepts of Data Science, Machine Learning, and Artificial Intelligence. At TimesPro, a Top-Ranked Data Science Institute in Bangalore, we promote a learning environment where students are not only introduced to the essentials of Data Science but are rather prepared to step into the industry with immense confidence and amplified potential. We believe that it is the constant practice that makes an individual adept at his/her job role. That’s why, at our campus, we ensure that our students have enough industry exposure and have in-depth insights into the deep-seated challenges, as well as their solutions. The future world is about to be extremely dependent on how we use data. Hence, our aim at TimesPro is to create industry-ready professionals who can utilize the mounting opportunity and rise with the growth of the industry.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Since, for most people, the value of their home, represents their single – biggest, financial asset, wouldn’t it make sense, and be beneficial, when it comes time, to try to sell it, to hire a real estate agent, who understands the local market, and realistically, can evaluate, fair market value? For a variety of reasons, many homeowners have an unrealistic perspective of what the actual value of their house, and, when a house, is listed, at an unrealistically high price, rather than correctly, from the start, it generally, harms the end – results! With that in mind, this article will attempt to, briefly, consider, examine, review, and discuss, 5 reasons, real estate agents, must recognize properly, and consider, the fair market value, when they suggest pricing.

1. Manage expectations: Since the process of marketing, and selling a house, goes more smoothly, when agent and client, are on the same – page, and work, together, with true teamwork, it’s important for the agent to hire, to manage your expectations, realistically, by, telling you, what you need to know, not just what you want to hear (TM).

2. Initial listing price, in the correct range: Avoid the mistake, of, determining and setting the initial listing price, of your house, in an emotional, ill – informed, way, but, do so, based on a professionally prepared, Competitive Market Analysis, or CMA. This should direct you, to the best range, to list, your home.

3. Know advantages and disadvantages: The agent, you seek, must know, and understand, the local market, and how your property compares with others, listed, for sale, on the real estate market! It requires, knowing and better understanding, and clearly explaining to you, the comparable, strengths and weaknesses, compared with others. Take the time, and make the effort, to clearly, know, the advantages and disadvantages, which might make a difference.

4. Evaluate potential offers: Hire an agent, who is capable, of, objectively, evaluating potential offers, and suggesting, whether you might be better off, accepting or refusing one, and/ or, offering some counter – offer!

5. Close the right deals: There are smart, right deals, and, some, which may not be the right ones, for your specific home! The initial, Competitive Market Analysis, should help to guide you, so you might know, when, and where, any specific offer, may fall, within a specific range! Once, it makes sense, the effectiveness of your agent, must help, to close, the right deal!

Pay attention, and make the sale of your house, less stressful, and more beneficial! Will you be prepared, and hire the best agent, for your needs, and purposes?

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg