Investment Properties: The Purpose of Chain of Title Report

When it comes to property, most people want to be able to make some kind of investment. Some people end up using a system known as “flipping” which causes the property to pass from one owner to another within a very short space of time. As a result, it is important to take a look at the different requirements that banks will give you if you want to take out a loan for a specific property. It is interesting to note that there are a lot of people who end up artificially inflating the prices of houses. As a result, this can end up causing a lot of problems within a local area’s property market. This is sometimes viewed as fraud and therefore banks and lenders will usually require what is known as a chain of title report.

A chain of title report is also a document that many would like to view as part of the purchasing process to know the history of the property. This is especially true with businesses. property owners need to know how the property was used in the past for historical accuracy as well as for environmental purposes. With this report, you will know exactly what the property was used for and if you need to go ahead with further testing on the property such as an environmental data assessment. 

What is a Chain of Title Report?

In essence, a chain of title report is simply a report on all of the people who have owned the property within a certain period of time. Depending on the bank or lender you get, you will usually have to have a report that stretches back at least two years. This tends to be one of the more standard requirements, so it is usually nothing to worry about. Of course, there are some banks that will only allow one person to have owned a property within at least the last year. This is where the bank decides to take a close look at fraud and makes sure that prices are not being inflated artificially.

When it comes to a chain of title report, you need to make sure that you get all of the necessary information. A lot of people may be concerned when it comes to buying a house, or even if they are just investing in the property. You therefore end to take a look around at the different banks in order to see what they will accept. Some banks can be a lot stricter than others and this can end up causing people to run into problems.

When getting a chain of title report, always make sure to tell the truth to your lender. The last thing you want is to be done for fraud. It may be nerve-wracking especially when you feel that there are not many lenders out there who will be happy to lend you money. What you need to do is make sure that you keep an eye on the property’s value and make sure that you speak to a lawyer if you happen to have any concerns. This will allow you to find out what can be done when it comes to getting a loan for your property.

To obtain this report, you will need to visit local government offices such as the Courthouse in the county in which the property resides. The courthouse will be home to the information and records you need to begin your search. Speak with employees of the Title Department to be able to learn how to begin your search. You may be given access to a computer database and can simply use the address to find the previous owners of the property. every search will be different based on where the property is located but with a friendly nature and a little investigating, you will be able to determine who owned the property before you and how it was used.

Author Bio:

Ashley is a freelance writer and blogger. She writes for a wide range of different companies and creates website content for different websites. She has found that Chain of Title Report are essential to investment success. 

Protecting Your Income

The reality is that, even in this modern first world life, people are still living on the brink on financial ruin. Precautions need to be taken to protect yourself and your family. If the worst should happen and you end up out of work (or worse,) you need to guarantee that your family finances are secure. 

Why it matters

There is a common misconception that the only insurance other than automotive worth having is life insurance. However, life insurance only pays out on death or permanent disability. Given modern medicine, you are a good deal more likely to become temporarily incapacitated than killed. Income protection insurance offers coverage in the event that you are unable to work for an extended period of time for health-related or other reasons. Life insurance isn’t concerned about your kids starving because an earthquake destroyed your place of work. Dying isn’t the only way that you can be prevented from taking care of yourself or your family. People are vulnerable, both physically and mentally, jobs can disappear, and you can be displaced. If you’re in Australia, you can protect your income with AAMI insurance. 

What it does

This coverage is not unemployment insurance, and it certainly doesn’t function an excuse for taking an extended vacation from work. Income protection is specifically for extended lengths of time where you are unable to work. There are specific jobs where this coverage is highly recommendable. For example, if you work in food preparation and contract a severe stomach bug, you can be forced out of work for weeks at a time. In fact, your employer is legally liable if they allow you to work while ill and preparing food. 

How it works

When are unable to work, you get a certain amount of pay in the form of disability benefits; but this usually comes at a fraction of your usual income. That is where income protection insurance comes in. The payout from income protection takes into account all of your payable benefits on top of your regular income, and will match up to three quarters of that income This is not a lifetime fix. 

Most income protection plans only cover one to two years. You can get a policy that will cover you for longer, but serious problems which mean that returning to work is implausible qualifies you as permanently disabled (which is often a part of life insurance.) Since both the benefits and the monthly fees are calculated based on your income over the twelve previous months, income protection insurance is pretty likely to fit into your budget. 

This type of coverage can fit into a wide range of budgets, which is convenient since less affluent people are more likely to lose their income, and less likely to absorb the loss of that income without catastrophic effects. You are very likely to need income insurance at some point. Most people don’t make it through life unscathed. Keeping a safety net under your feet with precautions such as income protection insurance can help tremendously in maintaining your way of life without suffering financially

Making it Work: How a Small Business Can Become Bigger

Most small business owners dream of expanding their business and turning their small business into a big one. However, dreams alone won’t transform your company. Business owners need to take action to continue to grow their business and to be ready when an opportunity presents itself to expand. Here are some tips to try when creating more growth in your business. 

Organic Growth

Most businesses will grow naturally over time due to marketing and advertising efforts reaching new customers and existing customers, and by spreading the word about the business. This organic growth is important, as some existing customers will leave over time for a variety of reasons. This means that a business that is not expanding its customer base continually, will not only fail to expand, but it will actually contract. Business owners need to carefully balance their time between maintaining existing customers, and reaching new ones in order to allow a business to grow over time. 

Financial Stability

For a business to grow, it must be financially stable. Though this can be a difficult task in the first few years that a business is in operation, even the youngest business can begin to build financial strength. A small cash reserve is a great place for a small business to start. This reserve can start small, and grow over time to meet any emergency expenses that a business may face. In addition, a business should foster relationships with financial institutions and other lenders. By having both cash and credit available, a business can confidently grow through the expansion of operations and the acquisition of competitors. 

Modern Technology

In many ways, modern technology has revolutionized small business. While a business can still benefit from the services of professionals, many tasks that business owners had to hire out in the past can be performed in-house. For example, business owners may choose to design and operate their own website to conduct business online. Products such as Domo BI dashbaords can help a business owner and other key employees to have fast access to important business measurements. This will aid in efficiently running the business. By using current technology, a business can work more efficiently and with a higher level of profitability. Find out more about new technologies and try to use each one to the company's advantage. Find out who common customers are and what type of advertising they will respond to. Where the ads are online will matter in how well the are received. Creating more customers through advertising is an age old method and will guarantee business growth.

While there is more to growing a business than fostering organic growth, building financial stability and using the best technology, these are three important areas for a business owner to focus. By working to grow a business, and being prepared for expansion, a business owner can position his or her small business for big things in the future. This ways you can be sure your company will grow in the right ways and become bigger than ever.

Nothing is More Interesting Than Insurance

Well, if you take that literally most people would find that doing nothing is indeed more interesting than sorting out things like insurance. However, it is one of those things we need to do or risk the consequences. With so many insurance providers and products on the market how do you know which ones are right for you?

Comparison sites

Many people now sort out all their insurance needs online. There are lots of comparison websites available which will give you quick quotes and compare policies that are available from different providers based on the criteria you submit. While these sites can not advise you on what is the best policy for you, they can filter a lot of information very quickly which saves you a lot of time. Always read policy details carefully and make sure you are clear about how much the 'excess' is, which is the cost you will have to pay towards any claim. Beware of special introductory offers which might tie you in to longer renewal contracts at higher prices.

Have you got everything covered?

There are lots of types of insurance available for different things you own or do: car insurance, home insurance for building and contents, travel insurance for luggage loss, health care or extreme sports. What is covered by each type of insurance can vary from one policy to the next so you need to check what you are getting for your money. For example, some personal items are not always covered by home contents insurance and if they are they may only be covered while they are in the insured home. So you need to read carefully through the features of your policy and never assume that something is covered. It might be too late when you find out that it isn't.

Policies based on your needs

Often your own circumstances can dictate the cost or terms of insurance policies available to you. Car insurers, for example, commonly identify age, postcode and the number of previous claims/accidents as risk factors which would determine the detail or cost of a policy. You may find that you belong to a particular demographic group which has insurance policies tailored specifically for your needs. Similar things can be said about contents insurance with a different range of packages available in the market. For example, AgeUK provides a range of insurance policies designed for over 50's. Click here for more information on AgeUK contents insurance.

Help is at hand

So, with so many options available, searching for insurance and making sure you get the right policy can be a bit of a minefield. Do not worry, you won't be alone if you need to ask for help. Impartial advice is available from the Money Advice Service online, over the phone or face to face. The Money Advice Service was set up in 2010 (although it started life under a different name) to help increase the public's knowledge and understanding of financial matters with the view to enabling them to better manage their own financial affairs.

Understanding Small Business Loans

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If you are thinking of getting a small business loan, you must know what you are getting into and be prepared. Financial institutions are becoming more timid to loan money in this market so your plan must be concrete. Look extensively into your business and see what the top priorities are and what needs to be done in order to make it more successful. Think big picture and make sure you understand the difference between needs and wants for your company. 

Some things to consider are:

1. How much do I need? Be wary not to take too much or too little. 
2. What exactly will this loan be used for? The more detailed the better. 
3. How much you can afford to pay on the loan each month? Be realistic. 
4. What assets can you use as collateral? 

Make a plan

Use the questions above to help you decide what you really want out of a loan. A small business loan is usually a big commitment and with any big investments like that you want to make sure you go into it knowing exactly what the money will be used for, how it will improve your business, and have confidence that you will be able to pay it back entirely. 

Asset assistance

Financial institutions are not known for handouts. They want to protect their investments and this can make getting a small or a large business loan difficult to attain. When you go into a loan you want to put your best out there and show them you are responsible and able to meet your burden of the loan. Handshakes and verbal promises are long gone, but assets speak volumes. If you are certain that this loan will further grow your capitol game it may be necessary to use assets to back up the loan. Assets can be anything from:

• Equity on your home 
• Real estate property 
• Inventory or equipment 
• College funds/IRA’s 
• And more 

If your assets are low, you can also consider having a cosigner for the small business loan. 

Use it right

Once a business loan is secured it is up to you to make sure the funds you receive go to precisely the areas you want it to and that it is making a difference. If you begin and realize that this isn’t what you were expecting that sit down and draft another plan until you reach the scenario that will best suit your business needs and long term goals.

Often times a financial advisor can help you do this and make sure you get the most of of the loan. If you didn’t qualify for as much as you were hoping, a strategic planner will work with the numbers to ensure that your business will not only make enough for you to get by, but for the company to thrive. Ultimately that is any business owners' goal, to grow and grow. 

Small business, big results

If you are reading this, chances are you are a small business owner. The best advice to anyone in your situation is to plan, plan, plan! The more you take a step back and plan for your company the better the outcome will be. You need to continually re-evaluate what is best and when the time is right to go for a loan to help build it even more. Click Here to find out more about Business Loans.

Shared Office Space: The Incubator of the Internet Age

There was a time, not too long ago, when every business that dared to call itself legitimate had an office. This necessity created many of the images that we associate with business success today. Who doesn’t imagine the friendly secretary in the lobby, the coveted corner office, or the wood-paneled boardroom when they think about what it must be like to have a successful company? These are nearly universal images, but they have less and less to do with business now that the information age is reaching maturity. 

Many modern businesses don’t have offices, and more of them are being founded every day in coffee shops, libraries, and living rooms. An internet connection is one of the only barriers left between a merchant and a consumer, and the global recession has encouraged even large companies to re-examine what a traditional office actually offers them. There are several distinct advantages to abandoning office space.

First, there are very few communication problems left. Even the most complex teams can be easily managed with collaboration software, and these teams can now be located all over the world. Second, most interactions with both customers and clients will occur online, anyway. Finally, office space is a major expense considering both the previous points. It’s certainly too much of an expense for most start-ups that are still trying to get off the ground.

That said, there are many advantages that an office offers. Most significantly, it is a place for people with similar interests and expertise to connect and develop. The kind of spontaneous collaboration that happens in offices is hard to replicate when communication is done online. However, there is a way to capture the best of both worlds through shared office space.

Those who run internet businesses probably don’t have enough employees to make office space worth it. That doesn’t mean they won’t enjoy a space dedicated to work, and being around people who share the same interests and industries. 

What is Shared Office Space?

Shared office space comes in many different forms. Typically, when someone who owns office space has trouble renting the property whole, he or she will experiment with selling access to space within the office instead. Sometimes, businesses will end up with more space than they need, and try to use up the rest of the space by sub-letting it to other small ventures or individuals. Other times, the office space will be specifically designed so that it can be used as shared office space.

The result is the same. Many different people, affiliated with many different businesses, will end up enjoying the same office space. In most cases, only a few businesses will be represented. However, some offices will be shared between dozens of different people working independently on their own businesses. The shared office may be organized so that everyone has their own enclosed room, or as an open space where territory is only defined by the position of the desks.

This arrangement can sound very confusing to those who haven’t experienced it, yet. However, shared office space offers several serious benefits to the people who take advantage of it. 

What Benefit Does Shared Office Space Offer to Start-Ups?

There are several important benefits that shared office space offers to startups and other small businesses. For many people, shared office space is attractive because of the cost. Shared office space is very cheap, often only a fraction of the price of normal offices. This makes a huge difference in major hubs like New York and London. Most start-ups would not be able to have any space where they could meet people professionally if they were not able to take advantage of shared office space.

The most significant benefit of sharing office space is likely the opportunity it offers to meet forward-thinking people who are in the same industries. Many shared office spaces try to develop a “culture”. That is to say, they try to lease shared office space to people that share the same interests. Some shared office spaces are populated almost entirely be people who are running social media businesses. Others may be focused on accounting or finance.

It was never easy for small business owners to meet one another. It can be a very lonely life. Shared office space is one of the first modern developments to allow these business owners to meet and work with each other on a daily basis. Many people who have tried shared office space say it works like an incubator. It’s much easier to learn and develop in an industry when you are surrounded by people who share both your interests and your motivations.

It may not be easy to find shared office space where all the tenants are in the same industry as you, but it is at least easy to find shared office space all over the world. 

Where Can Shared Office Space Be Found?

Shared office space can be found in almost any major city, and it is also showing up in a lot of smaller towns as well. Shared office space can be found through traditional classifieds like those on craigslist, but there are also some websites that now specialize in matching people who want office space with those that are setting up shared arrangements. 

Should You Consider Shared Office Space?

Shared office space might be a good fit for you depending on your situation. If you only have a few employees, it can be a great way to save some money on full office space. If you are self-employed as the only person in your business, you may benefit from having a change of scenery and somewhere you can focus only on work with no interruptions.

You should also consider what you have to gain by meeting other people who could help you with your business. It can be very hard to find mentors and people who share your vision. Sharing office space could give you that opportunity.


About Simeon Howard

Simeon G Howard, born in Hampstead London, started his first business at age 21. By age 25, this serial entrepreneur had founded Your City Office Ltd, a Virtual Office and Office Space brokerage firm. Drawing from his past experiences, he and his partners have quickly built and developed one of the UKs leading organizations in this industry.

Related articles

• The Benefits of a Wireless Network in Your Office (50plusfinance.com)
• How to Make Money off Instagram (50plusfinance.com)
• The Importance of Serviced Offices in UK for Businesses (savealittlemoney.com)

The ABCs of Property Buying

Property market (Photo credit: Alan Cleaver)

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to invest in your dream home and then about the whole process of making it from an unfurnished flat to a living space of your dreams? Ever calculated the hours of sweat that would go into making your apartment into a space that reflects who you are? Or have you probably wondered about the most basic questions as to what is the most basic step into entering the field of property buying? Or what are the steps that lead you to transform your mental image of the perfect house into concrete reality? These are the questions that probably are the most popular on online real estate sites and construction blogs. 

Firstly, to buy any good property, be it residential or commercial, it is fundamentally important that you span through every option available in your budget. The estate market has become so vast that it can cater to any kind of property whims and fancies that its customers harbor in their hearts. So you could choose from a luscious apartment, to a grand flooring duplex that could be the perfect medium to share those beautiful life time memories with your loved ones. If you are a simple bee that go for the ultra modern and chic homes that are made up of the warm feel of teak wood under the soles of your feet. If you are in the mood to splurge look at those wonders that are termed as indoor swimming pools, on a less grand scale, maybe a Jacuzzi might suffice.

Secondly, after deciding on the most ideal space according to your convenience, make sure you are surrounded by a locale that has the most basic features in it. These include hospitals, grocery marts, libraries, the police stations, subways or bus stops. Make sure that your surroundings are as favorable to you as the space that you have picked up to compose into the house of your dreams. It is very essential that all these basic amenities are now located in your area of residency since they form a very important part and parcel of your day-to-day living.

Some of the best leading real estate companies are now focusing on advancing the options available on the residential market. They want to make living a one of a kind experience and they want to do with style. Their clientele has become much more choosy and individualistic in their preferences, demanding for spaces that reflect their own perspectives of modern life. This group of consumers is the one that have transformed the living space from a mere four wall phenomena to a much more complex notion of luxury and style, also of personalized reflections of memories that are converted into state-of- the art pieces which are timeless in their creations.

Whatever you need to make that space your dream home, at every step there is too much that is offered as help. Sift through your options wisely. Make the most of whatever is laid before you as your eyes feast through the perfection combinations of interiors that will match that ideal mental image of a home. The property world is no longer a short walk down the lane, rather it has become one those long strolls into the woods that is made up of so much variety. Invest your capital very carefully and if you are indulgent, indulge in some of the best. Your dream home will occur every two years, so this once in a lifetime opportunity should not slip by without its festive commemoration.

Bio: Roy is a free lancer writer of http://www.thewadhwagroup.com/ and currently he is doing online research on the projects in Mumbai.