Trying to boost your real estate sales and profits while saving your resources can be a delicate balancing act. Between maintaining current levels of turn-around, trying to minimize loss, as well as maximizing your profitability, it may seem counter intuitive to begin considering pouring resources into a new strategy. Real estate advertising may look like a gamble when things have stagnated, but great amazing marketing and the knowledge of professional business consultants can be just the boost you need to revitalize your real estate business. Here are some tips on how to buy real estate advertising even when money is tight.

1. Know your marketing needs.

When you are shopping around for the perfect consulting firm to help you with your advertising it is important to know what your needs are. The more specific you can be with the needs of your business, the more fine-tuned the proposals and solutions will be during your consultations. Once you have some great strategic marketing proposals to consider, you can begin looking honestly at your particular needs and assess the potential in each accurately. Knowledge is power, and the power to differentiate from useful information and rubbish will save you money in the end.

2. Go with consultants who have great insight.

Are the marketing proposals you are being pitched boring? Do they seem outdated? Make sure your real estate advertising is targeted to your clients and is innovative, cutting-edge, and overall nothing short of brilliant. You want to be wowed by the insight and expertise of the professionals you are paying to bring your marketing and brand up to date with the current climate of your target clients. In some instances this requires completely fresh perspectives and total overhaul. More often than not, it requires experience and wisdom in executing marketing campaigns with minor tweaks in your overall message.

3. Make sure you brand is fine tuned.

You should be seeing opportunities to tweak every aspect of your advertising from messaging to branding. Your brand is the root of all your business value. Even in real estate, a simple and easy to recognize brand can convey the essence of what it is exactly you are selling them. For example, are you offering a particular style of housing? Luxury, family homes, etc., or are you offering a way of life such as retirement homes or easy living. Having a strong brand adds value and increases your profitability while conveying the deeper meaning and worth of your unique niche. Find professionals who can hone in on your uniqueness and fine tune your brand.

4. Use data and analytics

Advertising can be a very cerebral field of work. Thinking about every nuance of your business needs and trying to market to the perfect client base can become mind numbing without a proper grip on perspective. Using data and analytics to check and assess the level of success of your advertising campaign is a great way to get an accurate feel for what is working and what is not saving you money. End unsuccessful tactics immediately and move onto other ideas by looking objectively at data and analytics provided by your advertising agency.

Hiring the right consulting firm and advertising agency can be the difference between stagnation and revitalizing your business. The next time you are in need of a real estate advertising reboot, make sure to follow these money-saving tips.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Christopher Rivera

A good organization system is invaluable in any household – but you can live without it in your day to day life if you choose to. However, when your house is listed for sale you absolutely must organize every space in the home. If you skip this step in staging your house for sale it could cost you money at closing with a lower offer or cause buyers to pass on your house altogether.

Organization can be elusive. People have the best intentions of getting and staying organized. They go out and buy boxes and baskets and promise themselves they are going to use them from here on out. And sometimes they do – but more often than not – it doesn’t work out that way. Most commonly these people end up with boxes and baskets full of stuff – and more stuff everywhere else. This is fine for everyday life, but when the house is listed for sale it just won’t do.

One of many reasons it is so difficult to live in a house while it is listed for sale: All areas of your home simply must be well organized while the house is listed. Why? Because buyers are curious (nosy) and rightfully so.

When a potential buyer decides to visit your house in person there are so many obstacles to overcome to even get them through the door. Do the online photos look great? Is the house priced right? Is the curb appeal great? Does anything smell funky from the front walk?

When you actually get them into the house you are solidly in the game. You have overcome all the initial obstacles to selling your house to these particular people. These just might be your buyers so don’t blow it with „behind the scenes“ chaos.

Behind the scenes chaos occurs when a house looks good on the surface, but underneath the clean windows, great furniture arrangement, and strategically placed lighting there is disorganized space. Cabinets, drawers, built-ins, and closets have a huge impact on the buying decision. If buyers cannot easily see how their things will work in the space they will emotionally disconnect from the house. You do not want this disconnect to happen. It is the buyer’s emotional connection to a house that brings the best offer. Chaos disconnect causes them to want to leave the house – not buy a home.

Buyers are a nosy bunch – and rightfully so. They want to inspect every space they are considering for purchase. Wouldn’t you? Buying a home is most often the largest purchase people make in their life time. They need to feel confident in making an offer. They need to feel connected to a home to be willing to pay for it.

They need to see every single inch of space the house has to offer. This includes every built in drawer, cabinet, and closet in the house. Every. One. Of. Them. It is reasonable to think buyers will not be opening drawers and cabinets in furniture pieces that will not be included in the sale of a house – but don’t count on it. No realtor can be in every room at every time. Drawers will be opened, inspected, and judged. Keep this in mind.

Even the most beautiful staging in every room of a house is blown by closets or cabinets crammed full of disaster. If you have stuff just thrown about in any space, large or small, it tells a buyer there is not enough storage space in this house to live in peace. Buyers don’t necessarily hear the chaos clearly or in those words, but they will strongly feel the discord in the space. They will „feel“ a reason to pass on the property or to make a low offer because they don’t feel there is enough storage space. They may move on to the next house because they believe their things will never fit in this one.

Your de-cluttering process should have helped you pare down to only those things that bring you joy or that you really need. The next step is to organize the things that stay in the best way possible so that it brings you and, more importantly, your buyers a sense of peace.

Buyers are willing to pay for spaces that they can envision living calm and peaceful lives in. They want to think that if they lived in your beautiful organized house they would have the calm and peaceful life they aspire to. They believe they will be able to find their car keys, sunglasses, and cell phone at all times.

Organized spaces are the „bones“ that hold up the quality seen in a staged home. Without organization even the best staged room doesn’t hold up to a buyer’s inspection.

When staging your house to sell make sure you organize every space as part of your process because you know buyers are going to look everywhere! You will be glad you took the time on closing day with cash in the bank!

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Lori Livers

Baranoff Elementary School, home of the Baranoff Buffaloes, is one of the top-rated schools in the Shady Hollow Austin neighborhood. Built in 1998, this young facility has dazzled both school administrators and parents alike. „My daughter just started kindergarten this year at Baranoff,“ enthuses one parent, „and she has learned so much. She’s already reading second grade level books.“

To no one’s surprise, the Texas Education Agency also has glowing things to report – the 2008-2009 „school report card“ for Baranoff includes Gold Performance Acknowledgment commendations for student performance in reading, writing, mathematics and science. TAKS scores were also impressive, with 97% of Baranoff students passing in math and writing, and 98% passing in reading/ELA. The school enjoys a student-to-full-time-teacher ratio of nearly 17 students-per-teacher, which almost certainly has had some bearing on the school’s success. Baranoff Elementary also benefits from close partnerships with local industry leaders like 3M and AMD, as well as a Peer Assistance League partnership with Bowie High School.

However, academics isn’t the totality of a Shady Hollow school experience. „Helping others and our sense of community is a strong value here at Baranoff,“ says PTA president Theresa Keannini. To that end, Baranoff students gathered 425 coats in the 2009 Coats for Kids drive, and have raised money for sister school Blazier Elementary’s library.

The school is named for Dr. Timy Baranoff. Dr. Baranoff has been teaching in the Austin area since 1963. Her service to the education of children in central Texas has been recognized with the Sallie Beth Moore Award, the L.D. Haskew Award, and the Outstanding Elementary Teachers of America Award, among others. She remains involved as the president of the Austin Retired Teachers Association. „Timy is a very child-focused individual,“ says Debra Sansom, Baranoff Elementary’s Principal. „Her entire life has been dedicated to young people and their education.“

Just like its founder, Baranoff Elementary isn’t ready to rest on its laurels. Among its continuing initiatives to improve its services to Shady Hollow, the school has recently completed an eight-classroom addition, and is working to implement hands-on science education at all grade levels and to expand extended-day activities such as choir and volleyball. It seems only fitting, considering the poem Dr. Baranoff wrote to share her feelings when she heard she was being honored by having a school named after her:

I sat still for a moment and thought what that meant

To receive such an honor was indeed a special event

It was amazing, incredible, my heart gave a leap,

I couldn’t breathe for a moment, then I thought,

‚there’d be promises to keep’…

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Philip Myers

Now that the real estate market is on the upswing, some homeowners are considering buying an additional property to take advantage of remarkably low housing prices coupled with low interest rates.

Is It Wise to Invest in a Rental Property?

If you’ve ever dabbled with the idea of becoming a real estate investor, now may be the prime time to take the plunge.

According to expert real estate agents, this is the first time in years where the perfect storm has occurred: In many areas of the country, housing prices are lower than ever, and interest rates are equally as low. This means that it’s inexpensive to borrow and buy, creating the perfect opportunity for newbie and experienced investors alike to purchase a new property.

4 Steps to Take Before Buying a Rental Property

But not so fast… Before you decide to invest in a second property, it’s important to use the following criteria to make sure you are buying a good home that will serve as a solid investment:

1. Begin with the right real estate agent. Working with the right realtor can make or break your experience in buying an investment property. If you are searching for a home in a specific area, it is best if the realtor is well-acquainted with the neighborhood and region to find the right home to meet your needs. If you are looking for a rental property in another city or state, work with a local realtor who knows what they are doing; a local realtor can also recommend an Austin insurance agent for affordable homeowner’s insurance when you buy.

2. Research the quality of the neighborhood. The area where you buy can affect the current value of a property, as well as how much it appreciates or depreciates in the future. If you plan on renting your property to tenants, the local neighborhood will also determine how easy it is to find a new renter after a lease ends. First time property owners may do best in a highly populated area with regular rental turnover, such as near a university or medical center.

3. Check out the local school system. If you are renting out a house with several bedrooms, then you may want to count on the fact that a tenant is likely to have children and will be searching for a good school district. Before signing on the dotted line to buy a rental home, make sure that you are satisfied with the ratings of the elementary, middle, and high schools in the area.

4. Find out more about local crime statistics. If you buy a home in a high-crime area, you are setting yourself up for disaster in the future. You may have to deal with tenant complaints about regular criminal activity. When researching crime statistics for a neighborhood, it’s best to check with public records or the local police station. Specifically, find out more information about petty crimes, serious crimes, and vandalism rates. In addition, make sure that you have a solid homeowner’s insurance policy in place that will protect you as the landlord, as well as your tenants in the case of theft or vandalism to your property.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Leslie R. Wright

SInce, for most, the financial/ economic value, of their house, represents, their single – biggest, personal asset, doesn’t it, make sense, to use, a quality, professional approach, to ensure, it sells, for the highest – possible/ available price, with the best – terms, in the shortest, possible, period of time, with a minimum of hassle/ stress? After, over 15 years, as a Real Estate Licensed Salesperson, in the State of New York, I strongly, believe, the best way, to achieve, the most – desirable/ beneficial results, is, hiring, the finest professional, for your specific needs, goals, and priorities, who will use a professional approach, to getting, your home, SOLD! With, that in mind, this article will attempt to, briefly, consider, examine, review, and discuss, using the mnemonic approach, what this means, and represents, and, why it matters.

1. Strengths; selling; system; systems; solutions; service: Carefully interview, before hiring your agent! Hire someone, who will provide the highest – quality, service, consistently! Honestly, evaluate, and understand, the house’s strengths, as well as weaknesses, and, what might attract, and/ or, turn – off, a potential buyer! What efforts, will be taken, towards, selling the property? Discuss, the system, to be, used, and whether, the individual, you hire, has the solutions, to timely, challenges! Address, whether, the house, has specific systems, which, might, either, attract, quality, qualified buyers, or, deter, their desires!

2. Options; opportunities; offers/ offering; organized: In most cases, the best – organized, agents, get the best results! Understand, and consider, the options, and alternatives, in terms of marketing, selling, pricing, etc, this house! Does it present, any desirable opportunities, the competition, may not? Will it be positions, effectively, so, what you are offering, obtains quality offers?

3. Listen; listing; looks; location: If you seek professional advice, it is wise, to effectively listen, learn, and pay attention, to the advice, and guidance! Don’t be fooled into, believing, the listing price, is, always, the same as the price, it sells, for! Address, any area, where the looks/ appearance, and/ or, location, might be a potential weakness, and be prepared, from the start!

4. Delve deeply; dreams; deals; deeds: Make certain, all potential challenges, are, examined, such as a clean deed, and/ or, title! Delve deeply, into, how your house, may satisfy, a potential buyer’s, dreams! Hire a professional negotiator, who might, transform, offers, to the best deals!

Before offering your house, for sale, carefully, interview, potential representation, and hire, the best professional, for your needs! Are you, ready, willing, and able, to be, a smart, home – seller?

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Richard Brody

„Cash In So You Can Cash Out“

As a homeowner preparing to put your home on the market, have you ever found yourself thinking…

The house will sell; we do not have to do anything to it.

Why spend any more money on this house, it looks fine.

These misconceptions can cost you time and money. These days other houses on the market competing for that buyer are new construction offering up-to-date kitchens and bathrooms, and they show and sell quickly. Few are willing to buy a house that looks worn, out-dated, or so flawed that even a fresh coat of paint will not hide it. Buyers are looking for a house that is ready to settle right into, affordable, and one that offers something more than expected.

When you get ready to place your home on the market for sale, it becomes a product. Similar to a product on the shelf at your local store, the product has features and benefits. Your home is no different, it is one of many homes for sale, and you must present it to the buyers in the best possible light. Make your home look better and show more value than the other houses, to compete within the marketplace.

First impressions are so very important! When a staged home appears on the market, it stands out so that most buyers will want to move quickly.

So, what is staging?

Staging is the process of preparing any home for sale, regardless of price or location. Consider that your home is unique to you and your family. You have everything in place to fit your personal life style. Now that you are planning to sell your home, you must give it appeal to sell to a variety of buyers. This means that people coming to look at your home to buy it, must see themselves living in it, and be inspired to make it their own.

Assessing the Kitchen and Bathrooms

Kitchens are the real heart of a home and bathrooms need to be, not only functional, but also beautifully put together. Take an objective look at the cabinets and countertops. Are the cabinets and countertops spent or outdated? To attract a homebuyer and motivate them to buy your home, more may be needed than just a facelift. Offering additional conveniences, that are built-in, may close the deal.

How does your home measure up?

Here are three keys to consider in assessing if your kitchen and bathrooms need modifications to meet the current demands and trends.

1. Are the cabinets and countertop surfaces durable and easy to maintain?

2. Is the hardware and fixtures up-to-date and stylish?

3. Are the cabinets, doors and drawers fully functional, offering additional conveniences?

Cabinet Refacing will do the job.

Use cabinet Refacing to change and update the exterior of existing cabinetry. Replace cabinet doors, drawer fronts, and hardware with up-to-date fixtures. Modify cabinet boxes and drawers, adding accessories such as roll out drawers and shelves, trash rollouts, cutlery trays and lazy susans.

Cabinet Refacing is the popular alternative to complete kitchen remodeling because it is available at a fraction of the cost and can be finished in much less time. It is an affordable, efficient, and fast way to increase your home’s value and improve its appearance, without the stress of tearing out existing cabinetry. Cabinet Refacing takes only days compared to weeks to replace cabinets.

Personal Preference

When deciding on the colors and styles to use avoid personal preferences and go with a neutral palette that will allow a buyer, to see themselves in the home of their dreams.

Hire an NKBA Professional to get the job done.

Based on written examinations and experience, NKBA Certification is the premiere hallmark for kitchen and bath professionals. NKBA certified designers must also meet mandatory continuing education requirements annually. A certified NKBA professional can quickly assess what will bring the kitchen and bathrooms up-to-date using cabinet Refacing techniques, with the greatest appeal and convenience for most people.

Cabinet Refacing as part of the staging process

Using cabinet Refacing as part of your staging process is a proven technique to help you sell your home faster and for more money. Employing these strategies will give you the edge in selling your home in this competitive market and you can do as much or as little as you would like and what your budget allows. By reworking your home’s furnishings and creating space, warmth, and function and highlighting your home’s positive features, you can prepare your home for a successful sale. The way you live and the way you show a house are two different things. Knowing your home is staged and ready to be sold, real estate agents will have great confidence in showing your home to potential buyers.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Stefan Badarak

There is nothing more fun than an old-fashioned road trip. I love taking to the open road and exploring our country. Now, I’ve been a „road tripper“ for some time and though I love air travel, I love the road trip because that’s how you can really experience the country. So it’s time to get your favorite tunes and munchies ready and plan your open road trip adventure with these ten easy road trip travel tips.

1. Plan your trip. First, you need to determine where you’re going to go and then plan your trip. Planning doesn’t have to take a long a time, but you do need to know the route you’re going to drive and points of interest along the way that you’re going to want to stop and explore. Half the fun of a road trip is seeing the sites along the way. I like to MapQuest my trip and have that as my main plan of attack for my road trip. GPS is very popular these days and I recommend them, but you can’t always rely on them when you hit construction zones or accidents on your journey. That’s why it’s essential that you have a real map with you for the areas you’ll be traveling to and to plan alternate routes if necessary.

2. Make your hotel reservations BEFORE you go. Part of the fun when traveling on the road is stopping wherever your heart desires, but there’s nothing worse than a „no room at the inn“ experience on a road trip. You may not realize that there is a „Comic Book Trade Show,“ „Strawberry Festival“ or convention in town while you’re visiting and there are no rooms to be had. If you do not book your reservations in advance, not only are you running the risk of having to sleep in your car but also you can’t manage your road trip budget effectively. If you’re traveling with your family or a group of friends, consider staying at an all-suite hotel or even renting a time share, a great option for families taking a road trip. Did you know that 90 percent of people who own a timeshare don’t utilize it on a regular basis? Many great offers can be found at some of the bigger hotel chains that offer timeshares and many of them even have a washer and dryer. For my road trip to Scottsdale, I booked a fantastic one-bedroom suite with a kitchenette at a time share property directly through the hotel for just $100/night including tax at the Sheraton Desert Oasis Villas.

3. Give your car a full tune up before you go or consider renting a car. One week before you go on your road trip, take your car in for a tune up and ask your mechanic to ensure the car fluids are topped, air pressure in your tires is at its best for highway driving, and any other necessary concerns regarding your vehicle are addressed. Should you need to get something fixed, it is best to do it at a place you can trust before your road trip. Plus, it can be more expensive when it is a have-to situation. Also, make sure you pack a roadside safety kit just in case of an emergency. For me that kit includes my American Automobile Association membership card (Premier Membership). If you have a car that is no longer under warranty or has automatic roadside assistance, then a American Automobile Association membership is a necessity as it will save you a fortune in the unfortunate event you have a break down and have to have your car towed. If you’re at all concerned that your current vehicle is not „road trip worthy,“ then you may want to consider renting a vehicle for your road trip. I did this for my trip to Arizona as I found a great deal on a rental car and had the peace of mind for my road trip.

4. Pack your own food and plan a picnic. I used to be addicted to stopping at fast food joints on a road trip. There was something that felt fun about that on a trip but I’ve since learned that I prefer to pack my own food for my journey. It doesn’t just keep me eating healthier, but it also saves money, too, especially if you’re traveling with your family. Also, if you plan ahead, you may find that there is a great stop for a scenic picnic in your travels and packing a picnic is so much better than flying through the Drive-through. If you do make a stop, either for a picnic or to explore a cool sight along the way.

5. Bring great music or audible books with you! Music is truly the soundtrack of our lives and every road trip needs a soundtrack. I think of my trip to Seattle every time I hear a Phil Collins song from „No Jacket Required“ because that was the primary music I was listening to on that trip. I think of the Bahamas Harbor Island and the amazing walks on the Pink Sands Beach every time I hear Wilson Phillips music. It’s sort of like having a theme song for every vacation but hearing the music even today will evoke fun memories of wonderful trips. I also love catching up on books I’d like to read but somehow find it easier to listen to. That’s where audio books come in and you can download them to your mp3 player, iPhone, or other PDA device. !

6. Don’t forget to pack a boredom buster bag for the kids. One thing I’ve learned from producing for TV’s „The Travel Mom“ Emily Kaufman, is that if you’re traveling with kids, you need to make sure you have plenty to entertain them during your road trip. She calls this the boredom buster bag. Don’t forget to pack some kid music your children like along with fun travel games that include magnetic board games. DVD players are an option for really long trips and as long as your child isn’t prone to car sickness. Of course, electronic games will keep your kids occupied but I would encourage you to limit the time on these toys especially if you’re traveling through some great scenic areas. It’s an excellent chance to bond as a family and your child’s memory of the trip will be lost if they’re lost in a Game Boy.

7. Remember, a road trip is as much about the journey as it is about the destination. One of my all time favorite road trips was the day my niece, Jessica, and I drove 52 enchanting miles on the „Road to Hana“ on the island of Maui in Hawaii. I’ll never forget that the guide book said, „Remember, Hana is not a destination, it’s a journey.“ Hana is located about 52 miles from Kahului, however a typical trip to Hana takes at least three hours, as the road is very winding with approximately 620 curves over 59 bridges, 46 of which have only one-lane. This delightful road trip is a memorable journey that winds through a lush, tropical rain forest that is laced with tumbling waterfalls, black sand beaches, scenic lava cliffs, fresh fruit stands, and tropical hillsides. Jessica and I stopped at least ten times including one stop to picnic on that black sand beach. We took photos by waterfalls, delicious fruit stands and beautiful tropical flower gardens. You should treat your road trip vacation the same way we did our Road to Hana: Enjoy your road trip as a journey, not a destination.

8. Make good use of every stop. I like to plan my stops for fuel, food, and restrooms so that I utilize my time efficiently and don’t waste time making three stops instead of one. Probably the most important thing is that every time you do stop, make sure everyone in the car uses the restroom (even if they think they don’t have to right then). This will cut down on the stops you’ll make only for that purpose. Also, if you’re traveling with kids, and you just need to stop for the restroom, I recommend stopping at a Starbucks. Parents can get a coffee or an ice tea, the restrooms are clean, and there are not a lot of distractions for kids (like toys to buy) that a truck stop or gas station may have. Use the Starbucks store locator at their website to help you plan your stops before you go. Do be a „good egg“ and make a purchase at Starbucks while you’re there.

9. Avoid Trouble. When you’re on a road trip, you need to be street wise. Don’t be a target for crime by leaving your valuables on the seat in your car (DVD players, Game Boys, etc.) and don’t advertise you’re on a road trip with pillows and blankets every where. When you park your car, hide your valuables and road trip creature comforts. If you are proactive at keeping your „I’m on a road trip clues“ clearly hidden, any thief or troublemaker should just walk right by your car. Other street wise considerations is to always park where there is good light and foot traffic and make sure your windows are rolled up and the doors are locked whenever you leave your car. You may also want to purchase items like „the Club“ if you like that extra insurance for safety. Finally, when you’re driving, watch your speed. Speeding gives you the chance to get a ticket and more importantly, it decreases your time to react if the need should arise. If you are the driver, you are responsible for your passengers. When you see signs that say, „Speed limits are photo enforced,“ believe them. Other good driving tips include avoiding rush hour, especially in bigger cities, and whenever possible take turns driving with other people in the car. You’ll also want to avoid driving at night if you are not familiar with your surroundings.

10. Get a Go City Card and save up to 55% on attractions and theme parks at your vacation destination. Last year, I flew my 8-year-old niece, Alexis, and 10-year-old nephew, Tyler, out to Los Angeles for their spring break (using Southwest Airlines Reward Miles, of course) and we took a road trip down to San Diego. That’s when I discovered the money saving Go City Card for San Diego. With this card, I saved hundreds of dollars in admissions to Legoland, the Wild Animal Park, the San Diego Zoo and other attractions including a Whale Watch on the Pacific Ocean just by purchasing a Go San Diego Card.

Instead of paying individually for each local attraction, you pay one price for up to 40 attractions (depending on the city your visiting) and you get to create your own experience, tailoring your activities based on what you like to do, while also enjoying tremendous savings. For example, with the Go Los Angeles Card, you can choose one, two, three, five, or seven day cards at a low, pre-paid price to gain access to 40 included attractions. This saves up to 55% compared to buying tickets directly at Universal Studios Hollywood, LEGOLAND California, Knott’s Berry Farm, Paramount Studios, the Queen Mary, and many more attractions. Go City Cards are available in many cities and vacation destinations in the U.S. including Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, Las Vegas, New York City, San Diego, San Francisco, Honolulu, Orlando, Miami, Seattle, Blue Ridge and even Toronto.

Final Tips: Don’t forget your cell phone and make sure you’re „hands free“ when you do use it while driving. In many states, it’s the law, but it’s also down right dangerous. Always use your cell phone „hands free“ when you drive. Don’t forget to update your software on your mobile before you leave because you don’t want to be charged higher rates for roaming charges. Finally, it’s a real good idea to email a copy of your itinerary to other family members or friends in case of an emergency – this is especially a good idea for women traveling together. Now, drive safe and have fun!

You can get more details at my website at Best-Travel-Deals-Tips.com.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Marianne Schwab

If there is a way of making money, then it’s stocks and bonds. There are people who are investing their hard earned money on various securities. Each day, thousands and millions of securities are sold and bought all over the world.

So, who is a speculator or an investor in stock exchange market? Well, a speculator buys and sells different types of securities with the ultimate purpose of making a quick capital gain as a result of price fluctuations in the stock market. On the other hand, an investor buys the securities with the ultimate purpose of generating regular income from the holding of securities. His ultimate purpose is coupled with safety investment.

Investors usually hold stocks and bonds for a long period of time. They earn dividends and interest as a reward.

Four Types of Speculators

1.) Bull

A bull is a speculator who anticipates a rise in prices. She buys securities at the current price with the aim of selling them at a future date when prices rise. She buys long and creates pressure on the prices so that they increase. If her speculations go wrong, she spreads rumors that the prices are going to increase (she does bull campaigns also called rigging the market.) A stock market dominated by bull speculators is termed as bullish market.

2.) Bear

A bear speculator anticipates a fall in prices. She enters into a contract to sell securities at the current price with the aim of buying them at a future date when their prices fall. She is a pessimist. If prices fall as per her speculations, she buys them back.

This is termed as selling short. Unlike a bull speculator who keeps her head upward, a bear speculator keeps her head down. She makes efforts of bringing prices down in the stock exchange market through selling pressure termed as bear raid. When her speculations go wrong, a bear squeeze occurs. If the bear speculators dominate the market, then it’s termed as bearish.

3.) Lame Duck

A lame duck is a desperate bear speculator. She is desperate because she had committed herself in an agreement to sell securities to a buyer and the shares are unavailable in the stock market. The buyer is not willing to postpone the deal.

4.) A Slag

A slag speculator applies for securities with the aim that the prices of shares are going to be listed at a premium price on the stock exchange market. She eventually sells the securities when prices increase. She creates false demands by sending a number of applications under different names. A slag speculator is a premium hunter.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Joshua Nyamache

The letters NOI stand for Notice of Interest or sometimes incorrectly called a Memorandum of Contract or MOC. It is usually a one page document that stipulates that the person submitting the document for recording at the County Clerk’s Office has an equitable interest in a property because of a signed purchase and sale contract.

The NOI is most commonly used when an investor signs a purchase and sale contract with a homeowner/seller and wants to show anyone trying to make another offer on the property that he has a legal interest in the property. This is the case where someone else, usually another investor, comes along and offers the homeowner a higher price.

The practice by investors of up-bidding properties after they are under contract is getting more common in distressed markets but even happens in normal markets. The investors who regularly make statements to homeowners like, „Get your highest offer from those other guys and call me back, I’ll give you more money than any of them – I just need to see it in writing“. The ugly part of that statement is the term „in writing“ because that usually means a contract had to be signed by the homeowner.

While I can’t blame the homeowner from wanting more money, what I have seen happen most often is a black-hat investor who is trying to steal the deal, actually gets to the closing table and re-negotiates the price to below what he had originally offered the trusting seller. How do I know? I have been on the other side of his offers and had to fight to keep my sellers.

So occasionally we have to fight for our closings and I have covered this in other articles about how to do this. The ironic part is that it is a criminal offense to „induce“ someone to sign a contract when another contract is in place. The Attorney General’s Office will take these cases if you show proof and the seller cooperates – which is usually the case when the homeowner is threatened with a law suit or foreclosure.

So when we sign a contract with a seller, we almost always record a NOI in the public record which is effectively a lien against the property. I want to repeat this because the subtleties of this „lien“ are very far reaching. This NOI now has to be released as a lien on the property before the title can be transferred unless there is a foreclosure action to extinguish it, or the lien holder (the original investor/buyer) starts a foreclosure action to take the property. If this sounds harsh, it is just a solution to a problem where one party to a contract won’t hold up his end of the contractual terms – just like a lender does to a homeowner.

The NOI does not need to be signed by the homeowner/seller so anyone can put a NOI on anyone’s property. Just remember, there is usually a sign in the Clerk’s Office that says something to the effect that „If you enter a lien that is not valid, it is a felony“, so think twice about what you are doing before you do it – don’t do it in anger or it could cost you a lot in attorney’s fees.

Having said that, the courts and sometimes the recording clerk treat NOI’s as unruly in-laws. They tolerate them probably for the fees, but they don’t like them much because of historical issues with the seller not knowing these liens have been filed. Many standard real estate contracts specifically forbid filing a notice of interest to be recorded in the public record. This prohibition can be overcome by striking this clause pertaining to it and having both seller and buyer initial it, or adding an over-riding clause or addendum to your contract.

Once a NOI is filed in the public record, the next time the title to the property is transferred, the title agent will have to have a Release of Lien for the NOI signed to write a title policy on the property or note it as an „exception“ in the policy. If the NOI is not extinguished by a Release of Lien, the title has been „clouded“ and needs to be cleared and a transfer to a new buyer may not properly take place.

This is where you come in to release the lien and it usually happens when you least expect it – just before you were planning on closing yourself! Sometimes the homeowner will call when he gets a copy of the recorded NOI from the Clerk’s Office and he didn’t expect it – either way, the seller is trying to renege on the transaction. Sometimes the seller changed his mind for a valid reason, most often it is not.

You have a couple of choices when the NOI „hits the fan“ so to say:

1.) Release the NOI using a Release of Lien document and get paid to release the lien

2.) Honker down and fight the seller to come to closing or get paid to release the lien.

In summary, your choice is personal and determined by the potential lost profit in the deal, the homeowner’s/seller’s real motive for not wanting to sell, how much you can get paid for a release of lien, and your disposition on that day. In the final analysis, the choice is yours to force the seller to come to closing or release the lien.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Dave Dinkel

Heidelberg Castle, or Schloss, is a labyrinth of interesting rooms and fascinating legends. Reality and fable come together when you see the Tun – a mammoth wine barrel, and you learn about the dwarf – the barrel’s mythical protector.

Heidelberg Schloss rests on a mount above the city along the Necker River in Germany. Part of it lies in ruins, blown-up by the French in 1689 during the Nine Years War. Many legends arose from the ruins including ghosts and witches A favorite is about the Tun and Perkeo the Dwarf.

Within the castle is a gigantic wine barrel that holds 220,000 liters, or 58,100 gallons. It is referred to as the Heidelberg Tun. Germans call it the Großes Fass. Built in 1751, it consumed 130 oak trees.

The Tun is mentioned in literature by the following famous authors: 

• Jules Vernes, Five Weeks in A Balloon
• Mark Twain, A Tram Abroad
• Victor Hugo, Les Miserables
• Washington Irving, The Specter Bridegroom

As a monthly visitor to Heidelberg, I heard about the Tun, but like the Alps or the Grand Canyon, you must see it in person to appreciate the scale. Why did someone need a barrel of that size? Apparrently, the castle was sometimes under siege. The Tun provided enough wine for a long defense. Before the tramway was built, some casualties likely occurred when soldiers rolled individual barrels up the steep slope to the the castle.

As you admire the Tun, you will hear about Perkeo the Dwarf. Perkeo was the jester under the local ruler, Elector Karl Phillip. Among his duties was protecting the Tun. The dwarf was a hard drinker who guarded and sampled a limitless amount of wine. He never turned town a drink. Perkeo is Italian for’why not?‘ – the answer someone received when offering him a cup. Consuming only wine, the dwarf lived a long life. Poor Perkeo substituted wine with just one glass of water and died the next day.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Mark F Weber