Archive for December, 2009

Dec 24

Spirituality

Life Mastery Kenneth J. Van Liew No Comments »

What is Spirituality? Probably everyone’s idea about it is different. Most religions define it as a connection to God. Others may say it’s a connection to the universe or “Oneness”.

However you want to describe it, your spirituality can improve your quality of life.

Throughout history, people have drawn upon it when they needed it the most, such as; during a crisis, a death of a loved one and the downward economy. Spirituality can help you become strong, face the unknown and have the faith needed to march ahead or get through that tough situation.

The mind, body and spirit are said to be connected. The spirit is the essence of you. It’s the part of you that lives on and is where you receive your hunches, intuition and gut feelings. This is where your faith comes in as well.

The mind processes your thoughts. The chemical reactions produce feelings, emotions and thought vibrations. The mind could be thought as a bridge between the body and soul.

Your body is home to your mind and allows you to have a physical connection with your physical world.

With a deep spirituality you can stay positive and see the goodness around you. The courage it brings is what propels you forward and keeps you creative.

As you become comfortable with yourself and build a foundation and connection to God, you will become more aligned with your real ambitions. With a clear awareness that guides you, with clear choices, you will then attract what you desire.

Now you are creating your own world, as you reflect the goodness of humanity.

If you find that it’s hard for you to be spiritual, then you can discover ways to help you accomplish it.

Meditation is one way. It has been used throughout history. Meditation has been studied and is known to grow certain areas of the brain and improve memory. It can also let you find your true self.

Other ways can include your house of worship, books or just practicing being a good person that cares about others. Learn to forgive. Holding hatred inside will hurt yourself and the people who care about you. So even if you can’t forget, discover forgiveness.

Help others that need your assistance when you can. Try to look at their life, as if it was your own. How would you feel?

Take care of yourself and be kind to yourself and others. Let your friendly human nature emerge and live your life with joy and contentment.

As a child you expressed yourself freely. You enjoyed the simple things in life and connected easily with others in a friendly way. As you grew, you became more rigid. You loss trust and became more serious and businesslike.

We all still have that “child” in us and we need to bring out our “child likeness” more often, to really enjoy life and be connected to nature again.

What will be your personal path? Where do you choose to go? It really is up to you to decide.

Your spirit is life and your mind will help you construct your thoughts into the physical results. With a greater spirituality, you can brighten your lamp with your spirit’s energy and light up your brain and body.

With more spirituality comes a deeper more profound essence of life!

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Dec 22

Mastering Relationships

Life Mastery Kenneth J. Van Liew 1 Comment »

How essential are the relationships you make throughout life? Do you realize the real value of the connections you have already made and will make?

Relationships and connections are very important and invaluable to your health, wealth, happiness and success. Everyone wants to be accepted and loved by families and friends.

In business it is also crucial that you master the gift of relationships. If you want to be accepted and open up opportunities then knowing how to relate to others is of the utmost importance.

First of all, you must treat yourself with love, compassion and acceptance. Break out of the negative patterns that will hold you back and fuel your fear of rejection.

Once you start treating yourself with respect and feel confident, then you can share these attributes with others and form valuable relationships.

You may not realize it, but in the next few minutes you’re going to learn how to earn other’s respect and build relationships with trust and mutual benefits

So how do you make new acquaintances or improve the ones you already have? Usually you will start with “small talk” such as “Wonder if it will rain today”.

Look for opportunities and find ways to create bridges to other topics. Build on those.

Small talk will allow you to get a feel for someone and let you expand the conversation to other subjects that is of interest to both of you.

Good small talk involves building up conversation while becoming aware of the other’s passion. With a friendly tone, a desire to connect and sensitivity you can build a rapport.

With respect for others beliefs, talents and opinions you can start an intelligent and friendly relationship with others.

Think about making use of these relationship ideas and you’ll begin to feel real power when making new connections.

Eye contact is important. It shows your interest, respect and desire to listen. Keeping eye contact does not mean starring intensely at another person to make them feel uncomfortable. You want to briefly look away at intervals and then back. This will telegraph to the person that you are indeed interested but will let them feel relaxed as well.

Your body posture and gestures will send the real message to your companion, no matter what you are saying verbally.

If you are animated without being too aggressive, then they will feel that you are deeply involved in the conversation and sincere.

What about your facial expressions? Are you smiling, surprised or do you convey a sense of boredom and detachment?

Listen to their response without interrupting. When they are done with their points, summarize what they said. Do not repeat, but rephrase it in your own words so that they know that you really did listen and got their message. You are not just repeating what they said like a parrot.

Please don’t repeat everything they say! Just repeat the intriguing points or something that may need clarification.

Ask them questions about the subject they are discussing. If you have an authentic interest, then they will feel as though you are enjoying the conversation.

If you treat others with respect and interest in an honest way that reflects your best character, they will value your input and be truly glad to converse with you again.

Mastering relationships is the greatest way to make new friends, companions and business associates that can build your happiness, quality of life and success that you deserve.

Remember, you must respect and like yourself first, if you want to build genuine relationships with others.

Mastering relationships is the most valuable attribute you will ever discover!

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Dec 17

Renovating Homes- Construction 101 (part 2)

Development, Real Estate Admin No Comments »

Once your home is structurally sound and you have the go ahead from inspectors, seal up your walls with drywall. To do it yourself, hang the drywall on the studs of the walls and ceiling, then tape and spackle seams and nail holes. Wait to dry and sand smooth. This may take several layers of spackle and then sanding to create a seamless finish, but it is well worth the effort to do it right for the finished product.

Finally, you can do the cosmetic work in the home. Paint the walls in the finish of your choice or wallpaper them. Install the flooring of your choice: carpet, linoleum, parquet, hardwood, or ceramic flooring are a few choices. Then put up the fine woodwork like floor boards, trim, and interior doors. Now stand back and admire your work.

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Dec 15

Renovating Homes- Construction 101 part 1

Development, Real Estate Admin 1 Comment »

The idea of home renovation as a do-it-yourself sounds intimidating. Re-construction is an exact procedure as actual construction, cutting corners and sub-standard materials always spell disaster in the long run.

As an experienced contractor, here are some tips about home renovation.

Renovating a home can be a mind boggling project and there are no hard and fast rules on how to go about renovating a home properly. Rewire first, then fix the plumbing, or fix the plumbing first and then rewire? Assuming that both are in equal shape, there is no hard and fast answer of what should be done first, but here is a checklist to get you started, especially if this is your first home renovation project.

Firstly, ensure that the home is structurally sound. Make sure that the foundation is solid, the walls are stable, the floors support significant weight, the roof and the windows will not leak, the insulation is sufficient, and the siding is protecting the home from the elements. If any of these things need work, start there. It would be a shame to have created a beautiful home only to have it destroyed by water damage or to collapse under its own weight.

Secondly, check the utilities and how they are performing in the home. Replace damaged ducting, damaged or malfunctioning air conditioning and heating, old or faulty wiring or plumbing. These areas are easily updated while the walls are open, and will avoid damaging the work you are about to undertake.

Dec 10

Commercial Real Estate Investing 2

Real Estate Admin No Comments »

After defining the type of property you would want to invest in, the next thing to do is look for the right real estate property.

There are 2 ways to do this, you can either find a real estate agent who understands investment real estate or do the research yourself and find those properties on your own. Finding the right real estate agent is probably the easiest, but there is no reason why you cannot save a few dollars, do the research and the work yourself. Doing it yourself is a bit more time consuming and a bit of networking is involved, once those contacts have been made (with a bit of maintenance), they are there for a lifetime.

Depending on your goals and the property purchased, you are either going to rent out the space purchased or place it back on the market to sell at a higher price. If renting it out, advertising and showing the spaces is necessary, along with rental agreements. If you are inexperienced in this area, hiring a real estate management company may be necessary until you learn the ropes, or you can depend on your contacts within the real estate industry to give you the right direction. Either way, you are going to need a real estate attorney that specializes in commercial real estate to finalize any deal; the original purchase, renting, and or resale of the property.

Dec 08

Commercial Real Estate Investing 1

Commercial, Real Estate Admin No Comments »

Today’s real estate market may not seem like a good idea to start buying up commercial properties, but when a fundamental principle of business is applied, buy low and sell high, this is the perfect time to put money into properties. Property values all over are at a low, and all those properties are just waiting to be snapped up and turned from a weight around the seller’s neck, into a jewel on your crown. Let me tell you how it’s done.

First define the type of property you are looking for. Different properties are going to be “hot” in different areas, depending on the type of growth areas they are going through. When you do research on these trends and find which properties are desired, this will give you leverage. When doing research, make lists of the different attributes being sought out, in your area: office or retail, vacant or rented, and of course, the location.

Dec 03

How To Raise Funds For Real Estate Part 3

Real Estate Admin 9 Comments »

This is the third helping on how you can raise real estate funds through private investors.

Why would a Private Lender want to invest with you?
Private lenders have many benefits, when they lend money as a private investor.
1) Flexibility – They get to negotiate their own rules and loan terms, giving them the flexibility they want in the investment.
2) Higher Return – They can demand higher interest rates and return on investment, due to the demand and timing requirements, which they can meet differently than large institutional lenders.
3) Fixed Income – Most transactions of this nature result in fixed mortgages, which are attractive when stocks are volatile.
4) Security – Loan and/or mortgage is secured by real estate.
5) Tangibility – Investment is tangible, limited liability and requires minimal effort.
When you consider the benefits private investors have, compared to rigidly structured investments, they choose an investment in real estate. Your services provide them with a hands-off investment with flexibility, higher rate of return and secured by real estate. With these factors, you are easily recognized as a legitimate vehicle to earn money.
What are the sources of private lending?
1) Personal Savings – people have long term savings tucked away and not working for them.
2) Home Equity Lines – money borrowed at 5% and earning 15% gives investors a unique opportunity to use credit to gain return. Remember the 50% of all real estate is free and clear.
3) Self-directed retirement accounts – this is a huge source most retirees are losing money on their IRA’s. There are companies that will facilitate this process for you.
4) Groups of partners – many professionals form groups such as Doctors and Lawyers to invest in real estate.
What is the market for Private Lenders?
There is a great demand for private money especially, in today’s market and surprisingly enough, there are numerous private lenders looking for safe secured investment, collateralized by real estate. It has become so popular, you are now seeing private lending, where groups of people have partnered to lend money or in some events, wealthy families provide full-time private funding services. In these cases, it is a full time business, lending money, similar to the bank, with the benefits outlined herein.

Should I establish term of the money?
As we discussed in Lesson 5, when you establish your investment criteria, you will also establish the rate of return estimated for your investor. Along with these criteria, the investor wants to know the term of loan, payment terms and marketing information to support the investment. There will also be first and second mortgages, loans for repairs and possibly other needs for funding. Therefore, you should establish a basis of return for each of these scenarios, because in some cases, savvy private lenders will play with the rates. Typically a 2nd mortgage pays a higher return on investment due to less security. Short term loans may have a higher rate of return due to length of the period. If the property is fully leveraged at 100% they may require a higher interest rate. When you have a basis for these types of lending, the private lender will see that you have attempted to organize and streamline the returns and would prefer not to negotiate, however you must always be open to negotiations. Your goal is to get the money.
What do private investors look for?
1) Experience – the private investor would like to see a seasoned support “Dream Team”.
2) References – have a reference list of people like me help you bridge the gap if it’s your first deal.
3) Adequate Information to Make a Decision – provide an executive summary of the key elements of the investment such as investment, term, interest rate and ownership interest.
4) Profitable Investments – be sure that your investment presentation is attractive, meets your criteria and profits for the investors.
This is where you put on your game face and make it happen. Investors like to see organization and structure. Your executive summary must outline the investment and nature of the project. You should include a brief market and demographic paragraph, duration of investment and financial summary that indicates cash-on-cash return, equity required and total investment. This will most likely answer 90% of all major questions, which will allow the investor the ability to focus on confirming information and performing due diligence on market concerns.
Understanding the documentation
It is typically an open-end mortgage, where you pay profits based on each investment for this individual, while you keep their equity at work. The concept is to roll-over the equity after the conclusion of each investment term, after satisfaction to your investor with fixed income and profits. Once this cycle is accomplished you repeat it over and over again. It’s that easy!
Here are two documents that will save you over $5,000 dollars in time and money. These two simple documents allow you to borrow money secured by real estate. The last piece is the operating agreement for the Limited Liability Company which was given to you in the bonuses. You will form an LLC for each investment to minimize liability. It also protects other investments, when you structure each deal separately. If you have any questions, please send them to me by email. The first document is the mortgage agreement which outlines all the specifics.
A) Commercial Mortgage Agreement

This document reinforces the mortgage with a promissory note.
B) Commercial Note

Conclusion
Private lending is easy. You simply have to ask for the order. The principles outlined herein apply to all of the methods of private lending, which will be broken down for you in future lessons. If you want to accelerate please give us a call. Whether you are seeking individuals, forming a partnership or leaning towards securitized investments in the form of private placement memorandums, all of the principles apply across the board. Take the time to implement this process into your daily life, because having private lenders in real estate investing, is the key to success.

Wisdom and wealth are what you truly want in your life and the ability to contribute to others, with either money or knowledge. The ability to invest in real estate and to earn a boat load of money, gives you this opportunity to help the big picture. Consider yourself a leader who can provide the vehicle to wisdom and wealth. This is your chance to make a difference in the world.
“Your Financial Future is Based on The Decisions You Make Today!”

Dec 01

How To Raise Funds For Real Estate Part 2

Real Estate Admin 1 Comment »

This week I want to give you some of the basics to private lending, focusing on one-on-one relationships, so we can begin to build your foundation of fund raising techniques which will apply for each method described above. Remember, it only takes one investor to set you free.

What is Private Lending?
Private lending refers to a transaction whereby the party that invests the money is an individual or company and is not your typical institutional lender, such as a bank or insurance company. It is basically a loan secured by the real estate. Just like a car loan or a home mortgage only private.
Like a bank, private lenders are prepared to invest with you, after you have found a property, negotiated the price and have put the property under contract. Identical to banks, a private lender must agree to the terms of the money which include loan amount, term, interest and payment terms. Once agreed upon, they will place the investment funds in an escrow account in preparation for the closing. At the closing, the private lender will receive a mortgage security and a document that outlines the terms of the loan, which is secured by the real estate.
What are the advantages of using a Private Lender?
1) Private lenders can move more quickly – most private loans can close much quicker than a bank or institutional investor.
2) Private lenders have no hidden fees – private loans are typically clear cut fixed interest rate, no application fees or points.
3) Private lenders like fixed rate loans – when other investment vehicles are challenged such as the stock market, private investors enjoy the fixed income.
4) Private lenders can fund 100% of purchase price – no banks are going to lend you 100% in today’s market. Loan-to-value is as high as 50%.
5) Private lenders will not run credit checks – there is no board approval, credit scores or nerve racking nights, awaiting the response.
6) Private lenders are much more flexible – once you have established a relationship, private investors are flexible to meet your needs because they see the profit potential.
7) Private lenders don’t require massive paperwork – they are only interested in the recorded mortgage and payments on time.
Bottom line, getting a private investor saves you time and effort, considering the stressful wait one goes through when borrowing from the bank.