Investment Property Consumer Focus:

FCIC - Consumer Focus -- SITE SEARCH: Books Resources 1-888-8 PUEBLO (1-888-878-3256) Home Consumer Focus Archive Owning a Second Home or Investment Property Consumer Focus: Owning a Second Home or Investment Property Owning a Second Home or Investment Property For various reasons, the idea of owning a second home or investing in property is on many people's minds nowadays. Some dream of having a second home in a more moderate climate. Others, wishing to diversify their investments, are considering real estate because of continued record low mortgage interest rates. If you're interested in the idea, but not sure how to get started, we've assembled some helpful information. Second Home or Investment Property? Criteria Looking Around The Transaction Additional Responsibilities Financing Other Resources E-mail this Information to A Friend Other Topics in the Consumer Focus Archive Top Second Home or Investment Property? The process will be simpler and smoother if you can make some decisions about your lifestyle, needs, and plans for the property at the beginning. Generally, if you're looking for a place to spend the winters for several months at a time or to take frequent weekend getaways, then you're most likely considering the purchase of a second home. However, if you're looking to generate income or diversify your investments, then you're looking to purchase investment property. Check our web site later this month for more information regarding investment property and how to be a landlord. The information below pertains primarily to buying a second home. In either case, you're entitled to different types of tax deductions depending on how you treat the property. Criteria The criteria defining a second home are fairly loose. A second home doesn't necessarily mean a "house." It could be a condominium, a recreational vehicle , or even a boat. Basically, for your second property to be considered a second home by the IRS, it needs to have sleeping accommodations and cooking and toilet facilities. A second home qualifies for the home mortgage interest deduction, just like your primary residence, because you're using the home for personal purposes during the year. Many folks have second homes that are part rental. The catch is that your personal use needs to exceed 14 days or 10 percent of the time it was rented, whichever time length is greater. In addition, if you rent your home for fewer than 15 days a year, and personally use it for more than 15 days a year, you do not need to declare any rental income. Everyone's circumstances are unique. Consult a tax professional regarding deductibility. Top Looking Around Do you want to buy a second home in your favorite vacation area , or a weekend spot not more than a few hours' drive away, but don't know what the market's like? You might want to do some research on the web using Realtor.com or visiting the web sites of the individual real estate companies in the area where you wish to purchase a property. Some real estate-related web sites allow you to tailor your search you select such as price, number of bedrooms/baths, type of home, or location sorted by zip code. If you're considering this home to be your future retirement home, then you also should consider additional factors such as the annual climate. Weather.com allows you to view monthly climatic averages for cities around the country. You also might look for information and articles discussing cost of living or " best places to live for retirees" from groups such as the AARP. The Transaction You'll probably want to work with a local realtor to help with the transaction, especially if you're considering an out-of-state purchase. A knowledgeable realtor should be aware of important factors that could affect your decision. For instance, if the locale you're considering has development restrictions, like those involved with historic districts where strict design, remodeling, or building codes may be enforced. In addition, the agent will do much of the legwork for you and ensure that all the bases are covered during the transaction. Just as you did when you purchased your primary residence, you should still have the property inspected. Take the effort to know your rights . Top Additional Responsibilities Remember, owning a second home is just that-with all the associated responsibilities and expenses that it brings. Check individual state web sites for property taxes. How much maintenance are you willing to take on? If you're not willing to take on a lot of extra maintenance and yard work, consider buying a condo and hiring a property management company. Of course you'll need insurance. In some areas, you may be surprised by the rates you'll need to pay for homeowners insurance . Coastal areas usually have higher premiums due to hurricane risk, and you may need to buy a separate flood insurance policy as well. Financing Just as you did when you bought your primary residence, be sure to have your financial affairs in order before you even begin looking. Get a copy of your credit report and be sure there are no errors, which could delay or hurt your financing options. Also, be prepared to meet some stricter criteria to get the loan. This is because your finances will be stretched more thinly once you take on that second mortgage. Top Other Resources This is just a brief overview. For more information check out these resources: Read these publications online or order them from FCIC: FairCredit Reporting How toBuy a Home With a Low Down Payment How toBuy a Manufactured (Mobile) Home HUDHome Buying Guide Looking for the Best Mortgage-Shop, Compare, Negotiate Twelve Waysto Lower Your Homeowners Insurance Costs Publications available for orderingfrom the Housing Page Publications available for orderingfrom the Money Page Websites*: Department of Housing and UrbanDevelopment Federal Trade Commission Federal Reserve Board FirstGov.gov Public Broadcasting Service AARP Bankrate.com Insurance Information Institute Money.CNN.com NewRVer.com Prudential Realtor.com SmartMoney.com Tax Foundation Weather.com * Names of resources and organizations included in this online article are provided as examples only, and their inclusion does not mean that they are endorsed by the Federal Citizen Information Center or any other Government agency. Also, if a particular resource or organization is not mentioned, this does not mean or imply that it is unsatisfactory. *If you click on these links, you are leaving FCIC's website. Please bookmark us before you leave so you can return easily. FCIC is not responsible for the content of these websites. Top Enjoy this month's Focus? Share this information with a friendand spread the word! Enterrecipient's e-mail address: We will not retain or use this information for any other purpose. For more information on other popular consumer issues check out FCIC's Consumer Focus Archive . Top Import Notices - Site Map - Text Version This service isprovided by the Federal Citizen Information Center of the U.S. General Services Administration . If youhave a comment or question, e-mail us .

Real estate investing Capitalizing

MSN Money - Real estate investing MSN Home Hotmail My MSN Sign In Money S earch MSN Money: Help Home News Banking Investing Planning Taxes My Money Portfolio Loans Insurance Investing Home Portfolio Markets Stocks Funds ETFs Commentary Brokers CNBC TV MSN Money Insight Jubak's Journal SuperModels Start Investing Strategy Lab Company Focus Mutual Funds Street Patrol Other Views Contrarian Chronicles TheStreet.com Resources Commentary Index Decision Centers Start Investing Mutual Funds Find Hot Stocks Simple Strategies Power Tools Investing For Income Real Estate Related Links Expert Picks Market Dispatches CNBC Stock Picks Message Boards Decision Center Real estate investing Capitalizing on great opportunities in real estate Top Story When you -- and the IRS -- flip a condo It's the flipper's dream. You buy a condo, put in lots of hard work and sell it for a big profit. If you're not careful, though, most of the gain could go to your Uncle Sam. Featured tool Portfolio Manager Follow your investments on MSN Money Other tools Top performers Best funds for real estate and other categories Find an adviser Financial help is only a few clicks away Research Wizard Scope out performance of individual REITs Also on MSN Shop for personal finance resources Find books, software and more at MSN Shopping The Basics Do you have what it takes to be a landlord? Ground your retirement fund with real estate How to find good investment property The real risks of investing in real estate More on MSN Money The safest ways to buy foreclosures Real estate clubs ride the housing boom 3 ways you can go broke in real estate More on this topic... Question & Answers What are income properties? What is an equity REIT? What is the gross rent multiplier? What are limited partnerships? Special offers Download Microsoft Money Trial 2005 Free auto insurance quotes Find the right home equity loan advertisement Community Share portfolio resources and investment strategies on Start Investing message board advertisement MSN Money Search MSN Money | Message Boards | Site Status | Site Map © 2005 Microsoft MSN Privacy Legal Advertise Feedback Help

Purchase Property

Shanghai Metropolis Property Consultants Co Ltd - Real Estate Listings Shanghai Metropolis Real Estate Brokerage Co., LTD. established 19 96 For Prompt c ustomer s ervice Please Contact: Tel : (86-21) 1391-651-2856 1390-188-9564, (86-21) 6210-9150 6210-9157 Fax:(86-21)6210-8716 e-mail : info@metropolis.sina.net SHANGHAI PURCHASE REAL ESTATE LISTINGS APARTMENTLISTINGS Real Estate & Relocation Services OFFICELISTINGS Rental Property Listings for Shanghai-Pu Dong Office, Apt & Villa Shanghai-Pu Dong Property Photo Gallery VILLALISTINGS Multiple Listing Property Viewings & Shanghai-Pu Dong City Tours Maps of Shanghai-Pu Dong Metropolis Real Estate Consultants has additionalShanghai Apartment, Villa and Office Purchase Properties not listed belowin its Shanghai Real Estate Price Guide. If you wish to receive a freemonthly updated copy : please e-mail back to Metropolis Real Estate Consultants. This articleappeared in Business Weekly Newspaper Feb 25-Mar 03, 2003 Shanghai s housing prices keep going up Stable growth stimulates strong housing demand Shanghai: Local property prices, boosted by the bullish market and strong demand, are likely to continue climbing this year. In general, Shanghais property market is stable healthy, there are no bubble in it, said Pan Jianxin, director general of Shanghais statistics bureau. Investments in Shanghai property market last year reached 72 billion yuan (US$8.7 billion), or about half of the citys total fixed investments. Output of the property industry rose 14.5 per cent year-on-year, higher than the 10.9 per cent growth in GDP (gross domestic product). The sector, one of the citys six industrial pillars, made up 6.9 per cent of Shanghais GDP, compared with 6.4 per cent in 2001. Property prices grew 10 per cent last year. Forty-five per cent of that growth came from developments priced 3,000-5,000 yuan (US$605-846) and 20 per cent from more expensive properties. That momentum is expected to continue this year as Shanghai s general economy maintains a 10-per-cent growth rate. The citys per capita GDP is expected to reach US$5,300. Shanghai Residential Development Bureau predicts the city will witness investments totoalliong58 billion yuan (US$ 7 billion) this year in the residential sector. That would be a 24.3 per cent increase over last years 56.3 billion yuan (US$6.81 billion). Construction of 18 million square meters of residential development will begin this year, and 18 million square meters of floor area well completed. Increased supply s not expect to affect prices, as many developers involved in renovation projects received their permits late last year and their projects will not be completed until the years second half. There is still room for rising price given current development costs and supply and demand, suggests officials with Shanghai Zhongyuan Real Estate. Improvements in housing quality including designs, new construction materials and techniques and government control over development of floor space will drive up prices. Consumers from outside Shanghai have helped push up prices. In 2002, they bought 53.6 per cent of the high-end residential apartments and 29 per cent of mid-range apartments. Many of them buy properties as investments. Most of the outside buyers were from Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. Prices for second-hand apartments have also rise rapidly in the past year, due largely to high prices for new apartments and the costly rent. As the central government has released a ban on leasing land to build villas in urban areas, prices for villas will grow steadily, analysts predict. Developers remain upbeat about Shanghais property market and, lured by high profit margins, they will continue trying the high-end market, analysts predict. Hong Kong developers have helped boost confidence in Shanghais property market. Major companies including Sun Huang Kai, Hang Lung, New World, Hutchison Whampoa and Shui On recently decided to increased their investments, worth about 25 billion yuan (US$3 billion) in the city, Shanghai Morning Post reported. The trend will continue as people seek great opportunities in Shanghai, which is preparing to host the 2010 World Expo, and which is focusing on renovating the banks of the Huangpu River, market insiders said. To fend off possible overheating of the market, Shanghais municipal government has announced several measures, said official with Jones Lang Lasalles, a property advisory company. The title deed tax for the purchase of general residential housing was raised in September to 1.5 per cent from 0.75 per cent. Income tax deduction for home purchases will end in May. People are likely to see mild rises in the prices, until possible 2010, said Zhang Hongming, a local property expert. HOME

Buy Home

How to Buy a HUD Home Housing About Housing Contact us Keywords Single Family Audience groups Buying a home Events & training FHA insured loans Common questions Housing counseling HUD homes/ REO Owning a home Reference guide Regulatory programs Hospitals Multifamily OAHP Reading room Online forums Work online HUD news Homes Communities Working with HUD Resources Tools Webcasts Mailing lists Contact us Help FAQs About Buying HUD Homes Information by State Esta página en español Print version Email this to a friend Question 1: What is a "HUD Home"? Answer: When someone with a HUD insured mortgage can't meet the payments, the lender forecloses on the home; HUD pays the lender what is owed; and HUD takes ownership of the home. Then we sell it at market value as quickly as possible. Question 2: Who can buy a HUD home? Answer: Almost anyone! If you have the cash or can qualify for a mortgage, subject to certain restrictions, you may buy a HUD home. HUD employees and relatives of HUD employees are eligible, but must receive written approval from the Director of HUD's Office of Single Family Asset Management in order to purchase a HUD-owned single family property. HUD employees should refer to paragraph 10-29C of Handbook 4310.5, REV-2, Property Disposition Handbook-One to Four Family Properties for the exact requirements to purchase a HUD-owned single family property. Other less common restrictions may apply. Question 3: Are HUD Homes meant for people with low incomes? Answer: HUD homes range in price, but most are affordable for low- and moderate-income Americans. Question 4: Is it true I can get a HUD Home for a dollar? Answer: No. HUD sells homes at market value - that means that the price is set based on the price of similar homes sold in the area. Question 5: If the HUD Home needs repairs, will HUD make them? Answer: HUD Homes are sold "as-is," without warranty. That means that HUD will not pay to correct any problems. But even if a HUD Home needs fixing up - and not all of them do - it can be a real bargain! For example, HUD's asking price on the home will reflect the fact that the buyer will have to invest money to make improvements. HUD might offer special incentives such as an allowance to upgrade the property, a moving expense allowance, or a bonus for closing the sale early. And keep in mind that on most sales, the buyer can request HUD to pay all or a portion of the financing and closing costs. Your real estate agent will have details. We encourage you to get the home professionally inspected before you make an offer so you will know what repairs you may have to make BEFORE you submit your bid. Question 6: How do I buy a HUD home? Answer: Start by finding a participating real estate agent. Your real estate agent must submit your bid for you. Normally, HUD Homes are sold in an "Offer Period." At the end of the Offer Period, all offers are opened and, basically, the highest reasonable bid is accepted. If the home isn't sold in the initial Offer Period, you can submit a bid until the home is sold. Bids can be submitted any day of the week, including weekends and holidays. They will be opened the next business day. If your bid is acceptable to HUD, your real estate agent will be notified, usually within 48 hours. Question 7: If my bid is accepted, what happens next? Answer: Your real estate agent will help you through the paperwork process. You'll be given a settlement date, normally within 30-60 days, by which you need to arrange financing and close the sale, or forfeit your earnest money deposit, or pay for an extension of your sales contract. We have an excellent booklet to help you understand the settlement process: " Buying Your Home - Settlement Costs and Helpful Information . When you buy a HUD Home, the selling agent's commission will be paid by HUD but only if you make this a condition of your offer. The listing agent's commission is always paid by HUD. HUD will pay a total sales commission of up to 6%. Question 8: How can I find out what HUD Homes are for sale? Answer: Right here! We update our lists of HUD Homes for sale every day. If you see one that interests you, contact one of the real estate agents in your area who shows HUD homes. They can help you from there. Question 9: How can I get a loan to buy a HUD Home? Answer: HUD doesn't make loans directly. But we do have a number of mortgage insurance programs that could help you buy a home. You can read about those programs . Then contact a HUD approved lender , who will take you through the steps and actually make the loan. Question 10: Can I buy a HUD Home as an investment? Answer: Most HUD Homes are initially offered on a priority basis to owner occupant purchasers (people who are buying the home as their primary residence). Following the priority period, unsold properties are then available to all buyers, including investors. Question 11: Is there anything else I should know about HUD Homes? Answer: We encourage every homebuyer and homeowner to be a wise consumer, so be sure to read our consumer information . Houses built before 1978 may have lead-based paint , which can cause harm to your family; so be sure to read about this hazard and about what you would need to do to correct it. Teachers and law enforcement officers qualify for 50% discounts in certain situations. Attention: Nonprofits and Government Agencies! HUD has a special sales program under which approved nonprofit organizations and government agencies may purchase properties at discounted prices for use in local housing or homeless programs. Content updated March 16, 2005 Back to top FOIA Privacy Web Policies and Important Links Home U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development 451 7th Street S.W., Washington, DC 20410 Telephone: (202) 708-1112 TTY: (202) 708-1455 Find the address of a HUD office near you

Home Mortgage

Refinance your Home Mortgage Loan or Home Purchase Loan for Debt Consolidation Ameriquest offers home purchase and mortgage refinanceloans. Refinance today to consolidate debt, lower your monthly paymentsand get cash out. Call for a Loan Today: 1-800-397-9937 Search Loan Purpose Refinance Consolidate debt Cash out Improve my home Purchase a home Other State AK AL AR AZ CA CO CT DC DE FL GA HI IA ID IL IN KS KY LA MA MD ME MI MN MO MS MT NC ND NE NH NJ NM NV NY OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VA VT WA WI WV WY Ameriquest Racing Ameriquest announces its primary sponsorship of Roush Racing® in the 2006 NASCAR® Busch Series . >> Learn More RollingStones A Bigger Bang Get tour dates and other info about their 2005 North America tour . >> LearnMore Ameriquest In Your Community Making a Difference Where We Live! We support numerous community initiatives and encourage employees to participate in a range of worthy causes. >> Learn More Hurricane Katrina/Rita Assistance Ameriquest is committed to helping those affected by the hurricanes. Customers: If you have an Ameriquest loan and you have been impacted by the hurricanes, please call (800) 430-5262. >> Read More Associates: We are concerned about the well-being of our associates and we’re standing by to assist. If we haven’t been in contact with you since the disaster, please contact us at (800) 640-5262. Ameriquest has partnered with HomeAid. Join us in contributing to the Gulf Coast Rebuilding Fund. Use Our Online Calculators To: CONSOLIDATE YOUR DEBT PAY OFF YOUR MORTGAGE BY RETIREMENT REFINANCE AND GET CASH BACK LEARN WHAT YOUR CREDIT CARDS ARE COSTING YOU Find a Local Branch We have more than 150 locations nationwide. Zip Code AsSeen in Money Magazine Mortgages 101: A Pocket Guide to Netting the Mortgage That's Right for You >> DownloadNow Best Practices Ameriquest is leadingthe industry with their Best Practices Policy. >> ReadMore Ameriquest Mortgage Company is an Equal Housing Lender. Licensing | Legal © 2005 Ameriquest Mortgage Company. Trade/servicemarks are the property of Ameriquest Mortgage Company and/or its subsidiaries. All rights reserved. Ameriquest Mortgage Company, 1100 Town & Country Rd. Suite 1100, Orange, California 92868. (714) 541-9960. Refinance with Ameriquest Mortgage Company Ameriquest Mortgage Company specializes in refinance loans, homemortgage loans, and new home purchases. Ameriquest Mortgage can help you consolidate your debt and lower your monthly payments , evenif you have less than perfect credit or bad credit . Ameriquest Mortgage gives you everything you need to get the loan that's right for you – including your own Personal Mortgage Specialist . Fill out our easy loan request form and a local Mortgage Specialist will contact you about your loan options .They'll help you fill out all your paperwork, even your loan application . Refinance Now Refinance now while mortgage rates are still low. Getthe cash you need to make home improvements and consolidatedebt . Your overall monthly payments will be reduced and mayeven be tax deductible . Compare our interest rates with other top mortgage lenders such as ING Direct , eLoan , Countrywide , New Century , Full Spectrum , Ditech.com , and IndyMac Bank . Ameriquest Mortgage is a sponsor of Major League Baseball(MLB) including these teams: Padres, Angels, Dodgers, A's, Mariners,Twins, Orioles, Nationals, Mets, Astons, Rangers, Marlins and the DevilRays. Ameriquest Mortgage is a sponsor of the New York Jets National Football League (NFL) team. Ameriquest Mortgage is the sponsor of the Miller Lite / Ameriquestdragster, driven by Larry Dixon and owned by Don "the Snake"Prudhomme for the NHRA . Ameriquest Mortgage is the title sponsor of the Ameriquest300 NASCAR Busch Series race (September 3, 2006 at California Speedway.) Ameriquest Mortgage Company is proud to present the RollingStones A Bigger Bang Tour. The tour will visit more than 25 citiesin North America and kicked off August 21 in Boston's Fenway Park. Enterour sweepstakes for a chance to win a trip for two to see RollingStones live in concert. The LuisMiguel Mexico En La Piel Tour is presented by Ameriquest MortgageCompany . As seen in Money Magazine . Download ourMortgages 101 booklet. This pocket guide will help you find the mortgagethat's right for you. At Ameriquest , we support numerous nonprofit initiatives includingHabitat for Humanity, Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Fulfillment Fund.Ameriquest also has 2 airships (blimps), AmeriquestAirship 'Freedom' and AmeriquestSoaring Dreams Airship . You may have also seen our Do the Math Infomercial with Chuck Woolery where the benefits of Refinancing are easy as 1, 2, 3. Calculate how much you can lower your monthlypayments by refinancing – and hear from real people who'vedone it themselves. Ameriquest Mortgage offers other consumer tools including a MortgageDictionary , and various mortgage calculators . Find AmeriquestMortgage.com and Ameriquest.com on themajor search engines and sites such as Google , Yahoo , MSN , AOL , Ask Jeeves , and Ebay . Ameriquest has over 150 local branches nationwide andoffers local branch listings includingdirections served by MapQuest . To request a loan , you canvisit one of our local branches , call us toll free at 800-397-9937or click here .