January 2, 2008

Equitywork.com commercial real estate

We are excited to inform you the launch of EquityWork.com 2.0. The enhanced Equitywork.com website gives the brokers and agents the latest Web 2.0 tools to reach buyers. It is very easy to use the website and we have added many tools that will improve and enhance your experiences.

EquityWork has leveraged the power of the Internet to create an efficient information portal for buyers, agents and brokers. EquityWork's corporate vision strives to become the premier tool for commercial real estate brokers and agents in America. We developed the website specifically tailor for commercial real estate agents and brokers. We are here to empower commercial real estate brokers and agents.

You are cordially invited to join the EquityWork.com Broker/Agent Choice Program. You can sign up via http://www.equitywork.com/broker_register.php The Broker/Agent Choice Program is free for commercial real estate brokers and agents to use and to list your commercial real estate listings. There is absolutely no obligation or membership commitment. It is absolutely free. The Broker Choice Program is a great way for you to generate more qualified leads to your listings. Try it today: Sign up at http://www.equitywork.com/broker_register.php

Try www.EquityWork.com today.

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February 11, 2008

TCICommercial.com Gives Free Disk Space for Commercial Brokers.

This past week, TCICommercial.com has announced they are giving away online webserver space for Licensed Commercial Real Estate Brokers.

For Licensed Commercial Real Estate Brokers, marketing their properties to their target market has been an ongoing struggle. This past week TCICommercial.com (the commercial side of TheCreativeInvestor.com) has announced they are giving away 1MB of online storage space for photo and files for Commercial Real Estate Brokers.

Brokers can advertise an unlimited amount of properties into TCICommercial.com, they are only limited by disk space usage. This means even if they wanted to advertise 1000 properties, they can do so, but if they wanted to attach photos or files, they would need to purchase additional server space. Additional online server space starts at $4.99/m.

"Currently Commercial Brokers use their own websites to market their own properties, the problem is that they aren't using the full power of the Internet. By incorporating TCI's database power, brokers can really organize all the properties that they manage and display them more effectively." says Joel Webb, CEO of TCICommercial.com.

In addition to free file storage, brokers can add in their entire office of co-workers and download HTML code to bring the offices property listing into their own website. This creates one central area for properties to be added, and multiple areas the properties can be displayed at.

"At many of our competitors, this HTML property code import is at least a $100/m service charge, by having TCI give this service away for free, Commercial Brokers are more willing to do business with us than our competitors" stated Webb.

Within 3 years, TheCreativeInvestor.com has become one of the largest online communities focused on real estate investing. The website networks brokers, property managers and investors together for one common goal, to do more real estate deals through creative strategies.

For more information, please visit their website at: http://www.thecreativeinvestor.com/commercial

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December 31, 2007

Commercial Real Estate: The Life of a Broker

A commercial real estate broker provides a service between buyers, sellers, and rental agreements of real estate. Brokers are responsible for managing a team of real estate agents, to assist people in buying, selling, leasing, or renting commercial properties.

Properties handled by commercial brokerages often include office buildings, hotels, apartments, retail, hospitality, shopping centers, and industrial properties. For clients who are building on raw land, brokers can help assist the client in managing the construction process, including inspections, identifying zoning restrictions and building codes, and guidance to ensure that necessary steps are taken to make sure that the building is completed on time, and within budget.

When working for a seller or landlord of a commercial property, the broker has a signed agreement with the client and sets out to achieve the best possible price with the best terms for their client. While a broker is working for the seller or landlord they may also assist buyers in finding a commercial property to suit their needs, and budget. But in these cases there is never a pre-written agreement, on the buyer's behalf.

In most states, to become a real estate broker, a license is required. This allows the broker to receive money in return for services rendered. It is illegal for a broker to conduct business without a license, unless they are a practicing attorney who is not required to sit for a broker's license in order to receive a commission.

It is important that those interested in becoming a broker make sure that they look into their respective states guidelines on becoming a commercial real estate broker, as requirements, and regulations can differ significantly between states.

In many states, licenses are issued for a certain time frame. After that, the broker is required to complete further education to renew their licenses. These further education requirements are especially important to make sure the broker is kept up to date with real estate law updates, and changes in the industry.

How To Become A Real Estate Broker
Brokers usually start out as real estate agents. This is where they gain their industry experience, and then decide to become a licensed commercial real estate broker. In order to get a broker's license, the real-estate agent must pass a brokers state exam, as well as complete some course work, or training. Usually, after receiving accreditation, the broker will either continue to work for another broker, as an associate broker, or start a business of their own where they will manage a team of real estate agents.

Brokers, who have their own brokerage business with real estate agents to manage, must have a very good working knowledge of legal procedures, and requirements. It is their job to educate, and advise both their real estate agents, as well as clients who come to them for advice on commercial selling, rental, or building.

What Services A Commercial Broker Provides
A broker will offer services such as an estimated value of a property, marketing of that property, and assistance to a buyer, or seller with the purchase, lease or sale of a property. Brokers may be called upon to provide for sale by owner (FSBO) document preparation, and paperwork, but in commercial properties this is much less of an occurrence than with privately owned residential properties.

A broker will also offer guides to property owners on how to sell, or rent their property, and assist with property management process. A broker will often fill out the paper work needed to sell or rent a property, although they are not given the authority to sign papers on behalf of their clients.

Commissions
Commercial Brokers receive a commission from the sale of a property. This is usually an agreed percentage of the sale price or part of the monthly rental income from the landlord. Brokers in the commercial industry must be very competitive, and have a good knowledge of their local area to make a sound income. But with these skills, there are definite monetary rewards offered to brokers. According to statistics the majority of commercial real estate brokers are on an annual income above $42,000 per annum, while some are earning a six figure income.

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February 1, 2008

Learn the Best Resources to Find Your Commercial Real Estate

Finding the best deals is a necessity in the commercial real estate business. In fact, it can be considered one of the most important steps in commercial real estate investing because, without locating quality deals, you do not have the right property to create the quality investment in which you make big profits.
A good strategy in commercial real estate investing is to commit to the best deals that create the highest return on your investment. Great deals are characterized by returns of three to four times the initial investment. When you do these larger returning deals, you can literally do less work by doing fewer deals per year. If the deals are just average, you have to do many more, which automatically means more work. Synergy is a keyword in this industry, as every property takes about the same amount of work no matter what the return.
The quality of deals is extremely important, so you must make sure your resources for locating deals are updated and accurate. You may also prefer some resources over others depending on your area of specialization. For example, if you specialize in for sale by owner (FSBO) properties, you may drive around locally in search for properties, and check local newspapers and magazines. The following resources are excellent in locating deals. See which ones you can implement in your search for great commercial property deals today.
One of the best and most common places to find commercial property is through commercial brokers. This would make sense, as they are the ones who actually have the properties listed. You can go to them with a criteria sheet or specific information on the type of property you would like to purchase.
You can find brokers on a local or more widely spread basis, even going as far as calling brokers in other states. Most will be more than happy to call other brokers and find listings that best fit your criteria. They will bring you properties as they become available.
Another great advantage of a commercial broker is their ability to find pocket listings, or listings that are about to go on the market, but have not yet officially been listed. You can get a jump ahead of the competition and find excellent deals. Get in contact with a few brokers every day, and watch targeted properties roll in!
Another place to locate properties is on the internet. There are many sites that have hundreds of commercial properties for sale ranging from raw land to large retail and apartment complexes. These sites have information on both the property and the broker, so you can easily get in contact with the broker and learn more about the property. You can filter the information as you see fit, usually according to your specific criteria.
One of the best sites is Loopnet.com. This site houses hundreds of brokers all over the United States who post their many listings. You can filter through deals very quickly and reach a larger audience than you would in just your own community. Your ability to build contacts also increases with so many brokers and agents at your fingertips. I urge you to check out these commercial real estate sites and see what deals you can find.
Auction houses are great places to locate properties of all conditions and types. Many times you can get excellent deals on properties that you may otherwise have to spend a lot more for if they were listed with a broker. You can get on mailing and e-mail lists of different auction houses so they notify you of properties that will be going to auction. This allows you time to investigate the property as an investment, before the actual bidding day.
Auction houses also sometimes provide the option to purchase a property at a certain price before it goes to auction. You never know what opportunities will come along, so it is a good idea to stay in contact with several auction houses to be privy of the properties moving through their hands.
Using these three resources- commercial brokers, commercial real estate internet sites and auction houses will probably provide you with more properties than you will know what to do with. You can take the best and leave the rest, as you determine the best deals for your investment.
If you are used to working locally, I urge you to branch out of your comfort zone and use these resources to locate deals in new areas. Your opportunities will no longer be limited to a certain area, which will open up many new possibilities.
As you locate commercial real estate deals, be sure to always have a broad and creative perspective, as many of the best commercial deals are created from something that was not initially evident. Many times the treasure is hidden, and it takes some research to uncover the true potential of a property.

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January 28, 2008

Indian commercial properties

Due to a tremendous growth and open trade policies in India a greater need to open up newer companies and industries has been felt. Apart from this various properties like resorts, hotels, farm houses, manufacturing plants and industrial plots have been the most sought after commercial properties these days.

Cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and gurgaon are the most lucrative cities for all the realtors or businessmen to open up new ventures. Due to which the prices of commercial properties are increasing exponentially. Moreover the right location and infrastructure is very difficult to be found especially when the buyer does not have a deep knowledge about the location.

In such a condition the most preferred way to finalize a property is to consult a real estate broker or search for information in various real estate communities in India. As commercial properties mainly deal with property for sale for commercial purposes like factories, MNCs, offices, call centers or BPOs the risk factor is highest while dealing with unknown brokers or agents. Hence a portal of authentic and authorized real estate agents in India can be of a big help to companies or individuals looking after a commercial property.

A proper investigation about location, pricing and basic amenities is highly recommended before finalizing a deal. Similarly a thorough research about the owner, property and condition of the premises should be done while purchasing a property or taking it on lease. A valid lease agreement is a must while following any corporate deal for which the reliability of the owner has to be checked.

Understanding the importance of all these necessities real estate communities offer a wider range of options to select from with the desired credibility. Specially catering to the commercial property in India there are some of the preferred web portals that provide crisp and sound information about the property.

A sound research on the different aspects of property dealing is a must because sometimes it leads to an all time deal for some of the people so before dealing into a commercial property a small study on real estate is recommended.

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January 13, 2008

Guide to Selling Commercial Real Estate

Commercial property for sale is gaining popularity more than ever, but is still a difficult venture especially for the newbie real estate agent. This can sometimes cost an enormous amount of money. Which is why free classifieds offers a place for you to list your commercial property, whether you are a real estate agent or a private individual.

The following article offers you some methods in exposing your commercial property without spending a fortune on advertising.

1.List Your Property Online For Free

Many online classifieds allow free ad posting for your property for sale. These sites even lets you list your properties in bulk, without restrictions. Often, Australian real estate listings online get you more exposure quickly without asking you to pay huge prices compared to traditional classified ads in your local paper. Also, they provide more marketing and advertising options for your convenience. Sometimes it is worth putting a little money into some ads if it means the difference between having to pay a commission and pocketing it for yourself.

2.Invest in a Quality "Commercial Property for Sale" Sign

A good quality "Commercial Property for Sale" sign is an excellent way to make people know and get interested in your property. If you are situated on a major road, a good sign attracts passing traffic and locals looking for property to move their business. Basically, your sign targets those people who may not have gone through the Net for Australian real estate, or those who may have missed your real estate listing. In successfully advertising commercial real estate for sale, you have to explore all available options, whether online or offline.

Many people are unaware of the properties around them and do not have the time to go looking. By placing a large visible sign on your property, you can draw attention and create excitement in the property.

3.Free Real Estate Publications

Many suburban areas have 'free' local publications that include real estate for sale in the area. Contact these publications and see if they take advertisements free. Since most are looking for 'free' content to add to their publications, they are usually very willing to work with you.

If this doesn't work for you then you may need to contact a commercial real estate agent and work with them to get your property sold. Many sites provide information on property brokers in different areas and they can assist you to find a professional who will be able to help you too.

No matter what, keep your ads going. It can take quite a while to sell your commercial property depending on your area, but continue to provide information in publications and websites, and your efforts will bring rewards in no time.

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February 10, 2008

Success Tips for Selling Commercial Real Estate

Commercial property for sale is gaining popularity more than ever, but is still a difficult venture especially for the newbie real estate agent. This can sometimes cost an enormous amount of money. Which is why free classifieds offers a place for you to list your commercial property, whether you are a real estate agent or a private individual.

The following article offers you some methods in exposing your commercial property without spending a fortune on advertising.

1.List Your Property Online For Free

Many online classifieds allow free ad posting for your property for sale. These sites even lets you list your properties in bulk, without restrictions. Often, Australian real estate listings online get you more exposure quickly without asking you to pay huge prices compared to traditional classified ads in your local paper. Also, they provide more marketing and advertising options for your convenience. Sometimes it is worth putting a little money into some ads if it means the difference between having to pay a commission and pocketing it for yourself.

2.Invest in a Quality "Commercial Property for Sale" Sign

A good quality "Commercial Property for Sale" sign is an excellent way to make people know and get interested in your property. If you are situated on a major road, a good sign attracts passing traffic and locals looking for property to move their business. Basically, your sign targets those people who may not have gone through the Net for Australian real estate, or those who may have missed your real estate listing. In successfully advertising commercial real estate for sale, you have to explore all available options, whether online or offline.

Many people are unaware of the properties around them and do not have the time to go looking. By placing a large visible sign on your property, you can draw attention and create excitement in the property.

3.Free Real Estate Publications

Many suburban areas have 'free' local publications that include real estate for sale in the area. Contact these publications and see if they take advertisements free. Since most are looking for 'free' content to add to their publications, they are usually very willing to work with you.

If this doesn't work for you then you may need to contact a commercial real estate agent and work with them to get your property sold. Many sites provide information on property brokers in different areas and they can assist you to find a professional who will be able to help you too.

No matter what, keep your ads going. It can take quite a while to sell your commercial property depending on your area, but continue to provide information in publications and websites, and your efforts will bring rewards in no time.

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January 7, 2008

For Agents and Brokers: Simple Guide to Selling Your Commercial Real Estate

If you are just starting out as a real estate agent, it can be difficult to get started selling commercial real estate. However, commercial real estate is the big money maker in the real estate business. Since commercial real estate has become quite popular since it is such a money maker, it can be difficult and expensive to get started in this type of real estate. There are, however, a variety of ways that you can get started and start getting more commercial real estate deals if you are willing to do a little work.

Online Free Ads
One great way that you can get started in selling commercial real estate as an agent is to use inexpensive methods of advertisement. One great way to get the word out there about the property you are trying to sell is to use free online ads. There are a variety of different websites that are available for you to post classified ads on that list a property, or even multiple properties for sale, and the great thing is, you will not have to pay a penny. Not only is this a cheap way of exposure, but it is also a quick way to get your property noticed. Many times, your ad will be seen quicker when you put it on the web and by many more people. Local newspapers take more time and money to get you the exposure and only reach a local group of people, while advertising with free online ads can get your world wide exposure and help you sell the commercial property.

Free Real Estate Publications
Another way that newer real estate agents can get their commercial properties noticed is to advertise them in free local real estate publications. Whether it is a publication specifically for real estate or a publication that only includes real estate, this is a great way to advertise your property for free. This is an excellent way to gain local exposure, not only for the commercial property you are trying to sell, but also for you as an agent. Make sure that you continue to run ads for your property in these types of publications. Even though at first you may not see results, remember that many times it takes awhile for commercial real estate to sell, but perseverance can lead to a large pay off when you finally sell the property.

Quality Signs
If you are trying to sell a commercial property, especially one that is near a well traveled road, you may want to invest in a quality sign to advertise the commercial property. A small unprofessional sign may not attract any attention at all, but a larger sign that is well crafted and attractive can get the attention of many people who are driving by. You never know who may drive by the property and see your sign. While it will take a bit of money to get a great sign, it will be worth the money that you spend to get your property noticed. One never knows when a local business will need a new site, or someone with money to invest will be looking for an opportunity, and your sign will make sure that they will see your property when they drive by, which may lead to a sale.

Establish Business Connections
As a new real estate agent, one of the best things that you can do is to start establishing business connections with a variety of different people. Speak with other real estate agents that are successful in selling commercial real estate and learn from their mistakes and their successes. Also try to get involved with local business people and know the market that you are trying to sell in. Often, if you can get the word out that you have a great piece of commercial property, it may spread to the right business people that will want to check it out. A great deal of being successful in the commercial real estate market has to do with the connections that you have, so work on making various business connections.

Find Your Own Leads
Even if you are working in a broker's office, you should not expect the leads to be coming your way within the office. More than likely any leads within the office will be given to someone with more experience in commercial real estate until you have proven yourself to excel in this field. You will have to take the initiative to get the job done, and it is possible with a great deal of hard work. Check out the Chamber of Commerce in your area and find out who the business people are. You may also want to attend local zoning meetings where you will meet prospective investors who are looking for great properties. Even hitting up your local golf courses can help you make friends with local business people who may be prospective clients.

While it may be difficult to get started as an agent in commercial real estate, it is definitely possible if you are willing to work hard. Using the internet to advertise as well as free local publications can get the word out quickly and inexpensively so you will save money and get a broader base of exposure for what you are selling. Signs will also provide great exposure and show that you are serious about the commercial real estate business. Also important is making the right contacts and finding your own leads so you can excel in this business and prove to be a great commercial real estate agent. There is a great deal of money to be made in the commercial real estate industry, and hard work, dedication, and patience on your part can help you become successful.

Tony Seruga, Yolanda Seruga and Yolanda Bishop of http://www.maverickrei.com specialize in commercial and investment real estate. As of May, 2006, they and their partners are managing over $600 million dollars worth of new projects.

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February 21, 2008

Carl And Karen Moose: Successful Real Estate Visionaries

DIVERSE BEGINNINGS

Carl and Karen Moose are two very busy and successful commercial real estate professionals with an active young family — "three under three," as they say — and an impressive list of colleagues, clients, and investors who have nothing but praise for the deals they put together for their business, Investment Realty Services, Inc., which expertly manages investor's real estate assets by providing brokerage, investment services and property management services for equity partners.

Karen is president of Investment Realty Services, and Carl works as Managing Director, officially speaking. As they explain, this means that Carl focuses his efforts on finding great commercial properties, analyzing them, and putting deals together for his company and investors, while Karen trains her energy on managing the properties they own, raising capital, and forging and maintaining strong relationships with colleagues, clients, and investors.

More on Carl And Karen Moose: Successful Real Estate Visionaries

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March 5, 2008

When is Commercial Real Estate Right for You?

If you have been skirting around the idea of investing in commercial real estate, you may be wondering how you can know when it's the right time to invest in these properties. The right time for you will be synchronistic; your borrowing and repayment capacity will meet market opportunities to buy low in an area that offers high potential growth. There is certainly some luck involved in this, however, for the most part good preparation meets opportunity to result in long term profitability.

Investing in commercial real estate can be very profitable if you carefully evaluate the market and are cognizant of both the risks and the benefits. Commercial real estate can offer the canny investor the benefits of cash flow, depreciation, appreciation and capital growth. It can provide tax benefits, help you diversify your portfolio and increase your personal wealth.

Profiting from commercial real estate is basically a matter of buying low and selling high. Properties that are under-priced or under-performing in areas with a solid and sustained rate of growth are considered to offer the best profit potential. All these factors are essential aspects to successful commercial real estate investing. However, taking the time to gain needed expertise and experience cannot be underestimated.

Before committing to purchase a commercial real estate property, it is important to understand what you want to achieve from the investment. For example, are you planning to hold onto the property for a long term to benefit from capital gain and are therefore less concerned with annual rental returns, or do you need the cash flow generated by higher returns? In fact, to be successful at investing in commercial real estate you need to acquire the right mindset before you even begin to look at properties. You can rarely make money quickly in commercial real estate, rather the most successful investors are willing to hold onto their properties for the long term. The very nature of commercial real estate investment requires you to take an unemotional approach involving thoughtful analysis, research and extensive due diligence. You need to become a long range thinker, planner and implementer.

It is always a good idea to get expert advice, but remember real estate agents and property management companies are selling their services and will not necessarily tell you the whole truth. Caveat Emptor (Buyer Beware) holds very true for commercial real estate investing. You need to do your research in order to avoid serious pitfalls.

Before purchasing a commercial property, check into the demographic information relating to the area within an easy distance (for example, a five mile radius). Knowing the average age, average household composition, average household income, and ethnicities can be very revealing. If the commercial property you are considering is retail, you will also need to consider the quantity of passing traffic and ease of parking.

An obvious consideration when evaluating commercial real estate as an investment is the vacancy rate as well as the absorption rate over the previous few years. You also need to consider the length of current leases still to run. This is important for two reasons. First, the current rents may be lower than the market value. Alternatively, they may be providing a good return and the longer the lease the better the value of the property because you will not have to fill vacancies.

The aim when purchasing commercial real estate is to get the best return on investment at the lowest possible risk. For example, there is far less risk in purchasing an office building with ten well paying tenants in it who still have a substantial period of their lease to run than it would be to buy one with leases about to expire or only one or two tenants.

Commercial properties are commonly much more expensive than other forms of real estate and significantly more complicated in terms of market considerations. You will need to sort through a lot of information designed to put the property in the best possible light so you will need to have excellent analytical skills to sort through relevant data from the false impressions. Commercial investment needs to be taken slowly. Take whatever time you need to evaluate the suitability of a property for your investment purposes.

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