Is 2009 a good year for buying a house

Is 2009 a Good Year for Buying a House

While some improvement in the economy and real estate market has been seen in the past couple of months according to the National Association of Estate Agents, struggles continue. In the latter part of 2008, both buyers and sellers were moving a little more, which many experts believe is due to low interest rates. Additionally, movement was also seen in the number of new homes coming on the market and the number of interested buyers.

While the current situation has been devastating to some, for first-time homebuyers, it has created an opportunity not otherwise offered. For a long time home prices were simply too high for new buyers but we now see almost 11% of homes sold went to first-time buyers. The same reports from 2008 show that real estate agents made more sales. This news was positive since the increase in sales was in December, which is usually a slow month.

The National Association of Estate Agents also indicated home prices increased only slightly and the number of falling rates had slowed down in some geographical locations. Other statistics include prospective buyers increased to 200 from 186 in December 2008 and agents with actual sales increased to 100 from 87. This means sales per real estate agent remained on a steady pace of six.

Then moving into the early part of 2009, reports came from the Financial Times specific to 2009 being a good or bad year to purchase real estate. A study was comprised of 50 top economists and the outcome was quite interesting. Of the 50, 60% said the purchase of real estate in 2009 should be avoided but the remaining 40% believed the opposite.

The reasons for each of the responses varied. For instance, some felt that buying property in 2009 would help the slow economy. Then, considering that interest rates are expected to stay low throughout the year and even decline at the end of the year, some people believe the lending process is still going to be difficult. Even with additional money to loan, especially if the government continues to provide assistance, buying versus not buying remained controversial.

Of the 50 economists, some felt that at the end of the year the real estate market will reach its lowest point. With this, homebuyers would be encouraged to start looking at real estate and even buying. However, of the economists that think that people should wait to buy believe prices are still too high when compared to current income. Therefore, the anticipation is that in 2010, the real estate will be much better than 2009. In fact, prices according to Capital Economics will fall 20$ more while Global Insight says 15% and JP Morgan believes 10%.

One particular economist is not as optimistic, stating his concerns are that housing prices will not reach affordability until the year 2014. The continuing fall of the real estate market is in part due to restrictions on credit and lending, high debt ratios, high rates of unemployment, and the stagnant economy. All those negative factors predict a declining real estate market for some time, beyond 2009. Because of this, potential buyers are hesitant to make such large purchases.

The bottom line is that this is a buyer’s market; people should not be in too much of a hurry to make real estate purchases. In 2009, unemployment hit incredible lows and with lenders still following strict lending guidelines, there is some concern. Now, in the situation when a person is transferred for a job or has gone through a divorce and must move, then buying in 2009 offers many benefits.

While the number of sales is low, because of unique situations, sales will continue very slowly. Even people interested in buying property as an investment or buying to flip and rent is a slow market. Experts are optimistic that a boom in real estate will occur once the recession has passed. As the supply of homes decreases, prices become more affordable, and lending institutions lighten up on loans, things will improve.

Real estate sold at auctions in 2009, as well as homes needing to be repaired or renovated are expected to go for low prices so buyers have ample opportunity of finding property that fits within any budget. Therefore, anyone wanting to buy a home in 2009 should put out a low offer and maintain ownership of the property for as long as possible.

Hundred-fold-life-team: selling online can create new income streams

Hundred-Fold-Life-Team: Selling Online Can Create New Income Streams

As the internet matures, so do the attitudes of people buying more and more online. Many companies exist that will ship merchandise to nearly any address specified, without being the same address as the buyer. This opens the door for selling opportunities for just about anyone with the initiative to do a little work online and keep track of their earnings.

One of the problems with having a retail website, is you become the buyer, seller and shipper all at once. When you offer merchandise for sale online you are opening the door to a global audience and will need to have an inventory of merchandise that you offer for sale. Constantly sending out apologetic emails informing buyers their choice is either discontinued or on back order will not win many repeat customers and will eventually leave you with nothing but a nice looking website. This is no way to build your Hundred-Fold-Life.

You can, however get hooked up with wholesalers who maintain a large inventory of merchandise and allow you to sell it on your website. When an order comes in, it goes directly to the wholesaler who will pack it and ship it as well as handle all the finances. You make money based on the profit from the sale of the item. For example, you advertise a DVD player on your site for $59.99 plus tax plus shipping a handling. A customer buys it and submits the order. Once payment is received and the item has shipped. If you are getting that DVD player from the wholesaler for $40, you will be paid the difference of $19.

Many drop-shippers work with online auction sellers who simply list the merchandise on their auction site and the wholesaler takes over the shipping of the merchandise. For auction merchandise there is a risk to the seller in that if a listed item doesn’t sell, the seller is still responsible for any listing fees for putting them item on the auction.

Additionally, once an item sells, the seller is charged a final value fee, which is a percentage of the price at which the item sold. Consequently, the seller has to sell the item at a price higher than the unit cost, plus listing fees plus the final value fee before they make any money. Selling straight off your own website may not elicit as much business, but by the buyer paying shipping and handling charges, everything paid over the unit price is your to keep.

You can also choose to buy small inventories of merchandise you believe will be in high demand and list in the items description how many are available. Being honest with potential buyers on the front side that only so many are available may improve the chance of a sale, as well as diminish disappointment when you run out.

Using a drop-shipper or maintaining your own inventory is up to you. It again comes down to doing your research to find what will work best for you. I f your are a home-based business like I am I would recommend using a reputable wholesaler and drop-shipper. That way I don’t have to have space for products in my home and they do a much better job at shipping than I could.

Keep your Hundred-Fold-Life simple to run and profit from.

Learn how to flip a house and become financially stable

Learn How to Flip a House and Become Financially Stable

Do you want to learn how to flip house and make a huge profit? By definition, to flip a house means to buy a house at a depressed price and then to sell that property very quickly for a much higher price. This process allows an individual to make huge sums of money without a lot of upfront capital and without a lot of financial risk. Using this method you can become financially independent very quickly – often on the very first transaction. Many people think that long complicated real estate techniques are utilized or difficult financial terms have to be understood. However, this is not the case. It is a simple and easy process. Just follow some basic steps and you too can learn how to become financially stable.

The first step is to understand how to identify and locate properties with depressed values. There are several reasons that a house may have a depressed market value. The owner may have defaulted on the mortgage for the house. In this situation, the bank or mortgage institution forecloses on the distressed property and assumes ownership over that property. In order to recoup a portion of the defaulted mortgage, the financial institution will put the house up for sale. Desperate to recoup their financial losses, the financial institution will often price the house much lower than market value. These houses present great opportunities.

There are several other reasons a house may have a depressed value. A sudden death might leave a house in financial limbo. If there is a last will and testimony, then the property may revert to another owner. However, if this transfer of ownership is not specified, then the house may be auctioned off to the highest bidder. These real estate auctions offer great opportunities because the price that a house at auction sells for is usually much less than the market value of the house. Even if the property reverts to other ownership after an owner death, the new owner is often highly motivated to sell. Anytime a seller is motivated to sell, the asking price will fall. Other reasons that a house might have a low asking price include the house falling into disrepair, a house being condemned, or a house being in an unsavory location. In all these instances the price of the house may be so low that a high profit margin can easily be attained.

The next step is to secure the money to purchase the house. This is not as hard as you may imagine. In all of the situations described above, the owners of the houses, be they financial institutions or private owners, are extremely motivated to sell. Private owners will often offer owner financing, accept little to no down payment, or even hold off payment until the house has been flipped. Motivated financial institutions will offer short term loans in order to move accumulated assets. Once the house has been acquired for a low cost, the final step is to sell the house at a higher price. Follow these simple steps to learn how to flip a house and become financially stable.

Invest without losing

Invest Without Losing

Heard of eBay? Who hasn’t? Anyone who has even a minimal amount of internet searching under his or her belt has heard of what is becoming iconic in our world. We have turned the site into a verb even. Mothers claim to be eBay-ing their daughters’ prom dresses. Men talk about eBay-ing in the evening, buying and selling at will. However, to the inexperienced person, eBay seems daunting and scary. Surfing it brings pleasure, but the fear of selling can paralyze the average e-Bay surfer. Thanks to some smart businessmen, those who wish to take advantage of the business investment opportunity available through online auctions no longer have to know how to sell. They just need an e-mail address.

Online brokers are quickly becoming a great way to sell items. The typical broker will take care of everything from listing an item to finalizing the purchase. Those looking for the business investment opportunity of online auctioning just needs to contact the broker and give him the necessary information about the product.

The typical broker will cost a seller some money in fees, but those with great reputations also have the potential to acquire a higher price for an item than a regular, unknown Joe would online. Typically a broker will have requirements. For example, many require a minimum value on the sale item. They will not sell items worth only a couple of dollars. Additionally, they will require a maximum day limit so the auction has a definite ending.

Broker fees will vary depending on both the broker and the sale price of the item. Many times, the higher an item sells for, the less percentage a broker will take. The broker should present a fee schedule so the seller can see how much the broker will take off the top. For example, if an item brings a lower amount of money, the broker will take as much as 35 percent of the profit. If it brings a larger amount of money, he will take as little as 5 percent of the profit. The broker should present a fee schedule to the seller when the seller contacts him initially. If he does not, then the seller should ask for one specifically.

The world of online brokers has revolutionized the online auction world. It has given the average Joe a great business investment opportunity, because just about anyone can market his or her product to the world, literally. Reputable brokers will maintain a high rating and reputation in the auction world, and thus the average Joe does not have to worry about doing so himself. He can just let his broker work for him while he seeks out some great products. He can spend time doing what he enjoys most: finding those quality products and taking advantage of great business investment opportunities.

How to start a successful craft business

How To Start A Successful Craft Business

If you have you ever wondered how to start a successful craft business, you need to listen carefully. Homemade craft items have become more and more popular as gifts and home accessories. It doesn’t matter what your craft is, you can start your own successful craft business. Follow this simple guide to learn how to start your own successful craft business.

Who Can Start a Craft Business?

Craft businesses are really popular for moms to work on a part time basis. Most people start a home based craft business as a part time job or for extra income on the side. But a successful craft business is certainly not limited to moms. Anyone with a particular gift or skill can start a successful craft business.

Where Can I Sell My Crafts?

Whatever your skill is, from making candles to holiday ornaments for the Christmas tree, you will need to know where you are going to sell them. If you have smaller priced items, you may want to consider selling them at craft fairs or flea markets. If you have expensive handmade sculptures or heavy items that are very big, selling them at a craft fair might be impossible. Another option to consider would be selling them on the Internet, either on your own website or at an auction website such as Ebay. Finding the right way to market your crafts is important, because if no one sees your crafts, they can’t exactly buy them.

What Are Some Ideas for a Craft Business?

Depending on your particular skills, which I am sure you already know, there are many ideas for craft businesses. Just to mention a few:

— Candle Making
— Scrapbooking Business
— Greeting Card Business
— Seamstress
— Homemade Jewelry
— Soapmaking
— Furniture Design
— Gift Basket Business
— Pottery — Clay Figurines

A thought to consider when starting craft home businesses is that you need to carry a variety of products. For example, if you are making clay figurines, make sure that you have a variety before you beginning selling them. This will make sure that when people visit your booth or website, they can choose from a variety of products, to find exactly what they want.

When pricing your crafts, you’ll need to make sure you’re making a profit. Add the cost of all material used to make your craft, then determine what your time is worth. Add these two together then determine how much profit would make it worth it for your time and effort. Add it all together for the total price.

A successful craft business doesn’t have to be a big business, but it can be if you choose. It may be something that you do for fun or something that earns you a sizeable profit. Remember, the hardest part of anything is getting started, so you must make a commitment to the success of your new business. Always remember, it does take time to establish a business, no matter what kind.

If you are interested in starting a craft home business, there are many to choose from. Visit our craft home business directory for some great ideas for your craft business:

http://www.athomedirectory.com/list.php?cat_id=14

With a craft business, you will have the opportunity to let your creativity shine.