Real Estate Investing Effective

5 Steps To Successful Real Estate Investing Add URL RLROUSE Directory & Informational Resources Site Map Home Add URL SEO Toolkit SEO Blog Webmaster / SEO Info Featured Stores Featured Text Listings Birdhouses Birdfeeders Great Recipes Articles -> Personal Finance -> Birding -> Crafts -> Lawn & garden -> Webmaster -> PC technology -> Steps to success -> Travel -> Your health -> The 50 US States -> Bluegrass Music -> Picture of the day -> Submit article Freebies Privacy policy Contact us Link to us Newsletter About us Recommend Advertise with us Site map 5 Steps To Successful Real Estate Investing Effective real estate investment strategies As the stock market continues having its ups and downs, more and more investors are looking for alternatives. Often they turn to real estate investing , the "safe" place to invest their money. But not so fast! Sadly, the majority of real estate investors have received little useful information and/or bad real estate investment advice. They jump right in and work extremely hard, only to lose most or all of their huge investment. "Real estate investing isn't a one-size-fits-all proposition, so it's wise to lay a good foundation before laying down your cash," explains Vena Jones-Cox, also known as the "Reliable Real Estate Expert". Over the years, she has compiled this series of steps that every real estate investor should follow: Join a Real Estate Investment Association There is no book you can read, no course you can take, and no experience you can acquire on your own that can even come close to the real estate education you'll get by spending time around people who are already buying, selling, and managing properties. The successes and failures of real-life real estate investors will teach you more (and motivate you more) than even the most complete classroom education you can find. Decide what you want in regards to your real estate investing No, that doesn't simply mean "I want to buy properties." Buying properties is simply a way to achieve your actual goals: quick cash, increased cash flow, retirement income, tax advantages, etc. Setting realistic goals for your real estate business at the outset allows you to concentrate on the properties, areas, sellers, and exit strategies that are most likely to meet those goals. Decide which real estate investment strategies will get you there most efficiently There are only five basic real estate exit strategies to choose from: retail, wholesale, lease/option, sell with owner financing, and rent. Once you have decided what you want to do (refer to step 2), your choice of exit strategies will suddenly be pretty limited. For instance, if your goal is wealth building or passive income, the retail and wholesale strategies won't work for you. If you need fast cash to pay off consumer debt or build capital for long-term investments, renting properties is the wrong way to achieve this goal. Your available real estate strategies will also be limited by your education, personality, and available assets. By the time you closely examine your goals, assets, and liabilities, you should be able to decide upon a single strategy for buying and making money from real estate properties. Determine and acquire the knowledge and skills you'll need to make your real estate investment strategies work Any basic book on a particular real estate investment strategy will show you the skill set you'll need in order to make money using that strategy. You don't need to know how tenant-landlord law works or how to manage properties if you plan to retail or wholesale, but if your strategy is to rent or lease/option, these are extremely important to know. On the other hand, some skills are vital no matter which real estate investment strategy you use. These skills include the ability to determine the value of properties, find motivated sellers, negotiate with sellers, and put your offer together. Make a list of the things you'll need to learn in order to make your strategy work, then figure out how you're going to get that information. There are endless books, workshops, home-study courses, and videotapes about virtually any real estate related topic you can imagine. Once you know what information you need, finding it will be no problem. Make lots of offers, even before you're really sure you know what you're doing Vena has taught a lot of classes to lots of new real estate investors, and she's discovered something interesting: those who haven't spent some time actually practicing looking at properties, evaluating them, and making real offers have very unrealistic ideas about what's going to happen when they do. Most beginners have preconceived ideas about the objections sellers will pose to their offers that bear no actual relationship to the objections they ultimately end up raising. They have fears about not being able to find or evaluate comparable properties. They think they'll miss the repairs the properties need when in fact they are usually fairly obvious. In a nutshell, until you've actually gotten your feet wet in the real estate market, you simply don't know what you don't know. You can't make money in real estate without making real offers, and you'll never acquire the knowledge you need to become a successful real estate investor until you get the real-life experience that only comes from making offers. The more quickly you take the steps above, even if you aren't sure you know what you're doing, the faster you'll move from a wannabe to a real-life real estate investor! About the author: Vena Jones-Cox, also known as the "Reliable Real Estate Expert," is a frequent lecturer at real estate investment groups throughout the country. She also hosts the popular weekly call-in public radio program "Real Life Real Estate Investing." Visit her at www.REGoddess.com . More Interesting Articles Elib Directory : devoted to Internet Commerce. 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Find Real Estate, Rentals, New Houses, Real Estate Agents and Mortgages on Yahoo! Real Estate Find Real Estate, Rentals, New Houses, Real Estate Agents and Mortgages Choose Location Home Homes for Sale Apartments for Rent Home Loans Moving & Insurance Tools My Real Estate Hurricane Katrina Resources Features Classifieds • Sell Your Home • Rent Your Apartment Home Loans • Mortgage Rates • Online Rate Quotes • Refinance Loans & Rates • Home Equity Loans & Rates • Free Credit Reports Resources • Find & Compare REALTORS • Find a Mover Insurance • Homeowner's Insurance • Renter's Insurance Tools • What's My Home Worth? • Research Neighborhoods • Free School Reports • Foreclosure Center • Home Service Center Commercial Real Estate • List Commercial Property National Mortgage Rates Thu Dec 29 Mtg Loan Rate APR 30-yr Fixed: 5.70% 5.88% 15-yr Fixed: 5.27% 5.57% 1-yr ARM: 4.53% 6.89% See Local Mortgage Rates Provided by Bankrate.com Neighborhood Profile Research neighborhoods nationwide! City, State, or Zip: Real Estate Listings Browse by City New! Home Loans Center - Find, Compare, & Graph Rates Find a Home Find a Rental City & State, or Zip: Price Range: $0 $30,000 $50,000 $80,000 $100,000 $125,000 $150,000 $175,000 $200,000 $225,000 $250,000 $275,000 $300,000 $350,000 $400,000 $450,000 $500,000 $550,000 $650,000 $750,000 $850,000 $1 million $1.25 million $1.5 million $1.75 million $2 million $2.25 million $2.75 million $3 million $3.5 million $4 million $4.5 million $5 million $6 million $8 million $10 million to No limit $30,000 $50,000 $80,000 $100,000 $125,000 $150,000 $175,000 $200,000 $225,000 $250,000 $275,000 $300,000 $350,000 $400,000 $450,000 $500,000 $550,000 $650,000 $750,000 $850,000 $1 million $1.25 million $1.5 million $1.75 million $2 million $2.25 million $2.75 million $3 million $3.5 million $4 million $4.5 million $5 million $6 million $8 million $10 million Beds: Any 1+ 2+ 3+ 4+ 5+ Baths: Any 1+ 1 1/2+ 2+ 3+ 4+ 5+ Search For: Existing Homes Yahoo! Classifieds New Homes Foreclosures Advanced Search Search Commercial Real Estate Mortgage Payments Calculate your biweekly & monthly payment for different loan amounts, interest rates and amortization terms. Loan Amount: $ Term (years): Interest Rate: % Show table?: Yes No See More Loan Calculators Sponsored Links New Homes and Home Builders - iNest iNest's guide to new homes and home builders in 19 states: AZ, CO, FL, GA, IL, IN, MD, MI, MN, NC, NM, NV, OH, SC, TN, TX, VA, UT and WI. Save 1% on your new home with a cash back coupon. www.inest.com What's Your Home Worth? Thinking of selling your home? Wonder how much it might be worth? You can find out with a free home or property valuation at HouseValues.com. Click here to get started. www.housevalues.com Micro Mosaic Home Decoration Decorate your home with ancient mosaic reproductions, free color and size customization. Choose among 4000 designs. www.mosaicmarble.com (Become a Sponsor) Partner Spotlight Featured Sponsor Find a Local REALTOR by HomeGain • Find & Compare REALTORS • Get Home Prices Featured Videos Dream Home Videos by Inman Stories Real Estate News Financing your first real estate investment Dec 29, 2005, Inman News Top Mistakes of Home Buyers and Sellers in 2005 Dec 29, 2005, Realty Times Housing Affordability Hits 14-Year Low Dec 22, 2005, RealEstateJournal.com Home loan applications fall to over 3-1/2-yr low Dec 28, 2005, Yahoo! Finance Weekly Home Mortgage Rates (AP) Dec 28, 2005, Yahoo! News Despite Decline, Housing Still Strong Dec 28, 2005, Quicken Loans more real estate news Homes For Sale - Apartments For Rent - Current Mortgage Rates - Real Estate Agents - Local - Yellow Pages

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Unbiased property investment tips and advice to maximise profits from property! Maximise profits from property investment - free independent advice! "Hi Alan, am keen to know more on property investment and I have just subscribed to your Newsletter, and want to congratulate you on your informative site together with the contents." Barbara Burton "Hi Alan, You seem to have your head screwed on, and yes I'm in my fourth hour on your EXCELLENT site." Richard Harries, Pembrokeshire Enter your E-mail Address Enter your First Name (optional) Then Don't worry -- your e-mail address is totally secure. I promise to use it only to send you Property Investment Tips. Hi, Property investment is as good an investment as there is, so it still amazes me how little people know about the potential to make money from property, and property investment. There are people sitting on huge amounts of equity who, if they invest this money wisely could be retiring within 2 years!!!! Dont believe me? Thats exactly what I just did, aged 28!! After remortgaging my property, I reinvested that money and last year I made more than 100k after tax, and will make more than that this year. Now I had a good job beforehand, with a gross salary of over 50k, but when you compare that net amount of around 35k with the money I made from property - simply by releasing equity and spending my spare time understanding the vast possibilities in property and investing in some excellent opportunities, I cant believe more people do not do it. I am now in a position where I do not need a 9-5 job anymore . This gives me plenty of time to spend with my family, on the golf course, on holiday, at the football etc etc and I have no boss to report to!!! I believe there are possibilities for anyone out there, whether you are a first time buyer, and not sure where to buy, someone looking for a hands free property investment with guaranteed returns, someone looking to top up their pension, or someone who is willing to give 10 hours a week or so and be in a position to sack the boss in 3-4 years time!! However for anyone to succeed at property investment, they must have some good knowledge - a clear strategy, understand property tax, mortgages for investment properties and importantly understanding what a good property investment deal is and the power of leverage. Now when I first started researching on the internet, I came across some excellent resources and invaluable information - however there are also some who are more interested in charging you a fee than getting you a good deal. That is why I decided to share some of my experiences, and give some of my recommendations and property investment tips. Any of these recommendations I will have personally used, and will have confidence in their knowledge and integrity. I will not accept adverts or endorse any company I am not convinced about. I have now set up a second site - as from March 2005 - with all recommended property investment deals, as and when they arise - this gives me the opportunity to put more details down. Please, if are interested in updates on deals, also sign up on www.property-investment-deals.com for latest deals. I have a newsletter I send out every 2-3 weeks, where I discuss various strategies and property investment tips, and discuss exactly what I have done so far on this Tips site. I will also try to answer any questions, or at least point you in the right direction. I will also analyse deals/courses/mortgage options put forward by some of my contacts. Enter your E-mail Address Enter your First Name (optional) Then Don't worry -- your e-mail address is totally secure. I promise to use it only to send you Property Investment Tips. I will continually update any good sources I find, and I will continue to share my experiences with you. By no means is this list exhaustive and I am sure there are plenty more good sources, although I also know some not so good - email me with any good experiences/sources you have used for any property investment, and I will share this with the subscribers. Have a look down the left hand side, where I have covered what I consider the key factors when investing in property, and look at each of them, investment property mortgage options, property tax, property investment strategies/courses, and property investment deals at home and abroad, to see who I recommend and why. All this advice is free and is solely based on my experience and the contacts I have made - I will not be offended if you do your own thing, but I am completely independent, so I would at least take note of all my efforts over the last few years!! Of course, you should always do your own research, and do please note the disclaimer page. Any questions I will attempt to reply, please email me at alan@property-investment-tips.com. Also make sure you sign up for free newsletter before you forget, this is packed full of good tips and advice, so I've been told! "Alan, I have just read your back issues, and enjoy the way that you write! I am currently an ex-pat living in Ohio, but with an existing and pending property in the UK....look forward to your next issue " Amanda, Ohio "I've signed up for your newsletter today and from what I've seen of your website, it looks very informative, good balanced outlook on what people should do when investing in property." Nihar Dutt, www.propertynetworking.co.uk "I am impressed with the newsletters, very professional Alan. Your comments on Cyprus and Bulgaria are fab, especially for new investors - DD is vital - and even then I still think its risky so recommending agents shall be of great assistance". Alex Angel, Edinburgh "Hi Alan,First of all, thank you ever so much for sharing your experience. Your website is absolutely fantastic!" Patrice Lavallee, Suffolk "ALAN, I read your newsletters with interest and have recently been in discussions with Property Network Spain. Hopefully the outcome will be profitable!" ALEX CARAVELLO, Residential Lettings & Management "Alan, Great newsletter as per usual. My name is Tom Dyer and i got the info about your newsletter from a good friend of mine, who himself had it referred to him via another friend.It just goes to show that good information travels very fast.Great to have the opportunity to get access to the newsletters and some of your philosophy. Keep em' comingAll the very best" Tom Dyer "Hi Alanthanks again for the posts you send, they are a great eye opener - i'm learning a hell of a lot." Shuko mwambazi Alan just wanted to drop you a line, to say thanks!! For the past few months I had been looking to invest some money and saw property as a possible opportunity. However, having never previously bought, due to continued job relocation, my knowledge of this market was somewhat limited. The information and advice provided on property-investment-tips.com has proved invaluable in taking me from a position of knowing nothing - about how mortgages work, where to buy and which investment companies I could trust - through to the purchase of my first property!! I have bought in Cyprus through investincyprus.com, and am delighted with it! Maybe meet you out there in 18 months??!! Thanks again, and have subscribed to your newsletter to keep eye on other opportunites. Have also given details to my work colleague who is also keen to buy. James Thomson, Edinburgh Hi, I found out about your site and was pretty impressed with everything! I am very interested in purchasing ANY property with good growth and rental prospects in the UK. I am living and working in Shanghai..... Look forward to hearing from you. Yours sincerely Robert Gavin Hi Alan, I found your website very informative and helpful. Thank you very much. My husband is British and I am Vietnamese. We have been working abroad as expats. We have some savings and would like to invest in land and property anywhere, in the UK or Vietnam or abroad. We would appreciate very much if you could give us some advice on what and how to do as we feel uncertain. We feel that we have the potential and could do something good with our savings but did not know where and how to start then we found your site. Thank you very much and I look forward to hearing from you, Best regards, Linh Dear Alan, Thank you for the latest edition of your newsletter and links to the superb articles on your excellent website - it is certainly coming along nicely! I am a first-time property investor and recently had the pleasure of meeting you at the Property show at the ExCel centre in Docklands, accompanied by my wife Christine..... above all, if he comes with your recommendation then I'm sure he is someone that can be relied upon. Ironically, I had been meaning to drop you a line for a while to further enquire about your exploits in property renovation, which I have so keenly read in your emails lately. But now your site has blossomed with so much information, I have learnt an awful lot by just scrolling through the wealth of advice available. Looking forward to hearing from you. ..........Many thanks for your prompt reply. It would be great to meet up with you again in the future, Alan - if anything to buy you a pint for your troubles! Thanks again for your support Kind regards, John Marsden Hi AlanI'll attempt to be brief and to the point! I like your website without having met you or had any communication with you - you do seem to come accross someone who is approachable and kind of normal!! Hence I write to you. I am interested in a one to one consultaion session with you and would like to make a reservation for a London meeting sometime after May. Is that possible? I am currently in Sudan undertaking 5 months voluntary work (back in May) and since being here I have had much time to reflect, to consider my next 'project', look at where I'm heading and to set some more goals and achievements for myself. I also have time while I am out here to do some homework and research (which is how I found you!).I have signed up to your e-zine, and have not yet read everything you have to offer on your site, however I wanted to book in with you as soon as possible, Mandy Evill So, have a look at the headings for the specific area you want to find out more on, and start to share some of the potential to be made in the world of property investment!!! Regards Alan Forsyth Why Property? Why property as an investment? Property Investment Strategies to maximise profits Property Investment Strategies - I'll give you some tips and advise on the best places to learn what is best for you! Location, location,l... Location - why it is still as important as ever, do not limit yourself! Buy to Let What to look out for when considering buy to let in UK and abroad Buy to Re-sell or Remortgage Buy to Re-sell, or Property renovation is as popular as ever, you only need to switch on the TV to see! I give my tips when starting out. UK property investment has become very popular over last few years My thoughts/tips on UK property investment Overseas Property Investment Overseas property investment is becoming more and more popular - check out my tips! Spanish property investment Spanish Property Investment is as popular as ever, read my recommendations on best companies to invest with in Spain Cyprus Property Investment Cyprus Property Investment is getting very popular - read my tips on the best company/places for property investment in Cyprus Bulgaria Property Investment Bulgaria property investment - why it is such good value Scotland Property Investment Scotland Property Investment Estonia property Estonia property Property Tax advice Importance of understanding types of property tax when investing in property. Best sources of information Mortgage advice for Investment Property Mortgage Advice for Investment Property, my tips and advice overseas mortgages Recommended overseas mortgages for property investors 1 to 1 Consultancy 1 to 1 Consultancy Recommended Property Investment Courses Property Investment Courses Landlords Insurance Landlords Insurance - my recommendations Rental Property Investment Software Recommended Rental Property Investment Software Articles Articles written and published by Alan Forsyth Rich Dad, Poor Dad Rich dad poor dad Books Best value books for property investment, financial freedom Resources Quick summary of best property resources on the internet when looking to invest in property. Contact Me Contact me for any further advice on products advertised here, or any further property questions Exchange URLs Exchange URLs Disclaimer Disclaimer other resources general other resources general About us About us

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Spanish property insight for reliable information on buying properties and real estate in Spain Spanish property, Spanish property news, Spanish property information, Spanish property guide, Spanish properties SPANISH PROPERTY INSIGHT Insight for buyers and owners of Spanish property Home | Property Insight | Market Insight | Financial Insight | Resources & Solutions | About Us | Forums | Tell a friend THE TRUTH ABOUT BUYING PROPERTY IN SPAIN AND THE SPANISH PROPERTY MARKET Insight into the Spanish property market and expert advice on how to go about buying property in Spain. When you buy property in Spain you need to understand the Spanish property purchase process and you need to have a working idea of the Spanish property market. Otherwise you are in the dark and at risk of being taken for a ride, regardless of your budget. 30% of foreigners who buy property in Spain run into serious problems for lack of knowledge about the Spanish real estate market and the process by which property changes hands in Spain. That's almost one out of every three overseas buyers who lives to regret their lack of Insight. Most problems are easy to avoid if you know what you are doing. Spanish Property Insight helps you understand the process, the Spanish property market, and keep out of harms way. We do not charge for any of this information. Insight into the Spanish property purchase process Not understanding the property purchase process in Spain puts you at risk. We know from our surveys how concerned buyers are about this issue. We explain the process and provide you with the information you need to navigate unfamiliar waters and buy property in Spain with confidence. Insight into the Spanish property market Spanish Property Insight does not sell any property and is therefore completely independent and unbiased. Unlike all other Spanish property websites, which are busy trying to sell you the dream, we tell it like it is. Our news bulletins and in-depth briefings will help you understand the Spanish property market so be sure to join our mailing list. Regional Spanish property guides We are producing in-depth guides to property in the different regions of Spain. These guides give you a stronger hand when dealing with estate agents in Spain. See the Barcelona property guide Useful tools to help you buy and manage property in Spain We are preparing a Spanish property buyers toolkit to help you buy and manage your property in Spain. This will include checklists, financial models, comparative tables, useful contacts and notifications of important issues that might affect you as an owner of property in Spain. This toolkit will only be available to people on our mailing list. The Spanish Property Doctor column in The Sunday Times is written by Mark Stucklin of Spanish Property Insight Spanish property? You'll need this Our free Spanish property news bulletins are a must. Emailed to you every month they keep you abreast of what is going on in the Spanish property market, alert you to important changes in regulations that might affect you, and give you all sorts of useful ideas, advice and resources to help you get the most out of owning property in Spain. Spanish Property News Bulletins Full Name: Email: Found us? -- Internet search engine Article in paper or magazine Article online TV programme Recommended by a friend Website link   Read our privacy policy Remember, when it comes to Spanish property, ignorance is neither blissful nor cheap. Read testimonials of people who use this website The Spanish Property Doctor Column in the Sunday Times The Home Section in the Sunday Times is a must read for anyone with an interest in Spanish property. The section regularly covers the different regions of Spain from the property buyer's perspective, and examines the most important issues related to buying, owning and selling Spanish property. The section also includes the Spanish Property Doctor column - a monthly column by Mark Stucklin of Spanish Property Insight.. The Spanish Property Doctor columns The Sunday Times Property Section online OVERCHARGED AT EVERY TURN WHEN BUYING PROPERTY IN SPAIN? In the course of buying property in Spain there are many ways that you can end up paying substantially more than necessary for lack of insight into what Spanish property and property related services should cost. Don't let this happen to you. Read our Insight briefing on property prices, estate agent commissions, Spanish lawyers' fees, Spanish mortgage costs, insurance and banking charges here How to avoid overpaying when you buy property in Spain . IS THERE A BUBBLE IN THE SPANISH PROPERTY MARKET? Over the past few years Spanish property prices have risen to record levels both in real terms and in relation to average incomes. This has sparked a heated debate as to whether these prices are justified or part of a speculation-driven property price bubble. Read the arguments for and against the existence of a bubble here Is there a bubble in the Spanish property market? Home | Property Insight | Market Insight | Financial Insight | Resources & Solutions | About Us | Forums © Spanish Property Insight. Spanish property information, analysis and resources Privacy Policy, Terms & Conditions Spanish Property Insight | Barcelona property guide | Spanish mortgage guide | Guide tooff-plan property in Spain

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Bush and the Texas Land Grab Bush and the Texas Land Grab July 16, 2002 By Nicholas D. Kristof Editorial Op-Ed To submit a Letter to the Editor: letters@nytimes.com Democrats and media hounds are baying under the wrong tree. The point in President Bush's business career where he took outrageous shortcuts was not at Harken Energy, but rather when he was grabbing land for a new baseball stadium in Arlington for his Texas Rangers baseball team. Mr. Bush broke no laws. Neither do the overwhelming majority of corporate executives. The cloud over the business world comes not so much from lawbreaking as from avaricious bruising of the public interest. The challenge is not catching criminals but injecting public scrutiny into a culture of cronyism in which executives, accountants, regulators and "independent" board members all ooze empathy for each other. When Asia had its economic crisis in 1997-98, Americans properly trashed its "crony capitalism." But we suffer from the same affliction ourselves, and President Bush will not address the issue seriously because cronyism has been his way of life -- the Bushes call it loyalty. I have a stack of court documents from Arlington that portray the "sordid and shocking tale" of the Rangers stadium, as one lawsuit puts it. Essentially, Mr. Bush and the owners' group he led bullied and misled the city into raising taxes to build a $200 million stadium that in effect would be handed over to the Rangers. As part of the deal, the city would even confiscate land from private owners so that the Rangers owners could engage in real estate speculation. "It was a $200 million transfer to Bush and Rangers owners," complains Jim Runzheimer, an anti-tax campaigner in Arlington. William Eastland, a leading Republican in Arlington, is also outraged, and puts it this way: "You're using public money for a private purpose." Mr. Eastland was a Bush delegate to the Republican National Convention in 2000 but still believes that the Bush group behaved shadily and against the public interest. Local voters overwhelmingly approved the deal, so maybe we shouldn't get so exercised by star-struck local officials giving $200 million to rich baseball owners. But the most unseemly part of the deal was that Mr. Bush and the Rangers' owners conspired with city officials to seize private property that would be handed over to the Bush group. "A group of wealthy and influential people threatened and traded their way into an unprecedented takeover of government power and private property in an awesome display of greed and avarice," charges a lawsuit by the landowners, in what strikes me as a fair recitation of events. Another suit charges that the deal "can only be described as astounding, unprecedented and blatantly illegal." A copy of the secret agreement among Mr. Bush and the other Rangers owners shows that they intended to make money not just by running a baseball club but also by land speculation. For example, one owner found a nice chunk of land and sent a memo suggesting that it "sounds like another condemnation candidate if you want to work the site into your master plan," according to the court documents. Another of the owners' internal memos casts a proprietary gaze on a property and declares: "We plan to condemn this land." For a group of financiers to go around town admiring properties and deciding which to seize through the government power of condemnation so that they can acquire free land and speculate on it is appalling. Even Kazakhstan would blush at such practices. Horace Kelton, for example, owned land that the Rangers wanted. The owners got Arlington to seize it, with the city paying less than $1.50 per square foot even though it had previously paid $10 a square foot for other land nearby. "It was an extremely low price, and that's why we had a court case that lasted seven years," Mr. Kelton recalled. Eventually, his family got $11 a square foot. In fairness, Mr. Bush was simply being a hard-nosed businessman. He did a great job leading the owners' group, and it's hard to take seriously the caricature of him as unintelligent when he led the Rangers so lucratively. Indeed, his $14 million profit on the Rangers financed his entry into politics. But it's also a sordid tale of cronyism, of misuse of power, of cozy backroom money-grubbing -- a more pressing threat to American business than outright criminality. LINK to source