The Importance Of Outsourcing To Bookkeepers

Outsourcing to bookkeepers is a system of hiring other company to record all financial transactions. This implies delegation of record keeping duties to a different company. These days some companies outsource their bookkeeping to another firm instead of hiring or designating a permanent staff to do the work.

The aim of adopting this accounting method is to cut the high cost of running businesses. Many companies are yet to join the program; those already running it have good stories to tell. One hindrance still keeping many firms away from the system is fear of disclosing sensitive company information to a company that could show some secrets.

accepting to outsource accounting work, the corporate world is undergoing tremendous transformation. It is actually improving the methods businesses are organized. This is clear from the way many companies are embracing the method. Notwithstanding the type and size of any business, records of financial transaction are required in all types of businesses.

Finance is one of most important departments in any business. The performance of any company could be assessed from the finance department. It is very important in all decisions taken by management. Any misfortune in the accounts department would affect the structure of the organization. This is one of the reasons companies are very serious about bookkeeping.

Because of special importance of accounts department, it is extremely important that those working in the section should not only be dedicated, but should be skilled and efficient in all aspects of bookkeeping. Where businesses do not have capable staff to do that work, it could be outsourced to experts who would handle it efficiently. It is for a reason like this that outsource of jobs become common all over the world.

For outsourcing to become realistic firms have to give the work to professionals. Companies with necessary experience should be hired for the job. Such companies should have staff knowledgeable in different aspects of accounting business. It is necessary to outsource to companies that cover all aspects of the business.

Development in the fields of internet and technology has facilitated many things. Virtually everything could be outsourced through the internet. It could be said there is a global workforce for any type of human endeavors. Many companies that engage in outsourcing work have their services online. With various internet search resources one could get in touch with some of such companies.

There are different things to put into consideration before hiring a company. The thing that matters most is the qualities of work to be produced by the company. The experience of such companies is important as well. The way to decide the experience is to find out the number of years they are offering their services. The quality of work they did in the past is important to decide their expertise. Since many of these companies have their works online their sites could be visited to read their customers comment and reviews. In the world today, one of the fastest ways of getting professionals audit firms is by outsourcing to bookkeepers.

Real Estate Leads 101 - Back to the Basics Pt. 1

Sometimes even the best real estate agents and brokers need a reminder of the basics when turning real estate leads into clients. Though the basics seem like simple skills on the surface, they are the building blocks of a strong business.

Rory Wilfong, co-founder of GetMyHomesValue and real estate trainer often comes across agents who lack these simple building blocks. "I am often surprised how many agents don't have an effective plan for acquiring real estate leads, following up with their real estate leads and then nurturing their real estate leads to become future clients. Too many agents are simply stumbling over real estate leads and crossing their fingers in hopes that the lead will pick them for representation with their future real estate transactions."

With the dramatic increase of licensed real estate agents in the past few years, it is more important that ever that real estate agents are memorable to their real estate leads. According to the National Association of Realtors, their membership increased from 766,560 in 2000 to 1,265,367 last year. And that is just Realtors. You do not have to register with NAR in order to be a real estate agent, only to get the designation of Realtor. These numbers are enough to prove that if and agent wants to get anywhere with their real estate leads, they better stand out in the crowd. The best way to do this? Effective and creative follow-up! It goes back to learning applying the relatively simple skills involved in sales, marketing and customer service and adding your own creative flair to get your real estate leads to notice you.

Let's get back to the basics and thing about what really defines the term 'real estate leads.' According to Wilfong, the definition of a lead is a consumer that is interested in possibly using your services either now or in the future. It's as simple as that. There are different types of real estate leads of course, buyers, sellers, for sale by owners, refinancing, etc. Real estate leads can come from various sources, direct mailing, contact through your website, from an open house.

Another way to think of your real estate leads are as clients. Start your follow up with the mindset that the lead WILL be your client. Real estate leads are clients until they become contractually obligated to another agent or sales person providing the same service as you are.

Many agents rate their real estate leads as cold, warm or hot, depending how far into the real estate process they are. It is important to keep in mind that at one point, even a hot lead was kind of cold, even if you didn't know about it! Cold real estate leads lead to hot real estate leads. Of course, many agents cast off hundreds of real estate leads a year because they consider them "bogus." As Wilfong states, "Like many agents, in the past I encountered my fair share of Mickey Mouse leads and I often use this as an example of agents. What would you do if you received a lead from Mickey Mouse?"

In Wilfong's experience, many agents say they cast many real estate leads with odd names off as 'bogus.'. He believes that driving to a home to present your information to Mickey Mouse himself is a GREAT way to break the ice with the people actually living in the house. The lead will remember your humor, more than likely tell his friends about the incident, which of course leads to more real estate leads for an agent! Even a call to Mickey Mouse, if handled humorously, can get a positive response and build instant rapport.

If nothing else, real estate leads will almost always give a current address along with the fake name they may leave, simply because that is the property they need information on. You can't be afraid to do a little detective work and dig a little deeper if you want to be constantly converting your real estate leads into contracted clients.

Travel Around the World - Enjoy Life!

Every one has a dream deep inside that one day we can travel around the world and visit all the fantastic places. Even this would not be true; to visit the places we desire to know is of much pleasure. No matter we are white or black, rich or poor; this is what engraved in our hearts.

It is always excited to read the stories or see the pictures which other travelers post on the internet. It inspires us to see more about the world and get to know it more deeply. The world is a magic. It breeds the whole world population yet people know quite few about it. Explorers probe the world from ancient times to today but still can be surprised every time because they can always find something new and amazing.

People usually visit places of interest. They are like a routine that must be finished. We will go to our dreaming place to get married, spend our honey moons and have a great birthday party. Not only does the place itself will impress a lot, but also we will try to know more about its people and make friends with them if possible. You will find another look of the world or another life for people to live.

It will increase our life experience or broaden our horizons. We will know not all the people in the world live the same lives as us. Sometimes this may be quite opposite. We may get shocked in same cases. If we are in a modern society, we will find how fall behind do people hold the opinion in some places. You can never imagine in nowadays a wife shall be buried with her dead husband. But this may happen in some places in India.

As for the people you will meet during traveling, you will find something common as human beings yet something quite different for different beliefs or traditions. Western people mostly have a faith in God while eastern people more believe in Buddha. You will get to know how do people think in other countries where do not have the some beliefs as you do. By tracing back to the history, you will find out why sometimes people behave in a way you could not understand before.

Visitors will not only see the natural landscapes in the places he goes to, but also the people he will face during the journey. You will see the tropical scenes if you go to Indonesia. You will experience the beautiful ice and snow world if you go to the North Pole. You will meet traditional and conservative people in eastern countries. You will see the open-minded and enthusiastic people if you are in Mexico.

In short, the world is magic and the nature is a miracle. It is perfect if we can go to all the places when we are alive. But even this may be not true, we shall not be sad because anyhow, we have led a life in this magic place and maybe leave something behind. It is the gift or legacy we give to our descendants.

Life Insurance Broker - An Insurance Professional is a Valuable Tool

Everyone knows that having life insurance is a good idea. You never know what might happen, and you want to be prepared for the worst. This is especially true if you have dependents. But the world of insurance can seem so large and forbidding at times; it can be intimidating to step into that world alone and have to make decisions that will potentially impact others lives. It is helpful to have someone to guide you in this world and show you the ropes of how to navigate it. That is exactly what a life insurance broker is supposed to do: provide guidance for you in the world of life insurance.

A good insurance broker should know his or her way around an insurance policy. They should be able to explain to you the differences between different kinds of policies in easy-to-understand language so that you do not get confused by the insurance jargon getting thrown around. They should have a track record of providing excellent services to a variety of people with a variety of needs. Barring that, then they should have a track record of providing excellent services to people who are just like you. In any case, a good broker will have a good reputation for customer satisfaction.

But before you decide to go with a specific broker, you should sit down with him or her and get a feel for the type of person that they are. If they are constantly busy, so busy that they do not have time for you, then you may want to think twice. You should be first priority to your broker when you are with him or her. They should be able to clearly communicate with you; not only in articulating themselves, but also in understanding what you are telling them as well. Communication is a two-way street. And always ask for references. Your initial impressions should be confirmed by the accounts of other happy customers.

Having a good life insurance broker at your side can ease your passage into the world of buying life insurance. Having a professional opinion at the ready can even serve to increase your confidence in your own decisions. And having to pay for their help can help to motivate you to make a decision sooner rather than later, as well. While some people prefer to save money and go it alone, the security that comes with knowing that you have a professional on your side may be worth the investment.

The Mind of the Real Estate Investor

Myself and many others are living proof that by changing your mental and physical habits, you can build your wealth. This mini-course focuses on changing or fine-tuning your mental habits and attitudes toward real estate investment so that you can profit at will. It's about getting your mindset right.

By mindset, I mean your way of looking at, and approaching your real estate investment business. This includes the way you perceive your business. It also includes what you allow to impress and intimidate you, also what challenges and excites you.

Note: This article is the introductory session in a soon to be released mini-course entitled “The Mind of the Real Estate Investor” and the full course will soon be available to Rehab Real Estate Central (http://www.rehab-real-estate.com) newsletter subscribers. This course will be a free service of Rehab Real Estate Central.

Why bother with “mindset?”

Simple. Because the cost of NOT adjusting your mindset is outrageously expensive (in opportunity loss)! If your mind isn't conditioned to think like a wealth-building investor, you are like a sailor paddling around in a boat with holes in it. If you bail water quickly enough, you'll keep it afloat, but you will eventually tire…and sink!

ALL money-making endeavors begin with a thought. They are all ideas born in the mind of an investor. Some have more and better ideas than others. Why is that? Are some minds better conditioned than others? I say "yes!"

In our society there is often resistance to conditioning one's mind, but nobody thinks a thing about going for a jog, or hitting the gym to condition their body. Does that make sense? If you walk the entrepreneurial path, mental conditioning is central to your business.

The six concepts that I will unfold in this course are powerful weapons of the mind. If you condition your mind to these concepts will make you a lot of money, and you will KEEP making a lot of money.

Simply put, if you don't develop, and then fine tune your mindset you will either:

- Never quite get around to investing in real estate (if you have not yet begun) and forfeit the wealth you want to attain for you and your family.

- Never quite get where you want to go in your investing (if you are already investing), and forfeit the wealth you intended to attain for you and your family.

You see, a lot of people have enough knowledge to invest in real estate. Far fewer DO it. Why is that? Because far fewer have bothered to develop the mindset that conquers fear and other hurdles to investing in real estate. Frankly, it doesn't matter how much knowledge you possess about investing in real estate, you WON'T do it if you haven't conditioned yourself to think like and investor.

Usually I write and teach practical matters of rehab real estate investing, but for this course, I'm breaking from that in favor of talking about what you can do to adjust your thinking…change the way your mind works. Since the investing won't be successful without a properly conditioned mind, it can be considered the most important aspect of learning to be a real estate investor!

Mindset is the foundation of real estate investment. In other words, if it's not solid, you cannot invest successfully. I don't know how to put it any plain-er.

I've known scores of folks who have WANTED to invest in real estate. These are usually acquaintances who find out somehow that I invest in rehab real estate. Invariable I here, “I've thought about doing that.” Sometimes I hear “I looked into that.” Sometimes they proceed to ask questions, but I find that most of the time the next word after the previous phrase is “…but” and then I hear an excuse.

These excuses range from “I couldn't find any property” to “the numbers scared me” to “I couldn't get a mortgage.”

What I'm thinking to myself is “these excuses have solutions, but they don't yet have the mindset to overcome these relatively minor hurdles.” In fact, unless someone ASKS me for specific advice on overcoming these hurdles, I don't offer advice. That's not because I don't want them to succeed! It's because their mindset is not yet right.

Let me tell you where I'm coming from on this topic.

My mindset was screwed up for 10 years! I was a real estate guru junkie! For a decaded I consumed every book about real estate investing on the market, attended seminars, and bought courses. I had “book knowledge” running out of my ears with ZERO property.

Finally, one day I realized that I was about to “retire” from the Navy, I REALLY didn't want to get a job, and my family still liked to eat! I changed my mindset, and put thoughts into action. The rest is history. What changed? Not my knowledge! My way of thinking changed.

Facing the end of my Navy career was the catalyst that got me started. If you haven't started, there IS a catalyst in your life, you only need to find it and capitalize on it. Are you satisfied in your job? Want more time with family? Want more disposable income? Want to build your retirement savings? This list could get long!

This course is aimed at helping you capitalize on your action catalyst by developing your real estate investor mindset.

For those that are already investing, this course will serve to fine-tune your mindset to make you more profitable. The VERY SAME mindset ideas that make people launch successful real estate investment careers are the ones that keep investors successful over their real estate investing careers, be it 2 years or 20.

Let's get started!

Top 5 Ways To Save Money On Your Life Insurance

Life insurance will pay out a lump sum of money in the event of your death. Life insurance is a great form of protection, because it gives you reassurance that your family are financially secure in the event of your death. However, some people can be worried about the cost of the premiums. Luckily there are ways you can lower the cost of your life insurance policy without sacrificing on cover. Here we give you our top 5 ways of saving money on your life insurance cover.

1) Take life insurance out as early as possible
Life insurance is cheaper the younger you are, because there is less of a risk to your insurer. If you take out a policy while you are young your premiums will be lower, and you may find a whole of life policy at a very reasonable price.

2) Give up smoking
Life insurance premiums are more expensive for smokers because they are a great risk to the provider. But if you stop smoking for a minimum of 12 months then most insurers will consider you a non-smoker, and you will have the same premiums as though you had never smoked. If you kick the habit today you will save considerable money in the future, both on your premiums and on cigarettes. But remember, you should never lie about your smoker status, because if you get caught then you insurer may not pay out and you will not get a refund of premiums.

3) Consider a decreasing policy
Decreasing-term life insurance is designed to cover a repayment mortgage. Over time, the amount of money offered by the insurer will decrease in line with your mortgage costs, until eventually reaching a pay-out of zero. Whilst the lump sum reduces with time, this is a very affordable type of life insurance because the premiums generally start out lower than level-term insurance. So if you are taking out a policy to protect the family home, this could be a sensible investment.

4) Combine it with critical illness insurance
Critical illness cover will pay out a lump sum of money on the diagnosis of a critical condition which has been pre-defined in the policy documents. Whilst critical illness insurance can be bought as a standalone policy it is actually much more affordable combined with your life insurance. If you buy the two together then you will receive a lump sum of money either on the diagnosis of a critical condition or on death.

5) Only cover what you need
If you are considering life insurance it is more than likely to cover a particular thing, whether that is to leave an income for your family or to pay off the mortgage. The more money you wish to be paid out the higher the costs of the policy, so one way of making your life insurance plan cheaper is to only cover what you need. You can also choose how long you want to be covered for, and this will have a bearing on price. A policy that covers you for the whole of your life will be more expensive than a term policy, which will cover you for a specified period of time.

So there we have it, 5 ways to make your life insurance premiums cheaper!

Be a Real Estate Investing Expert - In An Instant

Here's a simple method of getting to know your real estate investing market, which is VITALLY IMPORTANT before you can know if a property/price is worthy of calling a 'deal' or not...

This 'LAZY' method of market research reveals some amazing facts about the real estate investing market in your area and it works for any area there is....

Take a local newspaper (you can get many of them online, for free, nowadays) and simply count the number of 'For Sale' and 'For Rent' ads, keeping track of them for later reference.

Usually, Sunday and Wednesday papers are the 'biggest real estate investing days', so, for now, just watch these.

Keep track of the number of ads for a few weeks and watch what is happening to your market (hold on, now, we're coming to the part about you turning all this research into a really great real estate investment).

Keeping more detailed records (what price for a 3/2/2 in the SW part of town is being offered for sale and rent wise, etc.) will yield tremendous knowledge, but, for now, just to get started in your real estate investing, stick with the basic 'total ads' research.

After a few weeks, you'll start to see 'trends' in the real estate investing potential of your area - maybe the number of For Sale is going way up and the number of For Rent is going way down...

In such a market, what are you doing looking for 'flips' as real estate investments anyway?

Such a trend clearly shows that there are fewer people buying and a high demand for rentals (perhaps a good time for you to pick up some deals for your long-term real estate investments).

You see, the newspaper (and the active market) has shown you what you need to be looking for (or not), and this is certainly a good indication that there are few Buyers (whether for themselves or as real estate investments).

Maybe it is because of some local condition (like the closing of a major employer or something), or it could be more national (like the interest rates rising quickly, etc.) - i.e., it could be something you can control, but most likely it isn't.

However, it doesn't mean you can't make real estate investing money in such a market!

You can certainly make money in a real estate investing market where there are few 'For Rent' and lots of 'For Sale' properties (even if you have poor credit and no money...)

This is a perfect time to be doing Lease Purchase/Options! Yes, it is a great time to simply make CA$H in your real estate investing business.

And, if (and WHEN) the real estate investment market changes again, you will already be on top of it because you'll keep this simple method in mind - just watching the total number of ads in the paper - something anyone can do (but so few will...) and you'll know what the next real estate investing 'trend' will be - maybe back to 'flipping', or maybe something else...

Just one of the major reasons that you need more than one 'tool' in your real estate investing toolbox.....

Here's to your successful (and LAZY) real estate investments...

Above Ground Pools - A Primer

Recreational swimming pools didn't become popular until the mid 19th century. Modern Olympic Games (which began in 1896) included many competitions that signaled the popularity of swimming pools, which eventually prompted Oxford to build the first public swimming pool 1939.

Privately-owned, home pools became popular after the Second World War (partially due to the prominence of pools in Hollywood movies in that era). The growth of the suburban life in the in the 1950s solidified the pool's role as a status symbol for middle-to-upper class Americans.

However, in-ground swimming pools are expensive and require major landscape modifications-conditions that many people can't accommodate. On the other hand, above ground pools are light, affordable and are easily-assembled. Also, many of them are portable-favorable for prospective pool-owners who don't intend to stay in one location permanently.

Because of their afford-ability, above ground pools have allowed more people access to summertime recreation than ever before.

Above ground pools can be made of a simple PVC-material and sold in any department store. Often considered "kiddie" or splasher pools, they nonetheless provide a refreshing place to sit on a hot summer day. Plus, many of them are now inflatable which makes storage easy when they're not in use, especially during the off-season.

High-end models are more durable and constructed of a steel frame. The liner is made from vinyl or polyester, both of which are incredibly long-lasting. Legacy, a flagship manufacturer of above ground pools offers almost every shape and size, including ovals, circles and standard rectangles-some can reach up to 52" deep!

Above ground pools require the same amount of sanitation of a regular, in-ground pool and that's why most come with filters and pumps. Water pumps are the base of operations of any sanitary swimming environment. In pool pumps, an electric motor spins an impeller which draws water from all the drains in the pool and through a metal strainer before entering the pump. The strainer catches all the large debris. Then, water is pumped through the filter, where debris and chemicals are removed.

Even lap pools can be above ground¬-Legacy makes one that reaches up to 41 feet in length and is the perfect option for privatized exercise instead of battling for lanes at the local gym. Exercise pools are also very popular and not as pricey as lengthy lap pools. Developed over the last two decades, these recreation devices create adjustable resistance so the swimmer feels like they are actually swimming long distances when they are actually staying in one place.

Safety should always be the number one concern for all pool owners. Never leave young ones unattended around a pool area! It's also a good idea to keep the surface covered when it's not in use. Common sense is probably the best weapons against pool-related injury-according the Center for Disease Control, six people drown in pools every day and most of these cases are in public pools with certified lifeguards on duty.

Debt Consolidation Loans For Bad Credit Borrowers: The Route To Financial Recovery

It does not take long for debts to grow into something too great to handle. While some people will move quickly to file for bankruptcy to deal with such situations, it is not as wise a move as some believe. There are serious consequences, after all. The availability of debt consolidation loans for bad credit borrowers offers a more constructive solution.

Of course, in some cases, consolidation is not the answer, but before the problem of debt grows too great, consolidation can certainly help to achieve financial recovery. While clearing existing loans is the key point to the exercise, the method needs to be as effective and constructive as possible if the maximum benefits are to be enjoyed.

There are clear advantages in opting to get a debt consolidation loan to solve the problem. But as with all financial products, it is important to secure terms that ensure the new loan is affordable.

What Does Consolidation Mean?

Simply put, consolidation is where a number of elements are brought together in order to create a stronger situation. In financial terms, this means combining all the existing loan balances, and replacing them with a single loan debt. The idea is that, by getting debt consolidation loans for bad credit management, the pressure is lifted.

The biggest challenge when repaying debts is how to overcome the cash flow problem that debt inevitably creates. When there are 6 loans to repay, there are usually 6 different repayment schedules leaving little time for the debtor to catch breath. By clearing existing loans fully and in one go, just one repayment date remains.

And while the debt consolidation loan is in fact a debt, replacing 6 different interest rates with one means the cost of the debt is also lower. However, there are other important terms to agree too.

Why Bother With Consolidation?

The simple answer to that question is that it can turn things around quite dramatically. While it is true that getting debt consolidation loans for bad credit management purposes does not remove the debt (just replaces it), the terms of the new debt are much more manageable.

As a result, there is extra cash freed up to use for other purposes, if the monthly repayments are less than the combined repayments of the original loans. What is more, because the initial debts have been paid off in full, the credit score is vastly improved too, allowing for better terms to be secured on any future loans.

But, perhaps the best reason to opt for clearing existing loans through consolidation, and not through bankruptcy, is that there is no negative impact on your credit record. Bankruptcy usually means all or the majority of the debt is written off unpaid. However, through a debt consolidation loan the debts are repaid in full, so there is no black mark on your record.

Key Terms To Seek

So, what are the terms that should be secured to make consolidation the most effective possible? Well, with debt consolidation loans for bad credit borrowers, affordability is the key. And in that respect, interest rates and the loan term itself are hugely important.

Generally, online lenders offer the best loan deals, but some offer interest rates that are better than others. This is partly due to the fact the borrower has poor credit scores. However, it is the term of the loan that is the essential factor when clearing existing debts effectively.

Basically, the longer the term is, the more monthly repayments there will be. This means the principal sum is divided into more shares, which are smaller. So, a $75,000 debt consolidation loan repaid over 20 years is affordable, but over a 10-year period might not be.

Why You Need To Start Investing In Commercial Real Estate

People often ask me how I got started in commercial real estate, and I tell them that it was a conscious decision for me.

Most people who begin investing in real estate start off with single family residential properties because that is what they are most comfortable with. They tell themselves, "All I need to do is a couple of deals a month. I'll make myself five or ten thousand dollars, then at the end of a very few months most of my problems will be taken care of." They do not really understand everything that is involved in getting these properties going.

They think they are going to be making big money, but before long, oftentimes they end up with a lot of problems and a lot of headaches. They might have traded in their job for a perceived higher paying job, but find that it is really taking a toll on their lives.

If you belong to a real estate investment group, take a look around you. Look at the people who have done twenty-five to fifty houses or more. Are they living the life of their dreams? More importantly, are they living the life of your dreams? They may be better off than you are now, but is this really what you want to work towards? I know so many people who have a large portfolio of properties but really haven't achieved the type of freedom, success, and wealth that they truly desire. How can you change this? In my opinion, the answer is commercial real estate.

WHY COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE?

When I decided to start investing in real estate, I stopped and took a look around. I realized that the people who were making the big money in real estate were the people who owned buildings not houses. People who owned the large apartment buildings, the large office buildings, the large warehouse and industrial space - those are the ones who really seemed to be living a lifestyle that I wanted.

They didn't have to be there tending to their properties; they had property managers who took care of that for them. Yet, they were the ones spending the checks, catching planes to exotic locations and destinations, and living the lifestyle that I desired so much.

After looking at this for quite a while, I decided that there must be a way of getting this done. They couldn't have been much smarter, have learned much more, or have had access to more resources then I could. Even though I didn't know how immediately, I knew I could figure out a way to do it.

I sat down and took the time to learn how to invest in commercial real estate, which is what I would recommend that you do. I studied and figured out exactly what it would take, and as I learned, commercial real estate became less and less of a mystery to me.

How can you start? First of all, let's talk about why you would want to do it.

MORE CASH FLOW

What are the benefits of commercial real estate? First of all, one of the biggest benefits is that commercial real estate is valued differently. By "valued differently", I mean the amount of income that a property produces is directly proportionate to its worth. So if a property produces more income, then it is worth more. It has very little to do with "market comps".

Second, along the way you are going to get a far greater cash flow. Imagine if you were to buy a $250,000 home. That $250,000 home may rent for somewhere in the neighborhood of $1,500 per month. The underlying mortgage on that home may be somewhere between $1,000 and $1,400 per month. So you end up struggling to gain between $100 and $500 per month in positive cash flow. That's not a very high number for the amount of work you have to put in, and it certainly is not going to get you on the jet set.

Now, let's take a look at a similar investment from a commercial standpoint. That same $250,000 investment may end up yielding you an 10-unit apartment complex, based on $25,000 per unit to acquire the property.

(Please note: Although these numbers work in MOST parts of the country, I realize there are certain high-priced areas, notably the west coast and parts of the northeast, where houses start in the $600,000+ range, and $60,000 and up per unit is much more common for apartments. Rest assured that these concepts still work 100% -- only the numbers, and the PROFITS, are larger.)

Let's say each of those units were two bedrooms, which could rent in most areas of the United States anywhere between $400 and $600 per month. For simplicity's sake, let's use an average of $500 per month. At $500 per month times ten units, you're bringing in $5,000 per month - more than double the rent that you could expect to get from that same $250,000 single family home. Your underlying mortgage payment would be very similar to what you would expect on a residential property; for this example, let's use $1,400 per month.

Your cash flow on this 10-unit apartment building will be $3,600 per month ($5,000 per month income, minus a $1,400 mortgage payment). Now that will make a difference in just about anyone's life.

LESS RISK

Third, and most essentially, you're now spreading out the risk over ten tenants, as opposed to one. If your single-family home goes vacant, you're on the hook for the entire mortgage. Every penny of that mortgage, all of the maintenance, and everything that goes along with it is now your responsibility. If the house is vacant for two months, you'd better be planning on spending a minimum of $2,800 to cover that mortgage plus miscellaneous expenses including maintenance, utilities, taxes, and insurance. Potentially, you're looking at a very heavy negative cash flow.

On the commercial property, however, if one of your ten units goes vacant at $500 per unit, you're still bringing in $4,500. So you get slightly less positive cash flow but you're certainly not experiencing negative cash flow. Say three units go vacant - you're still covering your mortgage and putting cash in your pockets! Do you see how there is actually LESS risk in commercial properties?

INCREASE VALUE AT WILL

The fourth reason you should be investing in commercial real estate is because of a concept called "forced appreciation". Forced appreciation means doing things with your property that will increase your income and decrease your expenses. Remember that the more income your commercial property brings in, the more it is worth.

As an example, let's go back to our 10-unit apartment building. Let's say we plan on improving the quality of each apartment unit by replacing the flooring, upgrading to nicer doorknobs and bathroom fixtures and lighting fixtures, perhaps even adding some ceiling fans - all relatively inexpensive fix-ups. As a result, we can now raise the rents by $50 per month per unit. That's $600 more in annual income per unit times 10 units, or $6,000 more per year total (which will also recapture all the costs of the fix-ups).

Next, let's decrease our expenses by $100 per month by passing on a portion of the utilities to the tenants, or by doing some competitive shopping for our lawn-care service and finding a company that does the same great job for less money per month. Times 12 months, we've just saved ourselves $1,200 per year.

Total increase in annual income is $7,200 ($6,000 plus $1,200). By increasing our income by $7,200 per year, we've increased the value of the property by $72,000 or more. That's the power of forced appreciation.

There are a lot of strategies that you can use to force appreciation and these are just some of the simplest. But needless to say when you're dealing with 10 units in one building, for instance in our small example, you've got an opportunity to improve many things that will help you justify the increased rents. Also, you'll be seeing yourself dealing with a better tenant mix. Higher quality properties tend to bring more stable tenants.

PASSIVE INCOME = FREEDOM

All of this leads us to the fifth reason why you should be investing in commercial real estate and that is the passive income. Passive income is the key to commercial real estate. The way that commercial properties are managed and the way they allow for a concentration of efforts lets you to put someone in place to manage those properties.

In the beginning, on the smaller 10-unit buildings, you'll probably need to manage them yourself. But as you climb your way up the ladder, and you start dealing with 20-units or above, you can then offer free rent on one of the units to someone in return for managing the rest of the units for you. As we discussed earlier, even with 10 units you can still make a monthly profit if a couple of the units are vacant, so giving away one unit is certainly a small price to pay in return for the freedom it gives you.

Now you've got an on-site building manager who handles all of the tenant problems, tenant issues, tenant improvements, cleaning, and trash removal - all in return for free rent in your two bedroom, $550-per-month unit. Usually these people have other jobs, so you're not their sole source of income. If your buildings are large enough to keep them busy full-time, however, you will probably have to pay them an hourly wage in addition to the free rent, but that will only be a small portion of your total monthly profits.

Meanwhile, all the checks come directly to you. You deposit them, you pay the bills, you keep the difference - and believe me, that difference can be substantial. Even on the small 10-unit buildings that we've talked about, it's easy to generate $2,000 to $3,000 dollars per month in positive cash flow, over and above your expenses. On larger, 20+ unit buildings, it's not difficult to create positive cash flows in excess of $5,000 to $10,000 per month if these properties are acquired properly. And since someone else is managing the properties for you, all this money flows to you passively, while you are spending time with your family, or traveling, or looking for exciting, new opportunities.

Obviously there are many more great reasons to invest in commercial real estate than these five that I've given you - in fact, I could easily list another thirty: cost recovery, how it's financed, management opportunities, scales of economy, and so on.

GETTING STARTED

So, how do you get started?

Just as you would get started investing in residential real estate by getting your education first (either "the easy way", through books and courses and investor group meetings, or "the hard way", through the school of hard knocks), the place to get started with commercial real estate is by getting your education and learning the terminology. It's not that different from residential real estate, and it's not that difficult to understand.

Next, look around - see what's going on in your market place. Find several small apartment, office, or retail buildings for sale, get the financial information on them, and learn how they work - what they rent for, how full they are, how the utilities are split up, what the expenses are, and so on. Start doing some "practice" deals - go through the motions of buying the property with as much diligence as you would if you were buying a single-family home. Once you understand what the income is and what the expenses are, you can start to figure out how you would acquire that property.

The sooner you get this process going, the sooner I guarantee that you will be a commercial property owner. Don't wait to get started - now is the time! This is the best commercial market in the last 50 years. Properties are available extremely inexpensively, and there are many distressed properties just waiting to be picked up with millions of dollars in equity in all of them. The bank rates right now for commercial property are extremely low. These factors combine to offer you an incredible opportunity. Do not let this market place pass you by, or you may very well regret it.

Can you imagine buying five 10-unit apartment buildings in the next 12 to 24 months? At the end of that time, you'd have 50 units, managed by someone else, and generating six figures of annual passive income. The exciting part is that apartment buildings are just the tip of the iceberg, and in my opinion, not even my favorite investments. I personally prefer office and retail space which have a much higher profit potential. Apartment buildings are nice but office space and retail space generate the really big money.

I can promise you that if you start following these simple strategies, you'll generate more than enough gold to fill up the pots for yourself as well as your family and loved ones. The sooner you get started, the sooner you'll see your first $1 Million profits!

Various Ways On How To Make Extra Income

With the unstable economy nowadays, keeping a steady income is becoming more and more difficult. Oftentimes people experience an overwhelming desire to generate extra income even with a regular job. There are many different ways on how to make money and sometimes it depends on the person’s creativity. The best way in making money is probably getting a permanent job, but as for earning money on the side, the opportunities are limitless. One just needs to learn how to find them. Not every option will make money fast but there are quite a number of legitimate options. Here are some of the most common ways in generating money on the side:

1. Find an extra job. Aside from a regular job, you might be able to squeeze in a part-time job in your spare time that can provide you with extra cash. This can come in any category and you’ll have to search for any part-time job openings in your area that would appeal to you. There might even be odd jobs in the neighborhood that you can make use of, such as walking the dogs and babysitting.

2. Make use of your talent or hobby. If you are good in baking, you can bake heavenly cakes, cupcakes and other baked goods that you can sell to your friends and acquaintances. If you are excellent in music, you can start doing various gigs and performances to gain extra money. If you are into art such as painting and photography, you can even try selling your works. If you excel in your craft, people would talk about you, you’d get famous eventually and you can even make your hobby a full-time business. The possibilities are endless. This is one of the best ways on how to make money since you’ll be earning while doing what you love to do.

3. Earn money online. With this option you’ll have to be very careful because there are tons of scams circulating around. There are various trades that you can get into, such as freelance writing, web developing, creating graphics, and the like. It’s best to choose a field where you’re really good at, or a trade that you are genuinely interested in. You can even create your own websites and generate money through ads.

4. Sell the old stuff that you are no longer using. This is a great way to make money fast. You can either have a garage sale or you can sell your used stuff for reasonable prices in several websites. Rummage through the boxes in the attic and you might be surprised with the treasures you find! You may be unable to see the value of old things gathering dust somewhere in your house, but there might be other people who will.

5. Recycle things. This is a great way to earn money and clear up the environment at the same time. You can gather soda cans and bottles and exchange them for cash.

Aside from these money-making ideas listed above, you can also take time to brain storm and think about what you can do to make money. You can also check out ads for job openings and opportunities for odd jobs in your local community.

The Life and Legacy of John Denver

When I hear the name John Denver, I always think of Colorado. John Denver is a talented American singer, musician, and song maker. John Denver is famous all over the world. His music is known to have been inspired by his home state and the beautiful Rocky Mountain landscape. When Denver was born, he was named Henry John Deutscendorf. The singer/songwriter began his career as a folk rock singer in the early 60s.

Soon after that, Denver joined The Mitchell Trio and become their vocalist. He managed to become a real celebrity when Peter, Paul, and Mary recorded his song "Leaving On A Jet Plane". This song was their first and only Number One single ever.

John Denver stayed with the Mitchell Trio as their vocalist for four years. After the members of the group are separated, John Denver realized that he had got to the top of the Pop charts and he is one of the best selling artists. "Rocky Mountain High", "Take Me Home, Country Roads", "Sunshine On My Shoulders", "Thank God I'm A Country Boy", "Back Home Again", and "Annie's Song" are just some of his most popular songs.

Denver had not only been a talented musician but also an environmental and humanitarian activist. In his lyrics, John Denver used to support people to get closer to the earth and nature. The artist freely expressed his views in his songs in a peaceful but compassionate manner. His lyrics were inspired by the beauties he had seen living in the Rocky Mountains near Aspen, Colorado.

John Denver had enjoyed watching the snow, the sunshine, the beauty of all of nature. If John Denver had never seen the beauties of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, probably he would have never written his songs.

John Denver had often worked together with Jim Henson, the creator of the Muppets. Denver even recorded many songs with the cast of the Muppets. He even played a role in a movie - the film was "Oh God!" with George Burns. During the twentieth century, John Denver has continued to be one of the most famous singers.

John Denver passed away suddenly and tragically while he was piloting for the first time his new plane. The aircraft was caused by low fuel.

All his life had been spent close to nature. John Denver had devoted himself to his work, spending all his time singing and songwriting. John Denver had contributed a lot to many environmental and humanitarian organizations. John Denver will last in the hearts of his fans forever although he is not yet among us. Everyone who is interested can learn more about John Denver at http://www.johndenver.com, or http://www.john-denver.org.

Real Estate Investing Skill Acquisition

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A Profound Law Cloaked In A Cloak

Why is the banking system of the United States (and the whole world) on the verge of complete collapse? I heard one expert claim that it was a competency problem and if they diffused the centrality of banking away from New York City and spread it around the country and placed it into the hands of ‘competent’ people in all corners of the country, things would be better. Others claim it is a problem of corruption due to centralization and not competency that is the problem. Still others argue that it is an issue of intrinsic value and that we must return to a gold standard. While all of these explanations may play a role to varying degrees, none of them even come close to the core origin of the problem.

If we work our way backwards into the history of banking just in the United States, we can see where we once were on a gold standard in America and it served us somewhat well for about 100 years but eventually failed. If we go back further, we find that the nation once had a decentralized banking system where states often had their own banks and their own currencies and their own exchange rates for goods and services. This also was not functional. The problem goes back much further and is far more fundamental because it is rooted in ethics. Because economics is a human function, it cannot be conducted in a lawless vacuum but must be defined and regulated by the word of God. Economics and morality are inseparable and subject to the law of cause-and-effect when held up to the light of Truth.

Let us expose the core of the problem cloaked in a law in Exodus

“If you ever take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down. For that is his only covering, it is his cloak for his skin. What will he sleep in? And it will be that when he cries to Me, I will hear for I am gracious.”

The protection for the poor in this law is obvious. It is not what I want to focus on. Instead, consider the fact that the poor man must put up his cloak as collateral. Why? The creditor surely doesn’t need it and God doesn’t allow the creditor to use it in the evening when it would be useful so it would seem it is useless to the lender. Or is it?

Actually, the cloak is a very valuable asset to the lender. Yes, it is one thing that the borrower must return every evening to get his cloak and then return it in the morning. This is a constant reminder and nuisance for the borrower and an incentive to pay the debt. But imagine this. What if the borrower were allowed to possess the collateral? And what if he then went around to twelve creditors, collecting twelve debts on one cloak? And suppose he took the money from twelve creditors and his cloak…and skipped town, never to be seen again. Or suppose he is captured after spending all the money. Which of the twelve creditors gets the cloak? Suppose they sell the cloak and each creditor gets 8.5% on his loan back. Is that fair?

The borrower committed fraud. Stealing, lying and coveting are all violations of God’s Law. The purpose of collateral is to uphold the understood law that you cannot secure multiple loans with the same collateral. This is violating the law of unjust weights and measures (Leviticus 19: 35-36).

Believe it or not, this is a law that every bank in the world violates every day and has for a very long time. The banking system of this fallen world operates under what is called fractional reserve banking. This is how it works. A customer deposits $100 in the bank. The bank puts $10 of it in reserve (in the vault—in theory). The bank then loans out the other $90. Now in this small scale, one can plainly see that if the customer returns the next day and wants to withdraw his $100 (a run on the bank) the money is not there. The bank is essentially bankrupt and must close its doors. The customer has been robbed of his $100. The bank essentially did the very same thing that the borrower with the cloak did if the cloak was not taken as collateral. The bank secured multiple loans with the same collateral.

If this isn’t bad enough, there is something far more insidious that occurs when this is done. Consider the fact that the $90 goes back out in loans and then returns as a deposit. $9 is put in reserve while $81 is put back into the money supply. Imagine this money goes back out three more times with 10% put in reserve each time. After just five transactions, the $100 has become $468.50 in deposits! It has become $368.50 in loans! Money has been created. Counterfeit money!

But you can’t get something for nothing. A bogus increase in the money supply is called inflation. As people see their dollars becoming worth less and less, confidence is lost and fear increases. Suppose there is a run on this bank. Five people show up at the door with receipts for $468.50, not just $100. And guess how much is in reserve to pay off the customers…$41.00.

Now imagine this on a national scale. How many millions of transactions occur every day, counterfeiting more money on a multiplying scale? How many millions of bogus dollars are injected into the system every week?

Now imagine it on a global scale.

There have been brilliant economists who have warned against using fractional reserve banking for decades but they have been largely ignored. The moneychangers that run this world have essentially said, “liquidity should have no bearing on progress.” This is what they believe…but I’m telling anyone with ears to hear, there are no free lunches.

Commercial Real Estate Michigan

Commercial real estate listings in Michigan area are
available for your review and purchase. You can
purchase a commercial site that is already
established, or you can purchase a commercial lot that
is just waiting for you to build, develop and bring in
the people to make the sales. The average family
income in Michigan during the year 1999 was about
$42,000. For the business, this means there is money
available in the family units to support various types
of industry, such as pools, spas, camping, and many
other types of hobbies and sports as well.

Commercial real estate listings are those that will
include retail centers, doctor's offices, business
settings and similar retail situations. Commercial
listings are wide ranging, from the small lots, to the
huge office buildings where hundreds of employees
could be located. Commercial real estate in Michigan
is one that you should consider if you are thinking
about relocating your business, or if you are
contemplating starting a new business venture.
Mortgage rates are always changing, and for the prime
locations in Michigan you will find your real estate
investment is well worth the mortgage you will be
paying. If you have completed a business plan,
detailing your business ideas, your business traffic
needs, and the demographics of who your customer base
will be, you can find a real estate investment in
Michigan that will fit this requirement. Many
commercial real estate settings in Michigan will
service many functions in promoting your industry.

When you are looking for commercial real estate
listings in Michigan, there are many different ways to
go about it. You may have a pacific idea to where you
are looking for the commercial property. If you know
where you want to have your company that is a big
advantage because you will be able to narrow down your
search a little because of where you are looking.
Some of the listing areas are the Lakefront Real
Estate Michigan or Waterfront Real estate but there
are many more areas that you may be looking at for the
commercial real estate that you whish to have your
company at for business, some are considered prime
locations, while others are commercial settings thatdo not have the heavy traffic. One thing that you are
going to want to do is check out what area in Michigan
would be the best for your companies business and for
the consumers as well. If you need heavy traffic to
get the high numbers of customers, you should seek out
some of the prime locations, which can be a bit higher
in cost, but well worth the investment.

Once you have done some of the work on checking out of
the different locations, you will notice that there
are areas of the state that is going to be a great
location for your business of operation. Many
companies may choose to have their business location
near the lakes so that they have some easy access for
shipment and deliveries in many different ways beside
vehicle. If you are checking out the lakefront real
estate in Michigan, you may notice that you are going
to need to be ready to pay a little more for the
property because of its location but it could be a big
benefit in the long run when you think about the
different ways that you are going to be able to ship
and receive deliveries and even the possibility of how
many consumers that would be available if you are in
the business of sales because of the visitors that
could come to your shop some supplies or needs for
their vacation. That right there would be a great
advantage to acquiring some Michigan waterfront real
estate when you are going to start up a business of
sales that would be a benefit for the vacationers. If
you have, a product or service that would benefit the
many who love to vacation you should search commercial
real estate in the Waterfront Real Estate Michigan
listings.

Michigan waterfront real estate is a prime location
for many types of business, not only because of the
high number of tourist that come to this area, but
also because of the high number of traffic daily that
will see your business in this area. Grand Blanc
Michigan Real Estate is also a prime location for
commercial real estate, as this is an area that is
growing yearly, with new residential areas expanding
around the commercial area. About seventy percent of
the homes in Michigan are two and three bedroom homes,
housing families that are available to support the
commercial sales needs.

Helpful Tips To Scottish Confidence Deeds

This critical financial state isn't sustainable in the long-term and may lead to financial meltdown unless people take action over their commitments and seek assistance. Luckily, there are alternatives offered to Scots fighting to maintain with debt; one of these brilliant is really a Scottish trust deed.

Simply how much do I must owe?
There is plenty of informative data on the Net in regards to the level of debt you should owe, some will tell you 5,000, others 10,000 and some also 15,000. The very fact remains that is is different between people, but what exactly is important is that you owe money to varied creditors.

Which obligations may be included?
Scottish confidence acts just include unprotected obligations, such for example shop cards, credit cards, overdrafts and loans. Because it is a secured debt any loan that is reinforced through an source can not be put into the trust deed.

Only just how much can I have to pay?
The cost will change between people as Scottish trust deeds are usually based on personal circumstances. The trustee might consider carefully your income and expenditure to arrive at a fair amount.

This number lets you cover necessary family expenses, such as for example bills, rent/mortgage, food and the like. Nevertheless, you'll must have enough disposable income to essentially make the trust deed feasible, so you can get to pay for over 200 each month.

The length of time does it last?
A trust deed typically lasts for three years, however in rare cases this is longer or shorter. As an example, if you were to get a windfall, possibly win the lottery, you could be able to settle your debts earlier in the day.

When does my Scottish trust activity become 'protected'?
It'll be sent to the creditors for approval and put into the Edinburgh Gazette, once your trustee is content with the idea. They will have five times to object, but as long as 67% of these buy into the plan, your trust deed will be given 'protected' standing -- even from those who voted against it. The whole process could take around 2 months.

What are the outcomes by the end of the confidence deed?
The rest of one's debt will be written off, when you reach the finish of the 3 years, if you've satisfied your entire monthly instalments in full and punctually.

In the end that people are often very suspicious about getting more credit, but as a Scottish trust deed should have distracted your credit report, it's important to start rebuilding your credit record.

How do I have the ball rolling?
Contact an Insolvency Practitioner (Internet Protocol Address) to do something as your trustee. They will look at your position and identify whether a trust deed could be the right solution for you personally.

Europe Travel

Europe has always been the dream destination of travelers around the world. While it is considered the hub of literature and legacy, modern Europe blends its rich history and heritage with entertainment and sensuality. The continent of Europe is spanned from Norway to the north to Spain to the south; from Portugal to the west to Ural Mountains to the east. Occupying almost 7% of the entire land of the earth, this continent has more than 45 countries. Besides that Europe is famous for its large coastline, some of the finest beaches, pleasant climate and beautiful mountain ranges. Whether it is the valleys of Switzerland or the rich cultural legacy of Rome, or the romance in the streets of Paris, every European country has something unique to offer you! Here is a complete Europe travel guide for you.

Paris: Paris, the city of romance, glamour and glitz is famous for its nightlife and it offers numbers of landmarks for Europe travelers. However, the most convenient way to visit Paris, if you are a first-timer would be with Paris Museum Pass. With this pass, you can visit more than 70 museums ad monuments. If you want to experience best sunrise and sunset in Paris, consider Norte dame and Eiffel Tower respectively.

London: Buckingham Palace, The London Eye, Westminster Abbey, Tower Bridge, The Tower of London, Trafalgar Square, British Museum, National gallery- these are the major attractions of London city. Britain's capital signifies an orthodox yet vibrant culture. And you will experience it the moment you will step on London's soil.

Rome: The city of seven hills can be a treat for first-time Europe travelers. From Colosseum to Trevi Fountain, from Arch of Titus to Piazza del Popolo, from Vatican Museum to Vatican City, Rome bears its rich culture in its every corner.

Prague: This magical city is famous for its bridges on Vltava River. While enjoying the beauteous sightseeing in this country, don't forget to try river cruises and walking trips. From Prague Castle to Josefov, Prague is one of the ideal European destinations for those, who love old European architectural heritage.

Switzerland: In spite of being one of the smallest nations in Europe, Switzerland has some of the highest mountains and largest waterfalls. Don't miss the beautiful landscape and vast valleys of Switzerland. Chocolate lovers- don't forget to taste different types of chocolates in Zurich.

Amsterdam: Rembrandt, canals, red lanterns and liberal attitude- these are the main attractions of Amsterdam. You can have the list of Amsterdam attractions from any travel guide, buy don't miss to walk around through the roads.

Vienna: One of the most romantic cities around the world, Vienna is famous for Anchor Clock, Danube Tower, Haas House, Hofburg, St. Stephen's cathedral, Vienna Opera House etc. In this country, lots of cultural events take place throughout the year. Don't miss them if you want to know the real city.

Among other most visited European countries, Milan, Berlin, Italy, Netherlands are the major ones. Without visiting these cities, your Europe Travel will be incomplete.

European continent is well connected with other continents and countries in the world. Every European city is inter-connected with each other via railways, waterways, airways and roadways. Among the various means of communications, rented car, metro, boats, bus and taxi are the major ones. There are many types of motels and hotels in every European city, which you can pick according to your needs and budget. But it was always advisable to book in advance, if you are visiting Europe in peak season.

Maintaining Professional Indemnity

Last night, no doubt like many others, I put on my television and was met with a barrage of adverts, all designed to push me in the direction of computers companies, furniture providers, and quite surprisingly, a glove that can be used as a mobile phone. Amongst all of this however, I was met with the public enemy number 1, the all singing all prancing tenor who looks as though he has taken 'movember' that bit too far. Of course in many ways, the fact that we live in a society that embraces quite literally singing about insurance from rooftops is positive in some ways, but on the other, are we really any wiser when it comes to policies and premiums?

Insurance obviously comes in many forms and protects policy holders in many different ways, and attempting to understand each policy can be an arduous process. Insurance in general is hardly an attractive and to be honest interesting subject to discuss, but regardless of this, indemnity is essential, therefore understanding it is necessary.

Business insurance is a huge market in the world today, and the variety of protection and products is vast. Pinpointing small businesses, primarily contractors and freelancers, shows that one product proves to be very important, and integral when looking at certain professions. PI insurance is a very popular form of insurance, targeting small businesses and limited companies, providing professional indemnity to the policyholder, covering financial costs of any form of liability claim brought about by a professional error.

Of course this brief description only scratches the surface of what PI insurance offers, its many forms of protection make it a very high quality and multi beneficial form of contractor insurance. This poses the question, how relevant would PI insurance be if it was advertised on our screens every day? Would people take an interest, or even acknowledge its presence? (Although when its being shoved down your throats by overweight opera singers and Russian rodents, its hard not to acknowledge something). Business insurance is historically a very popular but often understated form of insurance, price comparison websites and advertisement billboards taking bigger interests in car or home insurance as opposed to protection aimed at the professional sector. This is an often baffling fact considering the sheer number of business insurance premiums sold, especially when considering a product such as PI insurance and its popularity.

PI insurance, being a policy that protects professional indemnity is obviously common throughout the business sector, but despite its clear popularity, is not universally recognised as a common insurance product. This being said, this does not take away the actual importance of PI as a cover policy, and doesn't reflect on the insurance and its effectiveness.

Contractors rely on certain forms of protection to sustain their professions and secure their limited companies. PI insurance is a vital commodity to any self-employed professional, and despite its lack of commercial popularity, continues as one of the most popular and important forms of business insurance.

9 Mistakes Made by Novice Real Estate Investors

As a real estate investor and advisor, I often see novice investors make the same exact mistakes. As a result, I decided to create the following list to help novices understand what these common mistakes are and how to avoid them. The good news is that all of these mistakes can be easily corrected. The bad news is that any one of these mistakes will seriously limit your potential for success. In my experience, these are the 9 most common mistakes I see novice real estate investors make:

1) Not getting an education

Getting an education is a critical part of becoming a successful real estate investor. It's much easier and less costly to educate yourself than to make mistakes in the real world. We are lucky to live in a country full of educational opportunities for whichever endeavor we want to pursue. Surprisingly though, not everyone takes the initiative to learn before they take action. This exposes these people to costly (and sometimes career-ending) mistakes that could have easily been avoided. Some misguided people even complain that the books, courses, or seminars promoted by real estate experts are too expensive. I guess that depends on where you stand. To me, they seem cheap compared to what I know can be earned in this business. Perhaps to a novice though, they may seem expensive. But as the saying goes, "If you think education is expensive, try ignorance." Think about it. Is a $500 course worth it if what you learn only makes you $5,000 on a single wholesale deal? What if it could save you a mere $5,000 on a single rehab? Or what if it helped you create an extra $200 per month cash flow on a single property for just one year? Would it be worth it to you? The value of an education often doesn't reveal itself until you've stepped up to the plate and put yourself in the game.

2) Not getting an education from the right people

The internet is a great tool. But it's also saturated with too much information - good and bad. Oftentimes, from less than credible sources. So don't confuse the information you find on the internet as necessarily being quality information. For example, there are a number of real estate investing newsgroups and blogs that have proliferated the internet. Many so called experts on these sites are more than willing to share enough information to get you into trouble. Do you really want to get your information from "rei-man-TX" or "investor-guy75?" Carefully consider whether these are truly reputable sources to be obtaining information from. I can't believe some of the misinformation I've seen posted on these sites. Remember, anyone can post on a newsgroup and anyone can create a blog. But just because someone has a blog, doesn't mean they necessarily know what they're talking about. The misinformation you get may be costly...in either lost profits or reputation.

Novice investors may also get misinformation from friends or family members. Perhaps they dabbled in real estate at one point. Now they feel entitled to tell you what little they may know about real estate investing. Be extremely wary of people who have "dabbled" in anything. Dabblers are rarely experts in anything. As the saying goes, "Jack of all trades, master of nothing."

3) Not taking action

If you've managed to get a good education from a good source, the next step is to take some action. Knowledge is only power once you begin to apply it properly. Merely buying a wide array of real estate investing products or attending bootcamps isn't going to make you any money. Some novices neglect to take action because they're still searching for that magical secret that is going to make it start raining deals. The real secret is hard work! Others are paralyzed by fear of what might happen if they get one of their offers accepted. Or, they may give up making offers if they don't experience instant success. Whatever the reason, not taking consistent action is a sure way to fail at anything. Personally, I believe that initial failure is the universe's way of forcing us to make sure we truly want what we're pursuing. In the end, persistence is what leads to success. And the more we persist, the closer we get to success.

Many novices regularly attend their local real estate clubs. Clubs and associations are excellent way to network with other like-mided people, learn techniques and strategies, and have fun. Unfortunately, I've met countless club goers who have never done a deal before. Instead of using the club as a spring board into taking action, they tend to use the club as a warm blanket because they fear being out on their own. When I meet these people, my advice to them is to stop sitting around with the other novices talking about all the deals they would like to be doing. My advice is simple, go out there and get some deals done. We all need a good education. But that is only one step in the process. There is no substitute for hard work.

4) Not having realistic expectations

Most novice real estate investors have unrealistic expectations. It may be about the amount of repairs a property needs, the time it takes to complete a project, or the profit they should get from a deal. They're expectations are either too high or too low. If they're wholesaling properties, they may get too greedy and try to charge the rehabber too much. If they're rehabbing properties, they may underestimate the repairs required. If they're landlording, they may underestimate the amount of maintenance a property will require or forget to factor in vacancies. While getting an education plays a large role in these mistakes, another reason is that they did not leave enough room for error. They assumed everything would go as planned. Real estate deals rarely go exactly as planned. Experienced investors understand the importance of planning for the unexpected. This way, when things don't go as planned it's not the end of the world.

5) Not treating real estate investing as a business

Contrary to popular belief, real estate investing is not like the stock market. It is not a passive investment. It is an active investment. Whether a novice investor's intentions are to flip or to own rentals, they sometimes think owning real estate is going to be a lot easier than it is. While the profit potential in real estate is usually much greater than owning a stock, it inherently requires more effort than most passive types of investments. Whether you're wholesaling, rehabbing, or landlording, real estate requires your time and constant attention. In this way, it's more like a business than an investment. For example, you must be disciplined about your business. You need to set a schedule for yourself and stick to it. You need to set policies and procedures and adhere to them. You need to set goals and do whatever you can to achieve them. Not everyone has that level of discipline without a boss telling them what to do. When you run your own business, you are the boss. You must be willing to make sacrifices to succeed. For you this might mean that you need to turn off the television and read your home-study courses. It might mean that instead of spending money on new clothes, you invest that money in your business. Or it might mean that instead of going to the park on Saturday you search the MLS, look at properties, and familiarize yourself with your target neighborhoods.

6) Not being patient

It can take awhile for novice investors to see positive results when starting out. You can't expect to immediately find deals and make money. It may take several months to get your first deal. As a comparison, new real estate agents are often told by their brokers that it may take up to six months to close their first transaction. Similarly, real estate investors should expect to wait a few months to close their first transaction. Furthermore, it can take years for your real estate investing business to become a thriving venture. There aren't too many businesses that become profitable immediately - no matter the type of business. It often takes several years for most businesses to get to a point where they make steady and reliable profits. Running your own business can be fun and extremely rewarding. But rest assured, the early years can be unpredictable. As a result, you need to have a lot of patience for things to take off.

7) Not concentrating on quality deals

This is one of the biggest mistakes I see novice investors make, especially after they have done a few deals. After they have some success, they begin to focus too much on quantity instead of doing quality deals. This mindset leads them to do less profitable deals. And once an investor begins to do thinner deals for the sake of doing more deals and outdoing their competition, they eventually find themselves in trouble. For example, I know many wholesalers and rehabbers who became too confident before the housing downturn of 2006 and loaded up on properties. When the market went south, these investors were left holding a lot of worthless inventory. Most of these investors went bankrupt and lost all of their properties. Unfortunately, this is a lesson that most investors learn the hard way. For some reason, avoiding the temptation to focus on quantity is a principle that most investors have a hard time accepting. Their natural inclination is to do more. They might feel the pressure to tell their friends what new project they're working on. They might feel bored unless they're working on something new. Or they might feel guilty about not "staying busy." Whatever the reason, novices must learn that investing is an activity in which "staying busy" is not always smart. Sometimes, the best deals are the ones you don't do. When an investor learns to concentrate on a small number of quality deals, they enjoy not only better profits, but also a better lifestyle since they're not running around managing a huge portfolio of properties. For most people, the whole point of getting into real estate investing in the first place is to live a better quality of life, not to work longer and harder.

8) Not moving on from bad deals fast enough

Since novice real investors usually don't have a steady stream of leads coming in and don't know what a truly profitable deal looks like, they tend to overanalyze bad deals far too long. They get anxious and want to get deals done. And even when they put the numbers of the deal into their spreadsheet and see the deal clearly doesn't work, they still find a reason to justify it. They logically know that a deal should be avoided, but they try to justify it anyway. While I believe everyone needs to start somewhere, the ideal place for a novice real estate investor to start is in a good deal not a bad one. What novices eventually learn is that not too long after taking on a marginal deal, a greatdeal is not far behind. But because they've tied up their resources with the marginal deal, they can't pursue the great deal.

9) Not writing down goals

Don't try to run your business without a clear plan. Clarify your goals by committing them to writing. Then, revisit them once a week until they become reality. Something magical happens when you write down your goals on paper. They begin to take root. When you focus on them repeatedly, you nurture them and they begin to grow. It's important to write down your purpose, strategies, and goals. Begin by asking yourself the following questions:

• What strategy am I pursuing?
• What will I do with the properties I will buy?
• How many deals per year will I do?
• How much profit will I earn per deal?
• How many offers do I make to make this happen?
• What kind of life do I want to live outside of the office?

When you're clear about your goals, you have a much easier time accomplishing them. And if your goals are unrealistic you should change them as necessary. Don't get stuck in an unrealistic set of goals that will only produce frustration. At the same time, you shouldn't change your goals too often either. It's hard to hit a moving target. You want to strike a good balance between having reasonable, achieveable goals and also setting goals that will force you to get outside your comfort zone.

Lands Unventured: The New Luxury Holiday in Northern Kerala and Karnataka

Rajasthan may be the land of the kings, but Kerala is God's own country. Kerala travel evokes picturesque landscapes, white beaches and diverse culture steeped in strong traditions. The North of this beautiful region remains unexploited, with ancient temples, tropical rainforests and rolling hills that challenge the stereotype of Kerala tours. A luxury holiday in Kerala has never offered more variation and Northern Kerala is the perfect location for an unforgettable tailor-made holiday.

Wayanad

Described by Incredible India as 'the Land of the Spicy Hills', Wayanad in Northern Kerala can add a little 'kick' to the standard of Kerala travel. Home to some of India's oldest tribes, luxury holidays here provide the opportunity to experience the beauty and ancestry of Wayanad alongside the modern amenities a traveller expects on a luxury holiday. Tranquil Resort is among the select luxury accommodations that can truly bring you closer to nature, a new culture and immerse yourself into a local family environment.

Tranquil Resort

Tranquil is a microcosm of Wayanad itself. Before you venture into the district, explore the 400-acre estate, scenic treks and unspoilt surroundings. Stay in Tranquil's luxury Tree Villa from which, at a height of 35 feet, the views are unrestricted. The Tree Villa is spacious, child friendly and completely insect-proofed. A perfect component of any family adventure holiday the Villa is a highlight of many Kerala Tours. The dining at Tranquil has a family feel and serves continental fare, Indian favourites, Kerala cuisine and "Grandmother's" secret formulas. Along with organic vegetables and fruits, you can enjoy fresh bread, home-made jams, preserves and relishes at this wonderful property.

Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary

For those attracted by luxury wildlife tours, Wayanad Wildlife sanctuary is an ideal opportunity to get close to nature. Kerala's second largest sanctuary, Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary provides a chance for fans of Kerala travel to see animals such as Indian Bison, elephants, deer and tigers in their natural habitats as part of their tailor-made holidays. Within the wildlife park you can take part in trekking or jeep safaris, an excellent addition to any adventure holiday, family friendly vacation or luxury wildlife tour.

Kasaragod

Another Kerala tours option is Kasaragod, the northernmost region of Kerala recently acquainted with luxury holidays. Kasaragod is home to beaches, temples and heritage sites such as Bekal Fort, which spreads over forty acres. Neeleshwar Hermitage in Kasaragod is a luxury holidays property committed to preserving the environment. Offering yoga and meditation courses along with traditional Ayurvedic treatments in Priya Spa, Neeleshwar is a luxury Kerala travel retreat.

Karnataka

Karnataka carries a legacy of art and culture as varied as its geography. A district which includes many luxury holiday destinations, its strong sense of character giving every bespoke holiday a distinct flavour.

Kodagu

Kodagu, also known as Coorg, is rapidly expanding as a destination for custom holidays. The Tamara, Coorg's newest luxury resort, is testament to its popularity. Set on a sprawling 170 acres of coffee plantations, it is a new luxury holidays property that successfully blends into its surroundings. The cottages are made from reforested spruces, with wooden decks that appear to levitate thanks to steel stilts that prop them up on the slopes. The property's location combined with its raised aspect creates the perfect viewing platform. The in-house dining highlight is The Deck, a lounge bar and grill complete with glass dance floor onto the gardens below. Activities available include yoga, guided walks, trekking, plantation tours and of course, a ready supply of coffee waiting to be supped. A strong recommendation for any traveller planning a relaxing luxury holiday.

Karnataka and Kerala Travel Tips

Natural Mystic South Asia's top tips for a luxury holiday in North Kerala:

• The best time for Kerala travel is during winter, from November to March.

• Book a private driver: the landscapes of Northern Kerala means trains are a no-no. A driver will ensure your luxury holiday in Kerala goes smoothly.

• Be different! The traditional Kerala travel itineraries often fail to capture the imagination, with a tailor-made holiday you can include something special.

• Go wild - A luxury wildlife tours experience is a memorable addition to any bespoke holiday.

• Spice it up - Northern Kerala's spice trade is a huge part of its culture and something that all tailor-made tours planning Kerala travel should try and include.

• Capitalise on Northern Kerala's diverse landscapes by combining hills with beaches, spas with adventure and local culture with luxury for a memorable bespoke holiday.

Real Estate is the Best Industry There is!

If you are looking for an industry that you can get involved in that will only take a short bit of education, and that will help you make a great deal of money, then the very best industry for you to consider is the real estate industry. While this is no get rich quick scheme, for those who are self motivated and ready to work hard, this industry has amazing money making potential. Whether you choose to become involved in residential real estate or you decide that commercial real estate is more your style, both are amazing opportunities for involvement.

First of all it is important that you understand the difference between commercial real estate and residential real estate. Commercial real estate is real estate that allows for the possibility to make income for the owner or to generate outside revenue, whether the potential is immediate or in the future. On the other hand, residential real estate includes up to four family properties and is either owner occupied, an investment property, or a second home to someone. While both types of real estate can be quite lucrative, one can usually make more money in the commercial real estate industry.

Excellent ROI
One reason that the real estate industry is one of the best is because to Rate of Return (ROI) that is possible within the industry. When you start working in the real estate industry, it is very easy to start making money due to the rate of return that is possible. Both residential and commercial real estate can provide you with an excellent rate of return, and there are very few investments that can come close to providing you with this kind of return on your investment.

Using the Money of Others
Another reason that real estate is such an excellent industry is that many times it will not cost you much to get started. While many people are afraid to get started in real estate because they think they need a great deal of money, you can actually get started by using the money of others. You can actually use other people's money to start investing in real estate. There are very few other ventures that will allow you to invest and reap returns with the money of other people.

An Everlasting Commodity
Real estate is a commodity that is never going to go away. As long as the earth exists there is going to be property that will be bought and sold. This is one thing that makes this such a great industry to be involved in. You never have to worry about there being a lack of real estate. While some commodities may run out, you will never have to worry about that happening in the realm of real estate, which makes it a very safe industry to start investing and working in.

A Job for Everyone
While the real estate industry is competitive, like all industries, there really is room for everyone within this industry. While some companies may start laying off workers because there are too many workers for the amount of work available, this will never happen in real estate. Real estate never stops because it is a cyclical industry that is never ending, which means that there is a place for everyone who wants to get involved. There is no need to worry about losing your job here, since you can guarantee that real estate will continue to be bought and sold.

Part-time or Full-time
While many jobs may require that you get involved in them full-time, the real estate industry allows you to be involved either part-time or full-time. This will no doubt depend on the amount of time you have and the needs you have as well. When you are first getting started, you may want to start out part-time to get the feel of the industry and on your feet, and later you may want to go full-time. Other people enjoy just keeping real estate as their part-time job and they use it almost as a hobby or second income. You can make this industry your full-time or part-time job, and either way you are sure to earn money.

Anyone Can Do It!
Although many people seem to have the idea that working in the real estate industry take a brain like a genius and a great deal of education, this is not true. The education required is actually minimal, and it is simple enough that anyone can get involved in this industry. There will be not complex math or financial skills involved, so there is not need to worry that it is too complicated for you. If you have the motivation and you want to make money, this is an industry that will allow you to do so.

You Don't Have to Do it All Yourself
There are many different processes that occur when you are working in real estate, and there are actually many different professionals involved, which may make you think that it is a complicated process. Actually, you can build a team of professionals to save yourself from having to do all of the work. Once you have a great team in place, you will be able to streamline the process until everything is a completely automated process that will run smoothly. With a great real estate team in place, you will be able to do more deals with less effort, which will help you to earn more money.

If you have been considering the real estate industry, there is no need for you to hold back any longer. This is an industry that you can be successful in if you are motivated. No need for years of education, or even a great deal of money to get you started. With minimal education and money, you can get started in the real estate industry and be on your way to making money. Why not get started today and join the best industry that there is!

Why Home Loan Refinancing With Bad Credit Can Save Your Mortgage

The pressures of meeting a mortgage repayment every month can become increasingly difficult when financial strains are increasing and low credit scores are affecting funding opportunities elsewhere. A solution to such problems is home loan refinancing with bad credit.

While guaranteeing loan approvals is never realistic, this kind of financial solution is usually seen as proactive, and lenders are usually very open to the possibilities. This is chiefly because the borrower is clearly trying to ensure future repayments will be met.

In this sense, home loan refinancing is one of the wisest strategies that can be pursued. However, it is important to know the details first.

Refinancing Explained

There is no great mystery behind home loan refinancing, with bad credit scores playing only a minor role is the deciding approval. A refinancing deal is about replacing the existing mortgage agreement with a more affordable deal. This effectively means that bad credit scores can be ignored.

The concept can sometimes seems confusing, with the basic idea being that a debt is replaced by another debt. While guaranteeing loan approval is impossible, there is little doubt surrounding the usefulness that this kind of financing deal has. However, the deal cannot be of any constructive use if there is an insufficient amount already paid off the principal sum.

It is only through this that home loan refinancing can be effective, with a lower principal to buy out and lower interest rate to apply making monthly repayments less. The term of the new mortgage is usually the same as the original to ensure the maximum benefit.

Advantages of Refinancing a Mortgage

Opting for home loan refinancing with bad credit has a number of advantages. For a start, when the original mortgage is bought out, it is noted as a repaid debt. Once this is done, then the credit score is adjusted, with the result that the score improves and the subsequent refinancing loan is issued at a lower interest rate.

The idea is that the existing mortgage is replaced by a mortgage that has lower interest and a more affordable monthly repayment scheme. For example, a mortgage of $200,000 costing $1,300 per month might have been taken out 10 years ago. So, about $70,000 of the mortgage has been repaid already. Refinancing means the remaining balance of $130,000 is bought out, using a new loan with lower interest and lower monthly repayments.

While even these improved terms are no way of guaranteeing loan approvals, the proactive nature of the move is hard to ignore. It could mean the $1,300 monthly repayment is slashed to $850, depending on the new terms. So, home loan refinancing effectively frees up $450 to spend on other things.

Where to Get a Good Deal

Of course, one of the most important aspects of home loan refinancing with bad credit is to fund the right lender with the best terms. This inevitably means taking to the Internet, with plenty of lenders there who specialize in financial assistance for those with low credit scores.

Online lenders also offer better terms than traditional lenders, with lower interest rates and better repayment schedules. Guaranteeing loan approvals is never realistic, but they are also more open to giving the thumbs up to applicants with very low credit scores, with their loan packages specifically designed to cater to that niche.

Generally speaking, traditional lenders are very expensive, but it may be worth speaking to your current mortgage provider to see if a good home loan refinancing deal can be struck. This can prove a wise move if the relationship between borrower and lender is good - and besides, a current lender already knows the applicant, removing the need for credit checks etc.