Add You - Real Estate

Waves of Communication
Are you in a position that interacts with customers or clients? Are you in a management or a leadership role? Would you like to improve your communication with someone else who is in a management or leadership role? Communication is the key to success in a professional capacity and in our personal relationships. Communication creates a bond between individuals, for better or worse, it can bring us closer together or identify gaps in understanding or appreciation. The most honest communication contains emotion and the ability to exchange ideas with passion.Have you ever tried to have a conversation with an irate customer, an angry family member or a passionate coworker? Please take a moment to reflect on the passionate coworker. You know the person I am talking about, the one that will talk over everyone in the room to get a point across. The passionate coworker is the one standing to deliver a speech, even when it is not appropriate. He or she may be completely oblivious to the fact that nobody else i

ve volcanoes in Costa Rica) and scientists are now concerned because the water temperature of the lake is some 30 degrees hotter than normal. Is this a full and accurate disclosure? Not in my opinion.

7. Your earnest money deposit is not refundable. Some agents use contracts or “letters of intent” that state that deposits are nonrefundable and that the seller receives the deposit immediately! You can and should write a purchase contract where your deposit is held in escrow and is refundable if certain conditions are not met. I strongly advise that you think long and hard about a deal if the agent says you have to make a nonrefundable deposit.

8. The seller can change his mind any time he wants and refuse to sell. Again, some agents do not know how to or do not want to write a correct contract. If you have a purchase option and have it recorded, it will be much more difficult for the seller to back out. What's the Difference Between a Thermal Fuse and a Thermal Switch?
Over the past 25 years I have had the unique opportunity to talk directly with many of the professionals and instructors who use Overhead Projectors as an integral part of their profession. Through these interactions I have accumulated notes and information that has inspired me to write these articles that pertain to some of the most common problems experienced by owners of today's and yesterday's Overhead Projectors. This is the sixth article in a series of articles that will be written from a professional Electronics Technicians point of view in regards to some of today's most common Overhead Projector problems. This article will cover the difference between a thermal fuse and a thermal switch.Let's start with the thermal fuse. In many cases the manufacturer will place a thermal fuse in the electrical circuit of your Overhead Projector to protect the projector from damage due to excessive heat.How the thermal fuses works is rather simple in nature. The fuse is rated a particular temperature r

Costa Rica does not regulate the real estate business and this leaves you, the buyer, at a huge disadvantage. All real estate agents in Costa Rica are in business for only one reason - to make money. They only make money when they sell a property. All the agent wants is your money. The expression “shark” is a very fitting synonymous for “real estate agent.” However, in my opinion, it is it is a derogatory comment about sharks.

Agents can be great people, best friends and can even be from your home country but do not trust them as the final authority with your investment money. They do not have your best interest at heart.

Here is my personal list of real estate stories (lies?) that I have heard from several agents in Costa Rica.

1. All Ticos (Costa Rican's) are out to screw you! I have found that some are and others are not out to take advantage of you financially. After living here for a year, personally I am more leery of Gringos trying to sell me something than the Ticos. This is because I know what the Tico wants but do not know the Gringo’s true agenda. Anyone who uses such generalizations should be included in the group that they are criticizing.

2. “We don’t mark up property like other agencies...” They may not use the same % of markup (called “Net Listings” which are illegal in the US) but don’t believe them unless they will let you or your attorney talk directly to the seller to verify the asking price. There is one very well known agent in the northern central valley that has previously openly advertised that he doesn’t mark up properties when in reality he does mark up property whenever he thinks he can do so. I forgot the exact words he used but the gist was: Real estate in Costa Rica is unregulated so we can do anything we want.

3. We charge a commission to the buyer because Costa Rican’s don’t pay commission. What a line if I ever heard one! Costa Ricans are not dumb and they know that to sell the property, they probably have to pay someone to find a buyer. Is the agent double dipping? I don’t know but I am willing to bet that nine times out of ten the seller is paying someone to get the property sold and the agent is making money on both sides of the transaction.

4. You or your attorney cannot talk directly to the seller. The excuse often given is that they are afraid your attorney is unscrupulous and may steal the property or something like that. My supposition is that the agent is either marking the property up and/or charging the buyers a commission while the seller is also paying a commission.

5. “We have already done all of the due diligence for you.” When problem arises the water or electricity or the neighbors, your agent is not going to pay to fix it, rather he will say something like “Gee I’m awfully sorry, I didn’t know about that.” One agent is advertising that they have done ALL of the due diligence on their properties before they list them. If that is the case, I wonder why the property I purchased from that agent doesn’t have any water available when he stated to me that it had water on the property.

6. Your agent states that he is making a full and truthful disclosure to you. California has one of the toughest disclosure laws in the real estate industry while Costa Rica has none. One agency in the northern central valley is currently promoting a house they are building on speculation by saying Vulcan Poas is not dangerous. In March, 2006, Vulcan Poas roared back to life (it is and has been one of the two most active volcanoes in Costa Rica) and scientists are now concerned because the water temperature of the lake is some 30 degrees hotter than normal. Is this a full and accurate disclosure? Not in my opinion.

8. The seller can change his mind any time he wants and refuse to sell. Again, some agents do not know how to or do not want to write a correct contract. If you have a purchase option and have it recorded, it will be much more difficult for the seller to back out. Investing - Buy and Hold Hammers Retirees
It’s time someone stands up and says it: The Buy and Hold philosophy of investing is inherently dangerous for those who are retired or near retirement. It is responsible for literally millions of retirees being forced to go back to work. Yet the Financial Services industry, whose profits are built on the Buy and Hold philosophy, refuses to make changes necessary to better serve these investors.Let’s face the facts. Someone who invested $100,000 in an S&P 500 index fund at the beginning of 2000 and left it alone would have less than $78,000 today, over four and a half YEARS later!Invariably, investors called their brokers because they were concerned about their money losing value. Almost every time they heard the worn out mantra, “Just hang in there, it‘ll come back.”Sure, but how long will the investor have to wait? Five years? Ten years? That may be fine for someone who is 20 or 30 years old and is saving for retirement. But people who’re retired can’t forgo a return on their investment Ticos (Costa Rican's) are out to screw you! I have found that some are and others are not out to take advantage of you financially. After living here for a year, personally I am more leery of Gringos trying to sell me something than the Ticos. This is because I know what the Tico wants but do not know the Gringo’s true agenda. Anyone who uses such generalizations should be included in the group that they are criticizing.

8. The seller can change his mind any time he wants and refuse to sell. Again, some agents do not know how to or do not want to write a correct contract. If you have a purchase option and have it recorded, it will be much more difficult for the seller to back out. Repetition and Exposure Are Keys to Success in Business Marketing
Many marketing consultants and experts debate on the number of impressions in the consumer or customer's mind that it takes for your business marketing message to stick.These consultants, marketing book authors and experts also argue often over which market methods to use and what is the best marketing method for each and every single industry, region and type of business there is. You can see why there is so much disagreement amongst them all can’t you? There are so many variable to choose from.Some marketing experts believe that your future customers or clientele need to be exposed to 8-15 times and that your marketing message needs to be consistent. Others say concentrate on 3-5 exposures to everyone and target more for those who you feel might be your best future customers who will buy the most of your products and or services.Either way it will be difficult for you to find any one who professes to be a marketing expert, is involved in marketing a company or is currently a consult whrds he used but the gist was: Real estate in Costa Rica is unregulated so we can do anything we want.

8. The seller can change his mind any time he wants and refuse to sell. Again, some agents do not know how to or do not want to write a correct contract. If you have a purchase option and have it recorded, it will be much more difficult for the seller to back out. Metals Markets On Fire
Just when Wall (Bay) street has you looking one way, out of nowhere emerges a sector that catches everyone by surprise. Well, the metals markets have been in the news for some time now and if you didn’t know this, well then you are really out of the loop. The gold price was at about $260 per ounce back in April of 2001 while silver was trading in and around four bucks. At $623 and $12.60 respectively tonight, it’s been a nice place to be hiding some money.You can’t turn on ROBtv nowadays without reference being made to China’s appetite for the base metals. There have been differing opinions on whether the seven per cent growth in China’s economy is sustainable. It’s the zinc chart that is most dramatic looking. The five-year chart is something to behold. Scott Wright from the Zeal Intelligence Newsletter quotes the inventory of zinc at 108,000 metric tons on November 3, 2006 representing an approximate four-day supply. The Red Dog mine in Alaska operated by Teck Cominco is the world’s largest all of the due diligence for you.” When problem arises the water or electricity or the neighbors, your agent is not going to pay to fix it, rather he will say something like “Gee I’m awfully sorry, I didn’t know about that.” One agent is advertising that they have done ALL of the due diligence on their properties before they list them. If that is the case, I wonder why the property I purchased from that agent doesn’t have any water available when he stated to me that it had water on the property.

8. The seller can change his mind any time he wants and refuse to sell. Again, some agents do not know how to or do not want to write a correct contract. If you have a purchase option and have it recorded, it will be much more difficult for the seller to back out. Green Office Supplies; The Competitive Edge
Many companies these days are getting on the Green bandwagon. If a company is marketing their products or services as being environmentally friendly, they sometimes scramble to find office supplies that back up their message. Turning to the big box office supply companies doesn't always give you the best selection of recycled office products. Most companies find what they are looking for at smaller "Mom & Pop" type office supply stores; which are few and far between these days. These smaller stores know that they have to provide better competitive advantage to their larger competitor that will beat them almost every time on price. Some of these small office supply stores have turned to environmentally friendly office supplies to maintain that edge.There are some great recycled papers that have a higher post consumer recycled content than what the bigger companies are carrying. Living Tree Paper out of Eugene, Oregon has some great papers that are 90% recycled and 10% Hemp/Flax. We are starting ve volcanoes in Costa Rica) and scientists are now concerned because the water temperature of the lake is some 30 degrees hotter than normal. Is this a full and accurate disclosure? Not in my opinion.

9. You don’t need to use your own attorney. Just read our personal experience with attorneys and you will see why it is imperative that your attorney represent you and only you.

10. You have to pay all of the closing costs. The custom in Costa Rica is to split the closing costs equally between the seller and the buyer. Of course you and the seller can agree on other terms but don’t start off by offering to pay for everything - that just makes the job easier for the agent.

11. You don’t need a new plano. Your plano is a legal survey of the property. Unless you get a new plano you will not know for certain that what you are looking at is really what you are buying. It is a fact that some fences are occasionally moved by the neighbors and a lot of older surveys are flawed.

12. Don’t worry about utilities... The previously mentioned agent and his associates use practically the same story for every lot they show to their clients - “Electricity should cost about $3,000. The road should be about $2,500 and water is right over there.” Just make sure you verify everything with the proper authorities and get real estimates from the people that will be doing the work. Don’t be surprised if you find out that the real costs for installing utilities are up to 10 times as much as the agent stated.

13. The water is safe to drink. Over 90% of the surface water in Costa Rica is polluted with gray water runoff, industrial pollution, farm run-off and human waste. Even the large "municipalidades" have problems with human waste and gas getting into their wells. If you don’t know where the water is coming from get it tested.

14. Gringos are more honest than Ticos. This is a common misconception or misplaced belief on the buyer’s part that makes them feel more comfortable parting with their money. It is really easy to fall into this “comfort trap” and believe that all Gringos are honest. The simple fact is that it is easier for a Gringo to sell property or an investment to another Gringo. Think about it - Why are all of the international time share resorts are staffed with Gringo sales people?

15. No, the lot isn’t too steep... If the property is steep you have two options: Build on piers which is more costly or: Cut out a building pad. Either way make sure you allow for adequate drainage. I have seen some lots carved out of a hillside where there is bare earth for forty to fifty feet almost straight up. Landslides are common in Costa Rica, even though it is practically all volcanic soil. Don’t think your lot is an exception unless you obtain an engineer’s opinion. My uneducated opinion is that a retaining wall just delays the inevitable. When in doubt ask an engineer, not your agent.

16. Ticos are not litigious like people from the US. This is an out right lie. There are so many suits pending in Costa Rica, some courts are backed up for up to 10 years.

17. “I am an expert on Costa Rica real estate.” Ask them how long they have been in the country selling real estate. If they have not lived here full time for at least 10 years, then they, like me, are not experts.

How do you avoid these traps? Check out Living and Building in Costa Rica at http://www.die-trying.com/html/re_truth.html.

All of these “myths” are solely my opinions and are based on situations where I have personal knowledge of the facts.

Remember, nobody, including me, cares more about your future than you do. Verify, verify and re-verify before you invest.

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How well do you present yourself and your company to a prospect? Are you too busy bashing your competition to tell your prospect what YOU have to offer? Stop telling your prospects that you’re the best choice and show them you are with an approach that your competition won’t be able to duplicate!

Getting a cash loan in advance can appear like appealing options for many people that are looking for a way to have liquidity, when theirs assets give them a positive balance in their personal balance sheet but their cash at bank is very poor indeed! So what we have to do in this situation is think of ways that we can borrow against our fixed assets, to attain liquidity in the short term; for many people this involves an online fast and quick cash loan until payday in advance.

It's not just the weather cooling in the Birmingham, Alabama area! Home sales in Jefferson and Shelby Counties in Alabama have slowed down in comparison to last years volume. When comparing home sales from October 2005 to home sales in October 2006, the volume of homes sold in Jefferson County in October decreased by 13%.

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Add You - Costa Rica - Watch Out for the Real Estate Sharks

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