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Archive for November, 2009

Lake Chapala Real Estate ideal for Retiring in Mexico

November 12, 2009 by Real Estate Investor Comments Off

If you are thinking about Retiring in Mexico, or just looking for the ideal place to retire anywhere, Lake Chapala Real Estate is one of the best choices available.  Besides easy access back home, a near-perfect climate, lots of activities for all tastes and a large North American community, Lake Chapala Real Estate prices are very low, not only compared to American and Canadian prices, but also compared to other favorite Mexico retirement destinations.

If you choose Lake Chapala as your retirement destination, you will find getting here and back is quite convenient, for you or for friends and family who want to visit.  The main towns on Lake Chapala, Ajijic and Chapala, are about 50 minutes away from Guadalajara, Mexico’s second largest city.  The international airport is on Lake Chapala’s side of the city, so it’s only 45 minutes away.  This airport offers direct flight to most major cities in the United States and Canada.  Toronto or New York are about a 5 hour flight away, and many American destinations are even shorter.  If you friends or relatives who love road trips, Lake Chapala is only 600 miles from Texas.

While Chapala and Ajijic offer most services you’ll need on a daily basis, anything not availabe here can easily be found in Guadalajara, a major metropolitan city.  Top notch medical service with modern, state of the art equipment is readily available for very reasonable prices, compared to back home, with excellent speed as well.

Climate

When it comes to climate, Lake Chapala is perfect for retirement, offering a warm climate, that also never gets uncomfortably hot.  At 5200 feet sea level, the average temperature for the year is 74º F.  During the hot season – April and May – temperatures can reach up to 90º, but the evenings are still quite refreshing, often going down to about 60.  The “rainy season,” lasting from June to October, is the favorite time for most retirees, either visiting or living here, because of the overall moderate temperature, balanced with sunny mornings and rainy afternoons to cool things down.  During this season the trees are greener, the flowers are in bloom, watered by the rain, with their colors brought to life by the sun, and the air has a fresh feeling to it.  Since it is not by the coast, there is no problem with hurricanes or tropical storms.  It is not surprising that National Geographic has named Lake Chapala the second best climate in the world.  What better weather could you as for for your retirement?

Activities

Lake Chapala also offers a large variety of things to do, fun for everyone, and especially suitable for a retirement lifestyle.  If you enjoy sports, there are golf courses in the area; tennis, volleyball and softball are popular as well.  The climate and picturesque roads winding through provincial villages, the lush, green hills of the countryside, or mountain trails are perfect for jogging, walking, cycling or even horseback riding.  The lake offers more than just a beautiful view; you can enjoy boating and fishing very close to home.  Other kinds of activities are common, such as playing cards, craft clubs and shows, garden and plant shows or just having a barbeque in your back yard.  Lake Chapala offers something for whatever kind of retirement lifestyle you prefer, unless, of course, you like stress; here, there’s only relaxation!

Foreign community

Lake Chapala is one of the favorite retirement destinations for Americans and Canadians.  In Ajijic and Chapala and the surrounding villages, there are about 6,000 Americans and Canadians, not to mention a European community.  Many of these are retirees, but there are a large number of younger families as well.  You may find that most of your neighbors are from Ontario, New York or Texas.

Real Estate

one of the most important steps in getting ready for retiring in Lake Chapala is finding the right property to do so.  In Ajijic and Chapala there are properties available in a variety of styles.  There are colonial style Mexican homes to match the cobblestone roads, or modern recently built condos, and many choices between.  Real Estate prices in Lake Chapala are considerably lower than similar properties in the U.S. or Canada, and even lower than other destinations for retiring in Mexico.  A small, but well designed and built condo can be found for less than $100,000 US.  Larger, luxury condos and beautiful single houses can go up to around $300,000 US – which is more like the starting price for something very simple and small in many destinations near the ocean!

Since, finding the right house or condo for retiring in Lake Chapala is one of the most important decisions you will make, it is equally important to find a real estate agent who will provide you with all the information you need and make sure that the paper work and transactions are carried out correctly; this way all you have do is choose the place that’s best, and get ready to enjoy retirement!  Contact TOPMexicoRealEstate.com, “Your Expert Property-Finders,” to get start your property search on the right foot!

TOPMexicoRealEstate NETWORK; Mexico’s Leading Network of Specialists for Finding and Purchasing Mexican Properties Safely

Mexico Real Estate NETWORK; “Mexico’s Leading Network of Specialists for Finding and Purchasing Mexican Properties Safely!” Region: Jaime Niembro has served on the Lake Chapala Real Estate board as vice president and treasurer. He also is an active member of the AMPI association having served as president including the Chamber of Commerce. Jaime is the owner broker of Ajijic Real Estate. For more information (512)-879-6546

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/real-estate-articles/lake-chapala-real-estate-ideal-for-retiring-in-mexico-1448249.html

 

How to Prepare Your Family for Relocation

November 9, 2009 by Real Estate Investor Comments Off


People are either forced to move to another place by their employers or by their own will. The relocation process entails lots of things including stress and tension on you and your family. Especially when it comes to moving to a new location just because of a job transfer, your family may feel a bit anxious about the process.

Of course, there are tons of logistics and practical planning in relocating to a different location. Planning is the key to preventing yourself and your family from getting headaches and stress as it will pave the way for a successful relocation.  You and your family should prepare for the geographical shift as there are loads to do when on the move.

It is wise to have early plans for your relocation. A to-do list will do as it serves as an inventory of things and tasks to complete. Engage your entire family to comply with the tasks. Split responsibilities and provide everyone a specific assignment. You can also include the children to partake in the tasks such as storing their own things as preparation for the move.

Calculate how much money is required or you are going to spend so you can budget expenses before moving to your new location. Checking costs of living in a particular town, city, state, or even country will help you gauge what to cash out in the long run. You do not want to end up surprised and weary about your finances.

When being relocated by your employer or company, you can check if it comes with a relocation package. Usually, these packages contain agreeable and objectionable terms that either you will or will not agree to. This is also a prime turf for negotiations since you want to ensure that moving out will work well for you and your family. Contacting your company’s relocation services assigned to you is also a neat idea so you can ask pertinent questions about the move.

Get cost estimates from a few moving companies. Be sure that you are dealing with established and reputable companies who are in the business for quite a while. Then, get a good faith estimate of the house that you are moving into and have it documented.

While in the process of documentation, have all your important papers zipped, inserted, and packed in labeled storage containers, binders, and suitcases. When it comes to moving day, you and your family will just as easily lug these items out of the house in not time. Have important files saved in soft and hard copies from your computer or laptop.

Administrative tasks such as making address changes are also crucial especially if you are on the move. Do not cram at the last minute and have things planned early. Provide instructions and your new address to banks, investment companies, insurance agencies, and post office.

Preparing transportation for your family and your pets are truly important so start packing in advance. You and your family can squeeze in two weeks before moving day. Take inventory of the things that are essential and what you do not use or need anymore. Appliances and other equipment can add to your load so you can have a garage sale and sell them instead.

The Real estate market can be an enjoyable, satisfying and lucrative experience for you.
Whether you are a homeowner, a buyer, a landlord or simply a real estate enthusiast, get to know more about the latest in the real estate market now. Read more about it here: Golf Property in Greater Phoenix AZ, Las Sendas Real Estate and 4 Bedroom Homes for Sale in Sun Lakes.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/real-estate-articles/how-to-prepare-your-family-for-relocation-1437803.html

 

Wholesaling Real Estate – Becoming A Real Estate Middleman – Part 2

November 8, 2009 by Real Estate Investor Comments Off

In the first part of the real estate middleman series we went over the major benefits to being a real estate middleman. In part 2 of the series I am going to cover the basic differences between a real estate middleman and a typical house flipper.

For quite a while now “flipping real estate” has been a major source for American entertainment, as well as the American dream. All of the cable TV shows made flipping real estate appear so easy. I know from experience that when I tell people that I flip houses about 50% tell me that they were thinking about doing that too. The problem is that most of the nation is heading into a real estate slump. Michigan has been in a real estate slump for a very long time so I am fairly used to dealing with slow real estate sales. In just the first 3 months of this year I cleared over $100,000 flipping homes. I do not say this to impress you, I say this to “impress upon you” that money can be made even in the slowest markets.

Outside of flipping homes, I have made a lot of money this year as a real estate middleman. As our real estate market continues to slow, more and more of my business is coming from my profits of being a real estate middleman. Flipping properties the traditional way involves buying a piece of real estate below market value and then fixing it back up to sell for profit. This is great as long as the housing prices in your area are not plummeting while you are making repairs. But, as you know housing prices have been plummeting in many areas of our country, which is hanging the high profit house flippers out to dry.

Real estate middlemen on the other hand have been continuing to profit regardless of market conditions. Easy profits are still available for the middlemen because they do not buy any homes that are not already sold. You see, as a real estate middleman I do not need to deal with the worries of a traditional property flipper, because I do not repair properties. I just find great deals on real estate, then find buyers who want great deals, and connect the dots for profit. read more…

 

Social Welfare Rent Allowance Questions

November 7, 2009 by Real Estate Investor Comments Off

In the current economic climate, many people have found themselves forced to apply for rent supplement, commonly known as rent allowance. Also as part of the economic slowdown, many landlords are now looking more favourably on rent allowance tenancies as a means of earning income on what otherwise would be an empty house or apartment.

Questions often asked about rent allowance include:

Who is eligible for rent allowance?

People living in privately rented houses and apartments are entitled to rent supplement if they cannot afford to pay the rent themselves. Most people relying on social welfare or HSE payments as their only source of income are entitled to receive rent supplement.

What are the qualifying conditions to receive rent allowance?

To qualify for a rent supplement, the community welfare officer for the area where the applicant is located must be satisfied that the applicant is genuinely in need of the rent supplement. The community welfare officer will check that the accommodation that the applicant is living in is suitable for their requirements and that the rent the applicant is expected to pay each week is less than the maximum rental amount payable by the HSE for the county the applicant is living in.

Is there a means test to qualify for rent allowance?

The applicant for rent allowance may also be required to fulfill a means test to assess their genuine need for assistance in paying their house or apartment weekly rent. The application form for rent supplement has more details on what documentation is required.

Can I claim rent allowance if I have a job?

People in full time employment, or who have refused a second offer of local authority accommodation within a twelve month period, or who are engaged in a full time course of education, such as a university degree, will not normally qualify for rent allowance. Some exemptions to these restrictions may be made for those people involved in the back to education programme.

People working over 30 hours a week are deemed to be in full time employment and will not be eligible for rent allowance. Married or co-habiting couples will be refused rent allowance if one of them is engaged in full time employment.

What income can I earn that will allow me to claim rent allowance?

Among the sources of income that can be received and still not affect the entitlement to rent allowance are:
Financial assistance from certain charitable bodies, state mobility allowance or child benefit, supplementary welfare allowance and any income received from the housing of students in the recognized gaelteacht areas.

Where can I get more advice?

Advice on your entitlement to rent allowance can be found at your citizens advice centre or from your local community welfare officer. The latest information on rental allowance can be found on www.welfare.ie.

This article is only intended as a basic general summary and you should always seek professional advice where necessary.

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Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/real-estate-articles/social-welfare-rent-allowance-questions-1431287.html

 

Tips on Avoiding Mortgage Fraud

November 4, 2009 by Real Estate Investor Comments Off

There is a wide variety of mortgage fraud occurring everywhere. People do this to gain money for profit. The sad thing is most people, who are victimized by scam artists, are usually those who are financially troubled. They can also be the ones who are on the verge of losing their homes. 

It is not much of a wonder why mortgage fraud has penetrated the market. People are getting desperate and these scam artists have schemes to make their offers look affordable and irresistible. Many people have fallen into their trap as they portray the good guys during these times and not the lenders. They can also let you feel empowered as the owner but behind all that, they are slowly ripping you off and taking away your ownership, without your knowledge. You will only realize these things when you mortgage companies start making their claims and you are already in much trouble more than you could imagine. 

If you are in this situation, don’t let your desperations cloud your thinking. When it comes to money problems and saving homes, you have to find a viable solution that is secure. Do not easily fall for people who plays god and promises you a hassle-free solution for your financial problems. No foreclosure process is easy. So, you really have to sharpen your senses before you dig yourself deeper into a mortgage fraud. 

You can prevent this from happening. Here are some simple tips: 

1. Never transact with a strangers right away just because they promise you relief from your mortgage problems. You should be skeptical. Learn more about the company that they are representing first and verify if they are legally operating. 

2. Do not sign any papers unless you understood everything stated. Do not even affix your signature to incomplete documents. You should take the contracts and other agreement documents to a real estate lawyer and let them explain the effects of agreeing to the conditions stated. 

3. If the interest rates are low, then you should question the charges. During these times, interest rates are soaring high. If they say you won’t have to pay for this particular service, that may be offset by increasing other charges. On top of that, you should not be shelling out money for down payments before the job has been done. 

4. You should be able to identify various signs of mortgage fraud. People doing this scam usually discourages you to speak with your lenders, let you sign quit claims, promises you the impossible and would usually require you to pay upfront payments.

5. Always speak with your lenders first. These mortgage rescue schemes should be the last option if all else fails. You should not wait before your lenders serve you the foreclosure notice. Seek help when you are undergoing hardships or when you have missed several payments. Avoiding your lenders is not the solution to the problem. 

Each individual can also help prevent mortgage fraud simply by reporting suspected companies. Letting the authorities know about their existence will push them to make further investigations and stop them before they create another scam. Doing this can help prevent vulnerable homeowners from being tricked in the future.

Find more real estate issues in Arizona Real Estate Blog, New Hampshire Real Estate blog and Ohio Community Real Estate Articles.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/real-estate-articles/tips-on-avoiding-mortgage-fraud-1419840.html

 

Commercial Real Estate Investing

November 1, 2009 by Real Estate Investor Comments Off

he financial industry greats will be the first to tell you that real estate investing has the potential to bring in serious profits. They will also gleefully inform you that the risks in some cases far outweigh the potential, especially if they are among the more cautious investors in the industry. Those who have made their fortunes in real estate however will tell you that investing in real estate is worth every ounce of risk when you manage to work through the rough patches and find your way to real estate investing fortunes.Commercial real estate is somewhat unique among real estate investment types. This is the type of real estate that requires a high investment to get into the game, much higher than most residential property and poses equally great risks depending on what you plan to do with your commercial real estate investment. Of course you will also find more than a few options for your commercial real estate investment that many investors find appealing.

Most investors find leasing office or building space to be the safest route to take when it comes to real estate investing is the path of leasing office space or warehouse space to businesses. They feel that this is a relatively steady source of income because most businesses prefer to keep their locations as long as possible. Smart business owners are well aware that customers, clients, and vendors need to be able to find them in order to do business with them and for this reason, prefer to keep their business in the same location whenever possible rather than reestablishing themselves in different locations year after year.

Commercial real estate investing is a bit of a different animal than traditional residential real estate that many of us are more familiar or comfortable with. You will need to do a lot of research before jumping in with both feet with this particular sort of real estate investment. Commercial real estate investments can take on many forms. From strip malls and outright shopping malls to business and industrial complexes to sky scrapers and high rise condos you will find all manner of commercial real estate interests. Whether your interests lie in business or personal types of commercial real estate there are significant profits that stand to be made. read more…

 

Rejected Mortgage Application: Consider Looking for Another Lender

by Real Estate Investor Comments Off

If you have long been waiting for the time to own a house, the very first thing you need to secure is your money.  You surely have to gather all your resources to materialize your plans.  But what if your resources are still not enough to pursue your dreams?  Well, the next option for you is to apply for mortgage loan.  Unless you are super rich, you can easily pay out the house in cash then off you go.  This is not always the case.  Most aspiring homeowners are looking for financial assistance when it comes to this venture.  This simply implies that buying a house definitely requires a substantial amount of money.

When you are applying for a mortgage, you have to be cooperative in everything they ask you to do or to present.  Normally, they want to know your credentials.  They want you to establish what you are as person.  But the most important qualification they are looking for in all their applicants is the financial capability of the person.  Thus, they need to gather all the essential personal info.  In this way they can easily evaluate your application.

However, it is already a given fact that rejections can happen to any of the applicants—including you.  And what if from the thousands of applicants who applied you happen to be in those rejected ones.  Then you do not have to be upset about it.  You can still have the chance to own a house.  There are so many lending companies that are still hungry for hopeful homeowners.  These lenders do not have the similar criteria for their applicants.

In case you get rejected, try to ask for the reasons of your rejection.  You can also begin to reassess your credentials and look for your possible weak points.  They might not disclose the exact details for your denied application, so you might as well conduct your own investigation.  Take a look at your credit standing.  Is it high enough?  Credit scores play a big role in mortgage application.  Hence, you need to maintain a high level of your rating.

Before going to the next lender, make sure to improve all areas or possible factors that can possibly cause rejection.  Do not be too complacent or too worried about the results.  Bear in mind that you have to think positive in every step you take so as to achieve good results.  There is always a next time if things won’t come your way again.  Prepare all the necessary papers that may prove your financial capabilities as well as your credentials.  Secure that they are all updated and properly organized before submitting them.

Buying a house can sometimes be frustrating but rewarding in the end.  There are so many steps before you finally meet your goals.  And through these steps there are evaluation and assessments that you must be able to pass.  When you look at the entire proceedings, it can be so stressful.  However, if you have enough determination to pursue your plans then everything can be materialized.  Hence, if you are planning to own your dreams, equip yourself with a lot of patience and will power so as to reap the rewards at the end of everything.

Want to know more about real estaet properties? Check these sites Residential Real Estate Cave Creek and Cave Creek Real Estate Update.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/real-estate-articles/rejected-mortgage-application-consider-looking-for-another-lender-1406634.html

 

Types of Investment Property

by Real Estate Investor Comments Off

Since real estate investing encompasses so many types of investment properties, its essential to classify them and pick the one which they are most passionate about. This would greatly enhance the probability of being successful in real estate investing.

The following are the main types of real estate investment properties that are suitable for beginner investors:

  • Preconstruction Investment Property: These types of investment properties are acquired directly from a developer before the construction or renovation is completed. In return for commitment to buy even before the construction is completed the developer will give you a price discount and/or other financial incentives.
  • Fixer Upper Investment Property: These types of investment properties are the ones which are in ugly condition and need renovation. These properties are acquired by real estate investors to flip them after fixing-up. In majority of the cases these properties are in foreclosure, or are bank owned properties (called REO which stands for Real Estate Owned). Some beginner investors also wholesale distressed properties to other investors without fixing them up. Real Estate Investors who wholesale make a smaller profit but are able to exit the deal fast and with low risk.
  • Foreclosure Investment Property: These types of investment properties are the ones which you buy from sellers who are behind in their payments and may lose their property to the bank via foreclosure.
  • Income or Cashflow Investment Property: These types of investment properties are the ones which generate rental income for the real estate investor. These are mainly apartments buildings and rental houses. This type of investment property is sometimes also called Income property, Rental Investment property or Cash Flow Property.
  • Investment Property with Flexible Terms: These types of investment properties are the ones which can be bought with no money down or with very little money down. Seller of such properties are very flexible with their contract terms and are willing to make the sale easy for the buyer. Land Contract (also called Contract for Deed), Owner Financing, Lease Option (also called Rent to Own, Lease Purchase, Lease to Own, Lease to Buy etc) and other similar strategies fall under this category.

Most other types of real estate investment property deals are not suited for beginner investors. read more…

 

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