Consider Buying a 2nd House in Bulgaria

A brief information regarding Laws of property ownership in Bulgaria

Keywords:

bulgarian property, bulgarian property investment, bulgarian property investments, real estate Bulgaria, realtor in Bulgaria

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Property for Foreigners

There are no obstacles for foreigners to get the title for buildings, as well as real rights (right of use, right of construction). Up to now there is only one restriction: it is not allowed by law for foreigners to become owners of the land under the buildings they have bought. They are not allowed to buy agricultural land as well (this is a Constitutional prohibition). This is true for physical persons. All restrictions become irrelevant if foreigners set up or join a company incorporated under the Bulgarian legislation, which can acquire full land ownership rights including ownership rights on agricultural land. Therefore one of the most common methods for foreigners to buy property in Bulgaria (houses with courtyards, land etc) is to set up a company which then owns the land and the buildings.

It is considered that in Bulgaria a real free market for land will be established some time after Bulgaria becomes part of EU. This historical restriction is one of the reasons why property in Bulgaria is so investors in Bulgaria

There are several guarantees competitively priced compared to Western and Central Europe.

Legal treatment of foreign for foreign investment in Bulgaria:

- National treatment

- Most favoured nation status

- Priority of International Treaties

- Legal Guarantees against Adverse Changes in the Law – the provisions of the Law that have been effective at the moment of making the investment, should be applied for any foreign investment executed before the changes of the legislation setting up legal normative restrictions for the foreign investment.

- Protection against Expropriation – real estate property owned by a foreign person can be expropriated only on lawful grounds.

Preferred Types of Business Organizations

The obstacle for foreigners not able to own land in Bulgaria (a law that is liable to change soon) can be overcome by incorporating a company in Bulgaria and owning the land as an asset.

The most common form of organization is a Limited Liability Company. Other types are General Partnership, Limited Partnership, Joint Stock Company, Sole Proprietorship, Joint Venture, Holding, Cooperatives, Branches and Representative Office.

Buying A Franchise

There are many good reasons to pursue your dream of owning a successful franchise. For starters when you buy a franchise you are buying a proven system.

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Buying A Franchise

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Buying a franchise can be a life changing experience. There are many good reasons to pursue your dream of owning a successful franchise. For starters when you buy a franchise you are buying a proven system. Buying a franchise comes with the advantage of knowing that the business has been successful in other locations. The idea and process of running this business has already been proven. Therefore the learning curve in operating the business can be virtually eliminated.

When you are buying a franchise your are also buying an established customer base or brand name. Most franchises are already recognizable to consumers. The brand awareness provides security and trust to the customer who expects uniform quality to be provided. Therefore a customer base is already established.

You can also benefit from any advertising or promotion that the franchiser (owner of the franchise) does at the national or local level, without absorbing the cost. The franchiser can also provide input to the franchisee on a local marketing plan.

If you buy a franchise you also receive ongoing support. Training and support is usually always part of the deal. Since the franchise company has a vested interest in how well you do, ongoing training, system upgrades, product enhancements, and question and answer resources are provided. The franchiser offers experience to franchisee in such areas as accounting procedures, personnel and facility management, and business planning.

Also, many times obtaining financing for buying a franchise is easier since the franchise name and reputation are usually recognized by the lenders. Therefore, banks are more likely to fund the franchisee. In addition, relationships with suppliers are already established; affording the opportunity to buy in bulk, enabling a great deal of savings for the business.

The first step when buying a franchise is choosing an industry you are interested in or have prior experience in. There are many great franchises out there to choose from. Auto franchises and coffee franchises are very popular franchises but it is important to research the each opportunity before investing. It is recommended you sit down with a Franchise Consultant and decide if buying a franchise is right for you.

Buying Mortgage Leads Exclusively

If you are a loan officer or mortgage broker, you may be on the market for mortgage leads. If you have no interest in sharing these mortgage leads with anyone else, you may want to consider buying them exclusively.

Keywords:

Sales, marketing, loan officer, mortgage, leads, telemarketing, skills, training, communication, selling,

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If you are a loan officer or mortgage broker, you may be on the market for mortgage leads. If you have no interest in sharing these mortgage leads with anyone else, you may want to consider buying them exclusively.

If you decide to buy your leads exclusively, you can plan on paying a bit more for them. As opposed to buying old or recycled leads in bulk or at two dollars a lead.

An exclusive mortgage lead should not only be exclusive to you and you only, it should be sold to you in real time.

A real time exclusive mortgage lead is one that is delivered to you within seconds of the applicant filling out the on-line application.

If a real time mortgage lead is any older than a couple of hours, it can hardly be called real time, let alone exclusive.

My suggestion to you if you are considering buying exclusive mortgage leads would be to take your time and research the mortgage lead companies you are thinking about investing your money in.

Remember, you work hard for your money, so make sure the mortgage lead company you invest in will get you a return on your investment.

Be sure to call the mortgage lead company and speak with a live person.

Ask the customer service representative where they obtain their leads, and how they are delivered. Also, ask what the time frame is between the potential customer filling out the online form and you receiving it.

If the answers do not live up to your expectations of what real time exclusive mortgage leads should be, than move onto the next mortgage lead company.

Keep searching until you find the mortgage lead company that guarantees they will sell the lead to only you, and that they will deliver it promptly. If they can’t have it at your e-mails door step within seconds of receiving it, than keep searching until you find the company that will. Your time and money will be well spent, trust me.

Foreclosure Listings Home Buying Tips

Foreclosure Listings Home Buying Tips.

Keywords:

foreclosures, foreclosure listings, home buying, home buying tips, home for sale

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Home buying is a big deal, but it doesn’t have to be difficult.

People buy homes for many different reasons. Most buy for the sole purpose of living the American Dream, others use the home buying market as an investment tool, and some even use the margins inherent in real estate transactions as their daily income. Many homes are sold each year as foreclosure listings. These can be purchased for a significant discount over market value.

There are many factors one needs to consider when buying a house, whether to live in or as an investment opportunity through a foreclosure listings directory.

First and most important is do the research. Know what you’re buying.

One of the most important factors to research when buying a home is location. City, State, and, even neighborhood should all be considered carefully.

We’ve heard it said over and over again. “Location, Location, Location”

So why is location so important? Well, unless you plan to live in the house forever, eventually, you or your estate will want to sell it. You want the home to appreciate in value. You also want to be able to sell quickly. What you don’t want is a house for sale sign sitting in your front yard for years.

It doesn’t matter how wonderful your property is, you'll have a very difficult time trying to sell your home for top dollar in a bad neighborhood in a reasonable amount of time. This doesn't necessarily mean that it's a bad home. It simply means that there will be less demand. That’s not what you want when you decide or have to sell your house.

One needs to apply a neighborhood litmus test when buying a home. Things to consider include schools, nearby growth and development, and convenience. Local governmental agencies often list a school district’s rankings. This information can also be found on the Internet. If all else fails, real estate agents have access to this information and can be very helpful. The value of your home will appreciate much more if it is located in a neighborhood with good schools.

New construction nearby also plays a great role in improving the value of a house and should definitely be considered when buying a house. A neighborhood which is on the outskirts of a new development will benefit from the higher prices of the newly constructed homes. If, however, the neighborhood exhibits signs of decline, one should think twice before buying that house.

One other item to consider when looking for a house for sale is it’s proximity to places of convenience like shopping centers, transportation hubs, and parks. Remember, someone else will be house buying from you in the future. It will happen. And… They will be looking at the same factors at that time.

Buying Toys Without Favoritism

As the holidays approach, many people find themselves in the position of buying toys for several children. The one factor that many people find themselves facing is having a strengthened relationship with one child in particular makes it very easy to buy for that child while the other child may not share the same degree of closeness which makes it ever more difficult to buy an appropriate gift. In many cases, this issue really comes down to gender. Gender based relationships can seem to have a certain ease. Many people simply feel more comfortable with a child of one gender versus another. This is much more common than people realize, but in an attempt not to look like they are showing a favorable side to one and ignoring the other, these issues are often left un-discussed.

Keywords:

buying toys gifts

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As the holidays approach, many people find themselves in the position of buying toys for several children. The one factor that many people find themselves facing is having a strengthened relationship with one child in particular makes it very easy to buy for that child while the other child may not share the same degree of closeness which makes it ever more difficult to buy an appropriate gift. In many cases, this issue really comes down to gender. Gender based relationships can seem to have a certain ease. Many people simply feel more comfortable with a child of one gender versus another. This is much more common than people realize, but in an attempt not to look like they are showing a favorable side to one and ignoring the other, these issues are often left un-discussed.

If you are concerned that you are attempting to thwart discomfort around such a difficult issue, its perfectly natural to want to draw away, to get the kids something routine or mundane to avoid the perception of favoritism. The truth is, whether you ever admit or not, you do have a favorite. Use this as a positive instead of a negative. There are many ways to go about this. For the purposes of explaining we will use one boy and one girl, brother and sister, although with family dynamics as they are, you may find yourself struggling with greater numbers and greater influences than just two children.

If you already know what you want to get for the child you are more at ease with, then by all means, go ahead. This is now your margin. Gifts dont have to cost the same to be valued the same way. If you spent fifty dollars on one you can still spend thirty dollars on the other without appearing to be playing favorites. The truth is in the value the child places on the gift will determine its worth. However, buying one child a bike and one child a package of underwear makes things a little obvious and cruel.

Youre ultimately trying to develop a higher comfort level with the child you are having a difficult time purchasing for. Start, if you can, by spending a little extra time with that child. Notice things about them, even if you dont understand them. Maybe she likes to play dress up and tea parties and house and you are just at a complete loss because you never played like that when you were little. Thats okay. Youre just paying attention to the way she operates. Maybe you notice that she needs new art supplies or her bedroom is in the middle of being redone and she loves the color pink. These simple things can guide you along the way. Youre not necessarily trying to purchase a gift that you think is so cool, but one that she will think is so cool.

If you are unable to spend extra time with her, alone, then try talking to the child you have a tighter bond with. If you tell him you dont know what to get his sister for Christmas, he may very well be able to rattle off all kinds of things that youll be able to get for her. Often, brothers are well apprised as to what their parents got his sister for Christmas. Siblings often have a unique insight into each other. They may not always like each other much, but they usually do understand a lot about each other.

Parents of the child, assuming that it is not your child, are one of the best resources available to you. Just ask. If they can, they will help you out. Of course, parents also tend to reply with cost effective answers, as parents of children are not usually willing to spend other peoples money on their child. If you have already purchased a gift for one child, tell them this and tell them what it is so that they have an understanding of what youre spending on the kids. This only clarifies communication, it isnt a chance for you to toot your own horn. Often parents will respond directly in correlation to the gift you already purchased for the other child.

If youre really at a loss and you cant find a good, healthy way to determine what it is that you are planning on purchasing, try buying numerous smaller gifts. Chances are, by spreading it out a little bit, youre going to nail the horse on the head with something as little and reasonable as finger nail polish, a new dress up set, or anything else that you can think of that would work well in a set. It may initially appear that you are giving “more” to that child, but chances are the kids arent really counting when theyre both happy.

Buying at the top – Wachovia’s mistake

The real estate market greatly exploded over the last five years with the biggest shift happening in the past three years. All good things must come to an end, and unfortunately this real estate boom is over. People who have bought in the past six months have been buying at the top, and even large companies have made this mistake. One company in particular is Wachovia Bank. Its recent purchase of Golden West Financial for $26 billion is a prime example of a ‘buying past the peak’ investment.

Keywords:

real estate,real estate bubble,real estate crash,real estate protection,real estate eBook,mortgage,recession

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The real estate market greatly exploded over the last five years with the biggest shift happening in the past three years. All good things must come to an end, and unfortunately this real estate boom is over. People who have bought in the past six months have been buying at the top, and even large companies have made this mistake. One company in particular is Wachovia Bank. Its recent purchase of Golden West Financial for $26 billion is a prime example of a ‘buying past the peak’ investment.

Two of the primary drivers of this real estate market mania have been people’s belief that they must own real estate coupled with a second factor of low interest rate mortgages.

The first driver is people’s fervent belief that they must buy real estate, but this ‘herd mentality’ is beginning to change. Speculators buy homes as investments and these investors have been a large source of the demand for real estate in the past few years. Now, not only have speculators stopped buying but they are also selling the properties they own. As a result, inventory of homes for sale are at astronomical levels.

The second driver of the real estate market has been low interest rate mortgages. Interest rates bottomed out in June of 2003 and have been rising ever since. As a result interest rates are substantially higher than they were only 12 months ago and they only have one way to go – up. Higher interest rates are needed to help slow down inflation. Inflation has recently caused consumers to really begin feeling a pinch in their wallets.

In order to cope with higher interest rates and high real estate prices, banks have thrust adjustable rate mortgages onto the American public. Since March 2004, there has been a 59% increase in one-year adjustable rate mortgages. These mortgages start out with a low interest rate, but quickly rise after the one-year introductory period is over. Moody’s has reported that an astounding $2 trillion of adjustable mortgages will reset between 2006 and 2007 and this will really cause foreclosures to rise like never before.

Rise they have as mortgage foreclosures nationwide increased 38% as reported by RealtyTrac Inc. Mortgage defaults will only worsen with higher interest rates and more adjustable mortgage rate resets. What bank is infamous for specializing in adjustable mortgage loans? The answer is Golden West Financial bank.

Adjustable mortgages will be the primary cause of the coming mortgage meltdown and ground zero for this will be overpriced areas such as California, Florida, and New York. Golden West Financial concentrated their adjustable mortgages in California, one of the most overpriced real estate areas in the country. Wachovia was so absorbed by the real estate bubble it paid the highest price ever per share for Golden West.

So what happens when many of Golden West’s clients foreclose on their properties because they cannot afford a 50% jump in monthly mortgage payments? Wachovia will feel the pain as they are forced to sell these mortgages to investors for pennies on the dollar. Do not make the same mistake; learn all about the markets and economy. It is important to know there is still time to prepare yourself for the real estate bubble bursting and the coming recession. Go to www.MyRealEstateBubble.com for more information.

Differentiate in house buying the wants and the needs!

The chief constraint in house buying is your budgets so take care before the wants, your needs of the house is satisfied. Put your emphasis on discovering a house that takes account of all your needs and as much as your wants and in you’re predetermined budget.

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Searching a new house is a time intense process. The wants and needs of house buying have to be differentiated. You have to prepare a list in an endeavor to blend and choose your choice of prosperities. The house buying should not be decided based only on needs; it should be well distinguished based from your wants too. It is worse choice to miss out a house that might miss out the need and that mostly fascinated only by the wants of the house. The wants of the houses can be changed according to the needs of the house but there cannot be any compromise on the needs. This type of jotting out things would help you to discover what was that needed of a house buying. Care should be taken so as to avoid confusion of needs from wants. The chief constraint in house buying is your budgets so take care before the wants, your needs of the house is satisfied. Put your emphasis on discovering a house that takes account of all your needs and as much as your wants and in you’re predetermined budget.

Some needs of a house that you might look out for:

•Space of living should be good enough for a comfortable living that is your living room should be spacious for the number of people in your house and these searching criteria should be fulfilled.

•Number of bedrooms should be adequate so as to lodge your family.

•The number of bathrooms also should be taken into account

•The storage facilities and the storerooms should be sufficient enough.

•Proximity to nearby shops, schools, hospitals, pharmacies etc.

•Abundant place for the children that includes the ground and the playing room

Some wants of the house for the best outfit:

•The floorings, roofing’s and the window of the house should be checked for.

•The amusement center in your own house.

•The paint color that includes your external and internal colorings

•The type and brand of appliances used.

•Fancy materials for the show off to your house

So concluding these factors the house buying, one should keep in mind while buying, the purpose of it. The goal is to find a house that would match your search criterion based on needs rather than conditions based on want. Searching a house based on needs is better one and the best example is the parking facility of the house. This is a need of a house if the house buyer has a car and he needs to park it everyday. So care should be taken to fulfill and differentiate these needs and wants in the perusal of house buying. So better thing is to prepare a list containing these needs and wants and preparing a scoreboard based on the checklist so prepared. Above all the biggest thing is to see if these wants and needs fit well within your budget constraints. Once on getting a apparent outlook on all these decisive factor the next step should be process of house searching and that will become easier deal and a grand success.

Buying Out Minority Shareholders under the Companies Act 1985

An article on minority shareholder rights and forcing a sale of minority shares using sections 459 and 461 of the Companies Act 1985

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minority rights, minority shareholder rights, minority shareholder protection

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Rights of Minority Shareholders
In the decision of the Court of Appeal in Profinance Trust SA v Gladstone (Case No: A3/2000/0435, 2 July 2001) ('Profinance'), the rights of minority shareholders to have their shares purchased by other shareholders or the company under Sections 459-461 of the Companies Act 1985 (as amended) was extensively considered by Robert Walker LJ. It was concluded that the general purpose of these provisions is to provide a shareholder who has been unfairly prejudiced by the conduct of a company's affairs with a remedy more flexible and less drastic than a winding up on "just and equitable" grounds.

However, Walker LJ observed:

'It is well known among company lawyers that although Sections 459-461 were intended to provide a fairly summary remedy for minority shareholders who have been unfairly prejudiced, proceedings under the sections often become bogged down in a mass of written evidence containing numerous accusations and counter-accusations reminiscent of petitions and cross-petitions alleging cruelty under the old divorce law.'

Companies Act: Sections 459 & 461
Section 459(1) of the Companies Act 1985 (as slightly amended by the Companies Act 1989) provides as follows:

'A member of a company may apply to the court by petition for an order under this Part on the ground that the company's affairs are being or have been conducted in a manner which is unfairly prejudicial to the interests of its members generally or of some part of its members (including at least himself) or that any actual or proposed act or omission of the company (including an act or omission on its behalf) is or would be so prejudicial.'

Section 461(1) and (2) of the Act provide as follows:

'(1) If the court is satisfied that a petition under this Part is well founded, it may make such order as it thinks fit for giving relief in respect of the matters complained of.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1), the court's order may:

(a) regulate the conduct of the company's affairs in the future;

(b) require the company to refrain from doing or continuing an act complained of by the petitioner or to do an act which the petitioner has complained it has omitted to do;

(c) authorise civil proceedings to be brought in the name and on behalf of the company by such person or persons and on such terms as the court may direct;

(d) provide for the purchase of the shares of any members of the company by other members or by the company itself and, in the case of a purchase by the company itself, the reduction of the company's capital accordingly.'

It was observed in Profinance that there 'is a good deal of authority as to the circumstances in which Section 459 is engaged and as to the wide nature of the powers conferred on the Companies Court by Section 461 if it is satisfied that a Section 459 petition is well founded. Many of these cases are concerned with the circumstances in which the court should direct a purchase of shares under Section 461(2)(d) and with the basis on which the shares (almost invariably a minority holding) should be valued.'

In a "quasi-partnership" case where the petitioner is not at fault the court tends to favour an undiscounted share of the value of the company as a whole.

Date of Valuation and Interest under the Companies Act
The main question in Profinance was two-fold:

1. Does the court have the power to set an appropriate valuation date for the share purchase?

2. Does the court have the power to award interest from the date of valuation to the date of payment?

As to the appropriate valuation date, it was held that the court has a wide discretion in the matter. However, even a wide discretion to do what is fair must be exercised judicially and on rational principles.

As to the power of the court to award interest under a Section 461 order, it was held that an order for interest is not beyond the powers of the court. The court can make adjustments in the valuation process which means that the court is actually valuing shares, not as they are, but as they would have been if events had followed a different course; and that practice is regularly followed by the court in orders under Section 461(1). In these circumstances, it was held, a denial of the court's power to award interest would be unacceptable.

Fair Valuation Date under the Companies Act
According to Walker LJ, the authorities show that there are two main considerations which the court has to bear in mind in deciding what valuation date is fair on the facts of the particular case:

1. One is that the shares should be valued at a date as close as possible to the actual sale so as to reflect the value of what the shareholder is selling.

2. The rival consideration is that the date of the petition is the correct starting point. This is because the date of the petition is the date on which the petitioner elects to treat the unfair conduct of the majority as in effect destroying the basis on which he agreed to continue to be a shareholder, and to look to his shares for his proper reward from participation in a joint undertaking.

Although the Court of Appeal in Profinance opted for the second (i.e. that the date of the petition should be the valuation date of the shares) as the better stating point, it did conclude that there may be circumstances where fairness would require that another date be used. Another date, according to Walker LJ, may be more fair in the following cases:

where a company has been deprived of its business, an early valuation date (and compensating adjustments) may be required in fairness to the claimant.
where a company has been reconstructed or its business has changed significantly, so that it has a new economic identity, an early valuation date may be required in fairness to one or both parties. But an improper alteration in the issued share capital, unaccompanied by any change in the business, will not necessarily have that outcome.
where a minority shareholder has a petition on foot and there is a general fall in the market, the court may, in fairness to the claimant, have the shares valued at an early date, especially if it strongly disapproves of the majority shareholder's prejudicial conduct.
but a claimant is not entitled to a "one-way bet" and the court will not direct an early valuation date simply to give the claimant the most advantageous exit from the company, especially where severe prejudice has not been made out.
all these points may be heavily influenced by the parties' conduct in making and accepting or rejecting offers either before or during the course of the proceedings.
Also, it should be noted that recent case law has clearly established the reluctance of the courts to allow section 459 of the Companies Act to be widely used to force the company's hand when its controlling shareholders not acting improperly. The clear message from the courts is that the parties are expected to behave like adults and talk to each other with a view to one party being bought out.


http://www.kaltons.co.uk

Buying and Selling Restaurant Equipment Equals Big Money

If you are looking to make a lot of money in a field that few people dare to dive into then you should look at buying and reselling restaurant equipment.

Keywords:

beverage air, used beverage air, beverage air cooler, resaurant equipment, restaurant equipment

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If you are looking to make a lot of money in a field that few people dare to dive into then you should look at buying and reselling restaurant equipment.

You can go out to local auctions or store closeouts and purchase used restaurant equipment for pennies on the dollar. You can find items such as Hobart Mixers or Beverage Air Coolers and steal them away for a couple of hundred bucks. You will need about a thousand to get a decent start in the business, but you might look for an investor to really give you business a huge push. Once you have purchased your first lot of items from your local auction then it is time to clean up the equipment and then test it. A little elbow grease will go a long way, and you can increase the worth of your product just by taking the clean the grease off of it. Then plug the item in and check to see if it works, if it does you will pull in double to triple what you paid for, and if it does not work then you can just sell it broke, and still make a couple of bucks off the item.

The biggest problem with selling restaurant equipment is space. You need to move the equipment fast enough so that you are not wasting space, and you are profiting even with the cost of storage. With that said you can always start with your garage and work up to a storage unit, and then when you are up to the big boys you can purchase a warehouse.

If you are looking to get started in business then you need to learn about the different brands, and also you need to learn everything you can about ebay. Ebay is the easiest way to branch out nationwide. You will also need to learn about freight and how to freight an item, and be sure to watch you cost. You can many times shop the different freight companies and find one that will work with you at a discount if you are going to give them a lot of return business.

I think this is one of the biggest money making businesses that you can start with low capitol, and build up. I don't believe in starting in the hole, so I would start with one auction and build up from that. I have friends in this business that I work with and they can do 25,000 in sales in a couple of days on eBay. It is important that you understand this business is a lot of hard work. But, if you work it correctly you can reap the benefits of success.

So, if you are looking for a huge return on your money, and don't mind working for it, then you should take interest in restaurant equipment. Remember buy used because it's cheaper and has a higher profit margin. EBay is your best friend in this business, and I would advise you to find someone that is doing this already and see if they will show you the rope of the business, and try to get a jump start.

Buying and selling Rare books via the internet.

The Internet is made up of thousands of tiny niche markets. Each of these niche's have specific ways of communicating with each other.

One of the most dynamic markets on the Internet right now is for books and music.

To say that there are dynamic changes taking place in the rare and collectible book market is an understatement.

Keywords:

old books,rare books,collect books,collecting books,selling books,sell rare books,value of old book,old book

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Buying and selling Rare books via the internet.

The Internet is made up of thousands of tiny niche markets. Each of these niche's have specific ways of communicating with each other.

One of the most dynamic markets on the Internet right now is for books and music.

To say that there are dynamic changes taking place in the rare and collectible book market is an understatement.

At one time the ‘market’ for rare and collectible books consisted of a few hundred well known and highly respected rare book dealers and collectors who slowly and laboriously collected books in their specialty. It wasn’t too long ago that collectors wanted ‘depth’- collecting every book and piece of ephemera by a particular author or within a particular genre. A collector searching for a particular book gathered dealers catalogs, visited shops in remote corners of the world hoping to come across the book they wanted.

Collecting was a “gentleman’s” game. Dealers carefully cultivated their customers over years, helping them select books that added depth to their collections. Dealers relied on word-of-mouth and reputation to build their business. Dealers, for the most part, ‘specialized’. Book collecting was more than a hobby, it was an obsession to some.

The Internet has added liquidity to the rare and collectible book market. And liquidity is very important for any market. All it means is that, when you’re ready to sell there is a buyer, ready willing and able to buy your offering.

The Internet has also added the element of transactional speed. People are buying and selling books at a rate of speed that seems incredible by standards just a few years ago. Thousands of books are being traded daily.

Why deal in books rather than other collectible items such as figurines or art or pottery?

Books have a special place in the history of the human race. They record the history, thoughts, feelings, views, philosophy, theology and dreams and imaginings of men and women who lived before us and who live with us.

Books have shaped the way we think, live our lives and have formed the backbone of governments and world religions.

The fact that books have a special place in our lives make them, I think, more than 'collectible items'. They are an investment in the past and the future of the entire human race. Man has separated himself from animals in his ability to reason, to think and to record those thoughts in books for each generation to read.

I was as astounded, as you might be, to learn that used and out-of-print books are valuable and some are even super-valuable.

Take for example a first printing of "Alice's Adventures In Wonderland" - today worth about $725,000. Why should a simple child's book be worth so much money? Because it's "collectible"? Because it's old? Because it's a children's book? The answer is simple. And it took me sometime to accept the simplicity of it, but here it is:

"Certain books are valuable because someone wants it and is willing and able to pay the price to own it".

Collectors come in all shapes, sizes and interests and they are all over the world. Demand is huge and you’ll be surprised at the rate at which used books will sell. That doesn’t mean there aren’t slow times but books move very fast into the hands that want them.

Richard Fenn - old-rare-books.blogspot.com

Great Tips For Buying Cheap Magazine Subscriptions

When it comes to shopping everyone wants the most value for their money. The idea is to pay as little as possible and receive as much as possible in return. Smart shoppers know that cheap pricing does not always translate into the most value for your dollar. Something that seems like a phenomenal deal could turn out to be a nightmare. Buyers can find themselves saddled with products of inferior quality or poor customer service.

Shoppers searching for cheap magazine subscri...

Keywords:

magazine subscriptions, magazines, subscriptions

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When it comes to shopping everyone wants the most value for their money. The idea is to pay as little as possible and receive as much as possible in return. Smart shoppers know that cheap pricing does not always translate into the most value for your dollar. Something that seems like a phenomenal deal could turn out to be a nightmare. Buyers can find themselves saddled with products of inferior quality or poor customer service.

Shoppers searching for cheap magazine subscriptions are especially vulnerable. Magazine circulation numbers (the number of people who subscribe combined with the number of magazines purchased at the newsstand) have been steadily declining for years. The increasing number of magazine salesman and retailers factored with the combination declining sales has created an environment of intense competition for customer dollars. Sellers competing for the shrinking pool of consumers shopping for magazine subscriptions have resulted in prices that are at an all time low.

Unfortunately, meager profit margins have led some magazine subscription sellers to list low prices only to deceptively find other ways to raise the cost of the subscription. While there are great deals to be found for cheap magazine subscriptions, customers should look for these common tricks used to raise the cost of a subscription by dishonest retailers.

Added Shipping Costs

If a magazine seller has added a shipping cost to the total price of a magazine subscription, beware. Publishers ship magazines to customers free of charge, and the cost of shipping is included. When magazine sales agents remit payment to publishers, they are not paying added shipping costs. The added charge is an attempt to increase the price of the magazine while trying to make the added charge seem legitimate.

Automatic Renewal

Though the initial price of the subscription may be low customers may find themselves paying retail the following year when their credit card is charged automatically, often without their knowledge. Sellers, interested in repeat business can use deceptive practices in securing customers. The automatic renewal may be buried within the company’s terms of service and once you make a purchase from them, you have automatically agreed to the terms of service.

Such companies may also fix the language of the offer to make it seem like an added convenience for you, so that you do not need to worry about missing your favorite magazine. It does not take into account that you may not want to continue receiving the subscription after the initial term is over. It is important to read all information provided and to request information not readily made available. Magazine sellers must disclose automatic renewal information to customers.

Processing Fees

While charging a processing fee for each magazine or order placed in not technically wrong, customers looking to purchase cheap magazine subscriptions should add up the costs to see if there have actually been any savings after these so called processing fees.

For example, a subscription to Wired Magazine could be advertised for $1.99 per year. Once the customer tries to purchase the Wired Magazine subscription they find that in order to receive the price of $1.99 per year, they must pay a small processing fee of $7.99. The reason for the fee varies from seller to seller. It may be termed a membership fee, and the truly dishonest hide behind the guise of charity. The Wired Magazine Subscription would cost $10 in total, the same price the publishers of Wired, Conde Nast requires sellers to charge for the subscription.

In the end the consumer saves no money at all, but has been lured in by the thought of purchasing a subscription that seems incredibly cheap. Here is another situation where a customer would be wise to find out all information before making a purchase.

The tricks used by some companies are not uncommon. Investigating a company’s reputation before making a purchase can give potential customer a measure of added comfort. If typing a companies name into a search engine brings up a host of complaints, or if checking with the Better Business Bureau produces a list of unresolved complaints customers would be better served to take their business elsewhere.

Customers should contact sellers with any questions they may have concerning pricing or any other issues related to the sale of the magazines they are interested in. Good practice would be to keep a record of all customer service related correspondence, including all emails, faxes, etc. as well as the names of the customer service representatives corresponded with. Just in case the search for cheap magazine subscriptions doesn’t work out, the consumer will have some recourse in gaining a refund in the end.

Don’t Let Passions Rule When Buying A Business

For many, the American dream of owning a business is in queue right behind owning a home. I was a teenager when I owned my first business. Since then I have bought or started many businesses and helped others do the same. Here are some common mistakes I have witnessed or committed myself.

Paying too much

This results from the combination of all other mistakes. Many new business owners set themselves up for failure by paying too much, which results in higher loan payment...

Keywords:

buy business, buying business,business acquisition, acquire business,small business

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For many, the American dream of owning a business is in queue right behind owning a home. I was a teenager when I owned my first business. Since then I have bought or started many businesses and helped others do the same. Here are some common mistakes I have witnessed or committed myself.

Paying too much

This results from the combination of all other mistakes. Many new business owners set themselves up for failure by paying too much, which results in higher loan payments, lower operating funds, and reduced borrowing capacity.

Letting your emotions rule

If you have always dreamed of owning a business, it is very easy to get caught up in the strong emotions invoked by seeing those dreams coming true. To counteract your emotions, take your time, do your homework, and enlist the help of objective advisors.

Paying for potential

You should only pay for the business as it stands at the date of purchase, not what it could be in the future. You will have to spend time, effort, and money to develop its potential. The seller chose not to invest these things, so he does not deserve to be paid for them.

Not evaluating yourself

Do you have what it takes to run this business? Try to match your strengths to the important duties you will be required to perform. Running a small business requires the owner to do many things. No one can be good at them all, so make provisions for those areas in which you are the weakest. Some tasks like payroll and bookkeeping can easily be contracted to outside vendors. Possibly your spouse, other family member, or a partner could do things that you cannot or do not want to do.

Not building a team of experts

At a bare minimum, you should enlist the aid of an attorney and a CPA. The attorney can prepare and review documents, help structure the deal, and make you aware of legal and liability issues. The CPA can provide a financial analysis of the business, and advise you about tax and accounting matters. You should consider adding a business valuation professional. His valuation report can be used to determine the reasonableness of the asking price, negotiate a lower price, and provide valuable information about the business, the industry, the competition, and the economic conditions.

Relying on bad information

You should verify all important information about the business. Your CPA can check financial information like receivables, payables, and inventory. Your attorney can review loan documents, leases, and contracts. Your business valuation professional can analyze the competition, the industry, and the economic conditions. Use independent appraisers to value real estate and equipment. Get a credit report on the business through your CPA or banker. You can do some of the investigating yourself to save money, but do not cut too many corners – it may cost you in the long run.

Changing too much, too fast

Once you own the business, you will be tempted to start making wholesale changes from day one. You risk alienating long-time employees and customers. Unless the business is in bad financial condition and needs immediate action, its better to take some time to get to know the business, your employees, and your customers before making changes. This is a perfect time to solicit suggestions from employees and customers.

Buying a business because you like to do what the business does

One reason restaurants have a high failure rate is people buy or start them because they like to cook. Very few restaurant owners spend time cooking. Their time is spent managing staff, ordering supplies, doing paperwork, and handling daily crises. A small business owner must wear many hats – including that of manager.

Not being interested in the business’s product or service

I made the mistake of thinking that because I am a CPA and smart that I could own and operate any business. I bought a business that sold high-performance auto parts to young men who drove jacked-up, four-wheel drive pickup trucks and went to the drag races every weekend. I did not do either and never understood why anyone would. I could not relate to my customers and went out of business in about a year.

Conclusion

Buying a business is a complicated, emotional process. By avoiding these costly mistakes, you can prevent turning your dream into a nightmare.

Buying vs. Renting Your Next Trade Show Exhibit

Are you thinking about purchasing a display, but not sure about the investment? Renting may be the best option. Good justifications can be made for both renting and purchasing a trade show exhibit. This sometimes stressful decision depends on the nature of your trade show program, marketing goals, and budget.

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trade show exhibits, rental displays, portable displays, exhibit rental

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Are you thinking about purchasing a display, but not sure about the investment? Renting may be the best option. Good justifications can be made for both renting and purchasing a trade show exhibit. This sometimes stressful decision depends on the nature of your trade show program, marketing goals, and budget.

Renting can be a wise decision when your company has decided to start exhibiting at trade shows, your company is new and wants to make an initial big splash with a smaller budget, or your trade show schedule has overlapping shows and you need a second display. When first developing a trade show program to drive, supplement, or diversify your marketing mix, it can be difficult to determine the best exhibit for your needs. Making a large financial commitment on an exhibit under these circumstances can be a daunting task. Analyzing your company's needs and choosing the right booth is integral to a successful trade show. It can be a good idea to rent rather than purchase a display even after you have done your research and decided on the best exhibit to fit your needs. This offers you an opportunity to "test drive" your exhibit. This renting strategy can also be used anytime you need to purchase a new exhibit, even if you have a trade show program already established.

Trade shows are huge undertakings, and when launching a start-up company with new products, trade shows are almost always in the marketing mix. Yet an exhibit, as integral as it is to a trade show, is one of the last things a marketing manager is thinking about when trying to launch a new company's concept, service, or product at an industry trade show. All the tasks that go into a show exhibit - transportation, drayage, installation and dismantling - can be major headaches when you have leads and clients to cater to, not to mention promotional materials and product samples. Renting often relieves this burden since most display rental companies handle the installation and dismantling, shipping and drayage of the rental display, which frees up your time to handle more important things.

Renting a booth may be a great idea when purchasing an exhibit is not an option. This greatly reduces the initial expenditure and allows you to maintain the visual presence necessary to generate leads at a show.

If you only attend one show per year, it may be more beneficial to rent a display and purchase graphics, however if your organization has a more rigorous convention schedule, it will be more economical to purchase an exhibit. Typically, after about four shows the rental booth costs would have covered the purchase of a new exhibit.

The best of both rental and purchase worlds is when the rental display company offers a rebate plan similar to OneSource Exhibits' Rental Rebate Program, which allows 100 percent of the rental fee to be applied toward the purchase price of a similar display if purchased within 90 days of the rental. This gives your company the flexibility to determine which type of display will work best for your trade show program prior to buying the exhibit. Call a OneSource Exhibits Consultant today at 800-767-8225 to learn more about our wide variety of rental displays.

Business Buying Guide - Detail

Business buying process can be easy with following step by step business buying guide. It is always good to check little things as much as possible when you buy business for sale since business buying process takes a lot of details.

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business for sale, businesses for sale, buy a business, sell a business, buying a business, selling a business

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Business Buying Process

First, You have to determining your investment. Usually minimum down payment made by the buyer is 30% of the purchase price. For example, if the business purchase price is $100,000 and loan amount is $70,000 (70%), then the buyer's down payment needs to be $30,000 (30%). Other possible expenses are inventories, supplies, escrow fee, license and permit fees, franchise transfer fee (if applies), etc.

And then you have to set criteria of desired business. Which includes location of business, type of business, price range of business, desired income of business.

After you decide your investment amount and criteria of business, you will need to find a right business that fit your needs. You can search business through online business listing service site like www.BusiMarket.com Business For Sale, local newspapers, or through local business brokers or real estate agents.

If you find a business that you want to purchase, you will need to evaluate the business through current owner's income information and your projected income for short term and long term.

And then you need to make decision to purchase business or not. If the business is right for you, you need to write a very descriptive and detailed contract (Purchase and Sale Agreement).

When you are writing an offer, you have to make sure the contract includes the followings: Your offering price, Initial deposit amount, financing terms, closing date. Other terms and conditions that can be added to the contract is buyer's loan approval, lease and lease approval from landlord, buyer to obtain all necessary licenses and permits, franchisor's approval of ownership transfer, the buyer's Satisfaction of books and records, closing cost allocation, buyer training session, business equipment and fixtures in good working condition, inventories and supplies amount, seller's agreement not to compete, etc.

After you finish writing an offer, you need to present your offer to seller. Negotiate the price, terms, and conditions and settle with final price and terms and condition.

Now you will need to allocate the purchase price of business that you are buying. After you done purchase price allocation, you will need to apply for loan, license and permits.

and then you will need to obtain a lease or sublease. You will need to make sure you obtain the lease or get an approval of lease assignment before close of escrow no matter what happened.

And then on or the day before the closing date, you will need to review the equipment list that is provided at the time of the acceptance of the Purchase and Sale agreement and buy inventories and supplies. And then you can do the closing on the closing date.

Five Tips For Buying Plasma TVs

Why spend the little free time you have watching muddy images on an older TV when you can enjoy your favorite shows, movies, and games in bright, crisp color?

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home theater, movies, games, plasma tvs

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If you've been wanting a plasma TV but need the justification to do so, there are numerous reasons for buying plasma TVs. First, of course, is picture quality. Because plasma TVs are made up of individual pixels, each pixel can display any one of billions of colors, making images come to life. Second, plasma TVs are flexible, in that they can display standard TV images, DVD movies, images from games, and - of course - HDTV. Third, plasma TVs take up very little space. You no longer have to have a home theater system that is four feet deep. Plasma TVs are usually less than six inches deep and can easily be mounted on a wall or hung from the ceiling. Fourth, plasma TVs are simply the technology of today. Why spend the little free time you have watching muddy images on an older TV when you can enjoy your favorite shows, movies, and games in bright, crisp color?

Once you've decided to take the plunge, though, how do you go about choosing from among the many plasma TVs on the market? Here are five things to consider:

1. Screen Size: When it comes to plasma TVs, bigger is only better if you have enough room. In this case, "enough room" isn't defined as the space where you will mount your plasma TV, but rather the room between you and the TV. For example, there should be at least eight feet of space between the viewer and a 37-inch plasma screen, and at least 15 feet of space between the viewer and a 50-inch plasma TV.

2. Connections: You should choose a plasma TV that has the kind and number of outlets you need for the other components of your home theater system. Some of the available connections include component video, high-definition multimedia interface, A/V jacks, digital visual interface, and S-video.

3. High Definition: Some plasma TVs come equipped with high-definition tuners, while others are simply HDTV-ready. If you're going to invest in a plasma TV, you should go with high definition. Look for at least 720 pixels as the second number in the resolution description. For example, a 1024 x 768 plasma screen is high definition; an 853 x 480 resolution is not.

4. Mounting: There are several ways to mount plasma TVs, so think about whether you are going to mount yours on a stand, flat against wall, or from the ceiling - then make sure to get the necessary hardware for installation.

5. Enjoy! Once you've made your selection from among the many plasma TVs on the market and installed it in your home theater, be sure to sit back, relax, and enjoy your new purchase for many years to come!

Buying On Hand Pool Toys as Pool Accessories

Many times pool accessories are pool toys. If you are a pool owner, you be able to benefit from having extra pool toys on hand.

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toys, pool, swim, swim toys, pool toys, stores, toys hand, hand, available, swim toys hand, benefit having

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Many times pool accessories are pool toys. If you are a pool owner, you be able to benefit from having extra pool toys on hand.

When most individuals think of swim toys beach balls are often the first thing that comes to mind. While beach balls are a popular pool toy, they are not the only pool toys that are available. In fact, some items that you may not even consider to be a toy are actually known as pool toys. The reality is that swim toys encompass a wide variety of different pool accessories; many of which you may not have even thought of before.

As previously mentioned, pool toys often add more excitement to a traditional swim. That is why a large number of pool owners have them. While pool toys are ideal for children, they are enjoyed by many. The truth is that you do not have to be a child to enjoy playing with a swim ring, beach ball, or floating chair. In fact, there are some swim toys that can also be used for relaxation purposes.

In addition to adding excitement or relaxation to your swim, you may also be able to benefit from always having swim toys on hand incase you receive visitors. Whether you plan a pool party or you just invite over a few friends, they may enjoy using the swim toys that you have on hand. This means that even though you may not enjoy playing with swim toys yourself, your pool guests may.

Another reason why you may be able to benefit from having swim toys on hand is that they can make for some fun games. Many swim toys are sold individually, but others can be buyd together, often as a set. Most swim toy sets are a game. These games may include volleyball, basketball, badminton, or others.

If you are interested in making your next swim more exciting, you may want to start searching for swim toys. The good thing about swim toys is that they can be buyd from a wide variety of different locations. These locations may include online retail stores, department stores, discount stores, pool supply stores, and even dollar stores. Where you can buy pool toys from will likely depend on what type of pool toys you are looking for. For instance, a basketball hoop is a fairly large buy; therefore, they may not be available in dollar stores or discount stores, but you should be able to find them elsewhere.

With pool toys readily available and available at a reasonable price, there really isn’t any reason why you shouldn’t want to have, at least a few, swim toys on hand.