Derrick Doughboi Strickland Explains Why is Cash Gifting so Successful!!

There is no involvement of barter, merchandise, paid services or a favor that has to be countered. It is a simple gift of cash which is a result of a generous feeling.

The current economic scenario is leaving people with little choices. The way money has just evaporated from the market shows that the present economic turmoil has made an impact on the common persons pocket. With this as a situation people are turning towards cash gifting programs to achieve financial gains while sitting at the comfortable zone of their house.

Cash gifting programs are not business ventures or corporations that people run in order to gain money. People who are the members of cash gifting programs send and receive money (cash gifts) from across the globe. Cash gifting involves many currencies. You can belong to any part of the world to become a part of cash gifting program.

In order to initiate the process of receiving the cash, you have to join one of the cash gifting programs, by sending a cash gift to someone. As soon as you have done that you qualify for receiving the cash. The simplicity of the program draws people towards it. The power for multiplying the wealth is hidden in this simplicity.

Cash gifting is not a scam. Any kind of a voluntary cash gift is not illegal. It is your money and you can do whatever you like. Giving cash gifts in America and other countries is absolutely legal and has been prevalent from a long time.

There are a few steps involved in case you want to have a successful cash gifting program. Try to conduct a research for selecting the cash gifting programs. Next join that program that is best suited to your needs. Try to make a pledge for your cash gifting program in order to attract other people towards it.

The next step involves creating a productive marketing plan for your cash gifting program. Lastly people will look towards you as a role model in their cash gifting ventures. Give them what they are seeking and give them guarantee of the success.

One of the main reasons why the cash gifting programs these days are flourishing and booming is that the people or the mentors behind it offer best training and support. They have the best marketing techniques the internet has to offer.

Cash gifting programs are becoming a favorite amongst more and more people. It has actually made them realize as to how powerful and prosperous it can be. People are gaining confidence by joining the cash gifting programs. This is due to the fact that they are making decent profits in a short span of time

For More Info

www.Bigbucksnowhammys.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OA769ntygg

 

Derrick Strickland

The Quick Way to Sell Your Home

The promotion you’ve been waiting for came through but nothing ever comes easily. Now you have to move to another city, and that means selling your house, getting new accommodations miles away, all the associated hassles of moving, and it all has to get done in two weeks. If you think that you can just list your home with a real estate agent and have a closing in two weeks and get on with your life then obviously you have never tried to sell a house before. But now there is a way to sell your house quickly and get the cash you need to start your new life.

There are companies that specialize in buying real estate quickly. An agent from one of these companies can give you a quote on your house in 24 hours, and if you like the price then they’ll come over and take a closer look at the house before giving you a quote in writing. The whole process can be wrapped up in just a few weeks, and you can be on your way with cash in hand and a load off your mind. You don’t even have to pay a real estate agent’s commission.

This method of selling a home is also valuable if you have equity in your house but cash flow problems. For instance if your credit rating isn’t good enough to get you a loan, then you can’t afford to buy another house and pay living expenses while all of your assets are tied up in the first home. A quick sale will allow you to put cash in the bank so you have something to live on while you are house hunting. You may even be able to arrange to stay in your house and pay rent until you find something.

Another scenario where this method of selling a home is useful is for divorcing couples. If neither party wants to continue living in the house, then it has to be sold so the asset can be split. In a divorce both parties are likely to need money quickly and this can be the perfect solution. A specialist company will be able to judge with a disinterested eye what the property is worth and the divorcing couple will be able to separate themselves from the past and start new lives with money to pave the way. Or one party can stay in the house and pay rent while making arrangements for the future. This is especially useful when children are involved. They may even be able to buy back the house at some point in the future.

You can find these specialist companies online and you can apply online for a quick quote that will only take 24 hours. You have nothing to lose, and if the price is right you can let them inspect the property more closely to give you a written quote. The whole process can be over in just a few weeks and you can be on your way with no loose ends to tie up later and cash in the bank to ease the transition.

Oliver Wingrove
http://www.articlesbase.com/real-estate-articles/the-quick-way-to-sell-your-home-706722.html

What is Legal About Cash Gifting?

 

I was recently invited to give a large gift of cash to a stranger. This is not the first time I have been involved in a gifting endeavor. I decided to do some research into the “cash leveraging system” to see if this form of “gifting” is legal or not. Please note: this article only shares what I have discovered that makes a gifting program legal. It does not address the intricacies of what could make such an activity illegal, albeit I give a general idea of that. There is plenty of material available to make a case either way. If you are considering a gifting program with like-minded people, be aware of the gifting laws. Wikipedia has a good overview. The U.S. gifting rules are found in the IRS Tax Code, Title 26, Sections 2501-2504 and 2511.

This article is for informational purposes only, so for you who are thinking to join a gifting activity, I urge you to do your own research to satisfy yourself as to whether or not you think participation in one of these gifting programs is legal. Please be conscious that gifting done in an illegal way has been successfully prosecuted in a number of states. The tax law does not make gifting legal or illegal; it simply tells you the tax consequences of the arrangement. Be aware that calling it a gift doesn’t necessarily make it one. When determining the tax effects, the tax law will look at whether the intent was truly to donate when the gift was given.

All of this said, I will now share what I am seeing has been upheld for keeping gifting legal. Across the board, those people whose verbiage is focused on helping people and the giving of the gifts from the heart, wanting to do something wonderful for someone else without expecting anything in return, seem to be the ethical gifting programs. Those who focus on the big cars and big houses are obviously involved in gifting for the purpose of “making money.”

Of course, when someone decides to get into gifting, they know that eventually it may be their turn to be a receiver, but this is not the answer that a judge will align with should someone in a gifting program end up in court. Truly, gifting means that which is given is a gift. For example, when you give a toy to a child for her birthday, you don’t expect to get anything back in return, right? So when you give a gift of money, likewise you should not expect to receive anything in return! This is what a true gift is; this is the heart and soul of legal gifting.

In my own research and discovery, I have found many folks who are promoting gifting programs are “stepping over the line” with the way they are publicizing their programs. In other words, they are emphasizing this activity as a way to make lots of money.

If you are thinking of getting involved in a gifting activity, understand that gifting is not a business. Period. There is no selling of anything, no solicitation, it’s not a commercial enterprise, there is no company, it is not an investment, it is not conducted for profit, it is not network marketing or MLM, there are no public gatherings and there is no service provided. If you see a website inviting you to a home-based business, and if it turns out that the “business” is gifting, I advise you to run the other way.

If you are already involved in a gifting program, take a look at the words that you are using when inviting people to participate or that are used on a webpage that is included in your system. Terminology used in a gifting activity are very important – they can be the fine line between keeping it legal or not. Below is a sampling of words to never use as well as words that should be used. This is by no means a complete list.

This is a sampling of words that are not used in a gifting activity: Buy in, Downline, Earn, Earnings, Getting paid, Guarantee, I made, Income, Investment, Make, Make money, Multiply your money, Net, Paid earnings, Paid out, Pay, Payout, Profit, Purchase, Recruit, Return on your money, Sign up, Sponsor, Sure bet, Took in, Upline, You will make

This is a sampling of the words used in a gifting activity: Activity, Associates, Care, Community, Constitutional Rights, Family, Fellow man, Free association, Gift, Gifter, Give, Giving, Golden, Helping others, I gave, I have gifted, I have received, Invitation, Invite, Invited by, Kindness, Nice people, Participant, Participation, Receive, Register your gift, Sharing

Gifting has been used in cultures around the world throughout history. In today’s modern world, be persistent with your research so you know what you are doing and can participate ethically.

 

 

Chava LeBarton

How to Get Out of a Real Estate Contract

Visualize this scenario:  After previewing several houses with your real estate agent, you’ve finally found the perfect house.  A real estate contract has been drawn up and signed by you (the buyer) and the seller.  But alas!  You encountered a problem – your mortgage application was disapproved.  Can you still get out of the real estate contract?  Worry not.  Generally, real estate contracts contain contingency provisions which state under what situations the buyer/seller can terminate the contract.

 

A real estate contract is a legally binding contract for the purchase/sale of real estate between two parties.  It varies depending on the type of property being purchased or sold, its location and on whether the contract is a reprinted form furnished by a realtor or one prepared by a lawyer.  While the form may be different, essential information include the names of the parties, legal description of the property, purchase price, down payment, terms of payment if not cash and the closing date.  In addition, both parties may insert contingency clauses.  A contingency is simply a way in which a buyer/seller can back out of a contract within a set period of time if certain conditions specified are not addressed or met satisfactorily.

 

Most real estate contracts contain financing/mortgage contingency which stipulates that the purchase is conditional on the buyer’s ability to obtain a mortgage commitment within a prescribed timeframe.  Inability to do so gives both parties the legal right to terminate the contract.  In this case, the buyer’s deposit is also refunded.

 

An inspection contingency allows the buyer to conduct thorough inspection of the property.  If the seller is unwilling or unable to repair defects or not agreeable to reduce the asking price to help compensate for the cost of the repairs; then both parties can opt to cancel the contract all within the time guidelines set forth in the contract.

 

A contract can also be contingent on the sale of another property.  If the property is not disposed within a specified period of time, the buyer can be relieved of the contract.

 

A real estate contract usually provides a title and survey review period for the buyer.  The buyer gives notice in writing of any fault or flaw noted in the title documents.  If the defects cannot be remedied, the buyer has the right to cancel the contract.  In the same way, the buyer can also conduct a property survey.  If there are structural problems or if there are encroachments on the property, the buyer may also choose to rescind the contract.

 

Some states require sellers to disclose in writing to buyers any known defects of the property.  Any late disclosure gives the buyer the option to terminate the contract within a prescribed period after receipt of the disclosure.

 

The abovementioned are some of the standard contingencies written into almost all real estate contracts.  However, both parties can also add other escape clauses such as a contract contingent on septic tank inspection, home appraisal or the approval of other family members if the property is part of an estate sale.

 

In a nutshell, buyers and sellers do not enter into real estate contracts with the intention of getting out of them.  However, sometimes things do not proceed as expected.  Both parties can then turn to the terms and conditions stipulated in the contract to terminate the deal.  A word of caution:  If a contingency date lapses, either party loses the benefit and protection of the contingency.

Gloria Smith

There is More Than One Way to Skin…a Real Estate Deal With Seller Flexibility in Selling Property

Jack and Mary were desperate. Mary received a big promotion in another state and Jack was looking for a new job in the same city. It was just too good to pass up. Mary was a rising star in the health care industry and with the huge pay boost and promotion it was a job she had dreamed of ever since leaving graduate school armed with her MBA. Jack was a natural born salesperson and could work anywhere selling just about anything. He liked high tech sales in the high ticket electronics field and was close to catching on with a company in the same city as Mary’s new job. One problem, they had a large house to sell in a very slow and slumping real estate market.

Jack and Mary counseled with the local real estate ace that had long been the resident expert Realtor for their community. They had been in their home for six years and with the past real estate surge they had lots of equity now. Because this was happening so fast, Mary moved to a small apartment near her new job. The relocation price offered by the company was way too low for what they felt they could command in the market. This option was rejected. With ongoing brain storming with Tyler the Realtor, the scenarios included, lease options, lease purchase, and a seller held second. The lease scenarios would be the iffiest of the three. Jack and Mary instructed Tyler to hold the price and offer to pay the selling Realtor a selling fee plus a bonus of $2,500 and agreed to pay the closing costs and prepaid expenses (pre-paid interest, tax and insurance escrows) up to an offered $14,000. Likewise, Tyler was instructed to offer through the MLS selling terms to include a seller held second of 5% to 10% of the purchase price. The list price of $475,000 would mean that the Jack and Mary were willing to hold a second mortgage of 5% Loan To Value (LTV) or $475,000 x 5% = $23,750 or 10% LTV at $475,000 x 10% = $47,500.
Tyler, the listing Realtor, had been in discussion with a mortgage broker active in their area and had some clients that could only get a 90% to 95% LTV first mortgage. They had some credit dings, which were holding them back. Each had fully documented income and was making good money. There were valid reasons for their rocky credit history and both needed time to rebuild their credit. Tyler showed the home to both the prospective buyers who had credit challenges. The first couple didn’t like the kitchen layout or the back yard size. The second couple liked the house and had similar reservations but with the flexible financing they figured they could live with it and make changes and improvements down the road when they could refinance down the road and get sufficient monies to do some home improvements.

Jack had closed up the house and had moved with the furniture in tow to join Mary at her new location. The furniture was put into storage in hopes that it wouldn’t be there long with Realtor Tyler on the case. Jack had been actively working on his job hunt in the new city for two weeks now. Tyler was now on the phone presenting the offer from the buyers who needed seller help. The buyers would need Jack and Mary to pay $15,000 in closing costs and prepaid expenses. Tyler was making the deal himself so there was no bonus involved. The offer was based on a seller held second mortgage of $47,500 with an interest rate of 10% with a 30-year term and a three-year balloon. The payments would be $416.85/month. At closing, Jack and Mary would payoff their first mortgage of $200,000 and would get somewhere around $188,000 in cash at closing and the seller held second of $47,500.00 paying $416.85/month. Tyler went on to explain that the buyers were putting very little of their own money in the deal and explained the downside risk involved if the buyers defaulted. The only way they could protect their 2nd mortgage equity would be to buy in the first mortgage or just take the loss. Tyler and the mortgage broker, with the buyer’s permission, indicated that Jack and Mary were in essence underwriting the 2nd mortgage loan on part of the buyers. It was up to them to pass or deny.

On weekends Jack and Mary were looking at new homes, which might meet their needs. One in particular, due to the soft market, the builder was offering major concessions and sales inducements including paying all the closing costs and prepaid expenses. With potentially $180,000 cash available for any purchase they were looking at a builder deal loaded with incentives for a home worth $750,000, which they could now buy for $650,000. The nagging fear was what would happen if the 2nd mortgage payer defaulted. Since, it was up to Jack and Mary to pass on the buyer’s credit worthiness, with the buyer’s permission, they went over their entire credit package and personally interviewed them on the phone to find out something of the character of the buyers and the back ground of the of how the credit dings had taken place. It turns out it was a temporary medical problem that had put them behind the eight ball and precipitated their credit dings. Jack and Mary decided to take the deal. Since the buyers had been already pre-qualified, the sale took place in two weeks.

Jack and Mary, with closing funds in hand, closed moved into their new home. Six months had passed and the buyer’s of their prior residence had made their second mortgage payments on time as agreed. The home had everything they wanted in a home except a pool and spa. The dilemma for Jack and Mary, even though they had got an incredible interest rate in the soft market they were reluctant to incur any additional debt with the 2nd mortgage paying off in now 2.5 years. Jack received a letter in the mail from an investment note buyer who was offering to buy the note at a discount since the note now has some “seasoning”. Running the math, with the investor getting a 15%+ yield on a 10% face rate ballooning in the next 30 months were offering to buy the note for $42,900 cash. Just for grins, Jack being the super salesman and dealmaker had been working on construction quotes with a pool contractor. He had managed to negotiate a $5,000 reduction and could put everything they wanted for $40,000. Pool contractors were slow right along with the rest of the real estate market. Jack and Mary showed the documentation to the note buyer that indicated six months of on time payments together with copies of the note and mortgage. The note was sold netting out $42,000 in cash. The pool was built the following week. Life was good.

Soft markets can lead to flexible terms which can help complete real estate deals. Keep and open mind. There is more than one way to skin a…real estate deal.

Dale Rogers
http://www.sellerhelpsbuyer.com
http://www.brokencredit.com

Dale Rogers
http://www.articlesbase.com/credit-articles/there-is-more-than-one-way-to-skina-real-estate-deal-with-seller-flexibility-in-selling-property-70786.html

10 Rules to Follow When You are Selling Your Agency

1.  Conclude that selling your business is the right step to take.

Selling a business is one of the greatest challenges and potentially, one of the greatest rewards any business owner will ever realize. Like marriage, career changes, and other major endeavors, it is not something that should be taken lightly. Serious contemplation of the risk vs. reward must be well thought out.

If there are business partners, their concurrence and support are, no doubt, essential. If you have family members directly involved in the business, their welfare and ongoing contributions must also be evaluated and taken into account. Selling your agency is certainly a decision that requires careful deliberation and potentially, collaboration among close associates, family members, and partners.

One of the biggest questions that you will face is whether the time to do so is right. Many dynamics dictate whether the timing is appropriate. Generally, the goal is to sell when the business is peaking on its trend of revenues and earnings. The old adage of selling high certainly applies here. Another adage to remember is that pigs get fed and hogs get slaughtered. The trick, more often than not, is staying ahead of the market curve, timing everything just right so that you can sell out just at the peak of the trend. Selling a business usually takes between four and twelve months, assuming everything falls into place. The risk to the agency owner, quite frankly, is that the acquiring entities are so tuned into industry trends that by the time the market begins signaling price compression, the acquirers are packing their bags, or at the very least, lowering their multiples. The valuation methodologies run concurrently with demand. If product demand or rate of return on revenue declines through market softening, the value of the distribution channel certainly will decline by relative proportions.

Sometimes the sale of a business is used as a succession-planning vehicle where the owner can easily liquidate his ownership interests in the business without disrupting the ongoing viability of the operations. This requires a careful fit between the buyer and the existing business. Most often, timing and market conditions are not as important; rather, it is up to the owner’s discretion as to whether it is right.

Often, agency owners face limited growth opportunities for their business due to the lack of capital. The desire to grow bigger is there but the capital is tied up in the business. By selling the agency interests to a larger, national company, this can release the liquidity from the company and allow the business owner to continue to manage it as a platform. Often times this represents a new opportunity for entrepreneurs to flourish. Being part of a larger organization brings new challenges; a change of business objective, and handsome rewards should the entrepreneur make a marked change in his new employer’s company.

All this being said, market conditions, personal and financial objectives all have to be carefully evaluated prior to making the commitment to sell.

2.  Consult with a business advisor and M & A lawyer.

This can be an important, often overlooked, consideration. Once you are determined to sell your business, it may be worthwhile to should seek the guidance of a business advisor and an attorney who is specializes in mergers and acquisitions. Many times, business owners depend on their local CPA and corporate attorneys. While these people are highly important and may have created value for the organization in the past, it may be better to have experienced specialists who can navigate through the acquisition process. The acquisition process encompasses many components and requires the understanding of the sequential events that generally occur during the process. These events consist of the business valuation, assessment of seller’s market opportunities, preparation of offering memorandums, review of the tax implications of a potentially complex transaction, and legal and financial due diligence. Additionally, there is much drafting, review and negotiation required for the definitive, employment, non-compete and option agreements. Arming yourself with these professionals will most likely provide you greater consideration, which will outweigh their costs by reasonable proportions.

3.  Clearly recognize the value of your business.

A business advisor can guide you here. Although this is not rocket science, it is important to be well armed with a clear understanding of the value parameters of your business. Acquirers will sometimes reduce their valuations to an “art form” and will not specifically disclose how they appraise your business. Establish benchmarks for an acceptable selling price that you are willing to tolerate. It is not an expensive to obtain a valuation, and well worth the investment when it comes to comparing it with a buyer’s offer.

4.  Avoid reactive selling.

It is highly recommended that you take the initiative and go to market under your own volition. Typically, this will provide a much greater chance of optimizing your sales proceeds. Being reactive and allowing the buyer to initially approach often puts the buyer on the defensive where you are subject to buyer timelines and pricing methodologies. They have you right where they want you; you are in their pipeline and they maintain control over the process. Do not hesitate to take the offensive and find the buyers before they find you. There is an overwhelming abundance of buyers in the marketplace; therefore, consider shopping among multiple suitors. A business advisor will prove to be extremely helpful here. Depend on your advisor to maintain control of the selling process while diligently and vigorously representing your interests.

5.  Present your company properly.

Typically, a business advisor will recommend putting an offering memorandum together after you conclude that selling your business is the right direction for you. An offering memorandum includes historical financial performance; business and market trends, ownership interests and pertinent tax information; forward projections; a narrative overview; and other historical information on the business. Additionally, it includes certain key metric information that is key to the business. The biggest mistake made by entrepreneurs is that they open their books and immediately provide an internally generated, cash basis, financial statement to a prospective buyer. The primary goal of any small to mid-sized business owner always should be to minimize their tax liability while maximizing their personal cash flow out of the business. Often, this skews the presentation of the business from a GAAP accounting basis, which really should be the means in which an agency is valued on. A business owner should carefully evaluate and quantify all personal expenses charged to the business and treat these as “add backs”, which ultimately increases the book income of the agency. Add backs are adjustments that a purchaser usually makes in “normalizing” the income of a business. More often than not, many add backs are over looked. If a buyer pays a multiple of earnings, the seller faces the prospect of leaving significant sales proceeds on the table.

Did you ever think about how other financial dynamics may misrepresent the performance of your agency? Remember taking Accounting 101 and learning about the matching principle? This states that in order to fairly present your financial statements, costs should be proportionately matched with revenue as it is earned. Insurance agencies are inherently put at odds with this principal when they present cash-basis financials. Think in terms of where the preponderance of expense is generated in an agency…creating a sale or placing business. Yet, when an insured elects to defer payments to monthly, quarterly, or even semi-annual mode, the agency commission income will follow the same payment cycle. The agency has expended a large amount of resource placing the business, yet they may have received only as little as 1/12th of the actual annual commission due. In order to clearly “match” costs with revenues, numerous adjustments such as accounting for deferred commission revenues, or alternatively, deferred acquisition costs, need to be taken into account to properly present the true earnings of the business. Remember, every buyer will value your business based on earnings. It is extremely important that you include all details that will assist in optimizing your agency’s earnings. One final and equally critical component of the offering memorandum is its ability to accentuate value creation for the buyer. In other words, to bring to the surface certain intangibles or revenue components that can and may create exceptional value for a prospective buyer. Recurring revenue is something that makes all buyers salivate. If the selling agency has a seasoned book of business with a robust renewal stream, this is a primary example of economic value creation. This may help to significantly increase the profit margins of the buyer. Examples of intangibles that may create value are the professional credentials or industry presence of the agency owner(s). If a buyer is looking to create a platform or to have the buyers business play a key role in their operating scheme, the intangible value of a mature, well respected, management team is an intangible that will receive higher consideration.

6.  Evaluate all aspects of the offer in detail.

If you elect to subscribe to the recommendations set forth thus far, the next step is to send the offering memorandum out to prospective buyers. Generally, buyers will need to perform preliminary due diligence prior to formally presenting an offer. This will occur after receipt of the offering memorandum and prior to the offer. Offers generally are presented in a non-binding letter of intent (LOI) and are generally time sensitive requiring the agency owner’s acknowledgement and acceptance of the offer in writing. The best way to characterize this stage is to compare it to getting engaged. There is intent for the two businesses to formally proceed, but either party can terminate it at any time prior to closing. A LOI is always contingent upon the buyer’s satisfactory completion of legal and financial due diligence. Is the LOI negotiable? Absolutely. Again, the value of a business advisor can be enormous during this phase. They can draw upon their experiences and recommend items which should be negotiated. There are numerous components included in a LOI that go well beyond the price offered for the sale of your agency. All of these components are critical and need to be carefully evaluated. Some examples are the long-term value of stock options, employment agreements, non-compete covenants, deferred purchase consideration, hold-back provisions, base compensation and benefits, contingent bonuses or performance incentives, and the tax treatment of the transaction. Examine how deep the acquiring entity goes in your business to make offers of incentives, employment agreements, stock options, etc. It is important that you evaluate these matters carefully. Remember the importance of your key people in the day-to-day operations of the business and be mindful of how their continued contributions are key to your ongoing success.

A business advisor can guide you through the technical aspects of the proposed offer(s). Often, a key-determining factor behind selecting to sell to a specific buyer is the reputation of the organization in the market. Take not only the economic elements of the offer into consideration, but give considerable weight to the reputation of the buyer.

7.  Negotiate!

If you have made your decision and are about to sign the LOI, do so without any material concessions. An advisor can help you negotiate for higher consideration such as splitting synergy, which is the revenue or expense benefit gained by the buyer through the combination of the two businesses. Do not be afraid to counter-propose. It is extremely important to remove any obstacles from an impending transaction before the commencement of legal and financial due diligence. If there are any issues that make you uncomfortable, raise them now. This will save you time and money in the long run. Whether the concern is your compensation, consideration, or transaction structure, these issues really must be addressed and presented in a revised LOI. Don’t be afraid of the buyer closing down the deal. Rarely will a buyer walk if you are within a 10 percent tolerance on offering price. They have opportunity cost tied up in you and do not want to lose the deal.

8.  Get your house in order.

Be prepared for a convergence on your internal business operations. While the next steps of a transaction are usually smooth and relatively painless, it requires probably the greatest amount of hands-on effort. Once you sign the LOI, the buyer will schedule a formal legal and financial due diligence visit to your operation. The primary goal of the buyer is to completely validate everything that has been represented about your company. This almost always requires a several day site visit for the buyer’s team to review systems, contracts, accounting records, articles of incorporation, employment files, payroll records, bank statements, etc. Not only do they want to validate the financial statement representations, but also to do risk assessments such as production concentration, personal production levels, any threatening or pending litigation, etc. Another drill that the buyer will perform is an overall assessment of personnel and their related skill sets. This is primarily directed toward the management of the business, but is seen as a critical element of the review. The buyers team must come away with an affirmative view of the management’s depth of knowledge; experience level; technical skills; work ethic; stability, and commitment to the business. The due diligence review lists are generally pretty exhaustive and can range from having you prepare information on as few as 40, up to 150 individual categories. The best tactic to adopt here is to be proactive and to solicit due diligence check lists a few weeks prior to the scheduled visit. This gives your staff appropriate time to pull all of the materials together. Once you sign the LOI, the first call you should make is either to the legal counsel or senior finance representative of the acquiring entity to ask them to provide you with the list. If you don’t call them, more than likely, they will be the ones calling you to schedule the due diligence visit. A few things to remember are to provide ample time to compile all the requested materials for due diligence; communicate with key office staff of the impending events to allow them to get prepared; and to coordinate the due diligence activities with the schedules your lawyer, business advisor and accountant. While it may not be critical to have them on site for the entire visit, they must be accessible in the event that they are needed. In general, the formal legal and financial site visits last two to three days. The salient matter is to be prepared and have all permanent file information readily available. Most buyers are sensitive enough to conduct most of the activities at a neutral location if you are uncomfortable with announcing the visit to general employee population.

9.  Perform your own due diligence on the acquiring entity.

If you are going to be directly involved in the acquiring entity, post-transaction, this is a must. While they are kicking your tires, you should be reciprocating. Do not allow the transaction process to go by without satisfying yourself that the buyer’s operating model is conducive to you and your business’ culture. You should visit the buyer’s headquarters, meet their key people, and ask about their plans for integration. Be certain to ask about any employee casualties that may be a result of any integration activities and be absolutely sure that the buyer has a track record of handling these situations with class and dignity. (Be certain that there will be a grand fathering of tenure for severance purposes) Additionally, look at their benefit plans, evaluate their communication methods, and review their complete operating cycle. Ask to talk to other former business owner’s whom they have acquired. It is recommended that you obtain the buyer’s permission to speak to these people before hunting them down. Speak to at least two former business owners in a one on one format and you will learn more about your prospective employer’s culture than any brochure could ever convey.

10.  Take it slow.

It is the best and only way to conduct a serious transaction. Haste never benefited anyone. Carefully evaluate every aspect of the deal along the way. Generally, companies who acquire on a frequent basis will put the offer out for a few days, or weeks or threaten to walk if there isn’t a quick decision. Put this into perspective, they are asking you to make one of the biggest commitments of your life in the matter of days? This is typically a tactic used to keep the deal momentum going in hopes that there is no seller remorse or slow down for further contemplation. They own the momentum and you, the seller, really should be the one synchronized with the schedules, not being drug along without an understanding of what is next in the sequence of events. This puts sellers in an unfair disadvantage. The secondary reason why things are generally rushed is because of the fear of other parties coming into the mix with offers, which could potentially raise the stakes. Take it slow, rely on experienced advisors who can bring intermediary experience to your side, and evaluate every single aspect of the transaction, at your own pace.

Selling your agency can and should be a very rewarding experience. Trust your instincts and stand firm on your convictions. This is a life-changing endeavor and should be dealt with very cautiously. If you are uncertain of which direction to take, stand still and seek the guidance of a professional to make recommendations to you.

Steven Wevodau

Review of the Best Cash Gifting Programs – Discover the Secrets of the Top Cash Gifting Websites

Cash gifting program review by Brad Smith

 

The world economy being at its all-time low, it’s no wonder that so many people are turning to the Internet, looking for alternative income streams. Cash gifting programs and clubs are one of the easiest and most efficient ways to improve your financial situation. There is no product involved, no taxation, and you don’t have to be a computer guru to be successful at it. However, there are many popular gifting web-sites around, flashing images of luxury cars and bags of cash in your face, that, chances are, you’re having a hard time picking one.

 

That is where I come in. Being an experienced gifting professional, I would like to offer you a comprehensive review of the top gifting clubs on the web to help you make your decision. So, let’s begin!

 

Number One Success System (NOSS) aka TLS

 

Overview: NOSS is one of the oldest 1UP gifting programs around and one of the most popular ones (the club allegedly has over 40,000 members worldwide). You can pick one of the 3 levels to join at: $500, $1,500 and $3,500. The only other expense would be their tracking software, which is run by a 3d party and costs about $120 per year.

 

The Good: The program is well-structured and provides a lot of support to its members. The weekly conference calls, conducted by the club’s leaders, are professionally put-together and are good to invite prospects to. With the lowest entry level being only $500, this gifting program has a wide mass appeal.

 

The Bad: This program is very ill-suited to anyone who doesn’t possess an outgoing personality. You’re required to do a lot of phone work, such as cold-calling strangers, in an attempt to invite prospects to the NOSS conference calls. There is no automation as far as following up with your prospects. You would have to pick up the phone and call them up yourself if you want to get them to join.

 

The Ugly: Extremely outdated marketing policies. This gifting program actually PROHIBITS people to market on the Internet! And if you violate their terms, they will delete you from the system and provide no refund.

 

Verdict: NOSS is a relatively inexpensive program to join, but its narrow views on marketing and lack of prospect follow-up automation makes this club an appropriate choice only for a small percentage of people interested in gifting. I wouldn’t recommend NOSS to anyone who doesn’t have experience in telemarketing or selling.

 

Ecosov™ (Too Damn Easy)

 

Overview: Ecosov™ is a private gifting club that has two entry levels: $6,600 & $18,500. It’s operated by a marketing millionaire who goes by the nickname of “Q”, who sends out a weekly “Cash Me Out” newsletter and has a phone hotline that addresses a lot of the prospect’s questions. The marketing system is such that every affiliate is given a member ID that is used in all ad campaigns. Whenever a prospect clicks on one of the Ecosov™ ads, they are directed to the main web-site, using the member ID of the person who had paid for the ad.

 

The Good: All of Q’s advertising campaigns are top-notch. He will provide you with pre-designed ads and postcards, that have already been test-marketed and proven to be effective. Q personally handles all of your prospect’s questions and sets up tracking to ensure that all of your cash is safely delivered to your doorstep. Everything is more-or-less automated within this gifting club.

 

The Bad: The lowest entry level of this program being $6,600 + marketing expenses (which could run into thousands per month), Ecosov™ is definitely NOT the gifting club for the average Jo the Plumber. Q is very blunt about the fact that his program is about the rich helping each other get richer. The other major shortcoming of this gifting program, as I see it, is the fact that none of your marketing and advertisement can be tracked! You don’t know where your prospects are coming from, thus you can’t determine which marketing methods work best for you. You could be spending thousands of dollars per month for ineffective marketing!

 

The Ugly: The thing that I find most offensive about this program is that, although the entry fees are extremely high, the members are not given ANY CONTROL. You’re not provided with your own web-site – only a member ID – thus all of the leads that you generated are going to Q. There is no way to know how Q is handling your prospects or how many prospects you have generated. For all you know, Q could be “pocketing” half of your leads! Also, you must GIVE AWAY every 5th gift you receive to Q as a “Monitor Fee”. Overtime, you could end up giving away your new house, or your kid’s college tuition.

 

Verdict: Ecosov™ is a gifting program that works for people with wallets that are bursting at seams, that don’t care if they have control over where their money is going to.

 

The Overnight Cash System (TOCS)

 

Overview: TOCS is a gifting circle that was designed for the “little guy”, since the lowest entry level is only $250. The program has been around for a couple of years and it uses a 1Up style structure, like many others. Unlike most gifting clubs, TOCS requires members to pay some extra fees, which vary depending on the entry level you chose and range anywhere from $200 to a $1000. There is also a monthly $30 fee for the hosting of your web-site and access to marketing tools.

 

The Good: This gifting club is almost fully automated. The prospects read over the information on the web-site and by pushing the “callback” button request someone to get in touch with them to answer their questions. The team leaders talk to the leads on your behalf, so the whole system can be completely hands-off.

 

The Bad: The TOCS web-site design has a hokey “Get-Rich Now” feel, which turns off a lot of prospects. TOCS actually has one of the lowest visitor conversion rates amongst all the gifting clubs. Also, there is no way to manage your opt-in database and send personalized follow-up emails. Everything is sent by the system and the members can’t improve any of the messages broadcasted.

 

The Ugly: NO CONTROL WHATSOEVER. Although an idea of a completely automated way to receive cash gifts is attractive to many, the fact that all of the material that TOCS provides is strictly regulated, makes it a difficult system to manage. You’re not allowed to change anything in the provided marketing materials, and if you do, TOCS with eliminate you from the system without a refund. If you came in at a $10,000 level, consider yourself in trouble.

 

Verdict: TOCS is a gifting program that’s easy to set up, but frustrating to manage. You have to be extremely careful with what you do to market your page in order to avoid getting thrown out of the system. Also, TOCS likes to “nickel and dime” its members, which is something that no other club does. Probably the biggest turn-off is this program’s really low rate of turning visitors into leads.

 

Cash Arrives 365

 

Overview: Cash Arrives 365 is probably most similar to NOSS without the necessity of cold-calling prospects. It’s been around for about 6 years and has 3 entry levels: $500, $1,500 and $3,500. Just like NOSS, it uses a professional third party tracking software that costs $120 per year.

 

The Good: This gifting program is accessible to most people due to its low entry fees. The tracking is professional and easy to manage, and potential prospects could be invited to weekly conference calls, led by the program’s veterans. The Bad & The Ugly: Cash Arrives 365 is one of the smallest gifting clubs online, thus be careful joining it, unless you have a lot of experience in the cash gifting world. There aren’t many successful gifting pros involved in Cash Arrives 365, unlike Ecosov™ or TOCS. No one will provide you with any training or support, so you would have to do your own research and figure out your marketing strategies using trial and error.

 

Verdict: Compared to other gifting systems around, this one is definitely one of the weakest. I believe that you have a chance only if you have extensive marketing background.

 

 

Abundant Living System (ALS)

 

Overview: Abundant Living System is a new gifting program that has taken the gifting world “by the storm”. The innovative automated concept of this program incorporates the positives of other gifting clubs while eliminating all of the negatives. The entry levels for ALS start at as low as $150 and go up to $5000, which makes this club an affordable solution for many in search of gifting income. ALS provides extensive free training to its members as well as free, state of the art marketing materials. The ALS capture page has particularly high conversion rates due to the highly informational easy-to-digest content. Similar to TOCS, this system has a free callback feature; when a potential prospect fills out the callback form, they are contacted by the professional “closers” that introduce them to all of the features of the program and answer their questions. Each new member is provided with a free customizable web-site, with professional video and audio content to help potential leads grasp the essence of the program.

 

The Good: One of the most helpful features of the ALS program is their “cash credit system”, which is a convenient way for someone who enters at a low level to upgrade to higher levels. Whenever someone joins ALS at a higher level then their sponsor, unlike all other programs, the sponsor gets to keep half of the prospect’s entry fee and use it to upgrade to the next level. This could be a lifesaver for someone who can’t afford to join ALS at any of the higher levels.

 

ALS is also known for their impeccable support system: it doesn’t matter who you join under – everyone receives the same amount of attention. The customer support is very quick and they usually reply to member inquiries within a few hours. As far as their marketing training goes, they are constantly staying up to date with the latest trends and they even have monthly marketing Co-ops, which allow newbie marketers to "jump start" their cash flow.

 

One of the unique features of the ALS club is that they allow their members to have complete control over their opt-in list – you can use their free autoresponder to send memos and follow-up messages to your leads. There are no restrictions as far as content.

 

The Bad & The Ugly: Critics say that there is not a big enough return to be enrolling leads at a $150 level, but the truth is, the $150 level is one of the least popular ones. Most prospects don’t want to spend time building up to a higher level and come in at a $500 or $1000 level. Yet, leaving open the possibility of low-commitment entry, attracts far more leads then any other program around.

 

Verdict: The Abundant Living System is all about creating wealth for yourself while helping others do the same thing. The amazing support system and training make it easy for anyone, looking to enter the gifting arena, to make their first steps. This program is 99% automated through online content such as videos, audio, the callback feature and the customizable web-site. After months of research, I was convinced that ALS is the most exciting, innovating gifting program out there.

 

I hope this information was helpful to you! As you can see, gifting programs DO work! It’s just a question of finding the right one for YOU.

 

Brad Smith

 

blueoctopus@cox.net

Brad Smith is a marketing expert with a revolutionary cash gifting system that has helped thousands of people create wealth on the Internet. There is no product involved and one doesn’t have to be a computer wiz to be successful at it. On Brad’s web-site http://ToGiveAndToReceive.com, you can learn about how cash gifting can aid your financial situation without considerable money and time investments. </b>

 

Brad Sinjin Smith

Learn How to Flip a House and Become Financially Stable

Do you want to learn how to flip house and make a huge profit?  By definition, to flip a house means to buy a house at a depressed price and then to sell that property very quickly for a much higher price.  This process allows an individual to make huge sums of money without a lot of upfront capital and without a lot of financial risk.  Using this method you can become financially independent very quickly – often on the very first transaction.  Many people think that long complicated real estate techniques are utilized or difficult financial terms have to be understood.  However, this is not the case.  It is a simple and easy process. Just follow some basic steps and you too can learn how to become financially stable.

The first step is to understand how to identify and locate properties with depressed values.  There are several reasons that a house may have a depressed market value.  The owner may have defaulted on the mortgage for the house.  In this situation, the bank or mortgage institution forecloses on the distressed property and assumes ownership over that property.  In order to recoup a portion of the defaulted mortgage, the financial institution will put the house up for sale.  Desperate to recoup their financial losses, the financial institution will often price the house much lower than market value.  These houses present great opportunities.

There are several other reasons a house may have a depressed value.  A sudden death might leave a house in financial limbo.  If there is a last will and testimony, then the property may revert to another owner.  However, if this transfer of ownership is not specified, then the house may be auctioned off to the highest bidder.  These real estate auctions offer great opportunities because the price that a house at auction sells for is usually much less than the market value of the house.  Even if the property reverts to other ownership after an owner death, the new owner is often highly motivated to sell.  Anytime a seller is motivated to sell, the asking price will fall.  Other reasons that a house might have a low asking price include the house falling into disrepair, a house being condemned, or a house being in an unsavory location.  In all these instances the price of the house may be so low that a high profit margin can easily be attained.

The next step is to secure the money to purchase the house.  This is not as hard as you may imagine.  In all of the situations described above, the owners of the houses, be they financial institutions or private owners, are extremely motivated to sell.  Private owners will often offer owner financing, accept little to no down payment, or even hold off payment until the house has been flipped.  Motivated financial institutions will offer short term loans in order to move accumulated assets.  Once the house has been acquired for a low cost, the final step is to sell the house at a higher price.  Follow these simple steps to learn how to flip a house and become financially stable.

Chris Chico
http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/learn-how-to-flip-a-house-and-become-financially-stable-740721.html

Selling Houses for Profit – 3 Simple Tips for Success Even if the Market Drops

If you want to make money in real estate you can do so even if you have no experience.

All you need to do is fix houses up to a set formula. Here are your 3 simple steps to make money fixing houses even if house prices crash.

1. Buy only in areas you can turn a profit quickly,

You want to be able to sell the home you have bought and get out quickly and bank your profit.

Go for areas that are in demand in any market. You will pay a bit more, but there is less risk when you come to want to sell and move onto the next house.

2. Lock in The Value of the property

In a bull market of course you don’t need to do this but with property prices on the slide (don’t listen to estate agents look at the fundamentals) and interest rates biting, you don’t want your house to fall from its current market rate.

The current market value of the property is what you are basing your profit projection on.

Today, there are many companies who will lock in your property value at the current market rate.

If you paid $250,000 and the market value drops to $180,000, they will give you the full $250,000, or the rate you locked it in at.

In a bull market you don’t need to take up the option, in a bear market it can be lucrative as you get the full price paid and then can buy your next property cheaper and start all over again.

3. Improvements To Add Value

Now you have a base rate to work off lets look at the obvious improvements you can make to flip your home for profit.

Start by Improving The outside

Landscaping or “curb appeal” is a huge selling point.

Keep in mind:

First impressions often sell a house.

Kitchen remodeling

Can get more cash value and is an excellent upgrade, as to are bathrooms.

Replacing windows or doors don’t add much unless they are in an obvious state of disrepair

Make sure the style of the home is up to date and is Change the carpeting and walls into a neutral color scheme for wide appeal.

Fixing up your home on the outside offers more value for improving your homes value than on the inside in terms of expense.

Inside make the home as broadly appealing as possible and Make it look like it has been well cared for.

Keep in mind only fix up the items that can be seen by prospective buyers.

Don’t do electrical upgrades or plumbing fixtures that look fine.

Simply, make sure that the house looks well cared for. Start on the outside first and then make the upgrades suggested internally and make the decor have a neutral look for wide appeal.

Don’t bother with things that people cant see, they wont add much value.

The upgrades above can be done by anyone and are both easy and quick to do.

You can move onto more complex jobs later, when you have some profit in the bank.

So get the right location, lock in a profit base by, locking in the property value and make essential upgrades and you will be on the road to make a tidy profit.

Sacha Tarkovsky
http://www.articlesbase.com/real-estate-articles/selling-houses-for-profit-3-simple-tips-for-success-even-if-the-market-drops-95326.html

Life Insurance – Ensure the Correct Balance

Very few people have sufficient assets to enable them to plough along through life, without making provision for their dependents to continue with their present standard of living when the principal earner is gone. However there are many who seem to have delusions of immortality and keep putting off doing anything about it because they aren’t intending to go just yet. Those who cannot afford life insurance are in a very unfortunate position, but those who can afford it but will not get around to doing anything about it are gambling on the future of their families or other dependents.

The loss of a parent or other relative is traumatic enough, but to find out when life goes on after the loss that financial problems are going to be a major factor in life for the foreseeable future, is adding to the grief. So what is to be done? Well, the first action should be to draw up a simple balance sheet – what are your assets and what do you owe.

On the assets side of the sheet you should first of all put down your ‘ready cash’ items. Always remembering to allow as far as possible for any potential changes, the first items should be investments which can be cashed in at short notice. Then methodically work your way through longer term investments, not forgetting such items as life cover provided as a benefit of your employment. You should make a note if applicable if loss of job would lose this cover.

Once the cash side is completed, you move on to material possessions – your house value can be included but bear in mind that your dependants will have to have somewhere to live, so the full value will not be available. The same factor applies to household contents – you are unlikely to be fondly remembered for long by family members who cannot sit down because they had to sell the furniture! A holiday home and contents is not a necessity and the full realisable value could be included, as could the value of a caravan, boat or even a saleable timeshare.

Finally, on the credit side, include valuables such as jewellery, cameras, electrical items etc. but don’t allow yourself to be fooled over the possible value. The vase which your favourite aunt left to you some years ago may be reputed to have a considerable value but don’t rely on hearsay. Get it valued and then write that value down by 25% or more – the valuer may have been more enthusiastic about it than a potential buyer would be.

Now move onto your liabilities, remembering to allow as far as possible for future changes, i.e. have you had a loan which will be paid up in the near future, thus releasing more cash; alternatively are you likely to take out a new loan which would then commit a proportion of your cash to repayments? Do you have commitments which would cease on your death, such as a health protection plan?

When the above is completed why not take the opportunity to do something else which you have probably been procrastinating about for many years – make a will. Now you know what your assets are, why not ensure that they go to the people for whom they are intended – intestacy is a sure fire way to create problems for your family when you depart this life, so why not deal with it now?

You are now in a position to do your sums and decide how much life cover you need to enable your family to live more or less as they do at present. You should be able to arrive at a figure which will be as adequate as you can make it and affordable, but not excessive to the point that paying for it becomes a serious burden.

You have arrived at the point where you are likely to need expert help in drawing up the most suitable policy for your needs, so why not take the easy route (after all your hard work) and browse the internet for a suitable broker.  Better still find 2 or 3 brokers and give yourself a choice when initial discussions have enabled you to form an opinion.

You can now settle into sorting out the fine detail, including the type of insurance which you require and the affordability of your intentions. There are a few different types of insurance available to you, each of which has a different cost. Term insurance for example, provides cover over a specified period, during which your death would trigger payment of the agreed sum; at the end of the term all cover ceases and a new policy would be taken out if required.

The type which historically was frequently employed for mortgage cover is the decreasing term policy, where the amount to be paid out gradually reduces by an agreed amount each year until the end of the term, when cover ceases. This type of policy is very much lower in cost due to the decreasing commitment, but don’t forget to allow something in the sum due for potential inflation.

See a broker, discuss your needs and rest assured that you have taken a major step for your family in reducing the trauma of your inevitable departure. At least it shouldn’t be financial worries that speed your end!

Michael Challiner

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