I was just wondering, my mother lives in a apartment and can not shovel snow. The landlords have a long drive way that serves three apartment buildings. They also own another building it is is close but does not use the same driveway.
Anyways, the owners plow the snow .... but they do not do anything about the ice. The ice is always there for like weeks until it melts. Its really dangerous and a b*tch to drive out of. If some one had slipped and fell and broke something couldn't they sue the shit out of the landlord for not properly taking care of their property? Cause I was wondering why anyone in their right mind wouldn't want to buy some salt and throw it down.
I don't want to fall. I hate ice because it hurts to fall lol but I rather have them de-ice the driveway before someone does fall... some people are old there. Besides, I have to walk past two buildings on ice just to get to the first building ... that's where the parking lot is.
I live in this apartment building and let me tell you, it's a nightmare. A while ago these 2 woman who have been friends for years and both have kids the same age recently fell out over something. One of them has their kids turned against the other kids and is trying to make the other kids (who live in the building) choose sides between them. I've just about had enough because she is always yelling at my kids to the point where they are afraid she will hit them. Legally is there anything I can do? I know the supers of the buildings can't get involved but this is getting insane. I would move but I'm stuck here until I find a house to buy in another neighbourhood.
Some of the other parents have called the police about her and they refuse to do anything.
This woman won't talk to me, and when she do it's always a screaming match about letting my kids play with other kids and how totally wrong it is. These are kids, they shouldn't even be involved in the situation.
Toshiba HDTVs - LCD TVs - Plasma
Experts believe that real estate development and building will produce some $25 trillion in revenue between now and the year 2030. Most also agree that most of that revenue will be filtered into and through the top ten megapolitan areas in the United States. This amount of revenue will completely eclipse the building boom that followed World War II and means an unprecedented amount of growth and opportunity for the investor.
Megapolitan is defined as two or more existing metropolitan areas that have grown together to become one huge area and the community boundaries have become blurred. An example of one such area is from San Diego through Santa Barbara. When driving from San Diego you will pass through Oceanside, Newport Beach, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Thousand Oaks, Oxnard, Ventura and Santa Barbara. It is very difficult to tell when you leave one city and enter another. Robert Lang of Virginia Tech urban studies has theorized that two-thirds of the population will live in 10 of these Megapolitan areas by the year 2040.
Atlantic Seaboard - extends from Boston through New York, Philadelphia and Washington.
Gulf Cost Belt - Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Huston, New Orleans to Mobile.
I 85 Corridor - Birmingham, Atlanta, Charlotte, Raleigh to Durham.
Valley of the Sun - Phoenix to Tucson.
Southern - Florida Miami, Tampa to Orlando.
Southland - Los Angeles to Las Vegas.
Great Lakes Area Detroit, Chicago to Pittsburg.
North California - San Francisco to Sacramento.
I 35 Corridor - San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, Ardmore, Okalahoma City to Kansas City.
Cascadian - Eugene, Portland to Seattle.
Megapolitan Areas will have certain characteristics in common. They will combine at least two existing metropolitan areas together. Each will total more than 10 million residents by 2040. They will have similar physical environment. Have very good transportation and supporting infrastructure. Goods and services flows freely from one urban area to another. They will also require a large geographical area that is suitable for large scale regional planning.
It's true that some of these megapolitan areas have been hit by economic troubles, but even CNN's Money Magazine agrees that these areas are some of the best for real estate development and investment. Just why is that, and what should you look for when trying to protect your investment in these areas?
Being careful about the industries that are supporting these megapolitan areas is of course very important. Investing in areas that have relied on the automotive industry or manufacturing may not be wise. However, megapolitan areas of New York and Charlotte, North Carolina, have done very well in the past few years because their dominant industries of advertising, banking, and investing have better track records than these other industries that are not as reliable. Absolutely nothing is completely secure or 100% reliable when it comes to business and industry, but obviously one can use some common sense when it comes to investing in certain areas.
Megapolitan areas are typically more desirable for industry and new business because they already have a ready workforce and developed real estate. A company looking to build a large factory or set up an administrative office is probably not going to choose a desolate area, even though the real estate may be more affordable. There is no population in this immediate area to support their business by way of personnel, vendors, and sometimes even roads and available homes. This is one of the reasons that megapolitan areas seem to consistently and constantly appeal to established industries and companies and startup businesses as well.
If you're looking for a solid real estate investment area, you may be attracted to more sparse areas because they are more affordable, but remember that sometimes you get what you pay for. Consider instead investing what you can in these already established megapolitan areas. By using some common sense and doing your homework, you're sure to find that it's the right choice.
David Cowley has created numerous articles on real estate investing. He has also created a Web Site dedicated to real estate investing. Visit Real Estate Investing
Cyclical changes in the stock market, economy and bank and government-base investments could be pretty damaging. Diversifying retirement portfolio by the means of IRA real estate investing will allow you to deal successfully with the problems mentioned above. Through income production and capital gains you could generate better than market rate returns, while real estate investments hold the potential to protect against the loss of principal.
When real estate investments are leveraged, both income and capital gains can flow back to IRAs tax-deferred or tax-free if the IRA is a Roth IRA.
If you have your IRA investing in real estate from an unrelated party, you are not using the property for personal reasons while it is in your IRA. In other words, it is an IRS approved transaction because it is strictly for investment purposes and not self dealing.
The popularity of having an IRA real estate investing is overwhelming. Millions of taxpayers now have an IRA investing in real estate versus other traditional assets. By having IRA investing in real estate, you are also avoiding what's known as capital gains every time you sell property. You can also use your retirement plan to keep your real estate investment, earning money and limiting what you have to pay in taxes.
Whether you currently have retirement funds or you are looking to set up funds for investment purposes, the time is right for you to make an IRA investing in real estate.
To invest your IRA in real estate you need to transfer your money to self-directed IRA. The person or entity holding your money, the custodian, must allow you to self-direct.
One of the advantages of IRA investing in real estate is that you often have more time to make decisions, as opposed to investing in certain stocks. You have more control over where the money is going. You do need to be sure that you have a self-directed IRA and that you are allowed to be the decision maker as to what property is purchased.
You have options what to do with the property once you buy it. You can chose to buy the property, fix it up and sell it for profit. You can also invest in properties that are turn key and already have a tenants and property managers in place.
According to Kiyosaki, in order to obtain financial freedom, one must be either a business owner or an investor, generating passive income.
Create your financial future with IRA investing in real estate.
Lev Gutmakher is an Associate member with Mosaic Investments, LLC - a real estate company that partners with private individuals and lending corporations nationwide in order to finance and/or rehab investment property. This is done by using a "turn-key" system created by Adam King and called ILOC IRA program. To learn more about ILOC IRA program and how you can obtain high rates of return on your IRA or other source of private money, visit: http:/www.private-money-iloc-site.com now
Investing from within an IRA must follow certain tax guidelines and rules or the status of the account could be jeopardized. But, don’t worry, it’s not that difficult. You just need to get a little education first.
Many people are turning to self directed investing from within an IRA, because bankers and brokers do not provide all of the options for diversification. Real estate investments, for example, can be highly profitable and grow your retirement wealth quickly, but most trustees do not offer the option.
Stocks and certificates of deposit are fine, but you need more, particularly right now. If you are getting closer to retirement age, you need to do something quickly. The rate of returns on your traditional investment types may not be keeping up with inflation.
Let’s look at some of the rules that cover investing from within an IRA. You may have more options than you thought.
First there are investment types that are not allowed. They are things that are not easily liquidated or cannot easily be appraised. They include things like antiques, stamp collections, tiffany lamps, Persian rugs, fur coats and other tangible goods.
But there is a long list of things that are options for investing from within an IRA. The better companies offer the option of commercial and residential real estate, mortgage notes, tax liens and more.
There are also some prohibited transactions. For example, you cannot borrow money from the account. If you are a first time home buyer, you may be able to make a penalty free withdrawal for the down payment, but otherwise, withdrawals from a traditional account are taxed as regular income.
With a Roth account, you can withdrawal up to the amount that you have contributed, once a seasoning period has passed. Currently that period is five years.
You cannot use the account as collateral on a loan, but you can hold a mortgage within the account. So, if you are doing some real estate investing from within an IRA, you could borrow money to buy the property, but income from the property would be subject to Unrelated Business Income Tax or UBIT.
You cannot sell something to the account. For example, you could not direct your trustee to purchase the house you are living in. That would be considered self-dealing.
There are also certain “disqualified” persons that you could not buy from or allow to benefit directly or indirectly from investing from within an IRA. Disqualified people include your descendants, their spouses, your parents, grandparents, great grandparents, your account custodian and of course “you”.
Some of the things that could be considered indirectly beneficial include renting office space from a building held by the account or taking a vacation in an investment property owned by the account.
There is much more to learn about investing from within an IRA. It’s a good idea to get as much information as you can, before you begin. But, choosing real estate might be the right choice for your future.
W. Conley is an advocate of IRA investing in Real Estate as a means of diversifying your portfolio, while maximizing returns. He has successfully invested in Real Estate and has seen fantastic returns on his investments, all of which was done using a proven system. You can read more about the benefits of IRA investing by going to www.iloc-ira-site.com
This article covers six dynamite real estate investing tips intended to help anyone just getting started in real estate investing to successfully launch and hit the ground running with real estate investment property.
1. Develop the Correct Attitude
To stand a chance of succeeding at real estate investing, foremost, you must understand that real estate investment is a business, and you will become the CEO of that business.
As your first order of business, then, it's crucial to develop the correct mind-set about investment real estate and be able to make this distinction between buying a home and investing in real estate:
"You buy a home to live and raise a family; you buy real estate investment property to pay for the home, live comfortably, and raise your family in style"
As one very successful real estate investor said, "Only women are beautiful, what are the numbers?" In other words, you will not succeed at real estate investing until you acknowledge that it's not curb appeal, amenities, floor plan, or neighborhood that should turn you on or off to the investment opportunity; what counts most is the property's financial performance.
2. Develop Meaningful Objectives
A meaningful set of (realistic) objectives that frames your investment strategy is one of the most important elements of successful investing. Yes, we may all desire to make millions of dollars from real estate investing, but fantasy is not the same as expressing specific goals and a method on how to achieve it.
Here are some suggestions:
How much cash are you willing to invest comfortably? What rate of return are you hoping to achieve by making the investment in real estate? Are you expecting instant cash flow, looking to make your money when the property is resold, or merely looking to achieve tax shelter benefits? How long are you planning to hold the property before you dispose of it? What amount of your own effort can you afford to contribute to the day-to-day operation of running the property? What future net worth are you hoping to achieve by investing, and by when? What type of income property do you feel most comfortable owning, residential or commercial, or does it matter?
3. Develop Market Research
If you're new to real estate investing, you undoubtedly know little about investment real estate in your local market. So, complete a full market research to learn as much as you can about rental property values, rental rents, and occupancy levels in your area. The better prepared you are, the more likely you are to recognize a good (or bad) deal when you see it.
Here are some good resources:
(a) The local newspaper, (b) A local appraiser, (c) The county tax assessor, (d) A qualified local real estate professional, (e) A local property management company
4. Run the Numbers
I can't stress enough the importance of running the property's cash flow, rates of return, and profitability numbers. Remember, real estate investing is a business, and as the CEO of your investment enterprise, you've got to know what you're buying, especially if you're trying to determine which of several investment opportunities would be the most profitable.
You have two options:
(a) Invest in real estate investment software. This gives you the benefit to discover for yourself the property's cash flow and rates of return, and in turn to create your own analysis reports. Moreover, you gain a broader understanding of real estate investing nuances by running the numbers yourself, and in turn are less likely to be deceived by someone with little concern about how you spend your money.
(b) At the very least, work with a real estate professional that has invested in real estate investment software and can calculate, present, and discuss the property's financial data with you.
5. Develop a Relationship with a Qualified Real Estate Professional
Working with a qualified real estate professional is a great way for beginners to get started with rental property investing because an astute professional can acquaint you with local market conditions, recommend a property that meets your investing objectives, and discuss strengths and weaknesses about specific property performance.
Here's a warning, however: Work with a real estate person who understands investment real estate.
Be sure the agent has a firm grip on key financial measures inherent to real estate investing, knows how to measure profitability and rate of return, has the ability to present the data you need to make wise investment decisions, and, most importantly, shows a genuine interest in how you spend your money. The last thing you want to do is to get involved with a real estate agent that would throw you under the bus just to make a commission.
Here's a good way to interview for an agent. Ask them for the property's cap rate and then request an APOD. If their response (even to these basics) is to stand there looking at you like a deer into the headlights of a car, find another agent.
6. Start Investing
Hopefully, this has given you some insight into real estate investing, highlighted a few things to make you a more prudent real estate investor, and perhaps alerted you to a couple of things that should be avoided.
Okay, that does it for us, now it's time for you to get started. Here's to your success.
James Kobzeff is the developer of ProAPOD Real Estate Investment Software. Discover how to create cash flow, rates of return, and profitability analysis presentations for rental properties in minutes at => www.proapod.com
written by: Leslie J West
Real estate investments are often thought of as get rich quick vehicles. Do not be misled. Landlording is the most familiar form of owning real estate. You buy a house or apartment building and rent it out. Sounds easy, right? Many thought so untill the phone rings in the middle of the night. Rental property and tenants are a lot like being married. If any problems occur you will be affected. Choose both wisely to have a workable "marriage".
You can accrue large amounts of equity by buying and holding property. More importantly, you must manage your cash flows. Rentals easily suck up all the cashflow and then some. Being property rich and cash poor is a common lament. Many landlords live in poverty till they sell in their waning years. That sure seems like a path most will not willingly travel.
Twitter: leslie_seo