Private Money is the Secret to Success

By Steve Jacobsen

The most frequent excuse people use for not getting involved in real estate investing, other than fear of failing, is lack of financing. In reality, it has really not been easier or more attractive than now to invest in real estate. Previously, the only options around for private money loans were financing through banks or high interest loans made available by hard money lenders. However, banks often require a substantial down payment, usually 20%, a ton of paperwork, and a daunting underwriting process that has kills many a deal.

The other option has been hard money lenders, however the rates are usually exorbitant, which means the deals had to have a huge margin to make any sense. As we already know, lending is not nearly as accessible as it has been in the past, but the credit markets do show signs of improvement. Lenders that are willing to lend money today typically require significant equity from the borrower and outstanding credit. Moreover, it seems hard money lenders are charging exorbitant rates because they're aware that borrowers have limited options.

While the current economic environment has created challenges for investors, it also presents tremendous opportunities for those who recognize this and are willing to find solutions such as private money loans. This market has opened the doors for a new breed of loans called transactional funding, which is normally used to fund short sales, and private money, which is similar to hard money. Private money is the most advantageous option for many investors because the investor controls the deal.

Private money can be raised in many ways - brokers may pool the funds, or wealthy individuals may provide your funds. The erratic moves in the stock market and global capital markets has made many investors running for more secure places to put their money.

Keep in mind the perspective the private money lenders may have. Consider where the investor would rather invest his money...in the stock market which has lost almost as much as during the great depression, or in a local property investment that will be secured by the equity in the home? Seem like a no brainer, doesn't it? That's exactly why many real estate investors are having such success these days getting private money sources.

While banks will eventually open their doors and begin lending again, private money lenders offer a new breed of lending that's probably going to stay around. - 23162

About the Author:

Steve Jacobsen is a real estate investor and realtor focused on investment properties and has closed well over 100 transactions during his investing career. Visit his website Private Money Blueprint Review to get more information about how to acquire private money loans and put yourself on the road to where you want to be...starting now.

Shopping For the best Investment Option

By Rick Amorey

So you've been out of school for a few years now, and you have been working religiously to build up your savings and to pay off that student loan. You take a look at your savings account, and decide that you now have a sufficient capital to invest in something. After all, you don't plan to be an employee for the rest of your life.

You've now made up your mind to start investing. The next question, then, is where do you place all that hard-earned cash? There are a multitude of investments that you may choose to involve yourself in, but you have to be able to choose carefully. Here are some of the more popular choices out there:

*Set up your own business. This is probably the best option for you if you feel that your interest or hobby can turn into something that earns. To run this business correctly, though, you must have the capacity to dedicate most of your time to it. Basically, this is not the preferred option if you are employed at the moment.

*Checking out the stock market. Stocks are quite evocative; the pit of brokers haggling at the top of their lungs is an image that has been cemented in my head, thanks mainly to the movies. Stocks have one of the best opportunities for high yield, but do not be quick to dismiss the possibility for havoc that stocks could do to your savings. If you don't thread carefully, you'll really lose a lot.

*Invest in bonds. A bond is essentially lending your money to a company or other entity, which will pay you back in parts semiannually. In contrast to stocks, bonds are considered as one of the safest ways to invest, but it also gives out one of the lowest amounts of yield. You can, of course, turn it up a notch by buying or selling before a bond matures, and doing so will also increase the risk factor.

*Enroll for a mutual fund. Companies that collect money from their clients control these mutual funds. They would then proceed to invest the collective money in what the company deems to be the most profitable gesture. At the end of each year, an investor will get a report of where his or her money is, and how much it has grown. An attractive choice, for sure, if you want to invest in something, but feel like you can't afford to do it by yourself.

So those are some of the most popular investments for people who like to think forward. So long as you know what you're doing, investing in any of these will help your money grow. Just don't forget that patience is a virtue, and above all, have the sensibility to stick to your investments. Don't back down at the slightest sign of trouble. - 23162

About the Author:

Rick Amorey believes that shortcuts to success are a joke, and instead suggests the comprehensive program of Emini Trading. Be an educated trader with the help of Emini Trading System, and watch your money grow like a carefully monitored seedling.

Real Estate - Is a Preforeclosure a better investment then a Foreclosure?

By Joyce Crossman

Due to the recent real estate collapse, many people across the United States are losing their homes to foreclosure. The period of time before the official foreclosure is called pre-foreclosure. Depending on the state the pre-foreclosure period lasts from seven days to a 60 days. Real estate experts know that the pre-foreclosure period is a great time to purchase a home.

Many of the 'for sale by owner' signs that you see are from owners that are in pre-foreclosure. The bank usually allows the homeowner time in which to try and sell their home before it is foreclosed. This is common because the bank is not in the real estate business and would prefer the current owner sell the home to cut their losses rather then having to seize the home themselves.

Here are several reasons that real estate experts feel it?s a better idea to purchase a home during a pre-closure period instead of waiting to buy a foreclosed home at a government auction:

- Pre-foreclosed homes are sold for less than foreclosed homes. A homeowner will sell their pre-foreclosed home for low cost so they won?t have to face foreclosure.

- Since you won?t be at an auction, you will be given more time to talk to the home owner about any questions you may have concerning the house.

- Typically less competition then at a foreclosure auction where there is multiple bidding for the same property. Foreclosures attracts more of the mass real estate market then pre-foreclosures does.

- You won?t have to worry about becoming frustrated from losing a bid.

- Auctions can be annoying for some people. Some people become very angry when they are outbid.

- You have more time to have a pre-foreclosed home inspected than you would at an auction. You will be aware of any potential problems the house may have.

- You don't need all the cash up front like you would at an auction. You can pay a down payment for as low as a few hundred dollars!

Always check to make sure that the pre-foreclosed home you?re interested in has no liens or judgements against it. You should also bring along someone to inspect the home for you so you?ll know of any problems it may have. The risks in purchasing a pre-foreclosed home are similar to purchasing a home the traditional way, only a lot less expensive! You can even resell the pre-foreclosed home for more money than you purchased it for. - 23162

About the Author:

See reviews on the top pre-foreclosure sites to understand what they have to offer at government auctions review or go direct to pre-foreclosures

Leverage - Is This A Strategy For You?

By Gnifrus Urquart

Have you heard the term "leverage" when people are discussing their investments? This can be quite a confusing and daunting concept for many people. But all leverage really means, is borrowing to invest. The reason people call it "leverage" is because typically existing assets are used as the security or basis of the borrowing. That is, you leverage off the value of a current investment or asset, to borrow more money to invest.

This article covers the general principles of leveraging your investments. If it is something you are considering but have never done before, discuss your ideas with a licensed financial adviser. They will ensure you are structured correctly and can minimise your risk and exposure.

10 years ago, my borrowing habits were what I would call "typical" in today's society. I had a credit card, which ranged between $0.00 to about $4,000.00 in debt. I had a small personal loan which I bought some furniture with and I had a larger personal loan which I financed a car purchase with.

There are 2 problems with this type of borrowing. Firstly, all the assets I bought with the borrowed money were depreciating assets. This means that as I paid off the debt, the value of the things I bought decreased. Secondly, as I purchased "consumables", the interest I paid on these loans was not tax deductible. This makes for a very expensive borrowing.

Things have changed over the years. I learned that debt is much more efficient when spent on investments. So now my credit card debt is negligible and paid off every month. My personal loans are completely paid off. Despite this, I have a lot more debt. I have a massive debt on an investment property. I have a margin loan for share trading. And I have a FOREX investment account which is leveraged at 400:1 (Which means I borrow $400 for every $1 I put in)

So what are the benefits of borrowing to invest?

When you borrow to invest, you increase your investment earnings potential. As you borrow money, you have more to invest. Therefore, the returns on your investments increase by the net returns on the borrowed money. Obviously the basic key here is to ensure your investment return rate is higher than the interest rates on the loan. If this is the case, you will always make money with the money you have borrowed.

Generally speaking also, interest payments on investment borrowing are tax deductible (get advice from your accountant on this point). As the borrowings have been made to increase your income, the interest payments on the loans are a direct cost of your income production. This typically makes the interest payments a tax deduction. For example, as my investment property creates a rental income, the borrowing are a cost associated with producing that rental income.

This works exactly the same in the margin loan I am using to help with my stock market investments. I have borrowed some money in a margin loan (I usuall try and keep the leverage here at about 1:1, so every dollar of my own I invest gives me another to invest) and pay interest every month on that loan. My stock market strategy pays me my consistent income every month, which is more than the interest on the margin loan. And then, at the end of the tax year, I deduct the interest payments from the money I earned, gaining a tax advantage.

So there is definitely an argument for borrowing to invest where you can, instead of borrowing to fund personal purchases. There are risks associated with leverage too though you need to be aware of.

The first risk with borrowing to invest is the same with all loans. Loans come with obligations. You need to be able to fund the repayments, both the principle and the interest. So you need to do your sums properly and work out whether your income can cover these repayments. If you mess this up and over-extend yourself, typically your lender will come and seize your goods and assets and sell them to get their money back. This is never a good position to be in.

In a margin loan situation, it is a little different. If you borrow too much here, you may breach the allowable % of assets to debt you are given and if this happens, you will be expected to put more money in to put the loan back in "good order". This can be quite difficult if the market swings strongly against you. So you need to know that in extremely adverse market conditions (2007 - 2009 are a good example of this) you can generate enough income to cover such margin calls.

Finally there is the investment risk. When you borrow to invest, you do so with the intention that the income earned from the money you invest, exceeds the interest the borrowing accrues. If the interest is higher than the investment earnings, you are losing money.

All risks with investing can be mitigated with strategy. That is why it is so important to speak to a licensed financial adviser before you invest and especially before you borrow to invest. So if you are considering leverage, speak to an adviser about risk mitigation. Leveraging your investments can definitely be financially rewarding, but only when you properly understand and manage your risk and when it is backed up by a consistently high performing investment strategy. - 23162

About the Author:

Gnifrus Urquart has enjoyed impressive success investing for many years. As such, he enjoys reviewing investment strategies and giving trading tips to others interested in investing

Mutual Fund Checklist for Investors

By Sara Ferguson

There are many ways to select a mutual fund, each one has its own ups, downs, and risks. As you select your first mutual fund, consider these factors:

The fund manager: Often a fund is only as good as its management. If the fund manager has shown great performance in the past, future performance is likely to be above average. If the fund manager has been replaced, past performance becomes less meaningful and may even be worthless. A poor-performing fund that gets a new fund manager may turn around and become a top performer.

The stability of the funds philosophy: If the fund seems unclear about its financial goals and is switching investment methods, it may be in trouble. The financial goals of the fund is highly important, unstable goals can be a bad sign but also in a poor performing fund that just replaced the fund manager can be a good sign.

The objectives of the fund: Some funds focus on specialty or sector funds (gold funds or biotech funds) and often offer great returns. However, they arent good funds for the online investor who wants to own just one mutual fund. If you own just one specialty fund, you lose the advantage of diversification.

The objectives of the fund: Some funds focus on specialty or sector funds (gold funds or biotech funds) and often offer great returns. However, they arent good funds for the online investor who wants to own just one mutual fund. If you own just one specialty fund, you lose the advantage of diversification.

Purchase constraints: Although some funds require a minimum initial investment of $5,000.00, many good funds dont have this requirement. If you enroll in a funds automatic investment program, the minimum initial investment amount is usually waived. Additionally, many fund minimums are waived or substantially reduced for IRA investments. If you are not starting out with a large sum to invest check out the ones that waive the minimum initial investment amount; I started out investing using an online stock account with a $100.00 minimum, it got me started and I learned a lot.

Purchase constraints: Although some funds require a minimum initial investment of $5,000.00, many good funds dont have this requirement. If you enroll in a funds automatic investment program, the minimum initial investment amount is usually waived. Additionally, many fund minimums are waived or substantially reduced for IRA investments. If you are not starting out with a large sum to invest check out the ones that waive the minimum initial investment amount; I started out investing using an online stock account with a $100.00 minimum, it got me started and I learned a lot. - 23162

About the Author:

Learning how to invest is a challege. Knowledge and information is the key to investing and how to invest to profit and minimize risk.