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SPSS, Data Mining, Statistical Analysis Software, Predictive Analysis, Predictive Analytics, Decision Support Systems [ Skip Global Navigation ] Search Home Software and Solutions Customers Training Services Store Support Partners News Events About SPSS Welcome to SPSS.com. Click here to login or register on SPSS.com. Regional Web Sites Argentina Australia Austria Belgium Brazil Canada Czech Republic China Denmark Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Ireland Israel Italy Japan Lithuania Mexico Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Russia Slovenia South Africa Spain Sweden Switzerland Turkey United Kingdom United States Enabling the Predictive Enterprise Is your organization a Predictive Enterprise? Companies that use predictive analytics experience a significant return on their investment. Learn more about the ROI that SPSS predictive analytics solutions deliver. Find out why SPSS is uniquely qualified to help your organization become a Predictive Enterprise. After modeling with Predictive Marketing, we were able to reduce our costs by 30 percent. View other customer success stories . Business Solutions Marketing Effectiveness Fraud Detection and Prevention Risk Management Operational Improvement -- Market Research Public Health and Safety Administration and Institutional Research Scientific Research Technologies Business Intelligence for the iSeries Data Mining Predictive Analytics Statistics Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) Survey Research Text Mining Web Analytics Solutions for Your Industry Education Financial Services Government Insurance Market Research Retail Telecommunications All products Papers and Demos Evaluate SPSS for Windows statistical analysis software More papers and demos News Australia's Direct Mail Provider Virid Achieves 200 Percent Campaign Profitability with SPSS Software Read More | Press Releases | News Room | Press Contacts Events Online Seminar: ShowCase Virtual User Group: "Microsoft Excel Add-ins for Essbase", January 26, U.S. Register today | More Events New! SPSS 14.0 Discover the powerful new features of the most recent version of SPSS. Learn more! SPSS Directions User Event Now on two continents! Get more information about Directions 2006 ! New! ShowCase Suite 7.0 New ways to manage your business using flexible analytics and information delivery ! Investor Relations | Worldwide Offices | Site Map | Contact Us | Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy © 2005 SPSS Inc. All rights reserved. SPSS Inc. Headquarters, 233 S. Wacker Drive, 11th floor Chicago, Illinois 60606

Buy Property

Buying Property in France Web TransitionsAbroad.com Home Work Study Travel Living As seen in Transitions Abroad Magazine March/April 2000 Related Topics Living Abroad Related Articles Legal Living in France Moving to France Buying a Home in France Property in France How to Find It, Buy It, And Live in It By Phyllis Cohen Buying property in France is not just for movie stars and celebrities. Ordinary people with a passable knowledge of French (or a friend who speaks it) and a lot of patience can acquire a bit of magic too. But before you attempt it, arm yourself with knowledge of how to find your special place, how to buy it, and how to live in it. Finding the Place As you look for what you want, here are several things to bear in mind: Don’t expect American state-of-the-art appliances, floor layouts, or conveniences. Part of the charm of old buildings is that they are old, and that includes the kitchens and plumbing. Decide if you want a pied-à-terre (a small place where you can comfortably stay for several weeks or months at a time) or a year-round residence. Generally, an apartment is sold with an empty kitchen—four walls and a water outlet. There are stores that will help you design and install your own kitchen, ranging from pre-fabricated cabinets at IKEA to a kitchen created by cuisinistes . Get at least three estimates as well as references before selecting your vendor. If you will be in a city, decide whether or not you will have a car. Parking in Paris is difficult; having a parking place can greatly increase the resale value of your place. France offers a wide variety of locales. Before you go to the effort of buying something, you really need to explore. Paris itself is divided into 20 arrondissements , each with its own character. If you are willing to live in the banlieue , or suburbs, prices drop dramatically. Properties in the countryside are considerably cheaper. Finding the right house or flat is more complicated than in the U.S. There is no such thing as Multiple Listings in France. Only 30 percent of real estate transactions occur with the help of realtors; the rest are directly between buyer and seller. As a foreigner, you might be more comfortable working through an agent, or agent immobilier , who knows the laws of France. Getting Started Let’s say you’ve decided to buy an appartement in Paris. Walk the streets to find an area you like, then hunt down some agencies that look promising. You can also check out the listings and realtors in various magazines, newspapers, and on the Internet. There is relatively little new construction in Paris. Those apartment complexes that are being developed are usually sold when ground is first broken; in other words, you basically buy an apartment two years before it is completed. Occasionally, you will find almost-completed apartments listed in newspapers and real estate magazines.If you are truly brave, you can buy a place at auction. Notices appear in newspapers such as Le Figaro and the International Herald Tribune. Let the buyer beware. At least take an architect with you when you go to look at the offering. Reading Listings No matter where you find your listings, they will all be posted as À Louer (For Rent) and À Vendre (To Buy). They will also tell you what arrondissement (if in Paris) or département (if in the rest of the country) the property is located in. Perhaps most importantly, they will give you the size in square meters and the number of rooms. Most apartments in Paris are small. Studios are 100-200 square feet, some smaller. Three-bedroom apartments are frequently under 1,000 square feet. Listings will tell you how many rooms there are other than the kitchen. A studio is one room. A one-bedroom apartment will have two pièces, or two rooms, plus the kitchen. Bedrooms are almost uniformly small, while the living rooms are comparatively large. Bear in mind that the French follow the European convention of counting the first floor as the ground floor (Rez-de-Chauseé or RdC); the second floor in American terminology is the first floor in Europe. Generally, the higher the floor, the more expensive the property. Closing the Deal Once you have decided on a place you like at a mutually-agreed upon price, you and the seller sign a document known as a promesse de vente . This is a legally binding document that confirms that the seller must sell the property to the buyer. The buyer, however, has 11 days to change his mind. The seller must also provide to the buyer an accurate floor plan of the apartment or house. All sales in France are conducted with notaires. Both the buyer and seller has his own notaire and they confirm that all aspects of the sale are done according to law. If you are buying a condominium, there will be a set of rules that govern the building. As an owner, you are a co-proprietaire and are bound by the laws of the building. Owners collectively determine such things as whether you are allowed to install a satellite antenna on your balcony, whether the building as a whole will subscribe to cable TV, how often and how much money will be spent on repainting the walls, etc. Do not make the mistake (as we did) of not personally reading all regulations before you sign. As a foreigner, it is advisable to hire an avocat , or lawyer, who specializes in real estate. In case of a disagreement, you are far better off having someone who knows the law and knows how to speak French. Tax Considerations Before buying property in France, you should know that the Government of France has very specific inheritance laws. By law, on your death your property is divided equally between your spouse and your surviving children. There are some steps you can take to ensure that the surviving spouse can continue to live in the house or flat. Speak with a lawyer about this before you buy the property. You will pay between 8 and10 percent in taxes and fees. If you buy an apartment less than five years old, however, you will pay only 3 to 5 percent or less. Ask also about property taxes, which tend to be less in Paris than in the country. Generally, you will be responsible for both a land and a habitation tax. A larger question is your residency status. If you reside in France full time and earn a living here, you will become part of the French social system. The taxes are extraordinarily high (more than 50 percent). Again, you should seek the advice of a tax attorney who is familiar with both the American and French taxation systems. You can get a list of attorneys from the U.S. Consulate. Financing If you are able to pay cash for your new home, you will not need a mortgage, and many properties for sale in the country might well be within reach of your savings kitty. If you need a mortgage, things become a bit more complicated. A French bank will issue a mortgage to expats as long as you can show regular income. By French law the total of all of your mortgage payments worldwide cannot be more than 30 percent of your total income.Lastly, you must have mortgage insurance for a large mortgage and a physical examination at the bank’s expense. If you do not fall neatly into an income category (e.g., you are retired without a fixed income), Banque Woolwich is a good resource. The staff are used to dealing with expats and speak excellent English (Banque Woolwich, 9, rue Boudreau, 75009 Paris; 011-331-42-684-221, fax 011-331-474- 203-23; www.woolwich.co.uk ). Mary Fort is branch manager.The good news is that mortgages in France currently have excellent rates. Most mortgages (or “prets”) are for 15 years and currently run 4.5 percent annually. Once you are here in France, an excellent book to read is At Home in Paris , published by the Junior Service League of Paris. It gives all sorts of hints on differences of living in the States versus France (like how to make sure your laundry pipes don’t clog up with deposits). Living in France is a free publication, in English, that gives useful information on housing, employment, banking, insurance, etc. It can be found at various establishments around Paris that cater to foreigners. To absorb the flavor of a buying experience, read Peter Mayle’s A Year in Provence or Francis Mayes’ Under the Tuscan Sun. Both give agonizingly accurate pictures of the adventure of buying property abroad. All in all, buying property in France might seem like a daunting experience, but it is not an unpleasant one. Contrary to France’s reputation of being inhospitable to foreigners, we have found the opposite to be true. With the notable exception of a few surly cab drivers, we have found the French to be polite and helpful. And as we take our evening walks across the Alexander III bridge we can’t help but be amazed that a small part of this City of Lights belongs to us! Real Estate Listings De Particulier A Particulier (From Buyer to Seller), published weekly on Thursdays, is the most popular nationwide resource. L’Hebdo Immobilier (Weekly Realtor), published weekly on Wednesdays, also has an Internet site at www.immobilierenfrance.com . Demeures de France, a bi-monthly publication that specializes in upscale offerings, is in English and in French and also has an Internet site at www.demeures.com . Demeures de Charme is similar to Demeures de France, and is also in English and in French. FUSAC , a bi-weekly free publication for English-speaking residents of Paris, has advertisements for rentals, purchases, and agencies which can help you do either. FUSAC is available at many locations around the city including W.H. Smith and Brentano’s, two English-language bookstores. PHYLLIS COHEN and her husband Bob have taken a year off from their software company, packed their bags, and moved to Paris (See " Moving to France " in the January February Issue of Transitions Abroad Magazine). Web TransitionsAbroad.com Home Work Study Travel Living Disclaimer ©Transitions Abroad

Texas Land Added to

Texas, Land Added to Endangered Bird Haven (TX): The Trust for Public Land - Select State - Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Col... Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Home View by Region Central Chicago Michigan Minnesota Ohio Oklahoma St. Louis Texas Wisconsin Mid-Atlantic New England Northwest & Rockies Southeast West About TPL Support TPL City Parks Research Conservation Services Initiatives Federal Programs Local Programs Newsroom Publications Activities Jobs TPL Store HOME View by Region Central Texas Land Added to Endangered Bird Haven (TX) Contact: Benjamin Larkin, (512) 478-4644; Deborah Holle, (512) 339-9432 Hill Country Views Photo by: AUSTIN, Texas, 3/26/04: The Trust for Public Land (TPL) announced today it has preserved 96 acres of Hill Country terrain, completing the protection of the 457-acre McKeever property. Located about 30 miles northwest of Austin, the property will be included in the Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge. TPL transferred the property from the McKeever family to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for permanent protection and management. The latest tract is a top FWS priority because the land provides ideal habitat for two federally protected songbirds—the golden-cheeked warbler and black-capped vireo. The primary purpose of the refuge is to conserve the nesting habitat for these endangered songbirds and other bird species which visit the area during the annual migration from breeding grounds in the United States and Canada to wintering grounds in Mexico, Central and South America. The property was purchased by FWS with funds from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which was secured by Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas. "We Texans are lovers of nature and the outdoors," Senator Hutchison said. "Protecting our natural habitats and wildlife is a desire we all share. I was proud to help secure these funds to enhance the Texas Hill Country and its wildlife. This effort will help protect the endangered species and unique environment of the Balcones for generations to come." "Protecting such a unique place so close to Austin, with this partnership, has been very special," said Jenny Parks, TPL project manager. "We deeply appreciate the leadership shown by Senator Hutchison, which has helped protect this special place. It is exciting that Texans now have another place where they can experience the fascinating wildlife that pass through this region." "We're thrilled to have added this ideal songbird habitat to the Balcones Canyonlands Refuge, rather than lose it to development," said Deborah Holle, refuge manager. "We value our partnership with the Trust for Public Land, and are hopeful that this relationship will continue to produce significant conservation achievements for Balcones, and allow us to provide more recreational opportunities for generations to come." The McKeever property—owned jointly by three brothers: Grant, Clark, and John, has been owned by the McKeever family for more than 50 years and has been used for ranching and family recreation. In 2002, after meeting with officials from the FWS, TPL crafted a deal with the brothers to convey shares of their property to the Balcones Refuge for permanent protection. "This has always been a special place for our family, and we're very happy that we can now share it with others," said John McKeever, part-owner of the property. "There's so much to explore out here and no other place quite like it in the state." The Balcones Canyonlands NWR was established in 1992. Currently, only 19,000 acres of the 46,000 acres needed to complete the Refuge have been preserved. Additional funds are being sought this year from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund to purchase other significant bird habitat lands to be included in the refuge. The golden-cheeked warbler is a migratory bird that nests in only 33 counties in central Texas. Male warblers arrive in mid-March and establish territories of 3 to 6 acres. Females arrive a few days later and quickly select their mates. Male warblers sing loud and vigorously defend their territories in order to attract females. By the end of July, the warblers fly to the mountainous areas of southern Mexico and to the east-central Guatemala through Honduras to Nicaragua. During the winter, the Black-capped Vireo is found on the West Coast of Mexico. Often returning to the same area in subsequent years, male vireos arrive in Texas from late March to mid-April and set up territories that average 2 to 4 acres. Females chose mates as soon as possible after they arrive. Together, they build a single nest and participate in the incubation of the eggs. From August to September, the songbirds migrate back to Mexico for the winter. The Trust for Public Land is a national nonprofit land conservation organization that conserves land for people to enjoy as parks, gardens, and natural places, ensuring livable communities for generations to come. Since its founding in 1972, TPL has helped protect more than 1.9 million acres of land in 45 states. In Texas, TPL has protected more than 26,000 acres for communities, including areas in and around Austin, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio. The Trust for Public Land depends on the support and generosity of individuals, foundations, and businesses to achieve our land for people mission. Contact Us | Home | Donate Now | Site Map © 2005 The Trust for Public Land. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy

Denver Real Estate Lawyers

Spotlight: Denver Real Estate Lawyers on Denver Citysearch 7 BOC Spa & Beauty: 7 days till voting begins -- New to Citysearch? Sign In · Help · Dec 29 2005 Home Restaurants Bars & Clubs Hotels Shopping Spa & Beauty Movies Events See More Categories » Search Business name, category, and/or keyword Search by name only Address, city & state, or zip | Neighborhood Address, city & state, or zip | Neighborhood Address, city & state, or zip | Airport Address, city & state, or zip | Attraction Select a Denver Neighborhood Adams County Arvada Aurora Boulder Broomfield Castle Rock Central Denver Cherry Creek Colorado Springs Denver Intnl Airport Denver Tech Ctr Downtown Englewood Evergreen Golden Highlands Ranch Lakewood Littleton Longmont Louisville Park Meadows Parker South Denver Westminster Select an Denver Airport Select an Denver Attraction My Locations Add/edit locations Recent Locations Clear recent locations Spotlight: Denver Real Estate Lawyers Find top real estate lawyers in Denver. Citysearch has recommendations, ratings, tips and more for real estate lawyers in and around Denver. On This Page: Real Estate Lawyers Real Estate Lawyers Back to Top Drantch, Mitchel S - Mitchel S Drantch Law Offices 1780 S Bellaire St Ste 584, Denver, CO Lees, Robert A - Robert A Lees & Associates 5290 DTC Pkwy Ste 150, Greenwood Vlg, CO Meinhold, Don H. - Castle Meinhold & Stawiarski, LLC 102 N Cascade Ave Ste 350, Colorado Springs, CO Lewis, Robert - Ducker Montgomery & Lewis 1560 Broadway Ste 1400, Denver, CO Castle Meinhold & Stawiarski, LLC 999 18th Street, Suite 2201, Denver, CO Holt, Jennifer Ilene - Jennifer Ilene Holt Suite 2525, 1660 Lincoln Street, Denver, CO Ducker, Montgomery, Aronstein & Bess, P.C. Suite 1400, 1560 Broadway, Denver, CO Kerr Brosseau Bartlett O'Brien, LLC 1600 Broadway, Suite 1600, Denver, CO Bennington Johnson Biermann & Craigmile, LLC 370 17th Street Suite 3500, Denver, CO Stutz, Miller & Urtz, LLC 1660 Lincoln Street Suite 2850, Denver, CO Fowler, Schimberg and Flanagan, Professional Corporation 1640 Grant Street, Suite 300, Denver, CO Holland & Hart LLP 555 Seventeenth Street Suite 3200, Denver, CO Pryor Johnson Carney Karr Nixon, P.C. 5619 DTC Parkway, Suite 1200, Denver, CO Jacobs, Paul - Jacobs Chase Frick Kleinkopf 1050 17TH St Ste 1500, Denver, CO Go to Website McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter, LLP 1700 Broadway, Suite 1900, Denver, CO Castle, Lawrence E - Castle Meinhold Stawiarski LLC 1099 18TH St Ste 1600, Denver, CO Myer, Swanson, Adams & Wolf, P.C. 1600 Broadway, Suite 1480, Denver, CO Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP 1550 Seventeenth Street, Denver, CO Thomas N. Scheffel & Associates, P.C. 3801 East Florida Avenue, Suite 600, Denver, CO Plotkin, John C. - Sterling & Gregory, LLC 1331 17TH St Ste 602, Denver, CO Related links: Search anything in Denver · Search Yellow Pages in Denver · Search other Cities · Browse Other Denver Editorial Lists About Us | Advertise with Us | Contact Us | Press Center | Site Guide | List Your Business on Citysearch | Become an Affiliate | Job Opportunities | Other Cities | Get a Business Website | Submit an Event | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Denver Yellow Pages Citysearch is a registered trademark of 720619 Ontario Inc. and is used under license (C) 2005 Citysearch.com All rights reserved. partner sites: Evite - Entertainment.com - Gifts.com - TripAdvisor - ServiceMagic - Ticketmaster - Expedia - Hotels.com - Hotwire - HSN - LendingTree - Match.com - RealEstate.com - ReserveAmerica - Zerodegrees - CondoSaver - ClassicVacations - Ballard Designs - Frontgate - Garnet Hill - Smith+Noble - The Territory Ahead - Travel Smith

HOME LOAN? The two

Veteran Home Loans from the VA Mortgage Center 800-405-6682 Contact Why a VA Loan? Pre-Qualify VA Loan SHOULD I GET A VETERAN HOME LOAN? The two main reasons for using your eligibility to obtain a VA home loan are because it can save you a great deal of money and it is much easier for you to qualify for one of these loans at a low rate. Pre-qualify now for a VA Loan A VA Home Loan can save you money by giving you an excellent rate, with no monthly mortgage insurance. And since it is easier to qualify for a VA military loan as compared to a conventional mortgage, individuals with poor credit are given a large advantage by using their eligibility for a VA Loan. BENEFITS OF VETERAN HOME LOANS There is zero down payment required when purchasing a home. If you have bad credit, you are likely to get a much lower rate with a VA loan compared to a conventional loan (and if you have been improving your credit history for the past year, you may be able to get the same low interest rates that are available to those with good credit. Even with a Loan-to-Value of 100%, there is no monthly Mortgage Insurance required for a VA home loan. The VA mortgage loan is guaranteed with no money down for any loan up to $359,650. VA mortgage loans are often assumable. VA has released a hybrid ARM product. Veterans now have a choice of a Fixed rate or an Adjustable rate VA mortgage. Individuals with poor credit are more likely to qualify for a loan and, most of the time, you will see significant savings as a result of a lower rate on your loan (the VA also offers extra benefits for disabled veterans). Find out how much you can save with a VA Loan. ARE THERE ANY FEES FOR A VA MORTGAGE LOAN? There is a Funding Fee required by the Department of Veteran Affairs that varies between 0-3.3% of the amount of the military loan depending on your current Veteran Status. The funding fee is added into the total loan amount, so the borrower is not required to pay this out of pocket. To determine the exact funding fee, see the funding fee chart . Benefits for disabled veterans dictate that if you are 10% or more disabled due to active military service, you will not be required to pay a funding fee. Those which are required to have a funding fee may lower their fee by putting money down on their VA home purchase. WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO GET A VA LOAN You will need a certificate of eligibility to qualify. Whether you are a first time user or you have used your eligibility in the past, you must have your certificate. A certificate can be mailed directly to you if you fill out this short form . If you have your Certificate of Eligibility, you can Pre-qualify for a VA home purchase VA LOAN SPECIALIST If you have questions or if you want to determine if a Veteran Home Loan is actually the best financial decision for you, you may get advice from a VA mortgage specialist online or call 800-405-6682 . Read more about the Veterans Benefit Act of 2004 . "This was our first home purchase, but Nathan and the other folks at VA Mortgage Center helped eliminate any concerns we had from day one. They answered all our questions, and qualified us for a home that fit perfectly within our budget. Thank you for helping us take a step towards achieving our financial goals!" Jesse Jacobs- E-2- Private First Class MCB Camp Lejeune- North Carolina Read More Testimonials about VA Mortgage Center VA Loan Information VA Loan FAQs VA Loan VA Loan Qualification Home Purchase VA Refinance Cash-Out Refinance Contact Us Privacy Policy The VA Mortgage Center is a private lender specializing in Veteran Home loans , we are NOT affiliated with any government agency. We originate loans in most states . But in order for us to best serve our customers, the VA Mortgage Center may share customer information with trusted affiliates. We aim to provide you with the best financial advice possible as well as help you determine how you can get the best rates on your loan.