Archive

Archive for October, 2009

How To Buy A Franchise To Replace Your Job

October 31st, 2009

Buying a franchise offers a powerful alternative to full time employment and can give you a great feeling of achievement, too.  Many people who lose their jobs, especially in a recession, will consider buying into franchising.  This will probably be leap of faith you’ll make in your career - from employee to self employed.Whatever your situation, the big question is how to invest in a franchise?

Begin searching by visiting a franchise expo.  There’s a wide range of franchising options, from self-employed roles which is like investing in full time work for yourself on a steady income, right through to owning multiple franchise outlets and creating a real group of businesses that run successfully without you.

They say that past performance is the best indicator of future results, so check how other franchisees are getting on before you think about signing up for yourself.  You want to make sure that your franchise investment is made wisely and doesn’t depend upon you being a superstar amongst all other franchisees just to succeed.  That’s why you’ll want to speak with a representative sample of other franchisees to see what the average performance is like.

A useful yardstick when choosing a franchise is to pick something you’ll really enjoy.  Just because it’s your own business, it doesn’t mean that money alone will be a great motivator for you.  The best businesses create raving fans, clients that buy again and again from you, so ask yourself if you can easily create a raving fan for a business that doesn’t excite or interest you, except for the money, before you buy it.

Get in touch with lots of franchises to keep your options wide open and your negotiation position strong, especially at the start of your search for a business.  Don’t leap straight into the arms of the first one you meet, check them all out.  It’s the quality of relationships that will largely determine your success - the relationship you have with your franchisor is very important - so make sure it’s somebody you respect and can enjoy working with.

Here’s a checklist for you of things to consider when you’re buying a franchise.

1. Remember that the franchise cost is generally a lot higher than the amount you pay up front.  Try to find a franchise that ties the success of the franchisor to the success of the franchisee so that you will get quality support to succeed.

2. Running your own business can be an expensive game; ensure that any figures the franchisor shows you give realistic costs and customer sales values.  For example, one franchisee with a turnover of ,000 per month was barely breaking even because of a high fixed monthly franchise fee, ineffective but expensive marketing and staff salaries.  The same franchisor was happy to quote ,000 turnover as being typical, but was a lot less happy when the costs were revealed.

3. Educate yourself about franchises before you buy - you’ll be in a fairly tight contractual agreement once you’ve signed and it pays to know what you’re doing - the price of ignorance in business is huge.

4. Franchise agreements are almost always written with impenetrable legalese that you’ve got no chance of understanding unless you’re a lawyer - you might want to reflect on why they do that, too!  The franchise wants you to sign up to their conditions because it stacks the odds in their favour in any dispute and transfers as much risk in the business to you, rather than the franchisor.  Don’t sign up for more than you’re comfortable to agree with - this is a lot of money and a long term contract.  The final word is that you appreciate the facts behind your franchise agreement before you sign it.

5. Don’t skimp on your research.  Be prepared to spend some real time working out your own strengths and discovering which franchises will suit you.

One final thought for you.  Beware the small proportion of franchisors who are just out to squeeze you for all they can and don’t care about your success.  The Pareto Principle is a fair way to think about most things in life - there’ll be about 20% of the franchises that you should steer well clear of.  A reasonable rule of thumb is that any organisation that has very slick sales technique and that’s making you jump through a few hoops during conversations with them are using advanced sales techniques.  These may be a good sign of great training and systems, or they might be indicators that the franchisor is slightly too sharp and that’s a warning sign to walk away, unless you’re really comfortable with the thought of building a relationship with them.

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How To Stop Foreclosure - 3 Legitimate Solutions

October 31st, 2009

A great resource: Stop Foreclosure Houston

To Stop Foreclosure in nearly any city in the United States of America, there are basically only a few legitimate options. Some of these you’ll know, and some will be brand new to you.

Here are a few directions you can take:

  • Sell your house prior to the foreclosure auction. The value of this idea will vary heavily depending on the nature and quality of your local real estate market. If you’re in a market that still has very slow resale rates, selling your home could be a challenge. Ask a local real estate agent to determine the average number of days on the market for properties in your area.
  • Initiate a loan modification. A loan modification is a process through which your lender changes the payment terms of your loan to more closely match your ability to pay. While this is not a guarantee, loan modifications have become more popular in the last 12 months.
  • Refinance the property. If you are not yet fully into the foreclosure process but have reason to expect you will fall behind on your payments, it may be wise to try to refinance your mortgage to a lower rate. If your property is worth less than the balance of the mortgage, you’ll want to inquire regarding a “short refinance”, which is when a lender forgives a portion of the debt against you in order for you to refinance your property and pay off the remainder of the debt you owe.

When you’re trying to stop a foreclosure, the key is fast action.

Warning: Be very wary of people who aggressively attempt to purchase your home for investment purposes. While there are many legitimate real estate investors, there has been a significant amount of fraud with “Stop Foreclosure” scams, and it is wise to be very, very careful.

Please remember: The crisis you now face will soon be over. As a foreclosure survivor myself, I’d like to encourage you to remain hopeful, and to understand that your future does not equal your past!

Thanks for reading this information about how to stop foreclosure. I hope you’ve found value here.

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Real Estate Investing Tips & Techniques

October 30th, 2009

It is likely that you think of a number of things when you hear the words real estate investing. You likely leap to real estate investing as real estate portfolios and real estate retirement plans, and then you may expand to thinking of short sales, bulk reo investing or virtual real estate investing. Likely you also wonder how these things will factor into your life as a real estate investor in the current economy.

There is a lot of information out there on real estate investing. To get the most out of real estate investing education, be familiar with basic information ahead of time. No matter whether you are interested in short sales, bulk reo sales, virtual real estate or just enhancing your knowledge as a real estate investor, knowing some real estate investing basics will help you succeed. You should review these three real estate investing basics to learn things even some experts do not know:

1. Real estate investing education always yields positive. Every real estate deal has the potential to create thousands of dollars in potential wealth. The knowledge of how to get that wealth is the key to your success. When you know about real estate your odds of success increase with each real estate deal. A small investment in education has the ability to yield big results when it is implemented.

2. You can succeed in real estate investing regardless of the state of the economy. Many people think (wrongly) that you can only succeed in real estate when the economy booms. You should remember that a bad economic situation is not usually bad for real estate investors. You will likely find properties that you can buy at deep discounts. Also, you might find deals that simply could not exist in a booming economy. Real estate investing may also turn the tide for a poor economy. When the economy is not thriving, short sales, bulk reo sales and virtual real estate can all thrive. You can save yourself from financial difficulty along with others by knowing how to do these deals.

3. You do not need a lot of money to be a successful real estate investor. You can succeed in the real estate investing arena no matter how much money you are working with. There are many deals that will let you use other people’s money to do them. If you appear to be a solid investment you may be able to use a private lender’s money. The best way to look like a solid investment is to have an in-depth knowledge of real estate investing. This will help you show private lenders that you are a good investment if they do not know about real estate investing themselves.

Real estate investing is a great way to create a good amount of wealth. You can create an income in any economy. You can create success for yourself using knowledge of real estate investing, short sales, bulk reo sales and virtual real estate. Real estate investing basic knowledge will help you succeed as a real estate investor.

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Real Estate Investing Tips For Today’s Market

October 29th, 2009

Real estate investing probably makes you think of a number of things. You might immediately leap to real estate investing being real estate portfolios and real estate retirement plans or you may think instead of short sales, bulk reo investing and virtual real estate investing. You may also consider what roles these things play in your life as a real estate investor in different economies.

You will need to know a lot about real estate investing. To get the most out of real estate investing education, be familiar with basic information ahead of time. No matter whether you are interested in short sales, bulk reo sales, virtual real estate or just enhancing your knowledge as a real estate investor, knowing some real estate investing basics will help you succeed. Here are three main real estate investing concepts that many experts do not even know:

1. Real estate investing education is a true investment that always has a positive yield. In any real estate deal, there will be thousands of dollars in potential wealth. Understanding how to get that wealth will be the key to your success. Learning as much as possible about real estate will increase your odds of success whenever you do a real estate deal. Implementation of your small educational investments yields big results.

2. Real estate investing success is possible in any economy. Often people think that you can only be a success in real estate when the economy is good. In fact a bad economy is not a bad economy for real estate investors. You can often buy properties at deep discounts. You might also find deals that simply would not exist in a booming economy. Real estate investing often is what turns the tide for poor economies. When the economy is not so good, short sales, bulk reo sales and virtual real estate are great. You will have the option of saving yourself and possibly others from serious financial difficulties if you know about these types of deals.

3. You do not need a lot of money to be a successful real estate investor. You can make real estate investing a success regardless of how much money you have. Many types of deals enable you to use other people’s money to do them. If you are a good investment private lenders may let you use their money. The best way to look like a solid investment is to have an in-depth knowledge of real estate investing. Then you will represent a good investment to other people who have money for real estate investing but do not know how to use it.

Real estate investing is a great way to create a good amount of wealth. You can create a good income no matter what the state of the economy. By using a base of knowledge of real estate investing, short sales, bulk reo sales and virtual real estate you can create success for yourself. You will be helped to succeed as a real estate investor by knowing real estate investing basics.

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Real Estate Investing 101

October 29th, 2009

Real estate investing probably makes you think of a number of things. You might immediately leap to real estate investing being real estate portfolios and real estate retirement plans or you may think instead of short sales, bulk reo investing and virtual real estate investing. You may also consider what roles these things play in your life as a real estate investor in different economies.

You can learn a lot about real estate investing. Getting the most out of real estate investing education involves being familiar with basic RE info. You will get the most out of anything to do with short sales, bulk reo sales, virtual real estate and just improving real estate investor abilities by knowing some real estate investing basics. Here are three real estate investing basics that even some experts do not really know:

1. You will always get a positive yield with real estate investing education. In any real estate deal, there will be thousands of dollars in potential wealth. Knowing about getting that wealth is the key in the end to your success. When you know about real estate your odds of success increase with each real estate deal. A small investment in education has the ability to yield big results when it is implemented.

2. You have the ability to succeed in real estate investing in any economy. Many people think that you can only succeed in real estate when the economy is booming. In reality, a bad economic situation is not bad for real estate investors. You will likely find properties that you can buy at deep discounts. Also, you might find deals that simply could not exist in a booming economy. Real estate investing often is what turns the tide for poor economies. Short sales, bulk reo sales and virtual real estate all thrive when the economy is less than thriving. You will be able to save yourself and others from serious financial difficulties if you know how to do these deals.

3. A lot of money is not vital to your success as a real estate investor. You can make real estate investing a success regardless of how much money you have. There are lots of deals that you can use other people’s money to do. If you appear to be a solid investment you may be able to use a private lender’s money. A person who is a solid investment knows as much as possible about real estate investing. This will help you show private lenders that you are a good investment if they do not know about real estate investing themselves.

A good deal of wealth can be generated with real estate investing. You will be able to create an income no matter what the economy. Using knowledge of real estate investing, short sales, bulk reo sales and virtual real estate you will be able to create success for yourself. Knowing the basics of real estate investing will help you succeed as a real estate investor.

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How To Stop Foreclosure - 3 Legitimate Solutions

October 29th, 2009

A great resource: Stop Foreclosure Houston

To Stop Foreclosure in nearly any city in the United States of America, there are basically only a few legitimate options. Some of these you’ll know, and some will be brand new to you.

Here are a few directions you can take:

  • Sell your house prior to the foreclosure auction. The value of this idea will vary heavily depending on the nature and quality of your local real estate market. If you’re in a market that still has very slow resale rates, selling your home could be a challenge. Ask a local real estate agent to determine the average number of days on the market for properties in your area.
  • Initiate a loan modification. A loan modification is a process through which your lender changes the payment terms of your loan to more closely match your ability to pay. While this is not a guarantee, loan modifications have become more popular in the last 12 months.
  • Refinance the property. If you are not yet fully into the foreclosure process but have reason to expect you will fall behind on your payments, it may be wise to try to refinance your mortgage to a lower rate. If your property is worth less than the balance of the mortgage, you’ll want to inquire regarding a “short refinance”, which is when a lender forgives a portion of the debt against you in order for you to refinance your property and pay off the remainder of the debt you owe.

When you’re trying to stop a foreclosure, the key is fast action.

Warning: Be very wary of people who aggressively attempt to purchase your home for investment purposes. While there are many legitimate real estate investors, there has been a significant amount of fraud with “Stop Foreclosure” scams, and it is wise to be very, very careful.

Please remember: The crisis you now face will soon be over. As a foreclosure survivor myself, I’d like to encourage you to remain hopeful, and to understand that your future does not equal your past!

Thanks for reading this information about how to stop foreclosure. I hope you’ve found value here.

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Email Marketing’s Role In Internet Marketing

October 28th, 2009

When you hear the term “internet marketing“, what do you think of?

For many, that term conjures thoughts of websites or spamming or search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing. For others, it’s all about graphical design, writing fancy code or even affiliate programs. All of those answers correct, but the essence of internet marketing is much simpler.

At its core, internet marketing is about these things:

* Understanding the target market to which the product/service/cause you’re marketing will appeal
* Determining exactly how your target market interacts with the internet
* Positioning your content on the internet to attract the attention of your target market
* Collecting information about your target market (also known as “leads”) for follow-up and conversion into sales
* Design of offers or incentives to induce the desired actions from your leads

Since there is insufficient space in this article to give all of these topics adequate attention, let’s focus on just one specific topic with the realm of internet marketing: Email Marketing.

My best payoff has always come by focusing on permission-based email marketing. Permission-based email marketing refers to the practice of collecting information (including email addresses) from website visitors and communicating with them via e-mail with their direct consent. The “permission” aspect of permission-based email marketing is what separates legitimate email marketers from the spammers that everyone despises.

My love of email marketing is strong for one reason: It works very well. Email marketing has been much like a never-ending goldmine: It enables us to produce income on demand simply by sending a good offer to our list. When you have thousands of loyal subscribers - as we do - and you put a strong and compatible offer in front of them, income becomes nearly automatic.

However, the key to successful email marketing is the development of a legitimate trust relationship with your subscribers. If you opt to send your subscribers a request for purchases every single day, they will likely tire of your badgering and cease reading your emails altogether.

Alternatively, if you take the time to provide good content to your readers on a regular and frequent basis, you’ll discover that your readers take all of your emails far more seriously, and as a result your emails will be opened, read and acted upon with greater frequency. Essentially, email marketing is really an exercise in trust.

While there are many more aspects to internet marketing than just permission-based email marketing, email has definitely been the cornerstone on which our business is built.

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Bulk REO Investor’s Guide To Getting Started

October 28th, 2009

There are more foreclosures in the United States right now than we have ever experienced before. Yet as always, this challenge has given rise to a huge new opportunity for alert real estate investors.

That opportunity is called Bulk REO Investing, and the opportunity is huge.

Consider with me, if you will, the fundamentals of the Bulk REO business.

Understanding of the foreclosure process is central to understanding Bulk REO investing.

As a home owner misses a payment or two, the lender sends the predictable barage of threatening letters and warnings. Following a period of time determined by the lender, formal foreclosure proceedings begin. The name for this period is ‘preforeclosure’.

Foreclosure is completed when the defaulted property is auctioned. If there are no buyers at the foreclosure auction, the lender regains title to the property. This property is then considered to be ‘Real Estate Owned’ by the lender, also known as an ‘REO’ property.

Lenders usually try to unload their REO properties at close to retail price by listing their REO’s with a real estate broker. However, REO properties are now frequently sold for far less than their ‘book value’. But the price of receiving such great pricing is the need to purchase multiple REO properties (a ‘package’) rather than individual properties.

The REO investment packages available today have provided a way to profitably capitalize on the U.S. recession. REO packages are easiest to buy and sell with a well regarded source of financing in place. There are many sources of funding for these transasactions including: hard money and commercial financing, as well as non conventional sources such as hedge funds and private investors. Additionally, one man is becoming very well known in the field of bulk REO investing, and his name is Salvatore Bushemi of Dandrew Capital Partners, a New-York based hedge fund.

 

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Real Estate Investing in 2009 And Beyond

October 27th, 2009

A number of things likely come to mind when you think of real estate investing. Depending on how familiar you are with real estate investing already, you might think of real estate portfolios and real estate retirement plans, or you might focus on short sales, bulk reo investing and virtual real estate investing. You may also wonder what type of role these things can play in your life as a real estate investor in different types of economy.

There is a lot to learn about real estate investing. The best way to get the most out of your real estate investing education is to be familiar with some basic information ahead of time. Short sales, bulk reo sales, virtual real estate and general real estate investor abilities all are improved by knowing some basics of real estate investing. Here are three real estate investing basics that even some experts do not really know:

1. You will always end up with a positive yield when you invest in real estate investing education. You can create thousands of dollars in potential wealth with each real estate deal. Getting the wealth is the key to your success. Learning about real estate increases your chances of success when you do a real estate deal. A small investment in your education can yield big results when you implement your learning.

2. You have the ability to succeed in real estate investing in any economy. Many people think that you can only succeed in real estate when the economy is booming. In reality, poor economies are great for real estate investors. You can often buy properties at deep discounts. In addition, you can find deals that simply would not exist in a booming economy. Real estate investing often is what turns the tide for poor economies. When an economy is less than thriving, short sales, bulk reo sales and virtual real estate can prosper. You will have the option of saving yourself and possibly others from serious financial difficulties if you know about these types of deals.

3. You will not need lots of money to be a successful real estate investor. You can succeed in the real estate investing arena no matter how much money you are working with. There are a lot of deals that you can do with other people’s money. If you appear to be a solid investment you may be able to use a private lender’s money. An investor who is a good investment knows as much as they can when it comes to real estate investing. This will help you show people that you are a good investment if they have the money to help you with real estate investing but they do not know how to use it.

Real estate investing is a great way to generate wealth. You can create an income in any economy. You can create success for yourself using knowledge of real estate investing, short sales, bulk reo sales and virtual real estate. You will be helped to succeed as a real estate investor by knowing real estate investing basics.

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How Good Ideas Turn to Fantastic Franchises

October 27th, 2009

There is a saying that goes, “The men who made fortunes in business always precede, never follow, the crowd.”  This is true in the franchising industry.  At the very core of each franchise, particularly the widely successful ones, is a good idea, distinguishing it from the competition.  Indeed, franchising is an attractive and profitable business venture, most especially for small business owners and entrepreneurs.A plausible reason is the ups and downs of the franchise business, depending on the situation.A popular franchise is only as good as the great idea behind it.An examplar of a great idea producing great results is online fast cash loans.  Then, these loans could be gotten from traditional sources such as banks and loan offices.  Today, everything is fast and convenient because—from the application process to the release of the money—it is done online in an hour or in a day, depending on the service provider. 

About franchising, for more rewarding franchise businesses, good ideas must be coupled with good business characteristics.The initial move to do for would-be entrepreneurs who plan to franchise is to do research about the industry.  They should determine if the market needs or wants the idea they came up with.  To be on the safe side, good business ideas revolve around a staple product, like food stuffs, or services frequently acquired by the general public.It is rewarding to sell a popular product or needed service.  This, in turn, helps sustain the franchise business.  When this happens, more potential franchisees would be interested to get the franchise offered.

Another thing would-be franchisors and entrepreneurs should ensure is, whatever product or service they conceptualized, it must be affordable to their target market and packaged well.  Good prices and great packaging would make any business stand out and help attract loyal customers.  For instance, there are many laptops on the market today, even cheap ones, but some people would take out cash loans just to purchase the brand they want.  These people are convinced that their particular brand of laptop has the better specifications or the best technical support.  A good sign that a business idea could become a great franchise is if it belongs to an industry that has good prospects for growth.The things include health and medical care, food, communications, environment-friendly products, and entertainment.  Ideas related these industries are certain to become profitable franchise businesses.

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