Get Rid of Your Timeshare in 1 Week

Filed Under (Real Estate) by Willie Bird on 29-07-2008

Tagged Under :

by Willie Bird

If you were pressured into buying a timeshare, there’s a good chance that you want to get rid of your timeshare. Getting your money back might be important to you. For a variety of reasons, you might not be able to use your week as often as you would like.

Therefore, getting something back on your investment is a high priority. Timeshare resales are a market all by themselves. How exactly do you go about selling yours?

Anyone who has done any work toward reselling a timeshare has encountered companies that claim that they’ll perform all of the work for you. Many of these companies are real, but many others are not. A company that asks for payment up front, in any form, is probably a fraud.

A legitimate company can make its money once they get rid of your timeshare. Regardless of how many buyers they claim that they have lined up, don’t give them your money. Even if it sounds like a really legitimate fee like an “appraisal fee” or “processing fee” just steer clear. However, if a company doesn’t ask for any money up front and you’ve done your research on them, they might be a good alternative.

It is time to set the asking price once you have decided on how you are going to sell (yourself or by someone else). Determining the right asking price could be tricky. You may or may not sell it for as much as you have invested.

The chances of doing this are slim and none if you bought from a developer. In some cases you’ll have to sell it for as low as 30% of what you paid for it. There are a few reasons that you’ll likely sell it for less.

First of all, you might have overpaid for it in the first place. If you took whatever the initial asking price was, then you paid much more than you should have. Another reason is that you can’t duplicate the high pressure sales presentation that the developer can. You can’t really afford to bring hundreds of people in for “free vacations” or employ salespeople.

In most cases you will have to accept and take a loss when selling. Do your homework before decide on a figure. Take a look at different websites, like E-Bay auctions, that show what other timeshares are being sold using their database. This may help you feel more at ease with setting the asking price.

Once you decide, there are a number of places you can list it. There are many active websites that list timeshares for sale around the world. These are good and you might try an e-Bay auction as well.

There are many different things you can do to get rid of your timeshare and being flexible will give you a better chance. Keep trying different incentives to discover one that works. Timeshares sell everyday and yours will sell too.

About the Author:

First Steps - Church Financing

Filed Under (Real Estate) by Bill Travis on 29-07-2008

Tagged Under :

by Bill Travis

For most churches the largest financial transaction that most of the members have ever experienced is the purchase or building of a new church building. For those who are the decision makers in the process, one of the most daunting tasks they have is dealing with the responsibility to be a representative for the entire congregation. The reason this responsibility carries so much pressure is that the decisions that are made will likely determine the location of the church for up to three or four decades.

One of the most important tasks that the church will take on is selecting those who will help the church through this process. Many times a church will try and use real estate agents or bankers from inside of their church. The problem with hiring someone like this is that, most times, they are not specialists in the church field. Whether you are going to buy an existing building or you are going to build, it is important that you choose a team of church professionals, people that understand “CHURCH”, church finance, and professionals that have a lot of experience in this process. Let me ask you a question. If you had a heart problem and needed to go to a doctor, would you go see a dentist? No, why not? But they are both doctors, right? But the dentist is not an expert in the field you need. You would go to a cardiologist, because that understands your problems.

In my initial meeting with church leaders I usually suggest that they find a church friendly lender in the very early stages of the process. It is crucial that you have a good understanding of your financial limits so you can shop accordingly. If the banker is on your team, ready to go, you put your church in a much better position to catch the great deals.

If you are planning to move in the next 24 - 36 months and you need to sell your current location in order to move, then you really need to put your building on market now. Most churches shy away of this idea because they want to find a building to buy first. But even if you find the perfect building, it will probably be gone by the time you sell your building so you can pay for the new one. Many times churches worry about selling their building and not finding a new one, leaving them homeless, but you can structure an agreement that will protect you from this situation.

The first step that many churches take in the relocation process is to find a building that they want and then they search for financing so that they can pay for it. The problem is that most of the time sellers or both land and buildings are not usually willing to wait for you to sell your building and put together a loan. In order to put yourself in the best position to get the best deal is to get you money in hand, including equity from your current building and any loans needed.

Most lenders do not understand “Church”; they can’t look at you as a “personal account” so you fall under the commercial lending area. Most commercial concerns make a profit. Most churches don’t. Lenders almost never foreclose on churches (bad public relations to be the bank that closed the church) so they have to qualify churches differently than most other commercial accounts. In my experience you are light years ahead of the game by working with lenders that understand church, and there are many that do. As mentioned above, it’s best to deal with church professionals.

You can see from the length of the relocation process, that this is a long term deal. You will be involved with your lender for years to come. This is why it is so important to find a goof church friendly lender with whom you can create a comfortable working relationship with. This is why it is important to make the right choice.

During the application process you will be asked for all the normal information on your church such as, financial history, attendance records, cash positions, equity etc. The lenders use this information to qualify you for a loan, and this will give you a good idea about how much you borrow. With this number you can shop for church buildings with confidence and find the property that meets you needs and have a good chance to close in a timely manner.

Typically most lenders will want to see that you have 25% - 35% equity in the new property. This is just a guide, although it is seldom less, it could be more. Many churches will run a capital campaign. Some will do it themselves, “in house”, others will use professional fund raising companies. In my experience the lenders prefer the professionals for two reasons. One, the professional campaign will usually yield 2 - 3 times the amount of money the “in house” campaign will and secondly the actual amount collected will be higher. Again it is a good idea to speak with a few professional companies to find a good fit for your church.

In summary, pray, plan every move well with the help of church professionals that have successfully completed church projects and can partner with you for a successful relocation for your church. Next time we will discuss some of the financial options available for churches today.

About the Author:

Credit Crunch - How can it affect my small business

Filed Under (Real Estate) by Andy Stevens on 10-07-2008

Tagged Under :

by Giles Bertie Harrison

The current financial situation in the UK not looking good with more and more being spent on credit cards, the credit crunch doesn’t look like it will be over away any time soon. For most people this is a big problem, but what if you own a small business? You can be most at risk of going bankrupt over the next 12 months, but by following a few easy points you could avoid bankruptcy all together and beat the credit crunch.

How did the credit crunch start? With the American mortgage holders on low incomes unable to meet their loan repayments, many homes have been repossessed and banks now have to write off the so-called sub-prime loans. These loans are what a lot of banks in the US and in Europe have bought packaged up in collateralised debt obligations which are basically pools of debt. These debt pools are now worth a lot less than when the banks paid for them and are very difficult to sell and have forced some banks to close funds that were exposed to these loans and the US sub-prime sector.

This has now caused banks to increase the cost of borrowing which is now well above the target rates set by institutions E.g. the Bank of England. This means that people, especially those with poor credit ratings are finding it harder and more expensive to borrow money or get a mortgage.

How will the credit crunch affect my business? If your business relies heavily on overdrafts and bank loans then you can be most at risk due to banks declining people and businesses loans. The credit crunch could claim jobs although these seem to be limited to relatively well paid members of staff in large international banks, but there is also a threat of job losses from employers in other parts of the economy, and is seen as the next step.

So what can I do? Obviously the first step is to cut down on spending and borrowing. Loans are now coming with an interest rate in excess of 10% which will put business in more debt so try to cut back on the items and products you don’t need at home and for your business, you could try switching to supermarkets own brand products and take advantage of two for one offers and buy one get one free. Make sure you produce plausible and accurate month by month cash flow forecasts as these will help you to be prepared to take tough decisions if the credit crunch hits you harder then you first thought.

But if you are desperate for money consider releasing equity in your home. This will allow you to get access to funds and also have the peace of mind that your home is secure. Sell to rent back companies work by buying your house and then renting it back to you over a period of ten years. You can get companies which will give you 100% of the value of your home by giving you 70% when you sign up and the remaining 30% at the end of the tenancy. Some sell to rent back companies will offer a by back service if you think you will have the financial security in a few years to purchase your house back from the company.

Looking forward. The credit crunch is a problem for everyone, but if you make you manage your finances carefully you and your business won’t have a problem.

About the Author:

Buy Homes in Cyprus…Turn Dreams Into Reality

Filed Under (Real Estate) by Tim Martins on 30-06-2008

Tagged Under :

by Tim Martins

If you are looking at property investment, a holiday home or just somewhere new to live, well Cyprus probably tops the list both for today and for the future. Ever since Cyprus became a complete member of the EU it’s economic growth has progressed steadily, resulting in it’s rising popularity. The foreign resident population has developed in a big way forcing up property values as it becomes clear that it is a very special place to live in. It really is a dream come true opportunity as far as property investment is concerned and recently it was claimed to be becoming the Florida of Europe.

Cyprus possesses a whole range of resources due to its ideal location and almost perfect climate. The EU has also meant that Cyprus had been opened up to improved communications, transport and trade, in fact the EU is responsible for half of it’s trade. It also boasts nearly 3 million tourists per year and just from the EU and it’s close connection with the Middle East and Africa has also made it an even more interesting place to make property investments.

Real Estate in Cyprus has been increasing in value over recent years and experts predict that this growth will increase. As more and more houses are constructed, demand is still greater than supply. If you have been considering purchasing property in Cyprus then now is the ideal time to do it: before prices begin to rise steeply. Many property investors have regretted not taking similar opportunities in Spain when the property boom began so do not miss out on the exciting opportunities in Cyprus.

Fortunately, for interested Cyprus property investors, there are a large number of houses and villas all over the island from which to choose. In fact, the choice can sometimes be overwhelming, and, since there are literally hundreds of real estate agents as well as developers in Cyprus, it’s important that you get a handle on the real estate situation there before you begin your search.

Another fortunate aspect of buying Cyprus properties is that many Cypriots speak English as a second language (it’s taught in all the schools). Moreover, since all of the solicitors and property agencies have English-speaking staff, there’s very little likelihood that you’ll experience any communication problems during business transactions. Yet another favorable aspect is that, as a result of Britain’s occupation of Cyprus up until the 1960s, Cyprus’ legal system closely resembles the UK’s legal system.

Two differences that you should be aware of are that as a non-resident of the island it is only permitted for you to own one piece of property on Cyprus (although there is a possibility of this changing in the future) and that when buying new Cypriot property, it is quite likely that the title deeds will not be received for up to five years after completion. Importantly this does not prevent sale of the property before the documents are received, in fact some people already sell on their properties before construction is complete.

About the Author:

Buy Dallas Real Estate Instead of Renting

Filed Under (Real Estate) by Jordan FeRoss on 28-06-2008

Tagged Under :

by Jordan FeRoss

In case you are moving to Dallas know that buying real estate over renting makes better financial sense.

Purchasing Dallas real estate is the best move you can make financially because if you are leasing a home or a condo then your monthly lease payments are going directly to the landlord’s pocket with no return for you in it. If you purchase any real estate in Dallas then the cash you invest in your mortgage monthly is going into building your property equity. When you have equity in a home you will be rewarded ion many ways. In addition, you will own your home instead of just leasing a house from someone else.

Having a family can make it hard and pricey to locate a lease home that has the right amount of room that is needed for you and your entire family. It is not uncommon for folks with families to end up spending more in rent for a lease home than what they might pay for a monthly mortgage payment if they had just purchased a home.

Many people lease homes instead of buying for one main reason when relocating to a new city is because they are uncertain what part of the big city they want to live in. One of the other reasons people rent over buy is temporary job status. Now, if you have the job security and the credit needed then with the services of a great Dallas real estate agent you can find some nice homes for sale and you can complete the entire process of buying a home as easily as you could leasing a property.

A good Dallas real estate agent can provide you with Internet videos, photos, land surveys and other information about the property that will be just as good as if you were actually seeing the property for yourself and you can apply for a mortgage and start working with a lender the same way that you would apply for a rental home and start working with a landlord.

Is the worry of coming up with a down payment to purchase Dallas real estate what is holding you back? Not a problem! Now that you are working with your Dallas real estate agent and your new lender, you can check your credit to see if you qualify for a zero money down mortgage.

When you purchase Dallas real estate with a no money down mortgage, you can move in to your new piece of Dallas real estate with less out of pocket expense than renting. When you rent, you need to come up with first months rent and a security deposit. On a larger rental home this can be very expensive. In addition to no out of pocket expense when purchasing Dallas Real estate, you can structure your new mortgage so that you don’t have to make a payment until the second month after move in. This will allow for more money to move and get settled into your new Dallas real estate.

So now that you have more of the facts about purchasing a home, you can now see that buying Dallas real estate is actually a cost saving option over renting. Good luck and happy house hunting!

About the Author:

Are You In The Market For Your First Home? Buy Dallas Real Estate

Filed Under (Real Estate) by Jordan FeRoss on 28-06-2008

Tagged Under :

by Jordan FeRoss

If you’re starting to look around for your first home you should start thinking about buying some Dallas real estate.

There is a lot of awesome Dallas real estate on the market right now, Dallas is a rapidly growing city that is changing all for the better. Many family homes on the edge of the city or suburbs are becoming available right now at a very low price so if you have wanted to find a nice new family home at a well price then Dallas is the fabulous place to look.

Found a Dallas real estate agent yet? Having a qualified experience Dallas real estate agent could be the best thing you have ever done when, buying Dallas real estate. They can help find you a family home that is just right for you. A Dallas real estate agent has more access to available home that fit into your budget. A Dallas real estate agent is more experienced in the process of buying and finding homes the Dallas area. One of the first things a Dallas real estate agent will have you do is get a copy of your credit report.

It is very important you know what is on your credit report before buying a home. A mortgage company or home loan lender is going to base their decision about giving you a home loan to buy some Dallas real estate on whether or not you have good credit. So knowing what is on you credit report is very important. The next step is to get your credit report clean up, getting the best possible score is important when applying for a home loan or mortgage. Make sure you have all your credit card cleared up, is a good way to clean up your credit report before applying for a home loan.

Also a Dallas real estate will help you determine what type of home loans would assist you better. They will also help determine which type of home loan you are eligible for. There are two types of home loans. The first is a adjustable rate home loan. An adjustable home loan has a fixed introductory period, usually for the first year. Because of this there is a lower monthly payment at the beginning of the loan. The adjustable home loan will usually adjusted after the first year to whatever the current interest rate is, which causes the monthly payments usually double or even triples. The adjustable rate might be a little risky for the first time buyer. The second home loan is a fixed rate home loan. The fixed rate home loan is probably the most secure loan, but it does cost more in the longer run. With the fixed rate home loan you don’t have to worry about your interest rate going up. You secure a fixed rate at the beginning at the loan which keeps your monthly payment the same all the way through your not.

Many families that are buying their first home will apply for an adjustable rate mortgage first and keep that mortgage for a year then refinance that mortgage and get a fixed rate home loan just before the introductory period ends. If you don’t have a lot of money and are worried about the initial monthly mortgage payments then you should start with an adjustable rate mortgage when you buy Dallas real estate.

About the Author: