WebWire | News by Industry : Real Estate

Convenient Sunday Banking at BankFive's Express Office in Fall River, MA

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 17:25:57 EST

November 5, 2009 – Fall River, MA – BankFive's Express Office, located at 55 Thirteenth Street, Fall River, MA, has been remarkably successful with their Sunday hours of operation. Opened in March of 2007, the full-service branch has three drive-up lanes, a drive-up ATM, and nine staff members. The Express Office is open seven days a week and has Sunday hours from 11:00 a.m. to 3 p.m. and customers are able to open accounts, apply for loans,and perform other banking transactions.

Branch Manager, Doreen Constancia, says about the location,"Since we opened the BankFive Express Office, Sundays have been the busiest day of the week.' She went on to say, 'For people who need to bank on weekends, we can provide the same level of service and attention that they have come to expect on any other day of the week.' She added, 'It's just another example of how BankFive is committed to offering convenient banking for our customers.'

BankFive invites the community to come into this busy local branch on Sundays to say hello to Doreen and her staff, and experience a level of service that customers won't find even at the supermarket branches.

For a convenient listing of all our bank locations in MA, visit http://www.bankfive.com/home/locations

ABOUT BANKFIVE
Since 1855, BankFive has been serving the communities of the SouthCoast with a steadfast commitment to provide local individuals, families and businesses with outstanding products and services designed to meet their financial needs. BankFive has thirteen offices conveniently located throughout the SouthCoast, and can found online at www.bankfive.com

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— WebWireID107138 —

BankFive Celebrates the 10th Anniversary of Their Dartmouth, MA Location

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 15:03:35 EST

Dartmouth, MA – November, 2009 – BankFive, headquartered in Fall River, MA on Main Street, celebrated the 10-year anniversary of their Dartmouth, MA location on Faunce Corner Road on August 21st and 22nd of 2009.

Ten years ago, BankFive became part of the Dartmouth community by opening the doors to its branch at 136 Faunce Corner Road. To celebrate the anniversary, BankFive opened their doors wide once again and welcomed its neighbors to two Customer Loyalty Day Celebrations featuring refreshments, fun activities, and prize giveaways. Both events were open to the public.

The first Customer Loyalty Day Celebration featured a cake-cutting ceremony with Thomas F. Lyons, President and CEO of BankFive, and local dignitaries. Over 200 door prizes were awarded to customers during the day as well.

The second celebration was a Back-to-School theme where children and their parents enjoyed popcorn, played games, got temporary tattoos and face paintings, won back-to-school items, and entered to win a raffle. Nickels, the bank's mascot, was also on hand to greet the children.

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— WebWireID107133 —

Jack Bosch Unveils Secret Land Profit Generator

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 07:21:34 EST

Tax foreclosure is currently at an all-time high across the country. While this may be cause for concern for many, tens of thousands of property owners nationwide choose to walk away from (oftentimes) free and clear properties instead of avoiding a potential tax foreclosure. Savvy investors who have figured out how to ethically and easily rake in huge profits from pending tax foreclosures have set up an online gathering place, LandProfitGeneratorBlog.com, where even the newest real estate investors are welcome to hone their skills along with seasoned pros.

"Even a penniless immigrant with no real estate investing experience can take advantage of a little known loophole in order to buy land for as little as $100 and sell it within days for $10,000 To $48,000 in profit, or more," stated German immigrant Jack Bosch, creator of Land Profit Generator. Facing criticism from competing investors for sharing well guarded tax foreclosure secrets, LandProfitGeneratorBlog.com continues to move forward to claim their place as the premier tax foreclosure information source.

In this ground-breaking blog, new and seasoned investors alike arm themselves with all of the resources necessary in order to become a successful, highly profitable tax foreclosure investor in record time. Anyone considering investing in tax foreclosure properties or tax lien certificates is encouraged to follow the path already laid out by investors like Jack Bosch, who has completed more than 5,000 such transactions since 2002. With tens of thousands of properties becoming tax delinquent each month, no other source of real estate investing offers such a virtually endless supply of potential deals as tax foreclosure.

For more information and to learn how to invest in tax foreclosure properties for maximum profits from the nation's leading experts, visit http://www.LandProfitGeneratorBlog.com

— WebWireID107093 —

Loan Modification Help Is Now Available To Homeowners Nationwide

Wed, 4 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST

West Palm Beach, Florida USA, November 4, 2009 - Homeowners who are stuck in a high interest rate loan, struggling with their payments or facing foreclosure can now begin to get help as a result of new government regulations. Under the new laws, credit, income and home equity are no longer factors in determining eligibility for these programs.

Many homeowners across the country are unable to refinance due to credit issues and lack of home equity. In response to this, E Z loan Modifiers( http://www.ezloanmodifiers.com ), a national Loan Modification Company, has established a special team of consultants to help homeowners seeking relief under the new government programs. Results can include a lower mortgage rate and reduced payments as well as protection from foreclosure.

Surprisingly, many homeowners, thinking they were not eligible or too late, have not taken advantage of these recent changes. E Z Loan Modifiers has helped thousands of home owners save their properties while reducing their payments at the same time.

For more information on determining eligibility, visit: http://www.ezloanmodifiers.com

— WebWireID106986 —

Attached Sector of Imperial Valley Virtually Extinct

Wed, 4 Nov 2009 06:00:00 EST

Net sales volume in the Imperial Valley new-home market provided a small spark of encouragement to the otherwise beleaguered region. Net sales rose 11 percent this quarter, all of it in the detached sector. According to Robert Martinez, Director of Research for MarketPointe™ Realty Advisors, Inc., 'the attached sector is essentially extinct' as the last two projects selling have completed their sales programs. Also, competition in the detached sector continues to decline as just 12 developments offered product in the new-home market this quarter. This is a steep drop from the peak of 35 projects last seen in the third quarter of 2007.

The bad news continues with pricing. Although there was a modest increase of 3 percent in weighted average price in the detached sector, the 'substantial boost' in average home size caused the detached value ratio, 'a better measure of actual home value', to fall more than 13 percent. ResidentialTrends™ Housing Market Overview also reports that this value is the lowest since the first quarter of 2003.

The only real bright spot in the region is inventory. This quarter's detached inventory saw a 23 percent decline. Since the end of last year, close to 4,000 units have been removed from inventory as projects have eliminated future phase inventory entirely, moved units into rentals, or left the market altogether. Also, the supply of homes that have been offered for sale yet remain unsold dropped nearly 62 percent this quarter. At current sales rates this available supply would last less than one month.

MarketPointe™ Realty Advisors, Inc. provides new housing market statistics throughout California via its ResidentialTrends™ new-home database and its LandTracker™ proposed development database, as well as site specific, tailored housing market research and consulting services. Comprehensive 'Housing Market Overviews' providing new home sales, pricing, housing inventory trends, future housing supply, and new and leading developments are available for regions across California by going to www.marketpointe.com/landing. Phone San Diego at 619-233-3781, Orange County at 714-528-2554 or Sacramento at 916-710-1396; url:www.marketpointe.com.

— WebWireID106882 —

ING agrees to sell three of its U.S. broker-dealers to Lightyear

Tue, 3 Nov 2009 09:44:55 EST

Amsterdam - ING announced today that it has reached an agreement to sell three of its U.S. independent retail broker-dealer units, which comprise three-quarters of ING Advisors Network, to Lightyear Capital LLC. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. The transaction is not expected to have a material impact on ING's earnings.

The transaction concerns Financial Network Investment Corporation, based in El Segundo, Calif., Multi-Financial Securities Corporation, based in Denver, Colo., PrimeVest Financial Services, Inc., based in St. Cloud, Minn., and ING Brokers Network LLC, the holding company and back-office shared services supporting those broker dealers, which collectively do business as ING Advisors Network.

ING will retain ING Financial Advisers, Inc., based in Windsor, Conn., and ING Financial Partners, Inc., based in Des Moines, Iowa. ING chose to retain these broker-dealers because they are closely-affiliated and play a key role in ING's strategy in the U.S. which focuses on Retirement Services, Life Insurance and Rollover Annuities.

'This transaction simplifies ING's structure in the U.S., and allows us to focus resources and capital on our core Retirement Services, Life Insurance, and Rollover Annuity businesses,' said Tom McInerney, member of the Management Board Insurance of ING Group. 'It is also in the best interest of the broker-dealers, their employees, and the affiliated representatives and financial institutions, to find a new ownership structure. We believe that Lightyear will be an outstanding owner of these broker-dealers and be able to ensure a promising future for these businesses.'

Lightyear is a recognized private equity firm in the U.S. that specializes in investing in financial services companies. With a successful track record of investing in well-managed, high-performing companies poised for strong future growth, Lightyear currently manages approximately US $3 billion in committed capital. Lightyear's principals average more than 25 years of experience across the financial services industry.

Financial Network, Multi-Financial, and PrimeVest together represent one of the largest and most accomplished broker-dealer networks in the U.S. industry. With strong and experienced management teams, exceptional back-office technology, plus a diversity of field management structures to accommodate a wide variety of financial professionals' businesses, these broker-dealers have been leaders in the broker-dealer industry for many years. In 2008, collectively, the broker-dealers had more than 5,000 affiliated independent registered representatives and generated total concession revenue of approximately US $600 million. A broker-dealer firm generally executes the buying and selling of securities on behalf of its registered independent representatives, otherwise know as affiliated brokers.

This transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to be closed in the first quarter of 2010.

ING Profile

ING is a global financial institution of Dutch origin offering banking, investments, life insurance and retirement services to over 85 million private, corporate and institutional clients in more than 40 countries. With a diverse workforce of about 110,000 people, ING is dedicated to setting the standard in helping our clients manage their financial future.

Important legal information

Certain of the statements contained herein are statements of future expectations and other forward-looking statements. These expectations are based on management's current views and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Actual results, performance or events may differ materially from those in such statements due to, among other things, (i) general economic conditions, in particular economic conditions in ING's core markets, (ii) performance of financial markets, including emerging markets, (iii) the frequency and severity of insured loss events, (iv) mortality and morbidity levels and trends, (v) persistency levels, (vi) interest rate levels, (vii) currency exchange rates (viii) general competitive factors, (ix) changes in laws and regulations, (x) changes in the policies of governments and/or regulatory authorities, (xi) conclusions with regard to purchase accounting assumptions and methodologies, (xii) ING's ability to achieve projected operational synergies and (xiii) the implementation of ING's restructuring plan to separate banking and insurance operations. ING assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking information contained in this document.

— WebWireID106938 —

Land Profit Generator Reveals Hidden Secret to Tax Deed Sales

Tue, 3 Nov 2009 09:09:36 EST

Real estate investors of all experience levels are receiving a helping hand in finding their way through all the useless hype that's invading the Internet today. Using a no-nonsense writing style, LandProfitGeneratorBlog.com is experiencing great success. For the vast majority or investors struggling in today's chaotic market place, unique tax deed sales strategies prove to be the Holy Grail of real estate investing when striving to maximize profitable returns.

"It's possible, in fact very easy, to buy vacant land that is free and clear (no encumbrances) for as little as $100 long before other investors even realize it exists. And you can typically sell the property within a few days using the internet" stated spokesperson Jack Bosch in a recent online interview. Dedicated to sharing every aspect of professional tax deed investing, LandProfitGeneratorBlog.com has vowed to provide all of the details of these 'underground' tax deed and tax lien investing methods that will that are certain to level the playing field.

Whether buying for short term income or investing with long term profits in mind, tax deed investing is proving to be one of the wisest real estate investing strategies available today. The American Dream remains alive and well even in today's deep recession. For anyone with the desire to do so, it's very possible to buy land for pennies on the dollar practically anywhere across the USA.

For more information and to learn how to invest in tax deed sales as well as tax lien sales for maximum profits, visit http://www.LandProfitGeneratorBlog.com

— WebWireID106900 —

San Bernardino County Sales Increase for Third Consecutive Quarter

Tue, 3 Nov 2009 06:00:00 EST

San Bernardino is showing signs that the worst is over. However, according to Robert Martinez, Director of Research for MarketPointe™ Realty Advisors, Inc, 'there is always the possibility that the tiny light at the end of the tunnel is actually a high-speed train.' Sales volume this quarter increased more than 15 percent, the third consecutive quarterly increase. In the attached sector, this quarter's net sales represent a 16 percent decline while the detached sector posted a 24 percent increase. More importantly, current net detached sales volume denotes a 5 percent increase from the third quarter of 2008 and a slight 0.5 percent increase from the third quarter of 2007. But this is where the good news stops.

Overall weighted average home price fell more than 13 percent from last quarter. That drop, along with the 8 percent decrease in overall weighted average home size, resulted in a value ratio decline of more than 5 percent. ResidentialTrends™ Housing Market Overview further reports a more than 1 percent decrease in the average value ratio in the attached sector as well as a decline of 6 percent in the average value ratio in the detached sector.

Inventory has taken a significant hit as well. Overall total inventory declined 15 percent this quarter, dropping nearly 900 units. Offered and unsold inventory decreased a whopping 55 percent. By utilizing sales rates over the past four quarters, Martinez reports that unsold inventory in the region represents less than one month of supply in the attached sector and nearly six weeks in the detached. However, if all the inventory in unreleased future phases was suddenly released to the marketplace the available supply would increase to six months of attached and 31 months of detached.

— WebWireID106875 —

In Puerto Vallarta, You Deserve The Best Vacation Rental, Says Neptune Realtors

Tue, 3 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST

Outlining the greatly favorable aspects of getting vacation rentals in Puerto Vallarta through rental agencies, Neptune Realtors, the well-established real estate agency in the Marina and the Zona Romantica, proposed plans for helping incoming visitors. The agency talks about the truly professional way in which it deals with its customers to enable them to have the most happening vacation in PV. Rental agencies typically provide the most essential facilities to their customers.

'We want people to realize the advantages of getting vacation rentals in Puerto Vallarta from established rental agents. Although the Puerto Vallarta rentals are available at low prices if you don't get them through rental agents, yet the unlucky visitor may have to bear many unpleasant surprises such as dirty condos on arrival, incomplete kitchen supplies, AC in bad condition or no one on site to hand in the keys of the properties, etc. On the contrary, we are always available at the site to take care of your problems and to make your stay a rewarding experience in Vallarta,' quoted Roger Dubois, the Partner and Director of Neptune Realtors.

The rental agencies are very particular about their clients' comfort and safe stay in the PV. They always send a representative to provide travelers with keys, a tour of the property, explanation on how to use the equipment and even recommendations about tours and excursions. When tourists rent directly from the owners, they may not have all those services when they arrive.

Rental agencies are always present and accessible to look after all the needs of the tourist during their vacation rentals in Puerto Vallarta and handle any problems that may potentially ruin visitor's vacation.

About Neptune Realtors:

Neptune Realtors SE de CV, popularly known as Neptunemx, is a professional and dedicated Realty Agency in the Marina, Mexico, offering quality real estate solutions to numerous vacationers in Puerto Vallarta and other locations in Mexico. Boasting a multi-lingual (English, French, German and Spanish) team of real estate professionals having over 15 years of experience in Puerto Vallarta real estate industry, Neptune Realtors provides personal and friendly real estate and vacation rental services in Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo.

— WebWireID106825 —

The Real Estate Capital Scoreboard – November 2009

Mon, 2 Nov 2009 10:12:09 EST

Chicago, Illinois, November 2, 2009 – The recovering stock market is gradually translating to more favorable conditions in the realty capital markets. While the capital markets are relatively dormant as lenders seek to shore up the balance sheets, select life companies, banks and private funding sources continue conservatively funding transactions.

Furthermore, Mortgage REITs have reentered the market, seeking higher leverage loans, but at larger rate premiums. Greater competition from this sector will continue pressuring other lenders to offer better pricing.

Regardless of pricing, project quality and sponsorship remain tantamount as lenders stay defensive. As such, current pricing trends include the following:

• During the past month, benchmark treasury yields moved nearly a quarter percent higher, yet rates remained steady as many lenders continue using rate floors for permanent loans.
• Floating rate debt remained unchanged as prime bank customers pay floating-rate pricing starting at about 4.5%.
• While new transactions are still rare, refinancings and restructuring of loans remains in the forefront of real estate capital markets. Appraisers and investors are using band-of-investment calculations for sizing values and loans absent of any relevant market comparable data. Given current debt pricing, capitalization rates under such models typical start at 7% for multifamily properties and 8.5% for commercial assets. Multifamily agency pricing favors securitized loans vs. balance sheet debt as the agencies CMBS markets slowly recover.
• Opportunity investors armed with significant equity capital aggressively hunt for bargain price distressed assets with pricing of 20% or more on an overall return basis using five-years or less time horizon.
• Commercial and industrial tenants with specialized space needs and multifamily projects using FHA funds, such as 221(d)(4), are the only sources of new construction demand. Return-on-cost yields start at 8% for 'definable' credit-worthy tenants, otherwise double-digit figures are more representative of current development risk pricing.

Aaron Gruen, an Advisory Board Member of the Real Estate Capital Institute notes, "The Great Recession has permanently altered consumer, investment, and governmental behavior. Both public and private sector interests which influence land use and economic development need to reset their models and practices to work out projects and plans affected by the Great Recession and to respond to the opportunities the economic recovery will present."

— WebWireID106869 —

Mold Victims Beware of Failed Mold Remediation Projects

Mon, 2 Nov 2009 09:15:40 EST

When a family or business is faced with a mold problem it often leads to disruptions in people's lives and significant financial costs. Unfortunately, stories of failed mold remediation in public and private properties are all too familiar. The end result leads to more people suffering health problems and additional financial burdens.

All mold needs to grow is moisture, ambient temperatures, a food source (most building materials and building contents are ideal food sources) and as little as 24 to 48 hours to begin growing. All too often inexperienced contractors or others specializing in other fields, such as smoke and fire restoration, are hired to fix mold problems only to make matters worse.

When a mold problem occurs it is crucial to hire experienced and qualified mold professionals that understand how to identify and properly fix the problem. It is equally important to contact references and to be sure that any quote received is inclusive of getting the total job completed. A qualified mold remediation professional should:

• Identify and ensure that the moisture source has been resolved so mold does not reappear; extracting all excessive moisture from interior spaces.
• Carefully enclose and create negative pressure in damaged areas before beginning remediation to prevent aerosolizing the mold spores.
• Remove damaged materials that cannot be cleaned.
• Thoroughly clean and treat materials that can be saved.
• Treat new materials to prevent future mold growth.
• Receive clearance testing from a qualified neutral third party environmental consultant.
• Return the property to like-new conditions with an insurance backed warranty.

Global Prevention Services (GPS), one of the nation's largest mold remediation and prevention providers, has been on the forefront of protecting properties from microbial contaminants for years using the latest technologies. 'Our PureSpace® Process is guaranteed and GPS is one of the few firms in the nation with a true insurance backed warranty to return properties to healthy conditions the first time,' reported Jeanette Kurtz, Executive Vice President of Global Prevention Services.

To learn more about the GPS® Network please visit www.NoMold.com, email info@NoMold.com or call 877.NoMold5.

About Global Prevention Services
Global Prevention Services has been on the forefront of treating buildings with microbial problems and providing preventive solutions to residential and commercial facilities. The company has offices across the country providing complete microbial solutions.

— WebWireID106861 —

San Diego County's New Home Market Sees the Return of Some Stability

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 06:00:00 EST

Aided by tax credits from both the federal and state governments, San Diego County saw new-home sales volume remain relatively stable in the third quarter of 2009. This quarter's overall net sales volume dropped a negligible 5 percent from that posted in the second quarter. Another positive aspect of the current market, according to Robert Martinez, Director of Research at MarketPointe™ Realty Advisors, Inc., is the reduction seen in net cancellations. Third quarter 2005 through third quarter 2008 saw an average of 300 cancellations per quarter, but 2009 has seen only 85 in the first quarter, 71 in the second, and 41 this quarter.

Also showing tempering are pricing averages in the county. The detached market's rate of decline has slowed to just 2 percent lower than that of last quarter and the attached market has shown a significant improvement. Mainly due to a marked increase in the average price of luxury high-rise condominiums the attached sector's average price increased 15 percent over last quarter.

ResidentialTrends™ Housing Market Overview reports that the weighted average attached home size increased 5 percent, resulting in a value ratio increase of 10 percent. Weighted average size in the detached sector remained virtually unchanged; however, a slight decrease in the average price resulted in a 2 percent value ratio decline.

Overall total inventory continues to plummet, dropping nearly 20 percent this quarter, the eighth consecutive quarterly drop. There are less than 18 months of total supply in both the attached and detached sectors, with more immediately available supply constituting less than ten months in the attached sector and slightly more than two months in the detached.

— WebWireID106745 —

Stability Returns to Ventura County as Sales and Prices Increase

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:16:02 EST

It seems as though the Ventura County new-home market has hit bottom, the question now becomes, where will it go from here? Robert Martinez, Director of Research at MarketPointe™ Realty Advisors, Inc., 'doesn't expect a return to the late 1990's and early 2000's, when 500-plus net sales were the norm' but does see stability returning to the region. Both sales volume and weighted average price have seen an increase over last quarter.

ResidentialTrends™ Housing Market Overview reports this quarter's total of 184 overall net sales represents a 63 percent increase over last quarter. Attached sales rose 78 percent to the second highest total in the last three years. The detached sector saw a total of 63 net sales for an increase of 40 percent this quarter.

Weighted average price in the attached sector increased nearly 5 percent this quarter as the average home size gained 1 percent. This resulted in a more than 3 percent increase in the attached value ratio. The detached sector gained 30 percent in its weighted average price while home size increased 18 percent. Mr. Martinez notes that these price and size changes resulted in an 11 percent value ratio increase this quarter.

Overall inventory dropped 7 percent this quarter to 1,198 total units according to the Housing Market Overview. Attached inventory decreased 7 percent to 800 units and detached units fell to 398, a nearly 7 percent drop. The bulk of attached inventory sits in unreleased future phases of existing developments leaving 104 unsold units available. Nearly 87 percent of detached inventory remains in unreleased future phases of existing developments, with homes that have been offered to the marketplace yet remain unsold accounting for just 52. The result is that there are slightly more than four months of available attached inventory and just over three months of detached.

— WebWireID106709 —

MRSA is No Match for UVDI's Ultraviolet Mobile Room Sanitizer

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST

Recently, health concerns associated with Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureas (MRSA) have caught the attention of government agencies, healthcare providers and the general public. MRSA is a type of bacteria that is resistant to a number of commonly used antibiotics. Historically, most cases of MRSA had been hospital acquired, but community acquired MRSA infections have become much more common in the last few years.

MRSA infections often occur in crowded environments such as hospitals, gyms and schools. The bacteria can be spread by direct skin to skin contact as well as from contact with contaminated surfaces.

UltraViolet Devices, Inc. (UVDI), a leading provider of advanced ultraviolet (UV) disinfection products designed to eliminate threats from MRSA and other pathogens, has been busy building orders for their Mobile Room Sanitizer. The Mobile Room Sanitizer is a portable unit designed to eradicate bacteria, viruses and molds. It can be easily moved between locations where there are concerns about surface and air contamination of MRSA and other harmful pathogens.

The Mobile Room Sanitizer is capable of safely disinfecting a room using UV-C energy in as little as a few minutes. 'We recently put UVDI's Mobile Room Sanitizer to independent third party laboratory tests using Staphylococcus aureas as the test organism,' reported Richard Hayes, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for UVDI. 'The results were spectacular with 99.9% of the dangerous organisms destroyed in as little as 5 minutes,' Hayes continued.

UVDI is an ISO 9001:2000 certified manufacturer and has distributors for the Mobile Room Sanitizer across the country. To learn more about UVDI, or to locate a distributor, please visit www.UVDI.com, email info@UVDI.com or call (877) 787-3882.

About UltraViolet Devices, Inc.
UVDI is a leading manufacturer and supplier of UV products for both air, surface and water disinfection. Under the ALTRU-V® brand, UVDI markets a full line of UV-C products for the HVACR market, providing the key benefits of reduced energy consumption and lower maintenance costs while delivering cleaner, healthier air. Sparks Technology advanced filtration brand provides bonded activated carbon and is the exclusive manufacturer using BPS™ (Bonded Particulate Structure) technology for producing high quality molecular filtration products.

— WebWireID106562 —

Find Assurance With Renters Liability Insurance

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:31:46 EST

Experts and anyone who has been on the wrong end of a damage to their rented residence, can tell you that renters liability insurance may not be mandatory but it is most definitely needed. According to an article recently published on InsuranceAgents.com, a quality renters insurance policy includes extensive liability coverage along with contents coverage and coverage for external living expenses.

Chances are, the landlord's master policy has liability coverage as well but it is the renter who will need to prove that the landlord was responsible if an accident ever happens on their property. 'Unless the renter is okay with filing the claim with their insurance company and risk getting their premiums raised, they will have to prove that their landlord was responsible for the accident,' states the article titled, 'Renters Liability Insurance: For Tenant Or Landlord?'

Unfortunately, if the renter cannot prove that the accident occurred as a result of the landlord's negligence then they will have to file a claim under their renters insurance policy (if they have one) and will be subject to higher premiums or a cancelled/non-renewed policy.

So how does a renter prove that the landlord should be responsible for the liability of an accident? According to the InsuranceAgents.com article, the renter must prove:

-The incident was foreseeable and could've been avoided
-The landlord was responsible for the accident
-Fixing the problem beforehand was doable
-The accident occurred from not fixing an easily fixable problem
-The landlord neglected to take reasonable steps in preventing the accident
-The landlord's negligence caused the accident which, in turn, caused the injury

If the renter fails to prove these points then they will be forced to pay the damages of the accident. This can be financially devastating without a renters insurance policy. That is why a renters insurance policy (with plenty of liability coverage) is important for any renter should they find themselves in an unfortunate situation.

— WebWireID106569 —

Private Investigator in Costa Rica Warn Americans To Be Diligent and Vigilant

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:12:31 EST

Investigator and business advisor, Cody L. Gear, sheds light on potential problems in Costa Rica if not done correctly.

"After many years of experience with Costa Rican law I have come to the conclusion that anyone contemplating relocating or having a romantic relationship here needs the assistance of a licensed Costa Rican attorney from the start." Gear went on to explain: "horror story after horror story have been related to me by clients who tried to do things the way they are done in the United States, only to lose everything that they have invested. "

Gear went on to say that "no one wants to experience financial or emotional hardship, but the aftermath of entering into any type of relationship, whether business or personal can have severe consequences." As documented in several well publicized cases, the opportunity to commit fraud here is easier than in the United States. This is primarily due to the lack of administrative oversight boards that regulate professions such as real estate agents and mortgage brokers. There are no licensing requirements to do either and if one falls victim to a scam it will take a long time and a lot of money to try and recover what has been lost. In some cases all is lost with no hope of recovery.

"One thing Americans lose sight of when coming to this beautiful country is that they are no longer in the United States", Gear said. He pointed out that as Americans we expect people who come to our country to obey and respect our laws and the Costa Ricans are no less passionate about their laws being obeyed and followed. He said that the last thing Costa Ricans want to hear is "in my country this is how we do things". Gear said: "One of the most frustrating experiences in Costa Rica is the amount of time and money it takes to accomplish anything judicially." It is well known that the judicial process in Costa Rica is complicated and requires time, patience and money to traverse.

Gear added: "personal relationships present another set of problems". As in the United States, there are laws here designed to protect the rights and interests of Costa Ricans. More specifically, Costa Rican women. He related that American men who are disenfranchised with American women who come here seeking a romantic relationship, will in many cases, fair far worse in Costa Rica than in the United States. The reason for this is due to the laws of Costa Rica that allow Costa Rican women to do things that are not permitted in the United States. He cited the differences in practices at hospitals when a Costa Rican woman has a baby. In the United States both parents are required to give information as to paternity. If there is any question concerning paternity a pre-birth DNA exam can be done without much difficulty. In Costa Rica this is not the case. While in the hospital the mother is asked who is the father and she can give any name she wants. It makes no difference who she says, that is the name that will appear on the birth certificate. The man in question is never contacted or asked if he fathered the child. The law in Costa Rica will require support for that child and will not permit the father whose name appears on the birth certificate to leave the country without first posting support equivalent to 13 months of support. According to Gear it can take up to 2 years to unravel this problem and the chances of recovering the 'support' is somewhere between "nil and nonexistent. "

Another problem is the aftermath of a marriage that has wound up in divorce in the United States. If the proper steps have not been taken in Costa Rica prior to the marriage protecting assets prior to the marriage, an American man may find himself in jeopardy of losing everything, even if he has a prenuptial agreement. A Costa Rican National can return to their country and bring an action against their spouse obtain a judgment and have it executed in the United States. For this reason Gear recommends that prior to a marriage take the time to speak with a Costa Rican Attorney and learn what can be done to protect your rights and interests.

Gear said that anyone seeking information can contact him for further information through his website (www.codylgearandassociates.com) or can call him at 321-218-9209.

— WebWireID106556 —

2009 Sales Volume in Kern County Poised to Push Past 2008 Levels

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:42:40 EST

As fewer and fewer actively selling projects dot the landscape of the Kern County new-home market, sales volume continues to increase. Net sales volume has increased for the third consecutive quarter. This current increase represents a 54 percent gain over last quarter. Multiple projects are contributing to the volume increase with 15 of the 68 experiencing a sales rate above four per month, compared with just six projects last quarter. Robert Martinez, Director of Research at MarketPointe™ Realty Advisors, Inc., doesn't expect a rapid return to the 1,000-unit per quarter volume levels of 2005, 'but believes it is possible that net sales volume in 2009 will exceed the 1,200 net sales posted in 2008.'

The most likely force behind the sales volume increase is the continued price reductions seen throughout the region. As affordability has returned, so have the buyers. Weighted average price in the region fell for the second consecutive quarter, dropping three percent from last quarter. The weighted average home size has also dropped this quarter to an average of 1,905 square feet, a two percent decrease. These price and size decreases have pushed the detached value ratio down 1 percent to approximately $116 per square foot, the lowest on record. According to ResidentialTrends™ Housing Market Overview this per square foot decline, a more accurate measure of home value than price alone, marks the seventh decline in the last eight quarters.

Inventory in the 68 actively selling detached projects, three of which were audited for the first time this quarter, decreased for the fifth consecutive quarter. This quarter's three percent decline brought the total supply number to the lowest level since the third quarter of 2006. Of 7,027 total units of detached inventory this quarter, more than 93 percent constitute units within unreleased future phases of existing developments. Inventory that represents more immediately available supply stands at 472 units, a 15 percent decline from last quarter. Martinez further states that together, both unsold inventory and inventory that has not yet been made available to the marketplace represent nearly seven years of total supply. However, the inventory that has been made available and remains unsold represents nearly six months of supply.

— WebWireID106511 —

BPM Solutions Add Construction Muscle to TORP, The Office Relocation Package

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 05:39:04 EST

BPM Solutions, the construction arm of North West project management firm BPM Group, have announced that they will be lending their construction muscle to TORP, The Office Relocation Package.

TORP is an umbrella title for a group of North West companies, each of which contributes its particular expertise in order to offer a comprehensive office relocation service to businesses throughout the region.

According to the BPM Group's managing director, Luke Hankins, 'This is a great opportunity for the BPM Group to reach more clients. As a group, TORP are really happy that they are now able to offer both project management, total solution management and a variety of other construction services as part of their office relocation scheme.'

TORP also offer management and design of office interiors, installation of phone lines and broadband, supply of workplace furniture and stationery and complete IT Solutions; their aim is to take all the stress and hassle out of relocating your business to a new office.

'This represents the latest development in the BPM Group's evolution into a business comprised of two distinct halves. On the one hand, BPM Professional Services provides professional and commercial building services to construction companies and other large clients; on the other, BPM Solutions offer full project management and construction services to individuals and smaller businesses – it is this half of the company that has now become part of TORP.'

Based in the North West but offering services to companies and individuals UK-wide, BPM Group's key in house specialists include chartered quantity surveyors, building surveyors, programmers and project managers. The firm's key partners include architects, structural engineers, CDM specialists, planning specialists and other related trades.

For more information regarding the TORP partnership, visit the group's website www.torp.org.uk. If you're interested in learning more about BPM Solutions, or the BPM Group as a whole, visit their new website www.bpmgroupuk.com.

— WebWireID106415 —

Deutsche Bank appointed as principal paying agent and delegate trustee for the Trust Certificate Issuance Program of Tourism Development & Investment Company P.J.S.C.

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 13:21:28 EST

London, Deutsche Bank AG London Branch announces its appointment as principal paying agent and delegate trustee for the debut trust certificate issuance program of the Tourism Development & Investment Company P.J.S.C. (TDIC).

TDIC is a master developer of leading tourism real estate assets within Abu Dhabi. The company is charged with assisting the provision of a world-class infrastructure which will fulfil the Emirate's ambitions of becoming a truly global destination of distinction.*

Mike Hughes, Managing Director and Regional Head of Global Transaction Banking at Deutsche Bank in Dubai said, "Deutsche Bank is very pleased to have been selected by TDIC again to act as principal paying agent and delegate trustee on its debut Sukuk program. Working closely with TDIC we will provide the company and its global investors with Sharia'a compliant support services for the transaction from our regional headquarters in the UAE. We look forward to providing a first class service to TDIC and its international investors.

*Source: www.tdic.ae (October 2009)

About Deutsche Bank
Deutsche Bank is a leading global investment bank with a strong and profitable private clients franchise. A leader in Germany and Europe, the bank is continuously growing in North America, Asia and key emerging markets. With 78,896 employees in 72 countries, Deutsche Bank offers unparalleled financial services throughout the world. The bank competes to be the leading global provider of financial solutions for demanding clients creating exceptional value for its shareholders and people.

www.db.com

About Trust & Securities Services
Deutsche Bank's Trust & Securities Services business, part of Global Transaction Banking, is one of the leading providers of trustee, agent, depositary, registrar, SPV management and related services for a wide range of financial structures and transactions. It is a leading depositary for American and Global Depositary Receipts, provides fund and hedge fund administration and, through a fully integrated network of specialist offices worldwide, provides domestic custody services in more than 30 securities markets.

www.tss.db.com

— WebWireID106393 —

North Carolina Property Management Company Considering Acquisitions

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:46:46 EST

For those experienced in the real estate market, a market downturn can be a great time to buy. Since it appears we are near the bottom of the freefall on property values, smart investors are looking at opportunities to make acquisitions, the same is true of property management companies. Buy at the bottom and sell at the top, when it comes to property investment. Even in the hard hit areas like Florida, there are many opportunities for property management companies that are looking to make acquisitions.

William Douglas of WM Douglas Property Management at http://www.wmdouglas.com is actively looking for partnerships and acquisitions of Association management companies in the Florida area and many other states in their region. The recession is taking grip in Florida and it can be difficult for the Homeowners Association management to collect homeowner's dues during recessionary times. Coupled with the fact that some properties have been foreclosed on and are no longer part of the monthly cash flow, some Association management companies are looking for immediate or long term exit strategies.

Quality property management companies are always in demand. During recessionary times, collecting homeowner dues is a challenging task for any association and that's where experienced Association Management companies come in. With decades of working with homeowners, they know how to precisely make the entire process easy for both HOA's and homeowners alike.

According to William Douglas of http://www.wmdouglas.com, "Despite troubled times, I'm holding my own in the Florida Property Management market. This is not the first time we have ridden out a recession or experienced difficult market conditions, since we got in the business in 1980. We know that a difficult market is actually opportunity to expand quickly, which is exactly what we are doing."
This smart company is staying one step ahead of the curve and actively looking to make strategic acquisitions of companies. They are looking to partner with all sizes of association management companies in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee and Virginia, which are they states they specialize in. For owners of association management companies that are seeking an immediate exit strategy, their acquisition strategy allows a win-win solution. Those that want an eventual exit strategy can take advantage of a partnership agreement structured around their time frame and terms.

For more information, visit http://www.wmdouglas.com/partnerships-acquisitions.

— WebWireID106247 —