There are a few ways you can use your land wisely. One way to start is as a home builder; When you have bought a piece of land for this purpose, do some homework. Find out if the people who would buy the houses prefer a development where the houses are large but on a small plot of land; or they would pay more for a custom home on a large property. This knowledge will help you determine what type of houses to build; And maybe if it should include features like a man-made lake or a large clubhouse.

These days totally self-sufficient communities are being built. This is where you can live, work, shop, and participate in recreational activities within the boundaries of the community. These places are especially popular with retirees and the elderly. Knowing what kind of community people want to live in will definitely help you develop your land wisely. Then it will prove to be a fantastic investment for you.

In another smart use of the land you can find property acquisitions that will allow you to build commercial buildings. This is a very good move. People need places to work, places to shop, places to go for sporting events or cultural activities, even places to study and research for school or for a job, such as libraries. Again, find out the needs of the inhabitants of the land you bought. Then plan a project that they can benefit from and improve the financial well-being of that city.

A completely different way to use the land wisely is to leave it in its natural state and develop it enough for people and wildlife to visit. We are talking about places like national parks and forests; or land that includes a body of water, such as a natural lake or small pond or even a fountain or waterfall. All living creatures, large and small, animal or human, can enjoy this land. Perhaps you own a property near an ocean or an even larger lake that contains a beach. Think how wonderful a private or public beach can be for both local residents and out-of-town visitors. This is a wonderful use of both land and water. While they are there, it is likely that they will be able to observe water birds and fish and other types of creatures that inhabit a beach.

Yes, there are many ways that a land owner can develop it wisely. All it takes is a little research and patience; as it will not be an overnight project. However, if you are prepared every step of the way, one day many, many people will be able to enjoy the fruits of your labor. With this advice in mind, go ahead and invest in a piece of land. Think of all the people who did this before you. You will find that you too can use your land wisely.

Trading real estate isn’t for everyone, but it is the fastest way to make money in the real estate business. Most everyone has heard of someone who bought a “run down” home at a good price well below market value, fixed it up, and sold it at a fair market price. Trading a “top fix” is definitely a way to make a reasonably quick profit. I know a few people who do it this way, but they are more in the contractor and renovation business than the investor mindset.

Some of these “superior repair” properties are in need of extensive repair and will involve electrical work, carpentry work, and the like. If the investor gets involved and does some or all of this work, then there might be enough profits there, but if the investor works with the required labor, the profits could be consumed quickly. For these types of changeable real estate investments, the purchase price should be heavily discounted and would normally be somewhere in the foreclosure stage.

For the person who is in the mindset of investing rather than in the renovation business, investing in real estate will only involve changing the property’s paper contract without even taking possession of it. You can turn around by signing an agreement to buy a property and then selling the contract to another investor before the escrow closes.

Using this technique won’t even require you to put your name in the title. Generally, the returns will be less than those of the top investor who repairs, but it involves much less work and the whole process is much faster. A repair investor would not be happy to make a profit of a few thousand dollars for a few months working on renovations, but an investor who can simply change a contract for a few hours or days of work would be.

Avoid disclosing your earnings to the new buyer by using a double close.

After making a good deal and changing a contract that involves a hefty profit, you may not want all of these details to be revealed to your buyer. The solution is a double closing, transferring the property to you initially and then immediately reselling it at the same attorney’s office just one hour later to your buyer.

There’s a downside here and it’s a double set of closing costs so you’d have to weigh it to see if it’s worth it for your particular situation or not. Also, you can use a title insurance company for the actual closings. For the issuance of the title insurance policy, the title insurance company will prepare the closing documents and close the transaction generally at no additional charge.

1. Prices too ambitious An owner’s home is unique and special to him or her. They chose this house above all others, made it their own, lovingly maintained it, and tirelessly updated it. It is natural that, above all others, they overvalue the property as a competitive product in the real estate market. A quick tour of the Zillow.com For Sale by Owner listings highlights this issue where the vast majority of owners value their listing significantly above the Zillow Zestimate. While the Zestimate is not the last word in market analysis, it tends to be very close. Additionally, the data used for a Zestimate reflects homes sold by realtors, as they sell the majority of homes in the U.S. These sales are typically 10% to 18% higher than homes sold by the owner.

2. Don’t update- Often times, decorating a home is perfect for the current owner, even if it was last done years before. Unfortunately, buyers generally expect updated décor, appliances, mechanicals, and exteriors. Otherwise, they devalue the home by the amount they estimate it would cost to make the home look and feel as good as it is today. This amount tends to be more than what the upgrade would actually cost, so it makes sense to get the work done before the home is marketed. If this is not possible, the cost must be taken into account in the sale price. “For the price we ask, they should take it as is.” thought doesn’t fly, they won’t.

3. Lack of commercialization A sign on the lawn and a Craigslist listing is not enough in today’s highly competitive market. Marketing is successful if a buyer had to live under a rock to be unaware of the price. Presentation is equally important. A home must look wonderfully attractive to compete with the professionally photographed and rendered listings typical of today’s real estate agent submissions. A great way to do this is with a flat rate MLS listing. Find out more links at the end of this article.

4. The imaginary buyer The sales capacity of a house can be determined by the size of the group of buyers present for a particular house in a given location for a range of prices – how many buyers are looking for a house like this. Sellers often envision a buyer who would be interested in their listing at the price they want. This phantom buyer probably doesn’t exist, or if he did, he would probably buy something at a more competitive price.

5. Inflexibility Every situation is different. What appears to be the best way to sell is often frustrated or unsuccessful. When this happens, the lack of reassessment and reorientation often renders the process deadlocked. The real estate environment changes slowly and often not in the desired direction.

6. Creative financing Homeowners often receive “creative” offers from prospective buyers who have an unfortunate tendency to fail or cause serious financial harm to the seller. These prospects have often been rejected by property owners represented by real estate agents who know they should not engage in shady deals with unsubstantiated buyers.

7. Don’t rate- Homeowners often accept buyer contracts that are not credible. The result is usually a crash, back to where you started, or litigation. A buyer must be qualified before even viewing the home.

8. Availability- Homeowners must be available 24/7 by phone or email to answer questions about the home and schedule visits at the convenience of qualified buyers. If they have to wait, they will usually see something else.

9. Negotiations Lack of negotiation skills costs salespeople millions of dollars each year in the United States. Homeowners attract willing, willing and able buyers to defend them. These same prospects would have little luck in the small-time sellers represented by Realtor who are highly trained and experienced in negotiations and can spot a wheel dealer from a mile away.

10. Do not consult a Pro- Even if there is some compelling reason not to use a real estate agent to handle the sale professionally, not having one available to avoid devastating situations that can often destroy an otherwise viable sale. The next best person to consult is a real estate attorney; no transaction should be done without either of you; there is too much at stake in the outcome.

If you are just entering the foreclosure market, you will notice that there are a few different types of foreclosure listing services. Paid and free. Obviously, you want to minimize your costs, so you start by looking through the free foreclosure listing services first. How can it cost you anything if it’s free? Well, you have to remember that your time is not free and you may be wasting your time looking at a free foreclosure listing service.

Most of the free general foreclosure listing services that I consider are not worth your time unless you are just gambling. If you are serious about seeking foreclosure, it can usually be worth the investment to pay for a premium foreclosure listing service. When it comes to foreclosure listing services, you really get what you pay for. The free ones are often full of outdated listings or just inaccurate or incomplete data. Some of the foreclosure listing services that are labeled “free” will require you to upgrade to a premium membership ($$$) if you want to view the details of a listing. What a scam! Why bother wasting your time?

The only foreclosure listings that have been helpful to me are the bank-owned directories provided by banks or other financial institutions. These can include Washington Mutual, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, etc. Each of these companies will likely have some type of bank-owned listing section on their website. They want maximum exposure, so they won’t charge you to view the listings. The only problem is, there are a ton of different lists that you will have to go through. If there are five foreclosures in your neighborhood, you may need to visit five different websites to find out about all of them.

Paid foreclosure listings are generally worth it if you are a serious investor. Yes, all the information on their websites is technically publicly available elsewhere for free, but they do the service of making sense of it all, compiling it, and organizing it in a way that is easy for you to find and understand. If you are successful buying and selling foreclosures for a profit, the nominal fee of $ 50 per month will seem negligible. If that fee brings you thousands of returns, it’s worth the investment.

However, if you are not a professional investor and are not sure if you are going to buy a foreclosure soon, but just want to scan the market to see what is available, you may want to avoid paid foreclosure lists. The problem is that most have some kind of “trial” offer. Unfortunately, you must cancel before the trial ends or else you will start charging the monthly fee.

Here’s the article that shows you how to go from totally broke and homeless to becoming a billionaire in 90 days or less.

Step 1) You are homeless, so find a place to live. Under a bridge or in a homeless shelter or you meet a friend and ask if you can sleep on his couch. (time: 2 days)

Step 2) Try to get whatever little advantage you can. That means anything from a) borrowing from family friends. b) get welfare c) find where you can get a free meal d) work some temporary jobs e) maybe buy and sell something for quick money i.e .: sell tickets at a game or something f) finish your resume and get placed online and in print. (time: 2 days)

Step 3) At this point, let’s say you’re at least barely stable. However, you are still unemployed. Then you start applying for a job. It makes it a challenge to see how many places you can apply or interview per day. As the winner of the Guinness Book of World Records for running at 500 locations per day and interviewing at 10 of those locations daily. Like you turn it into a marathon. You literally apply for “any job” within your city. Anything from the CEO to McDonalds. And you set a goal to have a job in 1 week or less. 2 max. (time: 2 weeks)

Step 4) At this point it hasn’t been a month and you have a place to stay and you have a job. You get your first paycheck. At that point, his time on his friends’ couch or at the homeless shelter is over. So you say goodbye and find someone who rents a room there at home for a very low price. You rent it and move in. (time: 2 weeks)

Step 5) With your next paycheck, buy a used computer and start using it after work. You work 8 hours, you sleep 8 hours, that gives you 8 hours to surf the web. So, use that time to start learning how to invest in real estate. Just study everything and anything you can find about real estate investing on the web. Your goal is to become “an expert” in real estate investing. You join all the real estate clubs in the area. Find a real estate mentor. You buy a good real estate housing study course. Use your travel time to listen to audio about real estate investments, etc. (time: 2 weeks)

Step 6) Start networking with other real estate investors. And go the extra mile to meet the biggest players in the real estate investment club. You make up some business cards. Exchange with them and get to know them. You try to have one of the most important players be your mentor. This is done simply by befriending them. Then you start making connections.
And start looking for potential investment properties on online MLS listing sites. (time: 1 week)

Step 7) You keep saving money from your day job, you keep networking, you keep learning how to invest in real estate, and you keep working on your story. You have now saved enough to start your real estate business. Print some business cards. Buy $ 500 cheap because that will be important. Follow a cheap. A cheap briefcase. And you place an ad in your local newspaper and online classifieds that says something like, “Get 10-15% Annual Return on Investment. Your Name on the Property Title Provides a 100% Guarantee of a Safe Return. Call 555-555-5555 “. (time: 2 weeks)

Step 8) You will start receiving calls from interested investors. You want to find someone who has money and good credit. of which you don’t have any yet. When they call, they ask “what is this about?” You say, “I’m a real estate investor. I buy houses that would be great to sell or rent. I have several great investments right now. Can you sit down with me for coffee and I’ll show you some? Of them, how does Tuesday sound? at 3 pm? “. You meet with them. You park your old, rusty $ 500 cheap car on the block so the customer won’t see it. (ha ha) You meet the angel investor (client) and show him some of the listings you printed from the MLS that you already considered good investments. You ask the client to put in the money and credit to get the mortgage. That is part of the investment. Your part will be to orchestrate the house move. So you say to the client: “Look, I’m an expert in these things. You put in the money and secure the mortgage on the property, then I do the rest in terms of cosmetics and change of house. Then once we sell the property, We will split the profits 50/50. You will show them how your ROI will be much higher than the 15% you originally promised. How they will be in the title as an owner so that they are 100% insured. “You also connect with people from the real estate club who offer this treatment. You may have to talk to 100 people to find 1 that bites. (time: 2 weeks)

Step 9) You have found your angel investor. Get them to agree to work with you in writing. You get verification of your ability to finance the deal and you have the credit to get the mortgage. Next, find a home that would make a great home move. You get them to provide you with the funds for the initial payment. You tie up the property. You get the investor to see their mortgage broker to obtain a mortgage on the property. Ask your attorney to draft the paperwork that also secures your part of the project in writing so that when the property is sold, you get half of the funds. So that both you and the investor know in writing what your commitments are. (time: 2 weeks)

Step 10) Buy the house. One that doesn’t need tons of reindeer. So you mow the lawn, paint the front, and clean it thoroughly. Put it on stage. Put it back up for sale. And flip it for a very healthy profit. After all expenses, his flip went reasonably well and he made a net profit of $ 40,000. You are an angel investor and you get $ 20k and you get $ 20k. Now that your angel investor is happy and has some confidence in you, start working with them regularly. Just rinse and repeat. You get them to do another and another with you. Let’s say on average you can pocket $ 20k per project. You do 5 cartwheels and now you have $ 100k saved. At this point, you can probably start doing cartwheels on your own.

Step 11) You use that $ 100k to make your first pitch. You find an amazing deal, buy it, or work with your mortgage broker to buy it for an established income mortgage. You flip it over and this time you pocket the full $ 40k. Keep doing it now. You change another 10 properties. $ 40kx 10 = $ 400k. At this point, you convert your operation to a larger scale. Hire some newbie real estate investors to work with you. Train each of them to go out and find deals. It finances them. They do the job of flipping them. And you pay them a salary plus a small commission for the successful launch. Now, with a team, you can do at least one jump every week. So in no time you’ll see monthly earnings of over 100,000.

Okay, this is where it gets interesting … But you have to visit my website to find out how the story ends. See you there.

How many times have you heard that you want me to spend my money on your show? Why do they always want me to spend my hard-earned money on this? Or maybe it’s the ever popular one. It took me a month that I never paid for a job and I’m not going to start now! Have you heard this before or am I the only one? Of course you have heard it and it is probably the main objection that prevents you from getting those sales that your sponsors say are so easy. I don’t know about you, but as for me, these are the two most common along with the ever popular ones, I’ll see how you do it and if you make a lot of money I’ll join! If you believe that, maybe you still believe in Santa Claus!

So what is a person to do with these objections? How can you personally overcome them and overcome mediocrity? Because that’s what we’re really talking about, sorry to be honest with you, but that’s the way I am. Every day we, that means that you too, have to deal with our destructive side that does not want to be positive and do our best and have the success that is possible. These two questions are really one and the same and it breaks down where the money comes in and they don’t want to part with a single penny. In fact, they believe that it costs them nothing to go to work at their job. Of course this is a fallacy and you are really wasting your hard earned money and more than you think. So how do you get over this objection? What is the magic formula? You can take some time and look at the expenses they have and break it down like that, for example, how far do they drive to get there and is your time worth nothing? You can point out that their transportation is costing them gas, maintenance, and repairs. Another thing is the cost of the clothes they have to wear due to their work or the stress and strain they are putting on their bodies and it will cost them their health. These are all valid points one should keep in mind when getting a job and also keeping one, but they still don’t answer the real question behind the question. So what is the real problem, what motivates them? Well, here it is, they don’t think it works. Deep down, they are at war with conventional ideas that have been brainwashed since they were at the knees of a grasshopper.

They do not believe in themselves and that is why they do not dare to dream or if they have the dream they do not have to get up and go and make it happen. They have been told that they have to work hard to get ahead and save all their money and have a savings fund to lean on as they age so that they can retire and live out their days rocking in the rocking chair on the front porch. That is the dream that they have been force fed and think is the good life. And yet when we take a look at what is happening today, we see millions of people who have had this dream shattered into a million little pieces and wonder, how am I going to be able to retire and keep my home? Questioning themselves and the system that has been completely erased and facing the harsh reality that the game has changed and the rules are different. They can’t trust the conventional wisdom that has gotten them so far because it doesn’t work anymore! Many are bankrupt and jobless with foreclosure looming over their heads and for millions more the boom has set in.

I hear you say OK, but what do I do to be successful? That’s the million dollar question everyone is asking today. With mass layoffs and job losses approaching 10%, we have entered an area very unfamiliar to most people. Many have lost their jobs and, along with their income, are falling behind on mortgages and, if they are not in foreclosure, they are getting closer. It is not a joke and nobody laughs. So we go to the Internet and we hear them say that you can earn a lot of money if you follow their program. Have you heard that some guys have a proven program that someone else made a lot of money with and now we’ve packaged it up and you can do the exact program for only $ 99.98 a month? This is just a silly change, they say, and you buy it and end up with a couple dozen e-books that you could have found for free on the internet. Guess what they forgot to tell you that you are the fool and that yes someone makes money but it is not you.

Why did you fall in love with the line? Because you may not have been taking care of yourself and seen the money and had an impulse buying moment. Now after you’ve done this a couple of times, you start to get tired, you don’t trust anyone, and you say: This whole internet thing is bullshit and no one is good and this is a scam! It’s all a scam and why did I think I could make money online? In fact, there are people who make a good living on the same Internet that, according to you, is full of scammers and charlatans. It’s true and you can earn a lot of money too! So how do you find the right company and how do you make money online without scamming people? First of all, you need to establish some kind of way to distinguish the good from the bad, the right from the wrong, and the undertaking that is going to pay off and not scam you.

I learned a long time ago about the “T” closure and I think this really works. The story is something like this; “Everyone knows one of the wisest men of America’s early years, his name was Benjamin Franklin. He was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence and wrote Poor Richards Almanac among many other achievements. Now when Benjamin Franklin I wanted to make a decision I would take a blank sheet of paper and draw a “T” dividing the paper in half. On the left side of the paper I would put the word Yes and on the right I would put the word No. Today we would use the words Yes and No Respectively, he would then think of all the reasons for and against the problem or decision he was facing and listed the Yes and No’s on the paper and fulfilled the answer that was evident from the number of Yes and No’s that were on the paper. If the Yes were more than the No, he would do what the Yes said and, conversely, if the No win, he would not do what I was considering. Now this was a closing technique that I used very effectively in the business. sales in e l that I was involved with at the time. Everything works because you can really form your opinion that way.

So now, when you come across a business opportunity that sounds like a good deal to you, you can use Benjamin Franklin’s “closure.” Take an honest look at the business and make that T on your blank sheet of paper and list on the left the reasons why it would be a good decision and on the right the reasons why it would be a bad decision and then you will have a basis for making a decision based on reason. This is just one way of making a decision that turns out to be one of the best closings you can use in the sales business. It is old but reliable.

This article is titled How to Respond to Objections and perhaps I have not handled the many objections that we all face in marketing today, in fact, you may not have even handled the objections that I wrote about in the first few paragraphs. They are; Have you heard, do you want me to spend my money on your show? Why do they always want me to spend my hard-earned money on this? Or maybe it’s the ever popular one. It took me a month that I never paid for a job and I’m not going to start now! What I’m saying is, it’s not really about the money 90% of the time. More than money, it is about the perceived value, the perceived value of the product you are selling. They don’t believe what you are bringing to them when you give them your sales pitch. Why? Perhaps you have become insistent or perhaps indecisive. Maybe you haven’t put everything together to a point where they can see that what you’re trying to tell them is beneficial to them.

People are funny that way! What do you do at this point, do you keep the pressure or do you aim? It is 4th and goal and you have the ball, what is your game? This is the point where most give up and settle for less than perfect. So what is the answer? Have you even thought about what the customer needs and wants? There is something missing in the sales business and that becomes something called customer service. We all want what we want, but when it comes to those things called human beings, there is baggage that comes with it. Your job is to figure out what kind of luggage it is and deal with it. Not only that, but also treating it in a way that is beneficial to the customer. Everything falls apart in what many people call the Golden Rule that says this; “Do to others what you would like them to do to you.” In other words, if you don’t like someone lying to you about a product, service, or business opportunity, don’t lie to them! Easier still, you don’t like to be ripped off, so don’t cheat on others! If you say you are going to do something, do it!

Handling objections becomes easy if you are fulfilling your obligation to your clients, it just works that way. So as you strive to succeed in your line of work, you will find that when you help those you serve as a representative of the business you own or work for, you are truly helping yourself. So do the world a favor and try to take someone with you.

Rev Steven Potts

When most people ask the question “How much does a vinyl pool liner cost?” They usually look at the cost of replacing a vinyl liner in their pool. The cost of purchasing the liner itself is only part of the cost of installing a new liner in your pool.

This article will answer these two questions. First, the price of the siding is based on the physical size of the siding itself, and second, whether the siding is wholesale or retail. Finally, the liner itself can be for an above-ground pool or an in-ground pool. On the ground, pool liners are more expensive, as they almost always have a neat, bespoke shape that is specifically made to fit that exact pool. Vinyl above-ground liners are often manufactured to fit generic pool shapes, so they are less expensive overall.

Bead style liners such as those used in inground pool installations are more expensive than the overlay style liners used in above ground pools. A floor covering can cost $ 600 to $ 1,200 retail and $ 300 to $ 800 wholesale for dealers and installers.

A typical pool installer will increase the price of the liner by a few hundred dollars to 100% of its cost. When you add pool and liner inspections, repairs, and installation at that price, it’s easy to see why some people are interested in finding ways to lower the cost of installing a new vinyl liner.

If you buy a vinyl liner online, you will get almost the same discount as a professional pool installer from a local supplier. This can be a great way to save more than a little money, up to half the cost of siding, except for one very big problem. Most vinyl siding installation professionals will not install a siding that a customer has measured and purchased outright, and if they do, they mark their labor costs so high that any savings made by purchasing a vinyl siding from this way is canceled.

With in-ground vinyl liner pools, you can average the cost of installing the liner at around $ 3,000 to $ 5,000, which would include the liner, pool preparation, and the installation itself. The retail cost for in-ground liners is around $ 2,000- $ 4,000 with actual costs of about half of these values ​​if you can find wholesale discounts.

The best way to reduce the cost of installing a siding is to buy one online wholesale and install the siding yourself. This process can easily be completed in a weekend by two relatively inexperienced people, with professional installers performing more than three installations a day in the summer.

This would allow you to avoid all artificial cost increases such as markup, labor, taxes, and ensure that an unscrupulous siding installer doesn’t overcharge you. In most cases, the tools required to install vinyl siding are minimal and little or no specialized tools or skills are required.

Larger above ground pools are actually as easy or even easier to install than many small above ground pool liners. Large siding also have the highest markup on retail price, as well as installation costs, so the larger your siding, the more money you can expect to save.

Items like ladders and wall lights can add to the cost of installing your liner and free-form pools are generally more difficult to measure and install than rectangular-shaped pools. All pools should have a visual inspection and pressure test of the plumbing system before installing a new liner to protect your investment.

One of the smartest ways to add stylish decor and depth to a room, crown molding is a subtle alternative to many of the over the top trim some people fill their homes with. For years, moldings have been made almost exclusively from wood, resulting in a process that requires very detailed calculations, expensive tools, and woodworking skills. Foam, on the other hand, represents a newer, simpler, and more cost-effective alternative that can give you the same appearance as wood without all the work.

The lightweight, flexible foam crown molding requires little more than adhesive to install and is easily cut by hand with a sharp carving knife. The “softness” of the foam means you can be generous with your cuts, as the foam will compress when it fits into a tight space, creating perfect joints and seams while hiding imperfections. Making a spongy material like foam look like a more solid product is what occasionally causes people to question its ability to genuinely replace wood as a molding material. Actually, the process of painting foam trim gives the installer the ability to make the foam look like any other medium. In this post, I’ll give you a rundown on how easy it is to paint polyurethane foam trim and end up with a beautiful new space.

There are two methods of painting foam trim, and you decide which one is best: spray paint or brush paint. Spray paint requires less work, fewer materials, and is faster, but doesn’t give you maximum detailing capabilities. Brush painting allows you to replicate the design or appearance of any other molding medium, but is a bit more labor intensive than spray painting.

Spray Paint Foam Crown Molding

After measuring and cutting the foam trim sections, prepare a workspace in a well-ventilated area where accidental overspray is not a problem. Putting a large tarp or tarp in the garage, basement, or even on the ground outside on a quiet day works well.

When your area is done and your trim is spaced out on the canvas, apply thin, even coats, being careful not to over-saturate the foam. As an absorbent sponge rubber, trim will take longer to dry if it does. After all parts are painted to your specifications and allowed to dry for the proper amount of time, your crown molding is ready to mount.

As stated above, spray paint has an advantage over brush painting in terms of speed and ease. Preparing the area, painting the foam, and letting it dry are the only steps before mounting. The downsides to spray paint are little more than personal taste. There will be limitations to spray painting depending on the nature of your application; Two-tone or intricate designs will not be practical. Additionally, the foam will retain its fluffy appearance with the spray method. The polyurethane foam that most manufacturers use has a small enough cellular structure that it is indistinguishable from a solid at a distance from which it will be seen, but it is still a consideration to take into account.

Brush Paint Foam Crown Molding

For people who have an intricate or custom paint job in mind, or who prefer to have a solid, smooth surface on their trim, brush painting is the right choice.

Unlike spray paint, brush painting requires that the foam be covered with a diluted gypsum joint compound as a sealer before painting to create a smooth surface. Also unlike spray paint, trim will need to be mounted prior to sealing and painting. Mounting first gives you the benefit of foam compressibility to create clean corners and seams before hardening the material with sealer and paint.

Once the foam has set, protect the room from paint and joint compound with protective rags and painter’s tape. When you’re done with the prep work, prepare your drywall compound mix. You will want to dilute it until it is the consistency of paint.

Once you have finished mixing, apply a thin coat over the entire surface of the trim. Joint compound should dry quickly, so in a medium-sized room, you can start applying a second coat as soon as the first round is done. Only two coats are necessary, but if you prefer to add more, please do so. Once you’ve finished applying the drywall compound, allow the trim to dry completely for 24 hours.

The next day, the trim will be ready to paint. It should not be necessary to sand dry joint compound unless a defect is detected. If you need to sand the compound, use the finest grit sandpaper possible and wear a respirator or mask. When you are satisfied with the surface of the siding, proceed to paint the trim as desired. Once the paint dries, remove the drop cloths and tape and you have a newly transformed space that you upgraded with a fraction of the time, money and effort required for traditional crown molding.

Final advice

Lastly, there are a couple of tips that apply to any of the painting methods. First, avoid oil-based paints for foam. There is little reason to use them anyway, as latex paints are more affordable and you won’t need weather resistance indoors. Second, the foam itself may be bright white when you first buy it. If you plan to have a white crown molding, you will still need to paint the foam, even if it matches your room. This is because the foam will naturally yellow as it ages. This is a purely cosmetic change and does not affect the quality, but by painting it you will ensure that it will always be the color you want.

Find out what you can do about it

When utilities are included in the rent of an apartment complex, some tenants will naturally consume more than others. High utility users, even if they represent a small group of tenants, can increase costs substantially. Since these cost increases are effectively hidden in the rent, residents who use utilities responsibly subsidize those who do not.

So a question to consider is how much do high-end utility bills increase? Does it make financial sense for a landlord to include utilities or bill tenants directly? If a homeowner decides to abandon the included utilities model, what options are available?

The Challenge of a Master Meter Multi-Family Community

A landlord is more likely to include utilities in the rent when their multi-family complex has a master water, gas, or electric meter. The downside to a master meter community is that there is no way of knowing how much of a utility each resident is using.

If I’m one of those residents who runs the heat continuously, lets a broken toilet valve leak without reporting it, or keeps the air conditioning on even when I’m not at home, it’s my neighbors who pay most of the bill. The usual feedback loop that links the amount I pay to the amount I consume is missing. Without this feedback loop, you are more likely to consume carelessly.

As we are about to see Careless or abusive consumption can increase multi-family utility expenses by up to 70%!

The RUBS example

Suppose you own a 150-unit complex, each apartment has two bedrooms, and the property has a master natural gas meter. The complex uses 7,500 ccfs of gas during heating months and the rate is $ 1.00 / ccf. If you were to use a ratio utility billing system or the RUBS method to determine the approximate usage for each resident, it would be 50 ccfs.

Assuming the monthly rent is $ 750, $ 50 would be allocated to the cost of gas. (See Example 1 in the Supplemental Information section at the end of this article.)

Moderately high users and their influence on utility expenses

Let’s consider a different case in which 10% of tenants (15 households) use 200% more gas than the average. The property’s total gas usage remains at 7,500 ccfs. Average gas users (135 households) consume 41.7 ccfs each and moderately high users consume 125 ccfs each. The gas portion of the rent should have been $ 41.70, but residents actually paid $ 50. High users created a rent increase of $ 8.33, a 20% increase in the portion allocated for utility expenses. gas. (See example 2).

High users may be increasing utility costs by 70%!

Now let’s look at the case where 10% of residents are really heavy users and consume 700% more gas than average. (While this may seem like an over estimate, many experts believe that high utility users will consume at this level or more when they do not pay for utilities directly.) This high usage can be the result of: running the heater continuously, leaving the windows open when the heater is on, or undetected maintenance issues.

In this scenario, average gas users consume 29.4 ccfs each and high users consume 235.3 ccfs each. The gas portion of the rent should have been $ 29.40, but residents actually paid $ 50. High users increased the rent by $ 20.59, a 70% increase in the portion allocated to gas spending. (See example 3).

High users didn’t actually double total gas spending, but they were pretty close. Our group was also relatively small: only 10% of the residents. Imagine the effect if a higher percentage of tenants were heavy users.

“Utilities included” is not that attractive to tenants

If the landlord in our example had billed the utilities separately, they could charge $ 700 for the rent, and the gas bill would be $ 29 to $ 50. A lower rent is clearly more attractive to tenants. Separating utilities would also encourage the community to use gas more responsibly, reducing everyone’s total housing costs.

Transition of “included utilities” by submetering

There are two very effective ways to separate utilities from the rental rate and bill tenants directly. The first, the utility sub-metering, offers the greatest benefit to tenants and landlords. When supported by the water lines, electrical disconnect panels, gas lines, or central heating system in your multi-family residence, you can install a wireless sub-metering system. The sub-meters measure the individual consumption of each resident and the data is used for billing.

Submetering serves landlords and tenants

Sub-measurement helps homeowners by increasing net operating income (NOI) and property value. It protects them from paying for residents’ overuse or losing money when utility prices rise unexpectedly. Metering provides useful data that can be analyzed to detect maintenance issues, leaks, and other issues, ultimately saving landlord and tenants money. This data can also demonstrate the energy efficiency of your property compared to others.

Submetering is the best and fairest way to bill tenants for the use of utilities. It has been repeatedly shown to reduce utility consumption by 15-35%, known as the “conservation effect.” Not only do tenants benefit financially when they conserve, but they are no longer responsible for the consumption habits of their neighbors.

The “conservation effect” in action

Let’s say you decide to submediate your property and the conservation effect causes consumption to drop by 35%. In our example, the use of the property would decrease from 7,500 to 4,875 ccfs. This would reduce the average resident’s gas bill from $ 50 to $ 32.50, generating a notable savings of $ 17.50 per month. (See example 4).

Sub-measurement quickly pays for itself

A wireless heat metering system for a 150-unit complex with central baseboard radiation heating can cost $ 30,000. Although sub-metering systems generate a return on investment (ROI) in less than 12 to 18 months, the initial expense is a concern for many owners.

To minimize out-of-pocket expenses, some owners finance the equipment through a leasing company. In other cases, a nominal fee for the metering system is included in each resident’s monthly bill. Since the sub-measurement is a benefit for tenants and landlords, it follows that both must share the expenses.

In an ideal world, federal and state agencies would recognize the powerful effect that submetering has on conserving scarce resources and offer affordable rebates and financing vehicles to homeowners. This strategy would accelerate the implementation of sub-metering systems in the millions of existing multifamily residences, massively reducing the consumption of public services.

“Rubbing” your way to a higher NOI

The second approach to separating utilities from rent is to bill tenants using a RUBS method. Depending on the size of the apartment, the number of occupants, or some other factor, the owners divide the utility costs among all the residents. When gas is “rubbed” in, apartment square footage is the most commonly used metric.

Implementation of a RUBS system has also been shown to have a conservation effect. A research study conducted by the National Apartment Association (NAA) and the National Multiple Housing Council (NHMC) reviewed 32 properties in three states and found that RUBS generated a reduction in water consumption of 6-22%. Although it is a minor conservation effect, it is still an improvement over the situation caused when utilities are included in the rent.

The benefit of RUBS to tenants is that by conserving, quickly reporting maintenance issues, and minimizing waste, they can lower their utility bills. Owners benefit because RUBS does not require a cash investment. Additionally, RUBS holds landlords financially liable for the utility consumption behaviors of their tenants.

The main downside to RUBS is that high-utility users still don’t pay full price for its overuse. However, compared to “utilities included”, it is a remarkable improvement and one of the smartest and fastest ways for a homeowner to improve bottom line results.

Summary

Multi-family residences that include utilities can allow a small group of high users to significantly increase utility expenses and rents. To avoid this, landlords can separate utilities from rent by installing a utility sub-metering system or by using RUBS to bill residents directly. Resident billing creates a financial incentive for residents to use utilities wisely, increases landlord profits, and all parties save money.

– End –

Supplementary information

Example 1

• Total monthly gas usage for the property = 7500 ccfs.
• Gasoline rate = $ 1.00 / ccf.
• Total cost of gas = 7500 ccfs. x $ 1.00 = $ 7500
• Average resident bill = $ 7,500 / 150 units = $ 50

Example 2

• Average user consumption = 41.67 ccfs per household.
• High user consumption = 125 ccfs per household.
• The gas bill of the average users should have been = $ 41.67; residents actually paid $ 50
• Average users paid a “penalty” of = ($ 50 – $ 41.67) / $ 41.67 = 20% increase.

Example 3

• Average user consumption = 29.4 ccfs per household.
• High user consumption = 235.3 ccfs per household.
• The gas bill of the average users should have been = $ 29.41; they paid $ 5
• Average users paid a penalty of = ($ 50 – $ 29.41) / $ 29.41 = 70% increase.

Example 4

• Total monthly gas usage for the property = 7500 ccfs
• Adjusted usage (35% reduction after submetering) = 7,500 – (7,500 0.35) = 4,875 ccfs
• Average resident bill = $ 4,875 / 150 = $ 32.50

Like much of the American economy, the commercial real estate market has fallen in recent years. However, according to Moody’s Investor Service, US commercial retail prices have seen modest increases from November 2009 to January 2010. This is from a record low in October 2009. Is this the start of a recovery for commercial real estate and particularly what’s the trend in the Minneapolis area? The following are opinions given by two real estate agents, who have a combined experience of 45 years in commercial real estate.

What is the current situation in your opinion?

First, it is important to understand that the problems in commercial real estate are not the same as those in the current residential real estate crisis. The residential real estate crisis was caused by a large amount of bad debt allowed by too lax rating standards. There is no such thing as commercial insolvency; Instead, many companies collapsed due to a long and deep recession, thus creating much more inventory on the market. Apparently, the rate of company bankruptcies has slowed down and it appears that most of the companies that are still in business now are going to survive. Many of the larger corporations have actually improved their cash situation. There is no “poisonous” debt that has yet to “get through” like in the case of residential real estate. However, this does not mean that we will not see commercial foreclosures yet due to the economy. The economy must continue to improve so that companies can start investing again. We believe that the worst is over, in fact, for the first time in several months we have seen a bit of user activity (companies looking to buy or lease). Before that, all the activity was from companies looking to sell or lease spaces. This does not mean that we hope things will prosper anytime soon. Even companies that are in good financial shape are more reluctant to make a move right now, because there is still a lot of uncertainty. We see that the buying process is taking much longer and lease commitments are being made for shorter terms than in the past. Many reports we see suggest that money will start flowing back to commercial real estate in late 2010.

What are some of the main factors that could affect recovery?

An important factor is fear. Businesses are afraid to make big changes right now. If the economy continues to improve, we believe there could be a significant pickup in acquisition activity as companies gain confidence. The industrial and retail sector tends to lead the recovery, while the office space tends to follow. We need to see continued strengthening in retail property sales to start moving. There are a significant number of “big boxes” (ie, large retail outlets or distribution spaces) that are on the market right now. Retailers and distributors are going to think hard before purchasing a 450,000 square foot facility. We see that these types of properties are unoccupied for a long time, unless someone comes up with creative ways to use them.

Are there still good “deals” in terms of property acquisition?

Rental rates are still at an all-time low. Even if average prices have risen slightly across the country, we think it should be able to bottom out or very close to minimum rates. Now would be a great time to negotiate some long-term lease rates.

How does Minneapolis / St. Paul compare to the rest of the nation?

While things have slowed down significantly in this region, we are not seeing the devastating situation Detroit is experiencing with the auto industry recession. We also see New York, San Francisco, and Washington DC as hit harder than Minneapolis. The Twin City area has a fair amount of diversity and has a high concentration of businesses in Health and Medical Technology. These markets tend to do better in recessions than other industries. There is a possibility that the Twin Cities will experience a strong economic recovery before many other regions of the country.

When was the last time commercial real estate flourished?

The mid-1990s through the early 2000s were very good times for commercial real estate. After September 11 there was a big recession. Commercial real estate rallied between 2003 and 2005 and was actually booming for the 2 years prior to the October 2008 stock market crash.

When do you think it will start to thrive again??

We believe that the industrial sector of this economy needs to expand significantly so that we can see the type of activity that occurred during the 1990s. The dot-com boom in the late 1990s created a huge expansion in the technology sector. When the industry thrives, the demand for warehousing and manufacturing space increases. Office space continues as growing companies expand their support functions. The jobs created by the industry stimulate the retail industry, which continues to drive economic growth.

The medical technology sector could be a segment that could help commercial real estate in the Minneapolis area. While this area has been weaker of late, the population of the US (and the rest of the world) continues to age and should stimulate increased demand for medical technology and health products. Additionally, the drive to reduce healthcare costs could create increased demand for technology to improve efficiency. The medical industry is one of the few industries where nearly 100% of its manufacturing is still in the US, so a boom in medical technology could create storage, manufacturing space, and storage needs. more office space.