Seven Reasons Why Home Buyers Need Their Own Agent

Except for 'For Sale By Owner' homeowners (AKA as unrepresented sellers), Sellers who have their home listed will have an agent looking out for them.........so why not you, the Buyer? Shouldn't you have someone in your corner 'looking out for you'?

Sellers with their home listed have a Listing Agent, who is contractually bound to 1) make every effort to obtain the highest price for the home, and 2) exclusively negotiate favorably all terms and conditions for the Seller. So, when you call on a listing, you'll most likely get the Listing Agent. Although the agent may be friendly, personable, and offering accommodating arrangements to show and describe the home, when it comes time to write a contract and beyond, that agent will be looking out for the seller.

Buyers are often lulled into thinking they'll be alright. They may get lucky and do okay, but more than likely, they will come out better, both financially and contractually, had they had a Buyer Agent on your side.

Let's put one issue to rest right up front......and that is this common thought, "Well, if I only have to deal with one agent, instead of two, that's one less commission that gets paid......money that can reduce the price......to my benefit."

Sounds good, and one espoused by some ill advised seminar leaders out there, but in the majority of cases, it doesn't work that way. For that idea to work, one must essentially negotiate away from the Listing Agent half of the commission that the Seller has already agreed to pay them via the Listing Agreement (a legal contract). The Seller, again via the Listing Agreement, has agreed to allow a Buyer Agent who procures a Buyer to share in the commission. But there is no Buyer Agent, as the buyer is unrepresented. So guess what......that money stays with the Listing Agent.

A 'commission cutting' buyer will have to be a very good negotiator to persuade the Listing Agent to give up half of their paycheck. One may get a small percentage break, but more likely it would be less than what a good Buyer Agent can negotiate on the transaction.........like a lower price, more Seller paid closing costs, better Seller paid repairs, a Seller paid home warranty, etc. So, unless one plays the negotiating game daily, like most high volume Listing Agents do, the buyer is more likely to pay more in the end than if they had a Buyer Agent......so much for saving money!

So, just what is it that makes a Buyer Agent so beneficial? ....or better yet, what's the benefit to you to use one? Here's seven reasons......there's most likely a few more, but seven is everyone's lucky number:

1. A good Buyer Agent will negotiate the best price for their client and their client alone. They bring knowledge of the local market, awareness of zoning issues affecting property value, and they network with lots of agents revealing perhaps the sellers motivations (now doesn't that present an advantage in negotiations?).

Also, they can advise buyers on the future marketability of the property (remember....the buyer, or the buyer's heirs, will need to sell the property some day.

2. Over the years, experienced Buyer Agents get to know who the good home inspectors are and also the bad ones.......and unfortunately, there's plenty of bad ones. In some states, home inspectors are totally unregulated. It's the weakest link in the home buying process, where transactions often fall apart. Here in Georgia, a ladder and flashlight will put someone in the home inspection business ............and we're not too sure about the ladder!

Knowing the right vendors go beyond just home inspectors. What if the HVAC needs to be checked out? How about the roof? Home inspectors typically don't go beyond a cursory check of these components and often recommend that a licensed contractor inspect these components, anyway. A good Buyer Agent will know the honest contractors who will complete an objective inspection for a reasonable fee.

3. There's no cost to the buyer! Buyer Agents are paid by sharing in the listing broker's commission as previously agreed to by the seller via the listing agreement (a legal contract) when the property was listed. Commission costs to the seller are the same, regardless of who sells the home.

As stated earlier, thinking one can buy the home for a lower price because there's one less agent involved is erroneous thinking. Listing agents aren't about to give up any dollars the seller has already agreed to pay. Furthermore, one can argue that attempting to 'downsize' that commission can be interpreted as "interfering" with a legally binding contract.......that's illegal, folks.

4. A good Buyer Agent can find homes that meet the buyer's requirements faster and better than the buyer, regardless of all the wonderful public internet websites that profess to have _all_ the listings in their database. How? Active networking agents will know about homes that are available, but not listed.

Past clients of active high production agents will often tell them 'Susie Agent, we really don't want to deal with the rigors of listing our home, and we're certainly not under any 'must move' time constraints, so if you come across someone who might be interested, please keep our home in mind'......happens all the time.

Another scenario is where the Buyer Agent knows of a home that's undergoing minor repairs or updating in preparation to being listed soon. These homeowners are typically more than happy to entertain an offer and avoid the listing process.

5. Verify the value of the property. Sellers can ask anything they want for their home, but a savvy Buyer Agent will ensure the buyer doesn't pay anymore than necessary.........and at least be comfortable that the appraisal will come in at or above the contract price.

An effective Buyer Agent will conduct a comparative market analysis, which essentially is an unofficial appraisal, and arrive at a value range for the home. Regardless of the asking or list price, offers, and subsequently contract price, should be within that range.

6. Present a wide choice of lenders, one of which may have just the right loan program for you. Interest rates and closing costs are not always the major selection criteria for a mortgage.

For example, did you know a loan program is available where the costs of any improvement, renovation, restoration, or repair can be rolled into the original mortgage? Again, a good Buyer Agent will know the right lenders, with the right loan products to offer, and match them to the particular situation.

7. Negotiate contract terms and conditions beyond price. There's a lot more to be negotiated in a purchase and sale agreement than price. Among others there's seller paid closing costs (if any), closing date, possession date, earnest money amount and who holds it, and inspection terms (often called Round 2 of Negotiations)............and any number of special stipulations that may apply. Sometimes negotiating the price is the easy part!

Okay, now that hopefully the value of a good Buyer Agent is appreciated, how does one find one? Or choose one? Most consumers either have a Realtor they're comfortable with from a previous transaction or are referred to one by a friend, relative, or business associate.

None of those sources guarantee they've found a good Buyer Agent. All Buyer Agents are Realtors, but all Realtors are not Buyer Agents. Probably the surest approach to finding a good Buyer Agent is to look for an EBA (Exclusive Buyer Agent). These folks are hard to come by, and because real estate, in the end, is a local endeavor, there may not be one around to service the buyer's area. EBA's are committed to work only with buyers. These agents do not take listings; hence, 'exclusive' 'agents'. Further, to be really purist about it, an EBA's brokerage should not list properties. Again, their agents only work with buyers.

Short of finding one of these rare birds locally, one should at least ensure their Buyer Agent holds the ABR (Accredited Buyer Representative) designation. This is NAR's (National Association of Realtors) official recognition that the agent has completed the training needed to represent buyers and advocate for them in all phases of the real estate purchase cycle.

Another good rule to follow, in this author's opinion, is to stay away from agents with many listings. If you see a certain agent's name on a lot of 'For Sale' signs around town, chances are that agent is a 'heavy lister', meaning most of the commissions they receive are a result of being the listing agent, i.e. they've built their business and career out of representing the seller, not the buyer. With all that mental and physical energy focused every day on looking out for the sellers, is it reasonable to expect them to shift gears easily and now look out for the buyers? Not likely.

Simply try to find a good reputable agent with an ABR designation who, by choice, does not take many listings. Most active agents network with other agents all the time. So, if you know a local ABR, but need one elsewhere, simply ask the local ABR to refer you to a fellow ABR in the area to which you are relocating......chances are they do it all the time and will gladly help you.

And if you don't know any at all, call or email this agent/author. He'll tap into a national network of ABR designated Realtors and refer you to one with a good track record who services your area.

There you have it. What do you have to lose? Nothing........and a lot to gain.....including dollars. And remember........it doesn't cost you a dime!

About the Author

Kem & AC Roda is a Realtor team with The Home Source Realtors in Peachtree City, Georgia. You can visit or email them at AtlantaHomesSouth.com or give them a call at 678-234-1239.

How To Eliminate The Stress Of Closing On A New Florida Home

Buying a new home can be a very stressful experience. Horror stories abound of buyers unable to find insurance, unable to get a firm closing date from a builder, stuck with more closing costs than expected, having an interest rate hike at the last minute, or being left waiting for final lender approval on closing day. With so much that can go wrong at the last minute, it's no wonder so many buyers look toward closing day with a shudder of apprehension, crossing their fingers and hoping that all goes as planned.

What you can do to prepare for closing day

First, find a builder with a good reputation for following through on their completion dates. You don't want to be scrambling to set a closing date because your home is not finished when it is supposed to be. Get a solid close date from your builder, and maintain close contact with them to make sure there are no delays in construction. Sometimes there are circumstances beyond the builder's control that may delay the completion of your home, but if you stay in close contact and you choose a builder that keeps you informed, you will have plenty of time to set a new closing date.

Finding a mortgage specialist

When financing a new home, you will need a reputable mortgage specialist. Your bank can supply you with one of their specialists on staff, or you can find an independent specialist outside your bank. You can also contact friends and relatives in the area who have recently financed a home, and ask if they were happy with the specialist they used.

Once you find a mortgage specialist you are comfortable working with, you will need to do a couple of things immediately. It is important to obtain a Good Faith Estimate of closing costs, so you know how much money you will need to have at closing time. Also, get a rate lock guarantee so your interest rate will not go up while you are completing the application process.

Speaking of interest rates, be sure to go over all of the available loans with your mortgage specialist. A 30 year fixed rate loan may not be the best loan for you. You may do better with an adjustable rate or interest only loan. Your specialist should be able to offer you sound advice on which type of loan is right for you based on your income and how long you plan to live in your home.

Gather your documentation in advance

Your mortgage specialist will need certain documentation to expedite the financing of your new home. If you have this information put together in advance, you can quickly and easily supply it to your mortgage specialist. This ensures that there are no delays in obtaining your new home loan. You don't want to be waiting to hear whether you have been approved for financing the week before your closing. This is added stress that you don't need and that can be easily prevented.

Documents you will need

To verify your income, lenders will ask for the previous year's W-2 form, one month of bank statements (all pages, including investments), and pay stubs for the previous month that shows a year-to-date salary. If you don't have the previous month's pay stubs to verify your income, your mortgage specialist can call your employer to obtain verification, but this often takes longer and slows down the loan process. You will also need a copy of the sales contract between you and your builder.

Insurance requirements

Lenders require proof that an insurance policy has been purchased for your new Florida home before the loan can close. Your best bet is to contact your existing insurance company to obtain a policy for your new home. Often, your current insurance company will give you preference for being an existing customer. For example, some companies do not write policies to new customers during hurricane season, but they will write new policies for existing customers.

If you want to find a different insurance company to write the policy on your new Florida home, be sure you give yourself plenty of time to shop around and find the right insurance company with the right policy for you. Don't wait until the last minute to find insurance because without insurance, you cannot close on your loan.

Keep in touch

The most important thing to remember throughout the closing process is to keep in close contact with your mortgage specialist. Ask questions and call for regular updates. If you do your homework, prepare your documentation in advance and stay informed, you can have a stress free closing.

About the Author

Tom Beaty is a homebuilder and real estate broker for over 25 years. For free information on Florida home builder visit; Florida home builder

Discover Tip, Tricks, And Techniques To Use When Building A New Home With A Florida Home Builder

"Psstt! Hey Buddy got a spare 2 or 3 hundred thousand dollars ya wanna spend?"

That's the sort of character you may end up dealing with if you don't due your homework prior to choosing your next Florida home builder. Buying a new home is likely the most expensive purchase you will ever make. Make the right choice! Over the years I've bought a few new houses and I thought others might benefit from my experience.

When you're interviewing Florida home builders, ask yourself how you feel about that person. Are they knowledgeable? Are they pleasant to deal with? Do they seem trustworthy? Do you think they will do a good job AND stand behind their work after completion?

There are dozens of Florida home builders in almost every market; some good, some bad. You want the most pleasant experience possible, not to mention a safe and beautiful to enjoy. The problem is how do you separate the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly? Hopefully the list below will help you in your search.

Of course, one of the first things to look for is a good reputation. Ask your friends and neighbors who they recommend. People are always quick to offer a comment and they will usually be quite frank in their opinions-good or bad. Check with the BBB in your area and look for complaints. If there were complaints, find out how they were handled and if the customer was satisfied. Don't settle for a tailgate warranty. That's when a shady builder's warranty is good until you can no longer see the tailgate of his truck as he's driving away.

Find out how long they've been in business. A new company may offer what seems like a good deal at the time, but they may not yet have the resources or experience to finish the job in a timely manner and with quality workmanship. If a builder has been around a while, they know who the good sub-contractors are and whom to avoid. Quality builders flourish and lesser ones perish.

Are they knowledgeable enough to help you choose a lot? There is way more to a lot than just location. Is it in a flood zone or wetlands area? Is the lot at the proper elevation to provide good drainage? Is the soil itself suitable for building your home, or does it need heavy raking and more soil brought in? All these things can create an extra expense for you if there is more preparation needed. Ask the builder if they do a soil bore test. Find out if they give you an allowance for fill dirt if needed. A good builder will often provide a fixed amount of fill, beyond that you are responsible.

Ask how many houses their superintendents are responsible for. If a super has too many houses going up at once, they are less likely to catch mistakes before they're covered up. Some large production home builders have so many houses in progress that their supers are overloaded and more prone to make mistakes.

What do they do for you after the walk-through and punch list is complete? What if you discover a mistake 6 months from now? Will they be attentive and fix it promptly?

Ask the builder how they build the foundation or slab. Do they prep the ground for insect protection? Do they install a vapor barrier before pouring the concrete? Do they use a strong concrete mix and use reinforcing steel in the concrete? Same questions apply to the driveways. Do they use a strong mix? Do they install steel mesh? Cars create quite a load on driveways.

Ask about how they build their walls. Do they use wood frame, concrete block, or what I consider the best--solid concrete walls? If you're in an area that gets strong storms or hurricanes, are the walls able to stand up against the forces of nature?

Ask about the roof system. Are the trusses strong and firmly attached to the walls? Do they use a strong plywood sheathing system? Do they use a cheap, thinner underlayment felt, or do they use a heavy duty 30 pound felt? Is the shingles high quality, attractive, and come with a 30 year warranty?

How about the water drainage? Do they provide enough slope to take the water to the storm water system? Do they provide a good sod to help absorb and control water runoff?

Speaking of sod, do they even provide sod, or do they just throw down some seed and a little hay?

Do they offer a sprinkler system? A few builders include the sprinklers in each home they build. Irrigation is essential if you want a fine lawn.

How about energy saving measures? How well will your Florida home builder insulate the attic? Do they provide a high SEER AC system? Do they use insulated ductwork if placed in the attic? Failure to do so in humid areas will cause condensation that can fall onto the framing and drywall ceilings. Is the attic vented to allow hot air to escape? Do they install double-glazed glass windows? Windows are a major source of heat gain and loss. Insist in two panes of glass keep you comfortable. Do they offer optional Low E glass to further reduce energy loss?

Ask about their lighting allowance. That's the amount they spend on fixtures in a standard home. From a good builder, expect $1000 on a home that's 1800sq. ft. or larger. Anything spent after that is up to you.

Ask if they pre-wire for ceiling fans, cable TV, and telephones. Some builders just provide one of each. Adding them later can be costly after the walls are up.

Does the Florida home come with attractive features? Small things like plant shelves with a lighting receptacle, special little niches, and rounded edges on the drywall can make an ordinary house into a special home.

What's the shower like? Just a fiberglass shell, or real ceramic tile?

Do they give you the basics, like a garbage disposal and garage door opener? Do they install attic stairs? Or will they nickel and dime you for every little thing?

How about a microwave, range, and dishwasher? Are they included or extra?

Ask how much does the home builder require for a deposit. An established builder will usually only require 5%-10% to get you started. The deposit will be less if you get a construction perm loan to fund the building of your Florida home. Ask yourself what would be the outcome if your builder went under financially?

Sound like a lot of work? It can be. Searching for a reputable Florida builder doesn't have to be a major chore, but the result of your efforts will be worth it. Take the time to educate your self on the basics of construction. Visit the model homes and ask questions-lots of questions. Selecting the right Florida home builder is worth the effort.

About the Author

Conrad Allen is a Palm Coast, Florida article writer and new home consultant. For free information on Florida home builders visit me at: Florida Home Builders

7 Proven Cost-Effective Ways to Increase the Value of Your Home

Real Estate remains an excellent investment most of the time. If you can afford to purchase home, you may want to purchase a home. Check if you can afford a home every now and then. Land values appreciate over a period of time. Thus, the land values do not appreciate all the time. In an economic downturn, the land values depreciate. Luckily, there are things that you can do to appreciate your real estate property regardless of economic situation.

First, figure out your priority and budget. List the project in priority sequence. Second, watch out on overspending. Look at the market value around your neighborhood. Suppose the market value around your neighborhood comes to $300,000 and the market value of you home comes to $200,000, try not to spend over the potential capital gains ($300,000 - $200,000). In worst case, the seller gets back 40% to 90% on how much you spend to improve the value of the house. Otherwise, you get the maximum capital gains ($300,000 - $200,000). Third, spend on what gives an excellent first impression. This pertains to what you can see as oppose to hidden things. Finally, improve to increase the potential income. Appraiser analyses if the addition would increase income. For example, you added a carport. A carport increase rental income at least $100 per month.

1. Tidy up the property
When the potential buyer drives past your home and your home looks like a garbage dump, the potential buyer just drives past your home without bothering to check the home. So, rake the leaves, clean up the garbage, and take off the weeds.

2. Neat Landscape
A manicured lawn, trees, and flowers bring peace and relaxation effect to the buyer. A great landscape adds $7,000 to the price of home value.

3. Paint the interior and exterior
New paint draws potential buyers and improves curb appeal. Use a different color on windows and doors to provide contrast. And, new paint seems to increase the size of the interior.

4. Tile around fire place or add a fireplace
Build character to your place by tiling around the fireplace. If you are going to add a fireplace, try to use non-gas fake fireplace. Since oil and gas prices increase all the time, buyer stays away from gas fireplace.

5. Hard-wood floors and wood paneling
Wood panel adds warmth for $500 to you kitchen, while Hard-wood floors adds elegance for $1000 to room.

6. Power-wash and refinish wood deck
Power-wash removes dirt, algae, mold, mildew, and stains on the wood deck. Vibrant wood color comes alive when you refinish the coatings.

7. New Carport
It pays to erect a new carport. It only takes four poles and roof. With an erected carport, you can easily convert to a garage by enclosing the carport and adding a gate.

About the Author

Dennis Estrada is a webmaster of mortgage calculators which calculate the monthly payment, bi-weekly payment, affordability, refinance, annual percentage rate, discount points, and more.

Start A Business From Home

This article provides some free tips to help start your business at home.

Inside corporates there are many high paying jobs. Access to qualifications, lack of time flexibility and time away from the family prevent many persuing financial freedom in this environment. When you work for someone else you always have to put the needs of your company and your boss ahead of your own.

The question is how about those busy mothers, stay at home dads and those who do not have the capability or the desire to work outside their home.

Are they be able to work and earn some extra money?

The answer is yes, but you need to consider what kind of home business you want, how to get started, and what your target market is.

There are some basic issues that everyone encounters when starting a new home business. Like deciding on what kind of business you can start up. For instance you can decide to be the best writer, tax accountant, or web designer in the market.

An other issue is how to get connected to the world market or even your local markets, how could you market your product or service?

You should think these through to help avoid the barriers that may occur while you are creating your home business. Here is a five point plan to get started with internet marketing and to help you to market your products or services from your own home.

1. Decide who your main customers are. As a group, how old are they? Where do they live? How much money do they make? What kinds of jobs do they have and what are their interests? The better you can understand customers, the better you'll fare in the next four steps.

2. What kinds of media do your main customers use?

Each type of media has its own target audience. Each radio station, newspaper, magazine, or TV program tries to interest a specific segment of the population. The trick is to match your main customers with the kinds of media they use. Remember that media is not just TV and newspapers. Effective media can be anything that conveys your message. Media choices range from million dollar commercials, to a few free pens with your name on them. With this in mind, the internet is one of the most powerful media you can use. The internet is also a relatively low cost entry for your home business.

3. Focus on media you can afford to use consistently to promote your home business.

One of the keys to effective marketing is consistency. You have to hit the audience with your message again, and again.

Many marketers use the Rule of Seven. Prospective customers must see or hear your message seven times before they consider buying. Don't spend your entire marketing budget on a one-shot media blitz. Choose a less expensive type of media that you can afford to use week after week. Google Adwords may be a good place to start your home business advertising. Just be sure to get a free eCourse to educate yourself on how to effectively use this type of advertising before you invest your advertising dollars.

4. Sell the main benefit of your product or service.

Focus on what is unique about your home business products or services. How does your product or service improve your customer's life? Talk to your customers from their own perspective. Does your product or service save them time? Make them richer? Make them more attractive?

Your marketing should drive home this most important benefit as clearly and directly as possible. Customers want to know what?s in it for them. When you advertise the features of your product or service, connect those features to the benefits.

5. Finally, remember to promote your business with the latest on-line marketing tactics. Articles are very effective method to get the word out.

The Internet is available to everyone. It's the only "big" media that allows the small home business person to get their message out at very low cost. Bulletin boards and newsgroups may appreciate helpful information that you provide. Most won't mind if you sign your name along with four to six lines about your business in your bio line.

There you have it. We have covered a few steps to help ensure you get your home business off to a great start. Keep them top of mind as you plan your home business. These points are some of the keys to determine if your business will be a success or failure.

One last small suggestion. Never stop looking for new ideas, a better delivery method or a new angle on an old concept. Starting a business is one thing, keeping it going requires and enquiring mind and the flexibility to keep up with an ever changing marketplace.

About the Author:

Brian is a 48 year old New Zealander with over 10 years internet experience. If you are looking for a home business opportunity be sure to view his website at http://www.bestrealincome.com.

Work From Home Business Opportunity: The Shortcut To Work From Home Business Opportunity Riches

Do you have a work from home business opportunity or program that you currently promote?

Are you doing any affiliate program?

Are you a shining success in the work from home business opportunity that you're doing?

Are you making enough money and are you financially secured?

Read on, to discover how to succeed in any work from home business opportunity and create true wealth.

Most people are like the hound dog that lies on his back and howls all day because he is in pains and feels lazy to get up and do something about it.

They waste their time and lives in dead end jobs that they hate.

Some dabble in various work from home business opportunities.

They seem to think that their lives are like a TV show which will have a happy ending.

So they stay in the same job for years, waste their lives and whine. Like a hound dog.

Some of them will retire, but will walk around for the rest of their lives wounded and miserable because of the stress they accumulated from their jobs.

The others will get downsized, and end up in the skid row, where they will continue howling and whining for the rest of their lives, unable to figure out where their happy ending went.

You don't have to be a hound dog because you can do something about your current financial situation.

Most people rush into work from home business opportunity for various reasons.

Some people are tired of working hard at their jobs and desire a work from home business opportunity as away to escape from the 9-5 job rat race.

Some other people desire a work from home business opportunity so as to earn extra incomes to supplement the money they make at their jobs.

Other people desire work from home business opportunity because of the comfort and freedom of working from their homes and the power it gives them to control their financial destinies.

There are some people who have bought a work from home business opportunity because they are retired and need something to keep them busy.

When the internet gold rush happened about 6 years ago, millions of average people all over the world rushed into different types of work from home business opportunities because they bought the internet hype of get rich fast.

Millions of companies were born overnight and they began to offer free affiliate programs.

Millions of people signed up with the mistaken notion that just by signing up and getting a free website to promote a work from home business opportunity will make them rich over night. This gave birth to various internet promotions and marketing.

One of the most annoying internet promotions was spa-mm-ing.

This in turn gave birth to anti-spam activism which has almost wiped out spamming.

After 1 or 2 years, most of these millions of people who rushed into work from home business opportunities had to admit failure because they were not making any money.

Their dreams of fast internet wealth were shattered.

As a way to console themselves, they started labeling every work from home business opportunity as a scam.

Most of these people will buy an work from home business opportunity and after they download or receive it will claim that the work from home business opportunity is a sc-am (even though they have not tried it yet and have no proof) and apply for a chargeback and a refund so as to eat their cake and have it also.

By so doing, they ripped off the sellers of these work from home business opportunities.

While some of the companies that promote work from home business opportunities may engage in deceptive advertising, it is not true that all work from home business opportunities are scams.

Most work from home business opportunities are valid and can make the buyer a lot of money.

The problem is that most people who buy work from home business opportunity are not capable of doing them because they are not business oriented.

Most of them don't have a clue about marketing and internet promotion.

Most of them buy the programs or sign up in free affiliate programs and after they get the websites they don't do any serious marketing.

A lot of these people don't even know the difference between selling and marketing.

I have known some of these people who don't even know how to write a simple business letter or e-mail.

They write an e-mail without beginning it with a salutation and at the end of the e-mail, they don't include their names or phone numbers or physical addresses.

When they phone you and leave a message on your answering machine, they don't even know that they have to state their names, the reason why they called and their own phone numbers and the best times you may call them back.

Most of them don't even know how to create a folder or save or upload a file or install a software and yet they had signed up in 100 different affiliate programs and work from home business opportunities and had dreams of making a million bucks overnight!

Is it any surprise that these people fail miserably?

The least that any serious business person should know how to do should be how to write a business letter.

Most of the people who fail in work from home business opportunity have no discipline and are disorganized.

They have the mistaken notion that working from home and doing a work from home business opportunity program means that they can wake up anytime they like and that they can choose whether to work or not and when to work or not.

They fail to realize that doing an work from home business opportunity can be more demanding than doing a regular job.

Doing an work from home business opportunity requires more discipline and competence than a regular job because you may have to do many different chores all by yourself because at the beginning, you probably will be working alone and may not be able to hire helpers.

This means that you may have to play many roles and do so many things all at the same time.

You may be forced to become a website designer, a copy editor, a sales person, a customer service person, a spokes person, an attorney, a book keeper, an accountant and a publisher all at the same time.

This is one of the biggest reasons why most people fail in work from home business opportunity because they are unable to play all these roles at the same time.

Another reason why most people fail in work from home business opportunity is that they don't spend enough money to promote it.

To attain success in any work from home business opportunity may require that you spend thousands of dollars.

But most people spend $25 a month to place an ad and if they don't make any sale, they conclude that the work from home business opportunity doesn't work and give up.

To succeed in any work from home business opportunity may require that you do different types of marketing and internet promotions.

Your website must be optimized and competently submitted to both the major directories and the search engines on a regular basis.

You must have a link exchange program that is effective.

You may have to do pay per click campaign.

You may have to do both online and offline marketing.

You may have to do many press releases in order to get free publicity and generate free traffic to buy your work from home business opportunity.

You may even have to do direct marketing to drive traffic to your websites.

This depends on what type of product or service that you promote.

You may have to go offline to find the targeted customers who need what you promote.

To succeed in doing this, you must know how to locate a targeted mailing list and how to test it.

You may have to do magazine and newspapers advertising too.

Above all, depending on the type of product or service that you're promoting, it may take time for you to start seeing a return on your investment and to become profitable.

Unfortunately, most people that get into work from home business opportunity lack patience because they are looking for quick ways to make money.

For that reason, they don't do enough marketing and internet promotion and don't network and don't spend enough money to generate traffic and so consequently they fail.

But when they fail, they are unable to admit that they are at fault.

Instead they blame the work from home business opportunity and the company who sold it to them and label all work from home business opportunities as sc-ams.

May these work from home business opportunity insights open your eyes to the possibility of infinite wealth and success that can be yours.

Please feel free to print or publish this article anywhere and read and also send to your friends and well wishers and please preserve the author's resource box below.

Warmly,

Ikey Benney

About the Author

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7 Tips for Starting Your Home Based Business Online

Copyright 2006 Sergio Franchi

So, you've decided to start a home based business online. Congratulations! and welcome to the fast-paced world of the internet and entrepreneurship. While there is a lot to learn, your effort will be worth it.

The thrill of growing your home based business online, the freedom and flexibility to set your own hours, and the possibilities of ever-increasing financial rewards are all wonderful reasons to start your home based business.

Now that you've decided to start your business, you might be wondering "How can I get it off to the strongest possible start?" These seven tips will help:

TIP 1...

Set up a separate working space in your home. It doesn't matter if this is a small bedroom, one part of the garage, or a corner of the living room.

The important thing is to have some space that you can designate as your working area. This will give you the space and room you need to craft your dream.

TIP2...

Stock your working space with materials. This sounds basic, perhaps, but one underlying element of success is that you have easy access to the tools, materials, and other resources you need.

Gathering everything close by also keeps you from wasting time searching for it, so this step can be considered a time management strategy, too.

TIP 3...

Speaking of time management, your third step is to define the parameters of your business. What days and hours will you work? When will you market? When will you provide services or products to clients? How will you keep all of this straight?

TIP 4...

Balance action with planning. One of the most common pitfalls to successful entrepreneurship is getting too caught up in action without enough planning.

Stated another way, this means that you confuse "being busy" with "working on important projects." The best approach is to plan your next couple of goals and then work backwards to create step by step action plans to reach them. Once you have the plan, then it's time to take the action.

TIP 5...

Network like crazy. One of the fastest ways to grow any home based business online is to make connections with other people. Be sure to share your passion and enthusiasm with others at every opportunity. Let people know who you are and what you offer. Remember, people can't buy if they don't know you're selling.

TIP 6...

Present a professional image. If you want to be treated professionally, present a professional image. Set up a separate bank account for your business. Install a separate phone and fax line.

Create professional marketing materials. Be courteous and pleasant in all your customer facing interactions. Basically, be someone people want to do business with.

TIP 7...

Automate your online business as much as possible. Granted, you are just one person (right now) and might have a lot of extra time to take care of all the details.

This might work for now, but won't work into the future as you get busier and busier. It's best to set up automatic systems and processes right from the start to free up your time to concentrate on the most profitable activities.

These seven tips will get your online business started (and growing) in the right direction.

About the Author

Sergio Franchi is the owner of Profit-Online-Now.com, teaching thousands of internet business owners how to achieve financial freedom using an automated 3-Step Wealth Generation System. Sergio's system can seen at: http://www.profit-online-now.com

Fixer-Uppers: What To Fix

You've bought a house, a fixer-upper you can make some money on. What improvements and repairs should you make? First of all, you need to know this before you buy, as I explained in another article. Before and after you buy, though, you need to have some simple rules with which to start analyzing possible fixes.

Return On Investment

A young couple was very disappointed when I told them there house was worth $110,000. "We just put $40,000 into remodeling the kitchen!" they told me. I looked at the kitchen. It was nice. They had added $10,000 in value to the house by spending $40,000. This is a classic example of a bad return on investment.

With fixer-uppers, you have do things which give the most "bang for the buck." Aim for a three-to-one return on improvements. If you're going to resurface the driveway for $1000, it better raise the value of the home by $3,000. Even when you're just guessing, keep this three-to-one formula in your head, if you want to invest safely.

How To Fix A Fixer-Upper

With things like new curtains, you can't really estimate the increase in value. What you can do, though, is group together the many small repairs and improvements you are considering, and imagine how the house will look when you are done. Then you can estimate whether you will have increased the value enough to justify the cost.

It often is in the small details that you'll get the best return on investment, so look at these first. A new mailbox, flowers on the porch, a raked yard and trimmed trees - $30 total if you do the work yourself - can make a big difference in the first impression potential buyers have. First impressions are important.

Other small investments that pay big include shiny new switch covers (less than $1 each), shelves, a birdhouse, new doorknobs, new light fixtures, curtains, new rocks or wood chips on outdoor paths, new faucets, new woodstain on decks, and general cleaning. Stand in front of the house and imagine what it might look like with various small improvements (flowers, wood-rail fence, birdbath, etc.).

The Big Fixes

Obviously, there are things that just have to be repaired. The basic systems must function. Improvements, though, should be subject to the three-to-one rule. You may have to get creative here. An investor friend of mine once had a wall put up, and for less than $1000 created a new bedroom, probably raising the value of the house by $8,000. Now that's a good return on investment.

Bathrooms and kitchens are important. A $1000 updating of a bathroom can add $4000 in value to a home. Spend $2000 wisely in the kitchen (New fridge, re-finish the cupboards, add a garbage disposal, etc.), and you can add $8000 to the sales price of the house. Look for changes which are most universally valued (don't paint the kitchen pink because YOU like that color), and be sure you get a decent return on investment.

Depending on the fixer-upper, there are many potential improvements that can be worth doing. These include adding a carport, new doors, fences, gazebos, sheds, painting, carpet, benches, a new closet, a new toilet, a new stove, a shower/tub surround, and trees or bushes. The bottom line is the bottom line: be sure anything you do returns more than you spend, preferably three times as much.

About the Author:

Steve Gillman has invested in real estate for years. To learn more, and to see a photo of a beautiful house he and his wife bought for $17,500, visit http://www.HousesUnderFiftyThousand.com