Mortgage Leads - American Internet Mortgage

When it comes to electronics, newer, faster, and better models of everything from computer processors to cellular phones appear at least every six months. The evolution of technology means manufacturers are incorporating more features and more power into virtually every type of consumer electronics. When you're in the market for consumer electronics - whether for yourself or as a gift idea for someone else - the question becomes, do you need to buy the latest and greatest?

As an example, let's take a look at digital cameras. Virtually everyone is making the switch - if they haven't already - from film to digital. Seven mega-pixel digital cameras are everywhere, and single lens reflex digital cameras are poised to dramatically drop in price within the next twelve months. With the dozens, if not hundreds, of models from which to choose, does it make sense to buy a top of the line digital camera?

Not necessarily. The type of digital camera you need depends on how you're planning to use it. If you primarily use a camera on vacations or while traveling, the most important feature might be the weight of the camera. The ultra-thin, lightweight digital cameras now on the market may not have all of the features of their heavier counterparts, but they're perfect to stick in your shirt pocket and pull out at a moment's notice.

If you take most of your pictures outdoors, an LCD screen with backlighting - and a viewfinder - might be the most important feature for your needs. There's nothing more frustrating than not being able to see what you're shooting. On the other hand, if you primarily use your camera indoors, a red-eye reduction feature is a must-have. If you want to use your camera at your child's soccer games, a digital camera that allows you to take short movies might be perfect for you.

You also need to consider how you'll be using the camera when it comes to selecting the appropriate picture resolution. Most people don't really need a seven mega-pixel camera; and you definitely don't need one if all you're going to do with the pictures is view them on your computer monitor or post them online.

Unlike jewelry, where more is almost always better, consumer electronics don't need to have every single feature in order to be useful. Let's face it: most of us only use a fraction of the power and features in our computers and software. So, when we're buying consumer electronics, it's important to think through which features we'll use and which are extras that add to the price but not the value.

Live Mortgage Leads
Live Mortgage Leads
Mortgage Lead Programs
Mortgage Lead Transfers
Exclusive Mortgage Leads
Mortgage Lead Transfers
Voice Broadcasting
Mortgage Lead Transfers
Live Mortgage Leads
Live Mortgage Leads

Despite the 5 percent drop in new home sales and the slowing pace of home re-sales, which were down 2.8 percent in January, savvy private investors continue to reap hefty real estate profits. In fact, companies that utilize private lenders, like Premier Real Estate Solutions, LLC (www.RealEstateMadeEasy.net), aren't even breaking a sweat. Indeed, company founder Neb Essayas says that the market slowdown in major cities represents "the most exciting time for our business."

Premier Real Estate Solutions buys properties in northern Virginia, central Maryland, and the District of Columbia at 25 to 50 percent below market value. The company then renovates the homes and re-sells them at market value. "There's talk about the real estate bubble bursting," says Essayas, "but what's happening is that sellers aren't making windfall profits anymore. The housing market has been so hot over the past five years that so-called investors could afford to pay market value, watch the property appreciate, and sell at a profit."

In contrast, Premier Real Estate Solutions makes its profit going into the deal - through buying the right properties at the right prices. "As a rule of thumb, we do all of our numbers right and build in our profit margin before purchasing the property," says Essayas. "We only buy two types of properties: those where we can quickly create equity through renovations and those where we buy equity from motivated sellers who need a quick sale."

Now that the real estate market isn't so forgiving, Essayas says that buying the right properties at the right prices is key. "The numbers have to be right, not only to ensure that our company makes a profit, but to secure our private investors' loans."

Those numbers are providing hot returns on investments, regardless of the price range of the home. For example, Premier Real Estate Solutions purchased a home for $405,000, spent $1,000 in upgrades, and sold the home for $599,000. Similarly, Essayas put $32,000 of renovations into a home purchased for $229,000 and sold it for $390,000. "Recently, within a three and a half week period, we bought a home for $77,000, spent $12,000 fixing it up, and found a buyer willing to pay $170,000," he says.

Using private investments to purchase and renovate homes gives Premier Real Estate an advantage over developers using institutional lenders, in that the company can move nimbly when it finds a bargain. "The private capital we've been using has allowed us to close on these properties in as little as three days," says Essayas.

As for investors, they appreciate being able to earn a better return through Premier Real Estate than they can with traditional investments. According to Harry Roupas, who has made significant investments in Premier Real Estate Solutions properties over the past three years, "The excellent returns I have seen on my investments demonstrates to me that Premier's business model is sound. Buying properties below market value, renovating them, and selling them at a profit is the right approach for today's real estate market, but you need a Premier Real Estate to make it all work just right."

And Premier Real Estate is hard at work, planning to purchase between 50 and 60 properties in the Washington, D.C. Metro area this year, and looking to a future in larger development projects, such as condominiums and hotels.

While Essayas anticipates that the market's cooling trend will result in a longer turnaround time for sales, he emphasizes that "we factor higher carrying costs into our equation before making an offer to purchase a property."

He concludes, "Because we never pay market value for a property to begin with, we can continue to take advantage of the current real estate market to secure properties at prices well below market level, renovate them, and sell them at a profit."

Kris Nickerson is the Editor-in-Chief of Press Direct International (http://www.pressdirectinternational.org), a global information website that provides reliable information tailored to professionals in financial, media, and corporate markets. His thorough knowledge of industries ranging from health care and travel to real estate and financial investing enables him to quickly grasp the nuances of emerging markets and technologies.Voice Broadcasting
Exclusive Mortgage Leads
Live Mortgage Leads
Live Mortgage Leads
Voice Broadcasting
Mortgage Leads
Live Mortgage Leads
Live Mortgage Leads
Live Mortgage Leads
Live Mortgage Leads

Remortgage Regulars

When you're thinking about a remortgage you have a number of options you'll want to weigh. Let's look at the choices:

* Standard variable rate (SVR) remortgage -usually this is the most costly rate, typically with a low temporary rate up front as a promotion and then a transfer to the standard variable rate once that time period has passed. Most homeowners on an SVR will try to remortgage as soon as they can.

* Fixed rate remortgage - This typically has a set interest rate for a predetermined time period, after which the lender's current SVR kicks in. This mortgage or remortgage provides a firm monthly payment for the initial loan period, although subsequently may not be cost effective. This mortgage, just like the SVR, is something a homeowner often seeks a remortgage from.

* Capped rate remortgage. Whether your first mortgage or your remortgage there are pluses and minuses on a cap rate mortgage. You have the security of knowing that for the initial period of two to three years the highest rate you will pay. But the cap may in fact be higher than if you had chosen a fixed rate mortgage or remortgage.

* Discounted rate remortgage - with this mortgage or remortgage you have an initial period where you pay a predetermined percentage off your lending institution's SVR. The discounted time period can vary, but in general the longer the discount period, the less the discount. Once the discount period is over, you'll pay the bank's SVR.

* Tracked rate remortgage - This guarantees that your mortgage or remortgage will mirror the base rate of bank mortgages. If the rate decreases so will the amount you pay each month on your remortgage.

* Drop lock Tracked rate remortgage - this tracker mortgage or remortgage offers you the option to make a change to a fixed rate remortgage during your initial time period without any penalty for early repay. This drop lock remortgage can be a handy way to take advantage of low base rates while making the change to a secure fixed rate remortgage when it's advantageous to do so.

* Cash back remortgage - While the mortgage rate on this loan is usually your financial institution's SVR, this remortgage offers you a large upfront payment for whatever your lump sum needs might be. You might use this, for instance, to pay the deposit on a new home, to begin home improvements or to buy additional furnishings.

Many mortgages or remortgages offer optional features such as flexibility. If your remortgage is flexible you can make some changes in the payment you make each month if your finances require or allow that. You might be able to overpay or under pay, make a lump repayment or take a short reprieve from monthly payments. The latter is most commonly used if the homeowner has some one time large expense, such as the purchase of a new vehicle or to pay for a wedding.

Overpayments are usually the most common flexible remortgage feature. Underpayments and reprieves (also known as holidays) are allowed based on your payment history and credit.

Another remortgage or first mortgage feature is currency. With a current remortgage, your bank account and your remortgage become one account. You can even set up a direct deposit of your salary into the account to pay your remortgage automatically. The interest is a daily calculation.

You can also choose an offset feature for your remortgage, which simply means that the balance on your remortgage is offset against any money you have in any other account with that lending institution, such as a savings or checking account.

Robert Michael is a writer for Domus Property which is an excellent place to find Property links, resources and articles. For more information go to: http://domusproperty.comExclusive Mortgage Leads
Live Mortgage Leads
Live Mortgage Leads
Live Mortgage Leads
Live Mortgage Leads
Live Mortgage Leads
Live Mortgage Leads
Mortgage Lead Transfers
Live Mortgage Leads
Live Mortgage Leads

If you dont start a game youll never win. And this is not about gambling. This is a life principle. You may want to look into number of options and choices throughout your entire life and never pick out the right ones Or you may pick out the wrong options and they might throw you off your path for a long, long while It will take time then to recover and get back to your usual speed. All the same is about your business choices.

Make the right ones from the very beginning and you will get lots of success, no matter how new you are at it.

If you are just thinking about trying yourself out in internet marketing well have some good advice for you. And even if you are an internet marketing pro, our tips may be very helpful for you also.

First of all, for beginners to look out for scam. Never fall for a business opportunity that offers you enormous profit with little or no effort from your side. Always remember: free cheese can be found only in a mousetrap! No work, no money. That is what really works in both off-line and on-line worlds. Before diving into an opportunity headfirst, check if the company provides actual contact information. Try to call their 800 number or send them an e-mail and see how fast they respond and how well they answer your questions. One of the best ways to check out the reliability of a company that offers a home-business opportunity is to run it through Best Business Bureau. Just Google it and see for yourself if it is a good choice.

Second, and one of the most important things that usually you will not hear from business opportunity advertisers is that your start-up process may take a long time. Be prepared to work hard, especially when you are just starting out. If you are not planning to spend a lot of money on advertising in the beginning, or your advertising budget is limited, you will have to work very hard in order to get enough traffic to your web site. There is a lot of secrets and tricks to it. For many people it is very disappointing and often times beginners give up after a month or two. Or even earlier. If you are serious about internet marketing, you should be prepared to write articles, press releases, participate in marketing forums, start your own blog and do a lot of other things that bring free traffic to your web site. We will talk more about some great ways to generate traffic in our following articles.

Third, and probably the most important thing is that you need to do a lot of research on your own and test dozens and maybe hundreds of different things to see which ones work better for your business. Be open for new ideas and choices when it comes to advertising. Use internet but do not forget about other media newspapers, magazines, even TV and radio if your business is really expanding well and is ready to be on local radio or maybe even national TV.

Do not forget to educate yourself constantly. Read articles in free article directories that are related to your business. Participate in forums and dont be shy to post a question you will be surprised how many people will be ready to help you!

Collect your own e-library. Lots of really good e-books are available on-line for free. Every time you get a chance, download them and save in your own e-library. That will help you out a lot and will even get you a chance to start helping others.

Just be focused on what you are doing and you will be able to reach your goals!

Elena Joggerst is a stay at home mom and a self-employed internet marketer. She offers free advice and ideas for beginners in marketing whenever possible.Live Mortgage Leads
Mortgage Lead Programs
Live Mortgage Leads
Mortgage Lead Transfers
Exclusive Mortgage Leads
Mortgage Leads
Mortgage Lead Programs
Mortgage Lead Programs
Live Mortgage Leads
Mortgage Lead Programs

The Cendant Real Estate Franchise Group truly exemplifies the franchising movement in modern real estate. In fact, it virtually defines it. By charting out aspecific course and never looking back, Cendant has been able to acquire and leverage the collective power of some of the industrys leading brand names, which deftly manage to co-exist as both a family of companies and as healthy competitors. How is it possible? By combining the individual strength of the brands leadership with the parent companys vast resources and strategic focus on operational excellence.

Even Alex Perriello, the Franchise Groups newly appointed president and CEO, once found the concept baffling. A member of the Coldwell Banker family since 1983, Perriello once watched in disbelief as Cendant Corporationat that time HFS, Inc.started on its path of acquiring leading real estate brands.

When HFS bought Century 21 in 1995, we at Coldwell Banker thought, thats unusual, Perriello recalls. Then they announced they had acquired ERA, and I thought, How will that work? How can one company own two competing real estate brands?

When HFS eventually acquired Coldwell Banker in 1996, Perriello recalls that he was just one of a handful of people to leave sunny California to follow the brand to Parsippany, New Jersey, the current headquarters for Cendants Real Estate Franchise Group.

When I came to New Jersey, I came partly for the opportunity, but the other part was curiosity, Perriello explains. He laughs. It was one of the best decisions I ever made.

Perriello was appointed to lead the Cendant Real Estate Franchise Group as president and CEO this past April, succeeding Bob Moles, who stepped down after seven successful years with the company. Perriello now reports directly to Richard A. Smith, chairman and CEO of Cendants Real Estate Services Division. In addition to the Franchise Group, the Cendant Real Estate Services Division also includes: Cendant Mobility, Cendant Mortgage, Cendant Settlement Services Group and NRT Incorporated.

Prior to his appointment, Perriello served as president and CEO of Coldwell Banker Real Estate Corporation since 1997. As part of the restructuring, Jim Gillespie was promoted from chief operating officer to president and COO of Coldwell Banker.

My philosophy has always been, whatever job you have, do it better than anyone else ever has and good things will happen for you, Perriello says. Obviously, Perriellos philosophy has paid off in spades. His in-the-trenches real estate experience combined with his executive years within the Cendant corporate environment makes him particularly well suited for the job.

As Perriello explains, Coming into this position with a knowledge of Cendant and how it operates and already knowing the brand presidents and the heads of support services, makes this a culture and a business that I already know.

And what a business it is to know. Currently, the Cendant Real Estate Franchise Group comprises approximately 13,000 franchised and company-owned real estate offices and 265,000 brokers and agents worldwide, operating under one of Cendants five real estate brands: Century 21, Coldwell Banker, Coldwell Banker Commercial, ERA and Sothebys International Realty. At the close of 2003, the Real Estate Franchise Group recorded $458 billion in total sales volume for the year and totaled 2.16 million real estate transaction sides. According to Cendants statistics, the companys brands were involved in one out of every four homes bought or sold in the United States in 2003. Quite literally, the Franchise Groups numbers say it all.

It is not only this top-producing real estate entity that Perriello is inheriting, however, but also a company that continues to thrive on growth and expansion, building on the mega numbers and ubiquitous presence its brands already boast. Case in point: Cendants recent licensing agreement to allow its subsidiary to operate the Sothebys International Realty brand and its planned separation of Coldwell Banker Commercial into an independent business unit apart from Coldwell Bankers residential real estate operations.

These two recent maneuvers speak directly to the Franchise Groups continual focus on its value proposition, or value circle as it is often referred to, that was developed when Cendant first formed the Real Estate Franchise Group in October 2000. The goal of the formation of the Group was to accelerate the growth of the brands while paying attention to each brands individual strategy. By sharing efficiencies behind the scenes, like administrative and operations functions, each Cendant real estate brand has been able to flourish while maintaining its respective, unique identity in the marketplace. As part of the Cendant Real Estate Services Division, each Franchise Group brand is also able to capitalize on additional synergies and cross marketing opportunities such as branded mortgage products and settlement services through its Cendant sister companies, further enhancing the value circle.

Perriellos first priority is to ensure that the Cendant value circle is being utilized by each of the brands and leveraged on their behalf.

My number-one focus will be to grow our brands collective market share both domestically and internationally and really leverage the resources of the Cendant value circle, Perriello explains. The first thing I did was to sit down with each of the brand presidents one-on-one to go over their strategic plans line by line. I met with the heads of our support services departmentssales, administration, information technology, compliance, legal, learning, accounting, finance, business development and communicationsto see what their strategic plans were. I was looking for alignment. I wanted to make sure that our Franchise Group support teams were working on what the brands felt was important. And we are definitely on the right track.

The ability of the Cendant brands to maintain their individuality while competing under one roof may seem hard to imagine, yet it happens every day. Perriello says the secret is hiring good leaders.

Each of our real estate brands is very, very well run, Perriello explains. You have to have business leaders who know what the customers want and will fight hard to get that, and we do.

Each brand has its own dedicated staff and advertising funds thats all separate and distinct for each brand, Perriello continues. By keeping it that way, there is a healthy spirit of competitiveness that exists among all the brands. Everyone at the corporate level likes and respects each other, but their jobs are to grow their individual businesses. That culture has been in place since the day I got here.

All in the Family: The Cendant Brands

Despite the active involvement of a very present corporate parent, the brands within the Cendant Real Estate Franchise Group manage to operate with distinctly individual strategies due, at least in part, to the diverse personalities and backgrounds of their respective leaders. Look under the hood and you will find very different companies, with very different strategies, each working toward the same goal for the benefit of their franchisees and Cendant (NYSE: CD) shareholders alike: growth.

Century 21: Growth for All

According to company CEO and president, Van Davis, the first quarter of 2004 was a record quarter. We did not expect the strength that we saw in the first quarter and did not expect the interest rates to dip, he explains. Based on industry data, the second quarter is also shaping up to be strong as the economy improves and people re-enter the job market.

To ensure the continued success of the Century 21 network, Davis focuses on profitability, which lies at the center of the Century 21 broker and agent value circles. We strive to help maximize the profitability of our brokers and agents, says Davis. If we dont, theyre going to go somewhere else.

To enhance this strategy, Century 21 developed a proprietary set of Broker Financial Tools and Agent Financial Tools. These individual suites of Internet-based planning tools help brokers and agents develop work plans and strategies for achieving their financial goals. To that end, Agent Tools are designed to help sales associates better list and sell properties, while Broker Tools help broker/owners develop the financial and planning skills that will help drive their success, including methodologies for holding themselves accountable and strategies for recruiting and retaining the best agents.

Davis says the key to supporting the broker and agent value circles lies in the strength of Century 21s technology and educational platforms. By utilizing both financial tools and training programs online, Century 21 System members are capturing a better rate of success, faster.

The continued development of its technology platform is a major goal of Davis for the future of Century 21, as is meeting the needs of a diverse national market. There will be five million new households in America over the next five years, and three million of those will be African-American, Hispanic and Asian, he reports, adding that Century 21 is uniquely positioned to capitalize on this demographic shift with a name that is already globally associated with the best in real estate.

Davis sees continued financial success for the Century 21 System in the year ahead. Affordability is in place with the interest rate still low. The American Dream is very much alive, and the Century 21 System delivers that dream.

Coldwell Banker: Improving on History

For Jim Gillespie, his recent appointment to president and COO of Coldwell Banker Real Estate Corporation is the perfect way to celebrate his 28th anniversary with the company on June 4.

I walked in to Coldwell Banker as a sales associate and have been fortunate to have worked in almost every aspect of the business, from sales to managing branch offices, running large metropolitan Coldwell Banker companies, overseeing regions of the country, even working at the corporate level of our relocation company, says Gillespie. I want to continue to lead the company as Alex has. We have almost doubled in size over the last six or seven years. I want to continue that process.

According to Gillespie, Coldwell Bankers consistent success over the years stems from one source: The fact that we are cutting edge in almost everything that we do.

Also key to the Coldwell Banker strategy over the years has been a keen eye toward service. Our servicing structure has remained unchanged, reports Gillespie. We have three service regions, and each region is run by a senior vice president. Each of these senior vice presidents has been with Coldwell Banker close to 30 years. This allows us to have a common philosophy.

Education is another important tenet of the Coldwell Banker philosophy, conducted on many levels and through many venues throughout the Coldwell Banker system, including field training, large classroom training at Coldwell Banker University and online versions of educational programs at CBU.com, which offers learning on demand.

For the year ahead, Gillespie says, We want to continue to be a full-service company and a leader in luxury marketing. The Coldwell Banker System posted just under 14,000 million-dollar-home sales in 2003 ... thats a 24 percent year-over-year increase. Weve got agents certified by our Previews International luxury home program who are specially trained to handle high-end properties.

Despite Coldwell Bankers well-steeped history in the real estate industry that dates back to 1906, Gillespie feels that Cendant has been directly responsible for the companys exponential growth in recent years. Because Cendant is committed to being in the real estate industry for the long haul, it has been able to put together a value circle for the benefit of all its brands. Thats never been done in the real estate industry. We were really good before Cendant came around, but as a parent company, Cendant has made Coldwell Banker even more superior.

ERA: Specializing in the Future

According to Brenda W. Casserly, president and COO of ERA Franchise Systems, Inc., the ERA brand is unique in three ways: growth; innovative products and services; and the companys Always There For You culture.

ERAs position in the marketplace is a growing one, reports Casserly, with the system having added approximately 61 new offices in the first four months of 2004.

Part of ERAs successful strategy has been to continue to invest in innovative products and services for its brokers and agents as well as consumers. Casserly points out two major deliverables in that arena: ERAs expanded Web presence, with an increased functionality platform, and an enhanced Sellers Security Plan. Strengthening its technology and support services in this way has only served to attract more players to join the ERA network, says Casserly.

Sales associates recognize the value of our innovative products and services, Casserly explains, but the number-one driver has always been the same: they are attracted to and impressed by the quality of our culture. The ethics and reputation of the local ERA companies distinguish the overall positioning of the brand. You continue to select companies of quality, and those quality companies then become your reputation. The ERA vision, supported by the actions of our sales associates, begins with integrity and ends with service.

ERA has also aggressively courted emerging markets. Approximately $1.8 trillion will be spent by emerging markets in the United States by 2008, says Casserly. Thats mind boggling. Realtors tended to think that diverse markets were just in high metro-area populations. Now they are learning that these opportunities exist everywhere across the country.

Looking toward the future, Casserly believes successful real estate professionals will need to continue to focus on providing full service and paying close attention to third-party interlopers trying to market listings and capture commissions. Many brokers are assuming that theyre not a threat, but the real estate community needs to be aware and educate the consumer.

Sothebys International Realty: The Newest Addition

In February of this year, Cendant added to its family of big-name real estate brands when one of its subsidiaries entered into a long-term agreement to license the Sothebys International Realty brand name. Cendant will now be responsible for developing the Sothebys International Realty franchise system and its company-owned operations.

The Sothebys International Realty brand is an exciting opportunity for us, says Perriello. The Sothebys name is unparalleled in the luxury market. We are building the platform for an extremely sound franchise organization.

At the helm of the Sothebys International Realty operations is 27-year real estate veteran Michael R. Good, former executive vice president and chief operating officer for NRT Incorporated, a Cendant subsidiary. As Good explains, with 260 years of brand recognition, the Sothebys name, panache and image will provide Cendant the opportunity to achieve true market ownership of the high-end niche.

Cendant will operate the Sothebys International Realty brand as a luxury franchise system, says Good, as he and his team put into place the infrastructure and support system that will allow the brand to benefit from the resources of its new parent company.

Like other Cendant brands, the Sothebys International Realty franchise system will pursue an aggressive growth strategy via affiliations and acquisitions. The first step is to create an experienced sales force that understands this unique brand and who will be dedicated exclusively to Sothebys International Realty affiliations, says Good. Were also conducting an extensive market evaluation to define the appropriate new geographic areas we need to be in. The third thing we will do is refine our membership criteria. Were definitely raising the bar. There will be very specific qualifications that real estate brokerages must meet to be part of the system. We have already had a tremendous number of inquiries; theres a waiting list of people who would like to have that dialogue with us because they see this brand as very distinct and prestigious.

According to Good, the brands connection with Sothebys auction house and its access to the auction house clients gives it an automatic competitive advantage among other luxury brands. Theres no other real estate organization that has that possibility, says Good. There are certainly other national and franchised companies that do business in the luxury marketplace, but we expect the Sothebys International Realty network and franchise companies to be recognized as a quintessential luxury brokerage membership system.

Good indicates that the new Sothebys International Realty identity program will recognize the strong, local branding of independents. This will be more of a fifty-fifty relationship, says Good. You will see the independents name positioned prominently with the Sothebys International Realty identity to maximize the blending of the brokers existing local brand equity with the power of the national brand.

Coldwell Banker Commercial: On its Own

Coldwell Banker Commercial has been gaining significant momentum in the commercial real estate world thanks to its extraordinary strength in the secondary and tertiary markets and its double-digit growth in revenue, specifically 36% over first quarter 2003.

Due to this growth, Cendant plans to make Coldwell Banker Commercial a separate operating company apart from Coldwell Banker in the near future. The companys president, George E. Slusser, was promoted to president and COO of Coldwell Banker Commercial, and he now reports directly to Perriello.

In the last two to three years, Coldwell Banker Commercial has focused on major markets and commercial-only relationships, which is more typical of the commercial real estate industry, Slusser explains. The breaking out of the company as a separate operating unit is a natural progression into becoming a full-service commercial company, 100 percent dedicated to helping its affiliates succeed in the commercial real estate arena. This will help us from a client standpoint, from a mergers and acquisitions standpoint and, primarily, from a growth standpoint.

Most of the commercial companies do not have strong parents, he says. Cendant came into commercial real estate and is helping to consolidate it and provide economies of scale and the delivery of quality services. Larger does not always equate to better, but it does equate to better tools and services.

Slusser is confident about his companys ability to deliver on increased expectations. Were coming at the major markets through the back door with a three-pronged approach that I call the Triple A ap-proach. First, through acquisitions and affiliations. The third A is for aggregation. Our offices have grown organically by recruiting teams of commercial real estate practitioners from other entities.

As in the residential real estate arena, Cendants ability to provide Coldwell Banker Commercial with important resources will play in the companys favor. Offering a full complement of tools and systems to local owners is an important change in the commercial real estate industry. Cendant created this model over many years. Were good at franchising and offering a bundle of services.

According to Slusser, the last three years have been very difficult in the commercial real estate industry. That makes our growth even more phenomenal, he adds. Our best growth is ahead of us.

Growth in an Uncertain Future

For the Cendant Real Estate Franchise Group, theres no such thing as too much growth. Perriello and his brand leaders will continue to be charged with expanding the reach and market share of the groups five brands. Perriellos strategy for achieving that growth is succinct and to the point.

Looking at it domestically, says Perriello, first, we have to help our existing affiliates grow their businesses. We have to provide productivity enhancement tools and training so that our brands sales associates feel they are better off with that brand. Then, we need to look at geographic and demographic markets on an individual basis and identify new potential franchisees that strengthen our brands presence in that market.

While the size of the Cendant Real Estate Franchise Group is of tremendous proportion, the ultimate key to growth lies in the most basic of details, says Perriello: the individual sales associate. Perriello knows this well, having begun his real estate career as a sales associate with Coldwell Banker in 1976.

I dont view the sales associate as the lowest level its the most important level, says Perriello. Thats where the rubber meets the road.

My experience as a sales associate gives me a perspective of how difficult this business is and the challenges they face. It gives me a great deal of credibility that I have walked a mile in their shoes. I know Im only successful when our salespeople are successful.

Having this close identification with sales associates helps Perriello to be grounded and to have an understanding of the business from every level. The customers perception of each brand starts with the person who has this business card and hands it to themthats the moment of truth. My job is to help our brokers and sales associates be successful. They dont work for meI work for them.

Behind the Scenes: The Franchise Operation

The Cendant Real Estate Franchise Groups franchising prowess is backed by a dedicated sales team responsible for building the presence and market share, both domestically and internationally, for all of the Franchise Groups brands: Century 21, Coldwell Banker, Coldwell Banker Commercial, ERA and Sothebys International Realty.

Brien McMahon, executive vice president of franchise sales, is the leader of this department. The best way to look at us is as the sales force for our brokers. We like to proactively seek out growth opportunities via mergers and acquisitions for them in their marketplaces.

The Cendant real estate franchising success story is evident. When a company joins a Cendant brand, they typically dont leave. They stay as part of the family, says McMahon. That helps us attract new prospects.

When looking to bring a company into one of Cendants brand networks, McMahon and his team evaluate several factors about the prospective company, while simultaneously reviewing the market share of the respective Cendant brands in that area. This helps them to assist the prospect in determining which brand may be the best fit for them.

The Cendant real estate franchise sales team has 115 salespeople working throughout the country. We become a broker in between the brokers, McMahon explains. We take the emotion out of the process.

The overall goal for McMahon and his group is to take the individual Cendant brands to the next level, and to accomplish that, he relies on the support of the individual brands as well as the parent company.

Its not just about going in and franchising, he explains. When we walk into an unaffiliated company, we are trying to create a long-term plan. A key advantage is that Cendant invests capital to help our brokers grow. We have such a great value proposition that its hard for a broker to not feel compelled to join one of our brands. With a company like Cendant to support them, they can say, Im wrapped up in my day-to-day responsibilities, but I know that someone is looking out for my organization for the long term, and that means a lot.

Ultimately, as in all areas of real estate, franchise sales boils down to building relationships, McMahon says. A company that may have resisted franchising for years will all of a sudden pick up the phone and call you. Its because we have always been professional, stayed in touch with regular visits and built a good relationship with them. Our goal is to always be there and to always have them thinking of the advantages of being affiliated with one of the Cendant real estate brands.

Andrew Adams writes for http://www.magfranchise.org where you can find out more about franchising and other topics.Live Mortgage Leads
Exclusive Mortgage Leads
Live Mortgage Leads
Voice Broadcasting
Live Mortgage Leads
Mortgage Lead Programs
Mortgage Lead Programs
Mortgage Lead Programs
Live Mortgage Leads
Live Mortgage Leads

For decades, the real estate world turned in a predictable manner. The roles of buyers, sellers and real estate professionals were fairly well defined and transactions followed a predictable path of yard signs, newspaper ads, open houses and miles of paperwork.

Recently, online and empowered consumers have changed the game. Real estate professionals now face issues similar to the ones that have transformed the retail, personal finance and travel planning industries. As technology advances and new business models evolve, the real estate industry has begun to transform itself from providing traditional, carefully controlled agent-centric transactions to new consumer-centric practices. The following is a look at some of the recent industry trends and how buyers, sellers and investors can expect to benefit. The Five Ds that are driving change in real estate are:

1. Disruption Over the past 10 years, the Internet has matured into a powerful platform for delivering real estate information, forever changing the interaction between buyers, sellers and real estate professionals.

2. Displacement The popularity and acceptance of self-service and consumer-direct business models is being felt by real estate professionals, who are striving to develop attractive new offerings for Web-savvy consumers.

3. Demanding consumers You now have more real estate knowledge, tools and resources at your fingertips than ever before. More savvy consumers tend to be more independent and demanding.

4. Downward pressure - Traditional real estate commissions of 5-6 percent of a propertys sales price are facing downward pressure.

5. Developing alternatives The real estate industry is transforming itself to provide targeted services and exciting new options that add value for consumers. Disruption

We are going to see our industry go through dramatic transformation via the Internet and consolidation of agents and companies. eRealty Times Columnist Dirk Zeller

Some industry observers have adopted Harvard Business School professor Clayton Christensens term disruptive technology to explain recent developments in real estate. Though its easy to point to the World Wide Web and advancing technology as the main changes in real estate, thats only part of whats shaking things up. Essentially, the real cause of disruption is not just technology, but technology-enabled real estate consumers.

Web-enabled consumers

According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), more than 72 percent of homebuyers now begin their home search online. The popularity of online real estate ads surpassed newspaper property listings back in 2001, and the gap is widening. Less than one percent of buyers first learned about the home they purchased on the Internet in 1995, while in 2004, that number passed 20 percent.

According to a California Association of Realtors (CAR) survey, 97 percent of respondents said the Web helped them understand the buying process better and 100 percent said using the Web helped them understand home values better. Web-enabled homebuyers like you are taking a more active role in researching homes and neighborhoods. You also now spend less time with real estate professionals once you have completed your research. Internet homebuyers also used the Web effectively to filter out properties that did not interest them, visiting 6.1 homes on average versus 15.4 for traditional buyers.

Today, you can view photos and detailed information for hundreds of properties in the time it used to take to visit a single one. And the Web provides much more opportunity than simply moving print listings online. The growing availability of residential high-speed Internet connections has boosted the popularity of virtual tours and interactive maps, providing consumers with powerful and flexible visual search tools.

In addition to making home searches easier, automated valuation model (AVM) software is making a big impact in how properties are evaluated. AVMs, which generate valuation estimates by analyzing and comparing property information data, are becoming increasingly sophisticated and accurate. While not considered a substitute for human appraisals, AVMs are gaining popularity because they are inexpensive, easy to use and produce valuation estimates in minutes. Now AVMs, used extensively in electronic mortgage approval processing during the recent refinancing boom, are becoming available on real-estate Websites aimed at consumers. This is a significant development for independent sellers, who often find it challenging to price their properties correctly when selling on their own.

The MLS goes public

In real estate, MLS data sits at the apex of the change, specifically the MLS information that is pushed to the Internet every minute of the day. Bradley Inman, Publisher of Inman News

Once an exclusive tool for real estate professionals, the multiple listing service (MLS) has in recent years become a very public platform for real estate listings. The MLS is the nations most comprehensive database of properties for sale four out of five homes sold in the United States are listed on the MLS. MLS properties are available to agents and brokers worldwide, and are now accessible via consumer Web sites such as Realtor.com, WSJ.com, Excite, Netscape, AOL and MSN. MLS listings also appear on local, regional and national brokerage Websites through Internet Data Exchange (IDX) agreements that allow participating Realtors to share listings and display them to consumers. Even though only licensed realtors can list property on the MLS, the system has begun to figure prominently for the $110 billion independent seller (for-sale-by-owner or FSBO) market. About 13 percent of real estate sales are now FSBO, conducted without a brokers assistance.

Type flat fee MLS into any major search engine, and youll see dozens of real estate professionals willing to list your property in the MLS for a fee. If you are willing to pay a commission of 2-3 percent, you can attract the attention of thousands of agents who will show your property to prospective buyers. You can then reduce the cost of the sale to about half a traditional 5-6 percent sales commission, plus the cost of the MLS listing. If you find an independent buyer working without an agent, you could make a sale with no commission at all and pay only an MLS listing flat fee. Displacement

Currently, about 2.4 million real estate licensees operate nationally, according to the Association of Real Estate License Law officials. The NAR has more than one million members, up from about 760,000 members five years ago. Many real estate professionals and industry observers expect a significant decline in this number because some tasks traditionally performed by agents and brokers can now be done more quickly and easily by Web-enabled consumers.

Historically the fundamental driver of the real estate industry was the control of information. The real estate agent and the real estate office were the only sources of comprehensive information on which properties were for sale and those who might be interested in buying them. With this control revenues were practically guaranteed.

Moreover, because this exclusive control was akin to a monopoly by virtue of the multiple listing service (MLS) any firm of any size could serve the customer equally well. As a result, the number of real estate companies grew without regard to market efficiencies.

Simply put, the traditional model is too inflexible. Consumers are seriously questioning the value of a real estate agent. They frequently feel that many of the traditional tasks undertaken by the agents are now either no longer required or can be done by the consumer themselves.

Swanepoel & Tuccillo, Real Estate Confronts Profitability

The quotes above, from a popular report on emerging real estate business models and dwindling profit margins, highlight a number of issues traditional real estate professionals are now facing. And if the real estate industry has grown historically without regard to market efficiencies, the issue has only been compounded since 2001, as new agents signed on in droves, lured by low interest rates and skyrocketing home prices in many areas. Its likely that the number of traditional real estate agents will decline, while new types of real estate jobs will be created to deliver value to Web-savvy customers.

NEXT in Part 2 of 2: - Demanding Consumers, Downward Pressure and Developing Alternatives

Live Mortgage Leads
Mortgage Lead Transfers
Live Mortgage Leads
Live Mortgage Leads
Live Mortgage Leads
Live Mortgage Leads
Live Mortgage Leads
Mortgage Leads
Mortgage Lead Transfers
Mortgage Lead Transfers

When you begin to start building your business there are certain things that you must master. Those 3 things are 1. Internal Communication- how you respond to yourself 2. People skills- how you respond to other people 3. Mastering technical skills

1. Internal Communication- How do you respond to yourself? Do you always put yourself down? How do you handle problems? Running a successful business all starts within you. You are what matters not anyone else. If you quit when it gets tough it is your choice. If you choose to keep on going till you succeed it is also your choice. The one thing you control is yourself. You control what choices you make. You control how you respond to given situations. The first skill to master is yourself.

2. People Skills- You must learn how to relay your message to your customers. People with poor communication skills are normally broke. Look around the richest people are the best communicators. Your income will be directly related to how well you are able to communicate your message. Order courses, go to seminars and read books on how to communicate more effectively. Communication is key.

3. Mastering Your Technical Skills- This is the easiest of the three. Whatever technical skills you need to use, you can learn in a how to book or from an advisor.

Once you have these 3 skills mastered there is no reason why you should not be successful. Many common mistakes can be avoided by mastering these 3 skills. Remember first work on yourself, you are in control. You control your life. Next work on how you relate to people. Getting your message out effectively is vital. And then learn the technical skills you need to run your business. After you have mastered all 3 you will be in a much better position to achieve your goals.

Eric Fields has been involved in business for over 20 years. He has currently been consulting online companies on ways to drive more quality traffic to their websites. To sign up for a free newsletter on how to create your own quality leads. Go to http://www.leadgenerationworld.com.Mortgage Lead Programs
Exclusive Mortgage Leads
Exclusive Mortgage Leads
Live Mortgage Leads
Live Mortgage Leads
Live Mortgage Leads
Mortgage Lead Programs
Mortgage Leads
Live Mortgage Leads
Voice Broadcasting

Buying and selling foreclosed homes in fixer-upper condition can be a lucrative business if you follow four simple steps.

Key #1 - Good neighborhood: Pick areas where owners spend their time and money on their houses. Other qualities: well-maintained homes, streets with no junk cars or garbage, no or low-crime areas, convenient location, and active real estate market.

Key #2 - Start with foreclosure properties located in low- and middle-income areas. Stay away from expensive neighborhoods. You may not able to find enough fixer-upper foreclosures in expensive neighborhoods. Property values in expensive neighborhoods may change dramatically, which means too much risk!

Key #3 - Go the extra mile: Find foreclosure houses that require more than cosmetic repairs. The worst-looking house may be your best bet, since most people stay away from them due to their appearance (dont judge the book by its cover!). Your profit potential increases as you go from cosmetic fixing to more comprehensive fixing.

Key #4 Stay away from the following foreclosures: Homes with structural and environmental problems. These are problems that only professionals, not you, can correct. Look for homes that are not next to interstate highways, freeways, apartment complexes, behind shopping centers, industrial parks, and commercial zones.

Sellers are motivated: Lenders (banks, credit unions, private lenders) holding foreclosed properties (called Real Estate Owned, or REOs) are motivated to sell because they are not in real estate business. They want to get rid of foreclosure properties as soon as possible. They want to get cash to improve their liquidity ratios to meet federal and state requirements and reduce the amount of their nonperforming loans.

Improve your profits by doing-it-yourself: Make your foreclosure business more profitable as follows:

Minimize your cash payments.
Target to create positive cash flow at the start or within two years.
Do-it-yourself as much as possible. Delegate difficult and specialized tasks to others. Ask your spouse, kids, relatives, and friends to join you. Let them share the experience and enjoy the profits. Let them feel the team spirit the spirit of success!

Hold it or flip it? Hold a property when:

you have a positive cash flow from the start. You will be able to increase the rent every year,
property is in an appreciating neighborhood. Your positive cash flow will go up and the property value goes up, and
you expect an increase in interest rates.

Flip it when:

there is no positive cash at the start,
your immediate profit looks good, and
you expect a downturn in the market.

Strategize and write down your foreclosure business plan to:

set your goals and have a road map,
enable yourself to attract investors for additional funds,
help you easily get funds from lenders, and
develop good criteria for future projects.

Expand your plan with the experience you gain after each successful foreclosure home buying and selling and keep adding new strategies for more profits.

John Anderson worked as real estate agent, Realtor in Florida and Virginia and covers bank and government owned foreclosures in his web site: http://www.buyinghome.orgMortgage Lead Transfers
Mortgage Leads
Exclusive Mortgage Leads
Exclusive Mortgage Leads
Live Mortgage Leads
Live Mortgage Leads
Mortgage Lead Programs
Live Mortgage Leads
Voice Broadcasting
Exclusive Mortgage Leads

1. What is a condo hotel or condotel?

Think of a condo hotel (also sometimes called a condotel or hotel condo) as buying a condominium, although one that is part of a four-star caliber hotel. Therefore, as an owner, when you are on vacation, youll get the benefit of more four-star services and amenities than you'd get in a typical condominium.

2. What types of services and amenities are found in condo hotels?

If you can imagine the niceties youd find in an upscale hotel, then you can picture a condo hotel. Among the features are often resort-style pools, full-service spas, state-of-the-art fitness centers, fine dining restaurants, concierge services and room service.

In some locations, like Las Vegas, youll find condo hotels with their own casinos, retail areas, and entertainment venues. In places like Orlando, youll find condo hotels with their own water parks and convention facilities.

3. What is the difference between a condo hotel and a traditional condominium?

The big difference between a hotel and a condo hotel is that a hotel typically has one owner, either individual or corporate, but a condo hotel is sold off unit by unit. Therefore, a 300-room condo hotel could have as many as 300 unit owners.

4. Is it evident to hotel guests whether theyre staying in a condo hotel or a traditional hotel?

A hotel guest will likely never know that the hotel has multiple owners because the property is operated just like a traditional hotel and often under the management of a well-known hotel company like Hilton, Hyatt, Starwood, Trump or W.

Also, each of the individual condo hotel units will look identical in design and dcor to every other, just as they would in a traditional hotel.

5. Who typically buys condo hotels?

Theyre primarily sold to people who want a vacation home but do not want to deal with the hassles typically associated with second home ownership such as maintaining the property or finding renters in the off season.

6. What is the demographic of the typical condo hotel buyer?

The spectrum of condo hotel buyers is pretty broad. There are families that want a second home in a vacation destination. There are baby boomers who are at or nearing retirement and want somewhere they can winter.

There are also plenty of investors who purchase a condo hotel unit with little intention of ever using it; theyre in it for the potential appreciation of the real estate.

7. Can you live in a condo hotel?

Condo hotels are not typically offered as primary residences. In fact, many of them limit the unit owner's usage of the condo hotel unit (typically 30-60 days per year) because the unit is expected and needed in the hotel's nightly rental program where it can be offered to guests and generate revenue.

8. Who gets the money when your condo hotel is rented out?

The hotel management company splits the rental revenue with the individual condo hotel owner. While the exact percentages vary from property to property, the typical rental split is in the 50%-50% range.

9. Who finds hotel guests and then cleans and maintains the condo hotel units?

The hotel management company markets the property and books hotel guests. It also maintains the unit and ensures the smooth operation of all of the hotels services and amenities.

10. What are the advantages / disadvantages of purchasing a condotel over purchasing typical rental properties?

Advantages include:

Hassle-free ownership; no landlord issues
Rental revenue to offset some or maybe all ownership expenses
A fantastic vacation home available for use whenever you want
A real estate investment at a time when other investments may seem less attractive
Strong likelihood of appreciation
Pride of ownership --"I own a piece of a Trump"

Disadvantages include:

Annual cash flow could be equal to or less than annual ownership costs
Pets are usually not welcome.
An owners condo hotel unit may be rented when the owner wants to it, so advance reservations are required to guarantee availability.
The condo hotel unit is subject to the same dips in the market that affect all hotels in the competitive market set: hurricanes, terrorist threats, warm winters up north, price of gas, etc., all of which can affect a unit's occupancy rate and the amount of revenue it generates.

11. Are condo hotel units difficult to finance?

Not at all, but they do take 20% down typically, whereas condos can be purchased with less cash down. It's also important to make sure you use a mortgage broker who has had success in getting condo hotel financing deals done. Not all banks offer financing for this type of real estate, but more and more are getting involved as condo hotels become more widely available.

12. How long have condo hotels been around and where are they located?

Condo hotels have been around for several decades, but the huge surge of four-star and five-star condo hotels that have been making their way across the country, started around year 2000 in the Miami area.

The Miami-Fort Lauderdale area currently has the most condo hotels, but areas like Orlando and Las Vegas are developing condo hotel properties at an even faster rate and will likely surpass South Florida soon. Outside the U.S., up-and-coming condo hotel areas are the Bahamas, Panama, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Canada and Dubai.

13. How much do condo hotel units cost?

Thats like asking how much a car costs. There are different quality condo hotels. Some require greater amounts of money than others, obviously.

There are inexpensive condo hotels out there for as little as $100,000. These are typically found in properties that have converted their use from an existing hotel. They are hotel room-sized, lack kitchen facilities, luxury franchises, and other first-class amenities.

Then there are the four-star or greater properties that may start in the $300,000 to $400,000 range, but can go all the way up to $800,000 just for a studio unit.

One- and two-bedroom units cost substantially more than a studio. Of course, the studios do come fully furnished and finished, and will be significantly larger in size than a typical hotel room, and may attract guests because of its name like St. Regis, Ritz or W.

14. What are typical maintenance costs?

On average about $1.00 to $1.50 per sq. ft., but the range can exceed $2.00 sq. ft. in the most luxurious properties.

15. Do you buy condo hotel units after they have been built, or can you purchase condo hotels in pre-construction?

Unless you are in a hurry to get started vacationing or you need to complete a 1031 exchange, it's best to buy condo hotels in pre-construction as early as possible. Thats when prices are lowest and unit selection is greatest.

You will likely wait two years or longer before closing on and taking possession of your condo hotel unit, but you will have locked in the price and will get the benefit of maximum appreciation.

16. Is there anything else investors should want to know about condotels?

There is more to buying this type of real estate than the old phrase, "location, location, location." While most condo hotels are located in desirable resort and business area locations, what is most important is a good franchise with a strong reservation system.

Also, do not be fooled by an aggressive rental split. One way or the other, the developer of the property will have to staff, maintain and operate the hotel and its services like the restaurants, bars, spas and pools from his share of the proceeds.

If he's giving you a very favorable share of the rental, he's also more likely to be charging you a higher monthly maintenance fee. Of course, this goes both ways. If the maintenance split that is offered is closer to 50-50, then your maintenance should be more reasonable too.

17. Any suggestions to investors in choosing which condo hotel to buy?

Get good advice. That means you dont want to rely only on the pitch provided by an onsite salesperson at a condo hotel.

You want to talk with a broker who specializes in condo hotels and who knows and understands the entire condo hotel market, not just the facts pertaining to a single property. He or she will listen to your wants and needs and then offer recommendations as to which properties best match your requirements. Youll have an opportunity to comparison shop and consider the pros and cons of each available property.

A good broker can be the difference between your buying a condo hotel that will be problematic and not live up to your expectations or one that will provide you with years of great vacations, good annual revenue and a substantial profit when you sell.

18. Does it cost more to use a real estate broker to purchase a condo hotel than buying a unit on ones own?

No! With new condo hotel properties, the prices are always set by the developer and are exactly the same whether you buy directly from an onsite salesperson at the property or using a broker.

The brokers commission is always paid by the developer and is already built into the price regardless of whether an outside broker participates in the sale or not. Since a brokers representation is free to buyers, it does make sense to enlist their aid and get the benefit of their advice before making a purchase.

19. How can prospective buyers find a good condo hotel broker?

Ask friends for broker recommendations or search online for condo hotel broker.

Also, visit condo hotel real estate websites and see if the information they provide seems comprehensive and unbiased. If their website seems to focus on selling homes or office space, and the condo hotel information appears to be an afterthought, steer clear. Because condo hotels are a unique type of real estate, your best bet is to work with a condo hotel broker who specializes.

20. How can buyers learn about new condo hotel properties coming on the market?

Condo hotel brokers can be good information sources as they often learn about properties prior to their release to the general public. Another option is to subscribe to a condo hotel newsletter such as the one we publish called Condo Hotel Property Alert.

We offer subscriptions for free on our website, http://www.CondoHotelCenter.com. It features a different condo hotel property coming on the market each edition, giving buyers an opportunity to invest when prices are at their lowest levels and the selection of available units is greatest.

Joel Greene is the President of Condo Hotel Center located in Miami Florida, which specializes in the sale of condo hotels. Visit his information-packed web site, http://www.CondoHotelCenter.com, for more facts on condo hotels and to see condo hotel listings, photos and prices. Exclusive Mortgage Leads
Live Mortgage Leads
Mortgage Lead Programs
Exclusive Mortgage Leads
Exclusive Mortgage Leads
Voice Broadcasting
Exclusive Mortgage Leads
Mortgage Lead Transfers
Live Mortgage Leads
Mortgage Lead Transfers

"Skilled team leaders transform a group from what they are into what they could be."

The following Outstanding Teams Checklist outlines the key elements of top performing teams (and organizations). Use this to assess yourself and your team. Even better, get your team to do this assessment:

__ A high performance balance (analytical skills and disciplined management processes, technical skills and strong capabilities to use the latest technologies, and people leadership skills)

__ Strong self-determination with no tolerance for the Victimitis Virus or Pessimism Plague (one team agreed "you can visit Pity City, but you aren't allow to move there")

__ Passion and high energy for rapid and continuous learning, developing, and improving

__ A clear and compelling picture of the team's preferred future

__ A clearly articulated set of shared principles outlining how the team will work together

__ A strong sense of purpose and unity around why the team exists

__ Solid agreement on whom the team is serving within the customer-partner chain and across horizontal organization processes

__ Identification of, and an aggressive plan for improving, the team's customer-partner performance gaps

__ (If appropriate to the team's role) relentless exploring, searching, and creating new customers and markets

__ A process for innovation and team learning

__ A handful of performance goals and priorities directly linked to the organization's strategic imperatives

__ A concrete process and discipline for continuous team improvement linked to the organization's improvement effort

__ Process management skills, roles, and responsibilities

__ High levels of team leadership and team effectiveness skills

__ Powerful feedback loops and measurements

__ A culture of thanks, recognition, and celebration

If meetings are a chore, or have become a meeting of the bored, you may have a skill or application problem. Meetings should re-energize and refocus. With the proliferation of practical resource materials, seminars, and training now available there's little reason for poorly run meetings. Meetings are a prime example of how a modest investment in learning and skill development can pay incredible dividends in saved time and frustration. If your meetings were just ten percent better (25 - 40 percent improvements aren't uncommon after good meeting leadership training) how long would it take to repay learning and skill building time?

Effective teams meet frequently. At the senior management level, we've found a correlation between how frequently (and effectively) a team meets and the amount of vertical management departmentalism, territoriality, turfdom, etc. in that team.

The senior management group of a company we worked with hadn't met since their last retreat two years ago. As we reviewed an internal survey they had just conducted, not surprisingly, one of their biggest organizational problems was poor communications. If senior management doesn't frequently get together and talk to each other, how can they expect the rest of the organization do anything but follow their lead?

Team learning and development is dependent upon team reflection (and ideally feedback from others who work with and for that team) on how effectively the team works together. This can get too introspective with everyone lying on conference room couches gazing at their navels. The reflection needs to be within the context of the work the team is doing.

If you're trying to move your team toward self-management, you need to lead as if you are driving a car on an icy road. Guide and intervene with a light touch. Sudden, jerky changes will send the team into a skid.

Build a series of small wins. That doesn't mean pumping up your team with a lot of hot air (you'll quickly send their phony meters over the red line). But look for ways to point out and celebrate the real performance progress the team is making.

Most high performing organizations use a wide variety of teams. But many managers underestimate what it takes to build a team-based organization.

Jim Clemmer is a bestselling author and internationally acclaimed keynote speaker, workshop/retreat leader, and management team developer on leadership, change, customer focus, culture, teams, and personal growth. During the last 25 years he has delivered over two thousand customized keynote presentations, workshops, and retreats. Jim's five international bestselling books include The VIP Strategy, Firing on All Cylinders, Pathways to Performance, Growing the Distance, and The Leader's Digest. His web site is http://www.clemmer.net/articles Mortgage Leads
Live Mortgage Leads
Live Mortgage Leads
Mortgage Lead Transfers
Mortgage Lead Transfers
Exclusive Mortgage Leads
Live Mortgage Leads
Live Mortgage Leads
Voice Broadcasting
Mortgage Lead Transfers

"Subject To" real estate financing is fairly new on the real estate investing scene, mainly because many investors don't know what it is.

"Subject To" financing actually can be a win-win situation for both the seller and the buyer/investor if both parties understand their obligations to one another. The seller usually gets to sell his/her property at the asking price which was originally sought, and the buyer/investor usually gets the property with very little money down, if any, while not having to qualify for any bank loans.

We know, that traditional real estate investing is mainly about buying low and selling high, and making a profit from that difference, usually over time. There's absolutely no secret to that. While doing it this way, of course, you would incur all the paperwork and everything else that goes along with buying and selling a home like paying all the transaction fees that are involved like commissions, closing costs, title, recording fees and of course your time. On an average, the whole process usually takes a month and a half up to six months depending on the situation.

Creative financing, or "other than" traditional and/or conventional real estate investing, is basically working out an agreement that is fair both the seller and the buyer, without using banks or mortgage brokers. By incorporating this type of financing, the sellers can sell their property for the price they want, and in a timely fashion. The buyer/investor can create an environment for him/her to profit in some manner over a period of time.

By leaving out the usual suspects like title companies, real estate agents and loan officers, both parties stand to make the transaction more profitable for the buyer/investor and more cost effective for the sellers. Specifically this can be real profitable for the real estate investor because in any type of investing, and especially in real estate, it's about leverage. The leverage is what makes creative financing a powerful, profit-making tool for those looking to start a real estate investing business. The leverage is usually represented by how much money you put into a certain investment, and how much you make from that amount over time. "Subject To" deals make your leverage extremely high, since most of the time you place a small amount of cash, for usually a much lager return.

Let's go over a sample situation which would create an ideal environment for a "Subject To" agreement.

Debbie and Joe Blume bought their house five years ago for a $100,000 dollars. After 5 years, they now owe about $95,000 dollars, while their house is appraised for $160,000 dollars. Both Debbie and Joe have accumulated a credit card debt of about $20,000 dollars since that time, and of course, the interest on that debt is much larger than they really care to have.

Joe and Debbie take out a second mortgage to pay off their credit card debt, take a vacation and buy a new car. With their second mortgage, they do all those things and have about $10,000 leftover, after everything is done. After 7 short months, most of that $10,000 is gone also.

Shortly after this, Joe receives an offer within his company for a higher paying position, but in a different State. Joe and Debbie talk it over, and decide to take the offer and move out of State. Of course, deciding to do that, they must now sell their beautiful home.

Like so many of us, when we look to sell our house, we think logically and talk to a real estate agent. The agent informs them that there is little to no equity left in the house, and tells the Blume's that they will have to pay the agent's commissions out of pocket. Of course, Joe and Debbie can't do that, because they ran out of money and are basically living paycheck to paycheck until the new job starts.

Joe starts to worry a bit, because he needs to get to his new job out of State, within 14 days, and Joe and Debbie would like to spend a few days off together before going to his new job.

Joe starts to think and remembers a "We Buy Houses" sign down the street from their home and runs down and calls the number on his cell phone. After talking with the investor, Joe finds out that the investor isn't will to pay more than $120,000 for the house. Hearing that, Joe is mad and upset that such a person can come in with such a low and insulting offer. Besides Joe couldn't do that deal anyway because the second mortgage they took out last year, places their debt just about what the house is worth.

Getting worried and running out of time, Joe places an ad in the local newspaper advertising the house as a "For Sale By Owner".

Mostly everyone is trying to low ball him except for one guy who said "he will offer the asking price, so long as he can see the place first". Feeling excited and curious at the same time, Joe invites the man over.

A couple of hours later, Brad comes over and tells Joe that he is the one who called about the house. Brad tells Joe to explain to him a little about the house and his situation.

Joe spills his guts and describes his dilemma to Brad. After Joe finishes his story about his situation, Brad tells Joe that he thinks he can still offer the asking price and if Joe was still interested in selling?

But before they start agreeing any further, Brad says, that as an investor, that his primary motivation to make a profit on the house. Joe and Debbie understand that, so long as their asking price is met and the house is sold quickly.

Brad continues and tells both Joe and Debbie that because of his need to make a profit, he needs to offer an agreement which will satisfy both their needs. Brad continues and says "That offer is what's called a Subject To" offer. Of course bewildered and confused, Debbie and Joe ask what kind of program is that. Brad simply states, that it's a program that suspends both their money for the house and his profit on the house for 2 years, while Brad takes over the payments. Not fully understanding, Joe continues to listen to Brad's offer.

Here's what it entails:

* keep the current mortgage in place for 2 years, at which time the house will be sold, and Joe's originally asking price will be met, plus 5% of whatever profit is made by Brad

* escrow account is setup and paid by Brad to ensure full integrity of his contractual agreement with Joe and Debbie

* property is claimed over to Brad which obligates Brad to continue making the existing payments to the escrow account. The deed will stay in the attorney's presence until the deal is fully obligated by Brad in 2 years

* relieves Joe and Debbie of the monthly debt for the mortgage payment so they can move on with their life

* Brad offers to pay closing cost and 2 months of mortgage payments to the escrow account to solidify his offer and his intentions to make good on the contract

After discussing the deal with each other and realizing that their options and time are running low, both Joe and Debbie agree with Brad over the details and sign over the deed to Brad via the attorney.

Brad then quickly rents out the house to cover the mortgage payments and manages the house as a rental.

Two years later, Brad sells the house for $210,000 and pays $160,000 dollars to Joe and Debbie's mortgage company, plus sends Joe and Debbie a check for %5 of the $50,000 dollar profits, which is $2,500. Everybody wins!

Jim Mack is a real estate expert and loves to teach. Visit him at http://www.propertycashcow.com/a-blanket-mortgage-covers-multiple-properties-on-the-same-loan.html and http://www.propertycashcow.comExclusive Mortgage Leads
Mortgage Leads
Mortgage Lead Transfers
Exclusive Mortgage Leads
Mortgage Leads
Exclusive Mortgage Leads
Live Mortgage Leads
Live Mortgage Leads
Live Mortgage Leads
Voice Broadcasting