Buy Property

MONEY Magazine: Buying property with family or friends - Oct. 21, 2005 Web CNN/Money Home News Markets Technology Commentary Personal Finance Autos Real Estate Real Estate SAVE | EMAIL | PRINT | SUBSCRIBE TO MONEY | Buying property with family or friends Is it a blessing or a curse? The right due diligence makes all the difference. October 21, 2005: 4:10 PM EDT By Gerri Willis , MONEY Magazine Top things to know Are you ready? Lining up cash Picking a team The hunt Closing the deal For sellers only NEW YORK (MONEY Magazine) - John D. Rockefeller once said that "a friendship founded on business...is a good deal better than a business founded on friendship." He might have added: "Except in real estate." That's because some of the most successful real estate companies have started as alliances of friends and family. Orange County, Calif. megadeveloper the Irvine Company was created in the 19th century by James Irvine and his son. Donald Trump's dad Fred taught his Apprentice plenty about the family biz. Chicago real estate guru Sam Zell credits much of his success to his longtime partnership with his college pal, the late Robert Lurie. (Old John D.'s spawn didn't fare too badly either with a family venture in the 1930s called Rockefeller Center.) To be sure, if you're just starting a real estate project, you'll find it difficult to resist the temptation to bring in friends and family as partners and investors. After all, those are the people you know and probably trust the most. But how do you avoid the seemingly inevitable "Dallas"-style dramas? 1. Trust but verify Even if she's your sister or cousin, you should investigate a would-be partner's finances before doing business with her. Handy Web sites like Intelius.com and Public-records-now.com can help you unearth basic background info like tax liens or bankruptcy filings. Ask her to share a copy of her latest credit report. Talk to her former business associates. To avoid ill will, tell her from the get-go that you'll be prying -- and invite her to do the same with your background. If she balks, calmly explain that such precautions will only make for a stronger team, suggests Nicole McAllister of the University of Southern California's Lusk Center for Real Estate. "Remember, this is business." 2. Share a vision It's critical that you and your partners agree to common goals before you buy. Will you renovate that apartment house to a level that would make a Hyatt Regency manager blush? Or do you want to rent the property "as is"? Is the goal long-term cash flow or cashing out quickly? Many partnerships founder on these simple points. 3. Get it in writing Lawyers and their contracts can't prevent every calamity, but a written agreement -- think of it as a prenup before your partnership marriage -- can prevent headaches (and heartaches) for you and the family or friends who invest with you. At the very least, an operating agreement will force you to plan for the unexpected, including death, divorce or a change of mind. You must also spell out exactly what happens if one of your partners wants to sell. Establishing a contingency plan "gets everything on the table," says Philip Davis, a C.P.A. and principal at accounting firm Kauffman & Davis in Boston. "It's like going to a therapist." 4. Hire strangers Unbiased advice is essential for all involved. Brooklyn real estate broker Tammy Shaw knows plenty about the business, but she says she'd never have bought her brownstone with family without professionals at her side. "Build a team ahead of time -- an attorney, mortgage broker or banker, and contractor," she suggests. "They have to be people all of you feel comfortable with." 5. Be an open book Garry Klein, co-founder of real estate fund Highpoint Equities in Scarsdale, N.Y., knows both the hazards and huzzahs of working with friends and family. He started buying real estate nearly a decade ago with his buddy Jeff Gault; family members have been a big source of capital ever since. "The upside is that these people know you and know what you're about; they cut you more slack," he says. "The downside is these are people you're going to see at Thanksgiving dinner." Klein shares thorough, detailed investment results every six months. Ultimately, success depends on your own ability to find good deals and execute. Friends and family can make a newcomer feel more comfortable, but you'll need to adopt professional practices for your effort to really pay off. ____________________ Gerri Willis is host of CNN's Open House. Write her at real_assets@moneymail.com . For more articles on Real Estate, subscribe to MONEY Magazine . The Hot List Most profitable renovations How risky is your 401(k)? Big new tax credits for hybrid cars More Real Estate How to buy and build on rural land Most overvalued housing markets When booms go bust... contact us | magazine customer service | site map | glossary | RSS | press room OTHER NEWS: CNN | SI | Fortune | Business2.0 = Money subscribers = Premium content -- * - Time reflects local markets trading time. † - Intraday data is at least 15-minutes delayed. Disclaimer © 2005 Cable News Network LP, LLLP. A Time Warner Company ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Terms under which this service is provided to you. privacy policy Reprints of site stories are available. Top Stories Most overvalued housing markets Risks to the economy in 2006 Which was the worst ad of all in 2005? After the ride, a rest Hilton brands reunite after 40 years YOUR E-MAIL ALERTS Follow the news that matters to you. Create your own alert to be notified on topics you're interested in. Or, visit Popular Alerts for suggestions. Manage alerts | What is this?

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!

Selling Home

Learn About Selling español Put My Century 21 to work for you, simply register your email address and create a password. Once you're registered, you'll be able to • save property descriptions • store your search criteria • file agent information • build a custom library Find out more or register now! Already registered? Sign in . Knowledge can be the key to a speedier home sale. Learn all you can about selling from appraisals to negotiations as well as how a CENTURY 21 professional can help you market your home for the quickest sale with the best price possible. Steps and strategies for a successful sale. Learn the Basics of Selling Details on the finer points of selling. How do you prepare a house to sell? Do sellers have to disclose the terms of other offers? How is a home's value determined? What are the two most important factors when selling a home? How can can selling a home help me save money for my child's college education? Financing Lease Options Tax Matters Foreclosures -- More... Listen and learn about selling. Selling Your First Home Selling II: Advanced Topics Quick jump to common selling terms. Adjusted Cost Basis Bridge Loan Disclosure More... ©2005 Century 21 Real Estate LLC. An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Each CENTURY 21 Office Is Independently Owned And Operated. All rights reserved. Information appearing on this site has been produced by or obtained primarily from Century 21 Real Estate LLC and its representatives and from CENTURY 21 franchisees. Century 21 Real Estate LLC is not responsible for the accuracy or completeness of the broker information, sales associate information, listing information or other information provided by our franchisees appearing on or through this site. Such information has been provided by independent third parties who are solely responsible for such content. Certain conditions and restrictions apply to System promotions. Terms and Conditions of Use.

Buy Home

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Home Loan

Current Mortgage Rates and Today's Loan Information from HSH Associates Lenders and Rates | Loan Rates Index | Loan Statistics | Calculators | Library | ARM Indexes | Free Content "") thensession("searchfor") = request("searchfor")end if% -- Search our Website Any Word(s) All Word(s) The Library Statistics ARM Indexes Calculators Entire Site Find a Loan "A" Credit Mortgage Interest Only Lenders B-C-D Credit Mortgage Commercial Loans Construction Loans Home Equity Loans Calculators Payments Credit Grade Prepayment MoneyToys Calculators Lots More Here! Download our Homebuyers Calc! Calcs for your Website... Advice and Articles Commentary / Forecast Helpful Article Library Book and Tutorials Question of the Day Mortgage Stats Daily Weekly Metro Rate Forecast Graphs Hybrid Arms More... ARM Indexes Latest Values LIBOR Prime Fed Funds Graphs Archives Data Stream Delivery Daily Index Update Service More... Consumer Products Home Buyers Mortgage Kit Refinancing? How-To Booklets Rates From Our Survey Rates for Websites Insurance Insurance Agencies Professional Products Stock Surveys Custom Surveys Index Update Service Web Service Feeds Helpful "Guide To" Booklets Learn About Home Equity Loan Fees & Qualification Prepaying Your Loan Guide to Refinancing About HSH® Our Company In The News Media Releases Professional Research Our Clients Internet Services Feedback about HSH Our 26th year! Since 1979, the nation's trusted resource for mortgage rates, news, and advice. || Today's Mortgage Rates || || Weekly Market Commentary || Weekly Mortgage Statistics || Newest Articles: -- Need a Mortgage , Home Equity , Commercial , or Construction Loan How can we help you? Good Credit - Mortgage Special! Good Credit Interest Only Mortgages Bruised Credit - Mortgage Home Equity Lines or Loans Commercial Loans Construction Loans Find Current Mortgage Rates From Your Area! Perfect Credit By State Bruised Credit By State Quick Links to Popular Articles: New! A Negative 'Option' Explained (with graphs) New! Thoughts on Mortgage Risk, Housing Bubbles and Market Perceptions The Principal Facts of Interest-Only Mortgages What Moves Mortgage Rates? Reverse Mortgage Information What You Should Know About Home Equity Loans Prepaying Your Mortgage for Fun and Profit Average Selected Closing Fees and Charges What You Need to Know About Adjustable Rate Mortgages -- Want more? Visit our Library ! Consumer Loans Calculators Mortgage Stats ARM Indexes Find our Homebuyer's Mortgage Kit and more in our Consumer Catalog ! Home Equity Info View Rates & Terms from our nationwide survey! Advice & Articles About HSH® Surveys & Professional Services LiveEdit SM Login HSH® Associates, Financial Publishers 237 West Parkway Pompton Plains NJ 07444 800-873-2837 973-617-8700 E-mail link We respect your privacy . Updated Rates & Indexes Want to receive the free HSH Weekly Market Trends newsletter? Click here to subscribe! See current rates from HSH's editorial survey ---What's New--- The 2006 conforming loan limits have been announced ! New free content: ARM index graphic for your website. Get it now ! Updated! Strategies you can use when rates are rising New! Have you got your free credit reports yet? Changes in Single Family Home Prices (2Q05) Tell us what you think about proposals regarding mortgage fees that could impact what you pay HOT! Feature our Credit Grade Calculator on your website! Free Content! Get Daily Mortgage Averages, Home Equity Line and Loan Averages, New and Used Auto Averages and calculators for your site! On the latest move by the Federal Reserve The Principal Facts of Interest-only Mortgages Answers to your questions about Piggyback Mortgages Here's a list of HSH's booklets & tutorials . Think you want an Adjustable Rate Mortgage? Learn how ARMs work ! Are you a savvy mortgage shopper? Check out HSH's survey of your local market ! Thinking of refinancing? Order "A Homeowner's Guide to Mortgage Refinancing" A sample of Average Closing Costs About Us | Site Map | Privacy Policy | Advertising Information | LiveEdit Login | Contact Us © 2005 HSH Associates, Financial Publishers - http://www.hsh.com