Leisure World, Laguna Hills, California (now referred to as Laguna Woods Village in the City of Laguna Woods) is the nation’s leading planned residential community for seniors. It was conceived and developed by Ross W. Cortese, who built the first Leisure World in Seal Beach, California in 1960. Cortese, a man of unlimited vision, believed that a void in housing existed for a person age 52 and over.

To find out what Seniors wanted he talked to civic leaders, doctors, clergy and groups of older people. He discovered that Seniors, those 52 and over, wanted a fresh new start in their lives after raising a family, fulfilling a career and, basically, just wanted to be free of household duties and the maintenance and up keep of a home. They wanted to enjoy their “Golden Years”!

Based on his research Cortese, working with a team of planners, architects, builders and designers, started Leisure World in Laguna Hills in 1963. His concept was to build a community that would cater to the needs of seniors.

The first manor (residence) was completed in November 1964 and the last manor in September 1980. Leisure World (the name was changed to Laguna Woods Village in October 2005) has approximately (2008 figure) 18,000 people who live in one of the 12,736 residential units (6,323 co-ops, 6102 condos and 311 units in two tower buildings), 7 clubhouse (originally 6 were constructed, but a 7th was added in 2005), 5 swimming pools, 10 tennis courts, 2 golf courses, an equestrian center, 10 craft shops, 2 garden centers, 2 RV storage areas, a library, 2 fully equipped fitness centers and over 200 clubs and organizations for residents to participate in. Add to this a “free” community bus service and a residence security service that patrols the 2,095 acres and mans the various entrance gates.

When completed Leisure World contained all the elements that Ross Cortese had envisioned in the early 1960’s, security, access to local health care facilities, nearby shopping, good transportation, cultural events and programs, excellent housing, recreational and educational opportunities and various other activities designed for Seniors to ensure their freedom and the opportunity to enjoy their “Golden Years”.

Right now it is a “buyer’s market” and we have many fine homes ranging in price from $122,000 on up to $350,000.  Patrick McNamee of Century 21 Rainbow Realty is an expert in this area, please check out his web site to get more real estate information about this active senior community: www.leisureworldre.com

Article contributed by Frank J. Hill, Broker/Owner Century 21 Rainbow Realty
Used with permission

Although Laguna Woods Village is one of the most affordable senior communities in Southern California, there are still financial requirements for purchasing a home in Laguna Woods Village.  For a Co-op, you need $125,000 in liquid, marketable, or income producing assets above the purchase price and $36,000 per year in income…  Now, family can co-sign with the resident (i.e. - your sister and you and help out your dad) in order to reach the financial requirements.  “Assets” can include equity in a property (do you or your sister own a home?), 401 k, IRA, stocks and bonds, income producing property, etc.
 
It is very common for a daughter or son to “go on title” 1% so their finances can help their parents move into Laguna Woods Village…  Also, another bit of information or “work around” that we have is any resident that gets a loan for more than 50% of the purchase price (i.e. - put down 20% cash and get a loan for 80% of the purchase price as an example) the financial requirements “may be waived” upon the judgment of the board.  We have found that the financial requirements will be waived for one or the other of the requirements if the resident gets a loan for more than 50% of the purchase price.  In other words, if you meet the income requirements but not the asset requirements - you are in - typically.

I don’t know if these financial requirements help in making the City of Laguna Woods one of the “Top 10 Safest Cities in the Nation”, which it is, but it sure can’t hurt!

Please see my web site if you have any further questions or would like more information about the active senior community of Laguna Woods Village, formerly Leisure World, at: www.leisureworldre.com

Hello fellow Americans.  We have been hearing a lot of talk about the government “bail out” of the mortgage market as a solution to this current financial crisis.  I’ve got a better idea, give the people who are in crappy ARM’s that they can’t afford the option of a gov’ment secured 60 year mortgage (at the prevailing interest rate)!  This will lower their mortgage to a manageable amount of money each month with the hopes that in another 7-10 years the prices of homes will go back up and then they can sell for a profit or at least what they owe on the home…  Also, make the 60 year mortgage “assumable” so another person can buy the home if the person just wants out entirely…  As an “incentive” for taking on this 60 year loan - for the new person that wants to buy the distressed property - throw them a “bone” of only having to come up with like 3% down or something - since they are taking a risk by purchasing this home and will have to stay in this house for another 7-10 years lets say, until the housing prices come back up again!

I am a real estate agent in Laguna Woods, Calif. (www.leisureworldre.com) so I know a bit about the mortgage market and how it works.
 
I am so surprised the “big wigs” in Washington have not thought of this idea.  Don’t “dismiss” the bad debt, keep it until prices rise again and then nobody looses!!  Shout it from the roof tops fellow Americans and pass this Blog entry around the Internet!

If you have land in Colorado or are planning to buy land for sale, you may want to consider installing a small wind turbine to supply your electricity needs. Wind power is rapidly becoming a popular choice of power for rural area homes. Take time to discover all you can about the wind turbine systems, their capabilities, costs, and savings they can yield to help determine if one is right for you.

Customers who use wind turbines on their Colorado land save money. You can lower your electric bill as much as 90% and many wind turbine consumers pay only $100 annually for their electricity even with a totally electric home. The cost to buy the wind turbine system and the amount of perpetual wind should all be factors to see if this is economically a good choice for you.

A small wind turbine is the best bet for rural Colorado land that’s just a few acres in size. The larger wind turbines aren’t always appreciated by neighbors and probably aren’t necessary to power your electricity. A small wind turbine on rural Colorado land should be at least 5-15 kilowatts in size in order to make a dent in utility bills. A typical home uses less than 10,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. A vacation or recreation property on Colorado land for sale today will use even less; so a small wind turbine should more than do the job.

There are tax credits and rebates available for wind turbines that you put on Colorado land for sale. The Small Wind Incentive Pilot Program (SWIPP) offer rebates up to $5,000 and the Highline Electric Association, Southeat Colorado Power Association, the Town of Este and the Sangre De Cristo Electric Association, Inc, have joined together with the Colorado Governor’s Energy Office to reduce the costs of the wind turbines and the cost for installation on Colorado land. Buyers of Colorado land for sale are also eligible to receive credit for excess energy that their home wind turbine systems produces.

The Colorado Governor’s Energy Office has partnered with Sangre De Cristo Electric Association Inc., the Highline Electric Association, the Town of Estes and the Southeast Colorado Power Association to reduce the costs of the wind turbines and their installation on Colorado land. You can also be eligible to receive credit for excess energy that their home wind turbine systems produces, if they buy Colorado land for sale. In addition you can receive credit for the excess energy produced by your home wind turbine produces on your Colorado land.

Generally a home uses less than 10,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. A recreational or vacation property on Colorado land for sale will use even less; so a small wind turbine should be more than adequate. Larger wind turbines aren’t always highly regarded by neighbors, making a smaller turbine with at least 5-15 kilowatts in size a better choice, still able to handle the electricity load.

A real estate investing FAQ discusses frequently asked questions about real estate investing. Real estate investing means different things to different people but there are basic questions about investing in real estate that most real estate investors want to know. These questions are what make up the real estate investing FAQ.

The most common question about real estate investing is where to invest. If you can find the best place to invest then you will make money. But it is difficult to find a good place to invest. Most investors look and look and still cannot find a good investment property.

If you happen to luck into a great property, then then next real estate investing FAQ is usually, what to do with the property to make money. Real estate investing is not just about buying, it is also about negotiating the prices, dealing with banks, dealing with owners, dealing with contractors and so on.

Once you found a home to invest in, the next real estate investing FAQ is how to buy it. To buy a property, you cannot just send in the check, you have to deal with writing an offer, do the inspection, check the title, get the insurance and much more. Each step requires a lot of work and working with many professions such as contractors, realtors, inspectors and even the banks.

Some of the work can be done on paper whereas lots of work has to be done on site. Investors need to be sure that the property is as good an investment as the paperwork says it is. There are many investors that invest in properties that turn out to be money sinkers. By the time they found out it is too late to back out of a deal. A real estate investing FAQ can provide the investors with enough information to avoid such situations.

Sometimes, you will have to deal with people who don’t want to deal with you to get your property. Homeowners in foreclosure, for example, are unhappy sellers but they need your help and you need to buy their property. Sometimes you will deal with the bank directly such as in buying REO or real estate owned properties. Real estate investing FAQ will prepare you for what to do.

As you can see, real estate investing is complicated but a good real estate investing FAQ can help new investors prepare for their investment properties. Investors need to learn to work with various people involved in a real estate deal such as realtors, insures, title companies, courthouses, homeowners, and the banks.

Oregon has unlimited options for a vacation site so picking one should be easy. You can go to Sunriver, Bend, Portland or the beach just to name a few. The hardest part about picking a destination is deciding how long you want to be there and where you want to stay. Spending time with your loved ones should be exciting and full of happy memories. You should not have anxiety and frustration in them what so ever. So pick your destination and time carefully but most of all pick a good place to sleep!

Most people decide to stay in a hotel, they are easy to find and usually located in central locations. For instance, staying at Lincoln City, a popular vacation site at the Oregon Beach, there are many hotels to choose from. Some offer ocean views, beach access or breakfasts. But as a smart consumer you should consider what you are getting for your hard earned dollar.

When staying at the beach most people want a hotel with beach access or and ocean view that is affordable. A hotel with a beach from or ocean view can run anywhere from $80.00 a night up to $200.00 a night in Lincoln City. Even if you decide you do not need a beach front or ocean view room, hotels can still range from $50.00 to $100.00 a night. Everyone has different criteria, but I think we can all agree that a hotel needs to be within your selected price range.

So let’s look at what that hefty price tag will get you. Most hotels offer a continental breakfast which let’s be honest usually leaves something to be desired. Most continental breakfasts offer muffins, bagels and other pastries along with coffee and juice. Now let’s be realistic, most people are going to be hungry shortly after eating, this is just not enough to keep someone satisfied. So what do you do, you go out to eat and get some real breakfast like bacon, eggs, waffles and pancakes. So by staying in a hotel you might think you are saving money on food but really you are not.

This shouldn’t even be a selling point, but many hotels say they offer clean and quiet rooms! Now, to me this should be a given! Let’s examine this advertising a bit shall we. Every hotel I have stayed at, house keeping usually comes around nine in the morning. A quiet room, now how can this be when you can almost always hear people running the halls all hours of the night and you can usually hear your neighbors TV. This is not my idea of a good nights sleep! Then of course check out is usually eleven, so after you have been up most of the night, you need to get up early enough to check out and miss house keeping, so that means your alarm must go off at eight in the morning. I don’t want to feel rushed while on vacation, I am sure you feel the same way!

So what is a smart consumer like you to do? Well, the answer is simple, vacation home rentals. At Lincoln City there is a vacation home to fit all budgets. Most homes run from around $100.00 to $250.00 a night depending on your wants and needs. Vacation homes are the best kept secret in vacationing. Most people think they are too much money so they stay in a hotel instead. But is all actuality they are only a little more and the benefits far out weight the extra money! You can bring your own groceries and cook in the comfort of your own home so if you want pancakes you can have pancakes! No more strange muffins and weak coffee. Usually the homes in Lincoln City have ocean views and the beach is only a short walk if not right in back yard. There are no annoying people next door with a loud TV and no children running the hall ways. House keeping simply comes when they see you have gone. Assuring you will all have a nice quiet sleep in a clean home.

Sometimes you need to spend a little in order to have good memories and a fun vacation. No one wants to look back in ten years and remember that vacation as the worst ever! Renting a vacation home can help with that. You need to decide what is most important to you and what criteria needs to be met in order for you to pick that location. Is it saving a few extra dollars worth sacrificing a peaceful, relaxing vacation with your family, the choice is yours but hurry your sanctuary awaits.

Wholesaling Great investment Real estate in Jackson Ms is what I do best and if you are looking for a state that has some great properties you need not look any further.

If you live in the area I can easily help you find the properties you are looking for. I have a stellar reputation in business. One must have a phenomenal reputation when doing business or you will watch your business go down in flames. By being a good business person, your name will get you jobs by word of mouth, clients, and more.

The difference between me and many other investors is I am a true wholesaler. A true wholesaler makes a small amount on many deals and passes all the profit or equity to the end buyer. Most investors try to make a bunch of cash on each deal. A true wholesaler is opposite. That is why they move so many properties.

We will also rehab properties for investors who do not have rehab experience or lack the contacts to get the rehab done. My business is a family business and my mother runs the rehab crew. She could give all those tv guys a run for the money.

One time I even had a bad experience where the contractor didn’t do the job right. I had to go back in there and fix it. That all came out of my pocket. With the money I would have made on the house, I didn’t make as I kept my word on the cost it’d take to rehab. Not one penny profit. My word is worth more to me to the investor than making money. I do what I say I’m going to do. I am a man of my word. A man of my integrity.

Each time I have had to do that it always has come back in the form of another sale by a satisfied coustomer

If you want jackson ms wholesale properties then I am your man. That is what I specialize in and have worked hard to build relationships and build a network that allows me to pick up deals cheaper than anyone else and also sale deals cheaper than anyone else.

The ‘use’ factor and customer profiling in buying an apartment building Okay

OK, so it finally hits you that investing in real estate is the best possible move you can make with your money. With your heart is set on buying an apartment building, your search for reading material on the topic has brought you to this article. So what do you need to consider when making this investment?

So it finally hits you that investing in real estate is the best possible move you can make with your money. You would like to buy an apartment building, your search for reading material on the topic has brought you to this article. What one thing do you need to consider when making this investment?

With that profile in mind, think then of what the average client would need if he/she lives in your building. For starters, regardless of who you rent out to, people will always need basic amenities near by. You have to ensure that the apartment building you buy is located near a grocery store, entertainment facilities, medical facilities and the like. You should note that although people might have cars, they wil like driving for more than 10 minutes to get the basic necessities. For example, in an emergency situation, no person would like to drive more than 10 minutes to get to a hospital.

With that profile in mind, think then of what the average tenant would need if he/she lives in your building. Regardless of who you rent out to, people will always need and want basic amenities near by. Thus, you have to ensure that the apartment building you buy is located near a grocery store, entertainment facilities, medical facilities and the like. You should note that although people might have cars, they do not like to driving for more than 10 minutes to get the basic necessities. For example, in an emergency situation, no person would like to drive more than 10 minutes to get to a hospital.

john krol Boomers Bank

Use is possibly the most important factor when one is to make a purchase. Combine that with customer profiling, and you have the recipe for success. However, always remember that you shouldn?t venture outside your comfort zone unless you absolutely have to. Comfort zone here refers to areas with which you are familiar and have possibly had experience in previously. This point is important always but even more when you are initially starting out as a real estate investor. When starting out, stick to what you know and try out new things only when you feel you have a handle on the situation. And always, always, keep your eyes and ears open to absorb whatever information you can about your location so that you are never left in the dark.

There is a new book out called Boomers Bank you can get it for Free by going to blog.ira-401k-realestate.com

It’s a sad fact, but many Americans lose their houses to foreclosure every year. Some lending institutions aren’t always thorough enough in checking a person’s ability to make repayments, and others don’t really care. And of course, there are times when a change in conditions happen, leading to the owner being unable to meet their mortgage payments.

Whatever the cause of a person getting behind on their mortgage obligations, the process from that point onwards is fairly set. Initially, the lender will file a public default notice. This initiates the foreclosure process, and at this point the home officially enters the pre-foreclosure phase.

So basically, pre-foreclosure is like a grace period. The owner is being warned that they’re in arrears and need to do something about it. At this point, the lender is not able to get the home and sell it to make back their expenses. The length of the grace period varies, as it’s established by state laws. Some states allow the grace period to last for as long as 6 months, but many states have shorter periods.

Once the home goes into pre-foreclosure, there are a number of ways the owner can avoid having their home foreclosed on and sold by the lender.

Selling The Home

This is probably the best solution if making the payments is likely to be an continuing problem. By selling the house, the owner should be able to get a reasonable price for it. If the owner waits and lets the lender sell it, the sale price is almost certainly going to be much lower, because the lender just wants to offload the home as quickly as possible.

This is often a great time for a real estate investor to approach the owner with a fair offer to buy the home. However, many people in pre-foreclosure go into denial, and instead of trying to make the best of a bad situation, will actually avoid taking action until it’s too late. Many also don’t understand the long-term harmful effect a foreclosure can have on their credit score.

Nobody wants to face foreclosure on their home, but at least the pre-foreclosure period gives the owner the opportunity to find a solution - such as a Short Sale - that’s a little more favorable for them.

Short Sales

By using a Short Sale, your home is saved from foreclosure, thus helping you to keep your credit rating. The lender wins by avoiding timely and costly foreclosure proceedings. And, the buyer of your home wins by getting a solid property at a good price.