Home equity for the

MSN Money - Home equity for the holidays MSN Home Hotmail My MSN Sign In Money S earch MSN Money: Help Home News Banking Investing Planning Taxes My Money Portfolio Loans Insurance Banking Home My Accounts Bill Pay Mortgages/Loans Services Credit Reports Financial Tools Track your bills Resources Decision Centers Home Buying Guide Home Financing Your Credit Rating Financial Privacy Better Banking Credit Card Smarts Bankruptcy Guide Commentary Index Related Links Manage Debt More on Budgeting Print-friendly version Send this to a friend See where rates stand Calculate your debt burden here Find a home-equity loan Find books on home buying Find It! Article Index Finance Q&A Tools Index Site Map Recent articles by Bankrate.com: • Mortgage rates hit 18-month high , 11/2/2005 • Best deal? Go to the source , 10/27/2005 • When it pays to stay single , 10/24/2005 More... The Basics Home equity for the holidays advertisement Borrowing from a home-equity loan for holiday spending is tempting because of the lower rates and tax-deductible payments. But theres a huge risk involved. By Bankrate.com This season, many consumers will charge against the home for the holidays. They will use home-equity debt to pay for gifts and travel. Some will do it directly, paying for presents and airline tickets with charge cards tied to home-equity lines of credit. More will do it indirectly, by using equity to pay off credit-card balances that end up as bloated as a turkey-sated family. Home-equity debt traditionally has been spent on investments that bring some kind of return -- renovating houses, paying for college, starting small businesses. More recently, as consumers have become more clever about using debt, equity loans are seen as a cheaper, smarter way to consolidate debt and pay for such items as cars and furniture. But gifts and airline tickets to visit family? Believe it or not, bankers and consumer advocates agree that there are times when it's appropriate to pay for something so fleeting by charging it against the roof over your head. It's not exactly wise to go into debt to pay for presents, but if you're going to do it, you might as well do so as inexpensively as possible. Find a loan that's right for you at the Loan Center Debt for gifts "Don't let these things be excuses to be in debt. That's the issue," says Anthony Hsieh, president of Home Loan Center, an online lender based in Orange County, Calif. If you listen long enough to AM radio, you are likely to hear a holiday-themed sales pitch for these loans, which allow you to borrow money and use the accumulated equity in your home as collateral. Generally, it takes two to four weeks to get access to the money after you apply. Home-equity loans, also known as second mortgages, come in a lump sum. You repay them with equal monthly payments at a fixed rate for a specified period. Related news and commentary on MSN Money • Gift cards are not gifts • 15 worst holiday gift ideas • The fine art of holiday tipping: why, who and how much • The 13 worst holiday spending blunders • 12 rules for regifting without fear • 10 low-cost gifts from the heart Home equity lines of credit, or HELOCs, on the other hand, work like credit cards. Instead of getting a lump sum, you start out with a credit line and can draw up to the credit line's limit. During the first years of the account, the minimum monthly payment covers only the interest on the balance. The rate is variable and usually is tied to the prime rate. The tax deduction On both kinds of equity debt, the interest you pay is deductible from your federal income taxes in most cases. That's the key, Hsieh says. If you decide to take some time to pay off your holiday debt, why not do it with tax-deductible interest? "Is it irresponsible to dig into equity (to pay for gifts?)" Hsieh asks. "Yes. But if you're going to get into debt and you're disciplined enough to pay it off in a predetermined time, there is an advantage to using a HELOC because the interest is deductible." Rudy Cavazos of Money Management International , a national, nonprofit credit-counseling agency based in Houston, agrees that buying things with low-rate home equity debt "beats using that credit card" with higher rates and no tax-deduction. But he's not sure every consumer understands all the differences between regular credit cards and cards tied to HELOCs, including the biggie: "You're placing your home on the line as security, as collateral, for these funds." No walking away from equity debt Sure, the HELOC has a lower rate and the interest is tax-deductible. But the regular credit card is unsecured, meaning that the balance is not backed by collateral -- so the debt can be wiped clean in some bankruptcies. Not so with a card tied to a HELOC. If you buy your godson a Christmas gift with your HELOC, you are pledging your house as collateral. You can't walk away from the debt, even in bankruptcy. This important point might not be stressed at the time of the loan application. That's why Cavazos recommends that consumers get some kind of loan counseling before they take out home-equity loans or get HELOCs. Consumer credit counseling agencies, such as MMI, often hold workshops or do one-on-one education for people who get home loans of all kinds. Cavazos hears radio advertisements all the time that urge listeners to use home equity as a way to consolidate debt "or improve their lifestyle in some way. That's all good, but you have to remember to educate yourself before you enter into these types of financial tools." When it comes to gifts and holiday travel, the best financial tool is to stay away from debt in the first place. Instead, use the financial tool that can't be beat: a savings account. Editors' choice Don't get scammed by your mover Safeguard your Social Security number 5 ways to tap into the onshore drilling boom Your checkbook just became obsolete Turn $1 a day into $67,815 Readers' choice Ratings Top 5 Articles 9.30 Zombie debt collectors dig up your old mistakes 9.24 Keep thieves out of your bank account 9.22 Credit reports now free for entire U.S. 9.19 10 ways to avoid outrageous hospital overcharges 9.17 Tax breaks for Katrina victims -- and all of us View all top rated articles More Resources · E-mail us your comments on this article · Post on the Your Money message board · Get a daily dose of market news S earch MSN Money tips advertisement MSN Money's editorial goal is to provide a forum for personal finance and investment ideas. Our articles, columns, message board posts and other features should not be construed as investment advice, nor does their appearance imply an endorsement by Microsoft of any specific security or trading strategy. 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Real Estate Investing

National Real Estate Investor - commercial real estate investing and development About Us | Contact Us | Advertising | For Search Partners | Privacy Policy Sort by Date Relevancy Resources and Services Capital Markets Center Retail Tenant Directory Best of the Best Industry News Developer News Broker News Area Reviews Executive Q&A Office Multifamily Retail Industrial Hotel Net Lease/1031 Exchanges REIT Updates Investors Capital Markets Property Management Corporate Real Estate Technology Tax Issues First Word Financing Today Money & Real Estate Tax Notes Washington Wire Last Word Retail Traffic Industry Associations Data Points Home -- Kelo Verdict Bolsters Private Development As Public Use -- TIME TO SELL? New research from National Real Estate Investor and Retail Traffic , and sponsored by Hutensky Capital Partners, provides insights on the climate for shopping center sales. Click here to download . December's Cover Story Forecast 2006: Five trends driving the industry Dec 1, 2005 12:00 PM While mounting pressures may produce cracks in the economic recovery in 2006, the nation is on track to close out 2005 on a resilient note. Real GDP growth... More -- FEATURED DOWNLOAD 100 Ways to Save Costs in your Retail Operation Supplement For ways to save on day-to-day operational products and services, be sureto to download a copy of our 100+ Ways to Save including a complete listing ofSimon Preferred Vendors and Service Providers. Clickhere to download . News Articles GE/Arden Deal Caps Big M&A Year Dec 28, 2005 3:32 AM When General Electric agreed to buy office real estate investment trust (REIT) Arden Realty last Thursday, the $3.2 billion deal capped a heady year for REIT mergers. Not only is the southern California-based office landlord the eighth publicly-traded REIT to change hands this year in roughly $20 billion worth of deals, but its also further evidence that institutional capital still has a voracious appetite for real estate. And December proved to be an especially active month for REIT mergers: Centerpoint Properties Trust was sold to a joint venture earlier this month for $2.4 billion.... More -- Ground Zero Waiting Game Dec 21, 2005 1:49 PM Four years after the 9-11 attacks, lower Manhattans office market is on the mend. But 7 World Trade Center, one of the first towers to rise along Ground Zero, is lagging behind the recovery with just 40,000 sq. ft. of its entire 1.7 million sq. ft. leased as of late December. The problem, say brokerage sources, are the above-market rents at 7 World Trade Center, which is being developed by Silverstein Properties and is slated for occupancy in March. ... More -- D.C. Hotel Property Sold Dec 21, 2005 10:57 AM LaSalle Hotel Properties has bought a downtown Washington, D.C. hotel for $44.6 million. The hotel REIT also plans to invest another $21 million into the Holiday Inn Downtown. ... More -- GE Buys Swedish Office Tower Dec 21, 2005 10:55 AM GE Commercial Finance Real Estate has bought the leasehold to Gta Ark, an office building located in downtown Stockholm. The purchase price amounts to roughly $57 million (U.S.). Approximately 28% of the property is leased to the Local Authority of Stockholm. This is the second office property that GE Commercial Finance Real Estate has acquired in Stockholm since last summer. ... More -- GE Lends To Investment Fund Operator Dec 21, 2005 10:54 AM GE Commercial Finance Real Estate has closed a $28.7 million transaction with HEI Hospitality for the HEI acquisition of the 250-room, full service Sheraton Fort Lauderdale Airport. ... More -- Hoteliers Eye Booming 2006: Report Dec 16, 2005 11:48 AM The U.S. hotel industry should post record profits in 2006, based on a recent report by PricewaterhouseCoopers hospitality practice. Not only is 2006 likely to bring record profits but also the industry should expect two more years of solid growth. ... More -- No Worries On Non-Core Industrial Development Spike Dec 14, 2005 1:34 PM Planned development activity in secondary and tertiary industrial markets set a blistering pace in the third quarter with 38.5 million sq. ft. of new construction starts, reports CB Richard Ellis. That was up from only 16 million sq. ft. in the second quarter. Whats more interesting, however, is that a full third of that third quarter activity was initiated in secondary and tertiary industrial markets rather than the major shipping hubs on the west and east coast. ... More -- Property Fund Launched Dec 9, 2005 4:24 PM Henderson Global Investors has launched an open-ended, commingled real estate fund that will invest in a range property classes. The fund will chiefly buy apartment, retail, industrial and office properties located in select U.S. markets. Henderson Global Investors manages more than $10.1 billion in assets. ... More -- CB Richard Ellis and Trammell Crow Agree… The top 2 U.S. asset managers -- CB Richard Ellis and Trammell Crow -- have all moved to the Realm PAY Platform for Paper-Free A/P. Click here to discover why. The Best of the Best 2005 Oct 20, 2005 1:55 PM National Real Estate Investor presents its annual rankings of the leading commerical real estate companies. Intent on shedding its image as a highly fragmented industry, commercial real estate continues to experience a wave of consolidation. For industry veterans, it's like watching a game of PacMan. The giants of the industry are gobbling up smaller players and each other at a healthy clip.... More -- IN PRINT Current issue Hurricane Winds Blow Through Condo Market Dec 1, 2005 12:00 PM The condo market in Miami-Dade County, which is bursting at the seams with new construction and intense investor demand, took an unexpected hit in October... More -- Unlocking Building Value Through Repositioning Dec 1, 2005 12:00 PM One of the most striking buildings on Chicago's skyline is CNA Center. Since it was built in 1972, the 1.3 million sq. ft. red tower has operated as a... More -- Why Public REITs Are Going Private Dec 1, 2005 12:00 PM During the early 1990s, private real estate companies with large portfolios rushed to become public real estate investment trusts. Now the pendulum has... More -- Magazine Subscriptions Email Newsletter Advertiser Information Online Marketplace Back to Top © 2005 Primedia Business Magazines and Media. 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Real Estate Broker Becoming

How to Become a Real Estate Broker - eHow.com Clear Instructions on How To Do (just about) Everything Web eHow.com Home Finance & Business Center Real Estate How to Become a Real Estate Broker Becoming a real estate broker requires a great deal of time, study and effort, but the rewards can be worth it. Steps: 1. Have your head examined. 2. Contact your state's Department of Real Estate. 3. Request a copy of the requirements needed to become a broker. 4. Take required classes. 5. Get real estate business experience (typically as a salesperson or in a position in a related field, such as title or escrow or property management) if required. 6. File necessary paperwork. 7. Pay required fees. 8. Contact a real estate school that specializes in courses for taking the real estate broker's exam. Check the yellow pages under "Real Estate - Schools." Studying and class work can typically be done at home. 9. Contact a local college or university that offers broker exam preparatory classes. These classes will require class attendance. 10. Study! 11. Pass the exam. 12. Pay any additional fees. 13. Provide any additional information. 14. Get your license. 15. Go into business. 16. Lose your mind. Tips: Many states have experience requirements for being in the real estate business. Most states have course requirements that you must meet. These can be fulfilled either through college or real estate school courses. Most states have no limit on the number of times a person can take the test. Warnings: The information contained in the test will not prepare you for the business of being a real estate broker. The exam strictly tests your ability to memorize certain real estate information. Please Share Your Tips with Us More Resources: Contribute to eHow: Write an eHow Article Suggest a Topic Give Us Feedback on This Article Related eHows: Read a Textbook Prepare for Class Choose a Financial Aid Program Choose a Graduate School Things You'll Need: pens electronic personal organizers notebooks personal organizers highlighter pens Project Details: Skill Advisory: Moderately challenging New! -- Related eHows: Read a Textbook Prepare for Class Choose a Financial Aid Program Choose a Graduate School Check out Thousands of How-To Solutions in eHow's Centers Automotive Careers & Education Computers & Home Electronics Family & Relationships Finance & Business Food & Entertaining Health Hobbies & Games Holidays & Traditions Home & Garden Personal Care & Style Pets Sports & Fitness Travel How to: --? Web eHow.com Home | Site Map | About Us | How To Books | Link to eHow Subscribe to the eHow of the Day Mailing List : Have the eHow of the Day appear on your My Yahoo! Page: Add the eHow of the Day to your RSS reader: © 1999-2005 eHow, Inc. How things get done. Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the eHow Terms of Use and Privacy .

Real Estate Listing

Sustainable Sources - Sustainably-Built Home Classifieds Sustainable Building Sustainable Building Sourcebook Sustainable Building Calendar Conferences Green Building Links Green Builder News -- Case Studies --Sustainable Reading Sustainable Sources Bookstore Articles Sustainable Tourism Eco Travel in Latin America Our Services Search Greenbuilder.com: Results should match with: all the words any words Go to Advanced Search Related Sites Austin and Texas Environmental Groups Catalogs & Commercial Sites Translate these pages Contact Our Webmaster Buy or Sell your Sustainably Built Home! Buy the home you have always dreamed of or sell your green home for theprice it's worth. Search The Listings List Your Property Confirm or Modify a Listing How it works: 1) List Your Property . Enter detailed information about your property. Upload a picture if you have one. Realtors are welcome. 2) Keep it current . Each month we'll send you a reminder email. Log in, find your listing, and confirm that it's still for sale. Make changes to your listing at any time. 3) What does it cost? Right now, just $10.00 per listing! 4) Tell everyone! Tell your friends, your business partners, and any other potential Green Building fans you know about your listing here. Tell your realtor, too. Put pointers to your listing on your own web site and in your email signature. It's easy to remember - www.greenbuilder.com/realestate/ Why a property listing service? Sustainably built homes are the wave of the future, and some have technologyso new that realtors may not yet be up to speed. Help your realtor getmoving fast by listing in Sustainable Sources. Your ad will be seen bypeople who know green building. As a long time leader in green building information, Sustainable Sources is uniquely positioned to connect buyers with sellers. Since we don't have the space constraints of print publications, we can allow full descriptions of your property at far less cost. A 30-word classified ad run once in one well known print quarterly would cost more than an unlimited-word ad at Sustainable Sources for a $50,000 home which will run until the property sells. Let us know when you are successful in selling or buying a sustainably built home. We love good news! Realtors - Lenders - Builders - Architects Ask us about advertising on this site!

buy property in order

Bulgaria property portal, buying property in bulgaria, buy bulgarian properties, bulgarian properties - imoti.net Property in Bulgaria Bulgarian Regions About Bulgaria Buying information bg Bulgaria 's biggest property portal - Search for any real estate for sale or for rent ( imoti = real estate in bulgarian) Sales Rents Off plan property Agents Home Agent login Articles Real estate forums Search for sale for rent investment email alert saved list email alert Get ads that match your criteria sent straight to your inbox. Create email alert Agencies Find a Real Estate agent News Real estate news Expo and forums Tourism Region info Sites international properties Buying information Having in mind that in two years Bulgaria will be joining the European Union, the Bulgarian property market presents very good possibilities for potential investments which can be quite profitable in the long-term. There are diverse offers on the market which can meet different requirements and have considerably better value for money than in other European destinations. Most of the people looking for property in Bulgaria usually want to find holiday home but the number of investors who buy property in order to profit in the long term is also increasing. If you start to consider buying a property in Bulgaria you have to take into consideration the following points: 1. First of all, you have to identify a property which corresponds to your requirements. 2. If you want to buy land as well, take into consideration that you’ll have to register a company as the law still doesn’t allow the purchase of land by foreigners. 3. If you do not want to acquire the land, then you directly move to the next step, i.e. negotiate the price of the property. 4. Then you can sign a preliminary contract and the property will be removed from the market. 5. The next step is to carefully check the title deed documents, licences and permissions, debts on the title and terms of contract. 6. From there you proceed to signing of the contract of purchase and confirming in front of a notary public the buying of the property. 7. If you have completed all the previous steps, it means that you are already an owner of property in Bulgaria. 8. Do not forget to insure you property after the purchase. 9. Remember to register your new property with the local authorities within 60 days following completion of the deal. What can be found on the market? The prices for a villa close to the sea are about £30,000 and for the ones in rural areas they can be even around £5,000. In many cases though, you will have to make some refirbishments in order to have the usual standards of living. In all cases, it is advisable to personally visit the property and not to buy it after judging only the photos. You can also consider the purchase of a new development under construction, which is now wide spread practice, especially in the capital, in ski resorts and on the coast. Properties may be purchased 'off plan' either directly from the developer or via brokers. Law on foreigners owning property in Bulgaria According to the Bulgarian Constitution, foreign individuals can buy buildings but not land. Therefore, the most common method for foreigners buying property in Bulgaria where they also wish to own the land is to set up a company which then owns the land and the buildings. The law is expected to change on this within the short to medium term with the expected entry of Bulgaria into the European Union (2007). This historic restriction is one of the reasons why property in Bulgaria is so competitively priced compared to Western and Central Europe. Current amendments to the constitution will allow citizens of countries with which Bulgaria has agreements on land sales to buy land in 2007 when the amendments would come into effect, while EU citizens will have the right to buy land in 2014. In the meantime a company is still required for land ownership. If your purchase includes land a Limited Liability Company (OOD) will need to be formed. Who can form a Limited Liability Company & how? A foreign or Bulgarian person (judicial or physical). The company owners will be liable for the company's obligations to the value of his/hers share in the company's registered capital. Articles of Incorporation are prepared & signed by all shareholders. A company bank account is opened to collect all share capital. The minimum share capital required is 5,000 leva. Shareholders at time of registration must have paid up at least one third of their respective shares. It is required that at least 70% (3,500 leva) of the capital is raised at time of registration. The company exists from the moment it is added to the Commercial Register of the district court of where the company will be based. The entry is made upon issue of a district court decision for the incorporation. The following documents must be available at the time of the submission of the application to the district court: 1. Articles of incorporation; 2. Memorandum for appointment of Directors; 3. Proof that each shareholder has paid at least one third of its interest, but not less than 10 leva; 4. Proof that at least 70 per cent of the registered capital has been paid. The Bulgarian State Gazette is the official paper within which all Bulgarian legislation is published. Publication of the company entry in the Commercial Register does not complete your company formation, it announces to the general public the act of formation. The process of forming your company can take anywhere between a few days to a few weeks. Finally, your new company will need to register immediately with the National Tax Register Authority. The costs involved are: 3,500 leva = 70% share capital. Administrative costs (payable to the state & registration court) are 250 leva (just over £70). This is the minimum capital that you need to raise for registration. Once the entire share capital has been paid up these funds can be accessed and withdrawn. Allow betwen EUR 500 - 700 for charges relating to the formation and registration of your company. Real Estate Tax According to the Bulgarian tax legislation the buyer has to pay notary and municipal fees. The notary fees are paid on the higher of the market price or the book value of the property at varying rates, with the maximum being BGN 3,500. In addition, 2% of the market value of the property is paid to the municipality where the property is situated upon completion of the purchase. Local taxes and rates The owner of a building or land in Bulgaria has to pay a property tax. The tax is equal to 0.15% of the book value of the property. There are no local taxes for arable land. The owners also have to pay waste-collection fees which are determined when the ownership is registered with the municipality, which should be done within 60 days of completion. Value Added Tax Transactions with land and lease of property for residential purposes are exempt from VAT (Value Added Tax), all other real estate transactions are subject to VAT of 20% if the seller is VAT registered. The buyer is entitled to a VAT refund, provided that it is registered for VAT purposes. Real Estate Agencies The Real Estate Agencies have varying charges for their services - from 3% of the purchase price to about 10%! Some agencies can also set up a “minimum” commission which does not depend on purchase price. Some agents may also charge for the viewing of the properties. 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