Cats Eye Webstudio

The internet is made up of a sea of independently published content. If you have a couple of websites out there, you own a small percentage of the internet yourself. But, the more you own, the better.

How to generate more traffic?

If you research the top producing websites in the world, you’ll discover, it’s not by accident that they have a LARGE number of web pages, literally sometimes going into the thousands.

So why is this important?

Often there is a direct correlation with the volumes of traffic compared to the number of web pages one has.

This means, that a company or an individual who has hundreds to thousands of pages of content on the internet seems to generate more traffic. This may not always happen, but it does appear to be the case when you take a look at some of the most visited sites in the world.

Why is this?

Well, because of the way these many pages are linked to each other in one way or another, it creates a foot print on the internet, making it highly likely for someone searching for information in your area of expertise to stumble upon your websites. Every web page you publish on the internet is another opportunity for someone to find you. It’s really like a lottery. The more tickets you buy the better your chances are of winning. The more web pages you publish, the better the chances are of someone finding them.

Optimizing your content, will also contribute to moving you higher in the search engine rankings. Being on the first pages of google and yahoo gives you front line exposure attracting and generating more traffic again.

Most, if not all your web pages should have links, connecting them to other web pages you have created. This will get traffic moving to more of your pages on the internet as people click on links to take them to another page to find out more information.

The secret to owning more of the internet is having A LOT of web pages on the internet.

If you’re serious about doing business online and you want to generate more traffic, you absolutely need to be creating a lot of value based content for your websites on a regular basis.

Now, don’t go into a panic, saying you can’t or don’t want to write anything, because you can easily hire someone else to create your content for you. Many website owners hire writers to create content for them. You can go to places like Elance or Guru, just Google their names and you’ll discover a variety of options to choose from.

Why Generate More Traffic ??

All businesses are looking for more customers, prospects, leads, patients, clients, etc. By creating educational and information based websites, which generate more traffic, you are in a better position to attract already interested people in what you have to offer. Dealing with people who have a high level of interest already will increase your conversion rates substantially, as well as save you time.

How DO YOU create a lot of web pages out there to generate more traffic?

The most effective way is to formulate a “Content Creating Process”. You first have to start with knowing who your target market is. Knowing what to write, starts with knowing who you’re writing to.

Begin processing your content by breaking it down into several different departments. For example, title, concerns, needs, problems, likes, dislikes, goals, solutions, etc. Applying this method of creating a little content in each category and then bringing it all together makes it much easier to achieve your end goal, which is, a valuable piece of content ready for publishing.

Creating content is easy when you have a systematic formula to follow. Click here to get your content creating formula now and begin your journey to generating more traffic by owning more of the internet: http://successnetworkmarketing.squarespace.com/creating-content

SEO, search engine optimization

Fixing up houses to ready them for sale includes a design plan for needed changes. Save money on transformation costs by choosing design details right the first time. Make more money from your home sale by choosing design details that catch the attention of buyers in your price range.

Design Psychology helps you net more money, faster, in today’s competitive real estate market. Your buyers won’t even realize that you’re using Design Psychology, but they’ll want to buy your home, even if it costs more than similar houses.

Whether your target market is first-timers, move-uppers, empty nesters, or mover-downers, keep their needs and desires in mind when developing your sales and transformation plans, always keeping your bottom line in mind.

Budget Concerns

Weigh the cost of an upgrade against its ultimate benefit, and only spend money on those changes that improve your profit margin. Of all upgrades for selling houses, fresh paint is the best investment, dollar for dollar. New kitchen appliances, upgraded bathroom features, and updated lighting fixtures also provide a good return on your money, as a general rule.

Also consider the cost benefits of doing the work yourself vs. hiring professionals. The time saved and superior quality of workmanship often makes hiring pros a better option than doing repairs yourself.

Color Psychology for the Exterior

Choosing the right colors for your home’s exterior makes a huge difference in your paycheck at closing. Look at the other homes near yours and choose complementary colors. It’s worthwhile to use three, or even four, colors, to add visual interest or to emphasize interesting design details. Limiting your exterior colors to just two lessens the overall effect and may slow the process of selling your home.

If your goal is to attract up-scale, wealthy, or highly-educated buyers, you’ll want to use muted, complex colors on the exterior of your home, while less-wealthy and less-educated buyers normally prefer simpler colors.

Color Psychology for the Interior

Don’t be afraid to use color, rather than painting all your walls white. Most people actually look more attractive when surrounded by color, and colored walls make people feel happier, so if you want to make your buyers happy (and to choose your home as a result), use color on your interior walls.

Bring into play various shades of your exterior colors inside. This design detail makes your home feel harmonious, and you’ll receive an added bonus: if your buyers like the exterior colors, they’re also going to be happy with your choice for the interior.

Spending time targeting your market and then using the subtle techniques of Design Psychology will help sell your home more quickly, and for more money than your competition.

(c) Copyright 2004, Jeanette J. Fisher. All rights reserved.

Professor Jeanette Fisher, author of Doghouse to Dollhouse for Dollars, Joy to the Home, and other books teaches Real Estate Investing and Design Psychology. For more articles, tips, reports, newsletters, and sales flyer template, see http://www.doghousetodollhousefordollars.com/pages/5/index.htm

The best Way to Get High Google Pagerank

Forums are an excellent addition to a website to attract visitors to interact with the site and to return to the website freqeuently. While there are many other website additions that can retain visitors and have them coming back for more, forums are perhaps the most engaging for visitors to your website and offer the most benefits to both the website’s owner and the visitor.

Unfortunately, having a forum addition to a website does not guarantee its success and usefulness in gathering the hypothesized attention and attractiveness. A new forum with no content, no members or no active discussion is like an empty hall. Anyone who steps into such an empty room would most definitely get the creeps and run away as fast as they can. Similarly, your forum can quickly lose its purported usefulness if it is empty and bare.

Starting and building an active forum on your website is no mean feat. It requires a lot of time, patience, and hard-work. Why is that so? Well, there are several important factors that scares away visitors and you have to remove these factors in order to convince visitors to stay, read, and then post and join in the discussions. If there are no discussions in the first place, no one would be around to discuss! It is exactly a chicken and egg question that you have to answer. There are several methods to overcome these issues and to get content/discussions started on your forum.

1. Write good content and request feedback

Having good content draws visitors to read and if they have questions or concerns, they can always find a link to discuss it on your forum. Make sure you provide them a link and the outlet to voice out on your forums. The hard part is in writing quality content on your site.

2. Offer free incentives

Some forums offer active members special advertising opportunities such as banners or text links on the website and in the forums. Members are then encouraged to start threads and post and participate in order to obtain free advertising. Other than free advertising, you might want to consider giving away a free copy of your product to the top poster or hold a lucky draw for active posters. Nothing beats promotion than free products and competition. On my webmaster community (www.buildtolearn.com), I provide free cpanel web hosting for members who have accumulated 50 posts. This incentive has been in use for the past 2 years and our community now has close to 10,000 members!

3. Exchange posts with other forums

There are many other new forums started on the net everyday and you could work together with other websites to generate content on your forums. It is a ‘I’ll post in yours and you post in mine’ exchange where both webmasters participate in each others forums in order to get the ball rolling in the forums. This exchange makes it more interesting for both parties.

4. Pay for posts

If you have deep pockets or have a budget from your website, you can always get people to come to your forum and start discussions. Quality checks are in order to ensure that your ‘free-lance posters’ are not simply submitting 3 word posts or copying posts from other forums.

5. Talk to yourself

If all else fails, due to low budget or having nothing else to offer, you can create ‘virtual copies’ of yourself and start discussions with yourself. To new visitors to your forum, they see an active community and discussions, which helps them overcome the inertia. Once you have a handful of active members talking, you can stop talking to yourself and let your community grow itself!

The above are just some tips that I have gathered from participating in forums and from building forum communities on the net for the past 2 years. The tough part in setting up a forum is in the initial stage. Once you have overcome that hurdle, it gets easier for the forum to grow and mature.

Dax Christopher maintains a two year old webmaster community at http://www.Buildtolearn.com, a forum community that discusses web-hosting and webmaster related issues such as web-design, page coding, SEO and many others. Visit http://www.buildtoLearn.com to learn more about developing and growing large communities.

Get High Pagerank Domains

Just like that cute little puppy wagging its tiny tail in the window of the pet store you always wanted as a kid, first impressions are extremely important when it comes to selling your house, especially in today’s volatile market. With many people scrambling to sell their homes, if yours doesn’t catch the buyer’s attention in the first few moments he or she sees it, it is likely they are going to move on. To make sure the first impression isn’t the last impression for your potential buyers, consider some simple ideas to spruce up your homes curb appeal.

Since most sellers are aiming to make money in the real estate business, it is important that whatever you do to attract buyers to your abode doesn’t put you too far in the red before you eventually close the deal. Even with a home that is meant to be a buy-to-fix, it is important to do some basic exterior maintenance in order to attract the largest variety of buyers possible.

Cleaning up the yard by removing unnecessary items (like your pink flamingos), weeding the garden, keeping the grass cut, trimming and edging along the sidewalk, and putting in some extra mulch or potting soil in the garden are relatively cheap and time efficient things you can do to improve the look of your home from the street. If you have flower boxes in the windows or potted plants, make sure they are bright, vibrant, and well groomed or remove them because dead flowers outside means an ugly inside in the buyer’s mind.

Rent a power washer to remove some soot from your siding, walkways, and any fencing surrounding your house. If you have extra paint, it may be a good idea to touch up any tired spots on the house or fence. Repainting the entire house is usually a great opportunity to improve the appeal, but it could be expensive or time-consuming, so consider your budget restraints before committing to this.

With an attractive outside and the right real estate company, such as Nancy Chandler Associates, licensed in Norfolk, Virginia, your house will have home buyers coming off the curb and inside to sign the deal in no time.

Robbie Foglia writes for Ciniva Systems, an award winning Virginia web design company. Robbie Foglia is an SEO Specialist with Ciniva. Ciniva Systems is in charge of SEO for Nancy Chandler Associates, a top licensed real estate agency serving Hampton Roads, Virginia.

Get high pagerank

“Buy low, sell high,” it’s a credo we have all heard before, and it sounds like a sure way to make money from your real estate investment, right? Well, it’s harder than that quote makes it sound and you have to work diligently to ensure you see a great, high return. You need to keep costs and expenses down and you have to raise value and find appropriate suitors.

One way to reduce costs is by taking on the repair work on your investment by yourself. That doesn’t mean skimping out on quality, because that will cost you even more down the line. If you can’t handle something on your own, hire a professional, and preferably a friend or trusted referral who you know will do it well and do it cheaply. Often smaller companies with fewer employees can give you a better price at the same quality of work.

You can also save money right from the start by researching all of your loan and financing options. A loan from a big bank might seem safe and reliable, but smaller, less popular banks may try harder for the business and therefore offer better terms. Don’t just accept random additional fees, and secure the lowest rate you can.

Another way to see a huge return is by researching all of the legal and governmental factors and processes. Not paying attention to these might seem like a time saver, but when you get hit with slowdowns and fines later, you’ll be sorry.

It’s important to be skilled in the subtle art of negotiation. Both parties want what’s best for them, but negotiation is about concession and compromise. Looking out for the interest of the other party can see the same favor returned to you. Ultimately, being firm but knowing when to bend is the best way to succeed, see a big profit and keep everybody happy.

There’s many other ways to save costs and increase profits. You can find real estate agents with lower commissions, or listing services with lower costs.

You also have to prepare a property to be sold. Clean it up and make it seem like there is a huge interest in it, to spur on the buying process from interested parties.

If you want to attract a good buyer, make sure as many potential buyers as possible are aware of the real estate investment you are selling. A larger pool to draw from means a higher potential selling price.

Sal Vannutini is the author of ” The 8 Power Profit Secrets To Making More Money With Less Risk In Real Estate, ” a free strategy report for investors. Get your complimentary copy at http://www.myrealestateinvesting411.com/Realestate/ today.

Learn how to Get More Buyers

The advent of the global slowdown and credit squeeze is bringing on the pains in the real estate industry. It’s now time for some thinking out of the box and for determined real estate agents to be more creative in the way they run their business.

I work with hundreds of real estate agents from about 40 countries worldwide and if there is one thing for sure the slow down is taking out established real estate agents companies. The good news is that many are surviving and some or even doing more business than ever. So what is the difference between one real estate businesses crashing to one that survives? This answer to me is the difference between being flexible in an approach to selling and at the same time having good business housekeeping.

Lets deal with business house keeping, its a fact that for most agents regular income is reducing, this means nothing can remain the same so its time to act. It is clear that no matter the type of business you run you are you will need to reduce overheads this statement sounds simple enough but some real estate agents cannot do this owing to long term commitments. These are things like the rent for a building or office, imagine being tied in to a 24 months contract and you will see where I am coming from. Staffing costs are the major part off most businesses expenditure and this is the same for real estate agents. The hard fact is you will need to examine plans to reduce staffing costs.

The thinking out of the box I mentioned now revolves around bringing new business and developing multiple streams of income. Real estate agents need to widen their audience and attract potential buyers from out of town. I knew of one real estate agent who sold luxury homes. He found buyers in Europe and beyond by promoting his high end real estate online. I am in contact with a Florida agent who now sells Florida properties via on online auction. I have other agents who have dumped the usual inventory to find more attractive property, deals with low finance options our other attractive incentives. Some agents deal purely in bank owned property or homes that will attract people in a credit crunch.

No matter which country you run your business selling to international buyers is a prospect that you should consider. Selling property to overseas property buyers is not as straightforward as selling to local property buyers. Overseas buyers are in a state of disorientation and may feel vulnerable to malpractice. This results in overseas buyers being seemingly over cautious and on some occasions suspicious of the property agent. The real estate agent’s job is to reassure and inform and never over sell. I have seen numerous examples of American real estate agents selling to British buyers who simply turn the buyer off with their style. Generally the British for example do not want to hear over exaggerated sales talk or feel pressure. It may work initially and real estate agents can end up taking a deposit. What you will find later is a withdrawal from sale later along the way.

Overseas buyers warm to real estate agents that do not create additional pressure. Buyers are already under a lot of pressure real estate agents should not be adding to this. Many are apprehensive of being ripped off. They want to know that you are legitimate and for you to prove it. The golden rule is to inform inform and inform again. Information will help sell your properties to overseas buyers. Never over sell or create a climate of pressure, after all the buyer is already under stress. Be ready with information know about visa applications , importation costs, taxation, mortgage process, building insurance, local taxes, local crime trends, schools, leisure facilities and the buying process in your country are to name but a few.

In summary it seems that selling to overseas buyers is one element on the road to surviving a global slow down in the real estate industry.

Author Nicholas Marr has a passion for international real estate he promotes a network of overseas property websites that include http://www.homesgofast.com and http://www.maexpa-international.co.uk

Attract More Buyers

Often we think of residual marketing strategies as the sale of products that are used up and re-purchased. But what if… Residual Marketing Strategies included visiters to the community who keep coming back?

There are many ways of accomplishing the “come back” scenario.

Return Visitors to the Family Home

As long as Grandma and Grandpa live there, the kids will keep on coming back home to visit. Small towns across America send off their college age youth hoping they’ll return, and when they don’t, resigning themselves to the idea that they’ll come home to see Grandma and Grandpa. Do they? Sometimes they do, but more often, Grandma and Grandpa eventually retire where the kids are. This process only works as long as Grandma and Grandpa are required to remain employeed at their local jobs. Once that’s done, Grandma and Grandpa do the traveling.

Let’s face it folks. We’re running out of Grandma and Grandpa’s who live in Hometown America. Baby Boomers prefer Florida and Arizona if they retire. If not, they’re moving closer to the kids in order to take care of the grandkids while Mommy and Daddy work. It’s a sign of the current economy.

Loser Regroup and Set Off Again

When Little Johnny loses his high paying job and needs somewhere to lick his wounds and regroup, he goes home. Trust me, he isn’t buying collectible arts and crafts, he’s saving up for his next exit. Working at the local convenience store isn’t going to pay him well enough to ship hiim out again, if he’s spending his hard earned dollars on Granny Turner’s Wicket Wocket Coddler, instead, he’ll go visit Granny and she’ll make him one for free. If his wife dumped him for the Executive on the Third Floor, he’s probably busier trying to figure out how to catch Little Bonnie Blue Eyes than he is at trying to improve the economy. Either way, he isn’t here to frequent the local markets.

We Came Back to Raise the Kids

This pocket of folks have a die hard attitude about what they’re going to do on Saturday afternoon. Guaranteed, they’ll be at the ball park, roasting dogs and marshmallows on the tailgate with not a single clue what’s happening on main street. Not only do they not have any interest in Main Street USA, but they aren’t interested in who’s entertaining who in the local shopping centers. They travel to BEASTY Market Discount Center and buy everything in mass quantity to feed that brood of children that surrounds them everywhere they go.

As for Entertainment? Little Suzie throws cheerios at Little Billy and he puts Gum in her hair. Who needs entertainment with all that happening?

Residual Marketing Return Factor

Dynamo retailers on Main Street USA recognize the value of drawing in niche markets and bringing them back with quality product, friendly service, and whole spectrum business centers. These community criers attract buying customers with a wealth of variables. Good food, high quality products and service, investment arts, hobby and craft options, entertainment and resort style activity centers welcome them in and draw them back.

If they come back a second time and someone remembers their name, remembers to ask about Aunt Betty, and acts like they truly enjoy seeing them again… You can bet they’ll be back the third time.

Residual Marketing Strategies keep your buyers coming back, time after time.

Great opportunities to build residual income abound on the Internet. Learn how you can Build Monster Money Online (at http://jventerprizes.com) with residual marketing strategies. For more information about marketing your community visit http://lamarco.us

Like many For Sale by Owners and Business Owners who think they know all the options available to them when ready to sell their property, there is one method that gets overlooked far too often.

Are you one of many stuck in a rut with outdated thinking when it comes to selling your property? Let me change the way you think by introducing you to a real estate sales technique that is over-looked far too often. This technique will increase the number of buyers for your property. Even in soft economies and slow housing markets. This method is responsible for getting more property sold faster than any method used today.

The three magic words used in this sales method is Owner Will Finance. These words send a motivating sales message to every buyer. A buyer may be thinking this property can be bought fairly easily and with less red tape.

Home sellers wanting all cash eliminate a huge percentage of buyers. Cash buyers are hard to come by. It requires the buyer to qualify for a loan. Bank loans are time consuming and require buyers to meet rigid guidelines. Those stiff qualifications create a sales barrier. Most buyers have reasonable credit and decent incomes, but the stiff bank requirements stop a lot of buyers.

When offering Owner Financing, you eliminate some of the stiff requirements; the financial obligation of paying for the home or business is really no problem for a large number of buyers. These are the people you should be selling to, yet the banks are the barrier standing in the way. Owner financing blasts away that barrier.

How to sell your home or business fast in good or bad markets means you sell on contract. Your buyer puts down 10 to 20 percent in cash. They sign a contract that obligates them to pay you the remaining balance over a period of years.

It’s understandable that everyone wants all cash when selling property. A select group already knows that by offering owner financing it will sell property quickly and the miracle is the contract can immediately be sold for cash.

A contract buyer purchases real estate contracts and mortgages for cash. This is how simple it can be to sell your home or business and quickly receive all cash. Pick the best buyer and close your sale. A few days later, you simply take your contract and sell it for CASH to a contract buyer.

If you are in a financial position where you don’t need all cash, a contract can be a great investment. You can defer paying taxes on the gain, plus you get a better interest rate than banks pay. You get a nice income secured by your home. If you need to raise cash in the future you can always sell a portion of the payments or sell the entire contract.

The home buyer benefits by getting favorable terms. You have cut out the hassles of bank red tape. They have also saved the cost of paying points and loan origination fees.

You, as the seller have saved by not paying realtor commission and have the gratification of selling your property on your own.

I’ve explained the benefits and how it works. Let me now share an example of a Seller’s checklist:

1. Price your property properly

2. Advertise your home with Owner Financing: classified ads, weekly shoppers, internet web sites

3. Be mindful of the Fair Housing Act

4. When Brokers call, If you allow an agent to show your house, you may be liable for his or her commission, even though you haven’t signed a listing agreement. You can request your Attorney to draw up a one time only open listing agreement. Seek your attorney’s advice

5.Closing the deal and gathering the necessary paperwork:

Keep in mind you want the strongest qualified buyer. The interest on your note can be 1 to 1.5 above traditional home loans, but be negotiable so you don’t loose the sale. The credit of the payer. Employment. References. Banking-financial statement. Incorporating a balloon payment usually 5-10 years. A good down payment. Make sure your buyer will invest some of their own money. This will show commitment on the part of the buyer

Line up a good real estate lawyer to help you close the sale. Do not prepare sales documents on your own. A good real estate attorney will protect you. Include a contract sale contingency clause which will protect you should something come up that you didn’t anticipate or if you can’t sell the contract, you won’t be obligated to close the sale.

I hope this article helped in changing the way you think. In keeping an open mind you allow yourself to learn, grow and become a successful individual. New ideas and new ways of doing things can challenge you. By learning something new you change yourself to be better, stronger, and smarter. The rewards can be satisfying.

This article is provided with the understanding that the author and company do not offer accounting, legal, investment and/or tax advice or services, in relation to this article. Anyone who participates in this sales technique must address their specific questions regarding legal, accounting, investment or tax needs to their own professional adviser.

The author, company, its agents and assigns, specifically disclaim any liability, loss or risk, personal or otherwise, incurred as a consequence directly or indirectly of the use and/or application of the techniques provided in this article.

http://www.acassociatesusa.com AC Associates has helped individuals across the United States reach their financial goals.

Learning How To Be a Successful For Sale By Owner can be easy if you have the tools and the knowledge. With over 50 pages, our Step-by-Step instructional e-book will provide you with the necessary information, tools, forms and support. Ordinary people can learn by offering a sales method other home sellers are not, you will attract buyers for your property, keeping more money in your pocket. With so many homes for sale, waiting to be bought…this e-book is for you.

Learn How to Attract More Buyers

Many people think that investing in mutual funds is the way to go and the best method for getting rich. I think mutual funds are horrible investments. Here are 8 reasons why you should not invest in mutual funds.

1. Mutual funds don’t beat the market.

72% of actively-managed large-cap mutual funds failed to beat the stock market over the past five years. Trying to beat the market is difficult, and you’re better off putting your money in an index fund. An index fund attempts to mirror a particular index (such as the S&P 500 index). It mirrors that index as closely as it can by buying each of that index’s stocks in amounts equal to the proportions within the index itself. For example, a fund that tracks the S&P 500 index buys each of the 500 stocks in that index in amounts proportional to the S&P 500 index. Thus, because an index fund matches the stock market (instead of trying to exceed it), it performs better than the average mutual fund that attempts (and often fails) to beat the market.

2. Mutual funds have high expenses.

The stocks in a particular index are not a mystery. They are a known quantity. A company that runs an index fund does not need to pay analysts to pick the stocks to be held in the fund. This process results in a lower expense ratio for index funds. Thus, if a mutual fund and an index fund both post a 10% return for the next year, once you deduct The expense ratio for the average large cap actively-managed mutual fund is 1.3% to 1.4% (and can be as high as 2.5%). By contrast, the expense ratio of an index fund can be as low as 0.15% for large company indexes. Index funds have smaller expenses than mutual funds because it costs less to run an index fund. expenses (1.3% for the mutual fund and 0.15% for the index fund), you are left with an after-expense return of 8.7% for the mutual fund and 9.85% for the index fund. Over a period of time (5 years, 10 years), that difference translates into thousands of dollars in savings for the investor.

3. Mutual funds have high turnover.

Turnover is a fund’s selling and buying of stocks. When you sell stocks, you have to pay a tax on capital gains. This constant buying and selling produces a tax bill that someone has to pay. Mutual funds don’t write off this cost. Instead, they pass it off to you, the investor. There is no escaping Uncle Sam. Contrast this problem with index funds, which have lower turnover. Because the stocks in a particular index are known, they are easy to identify. An index fund does not need to buy and sell different stocks constantly; rather, it holds its stocks for a longer period of time, which results in lower turnover costs.

4. The longer you invest, the richer they get.

According to a popular study by John Bogle (of The Vanguard Group), over a 15- or 16-year period, an investor gets to keep only 47% of a cumulative return from an average actively-managed mutual fund, but he or she gets to keep 87% of the returns in an index fund. This is due to the higher fees associated with a mutual fund. So, if you invest $10,000 in an index fund, that money would grow to $90,000 over that period of time. In an average mutual fund, however, that figure would only be $49,000. That is a 40% disadvantage by investing in a mutual fund. In dollars, that’s $41,000 you lose by putting your money in a mutual fund. Why do you think these financial institutions tell you to invest for the “long term”? It means more money in their pocket, not yours.

5. Mutual funds put all the risk on the investor.

If a mutual fund makes money, both you and the mutual fund company make money. But if a mutual fund loses money, you lose money and the mutual fund company still makes money. What?? That’s not fair!! Remember: the mutual fund company takes a bite out of your returns with that 1.3% expense ratio. But it takes that bite whether you make money or lose money. Think about that. The mutual fund company puts up 0% of the money to invest and assumes 0% of the risk. You put up 100% of the money and assume 100% of the risk. The mutual fund company makes a guaranteed return (from the fees it charges). You, the investor, not only are not guaranteed a return, but you can lose a lot of money. And you have to pay the mutual fund company for those losses. (Remember also that, even if you do make a return, over time the mutual fund company takes about half of that money from you.)

6. Mutual Funds are unpredictable.

The holdings of a mutual fund do not track the stock market exactly. If the market goes up, you might make a lot of money, or you might not. If the market goes down (the way it is now), you might lose a little bit of money . . . or you might lose A LOT. Because a mutual fund’s benchmark isn’t a particular market index, its performance can be rather unpredictable. Index funds, on the other hand, are more predictable because they TRACK the market. Thus, if the market goes up or down, you know where your money is going and how much you might make or lose. This transparency gives you more peace of mind instead of holding your breath with a mutual fund.

7. Mutual Funds are sales items.

Why don’t all these money and financial magazines tell you about index funds? Why don’t the covers of these magazines read “Index Funds: The Most Obvious And Rational Investment!” It’s simple. That’s a boring heading. Who would want to buy something that isn’t exciting or that doesn’t tickle one’s imagination of immense riches? A magazine with that headline won’t sell as many copies as a magazine that boasts “Our 100 Best Mutual Funds For 2008!” Remember: a magazine company is in the business of selling… magazines. It can’t put a boring headline about index funds on its front cover, even if that headline is true. They need to put something on the cover that will attract buyers. Not surprisingly, a list of mutual funds that analysts predict will skyrocket will sell loads of magazines.

8. Warren Buffett does not recommend mutual funds.

If the above seven reasons for not investing in mutual funds don’t convince you, then why not listen to the wisdom of the richest investor in the world? In several annual letters to the shareholders of Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffett has commented on the value of index funds. Here are a few quotes from those letters:

1997 Letter: “Most investors, both institutional and individual, will find that the best way to own common stocks is through an index fund that charges minimal fees. Those following this path are sure to beat the net results (after fees and expenses) delivered by the great majority of investment professionals.”

2004 Letter: “American business has delivered terrific results. It should therefore have been easy for investors to earn juicy returns: All they had to do was piggyback corporate America in a diversified, low-expense way. An index fund that they never touched would have done the job. Instead many investors have had experiences ranging from mediocre to disastrous.”

Bottom Line: If you want to make money, you need to copy what rich people do. So if Buffett doesn’t like mutual funds, why would you? So, if not mutual funds, what should passive investors invest in? The answer by now is clear. Invest in index funds. Index funds have lower fees, and you keep more of your returns in the long term. They are also more predictable, and they give you peace of mind.

The author of this article is Jim “The Net Fool”.

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Take the time to make a few simple repairs beforehand and your house will be a buyer magnet.

In a down market, selling your home can be challenging to say the least. You are competing against tons of other listings; some perhaps even right down your street. Do not let the numbers get you down. You can sell your home. The key is to knowing the quick and inexpensive fixes that will give your house an edge over the others. These include improving the curb appeal, repainting, de-cluttering, sprucing up the kitchen, and refurbishing the floors.

The first look buyers get at your home is from the outside. If it doesn’t immediately create a good impression, then most buyers won’t even like to see it from inside. Since it’s often difficult to be objective about your own home, have a friend analyze its front yard’s appearance from the street. Ask them to note any faults or deterrents they see. These might include things like unruly plants, bushes, or trees. Your friend might also notice some cracked or peeling paint. Do everything you can to repair and fix up that would distract buyers form the beauty of your space. And don’t forget the front door!

Make sure your door is clean and inviting. If needed, get a brand new one. If you do not need a new one or can’t afford it, try destaining it and putting on some shiny new door hardware.

Next move inside and take a look at the walls. A fresh coat of paint in all the main rooms will do wonders for your house. Make sure you choose very neutral colors though, something in the range of white, beige or very light brown. Bold and colorful paint schemes may be fun, but they tend to scare away more buyers than they attract.

Another important consideration is cleaning out or getting rid of the clutter in your home. Buyers need to be able to picture the house as their own and that is very hard to do if your stuff is lying around everywhere. Try to remove all personal items from countertops and tables and shelves. For each piece ask yourself whether you have used it in the past year, whether you really need or want it. If yes, then pack it away to be pulled out at your next place. If no, toss it out or consider donating it to charity. You should also do away with as much of your own family pictures and any other artwork that really takes away universality of the décor.

The kitchen is usually the focal point of the home because lots of time is spent there. After painting the walls, decide if the cabinets need any work. An easy way to give the kitchen an updated look is to replace the cabinet hardware. If you have the resources, you might want to consider getting new cabinets’ altogether or getting new countertops (possibly granite).

One last important tip is to take appropriate steps to revamp the look of your floors. If you have a carpet, get it steamed cleaned. This will reduce any pet odors and also get out old stains. If you have hardwood, consider having it polished and resealed.

These few steps may be simple, but they can make a dramatic difference in the selling presentation of your home.

Simple changes in your home decor can increase its curb appeal and sale value. Learn the ways to drastically modify your living space with door hardware, paint and other means and make it more presentable. For more information visit CKI Lock online at http://www.ckilock.com/.

Learn How to Attract More Buyers