real estate investing isnt

MSN Money - The real risks of investing in real estate 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 Print-friendly version Send this to a friend Research any REIT Find top-performing mutual funds Sortable database of SEC filings Find stock winners with our screener Personal finance bookshelf Find It! Article Index Finance Q&A Tools Index Site Map The Basics The real risks of investing in real estate advertisement With prices soaring, real estate looks tantalizing -- but the margin of error is shrinking. Forget the get-rich-quick plans. Pay attention to the numbers. By Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine For Derrik Dyka, the biggest obstacle to successful real estate investing isnt a meltdown in property values or tenants who wreck an apartment or dont pay their rent. "Its overconfidence," says Dyka, a 34-year-old Minneapolis investor who turns old apartments into new condominiums. If youre expecting to cash in on the 21st centurys first gold rush without breaking a sweat, it would be wise to take Dykas words to heart. The margin of error for making money in real estate is closing fast. Its not surprising that real estate tempts so many Americans today. Over the past five years, home prices have soared and rags-to-riches tales abound. But so much real estate has become so expensive that Real Estate Research Corp. in Chicago reports that many real estate pros say now is a better time to sell than buy. As San Diego real estate investor Chuck Wise observes about the area where he operates, todays buyers are like "lambs being shorn." Start investing with $100. Explore our new ETF center. Of course, that doesnt mean that all deals are doomed to fail. But it does mean that its time for would-be investors to pay more attention to the perils of owning property, not just the potential profits. Watch your cash flow The most common entree into real estate investing is the single-family house. Investors bought almost one-fourth of all homes sold in 2004, according to the National Association of Realtors. If youre one of those buyers and your income from that property (after taxes) exceeds your expenses by $100 or $200 a month, youre in good shape. But because prices and property taxes are so high in many areas, and theres so much competition for attractive rental properties, its increasingly difficult to find deals that generate enough income to more than cover your expenses -- whats called positive cash flow. In areas such as the leafy suburbs of New York City and Boston, where a modest three-bedroom house can easily cost $600,000, theres no way you can collect enough rent to cover the steep property taxes and payments on a $500,000 mortgage. Figure monthly out-of-pocket expenses of more than $3,000, if not $4,000. The pool of renters who will pay that much is small. Related news and commentary on MSN Money • Nothing quick about getting rich with real estate • Do you have what it takes to be a landlord? • Don't bite off too much house • How to find a good investment property • 7 creative ways to buy your first house • Decision Center: Home financing So be ready to set your sights lower and get your hands dirty. Instead of a well-located home in pristine condition, look for a fixer-upper off the beaten track for maybe $150,000 that you can rent for $1,000 a month. The numbers work if youre willing to spend weekends, say, painting the walls and, if youre capable, making repairs that would otherwise require professional help. The hidden profit from home improvements is why "ugly real estate often makes more money than the nice stuff," says Kelley Pace, head of Louisiana State Universitys real-estate research institute. Mind the cap You can quickly figure out whether a house or condo is likely to generate positive cash flow. For more complex properties, such as a small office building or retail space, check the cap rate, a single number that can tell you if youre overpaying. The cap rate -- cap is short for capitalization -- is a propertys net operating income as a percentage of its price. The figure is real estates version of a bond yield. If a property sells for $500,000 and generates net income of $50,000 (rents minus expenses), the cap rate is 50,000 divided by 500,000, or 10%. The lower the cap rate, the more you pay for each dollar of annual income. In 2000, the average cap rate on commercial property in the U.S. was 10%. Since then, because of relentless price appreciation, the average cap rate has sunk to 8%. That alone suggests that wringing further gains out of commercial property is unlikely. If you want to invest in a commercial property, aim for a purchase price that results in a 10% cap rate. But remember that the cap rate also depends on how much you collect in rent. Ask the broker for details about the tenants leases, including how rents compare with those of other nearby properties and when the leases are up for renewal. The property should come with an information packet that is more like a stock prospectus than a real estate agents fact sheet on a single-family house. If necessary, hire a property inspector. Then take all the information to a lawyer who specializes in real estate. If you have any doubts about the property, walk away. Page 1 of 2 Story continues on next page Fund data provided by Morningstar, Inc. © 2005. All rights reserved. Quotes supplied by ComStock , an Interactive Data company. 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. An investor's best course of action must be based on individual circumstances. © 2005 Microsoft MSN Privacy Legal Advertise Feedback Help

Texas Land

Texas Veterans Land Board In Texas, call us Toll Free:1-800-252-VETS (8387) Outside Texas? Call 1-512-463-5060 (long distance charges apply) (PDF) -- • State Veterans Home Resident Awarded Bronze Star (PDF) • VLB is accepting nominations for naming the Texas State Veterans Home being built in Amarillo. Read the Press Release (PDF) and the Policy for Naming Texas State Veterans Homes ( Word2000 ) ( PDF ) and complete the Nomination Form ( Word2000 ) ( PDF ) • Corpus Christi awarded next Texas State Veterans Cemetery (PDF) • The Results of the October 25, 2005, FLS are now available on-line (PDF) • Watch the archived edition of the October 25, 2005, FLS Web cast • First Texas State Veterans Cemetery dedicated in Killeen (PDF) • Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery Dedication Information • James Baker III to help dedicate first Texas State Veterans Cemetery (PDF) • Rio Grande Valley State Veterans Cemetery Groundbreaking Information • Work begins on Valley's first Texas State Veterans Cemetery (PDF) The October Type I Forfeited Land Sale Handbooks are now available online (PDF) -- • Chairman Patterson visits veterans in Iraq • VLB Board Member, Mike Ussery, passes away after attending the dedication of the Texas State Veterans Home in McAllen, scheduled to open July 1, 2005. (PDF) • "Where Honor Lives" • "Voices of Veterans" Oral History Program • "Defending Freedom" A new TV Announcement honoring Texas Veterans from 1836 to today. Play Video 60 seconds High | Low Play Video 30 seconds High | Low Broadcaster Information (PDF) • Texas Veterans Voice Fall 2005 Veterans Voice Newsletter (PDF) Archived Editions of the Veterans Voice Newsletter • Media and Press Releases • Financial help available for activated Texas Reservists and National Guard members (PDF) ATTENTION-Loan Program Changes!!! VLB Land Loan maximum now $60,000. Land Loan now available for one-acre tracts. VHAP Changes Effective March 4, 2005: New-Construction housing loans must meet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star ® rating as an energy efficient home. The Greenbuilding and Troops to Teachers Programs will no longer be available. The interest rate discounts previously associated with these programs will be re-directed to reducing the overall base rate for the Housing and Home Improvement Programs. The veterans with Disabilities Program discount will be available only to veterans with a VA compensable disability rated at 50% or higher. • Federal legislation filed to end discrimination in veteran loan eligibility • Convert your semiannual land loan payments to monthly payments (PDF) Message from Chairman Patterson Chairman Jerry Patterson Speaks to Veterans About the Veterans Land Board. (run time: 10:15) Play Video High | Low Land Loan Account Status Free Public Seminars and Educational Events • For Veterans • For Lenders • For Real Estate Professionals--view our upcoming events . Contact your nearest Outreach office for training opportunities. Registration for Veterans, Real Estate Professionals, and VLB Participating Lenders • Registration for Veterans to receive VLB program updates • Registration for Real Estate Professionals to receive VLB program updates • Web listing updates for VLB Participating Lenders Veterans' Resources • The National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) now accepting requests for some military records via the Internet • The Texas Veterans Commission (TVC) for information on VA benefits Laws and Rules • Laws and Rules PDF Files require the free Adobe Acrobat reader. Video media require the free Real Player . Privacy Policy Links/Accessibility Policy For our customers who are hearing impaired: The VLB TDD number is (512) 463-6367 or contact any of our program areas through Relay Texas at 1-800-735-2988. For more information, contact us .

Denver Real Estate

Real Estate at Post-NewsMarketplace.Com - Denver and Colorado Homes New Homes REALTOR ® Listings Mortgages Rentals/Apartments Find a REALTOR ® Mtn Homes Mortgages Moving › Place an ad › Site Map › Search › Contact us › Help › The Denver Post › Rocky Mountain News Price Range: 0 50,000 75,000 100,000 125,000 150,000 175,000 200,000 225,000 250,000 275,000 300,000 325,000 350,000 375,000 400,000 450,000 500,000 550,000 600,000 650,000 700,000 750,000 800,000 900,000 1,000,000 1,250,000 1,500,000 1,750,000 2,000,000 3,000,000 4,000,000 5,000,000 6,000,000 7,000,000 8,000,000 9,000,000 10,000,000 11,000,000 TO 50,000 75,000 100,000 125,000 150,000 175,000 200,000 225,000 250,000 275,000 300,000 325,000 350,000 375,000 400,000 450,000 500,000 550,000 600,000 650,000 700,000 750,000 800,000 900,000 1,000,000 1,250,000 1,500,000 1,750,000 2,000,000 3,000,000 4,000,000 5,000,000 6,000,000 7,000,000 8,000,000 9,000,000 10,000,000 11,000,000 Bedrooms (min): Bathrooms (min): any 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 any 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 City any Agate Alma Arvada Aurora Bailey Bennett Berthoud Beulah Black Hawk Blue River Boulder Bow Mar Breckenridge Brighton Broomfield Brush Buena Vista Buffalo Creek Burlington Byers Calhan Cascade Castle Rock Cedaredge Centennial Center Central City Cherry Hills Village Clifton Coal Creek Colorado City Colorado Springs Columbine Valley Columbine Village Commerce City Como Conifer Copper Mountain Cotopaxi Cripple Creek Dacono Deer Trail Delta Denver Dillon Divide Dumont Eaton Edgewater Elbert Elizabeth Empire Englewood Erie Evergreen Fairplay Federal Heights Firestone Florissant Fort Collins Fort Lupton Foxfield Franktown Fraser Frederick Frisco Fruita Ft Lupton Genoa Glade Park Glendale Golden Granby Grand Junction Grant Greeley Greenwood Village Guffey Harstel Hartsel Heeney Henderson Highlands Ranch Hudson Idaho Springs Indian Hills Jamestown Jefferson Johnstown Keenesburg Keystone Kiowa Kittredge Kremmling Lafayette Lake George Lakewood Larkspur Leadville Littleton Lochbuie Loma Lone Tree Longmont Louisville Loveland Lyons Mack Mead Mesa Milliken Monument Morrison Nathrop Nederland Niwot Northglenn Palisade Palmer Lake Parker Pine Platteville Red Feather Lakes Rollinsville Rye Sedalia Shawnee Sheridan Silver Plume Silverthorne Simla Strasburg Superior Tabernash Thornton Twin Lakes Victor Ward Watkins Westminster Wheat Ridge Wheatridge Whitewater Winter Park Woodland Park OR ZIP code All Listings New Home Listings REALTOR® Listings Classified Listings Sunday Only All Classifieds Advanced Search > Click here to view realestate ads from the newspaper Luxury Homes: Expertly crafted custom homes Select a Section Horse Properties Mountain Real Estate Golf Course Living Planned Communities Luxury Homes Lofts/City Living Affordable Living Built Green Homes Condos & Townhomes First Name: Last Name: Community: any Arvada Aspen Aurora Boulder Breckenridge Brighton Broomfield Buena Vista Capitol Hill Carbondale Castle Pines Village Castle Rock Central Platte Valley Cheesman Park Cherry Creek Cherry Hills City Park Commerce City Congress Park Copper Mountain Crested Butte Douglas/Elbert Counties Downtown Denver Durango Englewood Estes Park Evergreen Golden Golden Triangle Grand County Grand Junction Greenwood Village Gunnison Highlands Ranch Keystone Lafayette/Louisville Lakewood Littleton LoDo and Coors Field Longmont Lowry Park Hill Parker/Franktown Pueblo Silverthorne/Dillon Sloan Lake - Highlands South Jefferson County Steamboat Springs Telluride Thornton/Northglenn Trinidad Uptown Vail/Beaver Creek Wash Park / Bonnie Brae Westminster Wheat Ridge Winter Park Southeast Denver Featured agent Dodie Davis View My Listings Take a $3,000 Holiday Shopping Spree with Berkeley Homes Berkeley Homes, a Denver home builder, is making a list and checking it twice for the holiday gift of the season -- a $3,000 gift card from Visa. Whether you've been naughty or nice, contract on any Berkeley home now through Dec. 31, 2005, and receive a $3,000 Visa gift card, good virtually anywhere, at closing. Read More Hand picking a piece Hand picking a piece of the Point Ten years ago, builder Dave Morovitz was working half the day at Nick-n-Willys and dabbling with the other half in center-city fix-ups. That was when you could still buy a down-at-the-heels bungalow on Park Hill for less than $70,000. See story Planning To Move? Fill out one form - we do the rest! Please complete all fields Date: Select Month January February March April May June July August September October November December Select Year 2005 2006 2007 2008 Current Zip Code: Moving To: State AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE DC FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA PR RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY For Advertising Information, please call Dave Hiebeler tel: (303) 892-2985 dhiebeler@denvernewspaperagency.com Powered by Indigio

Buy Home

Adbusters Culturejammer Headquarters Sharon Is Terrorist Number 2 by Avi Shlaim George W. Bush may claim that Ariel Sharon is a “man of peace,” but his track record suggests a different title. Over a 50-year military and political career, Sharon has been responsible for incalculable civilian trauma. from Adbusters #63» Moral Midgets of the Year We say farewell to 2005 with a look at four of the year's most embarrassing newsmakers: stars of less-than-stellar virtue whose shenanigans got them little more than a stern finger-wagging. from Adbusters #63» Putin is Terrorist Number 1: by Boris Berezovsky Humble Economists: by Paul Ormerod more magazine features » more Adbusters.org exclusives » Buy Nothing Day 2005 A big congrats to all those who (did not) participate! Finds out what went on in the name of nothing in our 2005 wrap up. Kick it Over! Students — join your Campus JammerGroup and jam your Econ. department. -- Red Dot Contest September and October winners – come and get your free shoes! Blackspots & Paris Fashion » Shareholder Discounts » Win a Pair of Blackspots » Select One TV Turnoff Unbrand America Antipreneur Drugtaker Blackspot Sneaker Blackspot Music True Cost Eco Media Carta Corp. Crackdown Buy Nothing Day CURRENT TOPICS: Does Media Activism have a future? Is the world becoming more precarious? Is environmentalism dead? more forum topics» Visit the gallery » | what is RSS? The Adbusters newsletter connects you with 84541 other cultural creatives. Watch our punchiest videos » France Norway Japan BAP France Sweden Subscribe | About Us | Contact Us | Submissions | Reprints | Media | Donate

house rent edinburgh .

house rent edinburgh at s1homes house rent edinburgh at s1homes Search house rent edinburgh on Central Scotland's largest independent property website. s1homes allows homeseekers to search across a large range of options for property to rent or buy including house rent edinburgh . Landlords, rental agents, estate agents and solicitors all use s1homes to advertise their properties ensuring that you have the widest choice possible when it comes to finding a home in Glasgow, Edinburgh or anywhere else in Central Scotland. And to make life even easier you can enter your property requirements and email address and we'll send you details of new properties as soon as they come onto the market. We don't even need your name, let alone your address and all that other stuff that some sites want. And, of course, we will never pass your email address on to anybody else. s1homes is part of the s1 family of websites which was set up by the same company that owns The Herald, Evening Times and Sunday Herald newspapers. The site carries more than 3000 properties at any one time attracting tens of thousands of visitors every week. We also regularly advertise on Television. So if you're selling or trying to let a property make sure it appears on s1homes, the largest and most effective property site in Central Scotland. You can post properties yourself using a credit card or your agent can do it all for you. You'd be surprised how little it costs. If you'd like to get in touch, send an email to customerservice@s1homes.com We look forward to hearing from you.