This country was built on the effort and integrity of the individual. Many people have just had enough of putting in their time and effort to make profits for someone else. Even if you did want to go to another job, the choices are just not as available as they were in the past. People want to spend more time with their families. Is it time for you to create your own change in lifestyle? What can you do?Find a Home Based Business that is right for you.Real businesses require 3 vital sets of ingredients:
Your Passion and Vision
Investment of Time and Money
Solid Business Planning and Support
First and foremost, forget the “get rich quick” mentality.Get clear why you want a business and not just another job. What exactly are your goals? Write them down now.Look for a product or service that matches you, your passion and your personality. Seek products and services that are actually in alignment with your values and lifestyle. Be sure there is a product to be sold. If you cannot clearly define the product or service, this is a red flag. Ask: “Is this a product or service in which I can have confidence in feel good about marketing?” Products with superior quality that make life better for people are sure winners in the marketplace today. And by the way, feeling good about your Home Based Business is one of the main ingredients for your success!Learn how profits are earned in the business you are considering. How do profits make their way to your pocket? There are some very good MLM companies and products out there, as well as direct sales organizations. Have a definite income goal. Do you want to a make a few extra dollars a month or you are clearly focused on building wealth, financial security and personal freedom? If you are a BIG thinker, look for products and services that have maximum up front and long term profit potential.Capital is required. It is your money, your time. There is generally a direct correlation between the capital outlay for a business start up and the profit potential. Get a complete list of everything you will need to get started and how much it cost. Calculate how much money you will need to live on while you are in the development phase. Create a 2 year business plan. Be clear about how much time and energy you are willing to invest into your new venture. Seek out a Home Based Business that has a system that allows you leverage your money and time for maximum profits.Research the company: Due diligence. Not everyone is successful in business. This is a cold hard fact. There are people who jump from one business to another and never put in the real time and effort to have success. There is a lot of hype out there. There is also a lot of misinformation on the internet. Get the facts. If you see information that is negative about a company, look to see if there is a hidden agenda for another company. There is absolutely no integrity in this kind of marketing. Attending live business presentations online or by phone or in person allows you to get a gut-feel for the people who will be working with you. Talk directly to people who are actually with the company, using the products and services and who are in the business you are considering. Ask questions until you are satisfied.In summary, know WHY you want your own business, write it down in detail. Seek out products or services that you can feel good about. Your confidence and belief is “the attractive factor” that draws customers to you and your business. Get all the information you can upfront. Be sure you understand how the compensation plans works. Know what is required of you in terms of time, energy and financial capital to achieve maximum profit. Seek out companies that have proven systems that are simple and easy to follow. Successful entrepreneurs make decisions and act based on facts, values and integrity.

There are many ways to make money from a home based business.Unfortunately there are also a lot of scams which promise you great wealth but end up taking some of your hard earned money.Here are some suggestions for a good Christian home based business you can start.1. Disciples’s Cross. This is a great home based business which was started by a Pastor from Louisiana. With this program, you have the opportunity to make a nice income producing hand made crosses and necklaces from home.This opportunity is legitimate and easy to do. The amount of money you can make depends on how much time and interest you have available for this.You can also sell the necklaces you create to other retail outlets for additional income potential. There is a great deal of information available on this opportunity from their website.But be sure to check it out as it provides a good way for people to earn money from a Christian home based business.2. There a number of companies you can sign up with as affiliates and promote the sale of Christian based inspirational materials. This can include posters or a variety of special keepsakes.In some cases you can promote an affiliate site. Or you may elect to purchase some products as samples and show them to friends, family members and other interested potential customers.It can be a nice way to generate extra income a provide helpful and inspirational comfort with a Christian based focus.

Every year the home based business industry is growing. More and more people are finding that starting a business from home is the best way to generate an additional income especially in the economy we are facing today. There are many advantages to starting a home based business. Some include: A low overhead (cost), advantage of working anytime a person pleases, and even tax benefits.However, these advantages of owning a home based business have always been a part of home based businesses. So why is there a sudden growth? Why are more and more people starting their own business from their home, and why does network marketing seem the way to go for these people?The first reason people are turning to home based businesses is because of the worldwide economic uncertainty. Currently, here in the U.S., we are in the middle of a recession. Many other economies are also in the middle of a recession or in the midst of one. If one were to turn on the television, read the newspaper, and even listen to the radio, all he/she would hear about is the bad state the economy is in. He/she would also hear about the downsizing of a company and how the unemployment rates are rising. What network marketing and the home based business industry has to offer is the chance to generate a side income.Think of it as insurance for a paycheck. If one loses their job, the home based business can temporarily (or completely, if the entrepreneur wants) supplement their income they lost. The kind of extra income that can be made have been proven to help thousands of families around the globe. It has been proven, time and time again, that many network marketers have made much more than the full time income they were receiving before jumping into network marketing. In fact, some of them have made themselves millionaires. Unfortunately, becoming a millionaire is not what everyone becomes. Only the ones willing to put it the extra effort are the ones that make the millions. Most will find that average network marketers run their business part-time and make a few hundred per month or thousand per month.Network marketing is moving a product and/or service to the end consumer all from personal relationships. Because this is the way network marketing works, it is easier for small businesses to connect with consumers who find themselves “cocooning.” Cocooning is where the consumer shields itself from all kinds of messages from marketers. With network marketing, companies and small businesses find an easier, and much more cost effective way of communicating their message to the consumer.One big reason people start their business ventures in the network marketing industry is because of how great a tool the internet is for network marketers. The internet has made network marketing much easier than it used to be. With the internet, network marketers can inform, train, and even motivate, from home, on the internet. For the more advanced network marketer, the internet is a great tool to automate the marketing part of their business, and ultimately make the internet do all the work.Another reason more and more people are deciding to start a home based business is because home office equipment show a decrease in cost. With just a few hundred dollars, one can have a suitable home office set-up. In fact, most network marketers have three things to run their business: 1.) A computer, 2.) internet connection, and 3.) a phone. As you can see, compared to regular, brick-and-mortar businesses, a home based business, doesn’t cost too much to start. That alone is a big attracting factor in the network marketing industry.A big factor that brings people to start a home based business is because of the lack of job security today. A few years back, people got used to the fact that they have work for life, or at least until they decide to quit. However, because of the economic conditions, job security is only mere hope. Corporate employers can’t guarantee job security anymore. Since job security can’t be guaranteed, people find themselves stepping up to the plate and start a business to keep that income coming in.The main advantage of network marketing is not just the potential income that can be generated, it’s what network marketing can actually do to improve a network marketer’s self. It’s a great way to build leadership skills and ultimately become their own boss. With network marketing, employees do not have to rely on their employers paycheck. Also, the support structures of great network marketing companies offer the best help an individual needs when joining this type of business.Certainly, we will see more home based businesses start and bloom in the future. If one were to look at the economic condition, it would be easy to assume that companies that offer jobs for life are a thing of the past. It is also evident that starting a home based business might be the next best step for anyone suffering because of the economic times.

I have had lots of people over the years ask me, in my opinion, what is the most important thing about investing in real estate? Everybody always assumes its price, location or timing the market correctly. After over 1300 real estate transactions primarily to investors worldwide, I can say without a doubt that property management is the single most important piece of the investing puzzle. In real estate, you can make a mistake on price, pick an iffy neighborhood, or hire a bad contractor and still be profitable. Hire the wrong property manager and you can lose your shirt overnight! Don’t get me wrong, location, price and rehab are huge factors in real estate investing and are very important. With the right property management company in place though you can make a mistake or experience a down turn in a market or neighborhood and still realize a good return on your investment through positive cash flow. A good property manager protects your investment in the long-term.

Obviously, the next question is “how do I find a good property manager”? Here are several tips on picking a good management company. This does not necessarily mean you; someone else will be managing your property.

Get a referral. Typically, when you invest, there are people in your peer group or circle of influence that are investing in the same market you are or know of someone who is also investing in that market. Ask them who they are using, who they used to use, and why they switched. Find out what they like about their management company but more importantly find out what they don’t like about them. The management company may do a great job of placing tenants but are lacking in the communication department; without communication, you’re sunk! Access to your management company is very important for the investor’s peace of mind. There is nothing worse than leaving a message or sending a couple of emails and all you hear are crickets in the background. At first, you assume they are busy and will get to you soon. After a while, though, investors start wondering why no one is responding and that’s when panic sets in. Did the tenant leave? Did the management company run off with my money? DID MY HOUSE BURN DOWN? Generally, none of the above is true but a good property manager will respond within 24 hours of your inquiry.

Ask the management company that you are considering doing business with for references. Ideally, I believe you want 5 to 10 references from previous clients as well as current clients that have been using the management company longer than 1 year. If they are not willing to provide you with any past clients, pass on them. When you get the references, CALL THEM. Ask them the same questions about what they like and don’t like.

Get a list of policies and procedures from the management company. You need to know how they handle marketing of the properties for tenants, late payments, evictions, maintenance calls, inspections, accounting, owner disbursements, etc. A good management company will have this information readily available.

Find out if the management company is licensed in the state you are investing in. Most states require that the property manager is a licensed real estate broker and are held accountable to their state real estate board. There are many “property managers” out there that are not, but have taken this opportunity to increase their income while investing is hot. Though they may be cheaper, DO NOT USE AN UNLICENSED MANAGEMENT COMPANY! You will have no recourse to police them.

Find out what software program the management company uses. There are a few good property management software programs that are web-based such as Buildium and PropertyWare that give the property owner a portal login so you can access your account via the web 24 hours a day. A good property management company will log all tenant calls, maintenance concerns, payments, late notices etc., into the software program. This is beneficial to both parties as a majority of an investor’s questions or concerns can be addressed by logging into the software program and looking at the info at hand there. This eliminates a lot of phone calls between the property manager and the owner. It also helps the owner to narrow down questions or concerns by addressing specific information found in their portal.

The reason for investing is to get paid. You need to know when the money comes in, where it’s at, what your expenses are, and when you get your payments. Most management companies reconcile accounts 1 month in arrears. Rents collected in 1 month are disbursed the following month for the simple fact that not all expenses come in time to get an accurate accounting to disburse rent proceeds in the same month. Each management company is different but should be able to tell you to the day when to expect payments on a monthly basis. You also need to know when to expect the quarterly or annual accounting needed for your tax man. Again, a good software program makes this much easier for the management company to keep track of and share with you.

To me, the fees that a management company charges are important but not as important as the previous items in this list. I have seen it over and over again where somebody picks one management company over another based solely upon fees. 3-6 months later after dealing with terrible tenants, bad accounting practices and more, the few hundred bucks they saved cost them literally thousands of dollars. Here is a brief run down on the fees you can expect to pay.

Monthly Management fee: usually 7-10% of collected rents depending on the market you are investing in. Higher rental amounts usually equate to lower monthly fee percentages and lower rents are higher percentages. A few companies will have a set monthly fee of somewhere between $50-$100 dollars per month.

Leasing Fee: usually 50-100% of the 1st month’s rent; again depending on average rent amounts. Most property management companies employ commissioned leasing agents that are usually paid a percentage of this fee up to 50%.

Set up Fee: this is charged for the time it takes to set up the new accounts, generate bank accounts etc., usually around $100 dollars.

Vacancy Fee: some management companies will charge a flat fee per month on a vacant unit. Their reasoning is that a vacant unit still requires someone to keep tabs on that property usually on a 1-2 week cycle to verify that the property is secure, yard is in good order, rental signs are in place and visible etc. I have found that only about 50% of property management companies charge for this service. Unfortunately, I have also found that half of the ones who don’t charge for this are not checking the properties periodically and sometimes a small issue turns into a bigger more expensive issue down the road.

Advertising Fees: most good property managers do not charge extra for the marketing of the vacant units to potential renters as they are paid when the properties become occupied and the advertising expense is covered by the leasing fee. Some property managers will give you the option of extra paid advertising if you have a property that is tougher to rent than usual.

Maintenance Fees: most management companies use maintenance as a profit center; some more than others! Due to the volume that some management companies do they are able to procure vendors at a much lower rate than what you could get on your own thereby allowing them to make a profit on certain maintenance items. Yard mowings are a great example of this. A large management company may be mowing 100 yards a season and can negotiate a volume deal at $15-$20 per yard to them. They, in return, “sell” this service to you at the market rate of $25-$30 per mowing. It is still a good deal for you as you are hands off and would expect to pay the same price if you were only contracting to have 1-2 yards mowed. On the other hand, some management companies go to excess on other maintenance issues such as repairs after a tenant has moved out. Typically, the security deposit should cover most items necessary to make a property re-rentable unless a bad tenant was placed and they have trashed your property. Some management companies use this as a way to increase their profits by over charging for these repairs. I recommend having a 3rd party inspect and/or bid any repairs that seem excessive to you.

Investing in property is a very important decision in one’s life. You are going to invest all your savings, in some cases a hefty loan, into buying a property that you will cherish for the rest of your life. You won’t want to spend that money buying something that’s not worthwhile. Getting cheated is often possible especially when you are involved with investments. Even if you are not really cheated with the property, you can always be cheated while signing an agreement or making that buying decision. You could be asked to agree to clauses that are not legal or, something like that. It is always good to hire a real estate law firm who would give you the perfect legal advice in such cases. After all when you are investing a lot of money buying a property, investing a small amount in an attorney is good idea to protect the legal issues. When hiring a law firm or its attorney, there are some aspects that you should not ignore. Here’s how you select the right real estate attorney for your property related investment.

Referrals or Relationships

A good real estate attorney could be realized with good relations. Probably when you dealt with a law firm in your last dealing, you made good relations with them. This would help you in your current dealing as well. But, if not then try to get some good references. Your neighbour, your relative or, your best friend could have hired a real estate law firm in the past when selling or buying a property. You can ask them about it and, get a real good deal. Hiring a real estate law firm from references or past deals makes sense as you get the right attorney. Remember, its about your property and the legalities of that property. So, you need to make the right choice in here.

From the Bar Association

If you have none of the above mentioned sources, you could probably contact the bar association in your state for help in the same. They can provide you with a list of attorneys who deal with real estate on a daily basis. In fact, you can even come up with listings of law firm dealing in real estate. Both of these together make up for a good research and comparison. You can ask people around you and, do some research before choosing the right attorney.

Consult your List

Once you have come up with a list of attorneys, you can probably consult a few of them personally. These personal meetings can help you understand if they have the right experience and talent to get you through your property dealing. You can even seek some legal advice during these consultations. If you feel the attorney suits you, you can close the deal with him and hire him straight away.