Monday, April 30, 2012

Finding a Reputable No Credit Check Car Dealership

In today's auto sales industry, more consumers than ever before are seeking alternatives to traditional car purchases and leases. Financing a car is a lot of work for most people but it doesn't have to be a daunting task if you know what you are getting into. The first step to your unique needs is to find a car dealership that is reputable, dependable, and will give you the car and financing terms that you deserve. Here are some things to keep in mind to help you get the best dealership for your needs:

-Always make sure that a dealer has an upstanding reputation in the community. No matter how good their deals claim to be or what type of credit approval they offer, they need to have a stable reputation, history in the market, and a commitment to helping their customers. That way, you can buy a car from someone you can trust.

-Read all of the terms and conditions of their "no credit check" process or financing solutions. Depending on the dealer or seller, there might be different rules and guidelines that have to be followed. You need to know exactly what you're agreeing to when you choose this type of financing.

-Do your homework on the cars. Don't assume that something is listed for its value. Right now the market is yours, and you need to make sure that dealers aren't charging you too much for the car you want. Check out the value and make sure that you get a fair price along with good terms and conditions.

-Ask about payment reporting. In some situations, consumers want to have a dealer report their payments to their credit to help improve things. If this is something you were considering, you should ask a dealer if they offer the service. This is a helpful tool if you can find it, but it isn't essential.

There is a lot that goes into buying a car. When you need non-traditional financing solutions, it can get even more complicated. Keep these tips and guidelines in mind so that you can check out all of your options for auto financing and get the loan that you need on a car that you love. It isn't difficult, by any means, but it is something that takes a little time and effort on your part to ensure that you're getting a good deal from a reputable car dealership.

Friday, April 27, 2012

Payday Loans: Short Term Relief

Money management is a problem for many. Knowing how to take care of your payments and your debt properly is a learned skill. Once big debt has built up, it takes determination and focus to get it paid down.

Payday loans are small short term loans provided to people no matter what their credit score looks like. Having quick access to cash has helped many customers keep up with their budgeted costs while too many unexpected payments or emergency costs creep into the budget before their next paycheck can help. Keeping regular bills paid on time is a struggle now and then, but having this access to fast cash keeps many budgets right on target.

Problems with payday loans arise when people start using them to create more debt knowing that the next paycheck will not cover the new expense. Rolling the loans over and over waiting for that big break in the budget is just eating away at monthly income. The additional fees and continued high interest charges add up each month that these short term loans are not paid off. Those who think that payday loans will get them out of debt are finding themselves sinking further behind instead.

The rates at which payday loans are offered, as compared to other types of loans, are very high. These cash advance loans are supposed to be short term and the high rates are good motivators to get them paid in timely fashion. The business behind payday loans will make money off of the loan until it is paid. Credit cared companies and banks are no different in many ways. The money collected from your interest provides the business large returns. The greatest difference between the two loans is the interest rate at which a customer is charged. Credit cards and banks charge much lower rates which entices people to go with them when their credit history permits. The low cost blinds the expensive road which debtors will be paying. Long term interest payments add up and bring enormous revenue to these large corporations.

If you are already in debt, think twice before using a payday loan. The payday loan company will not ask the applicant what the money will be used for as requested by bank loan officers. The simplicity of getting a payday loan makes them more attractive to people in need. Having too many of these loans out frequently is not financially sound. They will no take care of long term debt, nor will they replace the purpose of a budget. Learning how to control your money is the best answer when it comes to handling your funds. Saving as much as you can each month will better prepare funds for future emergency costs. Misconceptions that payday loans will help get you out of debt are misguiding customers to keep coming back for more. The small loan will help keep your payments made in between paychecks. They will save you money from late or no payment fees as well as keep your credit stable for that period. Ultimately, it is up to the person to keep the balance between money in and money out.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Leasing Retail Space - Negotiating The Right Deal

Letter of Intent (LOI)

Retail space negotiations are complicated and time-consuming. Once you have located the retail space which is ideal for your business, the next step is to negotiate an agreement which protects you and is acceptable to the landlord. Industry practice for retail space is to negotiate a letter of intent before negotiating the lease.
Use an Attorney!

Engage an attorney to assist in the letter of intent negotiation. It probably seems that the letter of intent is informal and can easily be negotiated without an attorney. However, there are issues you should address in the letter of intent which may not be obvious if you have not previously negotiated letters of intent for retail.
Wow! This is Complicated

Common factors for a retail space letter of intent include: defining the parties (leasor and leasee aka landlord and tenant), defining the space, defining the rent including any percentage rent, defining the basis for calculating sales or net income if they are involved in calculating rent, the initial term, any renewal options, rent for renewal options period, the day at which lease payments commence, the date of occupancy, the condition of the space when the landlord provides it to the tenant, tenant improvement allowances provided by the landlord, who performs the tenant improvements, is the tenant required to use union labor for tenant improvements, is the tenant required to use a general contractor for tenant improvements (TI), who pays for the cost of the ADA compliance, who maintains what (i.e roof, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, etc), who pays which expenses, calculating the payment for CAM (common area maintenance), free rent, and identification of the broker and payment of the brokerage fee if relevant.
You Mean There is More!

Other issues which you may want to address in the letter of intent include expense escalations, co-tenancy issues, eminent domain, foreclosure, maintenance standards, definition of the amount of leaseable space, personal guarantees, purchase option, subleasing, required hours of operation, dedicated parking, who is responsible for obtaining variances related to signage and usage of the retail space, expansion options, first right of refusal, can the tenant keep the TI allowance not needed for construction, can the landlord relocate the tenant if the space is needed to accommodate another tenant, late payment fees, the mechanics of providing notice of default and any options for the tenant to cure the default, mechanics of dispute resolution between the landlord and tenant, and a right to terminate if your sales do not stabilize at a minimum level.
Complete LOI First

Complete and obtain an executed copy of the letter of intent before beginning on the lease agreement. The primary objective of the letter of intent is to negotiate and agree upon the business issues. The lease documents these agreements. Discuss fees to negotiate the lease with your attorney. Agree upon an hourly rate and estimate of the total fees. Agree the attorney will call if it appears the cost is going to exceed the estimate.
The following sections of the leasing retail space article focuses upon issues which merit commentary.

Percentage Rent

Percentage rent -- make sure the agreement regarding percentage rent is clear. If percentage rent is based on sales, define sales. For example, is sales-tax remitted to the city and state included in sales? It is even more difficult to define net profits, which is why most percentage rent leases are based upon sales instead of profits. Attempt to look at the definition of net profits from a detached perspective. If you gave the definition to a six grader, could they understand it?
Renewal Options

Renewal options -- tenants love them and landlords prefer to avoid them. In general, a larger number of shorter renewal options are better for the tenant. In addition, shorter notice periods to announce the tenants intend to renew are desirable for the tenant. Landlords prefer as much notice as possible regarding whether or not the tenet plans to renew.
Renewal Option Rental Rates

Renewal option rental rates -- tenants typically want fixed rental rates for renewal periods. Landlords typically want the rental rate based upon market rent. Agreeing upon market rents can be difficult and expensive. Reasonable people can disagree regarding the level for market rent for a retail space. For example, should the premium for an end-cap space be 10% or 100%? Retail space is not fungible. It recently signed lease for retail space within the same center provides insight into market rent. However, in most cases it will not clearly defined market rent.
The Market Research and Consulting division of O'Connor & Associates provides information necessary to make decision to commercial real estate professionals. Occupancy and Rental Data, ownership and management information are routinely gathered for four major land uses multifamily, office, retail and industrial. This information allows investors to compare competitive properties, facilitate business decisions and track market and submarket performance. In addition the data is useful to brokers who for example continually monitor Houston retail space leasing, Houston office space leasing, Houston industrial space leasing, Houston apartments, Dallas apartments, Ft. Worth apartments, Austin apartments, and San Antonio apartments.

Five Ways To Meet Your Condo Neighbors

Welcome to the neighborhood. Those four words have different meanings, depending on where you live. We all know what a neighborhood full of single-family homes looks like. But the condo neighborhood is a bit different. Instead of your neighbors being across the street or a few yards from the side of your house, neighbors in your condo building are across the hallway, or just through the wall. Despite the proximity, it is not always easy to meet your neighbors. Here are five ways to do it in a condo building.

1. Open your door. It sounds simple, right? But if your door is closed, you are not going to meet anyone. But if you are the new person in the building and keep the door open while you are moving, or even when you are just hanging out, you may be surprised how many of your new neighbors will pop their heads in and say hello.

2. Host a get-together. This does not have to be a big deal. Just post a note in a common area, or ask a couple neighbors to help you spread the word. Serve appetizers and beverages if you want. Or ask people to bring something to share. There is no need for a sit-down dinner, but your new neighbors will appreciate your efforts.

3. Spend time in common areas. This does not mean you should sit in the fitness room and talk with everyone who comes, but it does mean you should make using the fitness room or other amenities part of your routine. You may be surprised to find how much you have in common with the other tenants in your condo building.

4. Help someone out. If you see a neighbor struggling with grocery bags, offer them a hand. Or hold the door for someone, or help him or her move a piece of furniture. Word will get around that you are a nice, helpful person. And that is the kind of person people generally want to associate with.

5. Start a club. Does your building have a book club? A cooking club? Do you have a hobby you enjoy sharing with others? If you are interested in something, it is a good bet that others are, too. By forming a club and inviting others to participate in it, you get to meet and spend time with people who are interested in the same things that you are.

Monday, April 23, 2012

College Reward Charge Card

A college reward charge card is a sort of bank card that is set up to perform as any common bank card would, however the target market is barely different. These bank cards are provided to college students of school or university age. The only stipulation is that these students have to be of legal age and presently attending higher education. As soon as the coed graduates, they will proceed utilizing the credit card but some of the terms might change.

A reward bank card may be obtained almost anywhere. Many banks, regional or national, and most major charge card providers offer these credit cards. The types of incentives each pupil reward credit card provide will vary from card to card. A little analysis into the specific reward each card provides should slender the field for which pupil rewards bank card is the appropriate one.

One sort of reward supplied is airline mileage. How the mileage is earned will vary from card to card but the amount of cash put onto the cardboard will decide how many miles are earned. These miles may expire over a sure time frame but most firms, if you're a protracted and dependable customer, will prolong that expiration date if want be.

Cash reward are another type of reward that is available. A specified percentage, usually 5% to 20%, is gained on the sum of money spent at specific retail stores. That amount is translated into points and those rewards points is going to accrue gradually. These reward points can then be redeemed for cash that's utilized towards the stability on the credit card. Another option for the factors is to redeem them for prizes. The prizes will fluctuate from card to card and company to firm however there are often an unlimited amount of prizes from many classes to choose from.

A reward charge card, regardless that it is supplied to a young group of people, is a great technique to build credit and a credit score. These charge cards, whenever utilised responsibly, may be a good way to deal with any wants which will come about and get a great start on daily life. The reward packages that go together with these charge cards are simply an added bonus.

Lots of young people try and obtain a bank card when they are at college. This may be incredibly difficult to do when an undergraduate lacks the previous personal credit history. Thankfully, you'll find college charge cards without credit history for college kids in want of a credit card. These credit cards enable a student to learn to turn out to be extra financially sensible whilst also starting out her or his personal credit history so that you can take advantage of completely new opportunities.

Several students benefit from pre-paid charge cards mainly because it allows them to set financial limitations with no over-spending. This may often be a lot easier to manage than a charge card with excessive spending limits. There are a selection of pre paid bank card opportunities. Such bank cards really are ideal for college students without consumer credit.

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Real Estate Checklist

Choosing which real estate you want to purchase is a lot like picking out a new car. You don't want to pick a place that you may not be happy with later on. There are so many different properties available for you to choose from that you may find the touring process in finding a suitable piece of property a bit overwhelming.

No one said that looking over real estate and finding a good piece of land for your needs would be easy. In fact, many people and real estate agents will tell you that in order to be prepared, you need to know how to look at and evaluate different pieces of land. If you don't want to end up over paying for something that does not really suit your needs or expectations, you need to take some notes about each home you tour.

In addition to looking over some homes, you should also take into consideration the neighborhood in which that property is located. You don't want to live in a place where you don't feel safe sitting on your porch in the evenings, nor do you want to live in a place where you can't safely park your car. Just because you may be trying to get a bargain deal does not mean you should have to sacrifice any of the desires or criteria that you are using to find the perfect home.

Before you sign any papers or close any deals, you should also ask the real estate agent for some more in-depth details about the house. Every home has a history, regardless of how old it is. It is up to you to find out the backstory. You may feel that a property's history is not all that important, but you would be surprised at how it can impact the price of a home. It can also give you more wiggle room if you are looking to stay within a certain price range.

You should always read all of the fine print regarding any papers you are signing in real estate. It doesn't matter if you are 100% sure of what is included; you need to make sure that you are completely in agreement with the contract as a whole. One of the biggest mistakes that many homeowners and property buyers make is that they do not read all of the fine print. They skim through the fine print and often are clueless about certain stipulations until they have already defaulted on them. To prevent yourself from being caught off guard, you need to be clear before you sign.

You can always procure the assistance of an attorney who specializes in property transactions. Such a professional can look over any contracts and agreements that are on the table and make sure that everything is completely acceptable for you. Once you have taken care of all of the paperwork, you will be excited that you are finally the owner of your own land.

Friday, April 20, 2012

School Fundraising with Cookie Dough

Fundraising for your school with cookie dough sales has become very popular. Who doesn't love delicious, fresh baked cookies hot out of the oven? That is what makes this type of school fundraiser so popular and successful. The average cookie dough fundraiser can earn your school about a 55 percent profit. There are several types of cookie dough fundraisers, and just as many companies through which you can run your fundraiser.

The first step in cookie dough fundraising is choosing what type of cookie dough you wish to sell. There is the frozen variety, as well as the dry mixes. The frozen variety presents a complication in that it can melt if precautions are not taken, but it's still wildly popular.

Second, you must decide whether you want to sell the tub variety or the pre-formed cookie variety. You certainly get more for your money with the tub variety, but many people appreciate the simplicity of just picking out however many cookies they wish to bake and then baking them. All of the most common cookie dough fundraisers are done on a pre-sell basis.

Pre-sell means the company sends you brochures and order sheets, your customers place their orders and prepay for their products, and then the items are shipped out. Another choice you can make is to either have the product shipped to you, the selling organization, or directly to the customer.

Do your research to find a reputable company because if it goes well, people will ask for a cookie dough fundraiser again and again. The most successful cookie dough fundraisers are held in October and November because the weather is cool and the holidays are approaching. This does not mean that these are the only months you can host your fundraiser, but if you want to start off on the right foot, starting with one of these months is suggested.

Set goals for your sellers, but make sure they are realistic. Make it competitive but not overly so, and offer incentives for the top seller in your school, group, or organization. Most importantly, have fun and be safe. If you decide to sell door to door, make sure minors are accompanied by adults. You can also sell to your family members, friends, members of your church or other group you belong to, and you will do very well.