Recession Over For Real Estate Development

As a professional engineer, I am involved with residential and commercial real estate development projects often from the start – conducting due diligence to see if a development project is feasible or not. This keeps my finger on the pulse of what is happening in land development.

It was obvious from late 2007 and throughout 2008 that real estate development activity was drying up, simply by following the number of projects I was evaluating for my clients. But I have to say 2009 has been surprisingly different.

Now that isn’t to say it has been a banner year so far, but I must say there have been more real estate developers looking at land in the first quarter of 2009 than there were for a good bit of last year.

Maybe the recession for property development is over.

Maybe the fact that developers are starting to look for development projects again is a good sign and the trend will continue throughout 2009 and beyond.

I don’t know the answer to that, but to get another perspective on it, I used a tool called Google Insights. Google Insights graphs the searches in Google to see trends in people’s interests over time. It is a really neat tool for getting a feel of what is happening in the world. Common logic would tell you that the more people are searching on terms like, “Real Estate Development”, “Property Development”, and “Land Development”, the more people are interested in beginning development projects in the future.

This can serve as a broad brush, leading indicator for the development industry. Here is the link for what Google Insights shows for search trends on “real estate development” ( Google Insights Real Estate Development Search )

The results on the link show that searches for these terms bottomed out in December of 2008 and have rallied off those bottoms so far this year. Granted the rally is meager, but it is definitely a change in trend.

Does this mean the recession is over for real estate development?

Well, I wouldn’t bet the farm based on people’s search trends, but the charts at least provide some positive news in a climate of doom and gloom right now. Only time will tell if the uptrends in the Google Insights charts continue. Likewise only time will tell if the increased activity I am seeing with land developers in my office will continue, but I for one hope it does.

Recession Over For Real Estate Development

The Hoarder, The Miser, The Precious Metals Investor

A subscriber sent me the following note recently:

You know I was driving home tonight and was observing all the cars building etc. I thought maybe I am nuts this can’t all stop. Then I also said to myself this is an illusion that massive un-payable debt has created. I hope for all of our sakes the former wins because the latter would be unbearable. Do you honestly believe a collapse war and poverty is truly going to happen? What’s the difference even if you have a ton of silver people just would take it. No law cops etc. everything would be vaporized!

I think it’s actually happening now. In addition to inflation and unprecedented money printing. The G20 recently re-defined bank deposits as “investments.”

Congress has new legislation to allow pension funds to stop payments. They just passed a law that puts tax payers on the hook for derivative losses.

We’ve got world wide money printing and conflict just about everywhere – with more on the horizon. Most people will be dumfounded in a collapse — as they are now.

Most are not prepared. It is depressing. And food and water could end up being worth more than silver for a while. The only hope is to store it, hide it, and try to prepare to make it through the disaster.

It’s interesting. There is a lot of money sitting out there in bank accounts and retirement funds – much easier to take away. Yet it is impossible for people to believe..

While many of us have no problem envisioning them coming for our tiny little stashes of silver, it is hard to believe that this tiny little under priced, battered and abused paper silver market is important enough for collusion by the big banks, as well as the government.

Even those who should know better develop some sort of block around this. That somewhere lurking behind some complex corner is the market truth. The price action ‘ought’ to make sense.

Or that it is somehow revealing some great unknown about true supply and demand?

It may that it is a phenomenon that is only truly understood by those of us with skin in the game. Otherwise, what would be the point of all the fuss?

Outsiders, without skin in the game… Why would they care about price manipulation?

We can’t be that right. Being right is reserved for the privileged class, the elite, where nepotism and connection are the only roads to power.

But those days are gone. Now it is status from another realm. A sociopathic-driven, unrelenting pursuit for status and power.

Precious metals investors are viewed as hoarders. They are misunderstood by virtually all sides of the political spectrum.

(If you were in charge and public sentiment mattered.)

To achieve what the big banks want for financial repression to work again.

It was the method used to dig us out of World War II debt – but at that time, there was room for real growth. Today, growth has been all but stifled.

They would need to punish savers, punish hoarders. Encourage investment… yield chasing.

The fee driven arbitrage.

Punishing savers, punishing pm’s — same thing. The effect is that it pushes the average investor toward the attitude of a trader…

Rather than hoard.

But how can you blame them for the confusion when the definition of real capital is lost? In the fiat realm, capital is debt. And therefore real capital – real saving – is punished.

The paper pushers know exactly what they are doing. They are well aware of silver as the lynch pin. If the physical silver market breaks and if they lose control of it, it will be impossible to ignore.

When that happens, everyone will be able to figure out monetary value -all at once.

For more articles like this, including thoughtful precious metals analysis beyond the mainstream propaganda and basically everything you need to know about silver, short of outlandish fiat price predictions, check out http://www.silver-coin-investor.com

Source by Jeffrey Lewis

The Hoarder, The Miser, The Precious Metals Investor

What You Need to Know Before Investing in Platinum Bullion

Platinum was first discovered by Spaniards when they were looking for gold, but they just ignored the platinum and saw it as a nuisance in their quest to find for gold. Along the way uses of platinum grew slowly.

Now platinum is one of the most in demand precious metal especially in the industrial aspect. Platinum is much more expensive than silver and gold, because it is rare, platinum has only a limited supply of around 7 million ounces a year.

When investing in precious metals before, people only put their money in silver and/or gold. Now people also invest in platinum. But investing in platinum is a lot more costly than silver or gold, so your pockets and wallet must be prepared. There are 3 ways to invest in platinum.

Buy Stocks: You can buy stocks of platinum producers. However, you should be aware that this is not the same as investing in platinum itself. The price of platinum could rise, but you may still lose money if the company is poorly managed.

Buy Mutual Funds or ETFs: There are now some ETFs and mutual funds that seek to replicate the price of platinum on the world market. This is probably the easiest way to invest in platinum, but be aware that these investment carry management excess fees that may reduce returns slightly.

Buy Physical Platinum Bullion: There are platinum bullion coins and bars that are made by a few countries each year. They usually come in denominations as low as 1/20 oz., with the most common being 1 oz coins. Generally speaking, the prices of these coins will have around a 5% mark up on its spot price.

Many people want to invest in physical platinum bullion, so here are some tips and advice if this sounds like you.

• First and for most you have to decide if you want to invest platinum in coins or in bars. If you have a small budget then I suggest you take the coins, but if you have a larger one either coins or bars will do. Keep in mind coins are more liquid.


• Second you have decide if you are going to buy online or off. Online has the advantage of lower prices but an increased risk of fraud. Off-line you can be more sure of what you are buying but you generally pay a higher price.


• Finally, you have to pick a place to store your platinum coins or bars. If you have a small amount you can probably get away with a safe at home. However, if you have a significant amount look into renting a safety deposit box. Just remember, that these costs will eats away at your returns.

Making an investment for you and your family’s future is good but you just have to see to it that you are investing on the right investment. Precious metals are a good investment only if you know how to invest in them properly.

Source by Gordon H. Smith

What You Need to Know Before Investing in Platinum Bullion

Why You Should Get Into Real Estate Investing

There are many reasons why real estate investing can be considered as one of the best jobs in the world. Many are quitting their day jobs so they can go full time in real estate. The industry has proved to withstand the financial crises that beset the economy today. Given this, many individuals have considered quitting their jobs in the hope of making more money. If you are plan of giving real estate investing a try but just cannot seem to make up your mind, we have listed down some of the perks that one can get from being a real estate investor:

1. Big bucks! In real estate investing, one deal you close should be enough to make you buy a car. Yes, corporate jobs offer you financial security but if you are lucky enough and you’re good at closing deals, making good money is very easy.


2. More sleep – One of the downsides about going to a regular job is that you need to drag yourself out of the bed all the time. You set your alarm clock on a regular basis and every time it beeps, you are left with no other choice but to hop out of the bed.


3. Night out with the boys – Going to work on a fixed working schedule means spending less time with the boys. They are meeting each other on a Tuesday night but you have a very important meeting on Wednesday morning. So, you have no other choice but to pass up the opportunity.


4. More time to take care of the household chores. Now that you can work any time you want to, you can also allot more time for your household chores. When was the last time you trimmed the garden and made your wife happy? Now, you can do these things again.


5. No dress codes – If you hate having to wear slacks, coats and ties when you go to work, rehabbing properties may be good news for you. You can wear anything you want to. You can be as laidback or as fashionable as you want to be.

Real estate investing has so many rewards to offer. More than just the financial satisfaction, it can give you the freedom to manage your tasks and your deadlines the way you want it to be. If you do well, you are rewarded in the end. If you do not, take it as a hint to become better until you find the fulfilment that you deserve.

Why You Should Get Into Real Estate Investing

Silver VS Gold Investment - Which Is Profitable?

Experts believe that silver holds a strong lead as an investment, compared to gold as they have a greater percentage increase during precious metals bull markets. At times, when gold prices have doubled, prices on silver have shown a triple rise in value while in extreme instances the price has even quadrupled.

History has proved that silver has consistently outperformed gold, as it has a wide industrial, commercial and consumer demand. Industrial applications accounted for nearly 40% of the mined silver while jewellery, bullion coins and exchange-traded products represented the remaining demand. Gold simply cannot match silver’s real world demand and its use as a form of money and store of value. The demand for silver is so great that since the 90’s mine production and secondary recovery of silver has fallen short of industrial expectancy.

When we look at historical charts of silver price and gold price, one will notice, not only has silver outperformed gold but any other precious metal for the last 10 years.

As supplies continue to fall short over the coming years and industrial demand continues to rise, higher silver prices will remain in vogue. According to experts, more gold is stored in World Bank vaults than silver, which indicates a shortage of supply.

There are many ways of investing in this precious metal- traditional and contemporary. Bars, coins and rounds are a traditional way of investing in silver. In fact, in some countries like Switzerland, bars are available over the counter across major banks. Coins also form an excellent store of value, especially those minted by Royal Canadian Mint and United States Mint. The American Silver Eagle is the official silver bullion coin of the United States while the Canadian Silver Maple Leaf is a silver bullion coin issued annually by the Canadian government.

Contemporary ways, which do not involve the use of physical silver, includes investing in exchange-traded products such as ETF’s from iShares Silver Trust, silver certificate, holding silver accounts, derivatives like futures and options and spread bets on the price of silver.

Experts also recommend investing in shares in silver mining companies but as a base metal investment along with other metals. While choosing the method of investment, it is always prudent to take advice of an expert, to make the best of the situation.

If you are looking for a lower price-point to enter the precious metals market for direct ownership, silver is always a better investment than gold. Investors concerned about its bulk and weight will find bullion dealers who work with third-party depositaries that will store silver with immediate liquidity upon request.

Source by Kyles Humphrey

Silver VS Gold Investment - Which Is Profitable?

US Real Estate Price Outlook - Protecting Yourself From Falling Prices

The outlook for the US economy and housing prices in particular does not look, hence the emergency 75bps rate cut. Despite this action, real estate prices still look set to decline in the near future – before they recover however there is some good news. If you want to protect yourself from declining real estate prices there are some ways of doing so and this is the subject of this article.

At present we are seeing the biggest investment in housing decline in 50 years and an increase in foreclosures and the outlook for real estate values is uncertain we are likely to see further declines will occur.

First let’s look at the background to the fall in real estate prices in the USA and why they will continue to fall further.

The Worst Decline for 50 Years

US pending home sales fell by 2.6% to 87.6, down from a revised 89.9 reading for October. Boston Fed President Rosengren has stated that the current decline in investment decline is the longest in 50-years. He highlighted that previous housing declines have led to economic downturns, and speculated that housing prices would fall more rapidly this year as the economy struggles. Rosengren also said that the continued housing investment decline has heightened risk of “significant” downturn in the economy as a whole.

Foreclosures Rise

The evidence of the downturn can be seen in the increasing number of foreclosures – almost 500,000 mortgages nationwide were foreclosed in the third quarter of 2007, which was double the number in the same period for the previous year. Some real estate experts estimate that as many as 2 million homes could be foreclosed in 2007 and 2008.

The economy is experiencing difficulties in terms of growth and this is being reflected in falling real estate values as the credit crunch bites.

How to Protect Your Properties Value

In these uncertain times there are solutions available to protect the value of your property by Locking in its value at current market prices – so that you are guaranteed at least the value you locked your property value in at. Let’s take a look at how these schemes work and the advantages they offer home owners.

Guaranteeing the Value of Your Home

Some companies are responding to the concerns surrounding the property market by offering an innovative option contract which provides you with a specific value for your property ( should you decide to sell) which can be exercised at your discretion after a period of two years and gives you protection for up to 10 years.

The advantage of this is – you will be able to sell your property at an agreed price, whether or not, there is a buyer for your property, as the company granting the option will buy it from you at the locked in value.

This of course gives property owners peace of mind – for a small affordable fee they have guaranteed the minimum price they will receive for their property, regardless of how far property prices decline.

While the real estate market looks weak at the moment and further declines are expected, we don’t know the future and prices will rise at some stage. An additional advantage the option provides is if the market should rise, then all the gains are yours.

An Affordable Solution for ALL Homeowners

In conclusion this service offers you a cost effective solution to volatile and falling real estate values:

If prices FALL, for a small fee, you are protected should you have to sell your property. On the other hand, if prices rise, all the gains are yours. This really is an option that all property owners should consider. The option is highly affordable and you can protect your property’s value for a period up to 10 years.

Today we protect a lot of our assets but not the value of our homes yet, it’s the biggest asset most people have. The companies offering these schemes allow people at affordable cost, to protect their home and their hard earned savings that have gone into it.

These schemes are affordable and can give homeowners peace of mind, if the property market turns down and also allows them to keep any increase in the value of their home should the market rise.

For a low affordable premium any home owner can now protect themselves and gain peace of mind.

US Real Estate Price Outlook - Protecting Yourself From Falling Prices

Collecting Gold Bullion Coins For Investment

People collect coins for many different reasons, some as a hobby, some for investment potential, however the thing to remember is that coin collecting can be fun as well as a way to invest money over time. Coin collecting began way back in the medieval times when people started to collect coins as a hobby because of the design of the artwork on the minted coins as well as their historical value.

Although still a hobby for most people, coin collecting, just like many other forms of collecting (think stamps or art) can be quite lucrative for the collector. This is especially true if people are collecting coins made of precious metal such as gold or silver. As a form of money, most coins made of precious metals such as gold, for legal tender stopped production in the early 20th century, making coins made prior to this very rare. In fact the most expensive gold coin every bought sold for millions of dollars. It was an American Eagle 1933 gold coin.

Gold coins are not only made in the US. The British minted gold sovereigns, in South Africa you can find the gold Krugerrand. In Canada the Maple leaf design is minted and in Australia they made the Nugget. Although most of these coins do not have a face value, the gold content of the coins and the weight as well as the year of minting and it’s rarity mean that you can buy what is essentially 1 ounce of gold for varying a fluctuating prices. Gold bought for collecting or for investment can be bought and sold in many different outlets online. Today, most people buy gold as an investment, speculating that the price of gold will rise. This tends to be true when financial markets are less stable.

Buying gold coins online can be much cheaper than buying them through an offline outlet, however to ensure a smooth gold buying experience you should remember a few things

1. Think about the type of gold coin you would like to buy before you go searching for your purchase.


2. Decide who you are buying the coin for. What would they like and how much you want to spend


3. Remember that there will usually be a fee for delivery of your purchase, and ensure that whatever method used by the seller is safe and secure (and insured)


4. Make sure the seller is a reputable person/organization providing proofs of ownership/right to sell, a contact address and phone number. If possible their reputation should be verifiable


5. Never pay for your purchase with an instant transfer or wire service as these methods have no guarantees and are used by fraudsters often

Be sure your gold coin buying process is safe and secure. Buying gold should be a pleasurable experience enjoyed by both collector and investor alike.

Source by Roslyn McTomas

Collecting Gold Bullion Coins For Investment

Real Estate: Inventory of Unsold Homes Growing Steadily Across the Nation

The nation’s inventory of unsold homes – an important component of a more balanced housing market in the second half of 2005 – is growing steadily in many areas of the country even though buyer demand continues strong, according to the latest HouseHunt, Inc., quarterly “Current Market Conditions” survey. The percentage of member real estate agents reporting plentiful vs. limited supplies increased from 33% in the first quarter to 38% in April, May and June.

Exceptions would be South Florida, Arizona, Southern California and certain other housing and job growth hot spots.

Market equilibrium would be attained when the present 4.3-month national housing supply increases to about six months, or about a 50-50 buyer-seller ratio.

Survey results are based on Current Market Conditions sales data reported by HouseHunt’s Exclusive Agent Referral Network (EARN) members in 47 states.

Survey results also included:

o Average national home price appreciation slowed to eight to 10% on an annualized basis in the second quarter as compared to higher, more substantial double-digit price increases in 12-month comparisons in the past two to three years.

o First-time buyer activity declined from 40% in the first quarter of this year to 35% in the second quarter even though mortgage interest rates continued near historic lows and funding is available and relatively easy to find in interest-only and other exotic loans.

o Nine of 10 home sellers are getting 95% or more of their asking prices. Nearly half of those are getting 100% or more. An overwhelming majority of sellers are still getting multiple offers.

o Sixty-five percent of listings are selling in 30 days or less.

Michael Bearden, president and CEO, welcomes the near-term probability of a slower-paced, more balanced housing market: “This would be positive news for consumers, particularly for first time and other entry level home buyers. Slower appreciation and a plentiful supply of unsold homes would certainly energize the entire market in all price ranges. It would also dissipate fears of a housing bubble price collapse.”

Real Estate: Inventory of Unsold Homes Growing Steadily Across the Nation

Invest In Gold, Silver Or Mining Stocks?

Due to the economic troubled period all over the world it is difficult to find an area where one can invest without considering the possibility of total failure. Because of this fact, the trend nowadays turns investors’ attention to more traditional markets. Precious metals investments seem to be highly appreciated and recommended by stock market professionals. However this market is a very wide one. So the following question arises: which side of it is safer and brings more profits?

Investing in gold
The price of gold has been in continuous ascension over the few years. This, plus the fact that investing in gold can take so many forms, makes gold an excellent choice for many types of investors. Whether they want to invest large sums of money, or just small ones, the precious metal is one of the safest means through which one can make sure that the results are positive ones. One of the traditional ways of buying gold is by purchasing it as bars, coins or jewels. The fact that the investment is a tangible one makes physical gold an ideal option.

Investing in silver
Just as in the case of gold, silver is a commodity whose price is influenced by speculation, but also by the supply and demand. However, compared to gold, silver’s price is considered to be more volatile. In the case of the yellow metal, its great value was given in the first place by the rarity issue. From this point of view silver is considered to be less valuable than gold. At the same time, silver can also be purchased in the physical form as bars, coins or jewelry.

Investing in mining stocks
This type of investment requires knowledge in the area. This is why it is indicated to hire a professional, a stockbroker to advise you. Choosing the right mining stock to invest your money in requires a lot of research in advance, so that you make sure it will be a profitable one. Many investors prefer large mining companies, which can give guarantees. However there are few guaranties if you do not invest at the right moment of time. There are many people who buy mining stocks when they are at their highest value, disregarding the fact that the ascension trend usually follows a decreasing curve.

To sum up all these, gold seems to be the best investment out of the three. However you should consider the fact that owning physical gold requires a safe place to deposit it. There are special safe vaults where gold bullion can be kept in the best conditions, vaults that professionals can provide for free.

Source by Jack Wogan

Invest In Gold, Silver Or Mining Stocks?

Investing In Real Estate Outside Your Local Market - What Investors Need To Know

Sometimes investors ask me if they should invest outside of their local markets. I personally own property in three different states, but I don’t necessarily recommend this for everyone. For those in markets where positive cash flow is nearly impossible to achieve – like California – I strongly encourage investigating new markets that are friendlier to investors. On the other hand, investing out of state can present some significant challenges.

You can overcome most challenges if you choose your market wisely and have realistic expectations about the time that it will take to build a strong team there.

My basic criteria for picking a new market to invest in are as follows. First, look at the economics. The market has to be capable of providing rental properties that cash flow. Also, you want to acquire properties that will appreciate over time. Find out what the long-term trend has been: slow and steady growth (3-4%) over the past twenty years is preferable to rapid growth (10-15%) in the past five years.

Second, take stock of what resources you already have available to you in your chosen market. Do you have family or friends that could help you in a pinch or that could recommend a great real estate agent to get you started?

Third, is this a place that you would like to visit anyway? While it is possible to purchase and manage properties remotely, your chances for long-term success are much greater if you are willing to put in the time necessary to get to know the market first hand. Also, meeting and building relationships with your “dream team” will flow more smoothly if you put in some face time with these very important people.

Perhaps the most important factor to successful investing in a non-local market is having a knowledgeable, investor-oriented real estate agent. A good real estate will do far more for you than simply point out which houses would be good additions to your investment portfolio. They will put you into contact with all the other professionals that you need: mortgage brokers, title companies, maintenance/repairmen, and property managers. The last of these being perhaps the most crucial to long-term success – without a reliable property manager, it is extremely difficult to deal with the regular tenant and maintenance issues of rental properties.

Overall, I do recommend investing in non-local markets. But the investor must be ready to put in the time necessary to find the right market and to grow a strong team there.

Investing In Real Estate Outside Your Local Market - What Investors Need To Know

Gold and Silver Prices - Filtering Out the Noise

Silver and gold price sentiment is an unmentionable reflection of the desires of central banking, backed by a currency enforced by decree. Real price discovery is the forbidden yet beating heart of darkness – where few are willing to travel.

A million barriers are self-constructed to protect the sinister truth. And a million barriers rise up to justify price action, whether up or down.

Ukraine and the Non-influence on Prices

These issues are exceedingly complex and long standing. They involve conflicts that have been gathering and off-gassing for years.

Developments in Asia can be tracked decades and more. There are risks and convergences that would have been priced in long ago if the markets were not broken.

To suggest that prices have been or are suddenly being “priced in” is borderline absurdity.

For the professional trader, there is an overlapping yet prevailing mentality that the real drivers of the market are the hedge funds and the speculators. The overlap is where many of these professionals can see perfectly that the big picture is unsustainable. But there is a desperate need to justify what is left of a disappearing art. Technical analysis is resurrected daily to justify a futile game where the machines took over long ago.

Long time readers know that in order to understand the massive disconnect between current price and fundamentals, one must follow the money to price discovery. This is becoming universal across all asset classes – whether equities, bonds, or even real estate.

Paper futures markets were once the cleanest mechanism for sorting out fair price by matching production with current and near future demand. Now they are completely dominated by speculators – wolves in sheep’s clothing pretending to be commercial entities. But in reality they are massive consolidated multinational hedge funds that own the sellers and control the regulators; massive and consolidated positions which allow them the constant potential to move the price any way they decide.

But they are parasites without any concern about fundamentals. They are pure short term – profit-driven and played by the most powerful forces. Contrary to popular belief, they are not selling, but accumulating illegally by gaming the price at will.

The HFT revelations have entered the limelight and burned yet another construct into the unconscious minds of the masses. Most people will not take the time to understand the subtlety, but the underlying effect is a more gradual loss of confidence in the institutions that informally back the world’s reserve currency.

But make no mistake: the return to fair value will be set upon and accompanied by another million false comments.

Those whose livelihoods depend on these markets love to ridicule those who protest rigged markets. A favorite argument goes something along the lines of: “You notice how these guys never complain when the price is flash-crashed up?” Any honest observer of these markets recognizes the gaping disconnect between the false reality of price massively below inflation-adjusted reality. The return to fair price will not be like a journey to the moon. It will be more like finally arriving back home to earth in an instant. Up or down, range bound prices are a fixed affair benefiting the men behind the curtain either way.

Once price control mechanisms ultimately fail, there will be absolutely no question about the value and scarcity of monetary assets. History will be written by those who held some part of reality as a literal and metaphysical anchor.

For more articles like this, including thoughtful precious metals analysis beyond the mainstream propaganda and basically everything you need to know about silver, short of outlandish fiat price predictions, check out http://www.silver-coin-investor.com

Source by Jeffrey Lewis

Gold and Silver Prices - Filtering Out the Noise

Tweeter is Beneficial For Real Estate Business

Technology has rapidly developed in the past few years and in just a short period of time; man has invented various equipment, tools and software and or programs which has helped man in his daily needs. And thanks to man’s limitless creativity, he was able to design a form of communication which only requires people to be logged online and is commonly referred to as Twitter.

Twitter is an website which allows different people to check on other people’s status and or updates without necessarily requiring the other person to be online as well. At the same time, people can update information and exchange information through it real time just by posting updates. In fact, because of the convenience that Twitter can provide people with, it has been considered as one of the most popular website globally by Alexa. According to further studies or research, Twitter has already attained the third spot when it comes to the most used social networking website. With six million people visiting the site and a visit frequency rate of 55 million, it clearly shows how popular it become in just a couple of years has. In addition to these aforementioned facts, real estate agents and other forms of business have already realized the potential that Twitter has in relation to improving their sales and revenue. Thanks to Twitter, they are able to provide an extensive and comprehensive customer service to both new customers and repeat customers. With the power to update various customers real time, all over the world, they can easily sell their services and products.

Other than this, by utilizing the “tweets” feature of Twitter, companies can provide valuable information to prospective customers such as current estate trends, and or anticipated changes and or unfavorable setbacks. Home inspection, mortgage rates, home staging news are but a few information that people worldwide could obtain just by sitting behind their computers. If you are a real estate agent, you are always up to date with how your colleagues are doing and what the business is currently lacking. You can also use Twitter to exchange information regarding the tricks and the trade between fellow agents to improve your sales.

Twitter can also be used to conduct research about locations, people, topics and statistics about the real estate industry just by looking at their current display status. Learning how to utilize the “tweet” option, the search function can make a big difference with your business’ progress. But perhaps the best thing about Twitter is that using their service is free. Literally. The only thing that it will require you to do to use their services is to sign up as a member and you can start taking advantage of what Twitter can do. Overall, Twitter is probably the next best thing to a mobile phone or internet and maximizing its powers can lead you to prosperity.

Tweeter is Beneficial For Real Estate Business

How To Make Money In Precious Metal Recycling

I got started in the recycling business when I was unemployed and was travleing around, I had plenty of opportunity to visit the kinds of places out here in the West that people only go through on their way to somewhere else. Since I was doing road trips every two weeks or so and would be gone for three to four days at a time, I would take some down time and stop in these little towns. There I would call on the town dentist, usually with pretty good (and profitable) results.

Remember, this was some years ago when there was a LOT MORE competition for scrap due to higher metal prices. Many of the larger refineries on each coast were sending their reps out as “professional buyers” – essentially just what I was doing in the film business. Obviously, it was an expensive proposition to have someone earning a salary and traveling full-time – the cost in overhead is tremendous. NOBODY can afford to hire people to do this today, so there is almost NO competition for this business.

Nonetheless, I stopped one day in small town in Montana. I got a pretty warm reception from the town dentist when I told him I pay CASH for scrap gold and amalgam. He pulled a box out of a drawer which was FILLED with shiny yellow gold. Since I had no competition and he obviously was reluctant to package his scrap and risk mailing it to a refiner besides the tax implications of receiving a large check for it), he was very happy with my (admittedly low) CASH offer!

Lessons One and Two: I have yet to see an efficient “professional buyer” of ANY type of scrap. They are getting paid for results which means buying in quantity, which means going where the biggest and most numerous accounts are located. Even then, they use a ‘shotgun’ approach. Secondly, whoever shows up with cash in hand first gets the scrap. The people you buy from want CASH, not the bother of mailing or shipping their scrap materials to a buyer who “may” send them a check. Regardless of the amount of scrap they have, it is but a small percentage of their business – it is GRAVY to them!

… back to our story. After having made a deal for his gold and amalgam (worth about $350 in profit alone), the doc asked if I refined metals. I told him no, but that I had access to some excellent refiners. He said for me to wait a minute, and went into a back room. Out he came, and in his hands was a Mason jar, apparently full of dirt. By the way he was holding it both hands, it was obviously much heavier than ordinary dirt!

He explained to me that his father, and,as I recall, his grandfather as well, were dentists in small- town Montana when it was still a territory. He proceeded to tell me some the history of dentistry, of how (before the days of suction pumps and vacuum cleaners) various gold refiners would actually ship sisal floor mats to dentists free of charge. The dentist would put these floor mats down in the operatories to capture the gold and silver filings from the patients’ mouth. The old low-speed drills would generate pretty good amounts of gold and silver dust and filings, most of which was either inhaled by the patient or ended up in the floor mats. Sisal was pretty efficient at capturing these metals. The refiners would send replacement mats to the dentist who would then ship the ‘old’ mats back. The refiners would burn the mats to recover the metals and make a token payment to the dentist – a wonderful symbiotic relationship!

Regardless, this jar, upon closer scrutiny, was full of dirt – and metal filings. The good doctor told me he’d had this jar of floor sweepings in his office for many decades. In fact, it dated back to the times when the refiners still provided floor mats for dental offices! These were the sweepings which were not captured by the mats. The jar weighed about four pounds, and it was impossible to tell from looking at it if there was anything in it worth messing with. I told him I’d be glad to take to my refiner and get it assayed. I had earned his trust and nothing was said about

refining costs, percentage of recovery, or any aspect of returning the values to him. Simply, “take it and let me know how much it is worth, take your fair share, and bring me the money next time you’re in the area”.

Frankly, when I got back to Utah, I set it on a shelf for a couple of weeks before doing anything with it. I thought it probably had some metals, mostly silver, and wasn’t worth much, so no hurry! I finally took it to my refiner and asked him to melt it and get an assay. Final score: dirt – 40%; metals – 60%. The metals were silver and gold. The gold ran almost 18K (75% pure gold) and the jar yielded almost a pound of pure gold!

I took away $1,327 in profit (this is not counting the other scrap I’d already bought from him) for spending no more than twenty minutes in his office earning his trust. He was VERY happy getting a few thousand $$$ for a jar of DIRT sitting on a shelf.

Unusual? Yes.

But I learned lessons Three and Four in my recycling education: The ‘deals ‘ are where you find them. If you are not out there, they will NOT come to you.

Also, it is amazing how much business is done informally, with no more than a handshake. The trust you earn is your greatest asset in this, as well as any business you enter into.

Since those early years I have many eye-opening experiences along these lines. I had a retired dentist call me who had two five-gallon plastic buckets FULL of gold he’d saved over his lengthy career. He would call me once a year when he’d need to sell ten or fifteen ounces of his hoard to pay taxes. I came upon a farmer whose barn was filled with nearly 10,000 catalytic converters; a scrap yard with over five thousand; I’ve had people offer me all kinds of scrap materials with only the promise of future payment.

Does it happen frequently?

No. But it happens enough that it makes your life like a constant treasure hunt – you get up in the morning excited about what you may find today! And, believe me, the excitement and anticipation never seem to end!

Source by S C Bradley

How To Make Money In Precious Metal Recycling

Precious Metal Refiners Purify Gold

Throughout the world there are mines that are extracting precious metals out of the ground and sending them to gold refiners where they can be purified. Taking the lumps of rock and ore that are mixed together in veins the precious metal refiners are able to extract the gold from the rest of the rock by melting it down. Once in a liquid form the gold can be poured and cast into ingots or molded to form chains and other jewelry. By superheating the raw minerals to their boiling point gold refiners are able separate the rock and purify the precious metal to its full glory.

As gold is not always as shiny and brilliant when it is unearthed as it is once it has been refined most people do not recognize the valuable mineral if they were to stumble upon it while hiking. Running in veins through the rock the precious ore is mixed with all kinds of material that has to be separated and sifted before the gold receives its luster. In many instances only the dull yellow tint of a rock reveals the gold that is hidden beneath the earth. Through the process of refining the dirt and other minerals fall away until all that remains in pure gold. However, most of the minerals that are surrounding the vein of gold contain other precious metals refiners can use in their work. Platinum, palladium, rhodium and silver can be found alongside the gold and must also be separated carefully so that it is not lost during the refining process.

Source by Billings Farnsworth

Precious Metal Refiners Purify Gold

Real Estate Buyers - How To Get The Best Deal

The great American real estate market game has swung away from the favor of sellers to that of buyers. If you are a buyer entering the market, there is one particular step you can take to get the best possible deal.

The first part of this decade was a sellers’ dream. The market was so strongly in favor of sellers that one bedroom shacks were selling for ten times their real value and they were selling within a week of being listed. After 10 potential buyers submitted offers! It was sheer madness.

Balance is found in nature and the real estate market has no exemption from this. It was only a matter of time until the strong sellers’ market swung back to buyers. As I am writing this, we are about to begin one of the great buyers’ markets as desperate homeowners flood the real estate market with homes for sale.

All and all, it is a really good time to be a buyer. Go to view homes in most real estate markets these days and sellers fall all over themselves trying to make sure you get a good impression. If things get any crazier, they will start throwing rose petals on the floor for you to walk over!

While being a buyer in this market is a good, it is only a starting position. If you really want to get the absolute best deal out there, you need to take an extra step. What is it? You need to get your financing lined up before house shopping. This means getting pre-approved by a lender.

Sellers have learned to be wary of interested buyers these days. Yes, they want to find someone to buy their home, but there are a lot of “false” buyers looking at homes these days. These false buyers definitely are looking for a new home, but they make their offers conditioned on the sale of their current home. In short, the offers are not worth the paper they are written on.

If you approach a seller with a letter of financing from a lender, you will be the king of all you see. You can negotiate a low purchase price. You can probably also get the seller to kick in furniture or other items that strike your fancy. When you have financing in hand, you are a rare bird in this market. A much sought after bird.

Use this to your advantage to get the best deal possible and you will be really happy when the market rebounds and prices rise dramatically. In fact, you’ll be rich!

Real Estate Buyers - How To Get The Best Deal

Gold Bullion and Other Precious Metals Assets Storage and Global Shipping Methods for Safe Keeping

Today now more than ever, the need to move or ship precious metals out of various countries to safer and more stable locations has become urgent to many clear thinking individuals whom have accurately evaluated the conditions of their respective countries concluding that, relocating various assets is now very important.

This article will shed luminous light upon the topic Precious Metals Safe Shipment to desired destinations as a premise of action requiring immediate attention.

For US and UK residents and citizens there is no secret as to what these societies are becoming, I need not go into the subject, I will say however that if we as citizens of these nations are not prepared to defend and protect what is ours, you can be certain that certain nations will eventually get around to acquiring what is yours through any number of bureaucratic bills to achieve such ends.

This is the chronological pathology often used by tyrants, and it is best to create distance early, as the cycle of systematic theft ensues engulfing every asset or resource of value insight.

Moving Precious Metals:

Before I begin presenting sound solutions to the concerned readers, a word of caution must be offered, and that is, whenever something is written and presented into the public domain, it is quickly picked up and evaluated by anonymous sources as to the usable value it could have to counteract the efficacy of that information.

Lesson, be extremely careful with what you release into the public domain, because once you release it, you can never retract it, and, it can easily be destroyed thus making it irrelevant and useless.

Step one: You have Gold Bullion 1 oz American Eagle Coins and you would like to ship them to a second country for storage and safety

Step one solution: Exchange the gold eagles for Perth mint coins or Krugerrand coins, and then ship them to a specific place using a private reputable currier service that will fully insure the full value of the items being shipped.

Why should you convert to another mint?Anything associated with the government in question has by default strings attached, and more strings unseen, so it is best to relinquish any national minted coins if you hope to minimize potential snags.

Step two: You have a certain amount of capital and you would like to purchase a substantial volume of precious metals and then ship them to a specific location

Step two solution: Because you are prepared to purchase a substantial amount of precious metals, it is best that you first establish a reputably reliable source with which to purchase from, then travel to the location you wish to receive the precious metals and then make the order, and if possible through a legal entity in that country such as a trust, foundation or business entity.

Why go through all of these procedures? In a world of massive deceit requires that one is thoroughly prepared if success is what is desired, this is all that I can say at this juncture for more information you may contact us through the resource box listed.

Source by Drake Fune

Gold Bullion and Other Precious Metals Assets Storage and Global Shipping Methods for Safe Keeping

The Best Way to Get Started Investing in Commercial Real Estate

Consistent deal flow is the lifeblood of the commercial real estate investor.

Most of you will spend time building your team, taking classes, reading books, raising private money, talking to banks, or telling friends about how great life will be once you buy your first investment property. You’re getting ready to invest. It’s exciting.

Here’s the bad news, without deal flow, you won’t invest and your friends will ask you what happened to your big plans. Don’t feel bad, most commercial real estate investors complain that they need more deal flow and have to answer to their friends, too. They tend to get together and talk about how bad the market is, why brokers are useless, and that the right deal that makes sense will come along one of these days.

Don’t make this mistake, you have to start with finding the deal, which means taking action today!

Imagine you’re flying over your target market with a parachute on your back. You jump out of the plane, float to the ground, land, and are told that you have 30 days to buy 3 commercial real estate properties.

What’s the first thing you should do? Start with finding the deal.

Here’s one trick for accessing instant deal flow. Contact people who want to sell their properties because they have some problem to solve – divorce, retirement, death of a partner, medical problems, family issues, they’re burned out on management, or they have to sell to buy a bigger property they’ve identified.

Many of these owners have already tried to sell, but have failed. Their property was poorly marketed or over priced. They have become expired sellers or listings.

Obtain a list of expired listings from the local multiple listing service. Source the owner’s contact information and call them to see whether they’re still interested in selling their property. Send them letters that tell them you are an investor who must purchase 3 properties in the next 30 days. You need their help!

Call area real estate brokers and ask them which properties will soon be expiring because you’re purchasing properties and want to make sure they get paid for their hard work.

Once you have a list of opportunities, meet with the owners, negotiate purchase and sale agreements, and tie up the 3 buildings that fit your investment criteria. Now that you have 3 deals that everyone else is looking for, start networking, advertising, building your team, talking to lenders, calling brokers to let everyone know that you have 3 money-making commercial real estate investment opportunities available.

You’re looking for partners, private financing, or other investors that want to pay you a fee for you purchase and sale agreement. If your deals are “real”, word will spread quickly.

And if your deals “make sense”, you’ll have investors clamoring to get into or pay you for your deals.

Remember, you control 3 money making deals that they want.

Now it’s up to you to put the deals together, learn, and profit from your actions.

The Best Way to Get Started Investing in Commercial Real Estate

Gold Coins - Why is Everyone Buying Gold?

It’s not too late to invest in gold. Gold is up by 24% and is expected to go higher. Today, there are several reasons why you should invest in gold and paying attention to these reasons will help you feel comfortable about your investment. There are a lot of factors involved that are creating gold to skyrocket and these factors make buying gold a very good investment. The savvy investor will heed these economic conditions that make gold an attractive investment. At this time, owning a precious metals portfolio is a good idea. Below are some of the reasons why gold will increase in value and could rise to $2,000.00 an ounce.

Economic Stimulus:

Now, that the government has put trillions of dollars of stimulus money into banks and businesses to ward off a global recession, this excess money in the marketplace will eventually boost up prices for goods and services. This causes inflation and lowers the investors’ confidence in paper money. Therefore, the investor will buy gold to protect their wealth against inflation and, thereby, making gold go higher.

Volatile Stock Market:

In 2008 the stock market turned down dramatically as the global economy went into recession. While the stock market has somewhat recovered, it still remains volatile. Because of this global economic recession, it created new gold investors along with established gold investors, which drained the gold inventory, thereby, driving up the price of gold. Investors will buy gold to preserve their wealth against a volatile stock market. This makes gold go higher.

Downturn in Real Estate:

Real estate was always a great investment until the housing debacle. Homeowners have lost from 18% to 50% of their homes value depending upon where you live. Buying gold will help to protect you from these difficult and trying times. This will make gold go higher.

China:

Because of their huge trade surplus with the United States and Europe, they are buying the United States debt as well as diversifying their resources by investing in gold. Since Chine is now a large gold investor, this is creating a supply shortage. This will make gold go higher.

Low Gold Prices and Environmental Controls:

In the 1980’s gold was $850.00 an ounce. Then in 1999 gold dropped to $252.00 an ounce. Because, of the low price of gold and the environmental controls that were placed on mining of gold, this discouraged mining companies from discovering new supplies of gold. Now, this creates a shortage of gold and the supply of it is not meeting the global demand of gold. This will make gold go higher.

Low Interest Rates:

When interest rates are low, investors will look away from paper assets and look toward gold. Therefore, there is little incentive for hedging which will result in the removal of gold from the market. This will also shrink the gold supply creating another lack of balance in the marketplace where supply does not meet demand. This will make gold go higher.

Credit Crisis:

The United States economy has been hit with a tightening up of the credit market because of the losses associated with the housing and financial areas. The Federal Reserve in an attempt to lift up the economy out of the recession, they cut their interest rates to nearly zero. Rate cuts pushed down the investment returns on paper assets making many of the investors buy gold. This will make gold go higher.

All of the above creates higher gold prices and in this economic recession where the currency is declining and inflation is looming there is no better time to invest in gold. This is why everyone is buying gold and will continue to do so.

Remember gold has nearly quadrupled in ten years since going from $282.05 on January 4, 2000 to $1081.50 on January 30, 2010 Bad economic times run up the cost of precious metals and the economic recession we are in now is no different. The housing market is very weak, the dollar is weaker and business is slow. As a result of all of these economic conditions makes the price of gold go higher. Gold is a commodity that is subject to the normal forces of supply and demand.

On December 2, 2009 gold hit an all time high of $1212.50. The current economic recession is not out of the woods yet and economists don’t see a turnaround anytime soon, therefore, the possibilities of higher gold prices remain positive.

Gold is a hard resource that does not change and is easy to store. If you want the investment company you bought the gold from to store your gold, make sure they are reputable as they will charge you storage fees to keep the gold. Or, you can have the gold delivered to your home and you can keep it in a safe or a safe deposit box.

Gold remains the most practical store of value. When you see the price for gold drop, it is an opportunity to buy gold and get into the market before the price goes back up. Gold coins are a long-term investment opportunity. Like real estate, now is the time to buy while the prices are low. Eventually, the market will turn around and the real estate market will start to go back up.

While precious metals (gold, silver, platinum, and palladium) are all in a bull market right now, precious metal analysts feel they still have a long way to go. Analysts believe investors should consider diversifying some of their assets into precious metals to hedge against inflation which may happen by the end of the year. Even though investors feel that the precious metals market may have peeked, if inflation hits, they will be sorry they didn’t get into the market ahead of time. The U.S. Government is printing money at an astronomical rate making inflation a very real possibility.

Precious metals, unlike shares, are not affected by poor business management, strikes, high costs and/or bad hedging policies. If the dollar remains weak or weakens further, the price of gold will go up.

Gold is a sound long-term investment.

Source by Shaun Connell

Gold Coins - Why is Everyone Buying Gold?

Tourism to Boost Puerto Vallarta Real Estate Market

This summer gave the Vallarta Real Estate industry a big reason to cheer. The tourism sector in Vallarta reported strong numbers with national tourists this summer. The industry is hoping a similar performance with international tourists this winter. The local government authorities have in recent times stressed on a sustainable development model which protects the ecology and nature which is the main attraction of Puerto Vallarta.

The latest figures for tourism released by the Federal Ministry of Tourism indicate a slight recovery in the three main tourist destinations in the state of Jalisco, including, Vallarta. Experts believe that recent investment of almost 60 million pesos in a campaign to promote Mexican tourism to the neighboring countries like U.S. and Canada, and others, will benefit Vallarta with a good number of international tourists arriving this winter. In a positive development that bodes well for the tourism industry, there has been a significant increase in tourist arrivals on cruise ships with six arrivals a week which will soon increase to eight a week.

The president of the Trust for Turism (Fidetur), Gabriel Igartua, stated that the industry is optimistic about the outlook for the winter period in Vallarta. Analysts hope that tourists from USA and Canada will flock to the sunny climes of Puerto Vallarta to take advantage of it’s gorgeous beaches, water sports and ecotourism this winter and hence, will match the excellent figures that were witnessed this summer.

In the view of H1N1 scare, Authorities are taking precautions to deal with any health related issues in the future. The government has set aside a special fund to address any health issues quickly and effectively. This will go a long way in assuring tourists and will send a strong signal that Mexican government is very serious and fully committed to the well being of its guests. This is also good news for Real Estate owners, or prospective buyers, showing that the local authorities are prepared to deal with issues before they occur. Government’s steps in promoting Vallarta tourism and in addressing public health issues show a dedication to maintaining and improving Puerto Vallarta ‘s quality of life and economy up to international standards.

In recent times, authorities in Vallarta have been very proactive in protecting the beautiful natural flora and fauna which offers so much to tourists and real estate buyers in Vallarta. As seen worldwide, any area blessed with natural beauty sees real estate investment and development. Likewise, Puerto Vallarta will benefit from the beauty natural setting of the area. Local government sees the necessity to protect this benefit and promote a sustainable, environment-friendly approach.

Tourism to Boost Puerto Vallarta Real Estate Market

What Precious Metals Can I Place In My Gold IRA?

You have been following the markets for quite some time. You’re thinking about retirement planning, but at the same time wondering what investment is best for protecting your future. After doing some research you decide to go with a physical precious metals investment by executing a 401K rollover into a gold IRA. Now you must decide which precious metals are right for your gold IRA portfolio and determine whether or not they are permitted. A Gold IRA can also be referred to as a Self Directed IRA, Gold 401K, and a Roth IRA.

Prior to 1997, rules and regulations permitted only American Gold and Silver Eagles to be placed within a Gold IRA. However, the passage of the Tax Payer Relief Act of 1997 made it possible to diversify a gold 401k amongst many different precious metals. Current regulations now permit the placement of gold bullion coins and bars, silver bullion coins and bars, as well as platinum and palladium in Gold IRA portfolios.

One very popular IRA gold investment is the American Eagle Gold bullion coin. This particular coin was first introduced to America in 1986 to compete with the Canadian Maple Leaf, another gold bullion coin that is permissible in a gold 401K. The Austrian Philharmonic, American Buffalo, and Australian Kangaroo gold coins are also permissible investments.

Restricted IRA gold investments include the Krugerrand, Mexican 50 Peso gold bullion coin, as well as rare coins such as the liberty head, Saint Gaudens, Swiss Franc, and British Sovereign to name but a few.
Having outperformed all other precious metals investments in 2010, silver investing is more popular than ever. American Eagle Silver Bullion coins, the Australian Kookaburra, Austrian Vienna Philharmonic, Canadian Maple Leaf, and Mexican Libertad silver bullion coin are all permissible in a Self Directed IRA.

Silver bars and privately minted silver rounds that are produced by manufacturers accredited by the NYSE or Comex are also permissible investments.

Finally we have platinum and Palladium. Permissible Platinum investments include the American Eagle platinum coin, the Australian Koala, Canadian Maple Leaf, and Isle of Man Noble platinum coin. Palladium investments include those bars and coins that are produced by a national mint.

The Self Directed IRA or Gold IRA is a powerful tool for diversifying your investment portfolio and protecting your future. It can be setup with ease as long as your current 401K meets certain requirements.

Source by Cassandra Daniels

What Precious Metals Can I Place In My Gold IRA?

Homes For Sale - Gilbert, AZ

Looking for homes for sale Gilbert, AZ? No need to worry; the real estate opportunities are on the increase in this small town of Arizona. A comparatively newly developed area, the town of Gilbert came into existence in 1891. The establishment of the Arizona Eastern Railway was the chief reason behind the establishment of the town. Gilbert is located inside the Maricopa County of Arizona.

The easy access to the town makes homes in Gilbert, AZ popular among residents as well as vacationers. In spite of the availability of modern amenities, the town has retained its old world charm. Gilbert, Arizona real estate offers both, houses for sale as well as for rental purposes meant for tourists. Whatever your needs, the real estate of Gilbert gives you enough choice to satisfy them.

The prices of the Gilbert real estate properties have been affected in the recession and post-recession period. This is good news for all prospective buyers. The house of your dreams may be available at a comparatively affordable rate because of the downward slide in the market. So if you are thinking about investing in a particular kind of property, this is the right time.

The median sales price of houses in Gilbert, Arizona, was recorded to be $195,969. This figure was for the sale of 1530 houses. The rates show a decrease by 18.3% when compared to the figures recorded at the same time period in 2008. The number of houses sold had however increased by 6.5%. The average price for houses in Gilbert AZ is $98 per square foot.

The average listing price for properties in Gilbert is $288,773. However this is just an average. The prices of the properties depend on a lot of factors. Of these, the popularity of the neighborhood is an important one. The neighborhoods of Gilbert, AZ that are the most popular among buyers are Village At Spectrum, San Tan Ranch, Shamrock Estates, Breckenridge Town homes, Coronado Ranch, etc.

An interesting alternative to common houses are the AZ ranch. The ranches of Gilbert Arizona offer a sense of adventure as well as freedom to those looking for an alternative to the monotony of city life. AZ ranch can be your gateway to the life you always dreamt of but never had the chance to experience. Real estate Gilbert, AZ gives you this opportunity as well.

You can look for homes in Gilbert, AZ from a number of sources. However the best is to opt for online sources. There are a number of real estate agents in Gilbert Arizona who can help you to locate a property of your choice. Once you have zeroed in on your choice, you can avail the help of the agent for negotiating the terms and conditions of the real estate deal.

Gilbert, AZ properties for sale give you enough choice. Be it luxury condos or simple apartments, huge ranches or elegant manors, you can avail any of these from the numerous properties. However you need to act now; the rapid development of the area is sure to increase the prices of the real estate Gilbert, AZ soon.

Homes For Sale - Gilbert, AZ

Burying Gold and Keeping It Safe

Both gold and silver have been time-tested safe havens for the preservation of buying power and wealth. The $800 per once prices of gold back in the 1980’s do not seem that high today, and not many people would have ever speculated that silver would top $40 per ounce. With such increases in prices people are buying these precious metals to preserve their fortunes and many people bury gold to keep it safe from thieves and the forces of nature.

It is not enough to wrap 10 or 12 Double Eagle gold coins in clear tape and dig a hole in your backyard, you need a comprehensive plan to bury gold and other valuable you may have and this needs to be a plan where it is not only safe, but you will have an almost instantaneous access to it the second you want.

A big metal home safe buried on its back 3 feet below your roses may sound like a solution and it certainly sounds like it is safe. Access would be a bit of a problem though. After digging down 4 or five times to add or retrieve an item would be enough for someone to abandon that thing where it sat (after you empty it of course).

The answer to this problem is to use hidden safes specifically designed to protect your valuables underground, small hidden underground safes. Not just your gold, there are other valuables you probably have needing to be protected from criminals and the forces of nature.

A very strong in home safe is often thought of as the best solution for storing valuables, but if someone knows you have a large safe they can force you to open it or if you leave for an extended period of time they will eventually open it. There are even cases where burglars have just stolen the safe itself; even 2,000 pound gun safes.

When it comes to nature, the tsunamis that hit Japan washed thousands of safes out of their houses and if a tornado will pick up an 18 wheeler you know it can relocate a safe at will. Don’t even try to imagine what a tornado would do to a wall safe the shape of a serving tray.

Underground safes are the only way to bury gold and keeping it safe; safe from the thieves and also safe from natural disasters.

The beauty of using an underground safe located on your property is that you can easily add or remove items in the safe at will or you can even have more than one safe for different purposes. Maybe one safe is for documents and photos while another is only to bury gold or silver. If the one you bury gold in gets full, just get another safe. The same goes for silver or jewelry.

Because of the affordability of these underground safes, many people will have more than one hidden safe specifically based on access. Although accessible within a few minutes an underground safe with personal documents like wills or property titles will be accessed rarely and just left alone.

A hidden safe for silver will be accessed more than one for gold until it is full simply because of the price difference per ounce.

Many other people will use an underground safe for keeping heirlooms or rare collectibles safe and they don’t want to smash anything under 40 pounds of silver coins.

The technology of these types of underground hidden safes has advanced to a point in the last few years that they rival that of a time capsule. They are not a piece of old plastic pipe either. These are hermetically sealed capsules that are over a half inch- thick and specifically designed as an underground safe. This is their only “designed” purpose although they would work wonderfully as a weather tight, element proof storage for emergency gear or anything else you can imagine.

Source by Kenneth R

Burying Gold and Keeping It Safe

Should You Invest in Silver Using the Gold-Silver Ratio?

Gold and silver, the world’s favorite precious metals, have a sixty century history of surviving financial collapses, raging wars, and economic chaos. Even the words for “money” and “silver” are the same in over a dozen languages. Six thousand years of history indicates that precious metals will continue to be used as a means of exchange for the foreseeable future, especially if fiat currency becomes worthless.

The most popular silver investment vehicles are 100 ounce and 1,000 ounce bars as well as one ounce bullion coins. And the most popular bullion coins are Silver Eagles.

Is Silver a Better Investment than Gold?

During bull markets in precious metals silver has almost always produced higher percentage increases than gold. While gold has doubled in some of the upward moves silver has, at times, tripled or quadrupled in price.

It also has considerably more industrial applications than gold, which helps to underpin the price of silver.

In the past several decades the industrial demand for this metal has exceeded mine production as well as the secondary recovery. Above ground supplies have dwindled as well. From this perspective, things look quite bullish for the lower-priced alternative.

The Gold/Silver Ratio

If you were to research precious metal stocks you would probably find that both gold and silver miners convert precious metals prices into the cash equivalent of its byproduct. In other words, gold miners will convert their silver byproduct into the dollar equivalent of gold ounces while silver miners would do the converse. So silverminers would convert their byproduct gold production into ounces of silver and then convert the gold into the dollar equivalent of silver.

Over the past several decades this ratio has consistently been approximately 55:1. It is a well established equivalent.

When the ratio has increased the price of silver has invariably gone up. Conversely, when the ratio has decreased the price of silver has gone down. Relatively recently gold has traded at 84 times the price of silver while at other times in recent history silver has traded at 1/45 the price of gold.

What is the Gold/Silver Ratio Today?

On March 15, 2010, gold was trading at $1,104.50 per ounce while silver was trading at $17.03, yielding a ratio of close to 65:1. Should gold remain the same and should silver return to the 55:1 ratio, the price of an ounce of silver would be just over $20, seventeen percent higher than it is today. If the 45:1 ratio (established in 2006) returned then the spot price of silver would be more than $24.50 per ounce.

Of course the choice of what to invest in and how to determine when you should invest is totally in your hands. However, some successful investors have been using the gold/silver ratio to increase their precious metals holdings.

Source by Mike Irons

Should You Invest in Silver Using the Gold-Silver Ratio?

Real Estate Update - Getting The Most Out Of Your House When You Sell It

In today’s real estate market, being conservative is a fact of life. The market is no longer certain. Houses will not automatically appreciate every few months and not every house is a solid investment. Buying a house can still be a good investment; however, keeping things in perspective are now more important than ever. These things that should be kept in mind are: the location of the house, the price of the house, and what you have to do to renovate the house.

Having a good location is and always will be the most important factor in buying a house. The price of the house is more of a current problem because house prices have been so inflated in the last few years. Because of this inflated price, the average home buyer does not know what a good price should be. So it is important to have a good realtor and knowledge of where prices are going. I would guess 25% of the realtors might understand pricing while the rest are just trying to make a living.

If you get past these first two aspects of home buying, then you can move onto the third. What work has to be done to the house? The kitchen is the most important show piece of a house. Nine out of ten buyers will list a kitchen as the most important feature. The real estate market has slowed, so your not making money off of appreciation, so in exchange for that you have to improve the inside of the house. Normally spending ten or twenty thousand dollars on a kitchen renovation was typical. The majority of that expense was kitchen cabinets. Now a great way to save money on kitchen cabinets is the RTA kitchen cabinet. (RTA = Ready to Assemble)

You have to cut corners on spending but the great thing about an RTA kitchen cabinet is that you are saving money and still getting a quality cabinet. How can this be? If you find the best RTA kitchen cabinet sites online, you will see that the cabinets can be offered at a lower price because they are directly imported and sold without the overhead of a retail store. Furthermore you will see that the good RTA kitchen cabinet sites will offer only solid wood faced cabinets and solid wood paneled sides. Be aware that some sites offer particleboard, but you want to over that and stay with all wood.

So getting the right house is a little more difficult these days, but once you have that house the next move is being smart about your renovations. Buying kitchen cabinets are a good idea, buying RTA kitchen cabinets is an even better idea! Sure you have to assemble the cabinets, but that is good news as well. All of the cabinets can be assembled with one screwdriver and a little patience. Any one can do it. So go online and start saving money and remember the phrase RTA kitchen cabinets. Those three letters will save you thousands of dollars.

Real Estate Update - Getting The Most Out Of Your House When You Sell It

Silver Bullion for Sale - Get the Best Prices

When you want to buy 1 oz silver bars or silver in any form weighing an ounce, you should do some comparison shopping to find the best possible price. Although the market price fluctuates on a daily basis in a similar way to the stock market, different dealers offer various prices over the spot price. Some dealers may offer silver at a percentage over the going price, while others sell their silver at a certain dollar amount over the spot price. In addition to the variations in price with different dealers, many of them offer specials or discounts that are available only through their website.

Many of the online dealers who sell 1 oz silver in bars or rounds, will have charts or graphs on their sites showing the variations in price. Some sites also have reports on the gold, silver, and other precious metal markets throughout the world so you can make comparisons. When shopping online for your silver investments, you should consider the key factors. You’ll want to see the buying and selling prices for precious metals. You should choose a dealer that has an extensive selection.

When you’re looking for silver bullion for sale, research the dealers first. Find out if there have been any serious issues with previous customers. Although it doesn’t happen often, you may find a dealer selling precious metals, gold, silver, or another metal, for more than it’s worth. Occasionally you could encounter a dealer claiming that the silver they sell has more silver content than it actually has, so research dealers carefully before starting any transaction. You should choose a dealer that has competent customer service representatives available whenever you need them, to address any issues you have.

When you research dealers that have silver bullion for sale, you should find out what their policy is regarding guarantees, cancellations, and refunds. When you’re cancelling an order, in some cases the dealer will calculate any market loss to you and figure it into the cancellation fee. Most dealers will charge a cancellation fee because they’re going to lose money on the transaction. The advantages of buying or selling online, are that you can set up a secure account for all of your transactions. You can place orders whenever you want to, and transactions are completed quickly. You’ll be able to track your shipments online, and can have access to special discounts and promotions that are only available to members or account holders.

Another important thing to decide if you want to have a company or third party store your silver investments or if you intend to keep it in your own possession. It might be a good idea to have some of your silver entrusted to a third party and have some in your possession readily available in the event something unexpected comes up and you choose to sell some of your silver.

Source by John Luis Collins

Silver Bullion for Sale - Get the Best Prices

The NSA Scandal May Sober Gold and Silver Investors

The breaking of the latest National Security Agency scandal practically guarantees there will be no justice for silver and gold investors from the CFTC.

Most likely, precious metal investors will eventually receive yet another disappointing denial from the CFTC that manipulation exists in the silver market, when the concentrated positions and massive dealing size of the major players strongly suggest otherwise.

If it is ever discovered that there is no legal precedent to support a case against these increasingly brazen market manipulators, then it will simply be more evidence that the U.S. justice system is hopelessly splintered into generally favoring the wealthy over those less fortunate.

Breakdown of Institutional Trust

Even larger than the progressively probable future U.S. Dollar crisis, is the even greater institutional crisis of confidence that is spreading hand in hand.

This confidence erosion is being compounded as the Dollar’s forceful dominance as the world’s reserve currency is gradually being chipped away at by its economic and political foes, including China, Russia and Iran.

Such growing distrust in the Dollar’s traditional reserve currency status seems the ultimate threat to confidence in paper currency. Ultimately this should lead to a currency collapse, which is always traumatic and political in nature.

The price of traditional monetary metals like silver and gold should then rise to fill the gap in confidence.

Silver, Gold, LIBOR, FOREX, Equities, Bonds, Fed Funds Rate

The manipulation of money seems even more egregious than a breach in privacy like that recently committed by the NSA.

Basically, without a fair and civil value transmission process in the precious metals market, the great majority of investors are being ultimately robbed of an asset more precious than silver, gold or diamonds. They are deprived of their valuable time that was spent earning the money they are investing.

Conspiracy Fact Versus Conspiracy Theory

The NSA whistleblower scandal reveals two supporting facts for the view that nothing will be done for the sake of the great majority by stopping manipulation in the precious metals market.

The first troubling sign was the treatment of the NSA whistleblower. He is already determined by the (far less than free) press to be guilty of treason long before formal justice could be served.

The mainstream media seems to be pushing the perspective on the public that this crime is either harmless or somehow a worthy patriotic sacrifice. People are being manipulated into rationalizing the NSA’s troubling privacy intrusion away.

The Virtually Inevitable Return to Value

The precious metals remain the greatest threat to the entire paper and electronic monetary system, with its trillions in liabilities and nearly a quadrillion in derivatives based on that intrinsically worthless currency system.

If precious metal prices were to surge, or all of sudden multiple claims came in at once with a massive short covering and industrial user panic, then the ensuing scandal would spread far and wide, perhaps threatening confidence in the entire monetary system.

Silver and gold prices will eventually return to their true value – if nothing more than simply a counterweight to the abusive proliferation of debt based fiat currency. Nevertheless, to expect the authorities – who were once capable but now captured – to act to protect investors against the manipulators sadly seems to be bordering on the naive.

For more articles like this, and/or for a breath of fresh silver market reality amidst the stench of denial and technically meaningless short term price obsessed madness, check out http://www.silver-coin-investor.com

Source by Jeffrey Lewis

The NSA Scandal May Sober Gold and Silver Investors

Bricks & Sticks:Interior Lighting

Lighting can make or break a home or a room. Designers use lighting to add drama to a space, provide for work surfaces, highlight style features or combine lighting with fixtures such as a chandelier to make a glimmering statement. Understanding how to use lighting effectively can increase the curb appeal, resale value and the marketability of a home.

Lighting types. General lighting provides illumination for safety and security purposes. Task lighting is used for cooking, reading, hobbies where shadows are eliminated. Accent lighting is used to focus attention on architectural features or a favorite painting or other object. Decorative lighting is used in table lamps, wall sconces or pendants hanging over a kitchen island.

Lighting uses. Wall washing can create a back drop effect by pointing a wide beam of light at a wall. Wall grazing is good for popping textured wall surfaces like natural fabrics, stone, brick or etched concrete. Down is one of the most common uses of lighting, where the light is originating from a hanging fixture or track. Uplighting can add drama to indoor plants or dark corners by placing a free-standing light can.

Lighting controls. Switches are the most common, but they can’t control the amount of light. Dimmers can allow the light level to be raised or lowered and are offered in simple or digital models.

Lighting fixtures. Ceiling fixtures feature glass or plastic diffusers, which can be flush mounted or hang from the ceiling. Ceiling fans can offer the combination of ventilation and lighting. Strip lights are used as under-cabinet lighting in kitchens, over vanities in bathrooms and on stairways inside and out. Recessed lighting are decorative flush-with-ceiling cans that offer down, accent or wall washing. Scones can down light or up light walls and stairwells.

Lighting tip. Lighter wall colors reflect more light, darker paints and finishes absorb up to four times more light and are not as energy efficient.

Enjoy more Bricks & Sticks by Mark Nash. Topics include Ceiling options, Interior Lighting and Staircases.

© Copyright 2006 Mark Nash

Bricks & Sticks:Interior Lighting

How To Identify Counterfeit Gold And Silver Coins

The continued rise in the price of precious metals pushes counterfeiters to new heights. Always looking for ways to outwit experts who purchase gold and silver coins, counterfeiters are more than willing to steal from amateur investors and collectors. The sophisticated and unscrupulous art of counterfeiting continues to improve.

The very best of the counterfeiters make it next to impossible for even the most experienced expert to detect fake coins but fortunately, the majority of counterfeit items in circulation are of lesser quality making them easier to detect utilizing a few basic techniques.

When you make the decision to buy gold or silver coins for sale the first step is to get to know your coin dealer. Reputable and experienced coin dealers are your first line of defense in thwarting off counterfeit coins. They will go out of their way to demonstrate the authenticity to someone who wishes to buy coins and are happy to share some of the counterfeit identification tips. Dealers that are unwilling to stand by their sales do not deserve your business and may in fact knowingly sell counterfeit coins themselves. If you come across a dealer that is not willing to stand behind what he or she is selling, find a different dealer to buy coins from.

Weight and dimensions are the quickest way to detect the lowest quality of counterfeit silver and gold coins for sale. A side-by-side comparison of like coins will weed out the poorest quality counterfeit coins in minutes. The more sophisticated counterfeiters however, have nearly perfected the matching of dimension and weight making it necessary to use precision scales and calipers for weight and dimension measurements. The weight and dimension tolerances of legitimate coins are minuscule so any real deviation from either would clearly indicate a fake.

The more you inspect and buy gold coins the more familiar you will become with the details of each particular coin. The same holds true for those who buy silver coins as the same method of pressing is used for each. An authentic gold coin has a very particular color, luster and detail that are often mismatched by counterfeiters. Fine details are one of the most telling signs of a counterfeit coin. Many counterfeit coins are cast, not pressed, leaving them with a lack of fine detail, which authentic pressed coins posses.

Other details to look for are misshaped edges, another sign that the coin was cast instead of pressed. Tool markings are yet another sign of a counterfeit coin. A good magnifying glass will provide you with the means to inspect the surface and details of a coin for comparison. Lack of detail, surface blemishes, letter spacing and a casted look are tell-tale signs of a counterfeit coin. All of these same details hold true when you buy silver coins as well.

Another test is the ring test. You can tap the gold or silver coin you wish to test with another authentic coin and if it’s real then you should get a high pitched ring, but if it’s faked then it will give a thud sound without the high pitch ring. To perform this test, balance the coin you’re testing on the end of your index finger and tap the coin with the authentic coin, listen for a ring. It’s a fast and easy test that quickly identifies counterfeits.

One of the simplest methods to weed out some of the poorest counterfeit gold and silver coins is basic magnet test. Both gold and silver are non-magnetic so even the slightest magnetic attraction to either gold or a silver coin indicates some type of ferrous metal composition. If you are in the market to buy gold coins or you have managed to buy silver coins, a strong pocket magnet is a good thing to keep handy.

There are numbers of other tests you can perform to help detect if a coin is counterfeit or not, including counterfeit coin detectors however, with the exception of the counterfeit coin detectors, most of the other methods are less scientific and less forensic. Hopefully, the steps above will aid you in your next silver or gold purchase and you will not be taken for a ride by a dishonest coin dealer. Best of luck!

Source by Ant Onaf

How To Identify Counterfeit Gold And Silver Coins

Investing in Precious Metals - The Coming Silver Boom

While trying to find the best investment opportunities for their clients, major financial experts are looking at the commodities markets with a specific eye on precious metals and with good reason. Gold and silver have been a valuable form of currency for thousands of years, and it is highly unlikely that their intrinsic value will diminish much in the future, considering they are being used more than ever.

In addition to being one of the most collectible and valuable of the precious metals, silver is a necessary component in many everyday electronics which will only serve to increase its value well into the future. As the price of gold nears the $1,000 per ounce mark, more average investors are looking to silver to diversify their investment portfolios. As the technology sector continues to produce an amazing volume of computers and cell phones – all of which require silver to operate – there is a silver boom just around the corner that is going to pay off big for the wise investors who start putting their money in silver now while it is still at a relatively low price range.

FACT: There is less silver bullion in the world today than gold, which will eventually cause the cost to skyrocket.

It used to be that investing in precious metals was something our grandparents did. Then our generation saw the dot com bust. Now the worst economic situation this country has known since the Great Depression is upon us. Many of the most highly respected and well known companies are either laying off their work forces, closing their doors, or turning to the government to be bailed out.

The stock market is not looking as inviting as it did just a few years ago, and the real estate market that only five years ago was thriving with new investors renovating and “flipping” run-down properties is now in a tailspin of millions of foreclosures. 401k investments lost thousands upon thousands of dollars for hard working people who thought their retirement investments were safe.

Now it is coming to light that stock truly is a risky investment even when the company is a household name like AIG or General Motors.

If you are ready to explore alternatives to traditional investments, why not download my free Guide to Silver Coin Investing and find out how you can help to protect your wealth from inflation. Help to secure your future for yourself and your family.

Source by Jeffrey Lewis

Investing in Precious Metals - The Coming Silver Boom