Archive for the 'Investing in Real Estate' Category

Garage Wannabes

said on October 31st, 2011 filed under: Information for Buyers, Investing in Real Estate

Garage Over the years, as a real estate agent, I’ve seen people do a lot of neat things with their garage. Some have turned their garage into an artist studio or workshop. Some are offices. Some are just for cars. Others have been converted into guest houses or hot tub cabanas. And one of my favorites belongs to an old client… they managed to get some HGTV-type show to pay for their renovation- they turned theirs into a practice studio for a band. Fun!

Recently a client contacted me about what he could/couldn’t do with a garage on a property he was considering. Read the rest of this entry »

posted by Marcie Sandalow Leave A Comment

Maryland Energy Rebate Program

said on March 6th, 2011 filed under: Information for Buyers, Investing in Real Estate

bigstock_Ecologic_Concept_3084867 Did you know that the average household dedicates 11% of its energy budget to lighting alone? Turn off the lights when not in use, and save big! Did you know that a plugged in plasma t.v. runs an estimated $159 a year? Sheesh. Click here for a list of 13 more money saving tips.

In an attempt to reduce energy consumption state-wide by 15% by 2015, the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) is offering a Home Performance Rebate Program to homeowners who successfully transition from thinking green to living green. The MEA website is full of interesting information, so be sure to allow yourself a serendipitous moment or two and check out their information.

By combining 35% savings from the MEA (up to $3,100) along with a 15% rebate from the utility companies, homeowners can save up to 50% on energy improvements for a limited time. Not too shabby.

posted by Marcie Sandalow Leave A Comment

Buying Real Estate Investment Property in Your IRA

said on December 8th, 2010 filed under: Investing in Real Estate

My friend, Chris Rhim, is a certified financial planner and president of Green View Advisors (www.greenviewadvisors.com). Lately, I’ve been hearing a bit of chatter on the subject of real estate investments for retirement accounts, and not really knowing how they worked, I approached Chris about penning an article. I think I hit the jack pot. This article is quite informative and should help anyone considering a real estate investment for their portfolio:

Buying Real Estate Investment Property in your IRA

Is It Appropriate for You?

By: Christopher Rhim, CFP®, CDFA™

Asked to comment on this subject by a real estate professional and friend, I jumped at the chance to dig deep into the nuts and bolts of this alternative investment. The research revealed two perspectives with real estate professionals (brokers, agents, banks, trust companies) on the one hand and financial advisers (certified financial planners, registered investment advisers) on the other.

[Full Disclosure: I am a fee-only, certified financial planner with over 20 years experience in financial planning. I have no skin in this type of transaction: I sell nothing, only provide advice. I've never been a stock broker; never sold insurance; am not an attorney; do not accept any type of commission or referral fee for anything and have a fully independent, unaffiliated financial planning practice. In this discussion, I consider myself a better-educated-than-most financial consumer.]

A synopsis of the Pros and Cons is presented first with more detailed information on the mechanics of IRA real estate investing following.

SYNOPSIS OF RESEARCH

PRO

· This is a unique alternative to traditional investing. Some key elements with investment real estate include rental income and distributions, capital click here to read the rest of the article

posted by Marcie Sandalow Leave A Comment