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 .

Buy Home

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real estate listings in

Baton Rouge Real Estate- CJ Brown - Baton Rouge Real Estate -- #1 Baton Rouge Real Estate Company! Login | Contact | Help Legendary Service Since 1917 Suggestions Home Buying Selling Relocation Renting Finance Insurance Appraisal Careers Go To Shopping Cart www.cjbrown.com 1-800-428-8294 Site Last Updated Thursday, December 29, 2005 2:09 PM CST Quick Search Search Listings Search Rentals Search Our Team Search Loans * Enter address, MLS#, zip code, or subdivision, then click Go or select a different type of search. * To search for rental properties, click Go. * Enter an team member name, then click Go, or select a different type of search. * Enter a loan name or type, then click Go, or select a different type of search. advanced search Search Our Team For advice and representation you can trust, use a C.J. Brown Realtors Team Member. Find An Office We have offices all over the Gulf South. Find one close to you. myCJBrown Find listings even after you have left our site, save listings, and more! News & Events -- About Us Site Map Site Map1 Resources -- Experience Urban Living in Baton Rouge A Surprising Housing Boom along the Gulf Coast Branch Office Update Agents & Employees Corporate Contacts #1 Company In Baton Rouge Real Estate! Great News! To search ALL active Baton Rouge real estate listings in the MLS and see all the information , logon to our system, or you can search thousands* of Baton Rouge and Louisiana real estate MLS listings on our standard property search. Find out how much you need to pay from our mortgage calculators. Established in 1917 in the Baton Rouge real estate market, we have grown to include offices in Baton Rouge, Ascension and Livingston parishes in Louisiana as well as offices throughout the Gulf South. Rely on our experience as you go through the most comprehensive real estate listings. Choose the perfect home from our MLS listings. The only name that stands out in Baton Rouge Real Estate is C.J. Brown Realtors/LATTER & BLUM Inc. Realtors Take advantage of our mortgage calculators to calculate the amount of investment you need to make to finance your dream home. Our comprehensive real estate listings span the length and breadth of the country, to give you the widest property options. Essential Mortgage Co. is a division of LATTER & BLUM/CJ Brown, a trusted real estate leader since 1916. We're proud to offer mortgage brokerage services including mortgage calculators to corporate clients, credit unions, builders, and the real estate community. LATTER & BLUM Insurance is capable of meeting a variety of individual needs, helping our clients to arrange a comprehensive and cost-effective program of insurance services, including: auto insurance, business insurance, home owners insurance, life insurance and personal umbrella. A host of services on offer from a definitive name in real estate transactions, C.J. Brown Realtors! Select an option below to begin. Conduct a search using maps of our area. Search for homes by location, amenities, and price. Preview an upcoming open house. Search for rental properties by location, price, and amenities. Take a 360 degree tour of our homes! Save your favorite listings for quick access later. Search for retail and commercial properties. See new developments. Search for REO Properties. Search for 3rd Party Properties. Search Listings by map Search Listings by text Open House preview Search Rental properties Search REO properties Virtual tours View Featured homes Commercial property search Developments search Search 3rd party properties New Orleans | Baton Rouge | Mississippi | Hammond | Lafayette | Sitemap *Subject to the rules and regulations of the Greater Baton Rouge Association of Realtors Multiple Listing Service. -- Home | Buying | Selling | Relocation | Renting | Finance | Insurance | Appraisal | Careers | Property List | Agent Websites All information provided on this site is believed to be reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified. Please see our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy . Latter & Blum Inc./Realtors and Latter & Blum Property Management are licensed real estate brokerage firms in Louisiana and Mississippi CJ Brown Realtors is a licensed real estate brokerage firm in Louisiana LATTER & BLUM, Inc/Realtors, Corporate Headquarters 800 Common St., Suite 1000, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA main 504.525.1311, web-info@latterblum.com Licensed In The United States Of America 2001 LATTER & BLUM, Inc/Realtors. All rights reserved. Resources | Site Map1

Denver Real Estate Site

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