Top Stock Movers - Learn the Stock Market - Learn to Trade Stock - Learn to Invest

Learn How To Trade Stocks

noreply@blogger.com (Paulson) — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 11:01:00 +0000

Would you like to learn to trade stocks? You found one of the few sites out there that offers stock trading training without asking for your credit card!

We aim to give you all the information you need to be a successful trader.

Did you know that most stock traders lose money?

One of the main reasons for this is people open an account with a stock broker too early!

We encourage you to learn how to trade stocks before you signup with a broker and risk your money.

I setup this site because when I started learning to trade, I felt very lost and confused and there were very few tutorial sites that really helped me.

money

Can I really be a successful stock trader?

The truth is, almost everybody can be a successful trader.

I am no Einstein, by any stretch of the imagination and I have managed it.

Being successful takes a great deal of time and persistance. Many of us have very busy lives and beleive we do not have the time to start trading stocks.

This is rarely true. Learning to trade does not have to be massively time consuming.

Do you have a few hours a week you can spare? This is plenty.

In my humble opinion, the biggest key to being successful is persistance and learning from your mistakes.

I have made plenty of those. I talk about them throughout the training and educational articles.

What do you need to trade stocks?

Most people say to trade the stock market, you just need two things, a stock broker and some money.

This is true, but to be a good trader, you also need experience and discipline.

As I mentioned earlier, most new traders start risking their money too early. I know personally how tempting it is to get trading quickly, especially with all the fancy adverts for cheap discount stock brokers.

It is important to resist this tempation and educate yourself first.

It's always a good idea to do some fantasy trading with "dummy" money before trading a real money account.

Do you need a good discount stock broker?

Do you feel you already have what it takes to be a successful trader and need a discount stock broker? I have put together a list of discount brokers in order of price.

Investment Buying Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Paulson) — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 11:04:00 +0000

Foreclosures and bank REOs are pulling a new wave of novice investors into the market, some of whom "are just plain clueless, to put it bluntly," says Robert Cain, a long-time rental market and real estate management specialist based near Tucson, Arizona.

"They see the price and they way, wow! I can buy that house and turn it into a rental," says Cain, who lectures around the country and online about investing intelligently.

"But they don't understand the local market, they don't understand landlording, and don't even necessarily visit the property," Cain said in an interview last week with Realty Times.

For example, a property manager in Tennessee called Cain for advice recently. The manager had a simple question: "Should I fire my client?" who lives in California and purchased rental real estate 3,000 miles away in Tennessee -- sight unseen because the low price made it sound like a steal.

But the property had a long list of defects requiring costly repairs, and it was slow to rent - causing the absentee owner-investor to blame the property manager for the cash drain.

"We see it constantly," said Cain. "New investors think it's easy. They buy on emotion, on low pricing, rather than buying with a disciplined plan.

What are some of the key rules for freshman class investors? Here are a few of Cains' that have served him well since the early 1980s:

Number one: Due diligence is never optional. You've got to understand the local market - and that includes not just where prices are headed, but specific market demand for rental real estate in this price segment, and even the local government's plans for the area where you're thinking of buying.

Number two: Buy with a written plan - that's right, just like the large professional investors use, with an entry strategy and an exit strategy. How long are you going to hold onto the property, how much will it earn you during your period of holding?

And what's the endgame - a sale to another investor? Conversion to condos? Tear it down and build something that's closer to the underlying real estate's highest and best use?

"Write it all down," says Cain. That way you can analyze it better.

Number three: Calculate the actual costs of the property in advance - not just the bargain basement price, but how much you'll need to fix it and feed it - the management costs, rental commissions, vacancy costs, taxes, to name just a few.

"If you don't know these things up front," says Cain, "you are flying blind. And there are no good surprises in real estate." Today's Local Market Conditions Report

Timeshare Vacations Are Getting Cheaper

noreply@blogger.com (Paulson) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 01:49:00 +0000

Want to start enjoying your vacation? Then now is a great time to get in on the timeshare resale market. Timeshare resales are going to allow you to attend all the wonderful vacation spots you've been dreaming of, to the exotic to the rugged to the beautiful national parks. Want to vacation in Aspen? Want to enjoy the lush beach environs of Hawaii or Florida or the Caribbean? Then a timeshare resale is in your future.

Here are some of the main reasons to buy at the moment: prices are at a historic low. The market is already bottomed out, and prices have nowhere to go but up. People are selling timeshares, trying to make up for lost revenue and hoping to cash in on the many buyers out there. If you've thought about a timeshare, I would suggest that you not hesitate and buy the timeshare you're interested in.

The economy, as everyone knows by now, is still mired in the throes of mediocrity and downright malaise for many. As a result, if you're looking to spend some of your hard earned money on a vacation, or have been thinking about owning a vacation home, then now is the right time to make the move. Prices are not going to get any lower, and when the economy picks up, so will timeshare vacations.

Luxury timeshares are also on the resale market. Many of us, including myself, do not have the money to be able to buy a place in the Caribbean. But with the affordable rates on even the priciest of timeshares, you're going to be able to have that vacation you have always wanted.

Buying/selling Properties In West Vancouver & North Vancouver

noreply@blogger.com (Paulson) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 01:48:00 +0000

As a Briton with a vocational interest in the planning process I've developed an instinctive pessimism where the property market is concerned these days. Swathes of open land lie vacant where pubs, inns, restaurants and other buildings once stood, waiting for the recession to finish and for developers to once more find a reason to regenerate and sell on.

It came as something of a surprise to me therefore to learn that residential property sales in Greater Vancouver have increased by 28.6 percent since January 2010 and by 67.1 per cent since February 2009, that is according to the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV).

Naturally it isn't quite that simple to draw down from these raw figures just what effect the Winter Olympics might have had on these figures. But the fact remains all the same that property in Vancouver is shifting well. This is great news for those whose business it is to assist sellers in the process of selling, and buyers who are in the process of buying. It is good news too for the realtor.

Plus it is good news too for prospective clients. Two years back a $350,000 mortgage over 35 years at the best five-year fixed rate would have cost about $1910 per month. Today a $450,000 mortgage on the same terms would cost around the same, meaning that for the same monthly payment mortgage payers could be enjoying the benefits of a a superior dwelling.

The realtor helps buyers through every stage of buying a home, taking unnecessary stress and time out of the situation and making the whole experience more bearable, even enjoyable. The process is also likely to be less expensive as the realtor's experience will steer one clear of pitfalls and will seek out the most preferential arrangement for the customer.

He or she also of course becomes involved in the opposite side of the operation, that is selling properties. In such a situation assistance is invaluable in establishing what is a fair price for one's property, whether it is preferable to sell first or to buy first, and using the appropriate marketing strategy to maximise the likelihood of making a satisfactory sale.

A realtor knows every aspect of the housing operation, whether it is establishing a property's value, knowing how to market it when selling or getting the customer the greatest value possible when buying.

Winning the Stock Market Strategy Game

noreply@blogger.com (Paulson) — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 09:27:00 +0000

Beginner traders often fantasize or wonder about how some people are able to achieve tremendous profits by trading stocks just a few hours on a daily or weekly basis.

So going farther than the hype & the bells and whistles that a lot of the called "trading gurus" like to invoke, the real "secrets" of the stock market game are enclosed within the trading set ups and market signals you rely on to decide how to CHOOSE stocks, as well as WHEN to BUY & when to SELL them, or even when to SHORT SELL those that are poised for a profitable fall.

So the clearer your set ups are, the faster you can spot a potentially profitable trading scenario and ACT ON IT reducing your risk.

Complicated technical systems and information overload can make you slow and confuse you right from the start, making you loose money instead of making your profits grow.

In essence, You can be sure that the trading method you employ to approach the stock market and pick stocks can make a big difference in your results as a trader. In order to succeed you will need to FOCUS on a set of simple trading strategies that you can implement without hesitation.

Fortunately some sites on the web do offer more effective and updated day trading methodologies. They focus on momentum stock trading strategies, that are practical and easier to apply than many other technical systems out there.

Stock trading doesn't have to be complicated as many people perceive. But you do need to follow a well organized set of rules and tactics, that once you master them, you can aspire to replicate profitable trades with consistency.

What Is A Condominium?

noreply@blogger.com (Paulson) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 02:54:00 +0000

Other than townhouses and apartments, condominiums have also become a very popular living space for a lot of Filipinos, particularly with its advantages and benefits. However, condominiums were only introduced in the Philippines only recently compared with other types of housing such as townhouses and apartments. So what is a condominium?
The term condominium is a form of housing tenure and other real property where a specified part of a piece of real estate is individually owned while use of and access to common facilities in the piece such as hallways, heating system, elevators, exterior areas is usually executed under legal rights. According to Philippines property specialists, condominiums are commonly associated with the term apartment. A condominium may be simply defined as an "apartment" that the resident "owns" as opposed to rents. However, there are several differences between a condominium and an apartment.
Differences of Condominiums and Apartments The difference between condominiums and apartments are purely in legal terms for there is no way to determine a condo from an apartment simply by looking at or visiting the building. What defines a condominium is the form of ownership. According to Philippines property professionals, the same building developed as a condominium, which every unit is sold to different owners, could actually be built someplace else as an apartment building, in which the developer would retain its ownership and rent their units to individual tenants.
Overview A condominium is a collection of individual home units along with the land upon which they sit. Individual home ownership within a condominium is constructed as ownership of only the air space confining the boundaries of the home. Typically, a condominium consists of multi-unit dwellings, which is similar to that of apartments. Each unit is individually owned, however, common areas or facilities such as hallways and recreational facilities are jointly owned by all the unit owners in the building.
The description of the condominium units and the common areas and any restrictions on their use is established in a document commonly called a Master Deed, or also known as "Enabling Declaration", the "Declaration of Conditions", or the "Condiminium Document" in most countries. Typical rules stated in a Master Deed include mandatory maintenance fees, pet restrictions, and color/design choices visible from the exterior of the units.
Condominiums could also rent out their units to tenants, similar to renting out other real estate. However, according to Philippines property professionals, leasing rights may be subject to conditions or restrictions set forth in the declaration (such as a rental cap for the total number of units in a community that can be leased at one time) or otherwise as permitted by local law.

Squatting As A Form Of Housing Tenure

noreply@blogger.com (Paulson) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 02:51:00 +0000

The term housing tenure commonly refers to the arrangement, usually financial, in which an individual has he right to live in a house or in any other types of housing. There are many forms of housing tenure in today's trends. The most frequent forms of housing tenure are tenancy, in which an individual pays rent to a landlord, as well as the term owner occupancy, in which an individual owns a type of housing, hence the name home ownership. However, other than tenancy and owner occupancy, squatting is also a form of housing tenure.
What is Squatting? According to Philippines property specialists, the term squatting is used to define the act of occupying an abandoned or unoccupied space or building, usually residential, that the squatter does not own, rent or otherwise have permission to use. Anarchist Colin Ward have even quoted: "Squatting is the oldest mode of tenure in the world, and we are all descended from squatters."
According to Philippines property specialists, squatters area are typically found on the edge or near the outskirts of major cities which are usually consisting of self-constructed domicile without any permission from the landowner. Because of this, squatters area would usually lack in several basic housing elements such as proper sewage system, drinking water are usually bought from vendors or carried from a nearby tap, and if there is electricity, it is stolen from a passing cable.
Although squatting is considered as a crime, particularly when a landlord tries to claim the land used for squatting, other countries have come to legalize squatting. This is the reason why many areas which was known as a squatters' area in past were legalized and became indistinguishable from normal residential neighborhoods.
Squatting in Asia According to author Robert Neuwirth, there are one billion squatters globally, that is, about one in every seven people on the planet. Squatting is even found in rich countries such as in Europe and in the US. Philippines is one of the many Asian countries known for their problems in squatting.
According to Philippines property specialists, squatting is a major issue in Filipino society, especially in industrialized areas of Metro Manila. Squatting was said to have started after World War II, where most Filipinos devastated by the war have built makeshift houses called Barong-Barong in abandoned private-property plots. The government tried to transfer those squatters to low-cost housing projects, especially in Tondo (in the former Smokey Mountain landfill), Taguig (BLISS Housing Project), and Rodriguez (formerly Montalban), Rizal.

Real Estate And Housing Tenure

noreply@blogger.com (Paulson) — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 02:53:00 +0000

The term real estate is usually used to describe a land along with its improvements such as buildings, fences, wells and other site improvements that are fixed in location, or in layman's term, immovable. The term is also considered as a body of laws, regulations, and legal codes that pertains to a particular jurisdiction that includes elements like commercial and residential real property transactions. Like most buildings, a house is also considered as a real estate, which is usually known as a residential real estate. However, the rights to occupy a dwelling is usually under the term called housing tenure. What is Housing Tenure? According to Real estate Philippines specialists, housing tenure usually refers to the financial arrangements in which a person would have rights to live in a house or apartment. The most frequent form of resident is tenancy and owner occupancy form is owner occupancy. So what are the difference between these two types of residence? Owner Occupancy Owner occupancy usually defines a person, which is called an owner-occupier, who lives in a house that he or she owns. Owner-occupancy is therefore also called home ownership. The home of the owner-occupier can range from condominums, apartments, to housing cooperatives. Home ownership gives occupants the right to modify the building and land as they please, protects them from eviction, and creates a right to occupation which can be inherited. In some jurisdictions, it also confers certain legal rights with regard to abutters. Tenancy According to Real estate Philippines professionals, tenancy would usually refer to an ownership interest in land in which a lessee or a tenant holds real property by some form of title from a lessor or landlord. Leasehold is a form of property tenure where one party buys the right to occupy land or a building for a given length of time. As lease is a legal estate, leasehold estate can be bought and sold on the open market. Until the end of the lease period the leaseholder has the right to remain in occupation as an assured tenant paying an agreed rent to the owner. Other types of Housing Tenure Other than the owner occupancy and tenancy, according to Real estate Philippines professionals, housing tenure may also involve:

* Cooperative - Ownership of the entire building or complex is held in common by a homeowners' association.
* Condominium - Ownership of an apartment or house is assigned to an individual, but common areas such as hallways, heating system, elevators, and exterior areas are controlled by the homeowners' association. Fees are usually charged to tenants.
* Public Housing - Government-owned housing, whether provided for free or leased at a subsidised rate.
* Squatting - Occupation by non-owner without permission by the owner, if any.

Stocks mostly fall on mixed data; IBM lifts Dow

noreply@blogger.com (Paulson) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 01:25:00 +0000

Stocks end mostly lower on mixed data on housing, consumers; IBM boosts outlay for buybacks

EW YORK (AP) -- Stocks mostly fell Tuesday as mixed reports on home prices and consumer confidence gave investors little incentive to step into the market.

Rising energy stocks and a decision by IBM Corp. to double its stock-repurchase plan propped up the Dow Jones industrials but the Nasdaq composite index slid after Chinese Internet search company Baidu Inc. warned its revenue could take a hit as it switches its advertising system.

Two stocks fell for every one that rose on the New York Stock Exchange.

Bond prices rose after strong demand at a government debt auction, signaling that investors are still seeking safety.

Stocks rose at the start of trading following a report that home prices in 20 major metropolitan markets increased for the third straight month in August. The Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller home price index gained 1 percent in August from July.

However, the gains in home prices couldn't offset worries that consumers might not be in a mood to spend this holiday season. The Conference Board said its Consumer Confidence Index fell unexpectedly to 47.7 in October, its second-lowest reading since May. Analysts predicted a figure of 53.1.

While data on consumer confidence can be volatile, the drop-off still took some of the sheen off corporate profit reports for the July-September quarter, which have been coming in ahead of expectations.

"When I look at the consumer, I think that is the next big test," said Dave Hinnenkamp, chief executive KDV Wealth Management in Minneapolis. "We've passed a big test on the earnings front."

The Dow rose 14.21, or 0.1 percent, to 9,882.17. The broader Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 3.54, or 0.3 percent, to 1,063.41, while Nasdaq fell 25.76, or 1.2 percent, to 2,116.09.

Bond prices rose after a Treasury Department auction of $44 billion in two-year notes drew robust demand. That pushed yields lower. The yield on the two-year note rose fell to 0.94 percent from 1.04 percent late Monday. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note fell to 3.45 percent from 3.56 percent.

Stocks have fallen for most of the past week on worries about the economy. The Dow dropped 104 points Monday after a similar slide Friday. It was the first consecutive triple-digit loss for the Dow since mid-June.

The drops have come as a strengthening dollar pushed the prices of commodities lower. The dollar mostly rose again Tuesday but didn't dominate trading.

Analysts say the coming days could be choppy as traders look for fuel to extend the market's climb. The down days are welcome by those who say the advance has been too quick. The S&P 500 index is up 57.2 percent since March but down 3.1 percent from the start of last week when it closed at its highest level in more than a year.

The end of the month could also present hurdles. For many mutual funds, the last trading day of their fiscal year is Friday. Fund managers looking to minimize taxes for shareholders could sell some of their investments.

Investors are also looking to the government's first reading on economic output for the third quarter. The report on gross domestic product is due Thursday and could signal an end to the recession that many analysts have said is over, at least officially.

Joe Battipaglia, market strategist for the private client group at Stifel Nicolaus & Co. in Yardley, Pa., said recent economic data don't support arguments for a fast recovery in the economy, nor do they suggest a rebound would be weak enough to push stocks back down to the levels of eight months ago.

"We are in what I would call purgatory right now where the U.S. economy is rather limp," he said.

Crude oil rose 87 cents to settle at $79.55 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Gold fell.

IBM, one of the 30 companies that make up the Dow, rose after it added $5 billion to its stock repurchase fund. The total now stands at $9.2 billion. The stock advanced 54 cents, or 0.5 percent, to $120.65.

The rise in oil after a three-day slide helped lift energy stocks and the Dow. Exxon Mobil Corp., which is slated to report earnings Thursday, rose $1.68, or 2.3 percent, to $74.91.

Baidu's American Depositary shares slid $49.31, or 11.4 percent, to $383.66 after it its warning about revenue.

Consolidated volume at the NYSE fell to 5.4 billion shares from 5.7 billion Monday.

The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies slid 6.69, or 1.1 percent, to 586.99.

Britain's FTSE 100 rose 0.2 percent, Germany's DAX index fell 0.1 percent, and France's CAC-40 slipped less than 0.1 percent. Japan's Nikkei stock average fell 1.5 percent.

Obama's decision to cut executive pay could mean brain drain, experts say

noreply@blogger.com (Paulson) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 01:37:00 +0000

NEW YORK — The Obama administration's decision to cut the pay of top executives at companies on taxpayer life support will help quiet the popular outrage over excessive compensation. But it introduces a new concern: brain drain.

The 175 executives targeted by "pay czar" Kenneth Feinberg are not only the highest-paid but also considered among the most talented and productive. And competitors outside the restrictions are likely to woo them, recruiters and compensation expects say.

Losses like that could be devastating to the very companies the government spent so much money to save.

"These people are considered the brains of the machine. They are who can pull you through the tough times," said Steven Hall, who runs an executive compensation firm that bears his name. "This will give them reason to leave."

Feinberg announced Thursday that he has ordered seven companies that have received billions of dollars in taxpayer money to slash the base salaries of their top executives by an average of 90 percent and cut total compensation — cash, stock and perks — in half.

That applies to the five top executives and the next 20 highest-paid employees at Bank of America, American International Group, Citigroup, General Motors, GMAC, Chrysler and Chrysler Financial.

Another 525 employees at the companies will also face new curbs on pay from Feinberg, but those details have not yet been released.

Those facing pay restrictions outside the executive suite hold leadership positions in areas like finance and investment banking at the banks, and in manufacturing, brand management and design at the auto companies.

They come with years of experience, whether it's making deals or overseeing car design. For example, Ford Motor, which is in far better shape than its two Detroit rivals, could lure auto executives who would be difficult for Chrysler and GM to replace.

"There will be a fallout," said Janice Reals Ellig, co-CEO of the executive search firm Chadick-Ellig. "Talent that is short-term-focused because they have big mortgages, college education payments and other things will feel more pressure to leave."

A Bank of America spokesman, Scott Silvestri, said competitors not subject to pay restrictions "already are exploiting this situation by identifying our top performers and using pay concerns to recruit them away for fair market compensation."

Feinberg, in speaking engagements over the last month, acknowledged the difficulty of balancing "conflicting principles" on pay: Compensation needed to be high enough to attract talent without rewarding risk.

But he also has to deal with Americans angry that their tax dollars have been used to save these companies. The Obama administration has blamed misplaced compensation incentives as one cause of the financial crisis.

Feinberg will limit cash salaries to $500,000. Executives who had been guaranteed certain compensation will have those payments made in company stock to be held over the long term.

Most other pay will also have to come in long-term stock awards, and executives won't be able to sell that stock until the company repays its bailout money. Incentive stock awards can only be paid if executives stick around for three years and the company pays back the government.

Feinberg also gets to sign off on any performance goals used as incentives.

The pay restrictions for all seven companies will also require any executive seeking more than $25,000 in special benefits — things such as country club memberships, private planes and company cars — to get permission for those perks from the government.

Feinberg did say exceptions were made "where necessary to retain talent and protect taxpayer interests." Base salaries above $1 million were approved for the new CEO of AIG, and for two employees of Chrysler Financial.

Under a package approved by Feinberg over the summer, AIG CEO Robert Benmosche will get a pay package of about $10.5 million.

Competitors of all seven companies that have repaid bailout money are free to pay whatever they want — although the Federal Reserve did propose Thursday to monitor executive pay at thousands of banks.

Goldman Sachs, which paid back its $10 billion in government bailout funds in June, has set aside $16.7 billion for compensation and benefits so far this year, on track for a record.

"People who produce the top revenues will always be in demand. They will always be wanted," said recruiter Danny Sarch, president of Leitner Sarch Consultants in White Plains, N.Y. "That's just capitalism."

Cindy takes the keys to her new home

noreply@blogger.com (Paulson) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 01:36:00 +0000

FARMINGTON — Cindy Dotson is excited she won’t have to pay rent anymore. Finally, she has a place to call her own.

Last week, the Habitat for Humanity of St. Francois County officially turned over the keys to her and her family to their new home in Farmington.

Linda Dickerson, executive director of the local group, said there was a fantastic turnout for the dedication.

Stan Stanfield from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans welcomed the crowd and thanked them for allowing him to be a part of changing the lives of Dotson and her boys.

Thrivent Builds and Thrivent Financial For Lutherans were the Super Sponsors for the local Habitat’s 11th house. Together they worked to provide 65 percent of the funding for the home as well as 50 percent of the volunteer labor.

Thrivent members were on hand to show their support of the project and their commitment to work in conjunction with Habitat for Humanity of St. Francois County, Inc. on another project in 2010.

Dotson, as well as her son, Ricky Rawson, thanked everyone who had any part in making this dream come true for their family.

She said she would never have dreamed in a million years that she'd ever be able to buy a home. She said with all the hard work of all the volunteers, Thrivent members and Habitat volunteers, she is pleased to call this her home.

Board president, Ed Pultz said Habitat for Humanity is not a hand out. He said it's important that the general public realizes that the homes are not free.

The families have to help build as well as pay monthly payments to the local Habitat. Habitat makes no profit, and charges no interest, but every penny Habitat spends on the home is recouped by the owners of the homes by them paying monthly mortgages just like any other homeowner.

He said they are currently collecting more than $30,000 a year in mortgage payments from homeowners. The money will help homeowners in the future.

Thrivent Chapter Specialist Doug Pratt was presented a Certificate of Appreciation by Pultz on behalf of Habitat for Humanity of St. Francois County, Inc. for all his hard work and dedication in organizing and demonstrating excellent leadership capabilities and taking on the task of organizing the Thrivent and Lutheran congregations to keep plenty of volunteers on the job site each work day.

Other Habitat homeowners like Paula Franks and her family and the Hill family took part in the celebration.

Matt Sansoucie who has recently been selected as a future family partner was on hand to tour the home and witness first-hand what happens when the families are awarded the homes that they have worked to earn.

Habitat’s next homeowners were also there. The Bryan family has been selected for the next house to be built. Shelby and Jim (Bimbo) Bryan have two teenage sons, Calvin and Petey.

The Bryan family signed their Family agreement, and has picked out a lot for their home. They are now waiting to finalize the house plans for their new home so that construction can begin in the coming weeks.

The home will be constructed in Park Hills on Allen Street and will consist of three bedrooms, one and a half baths, vaulted ceilings, and most importantly, a floor plan that will allow Jim to be able to maneuver throughout in his wheelchair.

Dickerson said Jim was injured in a vehicle accident in July of 2008 and was left a quadriplegic. He is confined to a wheelchair, but you won't ever see Jim without a smile on his face and ready to tease or aggravate someone if given half a chance, she said.

She said this family is looking forward to being in their home where their father can enjoy the freedom of being able to move from room to room without assistance, and most of all the use of restroom facilities that his wheelchair will fit into.

FTI, Compass Advisers form new real estate firm

noreply@blogger.com (Paulson) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 01:32:00 +0000

Business advisory firms FTI Consulting Inc. and Compass Advisers LLP said Monday they have created a new investment banking firm that will focus on global real estate.

The companies said their joint venture, EdgeRock Realty Advisors, will use the two companies' experience in real estate, financing and restructuring to build a boutique-style firm. It will advise real estate companies and institutional investors on mergers and acquisitions, private capital raising and initial public offerings and other strategies.

Stephen Waters, managing partner at Compass Advisers, and Bruce Schonbraun, senior managing director and head of global real estate for FTI Consulting will serve as co-CEOs. David Lazarus, formerly managing director in the global real estate group of Lehman Brothers/Barclays Capital, will serve as a senior managing director.

EdgeRock will be based in New York.

Shares of FTI Consulting rose 74 cents to $42.67 in afternoon trading. The stock has changed hands between $36.14 and $64.07 in the past 52 weeks, and started the day down 6 percent for the year.

Pinellas real estate developer gets probation in fraud case

noreply@blogger.com (Paulson) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 01:31:00 +0000

Robert Swain was a businessman with a wide portfolio — Florida real estate, a storied Rhode Island restaurant chain, oil, bath supplies, clothing and more.

But his most recent real estate deal has ended with a guilty plea.

Swain, 64, recently pleaded guilty in Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Court to four counts of selling unregistered securities, and also pleaded no contest to four similar charges.

The case stemmed from his effort to develop Rutland Estates in St. Petersburg, and Tarpon Highlands and Tarpon Pointe in the Tarpon Springs area, developments in which investors lost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Victims are "obviously glad to have gotten back some of their money and they're glad to see that Mr. Swain has finally pleaded guilty," said David M. Boggs, an attorney representing some of the victims in a separate civil case.

Swain must serve four years of probation and will have adjudication withheld, meaning that he will not have a formal conviction on his record after completing probation.

But Assistant State Attorney James Helickson said the plea arrangement is a good one because Swain is required to pay $325,000 to his victims. He paid $100,000 earlier this month.

The charges were filed in 2001, and even without a trial, the case was a hard-fought battle by attorneys on both sides. After 30 years as a prosecutor, "this was probably the most complicated case I've ever been involved in," Helickson said.

Although Swain did enter guilty pleas, his attorney, David Weisbrod, said Swain was pleased there was no finding of fraud under the plea arrangement.

Swain was an active businessman, but several of his ventures ended up in bankruptcy proceedings, including the popular Newport Creamery, known for its "Awful Awful" milk shakes. Weisbrod said he is out of real estate development.

Boggs, the lawyer handling the civil suit, said he would meet with his clients to see how they wanted to proceed from here.

Is Your Home Wired Properly?

noreply@blogger.com (Paulson) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 01:30:00 +0000

We all know that as things age, they often need replacing but sometimes homeowners neglect to take care of their home's electrical wiring and that can set them up for potential danger. Electrical consumption since the middle of the last century has increased in most homes on average about 400 percent.

If you're tripping your main safety circuit box that could be a sign that you're overloading the electrical outlets and an indication that an electrical contractor should examine your wiring. Oftentimes, homes are renovated several times without any electrical wiring updated. Yet, this is a part of the house that can cause huge problems if it isn't kept up-to-date.

Outdated circuit boxes. When a home hits the 40-year mark the biggest area of electrical concern is the circuit breaker box. Zack Israel, owner of Mike Electric, says that when the circuit box becomes outdated, "it doesn't do what it's supposed to do." He says that as the house ages, the brand of the circuit box becomes obsolete "and today, a new generation of improved boxes is being installed." Israel cautions homeowners about the danger of not replacing an old and outdated circuit box. "If the breaker doesn't trip then the wire might melt and cause a fire," says Israel.

Kitchen wiring upgrades. An area of an older home that typically needs upgraded wiring is the kitchen. "The kitchen is an area that always needs to be upgraded after 40 years. Several decades ago we didn't have microwaves and all the appliances that we have today," says Israel. He says that what can happen if the kitchen wiring isn't upgraded is that when appliances are used, the circuit breaker trips or, even worse, it doesn't trip at all. "So the kitchen is an area that you want to upgrade and bring more power to it," he says.

The electrical code requires two circuits of 20-amps, 120 volts for GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) receptacles for the kitchen/eating area. However, more might be necessary depending on appliances being used.

Heavy-duty appliances need dedicated outlet. A common problem for homeowners occurs when there isn't proper distribution of the electrical circuits. Israel says homeowners often don't understand this. "Let's say for example that [depending on the weather] a homeowner tries to use a portable air conditioning system or heater and plugs it into just any plug—and boom! there's no power—it trips the circuit. This is common. People don't know that they need a dedicated circuit for that kind of appliance," says Israel.

Wire insulation cracks. Another big problem for older homes is that electrical wiring insulation cracks. "Especially in the ceiling lights, the heat from the light rises into the box and causes the wiring insulation to crack," says Israel. When homeowners consider tackling the task of rewiring their home they're often overwhelmed by it—feeling like it will be too expensive and too much trouble. While it is true rewiring can be a major renovation that, in some cases, even means the homeowner must leave the home for a period of time—due to electricity needing to be turned off or just the inconvenience of living with workers in your home -- the end result of peace of mind from knowing your electrical system is working properly and no longer at risk of causing a fire–(a major concern of home insurers)—is well worth the expense and any temporary hassles. Today's Local Market Conditions Report

Advising Different Kinds of Sellers For Showings

noreply@blogger.com (Paulson) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 01:30:00 +0000

All home sellers come with their own personalities and personal quirks, but when it comes to preparing a home for presentation you'll find that nearly all sellers fit into one of five categories. As you begin to counsel clients regarding changes and repairs they must consider, it won't take long to realize whether you're working with a Mr. Fix-It, a gung-ho renovator, a stuck-in-the-60s lover of the past, a do-nothing couch potato, or a human calculator.

At the point of staging a home for sale, each of these personality types brings favorable and unfavorable qualities to the task. The secret is to prepare yourself and your advice by learning early in the relationship just who you're working with.

Mr. Fix-It: This seller is ready, willing, and even enthusiastic to dive in and go way overboard completing projects before the home is ready to be shown.

Think of Tim "The Tool man" Taylor and you'll have a good idea of this seller's enthusiasm and approach. Then think of the results you've seen on the Home Improvement show for a good sense of the kind of outcome that may be in the script. Your only problem is Al won't be around when you need him.

The Downside: Mr. Fix-It has all the tools and is ready to use them at the drop of a hat. The problem is the work may not be done to industry standards, and so instead of an improved condition the home could end up with more problems than it had to begin with.

The Solution: When you spot a Mr. Fix-It, discuss changes in detail before any work begins. Discuss industry standards of quality. Ask: If a licensed and bonded contractor did the work, what would the finished product look like? Ask about industry standards for nailing, painting, gluing, plumbing, tiling, sheet rocking, roofing, and other tasks that may sound easier than they really are. Bring the seller's spouse or significant other into the conversation. The person who lives with a Mr. Fix-It understands where the power tool obsession ends and repair ability begins. With luck and skill, together you'll keep enthusiasm in check and put a damper on the idea to jack up and rotate the house so that the front yard becomes the back yard and the kids have more room to play.

The gung-ho renovator: These are owners who do everything way over the top. When it's time to preparing their home for sale, they want to practically create a whole new house before marketing begins. Once their makeover is complete, they sometimes find the result so impressive that they pull the property off the market and stay to enjoy the outcome of their efforts.

The Downside: Without good counsel, these owners cross the line between repairs and remodeling. Along the way, they spend way too much time and far more money than they can recover when they sell.

The Solution: Be clear about the seller's objective when preparing a home for sale. Impress upon the owners that the aim is to economically increase the warmth and desirability of the home and to remove potential objections that buyers might have against the home. The goal is not to achieve perfection. Remind them that in home fix-up, repair, and staging there is a point of diminishing return. It's easy for the gung-ho seller to cross that line.

Stuck in the 60s: With no further description, you know the look of this seller's home. From furnishings to artwork to floor coverings and color schemes, the entire place is decades out of style and, worse, the owners love it the way it is. I know firsthand, because I watched as the family home I grew up in sat too long on the market because it was stuck in the past. My mother loved the colors of the 60s and was resolute to keep them in place for as long as she was alive.

The Problem: The décor is so overwhelmingly dated that buyers have a hard time getting past the aesthetics and imagining. Struggling to visualize what it would be like to redecorate and move into the home.

The Solution: Somehow, you have to point out to the sellers that the look of the 60s (or 70s, for that matter) needs to be toned down, dialed back, or moved forward a few notches in order gain buyer interest in the home. Younger buyers have no nostalgia for the "old days" and many older buyers don't care to remember the décor from that era. Don't expect a complete redecoration: Often the best you can hope for is removal of the shag carpet. From that point, you may have to artfully sell around the avocado-colored appliances.

The couch potato: Coach potatoes want top dollar for their home but don't want to lift a finger to get it. Their favorite tool is the remote control.

The Problem: Sellers in this category claim complete satisfaction with their home just the way it is. They don't want to clean it up, pick it up, or repair it so it works. They feel that someone out there is willing to pay top dollar for the home, regardless of its mediocre condition. They simply want the agent to find them the right buyer. These are also the people who insist they always win when they go to Las Vegas.

The Solution: Seek a compromise. Make a list of recommended repairs and get the owner to take action on at least some items, because something is better than nothing. Then work to adjust the owner's price expectations in light of the property condition you have exposed. It seems the owner either has to settle for repairs or a lower asking price; they can't have it both ways without hurting the agent's stats. The calculator These sellers could be the most difficult of all. They can tell you in detail about every investment they ever made in their home. If you want, they'll be happy to provide you with receipts.

The Downside: These sellers expect to recoup every dollar they ever spent fixing up their home. If you counsel that additional work is needed to prepare the home for sale, they'll expect the sale proceeds to reflect at least a dollar-for-dollar reimbursement of the expenses involved.

The Solution: Reorient the sellers' view of the task at hand. Explain that the recommended investment covers improvements that bring the home back up to expected consumer standards and make it competitive in the current marketplace. Get the owners to understand that they are preparing their home not to achieve a higher sales price, but to gain buyer consideration that leads to a timely purchase offer. Today's Local Market Conditions Report

Go green ... or else real estate

noreply@blogger.com (Paulson) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 01:28:00 +0000

The problem with U.S.'s light bulb mandate

Arrol Gellner
Inman News

On Sept. 1 of this year, the European Union began banning the sale of incandescent light bulbs -- another well-meaning but heavy-handed effort on the part of EU bureaucrats to go green. This is the same government, you may recall, that blundered into requiring that 5.75 percent of its fuel come from biofuel sources by 2010 -- a mandate as ill-considered as it was premature.

Anyone who feels like tut-tutting the European nanny state, though, should know that, here in the good old free-market U.S., our own government is planning to phase out incandescent bulbs beginning in 2012. Rather than letting the obvious economies of more efficient lighting speak for themselves, Congress feels obliged to fine-tune America's buying habits with a sledgehammer.

Such meddling by legislative fiat is precisely the wrong way to coax people toward more environmentally responsible choices. As a recent editorial in London's Telegraph said of the EU's ban:

"(It is) an attempt to forward a policy goal -- combating global warming -- by statutory means. Such legislation imposes substantial costs on both consumers and the economy, but hides them so that legislators avoid blame."

Although this kind of criticism is widespread, most Europeans seem to be taking the new edict with docile resignation. This is hardly an endorsement, however, and Congress would be ill-advised to follow in the footsteps of the EU's ban, with its implicit endorsement of a competing technology (compact fluorescent lamps, which carry their own environmental risks) and the unavoidable appearance of government pandering to narrow corporate interests.

Rather than handing down arbitrary decrees on what sort of hardware people can and cannot install in their own homes, Americans would be better served by the creation of a rational, performance-based energy conservation policy -- one that would mandate energy budgets and declare, in essence:

"Americans, we must become more responsible consumers of energy. Therefore we are mandating energy consumption limits that are reasonable and fair. There are many ways to comply with these limits, some easy, some not, but how you choose to comply is entirely up to you."

If such a policy sounds impossible to enforce, note that the mechanism has already long existed, and that it runs quite smoothly, thank you. California's Title 24 energy code, for instance, has mandated minimum levels of energy efficiency in building construction since 1978, yet it still manages to provide a great deal of latitude in how the standards are met. Most states today have similar legislation.

Few would dispute that the incandescent lamp, which has seen little fundamental change since Thomas Edison perfected it 130 years ago, is a product whose time has passed for all but a few special purposes. Yet given the many less draconian means available to discourage its use, it's neither advisable nor necessary for Congress to insert itself into the issue.

Incandescent lamps are, after all, just one minor facet of America's profligate energy use. What's needed is not a scattering of arbitrary edicts, but rather one intelligent plan.

Next time: A closer look at the incandescent lamp's heir apparent, the compact fluorescent lamp.

***

What's your opinion? Leave your comments below or send a letter to the editor . To contact the writer, click the byline at the top of the story.

Visa posts 4Q profit on debit card use, cost cuts

noreply@blogger.com (Paulson) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 01:25:00 +0000

Visa posts 4th-quarter profit as lower costs, debit card growth offset lower payment volume

NEW YORK (AP) -- Visa Inc. on Tuesday posted a profit for its fiscal fourth quarter, reversing a year-ago loss, as cost reductions and growing debit card use made up for a decline in payment volume reflecting consumer spending cutbacks.

The payments processor posted profit of $514 million, or 69 cents per share, on revenue of $1.87 billion. Adjusted for restructuring charges and other items, the company said it earned 74 cents per share.

That compares with a year-ago loss of $356 million, or 45 cents per share, on revenue of $1.71 billion.

Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters, on average, expected Visa to post profit of 72 cents per share, on revenue of $1.78 billion. Analysts typically exclude one-time items in their estimates.

Visa, which is based in San Francisco, said payment volume slipped 2 percent, to $687 million. But the total number of cards carrying the Visa brand rose 5 percent worldwide, to 1.7 billion, and total processed transactions rose 9 percent to 10.5 billion.

The increased number of cards and the higher transaction volume reflect the growing use of debit cards over credit cards, as consumers continue to tighten their belts.

Debit card use is also up because banks have cut back on the number of credit cards and amount of available credit they offer to consumers, as defaults continue to rise. Several large card issuers have reported past-due credit card payments approaching 10 percent in recent weeks. That figure tends to track unemployment, and is expected to keep rising through mid 2010.

Visa's fourth-quarter operating expenses dropped by more than half, to $1.01 billion, from $2.15 billion a year ago.

The majority of the decline came from reduced litigation spending following the settlement of several major lawsuits. But even while the company said earlier Tuesday that it renewed its sponsorship of the Olympic Games through 2020, it reported a 12 percent drop in advertising and marketing spending in the fourth quarter to $283 million.

Chairman and CEO Joseph W. Saunders said Visa is beginning to see signs of stabilization in its business that appear to reflect early signs economic recovery.

For the fiscal year, Visa posted a profit of $2.35 billion, or $3.10 per share, up from $804 million, or 96 cents per share, last year. Revenue rose 10 percent to $6.91 billion, from $6.26 billion in fiscal 2008.

The company also said its board approved plan to buy back up to $1 billion in stock through Sept. 30, 2010.

For 2010, Visa predicted greater than 20 percent growth in its per-share earnings, implying profit above $3.72 per share. Revenue is expected to rise 11 to 15 percent, implying a forecast between $7.67 billion and $7.95 billion.

Analysts were projecting 2010 profit of $3.44 per share, on revenue of $7.51 billion.

Visa shares closed Tuesday trading up $1.12 at $73.90. In aftermarket trading following the earnings release, its shares were up 91 cents to $74.83.

UBS: McCann to lead US wealth management unit

noreply@blogger.com (Paulson) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 01:23:00 +0000

UBS names former Merrill exec Robert McCann as CEO of US wealth management unit

Swiss investment bank UBS AG said Tuesday it has named former Merrill Lynch & Co. executive Robert McCann as CEO of its U.S. wealth management unit, replacing Marten Hoekstra, who had held the position since February.

The hiring of McCann, 51, comes after UBS became the target of an Internal Revenue Service effort to get the names of thousands of Americans thought to be hiding assets in secret accounts. Ultimately, UBS paid a $780 million penalty and agreed to disclose the names of 4,450 wealthy Americans.

The Internal Revenue Service had originally tried to force Zurich-based UBS to turn over names of some 52,000 American clients believed to be hiding nearly $15 billion in assets. UBS and the Swiss government had argued the request violated Swiss banking confidentiality laws that date back centuries.

McCann will oversee UBS's U.S. and Canadian wealth management business as well as any international business that is booked in the U.S.

Until January, he was president of global wealth management at Merrill Lynch, where he had worked for 26 years. At Merrill, McCann had also worked as head of global securities research and chief operating officer of global markets and investment banking.

Bank of America Corp. agreed to acquire Merrill Lynch in a hastily arranged deal in September 2008, at the height of the financial crisis, just as Lehman Brothers was preparing to file for bankruptcy. That deal closed on Jan. 1.

McCann had been picked to lead the banks' combined brokerage unit, but instead left the same month the deal was completed.

Icahn offers to buy outstanding CIT Group debt

noreply@blogger.com (Paulson) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 01:22:00 +0000

Icahn makes offer to purchase CIT Group debt if bondholders agree to reject restructuring plan

NEW YORK (AP) -- Billionaire investor Carl Icahn offered Tuesday to buy certain classes of debt from CIT Group Inc. bondholders as he tries to thwart the commercial lender's restructuring plan.

Icahn said in a letter he will pay those bondholders 60 cents on the dollar for their bonds if they agree to reject CIT's debt restructuring plan.

New York-based CIT, one of America's largest lenders to small and mid-sized businesses, is trying to get bondholders to swap existing debt for new debt that matures later and stock. CIT is trying to reduce its near-term debt maturities by $5.7 billion.

On Monday, CIT sweetened its exchange offer for a second time in two weeks in an apparent sign debtholders are balking at the program.

Icahn said CIT's restructuring plan is unfair to small bondholders. He is offering to buy CIT's classes of fixed-rate notes whose principal totals less than $100 million. Icahn's offer does not include the purchase of floating rate notes, foreign-issued notes or U.S. fixed-rate notes whose principal exceeds $100 million.

Late in the day, CIT said in a release that Icahn's letter contained "important inaccuracies" and "misrepresented the fundamental economics of the company's restructuring plan."

Specifically, CIT disputes Icahn's claim that the reorganization plan provides "no protection for noteholders," stating that the plan calls for bondholders to receive new bonds and equity.

And while Icahn said the plan would "entrench the very board members who have gotten us into this mess in the first place," CIT said it would have a board comprised of "a majority of new independent members."

CIT is likely to file for bankruptcy protection if it is unable to win acceptance for the restructuring plan. Even if it can complete the restructuring, it has warned it still might have to reorganize under bankruptcy protection.

While CIT is asking bondholders to swap their debt, it is also seeking their approval for a prepackaged bankruptcy plan that might be needed even if the debt exchange is successful.

Icahn's offer would go into effect only if CIT's debt exchange offer, which expires Thursday, fails. Icahn would give bondholders 30 days to accept his offer.

Separately, late Tuesday Icahn sent a second letter, this time to CIT, detailing the backing he received for a $4.5 billion loan he proposed CIT accept in lieu of one being worked out with Bank of America. The letter followed an offer Icahn made last week to lend CIT $6 billion in an effort to get the company to stop the restructuring plan. If CIT goes ahead with the BofA loan, Icahn said he would challenge its validity through the courts.

If CIT were to collapse, it could hurt an economy already struggling to recover. It is a short-term financier to about 2,000 vendors that supply merchandise to 300,000 stores, according to the National Retail Federation.

CIT's losses have been mounting as its borrowing costs have risen faster than its income following the credit crisis of a year ago. It received $2.3 billion in federal bailout money last fall and a $3 billion emergency loan in July from some of its largest bondholders.

Shares of CIT fell 11 cents, or 10.3 percent, to close Tuesday's regular session at 96 cents.

E-Trade's 3Q loss widens on charge

noreply@blogger.com (Paulson) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 01:14:00 +0000

NEW YORK (AP) -- Online brokerage E-Trade Financial Corp. on Tuesday said its loss widened in the third quarter in large part because of a hefty charge it took to shore up its capital position.

While the company's trading activity has been volatile in recent quarters, E-Trade's streak of dismal earnings have largely been the result of its souring investments.

E-Trade was slammed by the recession and credit crisis in part because of the firm's investments in real estate loans and bonds backed by the troubled assets.

The New York company has been working to improve its capital position through debt exchange and stock offerings as it continues facing losses from those investments. As part of the $1.74 billion debt exchange in August, the company swapped out senior notes due in 2011 and other notes due in 2017 for new debt that can eventually be converted into common stock.

Exchanging the debt lets the company cut interest payments and fortify its ownership base.

About a year ago, the company also sold a number of assets to raise capital. Among the sales were its Canadian business for $515 million and its stake in an Indian brokerage for $145 million.

CEO Donald Layton had even contemplated taking advantage of the government's bailout of financial institutions, although E-Trade never ended up receiving any money.

Despite its ongoing investment troubles, Layton noted that the company's third-quarter results suggest that its core business is healthy, as average investors start returning to the market.

Quarterly revenue was $575.3 million, up 52 percent from $377.7 million in the year-ago period. Total daily average revenue trades were 196,413 for the quarter, up 7 percent from the same period in 2008.

At the end of the quarter, E-Trade said it had 4.5 million customers accounts, which included a record 2.7 million brokerage accounts.

Total customer assets rose to $148.7 billion, up from $142.2 billion the same time last year.

E-Trade shares were unchanged in after-hours trading following the release of the earnings report. In the regular session, the stock fell 3 cents to close at $1.57.

15 Sales Tips to Start Selling Smarter in 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Paulson) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 04:16:00 +0000

Here are 15 sales tips you can use to sell smarter during 2010. With the right sales motivation, you can become as successful as you want to be!

However, you must come to grips with this fact. If you aren't outrageously successful at this moment, thinking about it won't make it happen.
The end of the year is a busy time of the year for most of us, I know it is for me. I'm looking at where I've been this year, where I am at this moment, and where I want to be at the end of 2010.

Here is a short list of 15 sales tips you can use to make 2010 your best sales year ever:

1. Analyze what worked for you during 2009.

2. Likewise - analyze what didn't work for you during 2009.

3. Establish personal and professional goals in writing for 2010 - goal-setting is critical for sales success.

4. Put these goals on a white board in your office - the bigger the white board the better. If you can't see your goals you're less to stay focused on them throughout the new year.

5. Create written action plans, and the emphasis is written, for all goals with specific completion dates - these dates should be added to your electronic calendar.

6. Call your biggest and best customers and thank them, again, for their business.

7. Get the biggest trash can liner you can find and toss away everything that isn't absolutely essential to your success. Go through your office, your car, and your briefcase. Clutter has no place in an organized office. It just gets in the way, even blocks, your momentum.

8. Ask yourself, "What is holding you back?" It's a serious question which deserves some serious thought. It's stupid to do the same stupid things over and over!

9. Ask your sales manager what his priorities are for 2010. Don't assume you know what they are. Listen carefully to his response.

10. You should also ask your best customers the same question. Ask them what their challenges are for the new year. Ask them how they're planning to grow their business in the new year. Ask them how they're planning to measure success with their suppliers. These questions and others found in my book titled, "The 12 Best Questions To Ask Customers" will give you a significant advantage over your competitors.

11. Allocate 30 minutes a day to reading about your profession - okay listening to CDs is acceptable. This requires discipline. You will become an expert and a giant in your industry if you do this. If you don't, you'll just be in step with the mediocrity brigade. This sales tips is easy to say and hard to do. Do it and you'll be rewarded with more sales and of course added wisdom.

12. Get involved with a mastermind group which means starting one if you have to. My group, Masters Speakers International, of course we had to give it a sexy name, has been meeting four times a year for 10 years. My time with this group of talented people has made a huge difference in my life and in my business.

13. I can't tell you how many e-mails I receive saying, "as soon as I start making more money, I'm going to start buying some of your products." Unfortunately, good intentions won't make you outrageously successful. Investing in yourself is a requirement, not something that depends on your income. Your personal business Library is a good predictor of your future success. You can't put a price on a good idea. And it takes a steady stream of good ideas to become outrageously successful.

14. Here's another sales tip - don't try to do everything yourself. You'd be absolutely amazed at what you can outsource for a very reasonable price. The next time you have a small project you wish you could give to somebody else, see what they can do for you. You just might be surprised!

15. Finally, it's impossible to be good at everything. If there is something that you are not good at and you need to be good at it, for Pete's sake hire a sales coach. A good sales coach won't cost you anything. Yup, a good coach doesn't cost, he pays. A good coach can help convert your sales weaknesses into sales strengths. If you like what you read in my Newsletters, you'll love what I can do for you as your sales coach. See my website for details.

3 Sales Tips From Bali

noreply@blogger.com (Paulson) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 04:11:00 +0000

I went to Bali for the first time to relax and balance the equation between work and play. Whilst doing so I observed a gentle race of people who are masters in the art of relationship building and selling. The Balinese!

Let’s explore the three universal sales laws observed by the Bali locals.

Sales Tip No. One: Define your target market

Some might say the Balinese will hound anyone to achieve a sale, and yet, I observed a more targeted approach. They have a simple criteria…

1. If you haven’t yet got a tan… you’re a newcomer and your worth approaching because you may not understand the bartering game… you might pay double the going rate!

2. They observe what you are not wearing… and approach about that item. For example, one day I ventured out without wearing my glasses, and was approached by approx. 20 people selling sunglasses. It didn’t happen the days I had the sunnies on! I was constantly hounded about shorts and t-shirts - until I bought one set and wore them shopping…end of hounding!

No matter what the product, service or market, the Balinese put some thought into a set of criteria that must exist before they will waste their limited amount of time approaching potential clients. By doing so you will increase your conversion rate of prospect to order, and dramatically increase your effectiveness.

Call to action: Have you and your sales colleagues spent some time defining your target criteria?

Sales Tip No. Two: Know your ratio’s

We had escaped the heat in a local bar when we were approached by a guy called Wyn. He asked if we would come to his shop, and once he finally accepted that we wouldn’t budge, he did accept the offer for a cold drink from us.

Over a coldie, we discussed his sales philosophy… “Simple…” he said, “it’s a numbers game. If I approach 20 people, one will come to the shop. I need to get 10 people into the shop of which 7 will spend an average of 300,000 rupee. It’s just a numbers game.”

Effective sales people track and know their key conversion ratio’s. They know their numbers, and can therefore pro-actively determine the amount of activity that will be required to achieve the result. So my advice to you is to track and measure your key numbers and start getting ahead of the game…instead of playing catch-up!

Sales Tip No. Three: Build Rapport

People do business with people they like! The Balinese understand the power of building rapport and getting on the same wave-length as the customer. Sub-conscious rapport occurs when we reduce differences and increase similarities. One waiter at a Legian Beach-front cafe took the time to talk to us… to get to know our likes and dislikes. He effectively built strong rapport!
Where do you think we ate on a regular basis?

Call to action: Have you honed your rapport building skills lately?

If you think you would benefit from my tips and articles then feel free to subscribe to my e-newsletter. You will receive proven sales tips weekly.

noreply@blogger.com (Paulson) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 04:10:00 +0000

Barclays: Japan 4Q GDP Will Shrink 12.1%; Holiday Sales Worst Since 1970; American Greetings Buys Recycled Paper Greetings; Consumer Confidence Hits Record Low; China Eastern Gets Additional Funds; Gazprom Gets Paid

* An economist for Barclays Capital (ADR:BCS) estimates Japan’s economy will shrink at an annual pace of 12.1% this quarter, nearly a three-fold negative jump from the rate previously predicted. “Given the speed and the length of the contraction, this recession could be the most severe in the postwar era,” Barclays’ chief Japan economist Kyohei Morita said, Bloomberg reported. “We expect negative growth will continue for a fifth straight quarter to the April-June period of 2009.”

* U.S. holiday season shopping was the worst since at least 1970, with bottom lines plagued by low demand, heavy discounting and unfriendly weather, the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) said yesterday (Tuesday). ICSC’s tally runs up to December 27, and its chief economist, Michael Niemira isn’t holding out for a miracle turnaround in the remaining days, Reuters reported.

* American Greetings Corp. (AM) said it will buy privately held rival Recycled Paper Greetings in a deal that includes restructuring Recycled Paper Greetings’ debt under a Chapter 11 reorganization process. American Greetings Chief Executive Officer Zev Weiss acknowledged his company was attracted to RPG’s witty, funny and fresh content, according to a news release.

* Consumer confidence hit an all-time low in December, with the Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index dropping to 38 for the month from a revised 44.7 in November. Rising layoffs and the deteriorating housing market were the biggest reasons for the decline.

* The Chinese government more than doubled the size of a bailout for China Eastern Airlines Corp. Ltd. (ADR: CEA), just weeks after announcing a plan to pump $440 million (3 billion yuan) into the carrier, the Financial Times reported. China Eastern said it would now receive more than 900 million (7 billion yuan) through a private placement of Hong Kong and Shanghai-listed shares to its state-owned parent company.

* Ukraine yesterday (Tuesday) paid in full for natural-gas imports from Russia for November and has made an advance payment for supplies in December after OAO Gazprom, Russia’s state-owned oil monopoly, threatened to cut off supplies to the country. The Ukrainian government instructed two state-run banks to provide the country’s energy company NAK Naftogaz Ukrainy with the funds, a day before a deadline, Bloomberg reported.

Practice Stock Trading With an Online Stock Game Simulator

noreply@blogger.com (Paulson) — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 08:23:00 +0000

A stock market simulator, is an online game application that duplicates aspects of real-life stock markets. But no real money is involved; play money is used, so you can practice stock trading without the financial risk. Read on and know more about how you can learn and practice stock trading with an online stock game simulator.

Two Types: There are two types of online stock game applications for you to be able to practice stock trading skills and strategies: Financial and fantasy stock game simulators. A financial stock market online game application allows you to practice stock trading through a fictional portfolio based on real stock entries.

The Use of Play Money - Your financial stock simulator portfolio uses play money, so there is no risk involved at all. To prevent any collusion, or abuse of the game and the system, most online trading websites that offer these free stock games use a delayed data feed. Such a system ensures that the information and data may not be used to do actual stock trading using these information. A financial stock online simulator is a great way for you to practice stock trading scenarios and strategies, and gain experience before you move up to the real thing.

Hypothetical Stock Trading - On the other, a fantasy stock market online game simulator lets you practice stock trading through thoroughly hypothetical yet amusing settings. Unlike financial stock game applications, fantasy online simulators feature imaginary fantasy stocks that, while representing real items, would never be actually traded in actual practice stock trading setting.

The Stocks - Some items being traded in fantasy free stock market game applications include the longevity of certain books on the bestseller list, the success of certain movies at the box office, antics of infamous celebrities, sports teams and games, and more. What fantasy stock market game applications do is show how the principles in an actual stock trading setting may work.

By making use of the fantasy analogy, this type of stock market simulator is an ideal way for anyone with no background in trading, to be able to understand how the stock market works, because these often use items that are familiar to a lot of people. This is one way where you get to practice stock trading techniques and strategies while having fun.

Practice - Playing on an online stock market simulator lets you practice stock trading with play money in a real-world stock market scenario. Getting the hang of how shares are bought and sold, what affects your investments and the other principles are all part of the practice stock trading experience with a stock market simulator. It will just be a matter of time between simply playing practice stock trading on an online stock market simulator and doing the real deals yourself.

Best Prices With Bargain Life Insurance Quotes

noreply@blogger.com (Paulson) — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 03:49:00 +0000

You need to have the life insurance for the protection of you and your family. This can be easily fulfilled with the internet to obtain cheap life insurance quotes online. These minute information can serve you in great way to select the type of coverage that you should finally settle. It is a matter of few licks to get the necessary quotes for the comparison work and then only you can achieve the desired one.

Several companies are offering life insurance plans fro people and their families. Most of the companies have their websites for easy access to the information that people need. The best thing is that the service is totally free and you can log onto websites of several companies to know the prices and plans of insurance coverage. This will make it easy to compare several deals and find out the best deal for you. It is known as insurance shopping online.

Before furnishing you the information, the companies will give you an application form asking you to mentions details of your name address, age , occupation and many other usual things . They will also want to know about the details of your family and certain information which they require to calculate the premium of an insurance coverage plan.

You have to submit the required information there in their prescribed form and submit. They will take very little time to come out with their offers about a specific insurance coverage plan. Mainly, the price quotes are dependent on the age of the person needing insurance and as such younger people will receive lower quotes than aged ones. The life insurance companies have their own method of calculation of premiums and accordingly they deliver their offers.

To get cheap life insurance quotes, you should give correct answers of the queries that are made by the insurance companies in their applications. If you provide genuine and accurate information, you have the chance to receive the best answers from them. Untrue statements are liable to get detected resulting in total cancellation of policies.

The insurance companies will need medical backgrounds, which should be correctly provided. If you need a term life insurance policy, declare the medical history even if you have old ailments. If you are enjoying a sound health, attach a doctor’s certificate in your favor, which the insurance companies will give due importance. It is important to refrain from delivering any false claim regarding your health, which will end up only in total loss for you.

The online shopping of insurance coverage is beneficial for you. You get the price quotes free and in this process can collect several price quotes from different insurance companies and can reach the most suitable one after the comparison of price quotes.

There are several sites which prepare a set of competitive prices on insurance plans. You have just to log onto those sites and fill up the enquiry form, which they have in their front page for you. You complete the information from your side and submit. They will respond immediately with some best deals available in the market so that you are able to choose from cheap life insurance quotes.