By host on Wednesday, April 16, 2008 3:54 PM

I know that it has been a while since I have posted. I will get better at more consistent posts. I am excited to share with you ways to build wealth through real estate investing. There are many who are rich but not wealthy. I have the process and information on how to build wealth and keep it. Many think that this time is a bad time for investing, but this is the greatest time to invest. Real Estate over the years has increased in value and there is no indication that this will change. Ok, you are saying, How do I become wealthy when I have bad credit, no money and the national media is saying the market is bad? I am so glad you asked! I will pass on to you free information about the wealth building.

 A Few Tips to Wealth Building

1. Believe that you will be wealthy. If you do not get this tip the rest will not help you.

2. Discipline you finances/body/mind. You have to rule your finances/body/mind and not let you finances/body/mind rule you.

3. Think like an investor not a consumer. Many americans are thinking like consumers, thererfore they are incurring debt. Investors are always investing time, money and skills. Did you know you can use you IRA,401(k) to buy properties?

4. Implement models and processes to support your investing. Even the most wealthy have criteria and processes they use when investing. (If this sound a little techie...its me ,,,sometimes the programmer/tech guy comes out..bear with me)

5. Believe that you will be wealthy! Dismiss the negative stories of that hinder you from taking the next step. Those who discourage you are the ones who have never successfully travelled the path you on.

6. Build Relationships. 

7. Take Action Now!

Do you believe that you can be wealthy?

By host on Wednesday, April 16, 2008 3:54 PM

These are a few tips from the Adkins Advantage on questions to ask a home inspector. Homes are the greatest investments of a lifetime and you should have a REALTOR who can guide you through the buying process. As a Buyer you are represented by a REALTOR at no charge to you.

1. Will your inspection meet recognized standards? Ask whether the inspection and the inspection report will meet all state requirements and comply with a well-recognized standard of practice and code of ethics, such as the one adopted by the American Society of Home Inspectors or the National Association of Home Inspectors. Customers can view each group’s standards of practice and code of ethics online at www.ashi.org or www.nahi.org. ASHI’s Web site also provides a database of state regulations.

2. Do you belong to a professional home inspector association? There are many state and national associations for home inspectors, including the two groups mentioned in No. 1. Unfortunately, some groups confer questionable credentials or certifications in return for nothing more than a fee. Insist on members of reputable, nonprofit trade organizations; request to see a membership ID.

3. How experienced are you? Ask how long inspectors have been in the profession and how many inspections they’ve completed. They should provide customer referrals on request. New inspectors also may be highly qualified, but they should describe their training and let you know whether they plan to work with a more experienced partner.

4. How do you keep your expertise up to date? Inspectors’ commitment to continuing education is a good measure of their professionalism and service. Advanced knowledge is especially important in cases in which a home is older or includes unique elements requiring additional or updated training.

5. Do you focus on residential inspection? Make sure the inspector has training and experience in the unique discipline of home inspection, which is very different from inspecting commercial buildings or a construction site. If your customers are buying a unique property, such as a historic home, they may want to ask whether the inspector has experience with that type of property in particular.

6. Will you offer to do repairs or improvements? Some state laws and trade associations allow the inspector to provide repair work on problems uncovered during the inspection. However, other states and associations forbid it as a conflict of interest. Contact your local ASHI chapter to learn about the rules in your state.

7. How long will the inspection take? On average, an inspector working alone inspects a typical single-family house in two to three hours; anything significantly less may not be thorough. If your customers are purchasing an especially large property, they may want to ask whether additional inspectors will be brought in.

8. What’s the cost? Costs can vary dramatically, depending on your region, the size and age of the house, and the scope of services. The national average for single-family homes is about $320, but customers with large homes can expect to pay more. Customers should be wary of deals that seem too good to be true.

9. What type of inspection report do you provide? Ask to see samples to determine whether you will understand the inspector's reporting style. Also, most inspectors provide their full report within 24 hours of the inspection.

10. Will I be able to attend the inspection? The answer should be yes. A home inspection is a valuable educational opportunity for the buyer. An inspector's refusal to let the buyer attend should raise a red flag.

By host on Wednesday, April 16, 2008 3:54 PM

1. Don't overprice your property. According to a 2002 academic study of 3,490 California listings, homes without a price reduction sold for 97 percent of the initial list price, whereas homes with a price reduction sold for 88 percent of the initial list price.

2. Set your price to show up in Web searches. A September 2007 Redfin study analyzed how online search filters affect traffic to a listing. Because real estate sites filter on price in $25,000 or $50,000 increments, listings priced at or below these thresholds — $250,000 rather than $251,000, or $325,000 rather than $326,000 — get as much as 7.1 percent more online visits.

3. Debut on Friday. A December 2007 Redfin analysis of its online traffic for 119,079 listings across seven markets found that listings that debut on Friday get on average 7.7 percent more visitors in their first seven days than those that debut on the worst day, Thursday.

4. Get sellers engaged with your agent. According to several academic studies, motivated, active sellers are able to sell their property as much as 30 percent faster.

5. Market the property online. Promoting a listing on Web sites beyond the local Multiple Listing Service can drive a significant number of new online visits to a property. A December 2007 analysis of 121 Redfin listings found that promoting the listings on Craigslist resulted in an average of 6.8 online visits to the property for each Craigslist promotion.

6. Have sellers stay put. The study of 3,490 California listings, cited earlier, found that vacant homes were 9.5 percent more likely to undergo a price reduction.

7. Wait to list your property until neighboring foreclosures are off the market. According to a November 2007 report from the Center for Responsible Lending, a foreclosure costs neighboring home owners an average of $5,000 when listing their property.

By host on Wednesday, April 16, 2008 3:54 PM

• Equifax: Call 1-800-685-1111. This voice mail system talks to you in Spanish or English. It will let you record your request if you were turned down for credit, employment, or insurance within the last 60 days.

• Experian – www.experian.com
• Equifax – www.equifax.com
• Trans Union – www.transunion.com