The opportunities for building a top home-based business are as endless as your own imagination. While most people tend to immediately think about finding ways to sell things over the internet in order to make money at home, the reality is that there are literally thousands of ways to build a home business to suit you.Do What You LoveSome of the top home-based businesses are those that are set up around the business owner’s passions. Doing something you really enjoy can help keep you motivated and when you’re really having fun it never feels like work.You might love creating craft items, which could lead to designing your own crafty pieces and selling them for profit. You might really love animals, so offering pet-sitting or dog walking services could be ideal for you. You might have a flair for designing great websites, and there’s plenty of demand for freelance web designers on the internet.The point is to find something that you can see yourself enjoying every day and then finding a way to turn that into income.Buying a FranchiseSome people simply don’t want to go through the stress of setting up and building a new business from scratch. If this sounds like you, there are plenty of excellent home-based business models already available for sale.These might include franchise opportunities in such a wide variety of industries that you’re sure to find one to suit your needs. Franchises offer you a ready-made business model to follow and include plenty of support to help you succeed.Fulfil a NeedMost top home-based business success stories come from those who saw a need for a particular product or service and then worked out a way to fulfil that need. For example, computer repair services are in high demand simply because the average person doesn’t know how to fix many of the problems they can have. Book-keeping services are also increasing in demand due to the increase in self-employed people. These people want to run their businesses and work on increasing sales, so hiring someone to do the bookwork for them is common sense.If you can see a way that your own skills or knowledge could be put to good use, you could provide a valuable consulting service for someone.Finding a top home-based business opportunity is much easier than most people think, but it’s important you find one that really suits you.

Home based business for women has significantly increased over the last decade. In fact, there has been a huge difference between the women before and the women of today. Nowadays, most ladies own their corporations and are on top of different careers. That is why it is not so surprising that there are a lot of home based businesses for women cropping up here and there. Even those who have opted to stay at home to take care of the family can earn income! Independence and power are now the two most important accessories of 20th century women.Often times, women have been underestimated only to find that in the end they are the ones who are thriving well during this economic recession. Most would attribute this success to women’s intuition and the ability to multi-task! That is why having a home based business for women can be a great way for stay at home moms to earn extra income during their spare time. Here are some great ideas to start with if you have enough time on your hands.First of all, as a mother or a stay at home woman, you have to know what you are good at and which area of your expertise you would most likely be consistent or performing at. You have to also understand you personality, talents and skills.One of the best home based businesses for women now is a catering business. If you love cooking as well as entertaining, then why not try your hand at catering for people’s events and parties. You can also be part of an affiliate program such as ACN technology and start earning through residual income.If, however, you feel like cooking and planning events is too much then you can start with a simpler job which is online writing. This job is pretty convenient for those who do need to stay at home and yet reach far and wide to make money. As long as you have good language skills and creativity, your essay can easily earn you big bucks.You can also try your hand at MLM network marketing as it is considered to be one of the best home based business for women and men alike today. This endeavour would require a little bit more responsibility from you and most especially dedication and focus. But if you are passionate, a quick learner and have the potential to be a leader, then you can be one of those many people in network marketing who have succeeded and earned thousands and even millions of cash just by doing what they love!

Recently, many people adventure into home based business especially Internet work at home ones. It offers opportunity for stay at home mothers and also fathers, physically disadvantaged people and many others who do not have enough time and spending budget. Surprisingly, numerous internet home businesses do not succeed and also fail totally. Here are a few of the very most frequent mistakes of those establishing this type of business so that you can keep in mind to avoid:Choice of Business
Once choosing to opt for an internet home based business, choice of the business form is essential. Come up with a brilliant selection of what you want to do from your own home. Knowing the requirements of the projected home based business entirely is essential for fulfillment. Graph out all of the needs such as space, equipment, storage space, staff etc. Every one of these must fit in your home this is exactly why room readily available is the central element when beginning. Selection of suitable business is extremely important for the good results on the Internet home based business, Support focused businesses are probably the right ones as they can be viably operated in the home installation. However a processing or a retail store business might not prosper that nicely in a home setting. It might prove an expensive error in case you realize that the option of business is incorrect later on; hence select a business which is right for your own startup.Insufficient determination and self-discipline
In the home setting without any one to boss you all around, it is simple to end up being care free and become comfortable. It will result in lack self-discipline as well as determination. To help make your internet home business successful, you will need a higher level of self-discipline. Simply by sticking with a deservingly organized strategy of schedule as well as maintaining issues properly organized you can make your web home business succeed.Insufficient marketing and advertising
Just about every type business needs appropriate advertising and marketing. Internet based home business needs a lot more marketing compared to an office-based business because individual connection is much less within an online endeavor. E-mail notifications are a fantastic illustration of a competent method of advertising your online based business. Make sure that you engage in community chamber of business events as well as other business associated activities and meetings. Effective advertising and marketing is the vital thing to a productive business enterprise and Internet home-based business is the same.Not enough technical information
Another frequent mistake of Internet home business is having low numbers of technically fine gadgets. When you have your business PC connected with your web house connection, you can too dispose of your business. As soon as your youngster is enjoying his / her online games, your bandwidth will be consumed as well as your speed up functioning will be significantly impacted. Therefore, make sure to possess a devoted connection and state of art work office equipments specifically for your business.

These days, just opening the mail is an adventure. Within the jumble of million dollar sweepstakes, invoices, court papers, and rent checks, I’ve been delighted to find letters from my readers. Many of your comments and questions lead me to the conclusion that common knowledge about real estate investing is, well, commonly wrong. This article will dispel a few common real estate myths.

Not Location, Not Location, Not Location

Q: “The key to real estate investing is location, location, location. Where are some good areas to look for investment properties?”

A: The idea that the key to real estate is location, location, location, is perhaps the most widespread myth in real estate. Location is a factor in determining property value, but a profitable transaction is determined by cash flow or equity.

When examining potential real estate investments, always use cash flow and equity as your measuring stick. Equity is the difference between the property value and the sum invested. If you purchase a $10,000 property that will be worth $45,000 after repairs of $10,000, the equity after repairs will be $25,000. Cash flow means residual or “passive” income. One may agree to pay retail, or even more than retail, if there is a substantial cash flow.

In any neighborhood, if you can realize equity or cash flow then you can create profit. While novice investors battle for deals in trendy areas, savvy entrepreneurs can avoid competition and create profit in any area. For example, several parts of my native Baltimore are notorious for crime. Novice investors call them “bad” neighborhoods, but good people also live in “bad” neighborhoods. In one such area, I contracted to purchase four row homes from a retired police officer for the wholesale price of $25,000. The package was worth about $80,000, but seller’s aversion to the area was motivation enough for him to “cut ‘em loose.” Within three days, I sold the package to another investor for a $25,000 profit.

Note: when looking for potential cash flow or equity, always consider highest and best use of the property. Sometimes a residential property could have commercial value; a home could be converted to an office, a rooming house, or it may be more valuable to a neighbor than it is on its own. An overpriced residential property may also be a bargain commercial property!

Buy Low, Sell Low

Q: “I’d like to create a lump sum of cash, but if I’m afraid that if I contract to buy a building, and I can’t sell it before closing, I’ll have to buy the building. How can I find buyers?”

A: Finish this sentence: Buy Low, Sell _____. Most people say, “Let’s price it high, we can always come down,” but in the meantime they turn away potential buyers, and incur carrying costs such as taxes, insurance, and liability. Don’t do it!

Years ago, my father Charles introduced me to his “$100,000 Real Estate Formula” which says, “Buy low, sell low, and do it often.” At only $10,000 profit, ten transactions generate a part time income of $100,000.

The formula offers several benefits. Obviously, discounted property sells faster. Instead of waiting for the top-dollar profit and inuring holding and opportunity costs, you can actually earn more by making smaller amounts over and over. Moreover, by leaving profit on the table for the next person and being fair with others, you will create a good reputation and repeat buyers. Not only is it less expensive and more efficient to transact with repeat buyers, buyers who profit are potential partners for future deals. When you help others, you help yourself!

The Market? Which Market?

Q: “With the financial crisis and the doom and gloom surrounding the real estate market, how can one still make money in real estate?”

A: Too often, agents and novice investors blame their real estate shortcomings on an uncontrollable force they call “the market.” They throw their hands up and say, “It’s a buyer’s market, sales are down.” The next time you hear someone complaining about “the market,” consider asking, “Which one?”

As a buyer, creating real estate profit is always possible if you look in the right market. Most novice real estate investors use the same sources to locate real estate sources: the newspaper, real estate agents, and banks. Why compete with novices who will pay too much? Avoid the competition and find bargains by focusing on untapped real estate markets.

The reality is that there are dozens of real estate markets. For example, there is a land market, a commercial property market, an absentee owner market, a market of expired listings, vacant property, tax sale property, auction property, pre-foreclosures, property with housing code violations, with non-paying tenants, there are geographical markets, and these are only a few of the fifty plus markets for income real estate.

Regardless of interest rates, property that is priced right and marketed property will sell. Likewise, if you’re looking in the right market you will always find real estate bargains. Instead of gathering at common investment watering holes, explore markets where the fruit is yet unpicked.

Investors looking to diversify their portfolios and insure their wealth against the ravages of volatility in traditional markets, will most likely have come across a range forestry investments, promising to generate superior inflation-adjusted and risk-adjusted returns for the long-term investor.

But how have timber investments performed? And how does the smaller investor participate in this interesting alternative investment asset class?

Firstly let’s look at the past performance of forestry investments, as measured by one of the main timber investment indices, the NCREIF Timberland Index; according to this basic measure of investment returns in the sector, this asset class outperformed the S&P500 by some 37 per cent in the 20 years between 1987 and 2007. When stocks delivered average annual returns of 11.5 per cent, forestry investments returned 15.8 per cent.

At the same time, returns from investing in timberland and woodlands have been proven to display a much lower volatility, an attractive characteristic for today’s investor.

Previously, the majority of investment returns from forestry investments have been mopped up by larger, institutional investors such as pension funds, insurance companies and university endowments, who have collectively placed over $40 billion into timber investments in the past decade.

So on to the second question; how do smaller investors participate in this kind of alternative investment?

According to a study by Professor John Caulfield of the University of Georgia, returns from forestry investments are three-fold;

An increase in timber volume (biological growth of trees), which accounts for some 61 per cent of return on investment.
Land price appreciation, accounting for only 6 per cent of future returns.
Increase in timber prices per unit, delivering the final 33 per cent of investment returns for timber land owners.
So the best way to harness the performance of timber investments is to take ownership of trees, either directly, or through one of the array of forestry investment funds or other structures.

Timber REITs

One way for smaller investor to participate in timber investments is through a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT). These investment structures are like funds, in that investors can buy and sell shares in the trust on an exchange, the REIT acquires and manages timber investment properties, but unlike normal companies must pay out 90 per cent of their earnings to investors through dividends.

Some examples of Timber REITs are:

Plum Creek Timber is the largest private owner of timberland in the U.S. and the largest timber REIT with a market cap of about $5.6 billion, many investors have chosen this as their route into forestry investments.

Potlatch is also a timber investment REIT while

Rayonier generates about a 30 per cent of its REIT earnings from timber.

Weyerhaeuser has disposed of its paper and packaging businesses and will convert to a REIT by year end.

The Wells Timberland REIT is not publicly listed but may be available for purchase through Wells Real Estate Funds.

Another way for smaller investors to add forestry investments to their portfolios is to buy Exchange Traded Funds that attempt to track the performance of timber returns. This is less direct than owing timberland, or investing in a timber REIT, as the ETF may also invest in shares in companies involved in the timber supply chain including processors and distributors. This means that investing in forestry through ETFs exposes the investor to some of the volatility of equity markets.

The Guggenheim Timber ETF owns about 25 stocks and REITs involved in the global timber and paper products industry with a 30% weighting to U.S. companies.

The S&P Global Timber & Forestry Index Fund holds 23 securities and is 47 per cent invested in the U.S.

Timber Investment Management Organisations (TIMO)

Those with more capital to spare can participate in forestry investments through TIMOs, although the majority of these investment specialists require a minimum investment of $1 million to $5 million and a commitment to tie up funds for up to 15 years. TIMOs essentially trade timber land assets, acquiring suitable properties, managing them to maximise returns for investors, the disposing of them and distributing profits to shareholders.

Many experts believe that the active management style of TIMOs ensures that they can be more reactive to market conditions than REITs, and therefore don’t tend to fall and rise in line with the market quite as much.

Direct Forestry Investments

Those with access to sufficient capital and the appropriate expert advice can invest in physical properties. Commercial timber plantations are complex operations that require skill, knowledge and expertise to manage effectively and maximise returns whilst lowering risk.

For armchair investors, or those with less capital to spare, many companies offer investors the opportunity to purchase or lease a small portion or plot within a larger, professionally managed timber plantation. Investors normally take ownership of their plot and trees via leasehold, whilst the timber investment company plants, manages and often harvest the trees on behalf of the investor.

Options for investors range from species to species and region to region, with current opportunities in Brazil, Panama, Costa Rica, Germany, Nicaragua and other, more exotic locations like Fiji.