Real estate investment is lucrative

Apply the following five principles to your real estate investment, and you might start seeing an increase in your real estate income.

The money is made in the purchase: Real estate investing is like value investing in stocks and you want to purchase the real estate during a period of a real estate slump. The reason for this is so that you can get a huge capital appreciation when the real estate market heats up again.

Monitor Cash Flow: Real Estate investments typically have a monthly rental income, which then is used to pay for mortgage installments and other problems with the building like a roof leak. You would thus have to keep a close watch on interest rate hikes since they can potentially erode any calculated return on investment quite quickly. Once you have enough cash coming in, it is suggested that you then keep some of it in a rainy day fund in case some of the rental tenants do not renew their property, and then take the rest and consider investing in another real estate investment property.

Leverage on other people’s time: By focusing on what you do best and getting other people to do the rest of the work, you are leveraging on their time and you can then make more money from each new real estate investment that you undertake. Spend your time to build your team of advisors and employees who work for you and you will see your profits start going up.

Use leverage with a good rainy day cash balance: You want to leverage as much as you can so that you can control property worth many times more than what you own. Remember however to keep a rainy day fund containing a portion of the rental payments so that you can hedge yourself against a possible period where unit occupancy of your real estate investment is low. Leverage when used well can make you lots of money but if managed badly, will bankrupt you. Thus planning your cash flow and learning how to use debt is critical before you start serious real estate investment.

Spend time networking with real estate professionals: The best way to learn the latest real estate investment deals is to make friends with the local real estate professional group. They can tell you about recent developments and changes in rental, property and infrastructure of their geographical location.

San Jose Property for Sale – contact Dale warfel

3594 Payne Avenue, #9, San Jose (Condo)
3 Bedrooms / 2 Bathrooms / 1080 Sq. Ft.
Remodeled Kitchen with Maple/Granite Slab Countertops/New Stainless Steel Appliances (Refrigerator, Dishwasher, Smooth Top Range, Built-in Microwave)/Cherrywood Laminate Flooring/Recessed Lighting/Crown Molding
Remodeled Baths with Maple/Granite/Toilets/New Flooring
New Paint, New Carpet Throughout
Price Reduced to $462,000
For more info, go to www.3594PayneAve.info or http://www.circlepix.com/RCYGJF (virtual tour).

This property is perfect for 1st time homebuyers. If you know anyone who may be interested in this exceptional property, please let me know.

Just listed property in Willow Glen

777 Gregory Street, San Jose (Detached Single Family Home)
2 Bedrooms / 1 Bathroom / 960 Sq. Ft.
New Carpet, Newer Laminate Flooring, Updated Kitchen with new Countertops, New Paint, upstairs has Dual Pane windows
Offered at $565,000
This is a charming Willow Glen cottage, close to nature and downtown!

Summer time in Almaden Valley

Almaden valley s a very attractive place for job seekers in the Silicon Valley to move in and what better time to do this than the summer Come summer time and the city’s abuzz with all that’s new and exciting. Almaden Valley is known for its beautiful blossoms, some of which come to full bloom in the summer.

If you decide to come here for some fun and enjoyment during the summer vacation time, you will find this city offering some of the best in family entertainment. There are plenty of theatres, cinema halls, shopping malls and restaurants for you come and enjoy with your friends and family.

Almaden valley is a place that abounds in natural beauty, which can be seen at its peak during the summer time. Its lush country side and rolling hills give a very serene environment and you will take back with you memories of a wonderful summer spent amidst the best landscape. If you like to spend your time in outdoor activities, there are plenty of trails here to go exploring. Those interested in golf would probably even consider moving in here because there is just so much you can do here in the many golf courses found in this community.

Those interested in wine-making find the Almaden Valley Art and Wine Festival truly enjoyable. This festival is sponsored by the Almaden Valley Women's Club and has been held for the past twenty-seven-years. It happens every September and is an event that must not be missed.

One of the oft visited spots here is the Almaden Quicksilver County Park. This beautiful park area is one of the best places in which to spend summer time with your family. You get to experience a piece of history too when you see the mercury mines, which produced a ton of mineral wealth during the gold-rush period.

Summer celebrations in Willow Glen

Summer celebrations in Willow Glen include taking part in the summer festivities here and enjoying the warmth of the summer sunshine and blooming flowers. Willow Glen is a really charming city with a sort of peace and solitude that you will find in old country towns. Its streets are lined with trees and most of the homes here are built in Spanish style architecture that you usually find in the 1920 and 1930’s giving the area a really nostalgic look.

There are plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy here in Willow Glen, if you decide to drop in during the summer vacation time. You can go karaoke with your friends or dine at one of the many restaurants, which offer a multitude of cuisine like no other in this area.

If you decide to come for a vacation in this place, summer is the ideal time as the place is abuzz with activity. You will find certain unique things in Willow Glen. For example, every June the residents of Willow Glen, put out a show in Pacific Avenue for the ‘Dancing on the Avenue festival’. This festival is something that all residents here love to take part in and is truly a time for enjoyment.

Willow glen has a number of clubs and bars, where you can have fun and enjoy with your close friends. If you are into wines, then just drop-by the best wine store here - Wine Styles! In this store, you can taste some really great wine, for just under $25, and you get a free corkage that you can use to participate in Willow Glen restaurants. The main street in Willow Glen is Lincoln Avenue and it is full of interesting things like clothing boutiques, bookstores and home design shops, coffee shops and much more. If you decide to spend the summer time here, you will have great fun, great memories and will want to come back for more… well perhaps even to settle down in Willow Glen for good!

Buying a house is the best investment

Buying a house is likely to be the biggest life-time investment one ever makes.
It is crucial to understand what makes a sound property investment. Draw out a detailed plan before you buy.
Avoid sellers who want, for a variety of reasons, to get rid of the property as soon as possible. They will be very flexible while negotiating price and other terms.
Opt for decent neighborhood: Better be prepared to pay a higher price, to buy in neighborhood with good schools, shopping areas, medical facilities and quiet neighbors who take pride in their homes.
First time home-buyers must be guarded and not fall a prey to unscrupulous agents or other mischief mongers. A novice can get burnt badly by over-paying for a home.
Another mistake young investors or first time home-buyers make. They buy a home, fix it up and then sell it. They quite often make improvements to the home that buyers do not want.
All walls should be white or off white, and not painted with rich colors, to make the best purchase. Fancy landscaping is also a not advisable – particularly if you plan letting your home on rent, at some date in the future. Tenants generally not known to maintain landscape well
The best way is to buy a duplex plan and occupy one side while renting out the other side. This will fetch you the best loan possible as it will be owner-occupied. You can also have a tenant to help you quickly liquidate your mortgage liability.
There are many ways to raise finance for buying a home. There are handbooks which offer you guidance about home finance.
If you wait for the timing to be right, you might be waiting a long time and end up paying more.
Home-ownership is certainly a wise move even without the tax advantages. But the special tax relief given to home-owners makes buying a home such a worthwhile investment.Many of us do not consider our homes as part of our investment portfolio. But this revised attitude will help us make better decisions when we buy or sell our homes.

Tips for selling - How to talk to your Realtor

When you decide to sell your home, one of the best things you can do is to take the services of a realtor. However, you need to ask the right questions so that you choose a realtor who has the expertise you require. Here some tips on what to ask a realtor:

o Realtors have a basic license to function. However, there are additional certifications such as CIPS (Certified International Property Specialist, CRS (Certified Residential Specialist), GRI (Graduate, Realtor Institute) and ABR (Accredited Buyers Representative) that the realtor can obtain. Ask your realtor about his/her certifications, so that you know you are talking to someone who is really interested in moving forward in his/her profession.
o Ask for their years of experience and about the tools they would use to sell your property. Would they be using the internet or a network of professional realtors like themselves to find a good deal for you? Another useful question here would be if the realtor is working full time or is this just a part time job? This way you will know how much of time and attention the realtor can give you.
o Asking for recommendation letters is very useful and a realtor who obliges is obviously one who is good at finding the best deal and making his clients happy.
o You need to find out how long the realtor will take to sell a home. Find out about the type of home they specialize in selling. Ask them about their ratings on closing deals on homes. This is a good way to find out about how they are performing.
o Find out if your realtor is from a reputable agency and a member of the State and National Realtor Association. You can be confident with such a person, so find out these details as you speak to the realtor.
o Ask them about their commission rates and don’t leave out asking if they will refund a part of their commission if you also purchase a home with them. This can be very useful for you if you are planning to combine your home sale with a purchase.

When you ask the questions listed above you will find out what kind of expertise and experience the realtor you are talking to has and about their background. This will help you to make a decision of whether to hire the realtor or not. Choosing the right realtor makes a lot of difference at the time of sale, because you can lose a lot of money otherwise if you do not get the right deal.

Willow Glen restaurants

One of the most charming neighborhoods in San Jose, California is Willow Glen. It is a quiet place to live in and it has all the necessary civic amenities and facilities required for anyone who is considering to move in here.

The main street here is the Lincoln Avenue and all of its streets are lined with trees. You can see family homes built in the Victorian and Spanish-style here.

Some of the finest restaurants have opened their doors in Willow Glen. Here’s a look at some of them:

o Café Adriatic – This fine Italian restaurant brings you some of the top dishes served in Eastern and Western Europe. So, if you are in a mood for food such as pastas, seafood and meat, this is the best place to go.

o Cafe Primavera – This is yet another Italian restaurant that serves seafood and pasta.

o Fratello's – This restaurant serves some exquisite Italian wine and cuisine and the prices here are quite reasonable.

o Siena Mediterranean Bistro – This Mediterranean style restaurant offers food that is quite simple, yet very appealing. You can have your fill of grilled meats, risottos, seafood, and bright and light appetizers. Its desserts are simply a treat.

o Taqueria Tlaquepaque – This Mexican restaurant has some of the best Mexican food and each dish is made out to be something special.

o Giorgio's Italian Food and Pizzeria – This pizza outlet serves simple Italian pizza at very affordable prices. The portions served are very generous too.

o Kazoo Sushi Boat – If you are in a mood for some authentic Japanese food, the Sushi Boat is the place to go. It offers mouth watering Japanese dishes.
In Willow Glen, you can find restaurants serving different type of cuisines from different parts of the world and this reflects the international flavor and taste that people in this area seem to like and enjoy.

Almaden valley restaurants

One of the best places to buy real estate is in Almaden Valley, California. Surrounded by rolling hills and a lush countryside, this place gives you a serene and beautiful atmosphere like none other in California.

Located south from downtown San Jose, Almaden Valley is a great place to move into and buy property. You will find it to have modern-architecture homes that are also quite spacious. Some of the best schools can be found here like Leland High and Bret Harte Middle School. The valley is most famous for its Almaden Quicksilver County Park, which has many mercury mines. These mines gave out over $75 million worth in mineral wealth during the Gold Rush era!

Almaden Valley is largely populated by an elite upper class made up of professionals like sports professionals, scientists, and Silicon Valley executives. Since it is a part of the Silicon Valley, it is a prime location for businesses that are into technology research and development. For example, you can find IBM's Almaden Research Center here.

There a many places to go shopping and not to mention eating out and dining. There are many top-quality restaurants in Almaden that serve some very exquisite cuisine. Here’s a look at some of the best restaurants you find here:

Almaden Feed & Fuel – This restaurant was built about more than a century ago in the 1880. It’s an interesting place to come and eat mouth-watering steaks, burgers and pasta with smoked salmon. It includes a bar and its ambience makes you remember about the good old days.

Gunther’s Restaurant & Catering – Gunther’s is one of the finest places to eat out with friends and family. It serves top-class American and European cuisine with a touch of international flavors added in to make the food something special.

La Foret – If you are looking for some French cuisine to satisfy your palette, this is the place to come to for a meal. It serves some of the best in French foods and has a classic ambience. You need to make reservations before you come.

The ambience in these restaurants is great and you will find the atmosphere here very comfortable and friendly.

The advantages of using an Accredited Buyer representative

The Accredited Buyer Representative or the ABR® is a designation or a benchmark of excellence in buyer representation. A real estate practitioner is honored with the ABR® designation by the Real Estate Buyers Agent Council, also known as the REBAC. This council belongs to the National Association of REALTORS® who meet the specified educational and practical experience criteria.

An Accredited Buyer Representative is recommended for clients as real estate deals are processes involving a great deal of money and calculations and hence must be carried out carefully and with the help of all lot of expert advices. It is a compound process and goes through a lot of financial transactions. Because of all these reasons and more, it is always safe to have an experienced ABR, who would help in deciding upon an offering price, negotiate offers, provide professional help for buying homes and show around various homes and other real estates to choose from.

Important decisions regarding buying and selling of homes can be left entirely to ABR® designation holders, as to be one, one has to satisfy certain necessary conditions:
An REBAC® educational background must be met
The ABR core course, which is normally a 2-day course, or the REBAC web course, must be attended through a recognized institution.
At least one elective course must be completed.
Successful completion of a written exam on legal and practical facets of agency representation
Practical experience of playing the role of a buyer’s representative.
An all time member of REBAC® and the National Association of REALTORS®.

These help the ABRs to gain a lot of knowledge and experience in this field and hence, they can help in taking crucial decisions by proper analysis and calculations, after listening to all the client’s needs and specifications carefully. They help in making one feel at home at new cities, if they have relocation plans. ABRs not only assist in looking at various homes and choosing an optimal one, but also introduce clients to lenders and loan officers if needed. These agents help in taking care of financial negotiations and coming to conclusions with amounts favorable to the respective clients. After the formalities are complete, these agents take care of house inspections, warranties and insurance issues.

If you are thinking of buying yourself a home and don’t know how and where to start, meet an Accredited Buyer Representative and consider your job done.

Almaden valley - How good is the local government?

Almaden Valley, located in the rolling foothills in the southernmost valley of the San Jose metro area, is one of the most gorgeous places one can come across. It is placed southwest of Blossom Valley, separated by the Los Capitancillos Ridge. The Greenbelt Alliance website once stated Almaden Valley as "one of the most gorgeous landscapes in America." True to the statement, many agree that Almaden remains one of the most attractive residential areas of Silicon Valley.

The South San Jose part of Almaden is blessed with amazing hill-side views. It is one of the best places in Sillicon Valley to live in. It is totally a family-based locality with very good schools and educational institutions, numerous recreational opportunities and eye-catching views. Apart from eye-catching scenery, it is also the proud owner of its key attraction- the Almaden Quicksilver County Park. This park contains remains of an ancient mercury mine which gave rise to more than 75 million dollars in mineral wealth till the 1970s. The Almaden Quicksilver Park is not only a historic mine attraction, but is also a famous biking and hiking spot.

The government of Almaden Valley has planned the place in such a way, that amenities and attractions of the downtown area are always easily accessible for the residents of Almaden. It has plenty of parks and a lot of open spaces. Easy access to all accessories and the fresh mountain air plus the scenic view gives Almaden Valley a modern, yet conservative look, which makes it one of the best spots to live in. Another thing that makes Almaden Valley top in the residential list is its excellent law enforcement. Laws against acts such as sexual Harassment, discrimination, wrongful termination, violation of wages etc. brings notice from the police and attorneys at a very high speed. Family laws are also well taken care of, by the government of Almaden Valley. Not only family laws, but domestic violence is also under check effectively.

The local government of Almaden Valley has hence maintained a name for itself over the years. With an excellent ruling system and proper planning of the government, Almaden Valley can be named one of the safest places in the country and with the best of everything it is easily expected to be one of the most favored residential spots soon.

Senior Real Estate Specialist

Buying or selling houses and properties can be one of the most important and crucial decisions that one can make. Hence care must be taken that these delicate decisions are taken after good planning and under proper and reliable guidance.

Seniors Real Estate Specialists, also called he SRES, are realtors who are professionally experienced and certified to meet the special requirements and wishes of the maturing American population. The Senior Advantage Real Estate Council or the SAREC® is a national program and is a support organization of the SRES designation which has been in existence since the year 1998. It is one of the largest and the most recognized association to offer a designation in the field of real estate. This program offers a special title, SRES®, to uniquely identify those members who are well versed in the subject and have completed its education program successfully, along with other benefits. Realtors designated with SRES are considered to be the most optimal and trusted realtors and consulters for the senior market.

For earning a SRES designation, one normally has to go through a twelve hour training course. The course offers knowledge about various aspects such as how to look after the special needs of a senior person, how to develop and maintain ones marketing skills, how to provide counseling to clients, how to work as a team, how to improve communication skills, how to market oneself and also offers better understanding of tax laws, probate and estate planning. SRES classes are held in almost all parts of the United States and Canada.

Once a person earns the SRES designation, he or she becomes a fully qualified and certified realtor who has demonstrated requisite knowledge and this makes them completely eligible to guide senior clients through all kinds of major financial and lifestyle transitions which involve relocation, refinancing, or even selling homes and other real estate properties. This REALTOR® is now ready to give out information and opinions which can make life influencing decisions as he or she has obtained all kinds of special trainings in this field. These realtors are provided with regular updates, time to time and pass it on to their clients and keep them updated. They give out information on the current trends and real estate market values and also help in making decisions which are wise and well planned. These realtors also refer their clients to other professionals such as attorneys who also show interest in senior client issues.