2 Buy Sell Or Invest

By Richard Soto

 Fort Worth is known for many things, and its diverse and dynamic neighborhoods are certainly one of them. From its quaint roots, steeped in history, to its urban landscape and rich framework of culture, entertainment and excellent quality of life, Fort Worth is a city built on tradition and poised for excellent growth.

Perhaps the one area that best reflects the progressive nature of Fort Worth is its Westside neighborhoods. These neighborhoods boast beautiful architecture, excellent Fort Worth real estate, family-friendly surroundings and a superb proximity to nearly all points throughout the city. It is no wonder, then, that many of Fort Worths Westside neighborhoods are highly sought after by Fort Worth residents looking for excellent Fort Worth real estate.

With Fort Worth real estate in particular, the neighborhoods of Westside are sure to please. Here are our picks for the best neighborhoods in this exciting area of Fort Worth:

Arlington Heights Beautiful, two-story Period Revival homes dot the landscape of Arlington Heights, as do smaller, one-story bungalows. There are many historically significant homes in this section of Fort Worth; in fact, there are currently 53 structures listed in the Tarrant County Historic Resources Survey by the Historic Preservation Council for Tarrant County. The surroundings of this neighborhood are quite quaint, as most of the homes are framed by tree-lined streets, wide sidewalks and vintage streetlamps. There has been much enthusiasm as of late about Arlington Heights because of the outstanding revitalization efforts taking place there.

Crestwood Beautiful, towering trees provide a lovely backdrop to the homes of Crestwood. Because of the rich, river-soaked soil found here, it is common to see breathtaking lawns and landscapes. Crestwood displays a nice variety of Fort Worth real estate, from small, modest bungalows to larger, Period Revival homes. This community boasts a strong sense of community, as is apparent in its crime watch, monthly newsletter and many community activities.

Linwood Linwood is a unique example of residential and commercial Fort Worth real estate blending well together. Most of the homes in Linwood are smaller, one-story framed homes. There are also some commercial buildings and apartment complexes in this area.

Mira Vista Mira Vista is a prestigious, gated community that boasts such features as a manned front gate, picturesque lakes and, of course, a rolling golf course. The country club and pool are the main draw to this upscale community, and its not uncommon to see larger garden homes and even stately mansions.

Westover Hills Secluded and serene best describe Westover Hills. From its quiet, tree-lined streets to its stately homes set upon beautifully manicured lawns, Westover Hills is a fine example of some of the superb Fort Worth real estate available in this area. Most of the homes in Westover Hills are custom built, and there are many prominent families who have called Westover Hills home over the years. There are also currently 30 structures in Westover Hills that are listed by the Historic Preservation Council for Tarrant County.

Whether you are a buyer or renter, make the right residential choices by reading VIP Realtys Fort Worth real estate blog, which encompasses the Fort Worth real estate market.

5 Top Misunderstood Real Estate Investment Terms Worth Knowing

By jamesrk

 If you are just starting to invest in real estate you undoubtedly will hear (if not already) terms generally associated with real estate investment you might not understand. But please don’t apologize because there are many real estate professionals who are not beginners who have no idea what they mean either.

Of course, knowing these real estate terms will not guarantee investing success, but it never hurts any beginner to investment property to learn as much as possible whenever possible. This is not an exhaustive list by any stretch of the imagination, but it does include terms real estate professionals frequently ask to be explained.

1) APOD - An APOD is an acronym for annual property operating data and essentially gives a snapshot of a rental property’s income and expense performance for one year. If you already started looking for rental income property, or previously met with a real estate agent about income properties, you probably have already seen an APOD because it is a popular report that is good at giving a first-glance look at a property’s performance.

2) Gross Scheduled Income - Gross scheduled income (or GSI) is the total annual rental income a property would generate if all the rentable space were occupied and all rent collected. Sometimes called potential gross income, gross scheduled income is an estimate intended to show the maximum potential income without regard to any vacancy or credit losses.

3) Operating Expenses - Operating expenses include those costs associated with keeping a property in service. Among others, operating expenses include costs for routine maintenance and repair, utilities, property taxes, insurance, and management fees. They do not include the mortgage payment (or debt service), income taxes owed by the investor because of owning the subject investment, or allowances for depreciation.

4) Net Operating Income - Net operating income (or NOI) is a property’s income after being reduced by vacancy and credit loss and all operating expenses-think of it as a measure of the property’s productivity. NOI is a valuable measure of cash flow and the return expected from a property for any given annual period as if it was wholly owned (without debt) and before taxes and depreciation are considered.

5) Cash Flow, Before Tax and After Tax - Cash flow before-tax (CFBT) and cash flow after-tax (CFAT) has nothing to do with real estate property tax. Rather, it signifies whether the cash flow available after the debt is before or after consideration of taxes and the effect of tax shelter. CFBT is simply NOI minus debt service. CFAT, on the other hand, requires a separate tax calculation. It subtracts from NOI interest on the loan, an allocation for depreciation (cost recovery), and allocable amortization expense (amortized loan points) to arrive at taxable income which is then multiplied by the investor’s marginal tax bracket and in turn subtracted from CFBT.

James Kobzeff is the developer of ProAPOD - superior real estate investment software since 2000. Create rental property cash flow, rate of return, and profitability analysis presentations in minutes! Easy and affordable. Go to => www.proapod.com

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Houston
s Most Sought-After Neighborhoods

By Richard Soto

 Houston boasts plenty of fantastic neighborhoods that blend superb location, excellent Houston real estate and an outstanding quality of life into one, cohesive package. These neighborhoods are highly sought after and, as a result, Houston real estate there is in high demand.

Houston real estate has weathered the storm of 2009 and is now poised for a successful 2010, and the following neighborhoods are just a few of the reasons why owning Houston real estate is almost always a sure bet.

Here are our picks for some of Houstons best in-demand neighborhoods:

Rice Military Houstons Rice Military neighborhood is a popular spot for Houstonians looking for low-cost Houston real estate. This progressive area of Houston is therefore sought out by first-time homebuyers looking for quality Houston real estate at an affordable price. Many of the older homes in Rice Military haven been renovated, and there are plenty of apartments and condos to choose from, as well. The light rail system in Rice Military also makes the task of commuting in and out of the city an easy one.

River Oaks On the opposite end of the spectrum is River Oaks, a highly affluent community in Houston with stately Houston real estate to match. Many of Houstons famous and elite call River Oaks home, and its not uncommon to see expansive homes with maids quarters and beautifully landscaped, private yards. Much of the architecture in River Oaks consists of older homes that have been beautifully restored to reflect the grandeur from the time period in which they were originally built. There is, however, plenty of new Houston real estate in this community, as some of the smaller, older homes have been torn down and replaced with stately homes and mansions.

Medical Center The Medical Center is the obvious choice for individuals in the medical profession. This highly desired section of Houston boasts a nice array of Houston real estate, from single-family homes to townhomes and condominiums. The Medical Center is the center of this community, so it is quite common to see employees of the Medical Center searching for Houston real estate in the Medical Center community.

West University West University is the ideal neighborhood for Houston professionals, as homes in this community often exceed $400,000. Its close proximity to Rice University has also made this area of the city very popular. The smaller bungalows of yesteryear have been torn down over the last few years and larger homes that are more reflective of todays buyer have taken their place.

Museum District - Aside from being a popular destination for arts and culture, the Museum District has become a highly sought after destination for the best Houston real estate. There are also plenty of apartments in Museum District for those individuals who dont want the responsibility of owning Houston real estate. The ideal location of Museum District to other areas of the city, as well as it surrounding beauty and low crime rate, have made this community very popular over the last several years; as a result, the prices of Houston real estate here have increased dramatically.

Whether you are a buyer or renter, make the right residential choices by reading VIP Realtys informative analysis, which encompasses the Houston condos and Houston real estate markets.

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