Future of Real Estate Investor in US

There are many advantages of being a real estate investor. Some of them are discussed below:

5. Popular around the world: Real estate investment is popular around the world. There are hedge funds, investors and REITs around the world. People from Asia, Europe, India and the Middle East are quietly and actively investing in property in US. Investors are taking keen interest in US property. The reason behind it is the significant depreciation rate of dollar. It has made US housing assets cheap in comparison to European property.

4. Canadians and expats are also taking interest in US property. Boomers in Canada are fed up living in extreme cold conditions and they are seeking respite from it. Florida is the place where they can get rid of that cold weather. Canada real estate is doing well and depreciation of dollar has lured Canadians to consider purchasing second home.

3. We are having mortgage interest rate at 5.25% since 30 years. The economy is at present getting weak every month. At least 2 fed rates are expected to come in near future. This is the opportunity where people can take loan at attractive rates and reduce their monthly expenses. Renters in different parts of the country are planning to purchase their own home one interest rates fall down. Reducing interest rate will fill the gap between buyers and sellers.

2. Inventory market is stabilizing. The rental inventory is declining in different parts of the country and new constructions are taking place. All these factors are important in recovering the housing market. It is expected that in the coming time, there will be an increase in the renters are rental rates are also expected to rise.

1. Most importantly, real estate investment in US is still considered as a long-term wealth building asset. Media has recently created a fear among real estate investors but it is all over now. Just ask any home owner since 1990 whether he is proud of his investment or not and he will tell you the truth. However patience is the key to succeed in any business and so is with real estate investment. Always keep in mind that even 3% rise in the value of real estate can increase your wealth with 30%.

Worst thing in property investment is panic sale. Think about the future trends in the market by being calm. It is a business that can give you financial freedom throughout your life.

Daniel Zane is the owner of London property inventories one of the UK's leading suppliers of property inventories.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Danny_Z

3 Texas Cities That Are Great for Raising a Family

Each of the seven regions of the Lone Star State holds its own brand of unique appeal. When it comes to great weather, cowboy culture, Native American history and impressive natural beauty that spans mountains, prairies, the Rio Grande, Big Bend Country, the Panhandle Plains and 624 miles of sparkling coastline, most other states just can't mess with Texas! A thriving, diverse economy, outstanding public schools, a well-respected college and university system, plus cutting edge high-tech industry make the 28th state tough to beat. If you're ready to saddle up and move your wagon train "Deep in the Heart of Texas", here are three great places to consider!

McKinney

Settled in 1845 and named for Collin McKinney, who was a signer of the Declaration of Independence, this TX town is in the Prairies and Lakes region. 30 miles north of Dallas, and home to over 131,000 residents, in 2010 McKinney ranked #5 on CNN's Money Magazine list, "The Best Places to Live in the US".

There are many outstanding residential developments that offer a variety of amenities. Homes are quite affordable, with a median home price of $175,000. Most residential neighborhoods in McKinney have a small-town, old fashioned feel. Wide, tree-lined sidewalks, citywide parks, and trails encourage families to get out and enjoy all that McKinney has to offer.

McKinney's thriving economy is due in part to the city's largest employer, American defense contractor, Raytheon. The city is also home to numerous eco-conscious manufacturers, med tech businesses, financial institutions, one of only two worldwide environmentally sustainable Wal-Mart stores, and the 1st "Green" elementary school in the state. McKinney is a leader when it comes to encouraging businesses and manufactures to incorporate LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards.

In addition to its charming downtown, which contains many examples of turn of the century architecture, plus over 100 shops and restaurants, residents take pride in their newly renovated 1875 courthouse which houses the McKinney Performing Arts Center. The city's motto, "Unique by Nature" is no exaggeration as 30 miles of trails, lush parks, lakes, and greenways make it possible to enjoy some of the best weather in the state, year round. You also won't have a problem finding a venue for your favorite sport. From baseball to ice hockey to tennis, the fields and facilities are all here. Equestrians love to explore the McKinney's rolling hills or walk their pony through the paces at Myers Park Show Barn and Arena.

Austin

When you think about moving to Austin, do not be intimidated by the fact that this capital city is home to almost 2 million residents. Instead consider the fact that Austin has a booming economy, some of the highest rated schools in the nation, world-class recreational and cultural amenities, plus its most outstanding attribute, its proud citizens! As cities go, Austin has many claims to fame. It has been named, "The Live Music Capital of the World", "The Greenest City in America", ranked #2 as the "Best Big City in Which to Live" and was voted one of the "Most Walkable US Cities".

Situated along the northern banks of the Colorado River, Austin combines the stunning beauty of the Texas Hill Country with countless opportunities for natural discovery and big city adventure. Also known as "where the South ends and the West begins", Austin's culture is a study in diversity and its motto, "Keep Austin Weird" exemplifies the positive way its residents embrace their uniqueness.

A Clean Air City that enforces a strict no smoking ordinance, Austin is also where the Whole Foods franchise began. Today it is a high tech center and home to several Fortune 500 companies along with Google, Samsung, Dell, and Intel. What is available in Austin in terms of music, theater, dance, and art could easily rival any of the Big Apple's offerings. Combine that with the shops of SoCo, outdoor fun at Lady Bird Lake Hiking and Biking trails, Zilker Park, and Lake Austin, and it's easy to see why "it's better in (Austin) Texas!"

Corpus Christi

You'll begin to realize how special this coastal Texas city in when you breeze into town over the Harbor Bridge. Nicknamed "Sparkling by the Sea" and "The Real Windy City", Corpus Christi is a wonderful place to live, work, and raise a family. A coastal lifestyle combined with a strong economy based on local interests such as petrochemical manufacturing, military installations, and tourism, have made Corpus Christi a rising star among Texas destinations.

For families, Corpus Christi offers the promise of year round fun from fact finding history tours to a variety of recreational options and of course, 113 miles of pristine coastline. Tourists and residents alike enjoy visits to the aircraft carrier USS Lexington and the Texas State Aquarium. Fishing, surfing, and sailing are popular, along with kite boarding and windsurfing. Acres of unspoiled trails and parkland make it possible to offer kids a taste of what a truly natural childhood is all about.

Preserved historical areas, including charming shops and restaurants wind through the downtown area. An ample number of affordable homes in established neighborhoods like Calallen and Flour Bluff make house hunting here a pleasant experience. You'll definitely need to shop for a jumbo mortgage if you set your sights on anything comparable to the famed King Ranch-a local landmark, to say the least. It covers 825,000 acres and is larger than Rhode Island.

That old Texas slogan is still true: "It's Like a Whole Other Country", so allow yourself plenty of time to explore The Lone Star State to find your ideal destination!

Lisa Andree is a marketing professional who helps mortgage companies promote their brands and products such as fha refinance programs and 40 year mortgage loans online.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lisa_Andree

Hillsborough Real Estate Market Holds Steady in October 2011

Hillsborough is a gorgeous town in the San Francisco Bay Area that is near Burlingame City. It is one of the most prosperous neighborhoods in the country which has a landscape distinctly occupied by large homes.

The market trends in Hillsborough do not change in quick succession every month because it is a relatively small market with 100-150 yearly sales. The data gathered for October 2011 show relatively the same seller's market condition that has been observed recently in Hillsborough. The steady state of home sales in the area continues while inventory and listings are down.

Home sales have decreased during each of the last five months and this may be significantly attributed to the change in seasons than change in the market. Normally, sales are higher in summer and early fall than late fall and winter. Home sales through the first ten months of 2011 have increased at 126 homes, which is a 19% increase from the same duration in 2010 and 62% from the same duration in 2009.

Fewer new listings - down by 13% - have come onto the market at the same period that sales have been increasing. Inventory declined distinctly while sales are high and listings are low. There were 55 homes for sale in Hillsborough at the end of October 2011 while at the same period in 2010, there were 85 homes on the market. Having thirty fewer homes is indicative of less competition among sellers and less options for buyers. Another indication is that homes on the market this year got sold faster than they did in the previous year. In 2010, the average home got sold in 67 days and this year, the average home got sold in 60 days.

It's vital to do a deeper analysis than merely look at changes in median or average selling prices - as suggested by the recent closed sales prices in Hillsborough. Median sales values are down by 10% and average selling values are down by 5% during the first ten months of 2011. Prices appear to be down from the end of 2010 by about $200,000 - $300,000. The values, no matter how accurate, can still be misleading since a shift in the type of home sold in 2011 as compared to 2010 has been observed.

In 2011, the average size of a home that got sold has been 3,800 square feet while in 2010, it has been nearly 4,200 square feet. The 400 square feet difference, with the average price per square feet at about $700, is approximately equal to $280,000 - equivalent to the entire change in average/median prices. As a matter of fact, selling values seem to be increasing when we control for the change in the size of homes being sold and look at just price per square foot.

The strength of the market continues and though there are continued targeted price drops, sellers do not see it fit to reduce their prices significantly just to entice buyers because of the demand. In each of the last seven months of 2011, the sale price divided by list price has been above 95% - on the average, homes have been sold for more than 95% of their asking price. The sale price divided by list prices was at or above 95% in only three months, in the 15 months from January 2010 to March 2011. The normal rate differs by area and even during the boom years or 2004 and 2005, the normal rate has been 100% in Hillsborough areas.

Raziel Ungar is a top-performing Real Estate Agent given numerous awards and distinctions for his outstanding success in the real estate industry. He has been recognized by the International President's Circle, placing him in the top 1% of Coldwell Banker Agents nationwide for 2010 and in the top 1% of San Mateo County Realtors. To search for Burlingame, Hillsborough, and San Mateo area real estate, visit http://www.BurlingameProperties.com. You'll find extensive helpful community, neighborhood, and school information! Plus, our well known blog has plenty of current information on the market and what's happening around town!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Raziel_Ungar

Invest $500,000 in US Real Estate and Get a US Visa

The influence of foreign investors and their potential to help the housing market hasn't been lost on legislators, it is reported that Senators are introducing a bill that would grant visas to any non-U.S. citizen who spends at least $500,000 on residential real estate in the United States, which they believe will help fuel demand.

"A new provision to an immigration bill already being considered by the U.S. Senate was proposed last week by Senators, Chuck Schumer of New York, and Mike Lee, of Utah that would grant residence visas to foreign buyers spending a minimum of $500,000 to buy residential property in the U.S.

The 'Resident Visa' provision to the immigration bill was written with the purpose of boosting and energizing the slow U.S. Housing market by encouraging foreigners to purchase U.S. real estate. If accepted, this provision would compliment other foreign visa actions proposed in the bill that would encourage more spending and capital investment by foreigners in the United States.

There are some stipulations. Here are some of the highlights:

At least $250,000 must be spent on a residence and the balance would be allowed for residential rental/investment properties.

Foreign buyers must pay for their purchases with cash, pay U.S. taxes and spend a minimum of 180 days in the U.S.

Foreign buyers granted visas would not be able to work in the U.S without obtaining a work visa via the normal and proper channels.

Foreign buyers would be able to bring their spouse and any children under the age of 18 with them.

The 'Residence Visa' would expire when the property/properties are sold."

Florida Attracts Foreign Investors

Florida, known as 'The Sunshine State', is again attracting buyers who are finding bargains galore. Although the USA claims to have been out of recession for the last 12 months, it is possible another dip may happen due to weak consumer confidence and tight lending criteria. But for the long term, Florida is bursting with opportunity.

Florida was riding the boom to its highest peak, but now homeowners are finding the value of their properties 50% less than five years ago. For example, a four bedroom villa with a swimming pool in the Orlando area, 20 minutes from Disney, is on the market now for £111,000.00. You could buy a property like this for 30% down plus expenses. So an Investment of around £41,000.00 could see you earning a yield of around 6%. Current thinking is that worst case scenario in the present market could see you break even with only the equity to show for your investment, but the market is expected to Improve, but without a crystal ball, as mentioned, another dip in the market is possible.

The opportunity has an unfortunate side, at least 50% of bargain homes are the result of foreclosure or short sale, which is the process before foreclosure. However you may feel about benefiting from the unfortunate business of foreclosure, it does help those who are at the short sale stage and the banks are happy to have it sold. These transactions can be complex, so we do advise you seek personal legal advice. It would be advisable for you to visit Florida and see these properties for yourself, as some may be in disrepair and in need of more work than you may be willing to take on. A good buy would be near golf courses, of which there is hundreds to choose from, beaches of the Gulf of Mexico coast stunning, as are the beaches along the East coast. Of course a popular spot to buy is near the amusement parks in and around the Orlando area.

All the most popular areas have great transport connections from Europe to Miami, Tampa and Orlando.

Miami is leading the sales revival in the sunshine state. The data from the Miami Association of Realtors shows that sales of existing single family homes in the Miami Metropolitan Area increased 47% in July, and sales of existing condominiums increased 33%. Buyers are focusing on homes in just five locations which are: Tampa Bay including St. Petersburg and Clearwater. Miami, Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale. Orlando and Kissimmee. Naples and Marco Island. Cape Coral and Fort Myers, all in the southern half of the state and was hit particularly hard by the housing downturn. Inventory fell more than 6 per cent between second and third quarters of 2011, driven largely by foreign investment, experts say. Canadians led sales overall, accounting for almost a quarter of foreign home buyers, followed in smaller numbers by China, Mexico, India, and the United Kingdom.

For those Investors in the enviable position of having cash at their disposal, real bargains can be picked up with banks preferring to sell to a cash buyers at discounted prices, rather than a lender willing to pay the asking price.

Let's look at some of the main points to consider when taking those steps to buying a property in the sunshine state.

1. Pick your location wisely. This is important first step.

2. Enlist the help of a reputable realtor (property agent) that knows the area and will guide you through the process.

3. It is prudent to allow for approximately 5% of the property value to cover costs such as notary fees, title insurer and any other various legal costs.

4. Once the ideal property has been found and price negotiated, it is usual for the purchaser to put down a deposit. It is at this point followed by a formal offer, accompanied with a purchase contract. Once this is signed, the sale is binding.

5. One of the most important criteria when purchasing property in the USA is timing. Contracts are usually date specific and should be adhered to, or risk losing your deposit.

6. It is possible to find finance in the USA as a foreign buyer and US mortgages are available from 70% - 80% loan to value.

7. Obviously it is up to the individual to fully understand all visa requirements, which will be needed for various durations of stay in the country. All information on this can be found at your nearest American Embassies, Consulates, and Diplomatic Missions in your country.

Tony Osust, director: Holprop.com

Search through our large international portfolio of properties for sale and rent. Holprop.com now showcases thousands of rental and sale properties, from single family homes, commercial and recreational properties including hotels, bars-restaurants, new build or off-plan developments for sale worldwide.

See our latest Florida Property for Sale | Vacation rentals Florida

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tony_Osust

Sales Are Picking Up For Redwood Shores Real Estate Market - September 2011

Most built-up areas of San Mateo County are suburban. It occupies most of the San Francisco Peninsula. A boost on home sales has been recorded in most areas of San Mateo County. But distinct declines have been observed in mid-Peninsula cities, such as Redwood Shores, Belmont, and Foster City.

Nine homes were sold in the Redwood Shores real estate market in September 2011. Sales went down by 25 percent, from 52 homes in September last year to 39 homes in September this year. This change that occurred is somewhat misleading. Sales in Redwood Shores started in a slow pace this year having only six homes sold within the first five months of the year while there were 33 homes sold within the same period of last year. There were 33 homes sold within the latest four months while during the same period last year, there were only 19 homes sold. To sum up, sales declined for this year but in recent months, sales have regained sharply.

Most inventory measures display a stiffening market. In 2011, new listings have declined by 13 percent - only 10 homes have been added to the active inventory at the end of September. Homes are being sold faster this year than in 2010. In Redwood Shores, the average selling period has been 26 days while in 2010, it was 44 days. This is indicative of buyers' quick response to properties coming onto the market. Another indication is that prospective buyers have to be on top of new listings or else, they will miss out on the best offers.

Price levels change around from month to month more often in smaller areas such as Redwood Shores, which has normally lower than 100 sales in a year. Therefore, determining the trend can be challenging. Average and median sales prices decreased by 5-10% for the year - about $50,000-$100,000, based on the data alone. This change occurred primarily because the average home sold in 2011 was around 150 square feet smaller than the average home sold last year. By 150 square feet, sales price can change by $75,000. There has been no movement in selling values from 2010 to 2011 when you look at price per square foot, which helps to control for the size of homes sold.

Foster City real estate sellers are heading on in getting pretty close to their asking price. In 2011, the average sale price divided by list price was 98%. This implies that homes were sold for 98% of the sellers' asking price. While this statistic doesn't take into account the price-reduced homes that were immediately sold, it is still considered applicable with the implication that homes do sell pretty close to their sellers' asking price. It is beneficial to have a well-informed Realtor that closely follows the local market trend because determining the right asking price can be tricky.

Sellers are heading on in getting pretty close to their asking price. In 2011, the average sale price divided by list price was 99%. This implies that homes were sold for 99% of the sellers' asking price. While this statistic is not perfect because it doesn't take into account the price-reduced homes that were immediately sold, it is still considered relevant with the implication that homes do sell pretty close to their sellers' asking price. Determining the right asking price can be tricky so it will be beneficial for sellers to have a well-informed Realtor that closely follows the local market trend.

As compared to Burlingame and Hillsborough, Redwood shores can better give parents the access to top quality public schools at a lower price point on a square footage basis. In the 2010 Academic Performance Index (API) test, all elementary and middle schools in the Belmont-Redwood Shores School District obtained good scores. API determines the academic proficiency of schools on different measures. The district obtained a higher average score of 904 - with no school scoring below 830 - compared to Burlingame School District which scored an average of 891. Out of 1000, the statewide average score is 768.

Raziel Ungar is a top-performing Real Estate Agent given numerous awards and distinctions for his outstanding success in the real estate industry. He has been recognized by the International President's Circle, placing him in the top 1% of Coldwell Banker Agents nationwide for 2010 and in the top 1% of San Mateo County Realtors. To search for Burlingame, Hillsborough, and San Mateo area real estate, visit http://www.BurlingameProperties.com -you'll find extensive helpful community, neighborhood, and school information! Plus, the well-known blog section has plenty of current information on the market and what's happening around town!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Raziel_Ungar

Using Technology to Expand Your Business Growth

The key to success for business growth lies in the use of technology. Technology allows you to create efficiencies in your business processes and expand your market reach to different geographical areas. The Internet is a great technological advancement that allows people to connect anywhere in the world and it is an excellent tool for driving business growth. For example, if you have a business in Toronto, it is easy to showcase and market your products to someone in Vancouver, New York, Los Angeles or London if you have a website thereby expanding your market to these areas. People around the world are using the Internet to find products and services and are either buying the product online or going to the store to buy them. Successful companies are using their websites to connect with these customers and are using their increased market reach to drive the growth of their business.

In this article I will detail some of the key reasons for having a website for your business.

Online Brochure

Think of your website as an online brochure and employee. Your customers can access it anywhere and at anytime to find out more about your products and services. It allows you to advertise your business 365/24/7 and the changes made to your products and services are immediately visible to your visitors. In essence, it gives you an employee who never sleeps and who is always promoting your products exactly how you want them to. Today's technology allows for a safe and secure online transaction. You can now use your website to sell products, take payments and generate invoices! This allows for the entire sales cycle to take place online!

Cost Effective

Using a website to showcase your products and services is a cost effective marketing tool when compared to the high cost of traditional print media. Newspapers and print advertisements have a limited amount of space to promote your business and are usually considered a passive sales tool. A website is not limited in the amount of information that you can provide; you can gather visitor information, understand where your customers are located and what they think of your products and services. Using this information you can then proactively reach out to them with new product information or even a monthly newsletter. Adding a website address to your print media can expand the effectiveness of the ad and creates additional opportunities to stay in contact and/or close a sale.

Enhance Your Customer Service

Your website can be used to enhance your customer service. It can offer easy to access information regarding your address, hours of operation, detailed product descriptions, pricing, and special events. With the addition of a "Frequently Asked Questions" section you can reduce the amount of time spent on the phone giving out the same information to different customers. Utilizing your website in this way saves you time and money allowing you to focus on other aspects of your business.

Competitive Advantage

Studies have shown that more and more businesses are investing in a web presence because of the enormous advantages it presents. Most people now search online to learn more about a product before they decide to buy it. Your competitors may already be online selling to customers that you have never met. Regain the competitive advantage by using your website to provide information that distinguishes your business from that of your competition. Stay ahead of the curve and don't be left out!

Creating your online presence is an exciting journey as you get to decide on how you want your website to look, what information you want to display and what products you want to promote. You can easily use website templates to design a website or employ the services of a Professional web designer to develop a website that has everything you need in the style and format that you want. Whatever you choose, a well-designed website can give you the competitive edge that today`s marketplace demands and it is a great way to market yourself, business or organization in an increasingly competitive economy.

About the Author
Patrick Aboagye is the President & CEO of Danipa Business Systems Inc. He is dedicated to helping companies successfully develop their on-line presence while increasing their brand recognition and market share in a competitive economy.

For information about Danipa visit http://www.danipa.com.
Follow Patrick on Twitter @paboagye

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Patrick_Aboagye

Top 4 Online Business Models

Here, are top four online business models to evaluate.

Online Affiliate Model

In this case, you can earn income online by becoming an affiliate for someone else's products or services. What you have to do is to provide reviews of products or services which you have used online and find them useful. You can start by recommending them to your friends and family. Once they purchase the product through your website links, you will receive a percentage of the sales made. Most people who develop an online business start with this as there is less risk involved. In addition, you can start with a basic website or blog.

Create Your Own Products

This differs from the above type as you will need to create your own products. There is significantly more risk in this case as you have to spend upfront expense in creating the products. If your product does not do well initially, you may find it difficult to recoup your initial investment. However, the advantage for using this method is that you have total control of the entire process. In addition, you can also create an affiliate program that allows others to sell the product for you. This allows you to create a sales force without the high investment needed in maintaining a full time sales force. By having your own products, you can also undertake joint ventures with other marketers who can do cross promotions to their own list. In this way, you can leverage on their subscriber base to build a bigger subscriber base or expand the target market for your products.

Market to Local Businesses

Do you possess specialised knowledge of an industry? If you do, you can create an online business that helps local business market their products and services online. There are many local businesses that want to use the Internet to advertise their services but they lack the ability. This is where you come in. You can help them set up a website. Alternatively, you can teach them how to drive more visitors to their brick-and-mortar store.

Middle-man websites

This is effectively a leads generation website. For example if you are an insurance representative from an organisation, you can create a single website titled 'insuranceforyoungcouples.com". This allows you to sell insurance to young couples who may have different needs from people who are planning their retirement. If you are successful, you can also create 'middle-man' websites for other industries or companies who are eager to generate more leads online.

These are the four online business models that are commonly found in a web enterprise. Some business may be a combination of the four models and others focus solely on one and make it successful before experimenting with others.

Cindy Siow is the owner of the website MyFirstMagicButton.

MyFirstMagicButton is a system that enables virtually anyone to create an extra stream of passive income right from the comfort of their home. It's like having your own 'magic button' where you can spin off cash almost like clockwork.

For a limited time only, you can claim the blueprints to creating your own 'Magic Button' by visiting http://www.MyFirstMagicButton.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cindy_Siow

What Are the Pros and Cons of Having a Company Wikipedia Page?

Pros of being listed on Wikipedia:

The greatest benefit of Wikipedia pages is that they generally show up in the top results of major search engines, providing more exposure and potential credibility for an organization when searched. This can help build trust and legitimacy among those using the search engines to find information about a certain company. Because they appear almost always near the top of the search results, Wikipedia pages also push down other listings and can help reduce the amount of unwanted results such as negative news articles or reviews, if they exist.

It's arguable whether or not you get any search engine optimization benefits from a listing on Wikipedia due to the links being NOFOLLOW (the search engines don't follow them). Some studies have shown, though, that websites have seen traffic increases from listings in Wikipedia. It's hard to believe that search engines wouldn't take into account backlinks from Wikipedia due to some of their stringent posting standards.

CONs of being listed on Wikipedia:

There are also risks to consider in the creation of a Wikipedia page. Wikipedia pages are not controlled by the organization the page describes and the page can be updated by anyone. This allows negative content to be placed on the page, whether or not it is true or accurate. Anyone remember what happened to Sinbad? Even if unverified content is eventually removed from the main page, it will still reside under the View History tab or on other websites that may have referenced the material when it was live.

Per Wikipedia standards, neither a business, nor organizations or consultants working for that business, are eligible to make any corrections to that business' page due to conflicts of interest. Though corrections cannot be made directly to a company page, companies or their representatives can recommend page updates and corrections to Wikipedia. Persons making recommendations must have an active Wikipedia account and should be active in the talk page for that Wikipedia article. And even then, the changes may not be made.

This ongoing maintenance of a company page requires constant monitoring to detect any incorrect or negative changes, which can be somewhat time-consuming. One solution is to use the watch function provided by Wikipedia. To use this system, monitors can log into their Wikipedia accounts to be alerted to any changes made. Change alerts can also be subscribed to via email updates or an RSS feed.

Perhaps the greatest negative to having a Wikipedia page lies somewhere in the future. When a company executive is charged with a DUI, or your kitchen is found to be in violation of health codes, or a disgruntled ex-employee decides to post a compromising photo from a company holiday party - be assured it will end up on Wikipedia... right there at the top of any Google search.

Scott works for Lovell Communications Inc., a Nashville PR firm with national marketing and public relations clients. Lovell specializes in public relations, crisis communications and healthcare marketing services.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Scott_J_McIntosh

Internet Marketing

As the term suggests, Internet marketing is the marketing of products and/or services over the Internet. Other terms used include online marketing, digital marketing, e-marketing, web marketing and search marketing. Internet marketing is broad in scope. Apart from marketing over the Internet, it incorporates marketing done on emails and wireless media.

The Internet has quite a long history. It was established in the early 90s; however, it was not thought to be a medium of advertising in any way. It was only considered to be a device for exchange of information and emails. Nevertheless, it took such a short time for marketers to discover the potential hidden in it to market products and services. At the moment, it is difficult to understand that there is a company which totally lacks some sort of online marketing.

Internet marketing is highly embraced by marketers owing to its untold benefits. One of them is the ability to reach potential consumers. It uses the web which is not only nationwide, but also worldwide. This implies that products and services are viewed in any place in the world. Additionally, online marketing is cheap, fast and easy. You only need to put very little money and time into it and with only few clicks of the mouse you access your buyers. Besides, you are able to receive response of your market within a snap. Customers may ask questions or even add comments concerning your post very quickly. This way, you communicate and convince them to buy the products or services under promotion.

Online marketing has its drawbacks that should not be overlooked when deciding to practice it or not. One of them is that it requires professionalism otherwise only few buyers will be serious with you. It is important to ensure that your emails and websites are presentable and have the correct impression with the audience. Another disadvantage is that your business may not require you to reach people over the Internet. For instance, you cannot operate a salon online; it calls for face to face contact with clients. Again, it is a limit factor that customers are unable to taste, smell or touch goods prior purchasing tangible goods.

Security of information is very essential to both customers and organization that take part in Internet business. At times, customers delay to but items online because they are not sure that their private information will remain secretive. To solve this challenge, some organizations resort to opting out in which customers' details are removed immediately after purchase.

Constance is a professional article writer who writes articles on the online marketing niche. Over the years, she has helped hundreds of online marketers market their businesses online through her detailed articles.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Constance_N_Ambi

Online Freelancing - Earning Money on The Internet

Making money is really an important thing to an individual. Of course, how will you eat and live without money? We work to support our loved ones and even ourselves. But in today's world, sometimes one job is not enough. With the high cost of living today, it is not surprising that many people have more than one job to earn money. Sadly, some even go as low as to do illegal things just to have lots of money.

However, with today's technology, there are lots of new ways to earn money that are presented to us. Now, people can now work in the comfort of their own home through the internet. Blogging is one way to earn money. You can write about things that you like, promote them, and get paid through affiliate links. But because only those who are good in writing are the ones who have a chance to be successful in blogging, how about the others? Luckily, there are new methods of working online that suits many kinds of occupation.

Being a freelancer online is one of the new ways to earn money online. There are many sites that you can find online jobs. These sites offer many kinds of jobs, like programming, designing, and many more. Membership for these kind of sites are usually for free, so why pass up something so good? Generally, you can get a job at these sites by "bidding", which means that you propose to the one giving the work how much he or she should pay you for doing the job. Of course, it also helps if you have an impressive profile and portfolio to show, especially if you are new to the site. The employer then sees your bid and if they are interested in you, they may contact you for an interview. Impress them more, and you may land your first online job on a freelance site.

A bit of wisdom though, these sites are not "get-rich-instantly" methods of earning. These could be the biggest misconceptions that my friends have when I tell them that I have an online work and work as a freelancer online. Like the usual job hunting, you need to bid or apply to many jobs that you can, especially in your first try. You should also show impressive portfolio of your previous work, which helps a lot if you have not yet established a good reputation on these sites.

Persevere, work hard, and build a good reputation on these sites, and you will be earning money before you know it.

David Meneses has submitted numerous articles on different subjects. He hopes to be of help to the world by contributing helpful insights on important subject matters.

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The Omega Ratio - A Better Investment Performance Benchmark

Investors typically use performance benchmarks like the Sharpe Ratio or the Sortino Ratio to rank mutual funds, ETFs, and index trackers. However, these common performance benchmarks have several drawbacks and can often be very misleading. The Omega Ratio, however, addresses these shortcomings and delivers a far more sophisticated method of ranking investments.

The Sharpe Ratio originated in the 1960s and is also known as the reward-to-risk ratio. It's the effective return of a fund divided by its standard deviation, and its primary advantage is that it is widely given in fund data sheets. The standard deviation is employed by the Sharpe Ratio as a proxy for risk. However, this is misleading for several very important reasons.

Firstly, standard deviation assumes that investment returns are normally distributed. In other words, the returns have the classic bell-shape. For many investment vehicles, this is not necessarily the case. Hedge funds and other investments often display skew and kurtosis in their returns. Skew and kurtosis are mathematical terms that indicate wider (or narrower) or taller (or shorter) distributions than that typical of a normal distribution.

Secondly, most investors think of risk as the probability of making a loss - in other words the size of the left-hand side of the distribution. This is not what is represented by the standard deviation, which merely indicates how widely dispersed investment returns around the mean are. By discarding information from the empirical returns distribution, standard deviation does not adequately represent the risk of making extreme losses.

Thirdly, the standard deviation penalizes variation above the mean and variation below the mean equally. However, most investors only worry about variation below the mean, but positively encourage variation above the mean. This point is partly address in the Sortino Ratio, which is similar to the Sharpe Ratio but only penalizes downside deviation.

Finally, the historical average is used to represent the expected return. This again is misleading because the average gives equal weighting to returns in the far past and returns in the recent past. The later are a better indication of future performance than the former.

The Omega Ratio was developed to address the failures of the Sharpe Ratio. The Omega Ratio is defined as the area of the returns distribution above a threshold divided by the returns of a distribution below a threshold. In other words, it's the probability-weighed upside divided by the probability-weighted downside (with a higher value being better than a lower value). This definition elegantly captures all the critical information in the returns distribution, and more importantly adequately describes the risk of making extreme losses.

However, an investment with a high Omega Ratio can be more volatile than an investment with a high Sharpe Ratio.

Both the Sharpe Ratio and Omega Ratio can be easily calculated using tools like spreadsheets or other math packages.

Samir H Khan writes for http://investexcel.net, a repository of tools and commentary for investors and quantitative analysts. For example, the website offers a spreadsheet which calculates the Omega Ratio.

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What Can Help You Develop The Best Trading Strategies?

Most of us desire to put our money on something that will provide us with most return and profit. You can read a lot of articles that provide advice on how to create effective trading strategies. And their common advice would be to constantly seek information and analyze the data in order to know the things you will do that will increase the chance of success before you make a trade. Imagine how you can efficiently make use of the skills you already have and create strong strategies by being provided with the accurate data needed.

Wise investors don't let their emotions affect their decisions since they know that strategies are composed by groups of rules that don't deviate. We all want to make money from our investment and with the needed data you can develop an effective strategy that can increase the chances of earning from your investment. No or in accurate knowledge about the market may result errors in calculations that can lead to zero profit and even loss.

It is much better if you also know the market suitability in given times. The market time frames can help you in a way that it shows you the prices in the market. You'll be able to avoid low time frames which can lessen possibility of acquiring losses. You can look into the market time frames and wait until you spot the higher time frames. A good strategy would provide you flexibility on trading on a time that the market is pleasant.

Having the right information or data can help you formulate effective strategies for trading. The market is always changing and you'll need data that are accessible and convenient to use. You can develop a strategy that is flexible and can have no problem adjusting to the changing market. You need to have knowledge on the market trends and information on the changing market since these can help you design a strategy.

There are popular online tools that provide data that can aid you in formulating effective trading strategies. These tools are composed of features and benefits that can help you quickly analyze money generating strategies such as yield curve, correlation and other strategies before competing markets are able to gather and combine data together for analysis.

These tools can allow you to be quick in developing trading strategies by saving a lot of time performing complicated data analysis. Some tools can be accessed anywhere, whether you're at the office or on the road and can be used as a tool for sales presentation of your strategies to investors.

John Conejos is an avid user of Derivative Trading System's Horizon Direct, a powerful online tool that provides access to accurate and up to date data that are essential for formulating effecting trading strategies. Subscribe now and you can have access to limited number of data that will be functional for fourteen days to show you how extensive its functionality is.

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The Flight to Safety - US Stocks, Bonds, Treasuries Ready to Soar I Suppose

It appears that the European Union is on the verge of collapse, or least the investors believe it is, and therefore they will seek other places to put their money. As much as you'd be led to believe, China is not in that good of shape either, and as the EU's economy falters, there will be fewer buyers and purchases of goods made in China, meaning China cannot maintain its growth rate, and therefore there will also be a flight to safety out of China.

The Japanese economy is still trying to recover from the earthquake, and they have debt issues with their huge stimulus they put forth, plus what they already had. There are very few nations which are a safe bet (Canada, Australia, etc), any time markets get shaken up around the world, there is an immediate flight to safety here the United States. Right now, the United States is at 2.5% growth rate, however, we will be at zero growth rate due to the fact that the EU will not be buying many products or services from us during their economic collapse.

Nevertheless, zero interest rates on our treasuries, and zero growth rate are not so bad considering many of our corporations are making a profit, are flush with cash, and are paying out dividends and a fair yield on their corporate bonds. Therefore, we could expect those companies that don't have a large exposure to Europe see money flying in for their new issues of corporate bonds. We will also see lots of money flying into the US stock market.

It appears that the fall of Europe may hurt many US banks because they are global and much of the money is intermingled. However, we can withstand that and our banks may end up taking a haircut, but our economy is doing good, and it is fundamentally sound. This means we could see a very nice surge in the US stock market between now and the end of the year in 2012.

Thus, this might be a very good time to be in the market, rather than out of the market, as global money flies to safety, and it always does when there are problems around the world in other nations. If we look at the major economies such as the EU, Japan, China, and the US we see that the United States is the safest that. China is having a wage inflation problem, and the corruption in their previous banking deals has proven almost impossible to hide.

China will also take a huge hit in their manufacturing sector without the EU ordering their goods therefore job losses causing civil unrest, making it not a safe bet to park assets. It's time to invest in the United States because it is the only transparent and viable place that can withstand the onslaught of global economic turbulence. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Future Concepts. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net

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Saving for Children

Junior ISAs (Individual Savings Accounts) were recently introduced in the UK. The concept is great. They provide a tax efficient means of building a lump sum of capital for your child for when he/she reaches adulthood.

The bad news is that even if you are a British citizen, if you are not UK resident, then you can't invest in one. This is a shame.

So, as a British (or any nationality for that matter, as other countries often have the same restrictions) expatriate, how does one go about saving for one's children?

Here are 3 simple ways of doing so.

1. Save in the bank. This is by far the easiest option. You have complete liquidity, you can access the money whenever you want and do whatever you want with it.

You also don't have to be worried about falling markets. You can be sure that whatever you invest that at least that amount will be available.

It's also super easy for Granny and Grandad to drop in a few extra pounds as and when they can which will help boost the final sum.

The down side is that bank interest rates are incredibly low right now and are likely to stay that way for some time. Couple that with rising inflation and you can guarantee that, in real terms, the value of your investment will fall.

2. Invest directly into funds. Find a fund(s) that you like and invest into them via a regular monthly standing order.

You can do this either directly through the fund manager, their website should provide you with instructions of how to do so, or through a fund supermarket/discount broker.

If you go directly through the fund manager then chances are that you will pay an initial charge of 5% on every investment that you make. If you go via the supermarket then this initial fee will often be rebated down to 0-0.75%.

The advantage of either approach is that it is relatively inexpensive as you don't have to pay for any advice. The disadvantage is that nobody is going to give you any advice.

This is fine if you have the time and willingness to do the research yourself. If you do not have the time to do so then it is a less attractive option.

There is also the high risk of chosing funds based purely on past performance. Fund supermarkets or your daily newspaper will publish tables of top performing funds over 1,2,3 years. It is easy to simply pick the top one and invest in that.

The downside is that the top funds in these tables are often top not due to the fact that they have a great fund manager but simply due to the fact that their sector has been "hot". A great example of this is back in 2000 these tables were stuffed with technology funds. How many of those funds are still there today?

3. Save Into a Regular payment Savings Plan

These types of structure are normally provided by life insurance companies in places like the Isle of Man or Channel Islands.

They allow you to save x amount a month for a specific term (e.g. 18 years) with your monthly payments being invested across a number of funds from a set menu.

These structures can be tax efficient as they allow you to switch between funds without incurring an immediate tax liability.

They sometimes attract a bad reputation as they are more expensive options than the first 2 that I mentioned. The reason for this, is that you are paying for advice. You are paying for a qualified adviser to advise you on which funds to buy, to monitor those funds on your behalf and to advise you as and when you should be switching from those funds to an alternative.

The bad press comes from the cases whereby having paid for such advice, investors subsequently fail to receive it (this brings us onto the need to select a good financial adviser in the first place, which, like the attributes that make a qualified adviser qualified, is the subject for a future post).

In conclusion, none of the above options are bad, they are just different. It is simply up to you to decide which best suits you and act accordingly.

Ross Naylor is an experienced UK qualified financial advisor who specializes in providing expatriates with impartial, transparent and common sense investment plans.

He writes frequently on a range of issues affecting would be investors. To sign up for his regular newsletter, follow this link - http://www.aesinternational.com/rossnaylor/e-zine-signup.

To simply find out more about how he works, visit his website - http://www.aesinternational.com/rossnaylor.

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Investing and the Past

Why is this economic slowdown happening? Arguably, excluding questionable heuristic adjustments, the growth path of the US excluding real estate has been slowing down since 1980 in real GDP terms. This is despite the illusory gains in asset valuations which partly resulted from reduced volatility (thus reduced discount rates), the bubbles which gave people hope for productivity gains, and the leverage which inflated the problem. This is very different than after the great depression - in 1943 we grew at perhaps fastest rate for any advanced nation in history.

When being good investors we often examine the situation of the world by drawing on what we see as similar situations in history. On this way we tease out the larger brush strokes of history. Indeed Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has drawn heavily on his knowledge of the Great Depression to guide the US through this crisis - implying that there is an analogy between that situation and this one and that

A broader question is: how we might use history to understand the present. Three quotes help frame different approaches:

a) "Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it"
b) "Those who live in the past can never move forward"

Or perhaps something between these two...

c) "History doesn't repeat itself but it rhymes"

One thing that seems certain when comparing the current to the last is that while good analogies are enormously helpful, one must choose the right ones and understand the differences. Good analogies are key but they have their limitations.

So what historical situation is this crisis "like" - what's the most useful analogy?

1) 1999 technology bubble. One could argue that this bubble burst but at least it left a legacy of progress in telecommunications and the internet which, while below expectations, has continued.

2) Oil Crisis that led to 1982 crisis? In this case, high oil prices and government mismanagement led to unhealthy nominal inflation rates - Volker correctly responded to rampant inflation with austere financial policy and the US emerged into a period of enormous productivity.

2) Is US like Japan in the 1980s? Japan was able to turn itself into an exporter to the US and keep a high savings rate.

3) The Great Depression? Perhaps but it seems that the proper analogy for the US in the great depression is perhaps China now - an exporter with strong industry who is beginning to flex global muscles.

Two books have invigorated a debate in political science over the extent to which history is relevant in global analysis. The first is Francis Fukuyama's The End the History and the Last Man and the second is Samuel Huntington's The Clash of Civilizations.

To overly simplify the arguments, the first argues that the political development of the world was over because democracy was soon to be the global rule and that democracies are stable and don't evolve (in the sense of feudalism - monarchy - capitalism/democracy, sort of a socialist dialectic the socialists thought led eventually to communism). So the world will soon reach a democratic equilibrium.

The second argues that a global struggle for power was emerging for the first time due to globalization. Islam, Asia, and the West were in a life and death struggle for supremacy and the outcome was in doubt. Both argue that a paradigm shift has occurred in global history unlike the past - that analogies are rather pointless. Which is right? Are we in a new age of history, is it "different this time"? It is important to know.

Phin Upham has a PhD in Applied Economics from the Wharton School (University of Pennsylvania). Phin is a Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He can be reached at phin@phinupham.com.

You can find more info here: Phin Upham

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Why Steve Jobs And Mark Zuckerberg Have Really Been So Successful

There are few entrepreneurs and business owners who wouldn't want to bottle and down the magic secrets of success that Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg seemed to have tapped into, if they could.

There is one thing that they both have in common that has really helped them develop dominating companies. No, it isn't a super gene or just a ridiculously high IQ, a great education, perseverance, a gift for getting technology or access to start up capital.

What has made Apple and Facebook different and has played a large role in their successes was the vision to create products and a business that would change the world and leave a lasting footprint, not just a focus on making the next dollar.

It is this macro, global vision that enabled them to develop these organizations into the behaviour shaping giants they are today. For new business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs, this doesn't necessary mean that you have to want to take over the world in order to be successful and of course many cannot afford to simply pump endless dollars into their organizations for years before turning a profit. However, the one lesson that all can take away from this, regardless of how high their goals reach is to follow what they are truly passionate about above chasing the next month's paycheck without consideration of future revenues.

There are many articles and books on finding your passion and turning it into a viable and profitable business, though perhaps Steve Jobs simplified the process the best in one of his quotes. It is said that he looked in the mirror every day and asked himself, if this was his last day alive would we want to be doing what he was doing. So what is it that you would want to be doing or working towards if you new you had limited time left on this planet and how would you fuel your ability to do that?

With this said, you can bet that both Mark and Steve employed a ton of testing, tweaking and paid a lot of attention to the details in order to see their visions become reality. So find your driving passion and fountain of ongoing motivation but recognize that it is also going to take planning and dedication to constant improvement and great marketing to get you where you want to go. So check the mirror and decide what you are going to dominate today.

Chuck Boyce is known as the Independent Executive. After achieving success quickly in the corporate world he decided to step off of the corporate ladder and make his business work for him. He is now dedicated to helping other entrepreneurs and business owners achieve the Independent Executive Lifestyle by creating business with a purpose, passion and plan. Find out more by visiting his site athttp://www.breakingfreeblog.com

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Discover The Many Benefits ICF Construction

Insulated concrete forms have been used as a building material since the 1960s. In recent years, however, ICF construction has become more common. The increase in the intensity and frequency of severe weather events, coupled with rising energy costs, has altered the industry perception of the insulated concrete form as an alternative material. Increasingly it is viewed as a mainstream building option.

Concrete forms boast many benefits over traditional timber framed building techniques. Of particular interest to homeowners is that they can reduce energy costs and are incredibly sturdy. From the developer's point of view they offer good design flexibility and can reduce building times. Add to this excellent fire resistance, improved sound insulation and a smattering of eco-credentials and the concrete form firmly establishes itself as the latest popular material of choice.

Rising energy costs are of concern to everybody. The use of insulated concrete forms can reduce home energy costs anywhere from thirty to ninety percent when compared to traditional timber framed houses. Unlike timber framed homes, they are airtight and provide continuous insulation. Additionally, the large thermal mass of the concrete enables it to absorb heat from daylight and radiate it into the home later on.

Homes constructed with insulated concrete forms are homes that are built to last. In some cases they are twenty times stronger than conventional timber constructions. Their continuous unbroken shell enables them to withstand the onslaught of hurricanes, tornadoes and earthquakes far more successfully. Those who own concrete homes are less likely to spend their time and resources on battling wood rot, pest infestation and the development of mold.

Insulated concrete forms are safe and are not manufactured from hazardous or toxic materials. Furthermore they afford homes far greater protection from fire. Even when subjected to temperatures of 2000 degrees Fahrenheit for over four hours the concrete shows no sign of structural damage. Whereas a timber framed building will facilitate the rapid spread of fire from one room to the next, concrete walls contain fire. This means occupants have more time to evacuate and firefighters can do their job more easily.

Insulated concrete also offers good sound insulation. A concrete building may have up to four times the sound insulation rating than that achieved by those constructed from timber. Comparatively speaking, they are particularly good at dampening noises from traffic, mechanical machinery and amplified music.

It may be contentious to suggest that concrete is a more sustainable material than wood. Nevertheless, its value in reducing fossil fuel consumption through increased insulation should not be overlooked. There is also very little waste involved in the building process and concrete forms are recyclable.

Insulated Concrete Form construction allows for imaginative and bold design as it is easy to incorporate features such as curved walls and arches. A variety of exterior and interior finishes are easily applied once the concrete has been poured. The building process is simple and quick. While the cost of materials is initially high, these will soon be offset by savings in energy consumption and maintenance.

The leading supplier of Insulated Concrete Forms for energy-efficient, green commercial and residential construction.

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