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Miami Preconstruction Real Estate investing is buying properties prior to their construction. For example, a condo that will be built in 2 years, you can put a small deposit to hold the condo and capture the appreciation during the 2 years, which is the time it takes for the condo to be built.

Why is Miami Preconstruction investing attractive to investors? No carrying costs during the 2 years till the condo is built. There is no mortgage, no taxes, and no expenses at all. Most of all, you do not need to manage tenants which can be a concern for Real Estateinvestors. Also, you do not need to qualify for mortgage. So, regardless of your credit history, developers will sell you a unit.

How to calculate your return on Miami Preconstruction Real Estate investing? If the condo for example priced at $500K, typically, in the Miami market, developer would require 20% deposit. 10% at contract time and additional 10% when construction begins. So, your total out of pocket deposit would be 100K which 20% of 500K.

Miami Real Estate market has been appreciating over %25 annually. However, for this example, let’s assume Miami Real Estate will appreciate 20% annually. By the end of the first year, this condo that has not been built yet would have already appreciated from $500K to $600K. Which means you have made $100K on your investing of $100K. That 100% return in one year. In other words, you could double your capital every year.

How to buy Miami Preconstruction ? Be aware to these facts: Developers are NOT Mutual Fund Managers in the business of making you money. They are business people in the business of building real estate. They understand the Real Estate market and they make the most profit by selling for the highest price. This is the myth that could cause investors not making the right decision.

So, do your own research, the Internet can be a great aid in finding initial information. After doing some initial research, find a good realtor that understands the market and Preconstruction to help you evaluate the options you have available.

If you’re contacting the developer directly, you could be taking a gamble since the sales staff has no loyalty to you to disclose vital information, they work for the developer. Go with a knowledgeable local realtor to represent you. You can find realtors to provide this free service. They are paid commission by the developer and your price is the same.

What Miami Preconstruction investing do you choose? Waterfront Real Estate is the safest investing possible. Tens of thousands are moving to Miami area every month and most asking for waterfront or oceanfront real estate. They are willing to pay a good premium to enjoy the life style. There is a lot more details that cannot be covered here.

Bubble or Not? Miami Preconstruction and Miami Real Estate has been very rewarding to its investors. If you’re looking for long term investing, this is a great vehicle for good ROI with little effort. “Be selective”, Not every developer and every project is well analyzed and priced right. Like many financial markets, Miami Preconstruction and Miami Real Estate are controlled by greed and fear, the primal emotions that drive the markets.

Interest rates might not have great impact on Miami Real Estate since Miami is an international market with buyers from around the globe. International buyers are enjoying the extended buying power from the weak US dollar and heavily investing their cash in Miami Real Estatemarkets. Florida has very flexible rules towards foreign nationals buying Miami and Florida real estate. Also, we are seeing buyers from markets such as California and New York that are aggressively buying Miami Real Estate and oceanfront properties.

Savvy and long term investors will do well. Risk management is the key to survival in financial markets and that includes Miami Preconstruction Real Estate investing.

For years now, we’ve been recommending that home sellers pay for a professional home inspection when they list their home for sale so that both parties know the home’s strengths and weaknesses before an offer is ever made. With current market conditions favoring buyers, savvy home sellers understand that paying for a professional home inspection can help them better position their home within the current market.

The large inventory of homes currently for sale provides buyers with more options, and buyers tend to prefer homes that are in move-in condition. A professional home inspection is one more tool that a seller can use to determine how close their home is to move-in condition and to prioritize improvements and upgrades to best compete with the other homes for sale.

The home inspector evaluates the home’s major systems and provides a report identifying areas of concern. The inspector’s job is to point out both the good and the bad about a property. Then it is up to the home seller, with advice from their Realtor, to identify a strategy for improvements and positioning. A copy of the home inspector’s report, along with copies of receipts for any improvements and upgrades, can be made accessible to potential buyers.

A thorough home inspection often uncovers problems unknown to the sellers. By having an inspection up front, the seller has an opportunity to address minor problems that might seem major once a contract has been signed. Plus, the home will show at its best.

Buyers may be more interested in a pre-inspected home because there shouldn’t be any big surprises after the contract is negotiated. An uninspected home may have the buyer coming back within a week or two (following their own inspection) requesting upgrades, allowances, or price reductions, all of which are a hassle and inconvenience to both parties.

The buyer still has the option of obtaining their own professional home inspection, but there is less likelihood of unexpected surprises and a greater chance the sale will go through as originally negotiated.

I feel very appreciative of my website visitors and feel certain that they feel appreciation that they have found this FREE and informative site. However, neither of those feelings are what this little article is about. I want to reassure you that there is every reason imaginable* to feel sure that the value of your home will indeed go up.

You have surely read learned articles by so-called experts that solemnly predict that the “real estate bubble” is about to burst. Balderdash!! You must remember this: (no, not that famous old love song) all real estate is local. There is no doubt that some properties somewhere have sold for inflated prices. Perhaps this has even happened in your target neighborhood, but the vast majority of these overvalued pieces of real estate are located elsewhere.

If you buy a well-constructed home in a good neighborhood for a fair price, you won’t need to worry about “bursting bubbles.” This is true because overpriced/overvalued homes located out of your area do not have any direct effect on prices/values in your locality. It “bols” (my wife’s pronunciation of “boil”) down to this: if you are careful not to pay “top dollar” for your home, and avoid owning the most expensive home in the neighborhood, you will not lose by buying your home.

I am always reluctant to quote statistics (”…liars, damn liars, and statisticians”) but I found this little tidbit from the US Census Bureau to be comforting - since 1940 (when they first started asking about home values) property values have risen IN DOUBLE FIGURES in every decade except in the 1980’s, when they only rose 9%.

Just buy your home, and don’t worry about the appreciation aspect of home ownership.

What is it about the high windows and ceilings, exposed brick and open floor plans that make so many people want to live in loft style apartments? Maybe it’s the carefree lifestyle that such an open style of living space represents. Maybe it’s because such a home can be as detailed or sparsely decorated as the resident wishes it to be. Or maybe it’s the artsy, urban lifestyle that’s been publicized so much in the movies and on television. Whatever the case may be, loft living doesn’t merely reflect a unique lifestyle, but it also creates a truly distinctive and unique attitude!

The vast majority of lofts are apartments that have been built into a vacant industrial building- one that’s been empty for some time. As the two-floored version of mono-spaced studio apartments, lofts typically have an open floor plan for a living room and kitchen area, plus an open-concept upstairs for the bedroom. The former warehouse-type building is chosen as the base of this trendy apartment style because of the high roof/ceilings that accompany industrial buildings, acting as a key component for “urban renewal” projects around the globe. The results of such projects are art galleries, art studios, and of course, the artsy lofts.

But exactly how did lofts become the status symbol of “the cool life”? It seems that back in the 1950’s, in the midst of the American domination of the world economy, the hustle and bustle of a once-thriving industrial areas, such as New York’s Soho district, had begun to vacate the large, high ceiling industrial-style buildings, as these buildings were no longer suitable for the changing times and modernizations required. The now-empty buildings forced landlords to look to the art community as a source for rent money, as the art and creative communities could certainly use the space.

Just as today, legal restrictions and zoning laws made life a bit tricky for the new residents. These studios were “designed” for the use of artists as a place to work, not to live. So sometimes, historically, to hide their domestic usage of the property, a series of pulleys and false walls were added so that the living and sleeping arrangements of the “studio” could be hidden from the variety of inspectors that would come by at a moments notice. The rest is loft history, including the incredible “shrinking” loft, for as the demand for such apartments grew, the available space shrunk.

Since the 1990’s, loft living has been synonymous with a “Soho/New York”- type of busy, carefree lifestyle and attitude, as lofts offer an extra touch of excitement! It’s considered to be genuine lifestyle that sets residents apart from the “dull and monotonous” life of suburbia.

The current property boom in Dubai has sent rental charges rising upwards since the year 2002, at an average 37% increase according to The Dubai Municipality. The higher cost of living, unregulated rental increases and average 1.5% salary increase in the private sector, according to a study done by GulfTalent.com, has put a lot of pressure on Dubai’s tenants. To alleviate some of that pressure, the Government of Dubai moved to impose a rental cap of 15% in October 2005.

Considering the rapid increase in Dubai’s population that has swelled from approximately 800,000 in the year 2000 to 1.3 million in 2006, where it stands today, there is a shortage of residential apartments and villas for rent. This excess demand over supply has led to higher rental charges because property continues to be in short supply.

Despite the current shortage, the future of Dubai property remains extremely bright. Over the next three years an additional 84,000 accommodation units are expected to be ready for occupancy as new projects are completed. The addition of these properties is expected to help stabilize the marketplace for rents.

Investors who have put their Dubai properties out for rent yield an average of 8-9 percent on their property at the current market rate. Deemed a good investment, several new comers and existing residents in the city are seeing the benefits of buying their own accommodations, instead of renting.

The mere thought of having to find a property to rent, whether this is your first go at it or you’ve become an experienced pro, can leave an undesirable taste in your mouth. Why? It almost always seems that every apartment that you’ve looked at (or will be looking at, if you’re new to this) seems to come up a bit short of what you really want (at least, among those in your price range). But not to worry, as with a bit of planning, you’ll be surprised at how smoothly and successfully your efforts can go!

Firstly, you need to decide upon the type of property you want to rent. Perhaps a one-bedroom flat will suit your needs nicely, or maybe a two-bedroom country house is more to your liking. Make a list, prioritize, and be open to suggestions, change and compromise; likewise, be aware of those features you aren’t willing to sacrifice at any cost.

Secondly, check online to browse the available flats and houses. To make your life easier, there are a few quality websites that aggregate listings, as they exist solely for this purpose. Again, make a list and prioritize; be open to suggestions, change and compromise. For example, maybe you really don’t need that second bedroom in order to keep the superb view of the city within your price range. Or maybe gas central heating is more important to you than living close to the train.

Thirdly, when you find a property that you’re interested in, be sure to research the building, the general area, and the landlord. A quick web search for the landlord’s or management company’s name will often tell you whether the tenants are treated well. If the property of interest is one in a larger development, you can always take a leisurely stroll during the day and ask quick, simple questions of any tenants you might see.

Likewise, you can get information on the neighborhood’s crime rate with a web search or by asking a knowledgeable realtor or someone who lives there. Alternatively, you can take a stroll through during the evening and observe the neighborhood for its typical social behaviors.

At some point, every buy-to-let investor will face the spectre of rental voids but it’s what you do about them that makes you either a victim of circumstance of a savvy investor. The smart investor takes action to minimize such down periods and here are a few tips I’ve found helpful in doing so:

Seasonality: There are certain times of the year when people stay put because they’re focused on other things. Summer holidays and Christmas are just a couple of those “things” that affect large numbers of people at the same time. After summer, you’ll find that September should see more activity (and you can probably write off most of January, too). The summer dip is particularly relevant in areas of high student density, e.g. university towns, especially if your property might normally be let to these types of people or people related to this business. Wherever possible, then, ensure that your existing tenancy doesn’t end around these times.

Apathetic Letting Agents: Try and gee them up by telling them that you’re placing your own ad and if you introduce the tenant you want a reduction in their fee. You could also make your property available to more than one agent and promise that the first one to fill the vacancy gets the management for the next year. If an agent thinks they’re the only one, they won’t be inclined to try so hard.

Be Proactive: Don’t just sit back and wait for others to do the work. Remember, it’s your money that’s dripping (or gushing) away all the time the property is empty. Here are some ideas of actions you might take:

• place your own ad
• directly contact large employers and accommodation officers in local hospitals and universities
• offer an incentive (free TV/DVD player/holiday/champagne, etc)
• drop the rent to just below market for the area (a reduction of £5 a week for the year = £260, compare this with how much you’re losing each month the property is empty and you have to continue paying the mortgage)
• find out what people are looking for that would make your property more attractive than others that are currently vacant

To Furnish or Not? Only consider furnishing the property if you’re getting people asking for it to be furnished. If you just do this on the off chance, you could end up with a bunch of furniture to get rid of if they then want it unfurnished. You might list as “will furnish if required”. Quite frankly, the achievable rental will be barely affected, if at all, and you’ll then be liable to replace things as they wear out (although you will be able to depreciate the costs of furnishings by about 10% per annum off your tax bill – see my article on “Reducing Property Income Tax”).

If you do go the route of furnishing, get new (IKEA, perhaps) rather than second hand. Although the 1950s furniture will be around forever, people prefer new and modern rather than old and sturdy. In addition, if you do buy from IKEA, the products are cheap and stylish and it’s probably the only store that will be able to fill your order quickly (even though you have to do the legwork yourself). Here’s a tip you’ll appreciate if you’ve ever gone the flatpack route… get a professional to do the assembly for you, it’ll be done quicker, to a better standard and they’ll probably have spares if any of the fittings are missing. And a tip within the tip is, if you’re buying at IKEA, ask around among the loading staff in the aisles whether they know anyone who does such assembly, some IKEA staff have side businesses doing just this.

As a buyer, you may be looking at many properties — those listed with an agent as well as those sold privately, “by owner.” Let’s say you call a real estate agency regarding a listed property you have found in MLS (multiple listing service), the newspaper, or by driving by. Traditional agencies will offer you ‘buyer assistance’, meaning that they will show you properties, direct you to mortgage lenders, etc., all without a contract.

The agent you meet who shows you that property will be anxious to show you other properties, of course. You begin to feel that this agent is “your agent.” NOT TRUE. This agent works for the agency that listed the property, and most likely is working for the seller of the property, not you. Anything you say may be carried back to the seller at any time.

Agents may call themselves many things according to state regulations. In Massachusetts, for example, the “listing agent” is the agent who obtained the listing from the seller. The “selling agent” is the agent who actually makes the sale. In order to better understand this concept, bear in mind that a real estate agency makes the most money when one of their listed properties is sold by an agent “in house.”

Most properties are not shown or sold by the listing agent. Although the homesellers may have spent considerable time with the listing agent discussing the fine points of their home so that they will be knowledgeable when showing it, the property will most likely be shown by agents who are totally unfamiliar with their home. Remember, whether talking about a listing agent or a selling agent, unless you have signed a contract with a buyer’s agent, their allegiance is always to the seller.

As if this isn’t complicated enough. using Massachusetts regulations as an example, a broker can work for both the buyer and the seller on the same property provided the broker gets the consent of both parties and provides each with a written notice of the relationship. In this case, the broker is considered a “disclosed dual agent.” This broker owes both the seller and buyer a duty to deal with them fairly and honestly.

In this type of agency relationship, the broker does not represent either the seller or the buyer exclusively, and neither party can expect the broker’s undivided loyalty. Realistically, it’s hard to imagine that properties are not discussed over lunch or between agents sitting at the next desk. Undisclosed dual agency by a broker is illegal. The agent must present the buyer with an agency disclosure form upon first meeting to discuss a particular property.

The use of an agent becomes further complicated when the subject of seeing properties offered “by owner” is brought up. Unless the agent that is showing you properties is a buyer’s agent, the only way he/she can get paid is to get the private seller to list the property, something that is not likely to happen. You don’t need an agent to see a for sale by owner property and some sellers prefer not to negotiate with anyone but the buyer directly. If you do feel that you need representation, the one agent that has loyalty to you, the buyer, is a buyer’s agent.

A buyer’s agent (ie. buyer broker) represents you, the buyer, and never the seller. Some buyer brokers are known as “exclusive buyer brokers/agents”. Exclusive buyer brokers do not list property - period, nor are they housed in an agency that does. The buyer broker’s commission, typically 3%, is generally accommodated in the selling price of the property, paid at closing. The National Association of Exclusive Buyers Agents (NAEBA - www.naeba.org) is a good resource to locate buyer’s agents in your area. Buyers, remember that a buyer broker is able to show you listed properties, foreclosures, new construction, and for sale by owner properties.

A word of caution….make sure you tell the agent that you want to see ALL available properties without regard to who pays the commission. We have often heard of overly aggressive buyer’s agents who will not inform their buyers about a property unless the seller agrees up front to pay their commission. This behavior is unwarranted as the buyer has already agreed to pay any commission due.

NOTE: If you are currently working with a buyer broker and you are looking at a for sale by owner property, please let the seller know up front. Don’t wait until the negotiations are underway to bring in representation. It could easily kill the deal. Most sellers are very open to showing their property to you and your buyer broker - just don’t assume they’ll pay your agent’s fees

You might say their owners love them, but since this article is about advertising, that’s not the answer.

The truth is, both houses that need new owners and dogs who need new homes share the “boring ad syndrome.”

Think about it. Most house ads don’t tell you a thing that creates desire or excitement to see the house. Dog adoption ads are the same.

House ad: “3 br, 2 ba, 5 A. family room, deck, 1800 s.f.”

Dog ad: “6 mo. Shep X male.”

Both ads are “supposed” to make readers pick up the phone and ask for more information. But what is there about those ads to even provoke curiosity? Not much.

If you’re advertising on the internet or in a flyer you produce, there’s no excuse for this brevity. You have the opportunity to paint as many word pictures as there are features to describe.

Your house ad can begin with something enticing such as “River rock fireplace dominates the family room…” and then go on to describe the cathedral ceilings, plush carpeting, redwood decks, etc. in terms that paint pictures in your reader’s minds.

Your dog ad can do the same. How about: “Buster loves to cuddle cats and chase frisbees! Only 6 months old, he already knows “sit and come” and is housebroken.” Then go on with his other fine features. You can even pull some heart-strings by telling how he came to be up for adoption.

But what if you must advertise in the classifieds and thus have very little space?

Describe the most desirable feature and let potential buyers call to learn about the vital statistics. Perhaps it’s the fireplace, or the many windows that bring the outdoors in. Maybe it’s a huge deck overlooking the river. It could be a luxurious master suite. Whatever it is, stress it. And don’t worry if that feature won’t appeal to everyone. You only need one buyer!

In the case of our fictional dog, describe his best personality trait. Let people picture themselves enjoying that dog.

Houses and dogs aren’t the only items for sale that suffer from boring ads. And now that I’ve mentioned it, I’ll bet you’ll see plenty of them every time you pick up a newspaper.

Make sure the ads YOU write don’t suffer from the same affliction. Next time you write an ad - for a car, a couch, a cat, or a kid’s snowsuit - start by painting a mental picture that makes people want to know more.

Get tips and marketing info weekly. Sign up for my free real estate marketing ezine: Real Estate Help. Just send a blank e-mail to realestatehelp@getresponse.com and as soon as you confirm your subscription you’ll have instant access to my special report on ad writing.

One of the best known, but least understood, ways of buying foreclosure properties is to buy them at a live foreclosure auction. Depending upon where you live, a foreclosure auction will generally be held either at your county courthouse or in some other public place. Sometimes the auction will be conducted by the county sheriff and sometimes by a proxy appointed by the court. Regardless of who is chosen to conduct the auction, the result is the same: the property is sold to the highest bidder.

The first bid is typically made for the foreclosing lender by whoever is representing that company. The bid will generally be for the amount that’s owed, although there doesn’t have to be any actual exchange of money involved. If no one else puts in a higher bid, property ownership reverts to the lender.

In the majority of cases, no one shows up for the foreclosure sale except the proxies for the lender and whoever may be running the auction. That’s especially true if there’s no room for profit between what’s owed and the market value of a property.

Make no mistake: foreclosure auctions aren’t generally places for beginning investors, because you’ll need access to either significant amounts of cash or a large line of credit that you can tap into quickly. If you have either of those resources at your disposal, you can sometimes find great buys at foreclosure auctions, but you have to be careful, because most of the time the amount owed doesn’t leave much room for profit, if any. The properties that do contain a significant amount of room for a profit are most likely to be attended by a bigger group of investors. The key is to do your homework well, because a mistake can be very costly.

If you want to check into auctions yourself, the first thing you have to do is find out which publication is used to list them. Often it’s the legal section of your local newspaper, although some larger cities use specialized business papers to advertise foreclosure sales. There are also various services that will notify you of foreclosures in your target area if you subscribe. If you happen to be interested in a particular property, you can contact the firm in charge of the auction for information about the time and place of the auction. Call the day before the auction to see if the defect has been cured or the sale has been delayed for some reason.

Always remember, if you bid, you must follow through with the purchase. There’s no turning back once you’ve committed to buy a foreclosure property at an auction. So do your homework. It would be wise for you to choose a few target neighborhoods and specialize in those areas, so you’ll know how much profit is available even before you consider bidding on a certain property.

Although it’s rare, you can occasionally find some great deals at foreclosure auctions. If nothing else, you’ll find it educational just to attend a few, just to see how the system works.