Real Estate Investing: No Lawyers, No Debt, No Plungers

by: sanserve
Real Estate investing is not nearly as legally complicated, financially burdensome, or time consuming as you might think. In fact, it is easy to add raw land, shopping centers, apartment complexes, and private homes to your portfolio without Brokers, Bankers, Attorneys, and a Rolodex full of maintenance professionals' phone numbers. Even better, you can blend your Real Estate investments into your security portfolio for ease of management, income monitoring, diversification analysis, etc. Without having mega millions to work with, or a line of credit that goes around the block, you can have positions in various forms of Real Estate (Commercial, Industrial, Residential) at the same time, and focus either on Growth Opportunities, Income Production, or a combination of the two.

If you thought that Real Estate was out of your investment reach because of limited funds, or minimal personal experience, you were selling yourself short. All of the basic types of Real Estate Investing are available through CEFs (Closed End Funds) and REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts), and both can be purchased in the same manner as any common stock. And for me, this has always been their (CEFs and REITs) single most attractive feature! You can own a piece of the action without the big commitment of time and resources. You can take advantage of changes in the Real Estate Market Cycle in precisely the same manner as you can deal with the volatility and fluctuations in the Stock and Fixed Income Markets.

Real Estate CEFs and REITs are obviously safer investments than outright purchases of Shopping Centers and Apartment Complexes. They are also somewhat less risky than owning the common stock of individual Real Estate companies. The size of the numbers may be less exciting, but the net income and capital gains potential are comparable and the turnover rate much more impressive. Both methods (of participation in the Real Estate market) should be considered as you add to your investment portfolio... but to which Asset Allocation "bucket"? I've always included REITs and Real Estate CEFs in the Fixed Income bucket while the common stock of a plain vanilla Real Estate Company would properly fit within the Equity portion. When adding Equities of any kind to your portfolio, you should avoid the standard "Mob Popularity and Greed" model and select only S & P, B+ or better, rated stocks that pay dividends (regardless of size) and that are priced at least 20% below their 52 week high. After a huge rally in any market, I would be even more selective than that from a percentage standpoint, and I would buy about one-half the normal position to facilitate average cost reduction later. You must establish a reasonable profit-taking target on any investment. Real Estate is no exception. No matter what the investment, Virginia, the longer and stronger the rally, the steeper and faster the correction is likely to be.

On the Income side of the portfolio, make sure that you look at a lot of REITs and even more CEFs of various kinds to get a feel for the levels of income they produce. REITs must pay out a certain percentage of their earnings, but CEFs may not have the same restriction. I believe that either can be "leveraged", which simply means that management may choose to borrow some of the money that they invest. Leverage is not a four-letter word when used properly, and (in my opinion) it is more likely to help your results than it is to hurt them. It's always a good practice to stay within the normal income range, assuming that there is either a risk or a management reason for the highest and lowest yields, respectively. Be careful not to create a poorly diversified income portfolio. Bonds, Preferred Stocks, Mortgages, etc. deserve your attention as well and should be represented. Monthly income is available and more attractive than any other.

The major distinction between the two types of investing needs some re-emphasis. When purchasing stock in a Real Estate company (or any other company), your main objective should be to sell the stock for a reasonable profit as quickly as possible. You will then select some other stock and repeat the process. It is likely that you will return to the same companies over and over again, and you are the manager... any dividend income is gravy. When purchasing a REIT or a Real Estate CEF, you are depending on the managers of these entities to generate income and capital gains and to pass it on to you every month, recognizing that the actual amount may vary slightly over time. You have the bonus capability either of selling the REIT or CEF shares when they rise to an acceptable profit level (more gravy), or of buying more shares to increase your income level. The distinctions (benefits?) of this form of Real Estate Investing vs. ownership of the properties themselves should be clear as well.

About the Author
Steve Selengut http://www.sancoservices.com http://www.valuestockbuylistprogram.com Professional Portfolio Management since 1979 Author of: "The Brainwashing of the American Investor: The Book that Wall Street Does Not Want YOU to Read", and "A Millionaire's Secret Investment Strategy"

The Downside To Law Of Attraction

Law of Attraction states, simply, that you attract into your life whatever you focus upon. Period. Well, in our work, we're very focused on the deliberate use of Law of Attraction.

This is very powerful. For it means that any of us has the power to create whatever life we desire simply by applying Law of Attraction in a deliberate way. But there's a downside to Law of Attraction. And it's this ... you attract into your experience whatever it is you focus on.

By focusing your attention on the things you don't want - too much debt, too many bills, things that have gone wrong - guess what you are going to start appearing more and more in your life? You guessed it ... more of the same. And so there's a pretty scary downside.

By not being consciously aware of what you are focusing on, should your default position be on the things you don't want (which tends to be the case for the majority of people), then Law of Attraction gives you more of the same. This is why the deliberate use of Law of Attraction is so key. It is in this way you can control what you are attracting.

For most people this concept can be very difficult to grasp. You see, it's your thoughts that lead to the words you use, which lead you to feel a certain way, which compels you to a particular action, which of course sets the level of vibration you are sending to the universe. And what does Law of Attaction do? It matches your vibration.

So how do you mind your vibration? By being very mindful of and monitoring the language you are using in your conversations. And taking the time to correct your language whenever you catch yourself.

Of course you probably realize there's one specific conversation which requires a lot of attention. And that's the ongoing, never ending conversation you are having with yourself. You know what I'm referring to ... it's there right now even while you are reading this.

At any moment, there is a running conversation going on in your head, which is always commentating on what you are seeing, what you are doing, what you are thinking - all of it. When you are paying attention, it's easy to tune into that conversation. You may catch such phrases as "that's stupid", "that was dumb", "this isn't going to work", "I always fail", etc.

Well, in everyone of those examples, your self talk is entirely focused on what you don't want. And Law of Attraction doesn't know the difference between what you want and what you don't want. It only gives you what you are focused on.

Each and every time you say something like that, whether out loud to someone else or silently to yourself, you are committing self sabotage. So pay attention to the language you use religiously. Every single time catch yourself, stop, and rephrase what you said or thought.

It's easy to do. "So, what is it I do want?" Or how about, "that's interesting", or "this works for lots of people, it can work for me too", or even "I always succeed when I put my mind to it".

Begin monitoring your language and you will start to get better at refocusing on the things that you do want. And as you get better at that, the better your results will be as well. You will be avoiding the downside of Law of Attraction because you will be applying the Law of Attraction deliberately.


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by Warren Wojnowski

Auto Accident Lawyer in Coeur d’Alene Idaho

By artgib
Over the last several years, there has been a steady increase in auto accidents in the United States, hovering at over six million during the past year. As a result — as well as general inflation — auto insurance premiums are rising as well, currently sitting at an average of over $1,000 in some states.

Unfortunately, the increase in insurance premiums is not indicative of a raise in coverage for most people. Many people in the country choose the state minimums in auto insurance which means that they run the terrible risk of being inadequately covered in an accident, even when they are not found at fault — especially when dealing with injuries.

Accident attorneys should certainly not be a first course of action when dealing with a traffic altercation, but should be considered as viable alternatives when insurance companies are not providing adequate compensation for losses and damages incurred during an accident. Auto accident lawyers can use the law to ensure that insurance companies, and individuals in some cases, are held accountable for damages for which they should be responsible.

There are so many different legal precedents for auto-related accident law, and additionally, there are a myriad of legal codes and road laws relating to many different scenarios — from motorcycle law to pedestrian law and from government vehicle accidents to accidents involving corporate-owned semis. A good accident lawyer must be highly trained and well versed in all of these different types of automobile law. A highly trained, competent accident attorney could be the difference in compensation and debt when you are involved in an auto accident.

Coeur d’Alene Auto Accident Lawyer

Idaho ranks 47th in average annual insurance premiums, making it one of the lowest cost states in which to have auto insurance. However, Idaho also has a low minimum requirement for liability insurance, making it more apt to leave its residents lacking when involved in a major auto accident.

Therefore, accident attorneys become quite valuable to ensure that Idahoans are not left wanting when the unfortunate event occurs. In Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, for example, an experienced yet local law firm should be sought in the case of an auto accident to ensure that you are not left traumatized by the sheer exhaustion that can come from the red tape involved in auto accident settlements.

Auto accidents do not have to be life altering experiences. Finding a competent, dependable legal representation could be the difference in getting on with your life, or being in debt for the rest of it. If you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of an automobile accident and the insurance companies are not providing adequate coverage, take the next step and make sure you get the fair treatment you deserve.

Art Gib writes for Beck & Poorman, Attorneys at Law (http://www.beck-poorman.com/auto_accidents.html), who are qualified auto accident attorneys providing services to those in need of a Coeur d’Alene auto accident lawyer.