In past few months some of our members reported that someone from South Africa has posted their property, contact information, description and/or photos on craigslist under rentals and asking for money via western union etc…

It sounds crazy but true - after googling I found its not just MilitaryForSaleForRent.com but many other real estate websites are victim of these spammers.

Homeowners list their homes for sale with real estate agents, who will list the homes for sale in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and also with public search websites, which allow individuals to query homes for sale via the Internet. Nigerian scammers find homes listed for sale on these public search sites, copy the pictures and listings verbatim, and then post the information onto Craigslist under available housing rentals, without the consent or knowledge of Craigslist, who has been notified.

to read complete press release, visit below:
http://columbia.fbi.gov/pressrel/2009/co072209.htm

Another blog post about scam:
http://www.therealestatebloggers.com/2009/08/06/craigslist-rental-scam-being-run-from-nigeria/

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What we are doing?

MilitaryForSaleForRent.com is always serious about member queries and grievances, so I am here. I just want to let you that I am trying my best to secure our website from these spammers.

Earlier it was very easy for anyone to copy owner’s contact information, property description and photos but now its not possible for everyone.

I must say, nothing is 100% safe on internet. Any text or image can be copied from ANY website and no one can stop it. Its just about, how efficient a person is who is copying.

Another important change I have done is blocked Nigerian IP ranges, so that no one can access our website from Nigeria and some other countries, well known in spamming.

Your cooperation and support!

This is most important for us.

Together we can solve any problem but if we are unaware, we can’t do anything good. Its my request to kindly support and let us know immediately if you encounter any such issues in future.

Thank you very much for you time!

Webmaster,
MilitaryForSaleForRent.com

Everyone seems to start thinking about home improvement as the weather gets nicer. What better time of year to begin this type of a project? The sun is shining, and people feel motivated to get moving in a positive direction.

Home improvement can mean anything from painting and wallpapering to increasing curb appeal. Any way that your home environment can be improved in order to be more comfortable, more attractive or more valuable is a great idea.

The first thing you want to consider in home improvement is your budget. Many people have started a home improvement project only to get half way through and discover that they did not have enough money to finish. This leaves a very unappealing choice. You can either borrow money from a lending facility or bank, or leave the job uncompleted. If borrowing from the bank was not in the plan, this could create a serious hardship. Leaving a job half done is just unacceptable. Be sure to have a business plan including a budget before you begin.

Decide in advance exactly which improvements are necessary and will be made. Try to remember that the “little things” can quickly add up to big expenses. Stick with reasonably priced high quality items. Remember that you can always make further changes down the road when you have more money.

Although some new construction may need to be done in order to achieve the desired home improvement, there are also small changes that you may make that will may a huge difference. Cabinet re-facing is a perfect example of this. Instead of buying a whole new set of cabinets for your kitchen, you simply replace the existing doors and hardware. This of course will result in a huge savings, and will look great.

There is nothing like a fresh coat of paint to give any room a fresh new look. For a couple of hundred dollars, you could paint your entire house. This will leave plenty of money to make other updates.

Having the carpets cleaned or floors refinished will also create a clean new look without breaking the bank. Unless it is absolutely necessary to replace your existing floors, you may want to put this off until a later time if you are on a strict budget.

There are earth friendly home improvements that can be made, but they will not be a bargain…yet. Geothermal heating systems and wind turbines can be tremendously expensive to purchase and install, as can solar panels. However, over the years the amount of money that you will save on your heating, electric and water bills is staggering. Certainly the amount that you pay to begin with for these home improvements, will be returned to you and more. You will be saving money and helping to save the earth.

So you arleady know you want to permanently settle in Panama. You will evaluate many factors. The initial and most important thing aspect to take into considerarion when deciding to relocate to Panama is to define your legal status. In other words, how will you be able to stay in the country for the long term without breaking the countrys immigration laws?

The simplest and probably most used method of achieving this is by applying for what is called the “pensionado” visa program. All foreigners who receive a steady retirement pension or income from a government, development organization or private company and wish to reside in Panama, may choose to apply for the program. The principal requirements are as follows: 1. Minimum monthly retirement income of at least $12,000 per year for the rest of the applicants life; or 2. Minimum monthly retirement income of $750 a month if the applicant acquires a property in Panama valued at over $100,000.

There are several firms in the country that can help you find the perfect Panama Real Estate proposition for your needs. The the steps include submission of the following documentation: - Certification of retirement and verification of pension amount. If this amount is perceived from a foreign company then further documentation is required. This includes a certification to be provided by the private company which verifies the availability of funds for the remainder of the applicants life, a copy of the pension check, receipt or statement, and contact of the pension funds administrator of the company. - Should you have dependents, proof of income of up to $250 per dependant; Documentation or certification of the property purchased by the applicant from the Public Registry. Should a spouse also wish to move with you, then the income needs to be verified by both parties and as such the documentation must be provided for both applicants.

Having a pensioners visa in Panama also has several tax benefits, for example, you may import a car every two years free of tax, the right to import household goods for your residence free of tax up to $10,000 and discounts at major food chains and services granted to senior citizens in Panama as per Law 6 of 1987.

This visa scheme is good for retirees who wish to reside in Panama as it provides several benefits to the applicants. The entire process is quite simple and can take between two to three months to process. It is one of the most economical ways to move to Panama. Typically, and depending on the complexity of the case, the legal costs will be about $2,500 for this service.

Moving to Panama has an immediate return on investment.

By Christopher Ulrich, Editor, HomeBuyersGuide.com

Buying a house is the single largest buy most Americans will ever make. Unfortunately, many spend less time deciding on what house they should buy than they do on purchasing the latest cell phone. That isn’t to say they’re not capable - they simply lack a method of evaluating house.

Before You Search for a House, Decide What You Really Want

This sounds simple enough, but many people do not spend the time to decide what kind of real estate purchase they want to make. They start visiting open houe events, fall in love with a property and make an offer. Months or ages later they decided they chose the wrong home for a range of reasons. “If only we knew then what we know now…” they think.

Plan for the Long Term

Most people will live in their house anywhere between 5 and 50 ages. Examine what your needs will be ten more than a decade from now. Ask yourself:

Are you planning on starting a family? With how many children? Be sure you have enough bed rooms and that the rooms are large enough for the kids to grow into.

Are you going to send your kids to public school or private school? Private can be very expensive. If you go that route of private school, you may wish to live in a better town with a lower quality school district; both the houses prices and taxes may be lower for a similar home.

Are your children walking in to be driving in the next several years? Do you have sufficient parking?

Could you see bringing your parents in to live with you?

Will you want a mother-daughter with separate kitchen and entrance or simply another bedroom in the main house? Will you prefer a ranch vs. a two-story home?

If you are choosing a location near your work, is there other work nearby if you are required to change jobs? Are you better off driving a little further but being nearer to another urban area?

Plan for the Features You Want

Decide now how a wide range of bedrooms and bathrooms you want. Do you want a finished basement? What about a swimming pool and deck? How about a home office? There are a wide range of features you can select in a home, and it is far easier to select it in a home you are looking to purchase, rather than adding it in the future. If there is an essential feature you want that is not in a particular home, make sure you can add it later (ex., do you have room to add a pool later on). For a complete checklist list of features to review, see http://www.HomeBuyersGuide.com/features.cfm

Home staging professionals face different challenges than interior decorators. Interior decorators focus on creating spaces for a specific client - the homeowner or business owner. Contractors and developers often hire interior designers during the creation of custom homes and corporate facilities. The final design is one that reflects the style of the homeowner or business owner, the antithesis of the goal for home staging.

The challenge for home stagers is to create a neutral, yet inviting, space that allows buyers to visualize with their personal belongings. Every room should appear tidy and organized to facilitate the buyer’s visualization process.

With an organized interior and exterior, a real estate agent can lead a prospective buyer through each room and recommend ways that the new owner can personalize the space with their furniture and artwork, for example. Home staging is particularly important for newly listed homes. A staged home provides a positive first impression. Experienced real estate agents know that staging increases the chances of receiving offers on a home.

Many realtors who are experiencing a level of difficulty with sellers who are unable to prepare their home for viewing will engage a professional home stager. The often certified home stager will “depersonalize” and remove the clutter from the home, and create as neutral an environment as possible for the realtor to show. With the current state of the economy and the flat-lined level of property sales, home staging businesses are in big demand. Realtors rely on these home staging companies to create a space that is more likely to result in an offer to purchase.

Developers will often hire home staging companies to stage model homes. Home stagers can advise the developer on color choices, floor, furniture and appliances. A staged model home will attract more buyers than a model home that is completely bare. In addition, contractors who renovate and flip older homes will use home staging to sell their property more quickly and increase their profits.

When the housing market is slow, you will find that successful real estate agents regularly use home staging services. Home staging can mean the difference between a home that sells quickly and one that sits on the market for months or years.

Property investing advice is a valuable commodity if one is serious about building a nest egg this way. While some new property owners will try to go it alone, the trial and error process can prove to be a costly one indeed. It would be far better to seek the counsel of professionals who’ve already proven their mettle in the business. In this article, you’ll find out how to successfully get into property investing.

The first thing you need to do to be lucrative in property investing is to uncover positively geared property. This signifies that the rent you get from tenants is more than what you need to dish out to pay the mortgage on the real estate. Great property investment advice must include how to stumble upon great properties at great prices for the highest profits! You should also get recommendations regarding property investment education, which encompasses finding property management that will not blow up your investment expenses. You can get this valuable information from coaches who have a good track record of uncovering positive geared property.

Positive cash flow property can be located on the outskirts of major Australian capital cities. Examples of outer suburbs include Liverpool, Penrith and Blacktown. You can also find positive cashflow properties in other areas nearby the Sydney CBD but locating them may take more time and effort. Leichhardt and Annandale are some of these areas. By narrowing your search to only a few suburbs you’ll get a better understanding of exactly what properties are worth in those suburbs. By focusing your efforts, you’ll be in a better position to spot bargains as soon as they hit the market.

To find that perfect place with the perfect price tag is not easy. Between property investment seminars that teach you to always shop around for bargains, and Property investing advice that says you should focus on certain communities only, pick the latter. This is why a coach and buyers agent are indispensible. These property investing gurus will steer you in the right direction so you can purchase profits with the best profit potential. They will look around for you so that you invest your hard-earned cash in real estate that are calculated to bring the highest returns.

It goes without saying that buying an investment property involves funding agreements. Making incorrect financing selections can adversely affect how much real estate you can acquire. Even if your 1st buy is positive cash flow property, it’s extremely vital to handled finances wisely. Mortgage brokers cannot provide assistance to more than one house or unit at a time. This may restrict your chances to procure more properties later as the opportunity arises. Perhaps you should contact mortgage planners to help you draft a great investment strategy?

They say that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Although home foreclosure can be considered a tragedy it can also be a blessing for others. Gas prices are not the only ones that continue to rise. Residential properties are also expensive. Their prices also vary from one place to another. Due to this other people take advantage of foreclosure auctions.

Foreclosed homes can be great for those who simply cannot afford a new house. In most cases these houses are sold for a fraction of their real price when sold in the real estate market. Other people can also take advantage of these houses to be able to make their own investments since they are sold by mortgage lenders at a low price.

Often times repossessed houses are those which require a lot of repairs. this could be for any number of reasons. Previous homeowners do hot have the means to maintain the house or just didn’t take care of them? Some of these houses have also been abandoned by their previous homeowners,this causes mortgage lenders have no choice but to get rid of them as soon as possible.

Do some research

Before you buy a repossessed home you need to make sure that you’re going to get a good deal. You may have to do a little bit of research first to be able to see how much you will have to spend in buying and repairing the property.

If you don’t have any cash on hand for the moment, you can get a loan. Have a consultation first with an agent to see if you are qualified. If you are qualified gather the information you need.

You will be able to find several lists of foreclosure homes or homes for auction on the internet. In some cases a list will also be published in local newspapers. Use the contact information listed in the ad to find out about seeing the property.(In some states this is NOT an option)

Review your budget. What are you willing to pay for the foreclosed house along with the repairs? If you’re planning to “flip” or sell the house,ask your agent to get you comps for the “after repair value”. If you’re planning to rent it, calculate the monthly rate and compare it to prices in the local paper for the same type of property.

Once you have finished all the research, make a bid on the property. After you have purchased the house have it inspected and appraised. Then look for a title company to research the history of the house. Once the house is yours and, any repairs you need to make are done, you have the option to live in it or rent it out.

An interstate move is often quite stressful. Having to trust a long distance moving company to take one’s belongings across state lines and deliver them on time and in one piece is not something anyone looks forward to face.

Sometimes, moving take us hundreds of miles from our home town to new states, or even countries. A nationwide move is far more complex than a local move because of its inherent logistics that need to be executed.

Cross country relocations are harder for families because of the sense of lack of support. You’ll often find that your phone bill increases and that you’ll have more problems adjusting if you’re moving away from family support.

If you’re moving back home, you’ll find that it would take a bit of getting used to it to hang around with family again. Moving back to one, or both families guarantees that your life will probably be filled with help or interference, depending on how you view your family’s input. Either way, it’s worth it, once you find clear and consistent boundaries.

The national move itself should be planned the same way as you would any other move but remember, the farther out you move, the more cash you’ll need. Come to think of it, a move over a few hundreds miles could cost you just about the same doing it yourself as compared to contracting a moving company. A national move might lose its appeal on your eyes. You could see the wisdom of allowing a professional moving company handle the move on your behalf.

Keep in mind that your state to state move will mean a different district for your children’s schooling. Making your long distance move could open up new doors professionally, but you would have to be willing to let go of old habits to allow new settings to take roots.

Here’s a few steps you should follow.

1. What Do You Need Movers To Do?

Now you can hire national moving companies that offer “complete packages” which are designed to allow people to relocate without lifting a finger themselves. Assuming you have the moving budget, you could hire these long distance movers to handle the whole job - even arranging furniture for you at your new place.

2. Pick Out Various Moving Companies To Hire.

Check with other people who have used their services and ask them about their personal experience. Were you satisfied with the interstate moving service so far?

Another resource is to Google various long distance movers and search for any customer feedback. You would be pleasantly surprised as to what you can discover based on the experience of other folks.

3. Solicit Moving Estimates.

Moving quotes offer a way to check a state to state moving companies prices and the real market value of your move. Once again, spend time on the phone or on the internet asking for coast to coast movers quotes, and make sure you get a minimum of three to five long distance moving estimates before you make your decision. Interstate moves can be done successfully if you choose to do some foot work to avoid any surprises and avoid being overcharged for your out of state move.

4. Have Each Cross Country Moving Company Give You An On-Site Estimate.

Be sure when reviewing a mover, that the review should be at no cost to you and that the long distance moving estimates are as faithful as possible. Take a close look at what is included in their moving insurance - what’s covered and to what degree your property is protected, should anything unexpected happen.

5. Itemize Every State To State Moving Expense.

Anticipate any chances of things not going smoothly that could cost you additional expenses. For example, it is standard practice that your stuff will be hauled away to a storage facility where you’ll be expected to pay for this storage and to pay again to move your stuff back to your home from the moving company’s warehouse - you don’t want that if you’d like to stay on budget.

Take your time to understand every thing on your moving contract even the smallest items. Your final paper should outline every expense even the so called “hidden” charges should be brought to light.

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You start accumulating equity the nearly the moment you purchase a home. When the amount of money you own on the home is not as much as the appraise value of the home, the difference in value is termed as equity. Once you have built up equity on your home, you may be able to borrow money against the value of your home.

Believe it or not, there are actually a couple different types of home equity loans that you can apply for.

Traditionally, a home owner that was interested in one of these loans would apply for a lump sum of money and would then have to repay the loan in regular monthly payments. Nowadays, the home equity line of credit is gaining wider acceptance, though one can still opt in for the traditional types of loans Basically you are provided with a credit line in the amount of the home equity loan when you opt in for a home equity line of credit. You can use this line of credit to borrow money and then repay back the loan through minimum monthly payments just like you do with a credit card. You pay just a bit more every month than the amount you would have normally paid as interest on the loan. Once the maturity period of the loan is reached, you are expected to pay off the entire loan.

All types of home equity loans have their positive and negative aspects. If you are looking for a loan with a great deal of flexibility, the line of credit method is the most favorable. If you want to establish a regular payment plan while resisting the temptation to continue borrowing, however, you might prefer the more traditional form of home equity loan.

The home equity loan amount is determined by the value of your home and it is important that you know this. For example, if you only owe $60,000 on your home and it is valued at $200,000, you have $140,000 in home equity. Your lender may allow you to borrow 80% of your home equity, which means you can borrow $48,000. If you borrow the full $48,000, you effectively owe a total of $88,000 on your home - $40,000 for the original loan and $48,000 for the home equity loan. Just as with a regular mortgage loan, your home is put up for collateral when you take out a home equity loan. If you do not repay your home equity loan, you run the risk of losing your home.

Since you are putting your home up for collateral when you take out a home equity loan, you need to use care when determining how the money you borrow will be spent. For example, using the money to help make improvements in the home is a good idea because you are essentially using the money to make an investment. Using the money to go on a dream vacation, on the other hand, may be a bad idea because the gains are not worth the risks.

Buyers of real estate that include residential properties are often doing so for the first time. If that’s the case, you will need to learn about the finer points of negotiating with the seller for a better price. If you ask for too much, you’ll lose the sale- and with too little you will be throwing your money out the door.

You will have to take a crash course in negotiation to learn the intricate techniques that business men and women use. For instance, the initial value you offer the property owner shouldn’t be too low. If the value you offer is indeed much lower than expectations, you can guarantee yourself that you will have small odds of even getting the seller into the negotation room, as this can be seen as offensive to the seller.

It’s hard to judge the value of a property or home, since there are so many variables that you have to consider. The current real estate market, local conditions, cost of the home, surrounding land, and neighborhood are all large factors to consider. If your research indicates that the value asked by the seller is about right, you might not want to peg down the offer too much to avoid losing it.

One way to bring down the seller’s expectations is to politely discuss anything that would make the property less appealing to the buyer. You could discuss a small property size, any type of infestation, dirty carpets, or other things that would count as something the buyer would not be pleased with. This way the seller is more obligated to appease the lower offer that the buyer has made for the real estate.

The offer you make can be counter-offered, and often is. When you receive a counter to your original offer, you will be safe in assuming that you are either the only one interested, or one of few interested. The seller at this point recognizes your offer, but wants perhaps a bit more to cover their costs in moving or buying a new home. At this point you could deny the counter offer if you are confident that you are the only one interested.

A real estate broker can help you find a good deal if you haven’t ever been skilled in persuasion tactics. Real estate brokers can do the negotiation for you, while you sit back and wait for the numbers to be presented to you. It’s a handy tool, but also costs more money for you.

Closing Comments

Homes are coming down in price dramatically as the baby boomer generation ages. You will be able to find a home that fits your style with a bit of research.