Focusing Your Marketing Efforts
One of my favorite quotes is often used to describe goal-setting -- but it applies equally well to your marketing efforts. We start with Alice lost in the woods in Wonderland, where she comes upon the Cheshire-Cat..."Cheshire-Puss," she began rather timidly, "Would you tell me, please, which way I ... more...

5 Reasons Why you Need a Mortgage on a Property in Spain
I choose the word need carefully for it is more urgent than the alternative want and adds more strength to the issues discussed. For most readers though the need word will apply, perhaps not in all cases, but certainly in some and I would stress an understanding of how the issues impact you ... more...

How to Spot and Avoid Predatory Lending
Predatory lenders promise loans that are "too good to be true" and pressure borrowers to take them on the spot. Here's a few things you or your family and friends should know about spotting and avoid predatory loans:How to Spot a Predatory Loan*Balloon payments.*High interest rates.*Monthly ... more...

Blame It On the Rain: Protect Your Home With Hurricane, Wind, and Flood Insurance
Choosing the best insurance policies for your home can cause a lot of confusion. Many homebuyers are not fully educated about the coverage needed to protect a home or real estate investment. Many difficult situations can be caused by natural disasters. If you purchase real estate in or ... more...

For Sale By Owner, What Are You Really Saving?
WHAT ARE YOU REALLY SAVING WHEN YOU SELL YOUR HOME YOURSELF?Most people who try to sell their homes themselves, will put "Brokers Welcome" in their ads, fact sheets and flyers. That is a great idea, considering that over 90% of all homes sold, are in fact sold by real estate agents, even For Sale ... more...

How To Create An Organized Filing System
Introduction The test of a good filing system is being able to find something when you need it, regardless of how you choose to organize it. However, there are two basic approaches to setting up a filing system: Establish categories for like items by subject (e.g., Hobbies) Establish an index ... more...

How to Sell Your Home Without a Real Estate Agent
Considering the rapid rise in home prices over the past several years, home sellers are taking a hard look at the commission they have to pay to a real estate brokerage to market and sell their home. Real estate commissions vary across the country; they average in the four to seven percent range ... more...

Reinventing Real Estate, Part 1: Online and Empowered Consumers Are Taking Charge and Paying Less
For decades, the real estate world turned in a predictable manner. The roles of buyers, sellers and real estate professionals were fairly well defined and transactions followed a predictable path of yard signs, newspaper ads, open houses and miles of paperwork.Recently, online and empowered ... more...

Adverse Debt Levels Blight UK Consumers Personal Finances
Debt levels are at an all time high in the UK. The younger generation tend to be feeling the pinch the most, but parents are increasingly being required to bail them out, often at great expense to their own limited mortgage or retirement savings.It has become almost accepted as a fact of life that ... more...