The term \’the big cheese\’ implies someone who\’s quite a hit in his industry or field.
This phrase originated from the Persian word \’chiz\’ which means thing. People often said he\’s the “right chiz”. This was followed by the coining of a new expression “the real thing”. The Persian chiz is similar in pronunciation to cheese, so the expression was modified as “the real cheese”.

In early twentieth century, there was a craze of getting a \’big\’ haircut. And that lead to more words like bigwig, big shot, big fish etc.

Also, it is interesting to note that \’cheesing\’ is an American slang for smiling.

Further, \’Cheesy\’ in British also means harmlessly naughty. Again, it is something that would bring a pleasant smile on everyone\’s face (only until you\’re not the victim).

Such fame of the world cheese started being used to denote the same of a man, his fame, success and influence. Terms like these, since they were first used, are still being used with the same amount of zeal and fervor even today. The meaning of the big cheese has also remained unchanged quite unlike other phrases and terms that have come off age.
\’The next big thing\’, \’The big shot\’, \’The big fish\’ are today\’s synonyms for a budding personality in his field of work, the current man at the top in his area of work and the biggest customer available for a deal respectively.

They have also attracted the attention and amusement of so many book writers and great philosophers to title their books as that!

Read more articles about Automobiles: http://www.RealEstateDiaries.net

Tarang Bhargava is the CEO of Vexat Inc. and has an affiliate marketing experience of six years. The website http://www.earncashonline.in is Affiliate Marketing invitation that provides an opportunity to Indians to make money through internet using his experience.

Read articles by him at http://www.ArticlesDirectory.in

By 2010, over 40 percent of households will be headed by at least one person over the age of 55. The number of U.S. residents over the age of 65 years will jump from approximately 38 million today to nearly 70 million by 2030. These facts make a strong case for continued targeting of the ubiquitous Baby Boomer. But active adult communities and retirement products will not appeal to the market segments that are coming up behind them. The absence of long-term planning has become a housing industry boondoggle as the focus has always been on a “bird in the hand.” But the evolution of our community development strategies to accommodate the up and coming market segments and sell beyond the immediate demand is critical to the continued success of the housing industry and our ability to be flexible in difficult market conditions.

The Future: By 2030, 29 percent of all U.S. households are expected to comprise a single person. Further, traditional households (married couples with children) will represent just 65 percent of all households compared to 90 percent in 1950. But who are the forthcoming buyers; what does their demographic profile look like; and how do we reach them? Loosely defined, Gen-Xers were born between 1965 and 1984 putting their ages between 24 and 43. Dependent upon the method of calculation, experts estimate their numbers between 50 and 70 million. Based on accepted definitions, the Gen-Y segment overlaps somewhat with birth years ranging from 1982 to 1995 putting the youngest at 13 years and the eldest at 26. This segment is estimated to comprise some 80 million people, even larger than the Baby Boomer generation. Over the next ten years, the youngest of the Gen-X crowd, who are now focused on entry level products, will be in the move-up phase and the leading edge of this segment, which is already beginning to move up, will be in that lucrative 46 to 54 group, focused on second homes and pre-retirement purchases as they enjoy their peak earning years. Simultaneously, the leading edge of Gen-Yers will begin to seek move up housing products. The personalities and propensities of these significant market segments will carry developers and home builders through the next three decades.

Gen-X is notoriously difficult to target. They are tech savvy, entrepreneurial, and vociferously independent and skeptical. They have experienced the deindustrialization of the Western World, economic recession, off-shoring and outsourcing, and many have found themselves overeducated and underemployed. In spite of these economic struggles, they are, for the most part, financially sound, having developed sophisticated investment strategies fresh out of college. But they do not mimic their parents\’ tenacity for spending, rejecting the habits and values of the preceding generation as self-centered, fickle and impractical.

Generation Y is the largest U.S. age group since the Baby Boom generation. Also known as Echo Boomers, they were born with credit cards and stock options in their toy boxes and life without Google, virtual real estate tours and reality real estate shows is unthinkable with respect to the purchase decision. This group is diverse - one in three is non-Caucasian; one in four is from a single parent household, and three in four have working mothers. They buy young, on average at age 26, a full three years earlier than most Gen-Xers. According to U.S. Census Bureau data, the homeownership rate among those younger than 35 years of age had grown to nearly 45 percent in 2006, up from 35 percent in 1990. While Gen Y is clearly not responsible for the historic trend, experts anticipate that the under-35 buyer segment will surge as Generation Y enters adulthood. A few caveats: These impatient younger buyers have been heavily programmed and complain of slow response time and an inability on the part of real estate practitioners to embrace digital means of communication. And while they seek advice from their parents with regard to investment opportunities, they resent being treated like children.

Thinking Outside the Box - More than a million new households are formed annually with most being adult children leaving home. These new buyers are a challenge. While golf continues to be a driver for active adult community development, the younger generations want a variety of recreation. If they choose to live in exurban areas, they want exurban activities. Charlottesville, VA-based Equestrian Services LLC is currently designing ten equestrian-themed communities and has another ten in the pipeline. Fractional ownership opportunities in ski environs are proliferating and serving to encourage second home ownership at a relatively tender age. Introduction into established golf environments doesn\’t have to focus on golf. The Cliffs Communities “Carolina Preserve Initiative” is a fine example of thinking outside the box. The multi-organizational program focuses on utilizing the region\’s wealth of natural resources to integrate wellness into the lives of their residents and their families. Teaching KATE, (Teaching Kids About the Environment) is a hands-on learning program that gets children outdoors to learn about ecology, wildlife resources, and forestry. And politically correct devices are increasingly popping up: Everything from wind turbine power to community gardens and green markets are becoming demand protagonists. The planned 300-home Ameya Preserve in Paradise Valley, Montana has signed up Alice Waters, noted Bay Area restaurateur who advocates organic and local food distribution and established a Berkley public school program to improve children\’s diets, to develop an upscale on-site restaurant and culinary school.

Judith She
Bowden\’s Market Barometer
http://www.bowdensmarketbarometer.com

From the beginning in 1934, FHA has helped almost 35 million homeowners, making it the biggest insurer of mortgages in the world. The 109th Congress introduced the Expanding American Homeownership Act in June 2006 which would enable FHA mortgage loans to be a safe option for more underserved low-and moderate-income, and minority families so they can achieve the American Dream of homeownership. President Bush also urged Congress to quickly pass the Administration\’s FHA modernization proposal to help more families in need. The Current FHA mortgage rate has dropped to 5.500% - APR 5.830%. This is great news for those seeking a mortgage from FHA.

The FHA home loans have been helping many borrowers seeking a low down payment mortgage program, and also for those that need a bad credit mortgage. FHA mortgages can help a 1st time home buyer or 2nd time home buyer. You\’re able to use the FHA loan as many times as you move to a new home.

FHA home refinancing has also been helping those borrowers in 2/28 ARMs, and someone who is just looking for a low FHA mortgage rate. FHA cash out refinances may go up to 95% of the loan to value, and FHA rate/term refinances may go up to 97.75% of the loan to value.

The (HUD) Department of Housing & Urban Development is the federal agency responsible for national policy, and mortgage programs that address the housing needs of United States. The (FHA) Federal Housing Authority which is under HUD plays a major role in helping homeownership by evaluation homeownership for lower-and moderate-income homeowners. FHA helps first-time home buyers, and others who might not be able to meet down payment guidelines for conventional/conforming mortgage loans by providing mortgage insurance (MIP) to private mortgage lenders.

Charlotte Home Mortgages,
FHA Home Mortgages, FHA Home Mortgage Rates

In my years of appraising real estate properties I\’ve found that homeowners were sometimes nervous and occasionally very uneasy. Some of that uneasiness was due to having a complete stranger walk around their house taking pictures, inspecting bathrooms and kitchens, and opening every door inside. But perhaps a bigger reason for their uneasiness was that they didn\’t know what an appraisal entailed and thus had no idea how to prepare for it. It is like going in to class on exam day and not knowing what subject the exam was in.

Below are 7 tips that will help homeowners prepare for an appraisal and thus help put their minds to ease:

1) Housekeeping: Always make sure that your home is clean and presentable for the appraisal inspection. While the appraiser may be able to ignore homes that are untidy, your lender may not do the same. Underwriters and desk reviewers look at interior and exterior pictures to see what condition your property is in. You do not want them to have a bad impression of your home or else they will form a certain bias against your property. Make sure the floors are clear of any mess, the beds are neat, and the bathrooms are clean. It helps to hide as much of the everyday clutter as possible.

2) Easy Access: An appraiser must inspect every room inside your home or the appraisal will be incomplete and thus he or she will have to make a second trip out to the house. If one of the rooms is usually locked, it is important that the occupant of that room is able to unlock it for the short inspection period. This usually will only take a few minutes.

3) Renovations: Make sure that any work that is being done to the property (such as adding rooms, wiring, plumbing, etc.) is complete by the time of the appraisal inspection. This will undoubtedly delay the appraisal and may even cause the value of your home to drop. Let your appraiser know of any work in progress while setting the appointment.

4) Minor Repairs: It would be a good idea to make some minor repairs prior to the appraisal inspection. Things such as a rusty faucet, cracked window, or broken light bulb may be hard for some appraisers to ignore. A lack of adequate lighting may even hinder your appraiser\’s ability to take interior pictures of your home. These types of repairs are normally easy and will not cause a financial burden and instead will help form a good impression of your property.

5) List of Improvements: It is a good idea to present your appraiser with a list of improvements that you have done to the property. Be sure to include everything and try to have it ready for the appraiser when he shows up. Don\’t leave out anything. Let your appraiser look through all the improvements and he or she will allocate the proper value to those improvements. Don\’t belittle any improvements that you have done to the property.

6) Documentation: Have any needed documents ready for when your appraiser shows up. If you have made any additions or improvements to your home that may have necessitated city permits, be sure to have those documents on hand. If you pay Homeowner\’s Association (HOA), have a statement ready. When making the appointment, ask the appraiser what documents you need to have ready, if any. Often times no documents are needed for the appraisal.

7) Be there on time: Appraisers are always on the go so it is important that you are available during the time for which you scheduled the appraisal. The next available appointment may not be for days, plus with today\’s gas prices being what they are, who knows how much the appraiser may charge you for gas surcharge.

Hisham Labanieh is a California licensed appraiser and owner of First Choice Appraisals, a leading real estate appraisal company in Southern California. He has worked in the real estate industry for many years and has an extensive background both in real estate appraisals as well as financing.

Selling a property in Cyprus for which individual title deeds exists is a fairly simple procedure. Besides the seller and the buyer and most likely their legal representatives, no involvement is required by the builders or developers. In Cyprus there are 2 basic different types of properties, those that have their own separate title deed and those that form part of a development pending the completion of the development and the completion of the subdivision.

When someone wishes to sell a property for which no separate individual deed exists, the correct way is to have his contract with the developers or builder cancelled then the new buyers need to sign a fresh contract with the developers or builders. As a matter of practice this requires that the first buyer settles any obligations towards the developers or builders, as well as any capital and other taxes relating to the possession of the property and possible gain that he may make from the sale.

What a lot of people do not know when they buy a property without individual title deeds is that the developers or builders will require a payment of a fee, usually called the cancellation fee. This fee varies from company to company and it could be any amount. The recent practice followed by the developers/ builders in Paphos, is to get the equivalent amount the original owner (seller) should be paying as transfer fees if he had wanted to proceed and transfer the deeds in his name. The greed of the developers and builders does not stop at this. Recently many companies are claiming this cancellation fee, despite the fact that their contracts state clearly, that no cancellation fees should be paid, if the buyer decides to sell, before the deeds are made available.

One of these cases, probably the first one in the Paphos district court history was taken to court in 2007 and was successfully completed with the issue of a judgment against the developers for the refund of the cancellation fee. The case concerned a couple from the U.K currently living in Paphos. The case was brought to the court against one of the biggest developers in Cyprus. The court case was concluded successfully in favor of the plaintiffs with cost. Since the decision, many other lawyers are trying to do the same for their own clients.

Cleo is the owner of Cyprus marketing solutions Ltd. a Paphos based company providing proven internet marketing solutions specializing in selling property in Cyprus to families relocating and buying property in Paphos district and surrounding area.

The brutal truth is that once you sign the “For Sale” agreement - all the creative touches, all the personality you\’ve placed into your home can actually hurt more than help.
The paint, the drapes and the carpeting mean nothing to those outside the family. The lovely custom bathroom tile you imported from some exotic land isn\’t even mentioned. How could people not notice that you spent a great deal of money and months waiting patiently for it to arrive at the shipyards?

The answer is simple…your potential purchasers are not emotionally involved in your investment. They see the flaws you have come to ignore over the years. They will notice the carpet your cat has used as a scratching post, the tap that drips incessantly, and the ugly stain in the kitchen caused by the leaky roof. To them, it\’s nothing but added expense, and probably not worth the effort. After all, there are many, many more properties on the market other than just yours. However, the marketability of your home will increase if you take the time and effort to view it through their eyes, and take extra care in ensuring that minor things are attended to.

One sure way of guaranteeing that your potential purchasers can see themselves enjoying life in your home is to make it as presentable and uncluttered as possible. What is known in the industry as “curb appeal” may become the difference between “Sold” and “continued showings”. The tiny hand print that adorns the front door is cute only to you. To the other side, it\’s a combination of filth and downright laziness. Despite the cost of a can of paint, your family room should not resemble a mud-room. And remember the sun shining through the windows? A little bit of elbow grease goes a long way!

When the time comes to list your home for sale, take into account that your potential purchasers are searching for new roots. They need to be enticed, enthralled and enchanted at first glance. It needs to feel like their castle, their history, their love story the moment your home comes into view. If expense is a concern, do it yourself. If there\’s litter in the front yard or the grass needs cutting, hire the teenager next door. Five dollars and time really can make the difference!

There are also numerous contractors, painters, decorators, cleaning services, and landscaping firms that your Real Estate Agent can recommend. For the more major repairs including replacement roof, flooring or structural defects, etc., you can opt to invest in the repair, or you can choose to disclose this information in the Listing Contract.

Also pay attention to the “finishing touches” - the serene background music, the tidy bathroom, the made beds, and the bouquet of flowers. Open a few windows, the air will be fresher. A welcome mat at the front door is inviting. And make sure there\’s no laundry running in the machines while you attempt to catch a few more minutes of lost time! By being ruthlessly honest in your evaluation of your home prior to listing, you will:

? Position your home at the top of the “To See” list

? Guarantee that your own roots will be transplanted sooner rather than later

? Protect your hard earned investment dollars.

Teresa Sandiford offers top of the line representation on residences and properties located in Parksville, Nanoose Bay, Qualicum Beach, Qualicum North, Bowser and Deep Bay - On Vancouver Island in British Columbia.

She has lived in the Oceanside region for the past ten years, raised children, volunteered in the community, taught in the local schools and abroad, won numerous real estate awards (including being awarded the prestigious diamond award which is the highest yearly sales award for Royal LePage), and sold numerous properties.

There are countless Americans who dream of buying a foreclosed home for a fraction of its true value. Some want to quickly flip it for a profit. Others want to buy it as investment and rent it out for recurring income. Still others are just looking for a good deal on a house they can raise their own family in.

Whatever their reason, they all get the same sparkle in their eye when they imagine themselves buying a dream house for pennies on the dollar.

If you\’re thinking of jumping into the game, there are 3 stages of foreclosure in which you can step up to the plate.

1. When a home-owner starts missing their mortgage payments they enter the “pre-foreclosure” stage. The key is to get an updated list of pre-foreclosure properties and act fast before the competition gets there first. You can negotiate with the owner and/or the lender to work out an equitable arrangement for all parties.

2. If a home doesn\’t sell in the pre-foreclosure stage and the home-owner is unable to come up with the money to pay off the missed payments, late charges, and interest, the home will be sold at a public auction. Keep in mind that competition can be fierce and you may be going up against seasoned investors. Be sure to do your homework carefully or you\’ll end up bidding more than a property is worth.

3. When a foreclosure property doesn\’t sell at auction, ownership is transferred back to the lender. These are called “real estate owned” properties. Lenders hate REOs and they usually want to unload them as fast as possible. Most of the time they just hand them off to local real estate agents, but if you act fast you can make an offer directly to the bank. They may be willing to make a deal just to get it off their books faster.

No matter what stage of the foreclosure process you decide to enter, timing is key. Having access to reliable and up to date foreclosure home listings can mean the difference between hitting the jackpot and coming up empty.

Would you be interested in a FREE week\’s access to the most comprehensive foreclosure listings anywhere, PLUS a free daily email alert of the newest foreclosures before anyone else has them? Just click here now to start your foreclosure search

Flat implies a constant figure. Certain industries such as traffic attorneys or amusement parks have for many years utilized some sort of flat fee price to increase sales volume and customer satisfaction, to calm people\’s fears about the potential for a large bill after the service has been provided, and to give assurance that all customers will be treated fairly since they are all generating similar revenue for the business. In flat fee real estate, sellers are truly able to achieve a listing fee that stays constant regardless of the sales price of their home. If that figure were $995, for instance, a true flat fee listing would cost the seller no more and no less, regardless of whether their home\’s price were $1,000,000 or $100,000. For many sellers, flat fee real estate is a refreshing relief. Traditionally, most commissions were based on a percentage. So a seller might pay ten times more to sell a million dollar home as they would a one hundred thousand dollar home.

A number of listed brokers have instilled some type of flat fee pricing. The range is all over the map. One broker might charge three hundred dollars, another might charge three thousand dollars. The services one receives may be the same or different. In some cases there may be different levels of fees, such as a bronze, silver or gold package that would include increasing prices that were nonetheless not based on a percentage of the eventual sales price of the home. Others charge a flat fee plus a smaller commission based on a percentage of sales price that includes additional components such as negotiation or advisory services. A few others actually have two flat fees with a break point coming at a particular sales price. So regardless of the fee structure selected, it is important for the homeowner to examine exactly what is being offered for a particular price and whether the flat fee price includes everything they need or if they need to pay extra for additional services.

It is important to note that while many listing brokers have taken on a flat fee structure, most buyer\’s agents are still compensated on a percentage amount that varies with the sales price of the home. It is not uncommon to see three percent of the sales price being offered to a buyer\’s agent. Sellers often are not as concerned that the buyer\’s agent commission is not a flat fee but instead percentage-based, because of the fact that they want their property to offer competitive compensation compared to other homes and because they generally perceive that buyer\’s agents provide an extremely valuable service in delivering qualified buyers to a home seller. Flat fees to buyers\’ agents may gain traction in the future, however, today they are somewhat uncommon. During certain periods of an extremely hot seller\’s market, some homeowners and builders have moved to the flat fee structure for buyers\’ agents, however, the trend generally has not lasted long. As the Internet and other disintermediation continues, however, it would not be a surprise for even more flat fee real estate to take place with all sorts of brokers.

Donald Plunkett is a real estate broker with Congress Realty, a flat fee listing company which serves Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas and Washington. He has received the top ranking in MLS listings sold from The Business Journal.

Want your home to sell for more, and sell quickly? Implement these cleaning and maintenance steps, and impress buyers with your impeccable interiors.

1) The Bathroom.

Fix dripping taps and check all and any pipes for leaks. Check the drains for proper drainage. How\’s your water pressure? Buyers may turn on taps or flush the toilet to check, so make sure everything is working at peak efficiency. Clean the tile or linoleum until it sparkles. Clean off those counter tops and under the sink as well. Organize all those bathroom products and either use a storage solution, or put them away in a closet.

2) Living Room.

Shampoo the carpets and upholstery. Hire a professional cleaner who specializes in odor removal as well. You may be used to the smell of a pet or cigarettes, but such odors can be a strong turn-off to potential buyers. Patch any holes and wash the walls. If you have hardwood or laminate flooring, consult with a professional.

3) Wash your windows

Wash all the windows in your home, inside and out. Hire a professional if you need to.

4) Change or clean all the filters.

Change heating filters, if you have forced air or baseboard heating, wipe down the tops and insides of the vents. If you have AC, change and clean the filters - do so on your range as well.

5) Keep your home tidy

Go through your storage closets and organize, organize, organize. Clutter makes a home tend to look, well, cluttered. Have a garage sale, move the items you don\’t use into a storage facility, or donate the items to charity.

6) The Kitchen

Organize the cupboards, clean under the sink. Clean out the fridge and freezer. Scrub the floors, especially under the cupboards. Wash out the inside of the cupboards - and again, fix any leaking faucets or slow drains. Clean out the inside of the oven and scrub the stove top - It may not seem fair, but a peek in the oven may be the hallmark by which a buyer judges how well you have kept up your home.

7) If it Squeaks, Oil it.

Check for squeaky floorboards or doors. Open and close every door in the house - if it squeaks or sticks, oil or fix it.

Keep your Home D?cor neutral

Remove any materials that may be hokey or offensive to others who may not share your same views, beliefs or sense of humor. You may love that lamp with the lady\’s leg for a stand, or the singing fish on the wall - but not everybody else will.

9) The Bedroom

Have a look under the bed for any items that don\’t belong there, clean out the bedroom closets - and if you can, use an organizer. Organize items on the top of dressers.

10) Wrap up those wires.

If you have a home theatre system or computer with many peripherals - wires can get quite messy and add to clutter. Use zip strips to tie up your wires or tack them along the base of the wall. Make sure any unused wires are put away.

Once you\’ve completed the above steps, make sure to take lots of photos. A picture is worth a thousand words and when your home goes on the market - photos of an immaculate, well maintained home are sure to help you get the price you want.

Teresa Sandiford offers top of the line representation on residences and properties located in Parksville, Nanoose Bay, Qualicum Beach, Qualicum North, Bowser and Deep Bay - On Vancouver Island in British Columbia.

She has lived in the Oceanside region for the past ten years, raised children, volunteered in the community, taught in the local schools and abroad, won numerous real estate awards (including being awarded the prestigious diamond award which is the highest yearly sales award for Royal LePage), and sold numerous properties.

When Real Estate Investors start looking for leads to eventually become deals, it is wise to call classified ads. Better yet, it is best to track them and see how long the ad ages in the paper. The longer an ad is in the paper the more likely it is that you may face a Motivated Seller.

Here\’s part of a quick story that an investor told me right after she had collected a referral fee on a different deal that she had bird-dogged to a rehabber, “My referral fee gave me even more motivation to pursue the leads from the aged classified ads. I was still a little intimidated. I know how many times I have hung up on telemarketers. But I pushed through it.

I began contacting the people from my aging classified ads. My plan was to call all of the ads from the earliest papers that I had collected. I would go through and ask questions to get the information needed for my Property Analysis Form. Of course I always started the conversation by asking if the property was still for sale. I had already circled the ads that appeared to be placed by Motivated Sellers. There were over 200 of them.

My first 10 or 15 calls were not very good. I wrote out a script to follow, but I always lost track of where I was or fumbled over the words. Finally, I decided to be more natural and just talk to the sellers and try to get the information needed for the form. I was much more successful by just being myself. In fact, I realized that after a few calls where no one hung up on me that the bottom line is that they have a potential problem, a house they are trying to sell. And I have a potential solution, a purchaser for their house. When I approach owners/sellers as a problem solver, it is easier and I am much less intimidated.

I found the best approach is to simply know what information you are trying to get. You must also understand why you are getting the information. As a bird-dog, my goal is to further qualify the property for my Rehab Real Estate Investors. So I simply obtained as much information as I could, including whether or not an owner is somewhat flexible on the price. Then I complete my research and due diligence.

If the lead sounds even somewhat promising, I pass on the information to my Real Estate Investor who is a Rehabber. If not, I hold the information and call the owner back in another few weeks to see if they are more flexible now that it has been a little longer.”

No matter how new you are to Real Estate Investing, do not shy away from calling the aged classified ads. Sometimes the homes will already be sold, but not always. Believe me these people will be anxious to talk with you, especially if you can help them. After all, it does not really matter if you are a bird-dog, a rehabber, a wholesaler, and/or landlord, as a Real Estate Investor you have to ability to help people in need and as an added bonus you get paid to do so.

Chris Parks is a member of a small group of Real Estate Investors and Entrepreneurs who created Real Estate Investing for Newbies http://www.REIforNewbies.com in order to teach and assist new Real Estate Investors in a step-by-step and easy-to-understand manner.

Please visit http://www.REIforNewbies.com/financingtechniques.html to Check Out February\’s Report on Five Simple Financing Techniques for Real Estate Investors!

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