One of the things that Zero to Valued will help any new investor do is find cheap houses to buy,remodel, then flip for a ridiculous profit. All without taking out equity loans, or going into tons of debt.
Let’s focus on finding some killer project houses for cheap. When I mean cheap I mean affordable. Less than a price I’d pay for a website. Head on over to Realtor.com and do a search for homes in your area under 20,000.
Technology is permeating our daily lives like nothing else, and it is but common sense to take advantage of what is available and use it for our specific purposes. When it comes to buying a new home, technology has got a wide array of offerings for those who are willing to make use of them. Here are some of the best new useful tools in this regard.
The iPhone!
Yes, the iPhone is more than just a phone. It is a gaming machine as well, among many other things. More than that, you can actually use it to get information on a house or property that you pass on your way to wherever. Say you see a sign on the lawn of a piece of property that you just have to take a look at. Of course you have some info on the sign, but that is not enough. If you have an iPhone, you do not have to wait till you get home or to the office. Just go to Zillow.com, which has released a special version for the iPhone. There you can get all the information you need on over 88 million homes! How’s that for accessibility?
Trulia
This is another web site that can prove to be very profitable for those who are looking for houses on the cheap. Trulia.com recently launched a feature allowing home buyers to filter out listings at a reduced price. You just need to know which town (or the ZIP) you want, enter it, and you’ll get countless results. It’s an easy way to narrow down your search!
These are only two of the most useful tools out there. In the next post, let’s take a look at a couple more.
I am so far from retirement age that I do not even really want to think about it. Having so many years before I reach that age does have its advantages – I can look forward to setting aside some money to prepare for the time when I stop being part of the workforce. For those who are close to retirement age, however, things are a bit more concrete. It is time to actually choose where to retire. If you are at this point in your life, where would you want to retire? Forbes.com has a feature on the best American cities to retire in – at a budget. Sounds good to you?
Here is more information to satisfy your curiosity:
Columbus, Ohio. This river city tops Forbes’ list of cities where your nest egg goes farthest, thanks to reasonably priced housing relative to income and a 4.5% inflation rate that allows a buck to stretch a little farther than other quickly growing areas. With tens of thousands of Ohio State Buckeyes, folks will enjoy the verve and energy that comes with a bustling college town.
Texas also welcomes retirees. Dallas and Houston ranked second and fourth, respectively. A warm climate and growing economies make both of these spots great places to live up your golden years. Each city can brag about latter-year employment possibilities for the enterprising type; that’s because 20% of those 65 and over collect a weekly paycheck.
I don’t know about Columbus, Ohio but Dallas and Houston appeal to me. Too bad I am not anywhere near retirement age. For the complete list and more detailed information, visit the full slide show.
It used to be that everyone had to have a traditional house in a community with a yard and perhaps a fence. It was the norm. Though many Americans still tend to think this way today, there are more and more people who are looking into alternative housing. The credit crunch and the real estate problems that have been bugging Americans in the past year is largely to blame for this. Yet if you think about it, these alternative housing solutions could be much better than what we are used to.
One perfectly suitable housing solution is to go RVing. Take the example of Howard and Linda Payne. MSN writes about them:
In May 2005, Howard and Linda Payne turned 39, sold their four-bedroom colonial, quit their jobs and moved into a fifth wheel. If you’re not familiar with this style of RV housing, it’s like a trailer with a big hitch that rides in a full-size truck bed. Linda Payne preferred it over other recreational vehicles because she says its design is more homelike and spacious. The nicest ones come with a bedroom big enough for a king-size bed, a living room, a generous-size bath, a kitchen with a dishwasher, and a washer and dryer.
The Paynes used the money they got from selling their house to buy a brand-new rig with these amenities. A lot of people might not want to take that route, Howard Payne says. “It’s a choker for some people to sell a home and buy a depreciating asset.”
Fifth wheels don’t have motors to go bad and, therefore, don’t depreciate as quickly as other RVs. Howard Payne says that factored into his thinking when they selected their RV.
Imagine the financial convenience – no mortgages, no rent, etc. How much do the Paynes need to live in a year? Around $36,000. Not bad, eh?
Photo courtesy of escalade328s
Which cities are the best when it comes to buying homes? I am sure that every American would have his own answer to this question. Yet do we have information as to which cities really are ideal for housing? More so, in this day of mortgage problems and increasing prices, is there still such a thing?
The people over at Forbes.com think so. In fact, they have come up with the list of 10 cities which are the best places to buy a home right now. And they are:
10. Atlanta, Georgia
Reason: Available jobs and a reasonable cost of living. As such, it is safe to take out a mortgage in the long run.
9. Jacksonville, Florida
Reason: Increasing population, abundant sunshine, fresh air, and clean water.
8. San Francisco, California
Reason: Despite the fact that it could be quite pricey to live here, the culture and way of life could be quite attractive to some people. This place is perfect for urban young professionals.
7. Charlotte, North Carolina
Reason: This is the second largest banking city in the country. It also offers a lot of cultural attractions and has a relatively high vacancy rate. This means houses are waiting to be snatched up.
6. Dallas, Texas
Reason: Urban setting or the suburbs – you can take your pick. The median price for houses is relatively low at $150,000, which means that more people can afford to buy houses. More so, their vacancy rate at present is 2.5%, giving people more choices.
(to be continued)
There are lots of unique opportunities in America. One of them just so happens to be in Kansas. Atwood, Kansas home of the Free Land offer and not much else.
The town of Atwood, which is nestled in the heart of the picturesque Beaver Valley, is surrounded by the natural beauty of golden wheat fields and lush green ranches. A standing tribute to the early pioneers, Atwood’s presence on the prairie still boasts the friendly atmosphere and hard work ethic from which the city was born. Settled in 1875, it quickly became home to immigrant families that still live, work and prosper in the heart of Rawlins County.
Nationally known as some of the best hunting grounds in the country, Atwood hosts Pheasant hunters from across the nation each Autumn. Deer, Quail, Dove and the Wild Turkey delight the hunter who finds a warm welcome and comfortable accommodations in one of Atwood’s fine motels, Bed and Breakfasts or one of the several hunting lodges that dot the county’s magnificent landscape.
Atwood is so desperate for new development that they are offering free land to bring new young and old families to Kansas. There are some hoops to jump thru but overall if you want to find a quiet place to relocate this seems like a pretty straight forward good deal. Go digg into it more.
