Easy Steps on How to Flip a House

By Volker Tidsch

Accomplishing the task of how to flip a house involves a series of calculated steps. Ironically, while this property business venture uses quick selling methods, the process that facilitates its beginning is more complicated. Actually it is not that complicated in terms of technicality. But those who have extensive experience with real estate and property developments would be the ones to surely succeed in this endeavor. But what if you are neither of those people? What if you are an average person who wants to venture into the flipping business?

With this brief guide, we have done the homework and outlined the important steps that can make you a seasoned flipper and get you making the profit you want and on your way to financial independence.

1.) Research, research, research. Learning the ins-and-outs of the real estate industry can teach you how to bargain, how to accurately evaluate properties, and make sure that the deal that you struck is in your favor. Knowing the differences in condos, houses, bungalows, duplexes, and other housing establishments, is vital. Basic knowledge of houses and properties and the development of those properties is just as important as having the capital to invest. Ways to educate yourself, other than reading and the natural course of studying, could include contacting professional realtors, attending open houses for available homes - house-flipping has become popular enough that finding the information you need to properly appraise a property so you know exactly what sort of work and profit you are looking at.

2.) After or even during the first step, you must also learn about the real deal when it comes to the real estate industry. Keep yourself informed of the latest news and issues surrounding this particular business venture you wanted to enter. It's not enough that you know how to buy houses, what's even much better is that you know the current condition of buying houses. This will give you a better idea on how to play the field. You can take some time to read the newspapers or browse magazines about home and living.

3.) Now it's time to find that perfect property that you can get as inexpensively as possible, invest minimal time and effort into restoring and repairing, and then flip the house for a maximum profit. This is the perfect flip, of course. And the only way you're going to accomplish this is by doing the legwork and finding out if you would save costs by doing the jobs yourself or subcontracting them to the lowest bidder. You will also be able to save on your budget by shopping around for materials as well as doing small changes to a property or house which could make the selling of the house much easier. Unique landscaping is definitely one inexpensive way to do this. Also keep in mind who exactly is in the market for a new home or property.

4.) And last on our how to flip a house, is about obtaining a loan if you have to for making repairs. Just avoid repairing the house from your own expenses as much as possible. If your budget won't fit then it's better to take a loan so you can separate business from personal finances. Some experts say that you should even consider getting a loan that costs more than it took for you to buy the property because you can eventually cover this with the selling price you will use upon turnover to your own buyer. - 23200

About the Author:

As the creator of Real Estate Voodoo, Volker Tidsh has lots of real estate knowledge and flipping properties that is helping investors realize their dreams of financial freedom. To find FREE information about how YOU can Invest Everywhere from Anywhere, visit http://www.RealEstateVoodoo.com today!

Does GM need saving?

By Dino P Delellis

This topic nearly word for word has been scrutiny of automotive journalists and other transportation stock analyst and pundits ever since it was announced that GM would once again do an electric car.

GM, Ford and Chrysler arrayed a huge number of lawyers and much cherished Washington lobbyists to go after California after it decided to introduce a zero emissions rule on part of all car fleets. While GM was fighting California, it was also building an electric car, 10 years ago called the EV1. The state lost, GM breathed a sigh of relief and promptly destroyed all EV1's and sold the patents.

Yep, sold the patents to a MIT. Just kidding. If the patents had been sold to MIT, the car would have been rebuilt and the Toyota Prius hybrid would never have been created. Whoever bought the patents wasn't interested in building an electric car. There is enough anecdotal evidence to suggest the battery patents were purchased by Texaco who has done tremendous work with them since ( NOT ).

Balancing the books, one might claim. Lots of Research and Development costs, nothing to show for it, so sell the technology. It wasn't an objective decision. After an acrimonious battle with the state of California, GM management couldn't get rid of the technology fast enough. A billion dollars later, GM executives didn't stop to think that perhaps core elements could play a critical roll in future transportation technology. They had to wait for the Japanese to prove that similar technology could and would be a huge element in the future of transportation.

Anyway in the latest from an interview with GM's Chief Designer we get the following profile of the Volt.

The Volt is probably GM's last, best hope for the future and certainly its most significant upcoming vehicle. Saddled with dwindling market share, credit-strapped consumers, and a lingering reputation as a purveyor of gas-thirsty vehicles, GM executives need the Volt to become an iconic product, like Apple's (AAPL) 1998 iMac or even Chrysler's 1980s K-car before. The Volt has to affirm the company's ability to innovate and, eventually, create a financial foothold from which the battered automaker can begin to turn itself around.

GM's response to public outcry shortly after co-jointly winning the lawsuit against California on the grounds that only the federal government had the right to determine zero emission, was to go on a publicity campaign extolling the virtues of their own version of Zero emissions - Hydrogen gas by 2010. Which probably prompted BMW to wake up and create a wonderful Hydrogen Gas vehicle which is already 4-5 years old and in its fourth or fifth refinement. So zip forward to 2008 and GM has backtracked on its Hydrogen promises and is now attempting to leap frog the Toyota Prius with technology that will get a commuter 40 miles of gas free driving on a nightly electrical charge.

Because most daily commuters in the U.S. don't travel that far, GM says many drivers will not have to use any fuel at all, simply recharging the vehicle via a regular outlet at home overnight. GM is still wrangling with the Environmental Protection Agency over the vehicle's efficiency, but executives say the final number should be north of 100 mpg for both types of power.

Despite the GM bashing that many of us might engage in, on occasion, we all truly want a Volt or something like it. Traveling and seeing new places isn't just a wish for the elite. But with gas prices threatening to go higher and the slightest threat of war poised to carry them beyond even the previous high of $147 per barrel, having a vehicle with the potential of the Volt is simply everyone's dream.

So back to the question can the Volt save GM?

To answer that question, perhaps we should ask - Does GM need saving?

BusinessWeek estimated GM's Liquidity position to be 45 Billion in May of 2005 with a burn rate this year of over a Billion a month here in 2008 ( Boston Herald ). Estimated reserves now stand at about 25 Billion and analysts say that even with the 10 Billion in future cost cutting, GM may need another 10-12 Billion in cash to see their way through to 2010.

According to an article in Detroit News Oct 14th 2008

GM had access to about $21 billion cash, $5 billion in available credit lines and is raising $5 billion through asset sales and borrowing.

Cost-cutting associated with the aforementioned 10 Billion in cuts, intensified when GM announced it was closing plants in Grand Rapids and Janesville, Wis. 2500 workers are affected by these measures in plants that produce sport-utility vehicles and parts for pickups/SUVs.

Since 2005, the General's cash reserves have been reduced from 45 Billion to a mere 25 Billion and with the tightening credit crunch and federal government moving slowly on aiding the BIG3, the rumour doing the rounds is that GM is eyeing the cash reserves of Chrysler ( estimated 11 Billion ) to help it through 2009 when the arrival of the Chevy Volt and Cruz, the following quarter are expected to help turn things around.

In an interview given to Business week in the last week of Oct 2008, GM says its expecting to sell about 10,000 Chevy Volts at between 30-40,000 USD each in 2010. So, that's about 3-4 Billion dollars in gross sales with a net of about a 800 Million dollars annually at an estimated 20% profit per vehicle ( my own estimate not theirs )

So, is this innovative car of the 2010 year - Volt just a little, just too late?

I leave that answer up to you, but if I had to make a serious bet with odds, I know which way I would be betting. - 23200

About the Author:

Dino DeLellis writes on a number of interesting topics. To see more of the Dino personal journals hop on over to Dino P. Delellis and catch his strange views on the world at large.

Real Estate Business Wealth -- Getting Below the Surface

By Christine Blake

Recently I came across a program called Real Estate Business Wealth (previously called Turnkey Real Estate System) and it looks to be a real game changer for the entrepreneurial real estate investors out there. If you have spent any time thinking of how to free up your time and create a passive income stream from your real estate business, then you realize how difficult this can be. The website for Real Estate Business Wealth states that using this product is so darn simple that a monkey can follow the steps to produce passive income. Now I'm not so sure you should go out and hire ten monkeys to work for you, but you get the idea. Ok, let's stop the monkeying around. He doesn't claim this to be magic. He actually admits on his webpage that to start receiving the passive income stream, then some effort on your part is required. First though, let's examine the claims made.

The creator, Otto, states his Real Estate Business Wealth system makes it totally feasible to establish thousands of dollars of passive income each and every month just by following the steps of the program. This will give you:

* Passive Income in your bank account each month.

* Vacations with Your Family where you please when you please.

* More Deals - The systems you'll have installed will allow you to double or even triple the amount of deals you do.

* 20+ Hours Extra/Week - You will recover at least 20 hours/week with these steps, guaranteed.

* No More Stress - No more constant second-guessing and worrying how things are going to go.

Well, I love the sound of that, but what precisely will I get from the system to help me achieve all this? Good question. Here is a list of the major components you will receive with Otto's Real Estate Business Wealth home study.

* Quick Start Guide - "How to Get Started and Have Your Business Create Passive Income for You".

* 10 Step by Step Instructional Audios - Develop passive income from any real estate investing business. These audios will tell you how.

* 3-Step Process spelled out in 230+ pages of manuals - Topics include how to create the systems, hire the right people to run the business for you, monitor your success using "dashboards", etc.

* 10 Audio Interview Training Series - Tutorials and training interviews with leading investors, business growth experts, and strategists.

* Passive Income Generation Templates - Simply use the systems and templates already developed!

* Blueprints - Like blueprints for a house, these give you a visual understanding and show you how to completely automate your business. Again, just plug in your business here.

* Bonus Information and Materials in addition to a personal phone call consultation with Otto.

One more point that is definitely worth mentioning is the convincing 2-part "Dummy-Proof" guarantee he provides. The first part states that you have three months "to examine everything, use what you wish, and, if for any reason or even no reason, you want a refund, just return everything and Ill put your money back in your bank account". The second part states "At Least Automate Your Business So You're Able to Enjoy Passive Income, or return it for a full refund plus a $500.00 gift!". That pretty much says it all.

There is going to be a product launch around the middle of May as I understand. As Otto has already said, only a certain number of clients will be accepted into the program and then he will stop taking orders.

We are currently working to get a personal discussion with Otto about Real Estate Business Wealth and then take that interview and upload it to our review blog at RealEstateBusinessWealthReview.com. Visit us to see the additional review info that is available.

But let me say this to you. If this product provides the real estate business wealth it claims, then you have got to really think about this versus your present business model. Just one deal is worth thousands of dollars and luckily many real estate investors haven't even heard of this opportunity yet! - 23200

About the Author:

The author, Christine Blake, is a real estate investor that has 20+ years experience in the real estate industry. Come visit her website Real Estate Business Wealth Review to get more information about the Real Estate Business Wealth system and exactly how you will be able to free up your time and create a passive income stream from your real estate business...starting right now.

Checklist before Investing in a Mutual Fund

By Sara Ferguson

There are many ways to select a mutual fund, each one has its own ups, downs, and risks. As you select your first mutual fund, consider these factors:

The fund manager: Often a fund is only as good as its management. If the fund manager has shown great performance in the past, future performance is likely to be above average. If the fund manager has been replaced, past performance becomes less meaningful and may even be worthless. A poor-performing fund that gets a new fund manager may turn around and become a top performer.

The stability of the funds philosophy: If the fund seems unclear about its financial goals and is switching investment methods, it may be in trouble. The financial goals of the fund is highly important, unstable goals can be a bad sign but also in a poor performing fund that just replaced the fund manager can be a good sign.

The objectives of the fund: Some funds focus on specialty or sector funds (gold funds or biotech funds) and often offer great returns. However, they arent good funds for the online investor who wants to own just one mutual fund. If you own just one specialty fund, you lose the advantage of diversification.

The stability of the funds philosophy: If the fund seems unclear about its financial goals and is switching investment methods, it may be in trouble. The financial goals of the fund is highly important, unstable goals can be a bad sign but also in a poor performing fund that just replaced the fund manager can be a good sign.

Purchase constraints: Although some funds require a minimum initial investment of $5,000.00, many good funds dont have this requirement. If you enroll in a funds automatic investment program, the minimum initial investment amount is usually waived. Additionally, many fund minimums are waived or substantially reduced for IRA investments. If you are not starting out with a large sum to invest check out the ones that waive the minimum initial investment amount; I started out investing using an online stock account with a $100.00 minimum, it got me started and I learned a lot.

Purchase constraints: Although some funds require a minimum initial investment of $5,000.00, many good funds dont have this requirement. If you enroll in a funds automatic investment program, the minimum initial investment amount is usually waived. Additionally, many fund minimums are waived or substantially reduced for IRA investments. If you are not starting out with a large sum to invest check out the ones that waive the minimum initial investment amount; I started out investing using an online stock account with a $100.00 minimum, it got me started and I learned a lot. - 23200

About the Author:

Learning how to invest is a challege. Knowledge and information is the key to investing and how to invest to profit and lower risk.

Foreign Exchange Gap Strategies

By James Henderson

Forex, or foreign exchange, trading is an extremely popular way of making money. Due to its unforeseeable nature there are a number of strategies that are widely used as a way of determining the best time to invest and therefore the best chances of making money with the system.

Gap trading is one method that has been used in investment markets for years, and is still extremely popular when it comes to forex. One of the benefits of this system is that it is extremely easy to use. In short, it allows investors to take advantage in the gap in price from one day to the next.

For example, the price will be set at a certain level at the time the market closes, and this price may either remain the same or be higher or lower by the time the market opens the next day.

However, forex differs from traditional markets due to the fact that there is no market open and closure - forex effectively trades for 24 hours a day. However, there are many that still insist that there is money to be made with forex gap trading strategies.

The best way of doing this is either to ignore the weekend (therefore creating a gap between the close on Friday to the open on Monday) or by creating artificial gaps for yourself each day.

Gap trading is one method that has been used in investment markets for years, and is still extremely popular when it comes to forex. One of the benefits of this system is that it is extremely easy to use. In short, it allows investors to take advantage in the gap in price from one day to the next.

However, forex differs from traditional markets due to the fact that there is no market open and closure - forex effectively trades for 24 hours a day. However, there are many that still insist that there is money to be made with forex gap trading strategies. - 23200

About the Author:

The second Forex robot system we have is Forex Turbo Profits a revolutionary Forex system built by Forex traders for Forex traders.