24h Market Info

Every segment of the economy has taken a beating over the course of the last year or so.  Consumers are afraid to spend money, borrow money, or even go to work.  The “irrational exuberance” of years past has been replaced by fear, trepidation, and a sense of foreboding.  You, too, may be considering whether real estate makes much sense, given the state of the economy and other factors.  2009 can be the year that you turn the economic corner and create the kind of future for yourself and your family that you dream about, but in order to do that you’ll have to overcome your fear and take the steps necessary to achieve your hopes and your dreams.  There are three simple things you can do today that can make it happen.... Read More

Looking back now as we approach the end of April, this was an active month for the real estate scene. Here are some of the highlights of the April housing scene – some good, some not so good:... Read More

“Timing the market” is considered by many to be a foolish exercise. Timing the market is indeed foolish if it is done the way many seem to think it is done. However, it is really a matter of having a good sell strategy or stop loss system coupled with a good buy strategy. Expert timers do not buy because they feel a stock is a “good” one to own, or sell because they feel it is “high.” They buy because there has been a buy signal, and they sell because there has been a sell signal.... Read More

ATM fraud issues in the most part involve credit card fraud and debit card fraud. The ATM machine may be the ‘common purchase point’ (CPP) where analysis shows that a significant number of credit cards or debit cards were used genuinely in one specific location prior to detection of subsequent fraudulent transactions. Even when not the CPP, automated teller machines may be the mechanism used to convert compromised credit cards and debit cards into hard cash, so long as the credit card fraud or debit card fraud included compromise of the personal identification number (PIN). ATM skimming is now common in most parts of the world that have a mature network of ATMs, self-service terminals and point of sale (POS) terminals that accept magnetic stripe based credit cards and debit cards. Most bank ATM security issues and ATM fraud issues involving ATM skimming are the result of criminals attaching an ATM skimmer to the ATM card reader slot. Europe has historically been one of the most targeted geographies for ATM skimming attacks, although the world-wide spread of such ATM skimming fraud has been, and continues to be significant. ATM deposit fraud which includes both cash deposit fraud and cheque fraud (check fraud) at automated teller machines is one type of ATM fraud that is particularly common in the US where many banks have a culture of crediting and allowing drawings against the deposit prior to manual reconciliation and verification. ATM hacking should really only be used to describe attacks against the internals of the ATMs software or the ATMs systems security but is commonly used to describe attacks against card processors and other components of the transaction processing network. The US have experienced a number of high profile ‘ATM hack’ attacks against well known credit card and debit card processors. Some of the systems security breaches have included compromise of the PIN in addition to the card data, with subsequent fraudulent spend using cloned credit cards and cloned debit cards at ATMs. Another ATM fraud issue is ATM card theft which includes credit card trapping and debit card trapping at ATMs. Originating in South America this type of ATM fraud has spread globally. Although somewhat replaced in terms of volume by ATM skimming incidents, a re-emergence of card trapping has been noticed in regions such as Europe where EMV Chip and PIN cards have increased in circulation. ATM funds transfer fraud is prevalent in Asia. This ATM scam involves criminals tricking victims into using the automated teller machine to transfer money into the criminals account. ATM security attacks involving physical attacks against the ATM security enclosure are widely spread. ATM explosive attacks although originating and not uncommon in Europe are more prevalent in Australia and South Africa. ATM ram raid incidents also occur globally but are most prevalent in the US, perhaps partly due to the large number of ATMs deployed in soft-target locations such as convenience stores. ATM security incidents involving a high degree of precision to gain access to the ATM security enclosure occur globally. The UK and Canada have experienced many such precision ATM security attacks in recent years.... Read More

Are you constantly on the lookout for the perfect investment property that will yield immediate dividends, will provide long-term benefits, and will consistently increase in value? As real estate investors, this is exactly the sort of value we strive for. However, economic times are tough, and life for many people is getting increasingly difficult. I want to discuss an investment that will pay huge dividends today – with the promise of much greater returns in the not-so-distant future.
Everyone realizes that they’re only going to live for a certain period of time. They buzz through life, amassing all the material things they can so they can ensure a comfortable retirement. What then?
Then comes retirement – and if they’ve played their cards right and invested wisely, they can while away their remaining years in relative comfort, jet-setting around the globe, enjoying new experiences, and generally enjoying their retirement years.
What then?
Have you given any thought to where you’ll spend eternity?
A lot of real estate investors would rather not delve into trying to answer this question because there’s always one more deal to close, another property they’d like to investigate, another quick sale they’d rather make.
The reality is: We’re all terminal. None of us is going to live forever, so instead of wondering about what’s going to happen when you die, educate yourself – and make a decision that will ensure eternal returns.
There is a simple investment you can make today that will have a profound impact on your future. I’m referring to your salvation. It’s the best investment you’ll ever make. Look at the benefits and then tell me if you agree.
• It’s a no money down deal – In real estate investing, the best deals are those that allow you to leverage your investment. By investing in your salvation today, you can ensure your eternal salvation without a hefty down payment, banks, hard money loans, or financing of any kind. As a matter of fact, your financial standing has absolutely no impact on your ability to ensure your eternal salvation. When you’ve inked your last real estate deal and it’s time to cash in your chips, the money you have will not matter. What will matter is whether you had the wisdom and the faith to reap the eternal rewards by taking just a couple of quick and easy steps.
• It’s a cash-free transaction – Regardless of the deal you can negotiate with even the most motivated seller, you’re either going to have to pay for a property investment with cash or you’re going to have monthly payments and interest charges to contend with for however long you’ve financed a property. Investing in your salvation doesn’t require monthly payments. Furthermore, there’s no note to sign.
• It’s a tax-free transaction – While politicians of all political stripes make promises they seldom fully live up to, there’s one thing you can count on: Eventually, you have to pay the piper. The best Uncle Sam can offer you is to defer taxes – but at some point either you or your descendents will have to pony up some money to the government. Your eternal salvation has no hidden taxes or punitive tax rates. The best part? You can reap the rewards of eternal life without fear of a change in the rules of the game – and there’s nothing the government can do to stop you or restrict the benefits.
• The benefits never end – Most tax write-offs are only available for a certain period of time or if you’re willing to jump through an endless set of government hoops. If you don’t toe the line, the government can yank your tax benefits – or even increase your taxes – anytime they like. Your eternal salvation is just what the phrase suggests: ETERNAL salvation.
Your eternal salvation is serious business – with eternal implications. We will all live forever. The question isn’t if you’ll live forever. That one has already been settled. The real question is WHERE will you live forever? You may think you can simply defer thinking about this for a rainy day. You may think that a place like Hell doesn’t exist. What if you’re wrong?
What then?
I’ve made an investment in my eternal salvation. I KNOW where I’m going when I die. Do you? If you don’t – or you haven’t given it much more than a passing thought – I strongly urge you to think about it a lot in the coming days and weeks. Eternity is a long time.
Invest wisely.
Your eternal salvation is yours for the taking today. You have to have faith in the investment and a strong belief with every fiber of your being that the investment is the right one. In this case, you’re not simply relying on the word of a motivated seller who will say anything to close a real estate transaction. Because in this case, the “seller” is Almighty God. He isn’t motivated by the hope of a quick buck in a hot real estate market. He’s motivated by love.
When you step into eternity, make sure you’re stepping into the right eternity. Invest today in your eternal salvation. Imagine for a moment how you’ll feel when you do – and you’re greeted warmly and shown to your Golden Palace for all of eternity. What then?
Bliss.
Eternal bliss.
Make your investment today.... Read More

A critical part of your success as a real estate investor is your ability to obtain the financing you need to fund your real estate activities, so it’s imperative that your credit score be as high as possible.  Regardless of what your score is right now, it can almost always be higher.  Here are three powerful ways to quickly boost your credit score and increase the likelihood that you’ll always be able to get your loan applications approved, without losing your sanity:... Read More

You became a real estate investor because you saw unbridled opportunity and the chance to see all of your dreams come true.  However, the current economic situation may have thrown you off-track.  If you’ve fallen behind with mortgage payments, it’s imperative that you know and understand the foreclosure process so you can seek an effective solution that will allow you to emerge from this crisis a smarter investor.  Then you can take the necessary steps to protect yourself - and your investments. Years from now you can tell your off-spring how you weathered the most severe financial storm in history.  First you need to learn the foreclosure process so you can find a solution for success.... Read More

You can create tremendous wealth in real estate regardless of the current market conditions.  While we’re in the midst of an investing climate that hovers somewhere between perilous and challenging (depending upon who you ask), there’s still a ton of money to be made.  To cash in on the profit potential that’s at your doorstep, you need to uncover the right solution.  It’s not as hard as you might think.... Read More

If you truly want to become a real estate investor there are some basic skills you need to have or be able to get... Read More

There is always a chance that the stock will reverse direction just after it has triggered the stop loss, no matter where a stop loss is placed. We wanted to know if the amount of decline allowed by the stop loss affected the probability of a reversal immediately after the stock is sold. To answer this question, we computed the percentage of incidents (over a period of about 20 years) in which a drop of various specified magnitudes from a recent high was followed quickly by a resumed up-trend, rendering the sale unnecessary.... Read More