Buying a home has been known as the American Dream. But once you've bought it, how long should you hold onto it becomes the big question. Well the truth is, most of the time its not your decision to make anyways.
Or at least the decision is so painful you hesitate indefinetly to make the next move. Fluctuating interest rates and home values, job changes or layoffs, a growing comfortablity with the location, realization of new Real Estate fees and closing costs, etc. inevitably effect your decision to make that new home transition.
Most new home buyers say they will stay in the home for a few years then upgrade to a bigger one with all the equity they gain. Others say they will move to a bigger home once they have kids or when their salaries increase. All of these reasons sound reasonable, however much of the time they are not reality.
In regards to home equity, the unfortunately reality is that home values in the same location rise proportionaly to each other. As a result whatever equity you have gained in your starter home, by itself does not increase your purchasing power to buy a larger home. Yes, it may give you the opportunity to fiance a larger home, but in the end you also have a much bigger monthly mortgage payment. The next question is, can you afford the new mortage payments.
Before making the decision to upgrade to a new home, you next have to figure out what your net proceeds will be from the sale of you existing home and what your future mortgage will be and whether or not you can afford it. Too frequently we forget that a good portion of our home equity is lost to the real estate commisions and the closing and moving costs to transistion to the new home. Only after the net proceeds are calculated from the sale of an existing home can we understand how much additional funds we can put towards a deposit on another home. The key point to remember; it costs to move and it usually costs big.
Unfortunately home prices have far outpaced salary increases. Quite frankly that chasm seems to continue to grow. As a result, waiting for growth in your salary to buy the next bigger home is sometimes a poor reason to hold off from buying the bigger home in the first place, particularly if interest rates are low.
Once the kids arrive the decision to upgrade to a new home can become even more complex. Particularly when the kids get older and even if you are planning to live in the same general community.
The bottom line: You will probably be in a home much longer than you originally plan. Consequently, it is sometimes wiser to buy more home on your first home purchase rather than less. This is particularly true if interest rates are un-naturally low. So before you buy that first home think longer term and buy what you could be happy living in for 20 yearsArticle Submission, because you just might!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Over the past 20+ years Mark Donovan has been involved with building homes and additions to homes and is a licensed real estate agent. His projects have included: building a vacation home, building additions and garages on to existing homes, and finishing unfinished homes. For more home improvement information visit http://www.homeadditionplus.com and http://www.homeaddition.blogspot.com.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Best Rated Home Based Business
Dream of operating your own business out of your home but want to make sure you are in a best rated home based business? While some articles may tell you that you have to come up with an original idea, there is something to be said for going with a best rated home based business that is not only hot right now, but also has the potential for future growth. Here are some of the new concepts that are quickly becoming great home based business ideas:
Best Rated Home Based Business #1: Online Auction Seller
Do you make a product? Are you interested in sales, but not in the market for a typical “sales” job? Then you may want to consider becoming a professional seller on eBay, Amazon, or Yahoo. These companies allow you to market and sell your product online. You can purchase wholesale products like jewelry, DVDs, CDs, and more to resell. You can even make your own items and sell them on the sites.
Best Rated Home Based Business #2: Tutor
If you have a degree or expertise in a specific area you could consider becoming a tutor. Many students have problems putting together ideas for their papers or have trouble understanding long division. If you have patience and an aptitude for explaining concepts, then tutoring can be a rewarding experience.
Best Rated Home Based Business #3: Life Coach
Why is this on the list as a best rated home based business? A life coach helps people put parts of their life together. Some life coaches help people date while others help people learn to organize their lives. It is an easy business to run out of your home while you help people get their lives together.
Best Rated Home Based Business #4: Personal Concierge
In today’s busy world, having a personal concierge can be a benefit to a number of people. You would spend your day running errands, shopping, even picking up children or pets. Some personal concierges have specific roles like doing the grocery shopping, while others perform a variety of tasks.
Best Rated Home Based Business #5: Money Manager
If you have a way with numbers and finances, then this could be a great option for you. You would help people manage their budgets and make sure they are able to stay on top of their finances. Sometimes people do not have time to balance the checkbook or pay the bills, and you would do that for them. Other times, older individuals have problems completing these tasksComputer Technology Articles, and you would be doing them a great service by allowing them to still live independently.
Read the rest of the article here - Best Rated Home Based Business.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Six-Figure Income Earner Charles Fuchs Shows How to Explode your Income and Make Huge Amounts of Money, even with no experience. Visit our Home Based Business Blog and receive the Best MLM Leads online, valuable tips, strategies, and techniques designed to grow a very successful Home Based Business.
Best Rated Home Based Business #1: Online Auction Seller
Do you make a product? Are you interested in sales, but not in the market for a typical “sales” job? Then you may want to consider becoming a professional seller on eBay, Amazon, or Yahoo. These companies allow you to market and sell your product online. You can purchase wholesale products like jewelry, DVDs, CDs, and more to resell. You can even make your own items and sell them on the sites.
Best Rated Home Based Business #2: Tutor
If you have a degree or expertise in a specific area you could consider becoming a tutor. Many students have problems putting together ideas for their papers or have trouble understanding long division. If you have patience and an aptitude for explaining concepts, then tutoring can be a rewarding experience.
Best Rated Home Based Business #3: Life Coach
Why is this on the list as a best rated home based business? A life coach helps people put parts of their life together. Some life coaches help people date while others help people learn to organize their lives. It is an easy business to run out of your home while you help people get their lives together.
Best Rated Home Based Business #4: Personal Concierge
In today’s busy world, having a personal concierge can be a benefit to a number of people. You would spend your day running errands, shopping, even picking up children or pets. Some personal concierges have specific roles like doing the grocery shopping, while others perform a variety of tasks.
Best Rated Home Based Business #5: Money Manager
If you have a way with numbers and finances, then this could be a great option for you. You would help people manage their budgets and make sure they are able to stay on top of their finances. Sometimes people do not have time to balance the checkbook or pay the bills, and you would do that for them. Other times, older individuals have problems completing these tasksComputer Technology Articles, and you would be doing them a great service by allowing them to still live independently.
Read the rest of the article here - Best Rated Home Based Business.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Six-Figure Income Earner Charles Fuchs Shows How to Explode your Income and Make Huge Amounts of Money, even with no experience. Visit our Home Based Business Blog and receive the Best MLM Leads online, valuable tips, strategies, and techniques designed to grow a very successful Home Based Business.
Cheap Home Insurance Basics
Gradual increase of natural perils and environmental pollution in today's world have taken a toll on the longivity of houses and buildings. Under such circumstances the home insurance policy has got a lot of priority. However what is being noticed by the homeowner is the gradual price hike in buying house insurance policy. A need has been felt for cheap house insurance policy. Cheaper insurance offers discounted insurances and low premium of insurances. Just like other insurance policies shopping is necessary before buying the policy.
Shopping for cheap home insurance quote is easy. One can check different rates from the website. You only need to fill up a simple form and thus get connected to a number of homeowners' insurance quotes. Due to discounts offeredFree Web Content, the policies are cheaper. One benefits a discount of 30% to 45% while buying insurance online. Some insurance companies provide a discount if you buy home and contents insurance together. Instead of buying online you can contact the agent. Insuring the car and the home can reduce the house insurance rate. Buying both auto and home insurance from same company can lead to discount. Getting at least three quotes is necessary to compare the terms. One should be aware of replacement values of items. No need to calculate the amount of buying or prevailing market value rather get replacement value insurance. You should be aware of the fact whether you can afford to replace all that you have lost with new items and policy ensures them as replacement value. Be well aware of the claims of process. You should also enquire whether floods or earthquakes are covered. In a state like California one can get earthquake insurance through The California Earthquake Authority.
Inflation rate should be kept in mind when home insurance policy is due for renewal.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Find more about Home Insurance on http://www.LeanderNet.com/Home_insurance/Homeowners_insurance.php . More useful content on LeanderNet - http://www.LeanderNet.com
Shopping for cheap home insurance quote is easy. One can check different rates from the website. You only need to fill up a simple form and thus get connected to a number of homeowners' insurance quotes. Due to discounts offeredFree Web Content, the policies are cheaper. One benefits a discount of 30% to 45% while buying insurance online. Some insurance companies provide a discount if you buy home and contents insurance together. Instead of buying online you can contact the agent. Insuring the car and the home can reduce the house insurance rate. Buying both auto and home insurance from same company can lead to discount. Getting at least three quotes is necessary to compare the terms. One should be aware of replacement values of items. No need to calculate the amount of buying or prevailing market value rather get replacement value insurance. You should be aware of the fact whether you can afford to replace all that you have lost with new items and policy ensures them as replacement value. Be well aware of the claims of process. You should also enquire whether floods or earthquakes are covered. In a state like California one can get earthquake insurance through The California Earthquake Authority.
Inflation rate should be kept in mind when home insurance policy is due for renewal.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Find more about Home Insurance on http://www.LeanderNet.com/Home_insurance/Homeowners_insurance.php . More useful content on LeanderNet - http://www.LeanderNet.com
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Guide to Buying a Home
Before you rush out to purchase a home, there a few tips that might help you get a great deal on the home of your dreams.
First, before anything else, it would be in your best interests to talk with a lending company and receive a pre-qualification letter. This letter will let you know exactly what your maximum mortgage amount can be.
Many times, the lending company will ask that you put up a “good faith” payment that will be put in an escrow account; this money shows the home seller that you are serious about purchasing their home.
Next, you should have a home inspector to go to the home that you wish to purchase. Even if the home seller and the real estate agent already has one for you to see, you should invest the money into getting a home inspector of your own. The inspector will note any problems that he sees with the home in the way of repairs and you should look over this very carefully before signing any contracts. You do not want any surprises like a bad foundation or a leaky roof.
Look for a location that fits your lifestyle, such as proximity to schools, the beach, work, or any other activities that you enjoy. You may wish to find a home close to the elementary school, near a shopping centre, or even away from all the noise of the big city. Visit the neighborhood at different times during the day and in the evening and night to see what goes on in the neighborhood before you purchase. Do not take anyone’s word on how quiet the neighborhood really is. You can also find out the crime statistics in the area to ensure you are seeking a home in a safe area.
You can talk with a realtor and learn what homes are going for in the same neighborhood with similar amenities to make sure the home you wish to buy is not overpriced or under priced. If the property is way under market value, you should try to learn why before signing any type of contract. If the property is overpricedPsychology Articles, you can always try to negotiate with the seller to try to get them to lower the price to a more reasonable price.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sameer S Panjwani is the CEO of ChoiceOfHomes.com - Home Buying made easy with a wide choice of real estate listings of homes for sale. Website url: http://www.choiceofhomes.com
First, before anything else, it would be in your best interests to talk with a lending company and receive a pre-qualification letter. This letter will let you know exactly what your maximum mortgage amount can be.
Many times, the lending company will ask that you put up a “good faith” payment that will be put in an escrow account; this money shows the home seller that you are serious about purchasing their home.
Next, you should have a home inspector to go to the home that you wish to purchase. Even if the home seller and the real estate agent already has one for you to see, you should invest the money into getting a home inspector of your own. The inspector will note any problems that he sees with the home in the way of repairs and you should look over this very carefully before signing any contracts. You do not want any surprises like a bad foundation or a leaky roof.
Look for a location that fits your lifestyle, such as proximity to schools, the beach, work, or any other activities that you enjoy. You may wish to find a home close to the elementary school, near a shopping centre, or even away from all the noise of the big city. Visit the neighborhood at different times during the day and in the evening and night to see what goes on in the neighborhood before you purchase. Do not take anyone’s word on how quiet the neighborhood really is. You can also find out the crime statistics in the area to ensure you are seeking a home in a safe area.
You can talk with a realtor and learn what homes are going for in the same neighborhood with similar amenities to make sure the home you wish to buy is not overpriced or under priced. If the property is way under market value, you should try to learn why before signing any type of contract. If the property is overpricedPsychology Articles, you can always try to negotiate with the seller to try to get them to lower the price to a more reasonable price.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sameer S Panjwani is the CEO of ChoiceOfHomes.com - Home Buying made easy with a wide choice of real estate listings of homes for sale. Website url: http://www.choiceofhomes.com
Save yourself from homebuying disasters.
Buying a house will most likely be the most important purchase you make in your life. The lenders and agents are counting on you to walk blindly into your home purchase. Make them work for you. Take the extra time, arm yourself with the knowledge of home buying and lending practices in order to make informed, sound judgments and decisions.
Whether you are a first time home buyer or a happy home owner who wants to refinance an existing home loan, there are some cardinal “dos” and “don’ts” to follow. For many, home ownership is the biggest investment in their lives and that could be the reason why some people act irrationally, as if they purposely want to sabotage the deal. Follow these simple rules and you will be sure to make your experience difficult and unpleasant, if not a complete disaster.
Don't get pre-approved or pre-qualified for a loan; lose your dream home to someone else.
Being pre-qualified shows some commitment on your part to both the mortgage broker and the seller. Being pre-approved is an even better step to take. The lender knows your financial standing and is able to present you with the loan deal. If you are neither pre-approved nor pre-qualified, a real estate agent representing the seller will not treat you seriously, and the property you want will most likely sell to someone else during the time you waste securing a home loan. Go ahead and procrastinate, you didn't want that house anyway.
Make verbal contracts only. Talk is not cheap.
Since they are not enforceable in most states, make sure that the details of the deal regarding who pays certain costs or necessary repairs are agreed on verbally, and only verbally. Similarly, when the lender tells you that your rate is locked in, don’t ask for written evidence. You might be in for a big surprise at the closing appointment, but who doesn't like surprises?
No need to be discriminating. Choose a lender by using only one criteria.
A favorite criteria of most people is to go with a bank that offers the lowest interest rate, without any consideration of the true cost of the loan. Even if you know how to calculate it, you'll probably choose the lowest rate loan. The chances are that the lowest rate bank is charging a lot more in fees and points than others, but who has time to shop around? Life is busy. Others, usually more cautious people, go with the bank where they have their checking account. After all, your bank loves you and would not wish any financial harm, right?
Pay more than you should. Choose the seller’s real estate agent to represent you.
It is truly the best option. Rather than asking friends or colleagues for referrals, picking up the yellow pages or searching online for your own agent, simply go with someone whose job it is to get the best deal for the seller. Who cares about conflict of interest. Be house poor.
No need for tedious professional home inspections.
After all, what could go wrong? Leaky roofs, plumbing problems, termites, asbestos; all a minor nuisance. If electrical problems happen to start a fire… well, that’s what smoke detectors are for.
Don't bother reading important contracts. Just sign all documents.
They are long, difficult to read and understand and are very time consuming. Rather than familiarize yourself with them ahead of time, just wait and sign everything at your closing appointment. Besides, what you've signed may open the door to a world of surprising homeowner adventures you could never have imagined. More surprises for you to enjoy!
Buying a house will most likely be the most important purchase you make in your life. Don't mess it up!
There are countless websites, magazines, books etc with which you can empower yourself in this daunting task. Don't let yourself be taken advantage of; learn all that there is when it comes to buying a home. If you want to fail, just follow the preceding steps. But, success at negotiating the best price and the best loan rates can be achieved by simply avoiding these foolish and costly mistakes. The lenders and agents are counting on you to walk blindly into your home purchase. For them, the bottom line is getting the commission. They are hoping for as quick a sale as possible, and they would like you to be a typical uninformed client who makes decisions with their hearts only and not their heads. Make the agents work for you. Take the extra time, arm yourself with the knowledge of home buying and lending practices in order to make informed, sound judgments and decisions. You've worked very hard to get to the point of buying a house, so be smart about it and don't mess up!
Find more about home loans, insuranceArticle Submission, and money saving tips at: How Much?
http://www.howmuchanswers.com/
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Simon Fox is a senior staff member with How Much? - Comparing financial products.
Whether you are a first time home buyer or a happy home owner who wants to refinance an existing home loan, there are some cardinal “dos” and “don’ts” to follow. For many, home ownership is the biggest investment in their lives and that could be the reason why some people act irrationally, as if they purposely want to sabotage the deal. Follow these simple rules and you will be sure to make your experience difficult and unpleasant, if not a complete disaster.
Don't get pre-approved or pre-qualified for a loan; lose your dream home to someone else.
Being pre-qualified shows some commitment on your part to both the mortgage broker and the seller. Being pre-approved is an even better step to take. The lender knows your financial standing and is able to present you with the loan deal. If you are neither pre-approved nor pre-qualified, a real estate agent representing the seller will not treat you seriously, and the property you want will most likely sell to someone else during the time you waste securing a home loan. Go ahead and procrastinate, you didn't want that house anyway.
Make verbal contracts only. Talk is not cheap.
Since they are not enforceable in most states, make sure that the details of the deal regarding who pays certain costs or necessary repairs are agreed on verbally, and only verbally. Similarly, when the lender tells you that your rate is locked in, don’t ask for written evidence. You might be in for a big surprise at the closing appointment, but who doesn't like surprises?
No need to be discriminating. Choose a lender by using only one criteria.
A favorite criteria of most people is to go with a bank that offers the lowest interest rate, without any consideration of the true cost of the loan. Even if you know how to calculate it, you'll probably choose the lowest rate loan. The chances are that the lowest rate bank is charging a lot more in fees and points than others, but who has time to shop around? Life is busy. Others, usually more cautious people, go with the bank where they have their checking account. After all, your bank loves you and would not wish any financial harm, right?
Pay more than you should. Choose the seller’s real estate agent to represent you.
It is truly the best option. Rather than asking friends or colleagues for referrals, picking up the yellow pages or searching online for your own agent, simply go with someone whose job it is to get the best deal for the seller. Who cares about conflict of interest. Be house poor.
No need for tedious professional home inspections.
After all, what could go wrong? Leaky roofs, plumbing problems, termites, asbestos; all a minor nuisance. If electrical problems happen to start a fire… well, that’s what smoke detectors are for.
Don't bother reading important contracts. Just sign all documents.
They are long, difficult to read and understand and are very time consuming. Rather than familiarize yourself with them ahead of time, just wait and sign everything at your closing appointment. Besides, what you've signed may open the door to a world of surprising homeowner adventures you could never have imagined. More surprises for you to enjoy!
Buying a house will most likely be the most important purchase you make in your life. Don't mess it up!
There are countless websites, magazines, books etc with which you can empower yourself in this daunting task. Don't let yourself be taken advantage of; learn all that there is when it comes to buying a home. If you want to fail, just follow the preceding steps. But, success at negotiating the best price and the best loan rates can be achieved by simply avoiding these foolish and costly mistakes. The lenders and agents are counting on you to walk blindly into your home purchase. For them, the bottom line is getting the commission. They are hoping for as quick a sale as possible, and they would like you to be a typical uninformed client who makes decisions with their hearts only and not their heads. Make the agents work for you. Take the extra time, arm yourself with the knowledge of home buying and lending practices in order to make informed, sound judgments and decisions. You've worked very hard to get to the point of buying a house, so be smart about it and don't mess up!
Find more about home loans, insuranceArticle Submission, and money saving tips at: How Much?
http://www.howmuchanswers.com/
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Simon Fox is a senior staff member with How Much? - Comparing financial products.
Fueling The Ideal - Marketing With Articles
Learn how this work from home mom made her dreams come true by marketing with articles.
It's that time of year again ... pages of backpacks, notebooks and back-to-school clothing fill every circular that hits your mailbox. And you're off to the races ... the races being the mall, plus every other store in between.
You're in the same spot you were last year this time, getting ready to head off to work while your kids head off to school. Back to hugging them goodbye in the morning and seeing them just long enough in the evening to say I love you and tuck them in.
Wouldn't it be fantastic if the easier schedule of the summer lasted all year long? No more spending all your hours away from your kids just to earn enough money to cover the essentials and pay daycare?
Take it from someone who knows both sides of the deal here and believe that there's no time like right now to make the transition from the regular grind to working from home. As the proud Mom of a 2005 honors graduate who's heading off to college soon, I know first hand what a major impact working from home has had on his success.
When my son was very young, I worked a full-time job away from home, plus at least one part-time job on weekends. This meant that my son was in daycare while I worked. As a single parent who didn't receive child support (for years) though, I had no other choice.
A few years later in the 1990's, I decided there had to be a better way so I started a part-time medical billing service from my home. This allowed me to give up the outside part-time job and gave me the practical means of earning the much-needed income. Best of all, it gave me the priceless opportunity to take care of my son while I worked. I quickly saw that I was onto something great here ... what a concept!
I moved from the east coast to California with my son in 1995 where my first full-time job was with a consulting firm co-owned by a professional speaker. After some negotiations with my boss, we entered into an agreement by which I would work mornings in the office, leave to pick up my son from school in the afternoons and work from home the rest of the day. It worked out incredibly well ... so well in fact, that in 2000, I decided to leave the consulting firm and start my own full-time home based virtual assistant business.
Starting from scratch, I knew that gaining exposure for my business was essential if I wanted to be successful in my new venture. I also knew that traditional forms of marketing are very expensive and quickly gobble up the profits, particularly in the early stages. However, I also remembered a technique that I used successfully for my former employer.
Besides being a consultant and professional speaker, he was also an author, so his goals included increasing his number of speaking engagements and selling more copies of his books. He hoped to accomplish these goals by establishing himself as an expert in his industry, which meant having his work published by every major magazine in his field.
Committed to accomplishing his goals, he gave me a list of those publications, so I drafted a query letter based on one of his story ideas and e-mailed it to the editor of one of the magazines. The editor responded in short notice and offered my employer an article assignment. They published my boss's article soon afterwards and featured it on the cover of the magazine, producing an onslaught of calls to the office!
Writing and submitting that one article produced several paid speaking engagements. This new marketing intrigue fascinated me, so I fine-tuned my article submission process creating logs and checklists, and within a few months, my boss had accomplished his goal of publication in every magazine on his list!
Even online and in-print publications we hadn't contacted began calling and e-mailing in request of articles. The results of writing and submitting articles was so successful that we put other major marketing techniques on hold so my boss could travel to his paid speaking engagements.
As my interest and experience grew in this area of marketing, I knew that if it worked for my boss that it would work for other professionals as well. Soon, I was earning over half my income handling article submissions for other professionals.
Then I realized that if this technique worked for other professionals that it would work for me too in building my own business. And it has worked for me!
This same marketing technique, which I call marketing with articles, has been the success behind my own business. I've used it to expand my client base and build my virtual assistance business into a solid income-generating company, which has allowed me to work full-time at home for the past five years. As my son is getting ready to leave for college, my personal goal now is to help other parents be successful in achieving their career goals while living the dream of staying home with their children.
The concept of marketing with articles does not require a professional writer. Anyone can be successful in building their business and gaining credibility as an expert in their industry or area of expertise by writing and submitting free reprint articles to online and in-print publications. The key to success is in reaching your target audience with resourceful information that is valuable to them.
Editors of both online and in-print publications are in constant demand of quality content for their readers. They have a continuing need to publish content that appeals directly to their target audience, which is where you come in. By writing and submitting free reprint articles to publications that reach readers in your market, you have the opportunity to establish yourself as an expert and gain a generous amount of exposure for your business.
True, you aren't earning money for actually writing the articles, but you are earning a huge payoff here. Not only do you establish your credibility as an expert in your industry or area of expertise, but you earn significant exposure for yourself and your business. Most editors will include your byline with your articles, which gives you the opportunity to include your name and contact information, plus the URL of your web site. Readers come to recognize your name and relate it with certain topics. The more articles you write and submit, the more exposure you gain!
The marketing with articles technique helped turn my dream of working from home full-time into a precious reality that has made a positive impact for both my son and me. As he goes off to college, he'll be leaving with all the benefits of having had a mom who found a way to support him financially without the high cost of being away from him all day. Me, I'll have the benefit of knowing that the bittersweet wind I'm putting beneath his wings comes from my deepest desires for his complete success!
(c) 2005Psychology Articles, Davis Virtual Assistance. Reprint rights granted to all venues so long as article and by-line are reproduced intact with links made live.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bonnie Jo Davis is a full-time work-from-home mom who built her business on the concept of marketing with articles. An accomplished writer and marketing strategist, she offers over ten years of success in writing and submitting articles for gaining exposure and growing your business. Visit http://www.ArticleSubmissionSites.com to learn how her technique offers the means for success in starting and/or growing your own business.
It's that time of year again ... pages of backpacks, notebooks and back-to-school clothing fill every circular that hits your mailbox. And you're off to the races ... the races being the mall, plus every other store in between.
You're in the same spot you were last year this time, getting ready to head off to work while your kids head off to school. Back to hugging them goodbye in the morning and seeing them just long enough in the evening to say I love you and tuck them in.
Wouldn't it be fantastic if the easier schedule of the summer lasted all year long? No more spending all your hours away from your kids just to earn enough money to cover the essentials and pay daycare?
Take it from someone who knows both sides of the deal here and believe that there's no time like right now to make the transition from the regular grind to working from home. As the proud Mom of a 2005 honors graduate who's heading off to college soon, I know first hand what a major impact working from home has had on his success.
When my son was very young, I worked a full-time job away from home, plus at least one part-time job on weekends. This meant that my son was in daycare while I worked. As a single parent who didn't receive child support (for years) though, I had no other choice.
A few years later in the 1990's, I decided there had to be a better way so I started a part-time medical billing service from my home. This allowed me to give up the outside part-time job and gave me the practical means of earning the much-needed income. Best of all, it gave me the priceless opportunity to take care of my son while I worked. I quickly saw that I was onto something great here ... what a concept!
I moved from the east coast to California with my son in 1995 where my first full-time job was with a consulting firm co-owned by a professional speaker. After some negotiations with my boss, we entered into an agreement by which I would work mornings in the office, leave to pick up my son from school in the afternoons and work from home the rest of the day. It worked out incredibly well ... so well in fact, that in 2000, I decided to leave the consulting firm and start my own full-time home based virtual assistant business.
Starting from scratch, I knew that gaining exposure for my business was essential if I wanted to be successful in my new venture. I also knew that traditional forms of marketing are very expensive and quickly gobble up the profits, particularly in the early stages. However, I also remembered a technique that I used successfully for my former employer.
Besides being a consultant and professional speaker, he was also an author, so his goals included increasing his number of speaking engagements and selling more copies of his books. He hoped to accomplish these goals by establishing himself as an expert in his industry, which meant having his work published by every major magazine in his field.
Committed to accomplishing his goals, he gave me a list of those publications, so I drafted a query letter based on one of his story ideas and e-mailed it to the editor of one of the magazines. The editor responded in short notice and offered my employer an article assignment. They published my boss's article soon afterwards and featured it on the cover of the magazine, producing an onslaught of calls to the office!
Writing and submitting that one article produced several paid speaking engagements. This new marketing intrigue fascinated me, so I fine-tuned my article submission process creating logs and checklists, and within a few months, my boss had accomplished his goal of publication in every magazine on his list!
Even online and in-print publications we hadn't contacted began calling and e-mailing in request of articles. The results of writing and submitting articles was so successful that we put other major marketing techniques on hold so my boss could travel to his paid speaking engagements.
As my interest and experience grew in this area of marketing, I knew that if it worked for my boss that it would work for other professionals as well. Soon, I was earning over half my income handling article submissions for other professionals.
Then I realized that if this technique worked for other professionals that it would work for me too in building my own business. And it has worked for me!
This same marketing technique, which I call marketing with articles, has been the success behind my own business. I've used it to expand my client base and build my virtual assistance business into a solid income-generating company, which has allowed me to work full-time at home for the past five years. As my son is getting ready to leave for college, my personal goal now is to help other parents be successful in achieving their career goals while living the dream of staying home with their children.
The concept of marketing with articles does not require a professional writer. Anyone can be successful in building their business and gaining credibility as an expert in their industry or area of expertise by writing and submitting free reprint articles to online and in-print publications. The key to success is in reaching your target audience with resourceful information that is valuable to them.
Editors of both online and in-print publications are in constant demand of quality content for their readers. They have a continuing need to publish content that appeals directly to their target audience, which is where you come in. By writing and submitting free reprint articles to publications that reach readers in your market, you have the opportunity to establish yourself as an expert and gain a generous amount of exposure for your business.
True, you aren't earning money for actually writing the articles, but you are earning a huge payoff here. Not only do you establish your credibility as an expert in your industry or area of expertise, but you earn significant exposure for yourself and your business. Most editors will include your byline with your articles, which gives you the opportunity to include your name and contact information, plus the URL of your web site. Readers come to recognize your name and relate it with certain topics. The more articles you write and submit, the more exposure you gain!
The marketing with articles technique helped turn my dream of working from home full-time into a precious reality that has made a positive impact for both my son and me. As he goes off to college, he'll be leaving with all the benefits of having had a mom who found a way to support him financially without the high cost of being away from him all day. Me, I'll have the benefit of knowing that the bittersweet wind I'm putting beneath his wings comes from my deepest desires for his complete success!
(c) 2005Psychology Articles, Davis Virtual Assistance. Reprint rights granted to all venues so long as article and by-line are reproduced intact with links made live.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bonnie Jo Davis is a full-time work-from-home mom who built her business on the concept of marketing with articles. An accomplished writer and marketing strategist, she offers over ten years of success in writing and submitting articles for gaining exposure and growing your business. Visit http://www.ArticleSubmissionSites.com to learn how her technique offers the means for success in starting and/or growing your own business.
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Buying Articles for the Web
How to use the article writings of other authors to keep your internet marketing momentum high.
Offering free content on yours or others business Web site is a crucial part of Internet marketing. In fact, that’s how Internet marketing got started, which is why everyone wants and expects something for nothing on the World Wide Web. They’ve always been getting it.
The public has come to expect Internet information to be free, and those most-often searched keywords are what will take consumers to your Web site. Once you’ve determined the most visited keywords in your industry, you’ll want to write or find articles that incorporate them.
If you’re not a good writer, or you don’t have the time it takes to write articles, you can use the articles of others. You can offer local writers or industry experts to contribute articles in return for their bio which gives their own site and business credibility, branding and traffic. Or you can buy articles from people you don’t know. One way of doing this is through an article membership site. Here you’ll find articles on just about any subject, with new ones added all the time.
There are many sites that offer articles and memberships to help your Internet marketing. The catch, however, is that each invariably limits its membership ranks so that the Internet marketing articles don’t get published too often. You may have to do some searching, or some waiting, to get a membership in the Internet marketing article membership site of your choice. Once you are a member and you find the articles you want to publish your Internet marketing work is not done, however, You have to do some rewriting, making it not only fresh and unique to your site, but also giving it a little tweak so it talks directly about your industry, and, if possible, about your products or services.
You may find an article or articles that particular fit your Web site and your business but the keywords you need aren’t found that densely in the article. So you’ll need to do that. That’s fairly easy to do, and far easier than sitting down and writing your own article.
Never take an article from an article membership site and publish it verbatim. This is destructive to your Internet marketing concept. You want to make it yours – your voice, your personality and your products. You might even find a lengthy article that you could use as a tease, publishing the first part and then offering the conclusion next week. You might also publish a newsletter – a great Internet marketing tool. You start the article in the newsletter and refer readers to your site for the conclusion. Whatever you doArticle Submission, make it yours. Your Internet marketing will succeed as a result.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Offering free content on yours or others business Web site is a crucial part of Internet marketing. In fact, that’s how Internet marketing got started, which is why everyone wants and expects something for nothing on the World Wide Web. They’ve always been getting it.
The public has come to expect Internet information to be free, and those most-often searched keywords are what will take consumers to your Web site. Once you’ve determined the most visited keywords in your industry, you’ll want to write or find articles that incorporate them.
If you’re not a good writer, or you don’t have the time it takes to write articles, you can use the articles of others. You can offer local writers or industry experts to contribute articles in return for their bio which gives their own site and business credibility, branding and traffic. Or you can buy articles from people you don’t know. One way of doing this is through an article membership site. Here you’ll find articles on just about any subject, with new ones added all the time.
There are many sites that offer articles and memberships to help your Internet marketing. The catch, however, is that each invariably limits its membership ranks so that the Internet marketing articles don’t get published too often. You may have to do some searching, or some waiting, to get a membership in the Internet marketing article membership site of your choice. Once you are a member and you find the articles you want to publish your Internet marketing work is not done, however, You have to do some rewriting, making it not only fresh and unique to your site, but also giving it a little tweak so it talks directly about your industry, and, if possible, about your products or services.
You may find an article or articles that particular fit your Web site and your business but the keywords you need aren’t found that densely in the article. So you’ll need to do that. That’s fairly easy to do, and far easier than sitting down and writing your own article.
Never take an article from an article membership site and publish it verbatim. This is destructive to your Internet marketing concept. You want to make it yours – your voice, your personality and your products. You might even find a lengthy article that you could use as a tease, publishing the first part and then offering the conclusion next week. You might also publish a newsletter – a great Internet marketing tool. You start the article in the newsletter and refer readers to your site for the conclusion. Whatever you doArticle Submission, make it yours. Your Internet marketing will succeed as a result.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Leonard Bartholomew, B.S. Computer Science. Leonard invites you to submit your articles to Moxie-Drive Expressions, the most exclusive, hand edited internet marketing article directory on the web today. Or just visit and enjoy a good read!
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