Kingston Property

Best Time To Buy Real Estate- Read Before You Invest

admin — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 17:17:15 +0000

Whether you are investing for the first time or you are having a substantial amount of experience in the real estate scenario, you may always find it quite difficult in knowing the appropriate time to invest in Real Estate. This is due to the fact that the price of the property in the real estate market is not the same. It keeps on fluctuating from time to time. However, there are certain indicators that can assist you in knowing the best time to buy real estate.

Economy slowdown

One of the most suitable times for commercial real estate investing is during the economic slowdown. The reason is quite simple. As a result of economic slowdown there will be a lot of laying-off and unemployment. This increase in the number of unemployment will in turn force several homeowners to desert their property and go to some other promising area for employment.

As a result they will be looking forward to sell off their property as soon as possible and move on to some other new property. This urgency of theirs can make them sell their property even at a lesser cost.

Increase in the interest rates

Another superb time indicator according to the real estate investing articles for buying real estate property is when the interest rates increase. This is because increase in the interest rates will cause buying of new home to be quite expensive. As a result a lesser number of people will be opting to buy property.

Finally when there are fewer buyers, the prices of the house will drop to attract more buyers. So you can expect to buy a property at a lesser price. However, in this case only your monthly mortgage payments will be higher but this too will only be for a short time period. This is because once interest rates drop again you can choose to refinance the mortgage for a low interest rate. This will result in a lower monthly payment to the bank.

Holidays

According to several real estate investment companies holidays are best time to go shopping for a home. This is due to the fact that during holidays several mega sales are offered by the retails, stores and malls to entice the consumers. So this is where most people will be focused on and will pay less heed in buying property. As a result there will be lesser buyers and the sales of homes will automatically come down. This in turn will cause the property prices to fall. As such you can always take a good advantage of the holiday period sales offers to invest real estate rentals.

So these are some of the important indications that can really help you to ascertain the right time to invest in Real Estate. Happy investing!

Pay Less For Foreign Property – Currency Exchange Savings

admin — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 05:16:02 +0000

There is a simple trick to saving about 4% on the price of property abroad. It is quite easy and only takes about an hour. As an example, on a $200 000 property, this means that you would save about $8 000. Not bad for an hour’s work. Following is the explanation of how you do it.
If you are buying abroad, you will almost certainly need to pay in the local currency. So for example, if you are buying in New Zealand you would need to pay in New Zealand dollars or if you are buying French property you would need to pay in Euros. Unless you happen to have a sufficient amount of the local currency, this means that you will need to convert some of your money to the foreign currency.
Unfortunately, most people use a bank to do this, and almost all banks have very high fees for currency exchange. These fees take 3 forms:
- Exchange Rate. Banks do not exchange your money for what it is actually worth on the international market. So, for example, if a Euro is equal to US$1.20, they will likely charge you about $1.25 to buy a Euro. On the other hand, if you are using Euros to buy dollars, they may give you only US$1.15 for each Euro. This is how they make much of their profit on currency exchange.
- Direct Fees. In addition to giving you an exchange rate which is less than what your money is actually worth, there are a number of additional fees that may be charged based on individual circumstances. You need to read the fine print to see which ones are applicable to your particular circumstances as they vary widely depending on bank and on the nature of the currency exchange.
- Transfer Fees. Unless you are taking the money in cash, you will likely need to have it sent from your bank to a bank in the country where you are buying property. The sending bank almost always charges a fee for this and the receiving bank often charges a fee as well.
In total , this means that you could easily end up paying up to 5% of the amount just on various fees. However, if you use a specialist currency exchange company, you should pay closer to 1% total, giving you a saving of about 4%. A currency exchange specialist is cheaper because:
- Competition. Currency exchange companies, unlike banks, specialise in currency exchange. Consequently, they are set up to offer much better rates. Perhaps more importantly, competition between exchange specialists is fierce so they must have attractive currency exchange rates to compete, whereas most people using a bank simply use the same bank where they have an account, without looking around, so the banks have little competition and consequently can offer less attractive exchange rates.
- Direct Fees. Most currency exchange specialists, for large amounts, do not charge any fees.
- Transfer Fees. In general, currency exchange specialists do not charge any transfer fees. Furthermore, they often have in-country arrangements so that the receiving bank does not charge a receiving fee.
In the event that you are exchanging the full purchase price of the property, a 4% saving on the currency exchange translates to a 4% saving on the price of the property. To save this money, you need to do a bit of work in advance of buying your property abroad. The main steps are:
- Choose a currency exchange provider. There are a lot of companies that provide currency exchange. You can get a list by using the keywords ‘currency exchange’ in your search engine.
- Open an account. Opening up an account with a currency exchange provider is essentially the same as opening up an account with a bank. This should be done well in advance of buying your property, so that all the paperwork is sorted in advance. Opening up an account should be free and without obligation, and should take no more than an hour.
- Conversion. When you are ready to buy your property, you simply transfer the money from your bank account to your exchange rate account. Your currency exchange provider will then convert the money to the required currency and transfer it to the destination.
In addition to saving perhaps 4% of the purchase price of your house, another important advantage is the ability to lock-in a currency exchange rate. Currency exchange rates are constantly going up and down. Sometimes this will be in your favour and sometimes at your loss. While one can hope for the former, there is always the risk of the latter. With a currency exchange provider, you can lock-in an exchange rate for months in advance, so that when your are ready to convert and transfer your money, there is no risk of you losing out due to exchange rate changes. This ability to lock-in an exchange rate is another reason for opening an account with an exchange rate provider.

Cisco Outlines First Quarter Fiscal 2010 Technology and Customer Highlights

admin — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 05:16:02 +0000

SAN JOSE, CA–(Marketwire – November 2, 2009) –

Highlights / Key Facts:

Select Product Announcements from Q1 FY10:

Global Highlights from Q1 FY10:

Select Global Customer Announcements from Q1 FY10, by Theater:

United States and Canada:

Asia Pacific:

Emerging Markets:

Europe:

Acquisitions and Investments:

Significant Partner Announcements from Q4 FY09:

Video:

Complete Conference Call Details:

Date: November 4, 2009Time: 1:30 PM (PT); 4:30 PM (ET)

To Listen via the Internet: We are pleased to offer a live and replay audio broadcast of the conference call with corresponding slides at www.cisco.com/go/investors.

To Listen via Telephone: (Due to the limited number of lines available, we encourage you to dial in approximately 30 minutes prior to the start of the call).

888-848-6507 212-519-0847 (for International Callers)

RSVP: No RSVP is necessary

Replay: A telephone playback of the Q1 FY 2010 conference call is scheduled to be available beginning at 4:30 PM (PT) on November 4, 2009 through 4:30 PM (PT) on November 11, 2009. The replay will be accessible by calling 866-357-4205 (International callers: 203-369-0122). The call runs 24 hours per day, including weekends.

An archived version of the webcast will be available on Cisco’s Investor Relations website at www.cisco.com/go/investors.

About Cisco

Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate. Information about Cisco can be found at http://www.cisco.com. For ongoing news, please go to http://newsroom.cisco.com.

Cisco, the Cisco logo, Cisco Systems, Cisco IronPort, Cisco StadiumVision, Cisco TelePresence, Cisco Unified Computing System, and IronPort are registered trademarks or trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and used by them or by affiliates under license in certain other countries. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company. This document is Cisco Public Information.

Helpful Advice When Buying a Foreclosure in Fishers IN

admin — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 16:46:11 +0000

Are you looking to buy a foreclosed home in Fishers Indiana? If you are, buying a foreclosed home can be an intimidating process. So, before you jump on the bandwagon, it’s very important to learn the different risks of buying at each stage of the foreclosure process. Decide Your Exit methodology – Are you an investor looking for cash Flow Or Are You buying a Property to Live in? While the plan of buying property in Fishers Indiana cheaply is appealing, you want to obviously understand your role and why you are interested in the property. If you have made a decision to buy property as an investment, do your analysis on the rental values in the area. This step can help you make a ton more money by skyrocketing your cash flow and eventually your bottom line. However if you are buying the property to live in, target the negotiating the right price for the property to make sure it fits into your position with a mortgage you are able to afford. Do Your Due Diligence Before you purchase a Fishers IN foreclosed home, you also need to research the property’s location and valuation. If a home is being sold by the bank, it does not mean it’s a real deal. It is also very important to think about whether the property is near faculties, the police station, supermarkets and other facilities. One thing to remember…never buy a foreclosure because it’s a’bargain’. Make sure the property is a top value for you. Often times, properties have been left vacant or damaged during the foreclosure process. It’s important to grasp that in a few cases damage can work to your advantage in getting the best deal. On the other hand, major repairs can end up costing you a fortune to bring the property to a rentable or sellable status. So, it’s important to have a pro help you assess the condition of the house. An inspection by an approved professional is critical to ascertain whether the property is structurally sound and to warn you of any other Problems. These inspections are “for informational purposes only” but they allow you the opportunity to inspect the homes and back out of the deal should the home need excessive repairs. Unless there is some unusual circumstances, you should be able to get a 100% refund on your earnest money should the home inspection reveal major problems and you wish to cancel the contract. Avoid Foreclosure Auctions That suggests the buyer is responsible for any costs or repairs tied to that property. If you are not a seasoned auction buyer, it could be wise to seek other choices. To learn more about this topic and others, please visit our Fishers IN homes and Royalwood homes for sale Fishers pages.

Hello From Nova Scotia – Part 2 – Acadian History At The Grand Pré National Historic Site

admin — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 16:46:10 +0000

It’s always exciting to arrive in a new city. I like arriving at night, so the suspense of this new place stretches into the next morning. After a late arrival via Westjet at about 11:30 last night at the Halifax Airport, I picked up my rental car at the Thrifty Counter from a very friendly customer service representative on duty who inquired whether he was going to be mentioned in my Nova Scotia travel experiences – so here you go, this is a little shout-out to the friendly young man working the late shift at Thrifty’s who gave me my first welcome in Nova Scotia.
I then checked into the nearby Hilton Garden Inn for a brief, but hopefully effective night of rest. Early this morning I got into my rental car and on my way to my first destination: the Grand Pré National Historic Site which commemorates the lifestyle and expulsion of the Acadians, original French settlers that came to this area in the 1600s. I first drove south from the airport to locate Highway 101 and after several unsuccessful attempts to find the right exit I finally linked up with the big highway that connects Halifax with Nova Scotia’s western shore. The interior of the peninsula is made up of gently rolling forested hills and as you reach the northern shoreline, the land flattens out into tidal mudflats. Windsor, Hantsport and Wolfville are the major local settlements and the main body of water, the Minas Basin, features the highest tides on earth.
Less than an hour and a half after my departure I reached the Grand Pré, French for “large meadow” where I met Victor Tétrault, Executive Director of the Société Promotion Grand-Pré, who filled me in on the history of this site. The Grand Pré is an ancient settlement of the Acadians, descendants of the original French settlers in north-eastern North America. Acadians originally settled the areas around Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island in the 1600s and are culturally distinct from the French immigrants that settled in Quebec. The earliest Acadian settlement took place in Port Royal, less than two hours west of the Grand Pré, in 1604.
Acadians were astute farmers and through an ingenious system of dykes they managed to reclaim large tracts of land from the ocean. Victor explained that studies have shown that many farming communities of this era were really based on subsistence farming, where the average wealth base was “one unit of livestock” per person . The Acadians were rather wealthy since their average wealth per person was estimated at 8 to 9 units of livestock. They generated more agricultural products than they needed for their own consumption and started trading their surpluses with surrounding communities.
The Acadian settlers were also a peaceful group and got along well with the local Mi’kmaq Indians, even learning their time-honoured fishing and hunting techniques. The Mi’kmaq had developed a fishing technique that involved a network of criss-crossed stakes that would be set up in the tidal flats during low tide and when the water levels rose, this mesh of wooden sticks would simply trap fish and all that was necessary was just to go out there and pick up the fish.
Territories in north-eastern North America changed hands numerous times between the English and the French in the 1600 and 1700s and the Acadians decided to remain neutral, refusing to take either side. In the Treaty of Utrecht of 1713 France ceded Acadia as a British procession, at which point the area became known as Nova Scotia. During the following years, the British Governor Richard Phillips tried to coerce the Acadians to swear an oath of allegiance to the British Crown, but the Acadians steadfastly refused. Consequently, the decision was made that the “French Neutrals” needed to be removed and deported from their territories. Thus the Great Expulsion, the “Grand Dérangement”, a brutal act of ethnic cleansing, began.
Between 1755 and 1763 about 10,000 Acadians were rounded up and deported to locations in New England, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North and South Carolina and Georgia, even as far awa as Martinique and St. Domingue. Some Acadians were deported back to France, while others tried to hide in the woods, often sheltered by their friends, the Mi’kmaq. Some Acadian settlers made their way to relative safety in Quebec. Many families were torn apart, their houses were burnt, their livestock killed and fields destroyed. A great many Acadian settlers ended up in the former French territory of Louisiana where the Acadians became known as the “Cajuns”. Some families were expelled five or more times from different locations they were deported to.
Although there were numerous deportations of different groups during these turbulent historic times, the deportation of the Acadians was unusual because so many were not sent back to France, their country of origin, or another French colony. Instead they were deported to British territories where Anti-Catholicism was rampant, and in the southern colonies it was feared that the Acadians would join slaves in a general uprising.
Once peace returned in 1763, some Acadians started to migrate back but they never settled in their original settlement areas again. Instead, many Nova Scotia Acadians moved into the area around Baie Ste-Marie or St. Mary’s Bay between Digby and Yarmouth where they took up fishing as a livelihood. Today hundreds of thousands of people across all of North America and beyond can trace their origins to the Acadian Diaspora.
After giving me a brief introduction to Acadian history Victor took me on a tour of the facilities. The Grand Pré National Historic Site is actually a large piece of land that was donated about 100 years ago by a local businessman by the name of John Frederick Herbin who was an Acadian descendant. He gave the land to the Dominion Atlantic Railway with the condition that it be made accessible to Acadians forever. The company later gave the site to Parks Canada which turned it into a National Historic Site.
The New Visitors and Interpretation Centre houses a multimedia theatre, an exhibit hall, a gift shop, a multipurpose room and administration area along with other visitors’ facilities such as restrooms, public phones, etc. The entire facility is run jointly by Parks Canada and the Société Promotion Grand Pré, which represents the Acadian community. The grounds around the Centre are made up of flat farmland, a winding river and railway tracks that still serve for freight transportation.
We walked outside the Centre and Victor pointed out to me a metal sculpture on the side of a long, low-lying hill that consists of 4 life-sized individuals, representing an Acadian family that is being torn apart by the deportation. This sculpture was unveiled just a few weeks ago, on September 3, 2006. Victor mentioned that the sculptor was looking for an appropriate place to position the sculpture once it had been transported to the Grand Pré site from Montreal. The sculptor was unable to find a proper location for his masterpiece, pacing for hours through the entire property. Finally he found a spot, right there on the hillside. He just knew that this was where the sculpture would have to go. Through archeological research it had been discovered earlier, unbeknownst to the sculptor, that an Acadian house had been located right next to the sculpture and the foundation of this house is now outlined by wooden stakes. Hearing about this psychic connection between Acadian history and a present day sculptor gave me the goose bumps, and this example just underscores the spiritual and historic significance of the Grand Pré National Historic Site.
Victor also enlightened me that the Grand Pré is a location of reconciliation. During the 2004 celebrations to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the Acadians, tens of thousands of Acadian descendants congregated in the Grand Pré area for a reunion. The local Shaw family, a Planter family who was assigned to settle the area after the expulsion of the Acadians, invited the descendants of the Thibodeau family, who had come from all over North America, to stay on their property. Only two families had ever lived on this stretch of land: the Thibodeaus and the Shaws. The Shaws as a matter of fact, had coined a phrase “Be careful of the tippie-toes”, which really meant “Be careful of the Thibodeaus”. Both groups of families celebrated together and the Shaws stated that they were not the owners, but rather the keepers of this land, and that their home would always be open to the Thibodeaus.
The celebrations proceeded with exuberance until one man, a Thibodeau family member from Quebec stated in front of everyone “I only have one thing to say: we Thibodeaus are going to come back and take this land”. The entire crowd gasped at the thought of implied conflict until he continued “I am going to marry Sarah”. Sarah was a member of the Shaw family. The audience breathed a collective sigh of relief. This vignette is just one of many stories of reconciliation and forgiveness that have taken place here in the Grand Pré area.
Victor and I crossed the railway tracks and approached the Memorial Church, built in 1922. In front of the church is a statue of Evangeline, heroine of an 1847 poem by American author Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. “Evangeline” tells the story of a young Acadian woman who dedicates her entire life to searching for the man she loves from whom she was separated at the time of deportation. The tragic story concludes with Evangeline finding Gabriel, her true love, on his death bed in Philadelphia.
Beside the church Victor pointed out some archeological excavations to me. The Grand Pré site is a significant historic site and ongoing archeological research has turned up more clues about early Acadian life in the Grand Pré area. When Victor had to say goodbye to me as he was on duty at the Memorial Church, I went back inside the Visitors Centre and watched a brief yet extremely informative video about the history of the Acadians which effectively tied it all together for me.
After leaving the Visitor Centre I decided to drive a few kilometers east to the actual deportation site in the Minas Basin. The Deportation Cross was erected in 1924 to commemorate the deportation of 2000 Acadians who were deported from this very site.
As I started to make my way westwards towards Annapolis Royal, another originally Acadian settlement, I reflected on the significance of this site for one of the founding cultures of Nova Scotia. I was amazed at the perseverance and the power of the human spirit displayed by hundreds of thousands of Acadian descendants who have lived in diaspora all over the world and for centuries have managed to survive and hold on to their cultural heritage despite much adversity that they have experienced. Despite all this human tragedy and upheaval, the stories of reconciliation and forgiveness found here at the Grand Pré National Historic Site are a sign of hope for all us.
For the entire article including photos please visit
http://www.travelandtransitions.com/stories_photos/grand_pre.htm

AndalucÃa Property Market report July 2009 from Spanish Hot Properties

admin — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 04:20:58 +0000

Spanish property in 2009 has been really interesting especially the AndalucÃa property market which has seen quite a horrendous year as a whole with a few bright spot in certain areas of Costa del Sol but overall things can only really start to get better for the AndalucÃa property market according to Spanish Hot Properties Managing Director Nick Stuart.

As Nick explains â??the first thing about the AndalucÃa property market is the fact itâ??s so big and so diverse and in reality you have 6 markets in one.Â You have the four Costas of Costa de la Luz, Costa del Sol, Costa Tropical and Costa Almeria all very different in their own ways and all with different types of problems. You then have AndalucÃa Inland and the AndalucÃa countryside know as El Campo and Finally you have The major Cities of AndalucÃa such as Sevilla, Granada, Malaga, Cordoba, Jaen and Almeria which is in the main totally Spanish. Then you just have to imagine the actual size of AndalucÃa where the actual Coastline at Vera in Almeria to Huelva is over 500 Kilometers in distance and going inland from Marbella to Jaen is some 280 Kilometers.Â Then for people who know the diversity of the AndalucÃa and why it is one the greatest places on the planet it is easier to understand the huge diversity of the type of property you can buy and more importantly the type of lifestyle you can have in AndalucÃa.Â When looking at the AndalucÃa property market I think the most important fact to bear in mind is whilst property prices may have crashed the cost of construction hasnâ??t and at best it has stayed level. In reality this means you can buy certain properties for a price you could never build for today and that is what makes the AndalucÃa property market very interesting. To try and make understanding the market a little easier I have broken it down into 3 main areas.

AndalucÃa Inland property

This is rural AndalucÃa at its finest where you have quaint typical Spanish white villages known as pueblos blancos and country properties such as Fincas and Cortijos set in large amount of rustic land.Â Now this type of property has a huge Be Careful sign attached to it a large amount of these properties have been illegally built and have demolition orders on them or could have in the future.Â However if you have a good Lawyer you shouldnâ??t need to worry but certainly look to buy this type of property from a reputable agent and not direct from a vendor. If you try and cut corners in the Campo you will normally get badly burnt. As for property prices with the exception of the few desperate International sellers the property market has held it value pretty well due to it being mainly a local Spanish market and if your looking for value for money from an investment point of view you would probably be better buying on the Costas. The buyers in this area tend to want something around the â?¬100,000 Euros mark or are looking a country way of life.

Sevilla and the AndalucÃa Cities

Prime location is everything and again city centre prices have held up very well indeed especially in Sevilla and Malaga. Again this market is dominated by the local Spanish who donâ??t need to sell.Â The real value is the older properties that were built some time ago with the building costs associated of that time.Â Also when you head out towards the suburbs you tend to get better value with the local distressed sales market.

The 4 Costas

Costa de La Luz and Costa Almeria have probably suffered more than any of the Costas mainly due to the fact that they are the newest markets and a lot of people bought in those Costas because they couldnâ??t afford to buy in Costa del Sol and we all know that has changed round and they are having a very tough time of it and people who buy there now buy for low price and a different more sedate lifestyle but not for value.Â However you can buy a nice apartment in these Costas for about â?¬120,000 Euros.Â Costa Tropical is holding up very well in relative terms with the luxurious Villas in the La Herradura and Marina del Este region holding up very well.Â The market is made up of Rich International types, a local Market and Granada citizens having second homes.Â Itâ??s very quiet and peaceful and is one of the unknown Jewels of the AndalucÃa Coast. Finally we come to where all the action is in Costa del Sol due to the huge oversupply of property now matched with huge discounts and lots of bank repossessions and distressed sales Costa del Sol probably represents the best value in all of Spain where you can buy property for less than you can build it for and is very much where the value and activity is for Spanish Hot Properties customers.

AndalucÃa is a great place to live and right now itâ??s a very interesting property marketâ?.

Anyone wishing to find more about the current state of the AndalucÃa property market or require information about Spanish property should contact Spanish Hot Properties.

Ottawa Locksmith Services and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service

admin — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 04:20:57 +0000

It might sound surprising, and a far cry from the glamorous world of international espionage, but one of the most important skills regularly sought by intelligence agencies the world over, is locksmithing. One such intelligence gathering agency, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), regularly relies on Ottawa locksmith services to perform tasks, which may sound mundane, but are of vital importance to Canada’s national security.Based in Ottawa, the CSIS are charged with collecting, monitoring, and analyzing intelligence on possible threats to the national security of Canada. Although some of their work no doubt involves the kind of stunts seen in movies, the day-to-day reality is much more mundane, and often calls on the services of a local locksmith. The typical Ottawa locksmith performs a range of locksmithing services associated with improving the security in and around commercial and residential properties. Locksmiths in Ottawa also assist with car lockouts and broken keys stuck in the ignition. Fitting new locks on doors and windows, re-keying locks, and fitting high security locks are all within a typical working day for an Ottawa locksmith. Locksmiths are also highly skilled at gaining entry to properties without causing damage to doors and locks. All these services are in demand by intelligence agencies such as the Canadian Security Intelligence Service. There are numerous examples. There was an Ottawa locksmith who was hired to gain access to a deposit box in an Ottawa bank, because the CSIS suspected that the box contained large sums of cash that were to be used to purchase materials for making a bomb. Another Ottawa locksmith was hired to break into the apartment of a member of a home grown terror cell. There was the incident when an Ottawa locksmith was asked to open the door of a vehicle left in a downtown car park. The vehicle was thought to have been hired by agents of a foreign country. The question that begs to be asked is why an organization such as the CSIS, which presumably has sufficient resources to recruit and train their own locksmiths, would decide to outsource the work to a Toronto or Ottawa locksmith. The answer is that there are logistical and security-related advantages to outsourcing the work. Locksmithing is a highly skilled profession that requires a long period of training. Also, outsourcing enables intelligence agencies to retain a greater degree of secrecy about their operations. Finally, it is advantageous to use the services of a locksmith with specific local knowledge. So next time you watch a Jason Bourne movie, see if the hero would have been better off hiring a local locksmith.

A Guide for Property & Real Estate Investment in Turkey and Cyprus

admin — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 16:27:57 +0000

If you are considering investing in property overseas there are a few things you should always check out beforehand. Every country has its own laws and regulations in regard to foreigners buying property and it is worth looking into these details before settling on any particular country. However if you have set your heart on buying property in Cyprus or Turkey or somewhere similar you have spent the past 5 years visiting, then take care to hire a reputable lawyer who is experienced in foreign real estate. Buying a second home is an expensive decision to make so be clear as to why you want to buy rather than rent. Everyone has their own reasons, whether you plan to use it for your retirement, use it as an investment to protect your children’s future, or you want a holiday home to take the family every year, consider renting a property long-term and weigh up the pros and cons of each. You should always do your research before buying any property. It is not advisable to buy a property without taking a look at it first, visit the country and check out the different areas to get a feel for the place. If you are intending to rent the property then you need to take note of the transport links and facilities in relation to the location of the property. If it is to be your retirement home check what facilities are nearby to keep you busy. Finding a good property agent to help you search for a property can be difficult, especially if it is an overseas agent and you don’t know anything about them or their reputation. Check out reliable and established agents online, ask around and see if friends can give a recommendation before making your choice. It is worth getting a survey done on the property you are intending to buy. This might not be necessary legally, but it will put your mind at ease that there is no serious structural damage to the property that could cost you a lot of expense in the future. Ensure you employ the services of a lawyer who is knowledgeable and has experience dealing in the country you are intending to buy your second home in. To invest in a property in Cyprus might differ widely from buying a property in another foreign country. A lawyer should be aware of the legal issues and be clear as to what their fees include. Your lawyer should also be able to advice you about taxes to be paid and how to pay them to avoid penalties for late payments. You will need insurance if you are planning to buy a property abroad. There are different types of insurance, buy-to-let will cover for damage incurred by tenants or if they don’t pay the rent, holiday home insurance will protect the property if it will be left empty for long periods. Always let the insurance company know exactly what purpose the property will be for otherwise your insurance will be void. Cyprus and Turkey are ideal locations for overseas investment or as a place to retire. Although prices are increasing each year there are properties that can still be found near to the coast at affordable prices. Both destinations are easy to reach with a number of airlines offering inexpensive fares from the UK and Europe and flight times only 2/3 hours. If you are considering buying a property overseas always do your research before handing any money over and make sure to visit the country and meet some of the locals. Employing the services of a highly regarded and honest real estate agent with know-how in investment properties in the country is vital.

Film Investing Using IRS Section 181 Vs. Real Estate Finance Involving New Markets Tax Credits

admin — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 16:27:56 +0000

THE NEW MARKETS TAX CREDITThe New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) Program permits taxpayers to receive a credit against Federal income taxes for making qualified equity investments in designated Community Development Entities (CDEs). Substantially all of the qualified equity investment must in turn be used by the CDE to provide investments in low-income communities. The credit provided to the investor totals 39 percent of the cost of the investment and is claimed over a seven-year credit allowance period. In each of the first three years, the investor receives a credit equal to five percent of the total amount paid for the stock or capital interest at the time of purchase. For the final four years, the value of the credit is six percent annually. Investors may not redeem their investments in CDEs prior to the conclusion of the seven-year period.An organization wishing to receive awards under the NMTC Program must be certified as a CDE by the Fund.To qualify as a CDE, an organization must:* be a domestic corporation or partnership at the time of the certification application;* demonstrate a primary a mission of serving, or providing investment capital for, low-income communities or low-income persons; and* maintain accountability to residents of low-income communities through representation on a governing board of or advisory board to the entity.The FEDERAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION TAX INCENTIVES PROGRAMThe 20% tax credit Preservation Tax Incentives reward private investment in rehabilitating historic properties such as offices, rental housing, and retail stores. Abandoned or under-used schools, warehouses, factories, churches, retail stores, apartments, hotels, houses, and offices in many cities have been restored to life in a manner that retains their historic character. The Preservation Tax Incentives have also helped to create moderate and low-income housing in historic buildings.Under the provisions of the Tax Reform Act of 1986, a 20% tax credit is available for the substantial rehabilitation of commercial, agricultural, industrial, or rental residential buildings that are certified as historic. The credit may be subtracted directly from federal income taxes owed by the owner.The Historic Preservation Tax Credit Program benefits the owner, the occupants, and the community by:o Encouraging protection of landmarks through the promotion, recognition, and designation of historic structureso Increasing the value of the rehabilitated property and returning underutilized structures to the tax rollso Upgrading downtowns and neighborhoods and often increasing the amount of available housing within the community.The American Jobs Creation Act Of 2004: 100% Federal Deductions + 20-30% State Tax Credits!In the United States, the 2004 enactment of Section 181 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the “Code”) marked an unprecedented change in U.S. policy toward the phenomenon known as “RunawayProduction”.Runaway Production refers to a film or television production that leaves one state or country to be filmed in another purely for economic reasons. This movement occurs because producers tend to film in the location where they can minimize production costs through tax incentives, cheaper labor.Over the years, Canada has been the greatest beneficiary of U.S. runaway productions (according to some reports, Canada has claimed up to 80% of the U.S. runaways, generating an economic impact of $10.3 billion in production output in 1998 alone).Section 181 represents the first time that the U.S. federal government has recognized this impact by passing tax legislation to actively combat the flight of film and television programming.Section 181 permits a 100% write-off for the cost of certain audio-visual works, regardless of what media they are destined for (e.g., theatrical, television, DVD, etc.).An individual or company who makes an investment into Section 181 qualified productions can take a 100% deduction of their investment against their passive (individual) or ordinary (as C Corporation) income in the year their investment wasmade.The deduction can be made against active income should the investment be made by or through a widely held C corporation. The law is in effect until December 31, 2009, therefore investments must be made before that date and the money invested into qualifying productions must be spent by then by the productions.An example, should an individual or corporation that is taxed at a 35% tax rate have passive income to take a deduction against, then should that individual make a $1 Million investment into a qualified production or film fund, the actual net investment will be $650,000 since they can take a deduction against that full $1 Million against their passive income, and 35% of $1M is $350,000, which is the value of the deduction they can make in the year they make their investment. Therefore, 1M minus $350,000 is $650,000 which is the net amount of their investment into the qualified production.However, an investor or Company can also receive an additional 15-30% in state tax credits on the entire budget of a film BEFORE profits and other exit strategies that Noci Pictures Entertainment has in place.This clearly shows a premium in tax credit and tax liability deduction compared with the other Federal Tax Credit Programs available.Further, The Section 181 and State Programs benefit the tax credit investor, the producers, and the community by offering:In the Short Term:1. 100% passive or ordinary income deductions under the IRS Section 181 “American Jobs Creation Act” for both individuals and corporate tax payers2. 20%-30% in State Tax Credits (depending on state)3. Economic Development4. Job Creation, Including For Minorities And Women5. ROI on Investment of 60-100% prior to revenuesIn Medium-Long Term it would offer1. hedge of revenues (after Section 181 and state incentives of 60-100% ROI) back to investors from individual or a slate of films2. Discount of future taxation from income under Section 199 for a Section 181 investment3. Conversion Option in LLC to Common Stock for additional liquidity via reverse merger in U.S or exit IPO on London AIMSECTION 199Section 199 is the income section; it is called the manufacturing section of The American Jobs Creation Act, 2004. Film Production has been defined as a manufacturer but television is not. Section 199 does not apply to television.This section says that any manufacturer (Film Production) can have some tax relief on money returned to the investor.o from 2005 till 2007 the taxpayer is entitled to a 3% deductiono from 2007 to 2010 they get a 6% reductiono And from 2010 on the get a 9 % reduction.For example, if an investor get $1.00 back on a investment in a movie after he has already written off 100%, then he will only be taxed on .94 cents if I he is given it back between 2007 to 2010. From 2010 on then an investor gets to pay taxes only on .91 cents and it stays at this 9% rate.

Searching a Property in Faridabad?

admin — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 04:28:30 +0000

Faridabad is most commonly known for its base of industries, but it is emerging out to be one of the hottest property destinations in the NCR as well. A number of property developers have launched their projects of group housing in the Faridabad area consequently, it has emerged out as one of the most desired residential hubs. One of the main reasons why more and more investors and buyers are searching a property in Faridabad is that the prices of properties in this area are much lower than other parts of the NCR including Gurgaon and Ghaziabad.

Connectivity: With the approval of metro linkage to Faridabad from Badarpur and the building up of Taj Expressway, the connectivity of the area will definitely improve and it is going to be one of the most affordable and preferable destinations in near future. Another highway has also been planned that will start from the Kalindi Kunj, will run parallel to the Mathura Road and will bypass Delhi merging in Faridabad. This highway will reduce the traveling time to the South Delhi thus providing a fillip for those who are searching a property in Faridabad.

Amenities: The Faridabad area provides some of the most lucrative infrastructure facilities such as water, drainage, sewerage and electricity in comparison to other areas. With better infrastructure, better medical competence and fast developing industry, investors and buyers have looked Faridabad forward as a lucrative investment option.

Rise in Prices of properties: The prices of properties are expected to see a boost in near future; the main reasons may be improved connectivity with other areas of Delhi and NCR, construction of Delhi Metro and completion of various building projects that are still under construction. During the last 10 months, it has also been seen that the rental value has not increased significantly because most people are considering to buy properties rather than renting them due to their affordable prices and easy availability of loans.

Nothing can be better than acquiring a property in Faridabad because it is one of the highest developed areas in the National Capital Regions of Delhi, Indiaâ??s capital. Both residential and commercial scenario of Faridabad has recently developed at furious speed and is still continuing to develop. Being adjacent to the capital, its closeness to Delhi adds a lot of value to real estate of the area, and in addition to that, Delhi citizens visit the area often, which means that the people who have a high living standard and usually are a trendiest crowd regularly frequent it.