Auction House

Auction and Its Benefits

2007-11-29T22:10:00.003-08:00

An auction is basically a public sale wherein any object is sold to the highest bidder. It can be defined as a process of purchasing and selling things by offering them up for bid, taking bids and selling the things out to the highest bidder. This is what is generally the case. However, a sale to the lowest bidder may also take place, in cases where land is sold for non-payment of taxes to anyone willing to take it for the shortest term; or where a contract is offered to an individual or party willing to take it for the shortest term; or where a contract is offered to an individual or party willing to perform it at the lowest price. Such cases too seem to fairly come under the purview of the term ‘auction'.

In case of auction the seller presents the products on a public platform. The selling price of the products are determined by the bids or offers of buyers interested in buying them based on their individual estimation of value of and need of the products. The person offering the highest bid at closing of auction receives the right to purchase the products at the bid price. The winner of the bid is normally legally bound to buy the item auctioned. In recent times auctions have been conducted online.

The benefits of auction are many. Some of the significant advantages are:

a) The auctioned item fetches the highest price in the given situation. Thus, in a way there is the maximization or optimization of profit.

b) At an auction the goods are almost certainly disposed off after bidding by their sale to the highest bidder. Hence, this serves as the right podium for disposing or selling out of accumulated goods. Otherwise, business could have become stagnant due to the stocking of these goods. Certain items could also have perished (in case of perishable goods) or expired if not sold out in time.
Tip! If a lot doesn't sell, ask if the auction accepts after-sale bids (a reasonable offer that a bidder makes after the auction closes for an item that did not sell). Some auction houses allow it.

c) In case of auctioning a variety of articles may come up for sale, which may not be otherwise available in the market. The buyer can get quite surprised by looking at a treasure trove of antique articles available at an auction.

d) An auction can also be considered as a method for estimating the value of certain commodities which have hitherto undetermined or variable prices.

Author bio: Author: Kellin http://www.autocastle.com/ http://www.autocastle.com/dealers.asp

House Refinance: 3 Financial Benefits You Can Experience with the Right House Refinance Loan

2007-11-29T22:10:00.001-08:00

You may be presented with numerous mortgage refinance options, but have you really stopped to think about how a good mortgage refinance solution can benefit you? A good house refinance solution can provide you with money now to do home improvements. These home improvements can increase the value of your property significantly, and this can translate into you getting a higher selling price for your home should you decide to sell it in the future. A home refinance can also provide you with the option to save a great deal of money on your mortgage interest rate, which allows you to keep more of your hard earned money. Learn 3 Financial Benefits You Can Experience with the Right House Refinance Loan.

1) Receive an Extra Incentive for Making Home Improvements You Have Wanted to Complete, but Have Not Had the Money You Needed to Finish Your Projects.

If you are like many homeowners, you may have a list of home improvements you want to make, but you just haven't had the money to make the improvements.

Refinancing your mortgage can allow you to use some of the equity in your home to do Home improvements. If you make home improvements that improve the value of your property e.g. kitchen remodeling, your property will be more attractive to prospective buyers if you choose to sell your home in the future. This can mean you can sell your house for thousands more! Hopefully the additional equity you can receive will provide you with more incentive to finish your Home Improvement projects sooner than later.

2) Get a Lower Interest Rate.

If your financial situation or credit situation has changed since you purchased your original loan, you should consider a house refinance to take advantage of lower interest rates. Low rate refinance solutions can allow you to keep more of your hard earned money.

3) Save Money Refinancing Your Variable Interest Rate Mortgage Into a Fixed Interest Rate Loan.

Refinancing your variable loan into a fixed loan can save you thousands of dollars especially as interest rates continue to climb. If you plan on staying in your home for several years, it may not be beneficial in the long run for you to have a variable interest rate.
Tip! Once you are able to make contact with the auction house, ask to be put on their mailing list. Although there is likely to be charge for this, you will begin to receive details of properties due for sale.

Although many adjustable rate mortgage loan programs allow you to choose your payment option each month (e.g minimum, interest only or full P&I payments), if you only opt to make minimum loan payments for years to reduce your monthly expenses, you will find yourself paying a great deal more interest over the life of your loan than you could have ever imagined.

If you plan on staying in your home for several years, and can't handle rising interest rates, refinancing your adjustable rate mortgage to a lower fixed mortgage rate may be a great option for you. Obtaining a low rate refinance solution that fits YOUR needs can be one of the best decisions you can ever make towards your financial well being now, and in your future.
Tip! Often auction houses charge a buyer's premium. It is an additional surcharge that the auction house adds to the hammer price, taxes are calculated after these two are added.

For additional mortgage refinance resources please visit =>http://www.i-mortgagenetwork.com/Refinance_Mortgage.htm

T. Crowley provides resources that can help you find the best mortgage loan solution for YOUR needs. Visit her website =>http://www.i-mortgagenetwork.com and receive a FREE, NO OBLIGATION House Refinance quote.

Real Estate Open House - Stage an Open House with Borrowed Furniture?

2007-11-29T22:09:00.004-08:00

Recently I showed a house in an middle-class area. I had the pleasure of meeting the owner of a new business - Staging Open Houses. What a good business. This idea is not new but the lovely lady I met added her own twist to this.

Mary's primary business is Home Decorating. She has a great affinity for homes, their furnishings and decorations. She explained to me some of her strategies for finding clients for both of her affiliated businesses. She visits open houses and meets the Real Estate Agents. After explaining her business and handing out cards, she offers to go thru the house and give the Agent some free tips to help make the atmosphere more pleasurable for the visitor.

After having experienced this tour, I decided to check out other ways to accomplish this task without having to hire an independent consultant. I found that you can rent furniture from Rental companies and, it may be possible, to make an arrangement with a local furniture store to borrow some furniture. This arrangement can help both the Agent who is now showing a less than empty house and the Store, for free advertising. This is a good way to help your sales efforts and, at the same time, help you to become known in the business community.
Tip! As auctions tend to cater for property professionals, rather than the general public, advertising and awareness of auction houses is limited.

Real Estate Sales takes time, connections and serious dedication. An active Agent should look for ways to improve their sales while working on other things. I call this NET time. I attempt to use NET (No Extra Time) whenever I can to accomplish more than one task for both Real Estate Sales and being a good neighbor.

Nancy Woodward is an Accountant and Real Estate Professional. Visit her online RealEstateLady.

Advantages of a Branded House or a House of Brands

2007-11-29T22:09:00.003-08:00

If you want to win by growing your market share — there is a better way, a smarter way, than the traditional advertising and marketing strategy and tactics. However, it requires looking at your business and brand from a very different point of view. This different point of view is hard to grasp because old myths die-hard and old expensive myths seem to die hardest of all.

If you need to steal share, it does not require underhandedness (as the name might suggest) it requires smarts. If you think that "stealing," as it relates to taking market share, is a short cut to success — a means to cheat your way to success — you are dead wrong. Winning requires great effort and hard work because it means you must outsmart your competition in order to achieve success. In our book, you must learn how to be different and smarter. You must stop seeing the "marketing game" as you learned it in college, even if college was just last year. Things are changing and the future belongs to those that recognize and use change to their advantage.

It is All about Scarcity

Start with the idea of scarcity. Encapsulated within scarcity is the entire concept of value. We only value scarcity. If we discovered a heretofore hidden mountain range made entirely of gold, the owner would not be rich because the abundance of gold in the market would make the metal a commodity, with all of the inherent value of tin. Everything has a value measured by its scarcity — the greater the scarcity, the greater the value.

The pharmaceutical industry today is a case study in scarcity because the profits they glean are in direct proportion to the uniqueness of the patent. They protect scarcity by patenting their concoction and then defending that patent as if their very lives depended on it. And they are right; their livelihood does depend upon it. Wall Street analysts will talk about these pharmaceutical companies in terms of product pipelines, FDA approvals, and waning patent rights. The mix of the three is the difference between a BUY, SELL or HOLD stock recommendation.
Tip! Once you are able to make contact with the auction house, ask to be put on their mailing list. Although there is likely to be charge for this, you will begin to receive details of properties due for sale.

In the absence of any other reason for the physician or patient to choose which pharmacological compound to prescribe and use besides drug efficacy, these companies had better keep the pipeline filled with new drugs and new patents. Only when a product like VIOXX is pulled from the market because of troubling side effects, does the physician council the patient that the OTC available product, ibuprofen, has nearly the same efficacy.

The REAL problem here is a fundamental idea that it is a smart strategy to build your "business home" as a house of brands rather than as a branded house. If you don't mind chancing your fortune by putting all of your eggs in the "R&D" basket then being a house-of-brands is not a bad idea.

Things are Not as They Once Were

Often, in the beginning of a company's life cycle, companies differentiated themselves with one or two break through products. It was simply easier to market product efficacy than it was to dig deeper and understand just what the customer is buying (who the customer is buying is closer to the truth) and why. It was, and still is, the conventional marketing wisdom. In addition to requiring greater smarts and dispassionate intellectual vigor, being a successful branded house requires as a prerequisite the ability to see your customer, not as an asset to exploit, but as a partner to understand, and with whom one must empathize.
Tip! If a lot doesn't sell, ask if the auction accepts after-sale bids (a reasonable offer that a bidder makes after the auction closes for an item that did not sell). Some auction houses allow it.

What is a Branded House?

A branded house, when done properly, has an overarching reassurance to the customer that those that choose this BRAND share an attribute. Not a product attribute but an identifiable personal attribute that not only sets them apart but is integral to their own personal identification. Choosing such a brand is not necessarily a matter of showing off or display. Rather it is absolutely a means of self-discovery and personal fulfillment instead of having to rely solely on product attributes like in the house of brands model.
Tip! Only Invaluable gives you unrivalled access to pre-sale and post-sale information for auction houses and salerooms across the globe.

So, when a branded house launches a new product or sub-brand, the new addition to their stable automatically gains a level of acceptance and importance because of the previous identification with the parent brand. Most branded houses make the mistake of believing (in this case a form of self-deception) that the parent brand equity is also about efficacy or category. We reiterate: this idea is corporate identity at best. More often, is it simply an acknowledgment of the commodity benefits — benefits of the category that comprises your business's sandbox. Parent brands differentiate themselves not by their category or offering but by identifying the type of customer who chooses it. We use the word type very loosely because we are not talking about segmentation based solely on race, religion, ethnicity, nationality, gender, age, or education. These may all play a part in identification of the target market but the real key is in understanding the belief systems that are shared as germinal, by your most coveted customers. The parent brand is how the customer knows that the brand is for them.

Efficiency is What Matters Most

Generally speaking, creating a branded house is a more efficient model than being a house-of-brands because it allows for a more cost effective means for new product launches and brand extensions. However, executing the house of brands strategy successfully requires uncommon diligence and hard work. Both of these are scarce — and therefore very valuable. It is just plain easier to launch individual brands or to try to differentiate your "branded house" by the table stakes of your category because all these require is an understanding of yourself — not an anthropological understanding of your most coveted prospects.
Tip! For large fine art auction houses such as sotheby, you can be assured that the art piece is already appraised and is authentic. However, if you are looking for an art piece at smaller auction houses or online art auctions such as ebay, you do need to be extra careful.

You would think that REAL "branded houses" would be common. They are not. Automobile companies like Ford, Chevy, Chrysler, Dodge, and the like are not Branded Houses in any real sense, rather, they are old vestiges of a business that has become more known for individual "brand models" and even more so by category descriptors of vehicle type like SUV, pick-up, and mini-van. These categories are identified as "integral" and then the shopper chooses from among the many offerings within that category. It is no wonder that the torch of automotive dominance is being passed from "the big three" to a multitude of others.

Want to Win

If you want to win in the market today, you must find the courage and wisdom to get out of your own way. The obstacle to success is often the company's identification with what it believes is its importance and identification instead of what the target market believes is its importance and ID. Once we can bypass all the old ideas and beliefs, you can start your branded house on the road to steal share. Doing so is so rare, "scarce" if you will, and its value is almost immeasurable.

Tom Dougherty

CEO, Senior Strategist at Stealing Share, Inc. (http://www.stealingshare.com) Tom began his strategic marketing and branding career in Saudi Arabia working for the internationally acclaimed Saatchi & Saatchi. His brand manager at the time referred to Tom as a "marketing genius," and Tom demonstrated his talents to clients such as Ariel detergent, Pampers and many other brands throughout the Middle East and Northern Africa. After his time overseas, Tom returned to the US where he worked for brand agencies in New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC. He continued to prove himself as a unique and strategic brand builder for global companies. Tom has led efforts for brands such as Procter & Gamble, Kimberly Clark, Fairmont Hotels, Coldwell Banker, Homewood Suites (of Hilton), Tetley Tea, Lexus, Sovereign Bank, and McCormick to name a few. Contact Tom at tomd@stealingshare.com.

The 3 Minute Auction and Minute Auction Explained

2007-11-29T22:09:00.001-08:00

Am I the only person who doesn't know what a 3 minute auction is? Looking for fresh content for my site, I discover that "minute auction," or even a 5, 10 and 30 minute auction is a popular item. Some auction sites may refer to a minute auction as a "Live Bid." The "minute auction" or "3 minute auction" actually comes the closest to duplicating the excitement (and anxiety) of a real auction. No, it is not the same as an Ebay minute auction.

I will give the example of Bidz.com. Bidz.com uses Flash technology to constantly update in real-time auction bids right before your very eyes! The price goes up, up, up and the time clicks away ... down, down, down!. Add flashing green highlights for added new bids and red flashing for the ominous approaching 0 minute and to say the least, it is quite thrilling.

On the Bidz home page, there is a link that says 3-minute auctions. This is a separate category all by itself. If you click that link you are taken to the 3 minute auctions, usually consisting of jewelry. (Note: See end of article for "The 3 minute auction - too good to be true?")

A word of caution: It takes a little finesse to bid at these fast-paced auctions - and I mean FAST! You must be EXTREMELY CAREFUL when bidding. The highest bid I came across on my visit was for $1500. My advice would be to practice on the dollar starting bids. Bids quickly escalate to $15 and $30. In the words of BidZ:
Tip! ï¿½ Some auction houses are notorious for their complicated fee schedules, which make it easy to tack on hidden charges later. So discuss everything openly before hiring an auction firm.

"If you are bidding on items in the 3 Minute Auctions category, you will not be notified if you are outbid. These auctions move very quickly, so you have to monitor your winning bids very carefully."

Back on the 3 minute auction page of BidZ, what do you see? >From left to right: the product picture, the item number, title, price, bids, and time left. The "bids" and the "time left" are where the auction action is at. But just as its nearing 0 minutes left, it jumps up to more time left - what gives? According to Bidz.com:

"If the bid is placed during the last minute of an auction, the auction will be automatically extended for an additional 1 minute from the time of the latest bid. The auction will close once all bidding has stopped for a period of 1 minute."

OK - I decide I am going to get in on this action. Registering is free (username must be a combo of numbers and letters). I have to click on the picture to go to the listing to actually bid according to Bidz.com directions below:
Tip! Once you are able to make contact with the auction house, ask to be put on their mailing list. Although there is likely to be charge for this, you will begin to receive details of properties due for sale.

1) Simply use the "plus" and "minus" graphic keys to select the amount you would like to bid. The amount of the next bid is automatically one dollar more than the current bid. If you only want to place a one dollar bid, you can just click the Bid button without any adjustments.

2) Click the bid graphic button to register your bid. PROBLEM: I click the Bid! button and then find out I have to register my credit card in order to bid - but they didn't tell me that when I was registering (even though I quite expected it).

Another problem I encounter is a sluggish modem. By the time I reach the listing page and the picture and bid button loads, the auction can be over (sigh...).

Its not hard to become giddy over the amazing deals of a 3 minute auction...too good to be true? 3 minute auctions "typically offer expensive items, such as Cartier watches, Beanie Babies, computers, and cars at prices that are low enough to dull the scam alarm in most people."

This was taken from an auction fraud article. The same article reports that the Federal Trade Commission has identified a scam email that includes "Live 3 minute auctions" in the subject line. See the details of the 3 minute auction scam at www.chiff.com/a/fSCAMauc.htm
Tip! For large fine art auction houses such as sotheby, you can be assured that the art piece is already appraised and is authentic. However, if you are looking for an art piece at smaller auction houses or online art auctions such as ebay, you do need to be extra careful.

For a list of minute-auction websites, refer to: The 3 minute auction list http://shmyl.com/dpzison

My final words: The 3 minute auction and minute auction are the epitome of auction entertainment. So pop some popcorn, invite some friends over, and have yourself some Friday night auction fun!

About The Author

Renee Matt maintains AuctionTongue.com, a review site of auction tool, free auction templates, auction software, auction sniper and image hosting services. AT focuses on auction websites outside of Ebay. Sign up for their FREE Auction Freebies newsletter: http://www.auctiontongue.com/; renee@auctiontongue.com

Increase the Selling Price of Your House with House Painting

2007-11-29T22:08:00.000-08:00

Bob Vila of This Old House fame tells people to "…be kind to their neighbors when picking a color scheme." His house painting advice is echoed by realtors and builders across the country. The color that you paint your house, they say, can affect the value of all the other houses in your neighborhood. That's one of the reasons that many homeowner associations limit house painting color choices for homes in their communities. While you might feel that house painting is a personal choice, there's a good deal of sense to the painting restrictions that some homeowners face. A garish purple house with Halloween orange shutters on the block can effectively make it almost impossible for anyone else in the neighborhood to get full value for their home if they choose to sell. A cohesive house painting color scheme that's carried on from property to property adds enormously to the appeal of a neighborhood. In some cases, the house painting restrictions are based on more than just owner preference. On the West Side of one New England town, for instance, is a neighborhood of historic period houses all built in a similar Edwardian style. Owners who purchase houses in the Tatnuck community usually sign an agreement upon purchase that they will maintain a white or gray exterior with shutters in black, green or red - and that they will only use white Christmas lights at the holidays. So what colors are good choices for exterior house painting? According to Realty Time magazine, the choices are, in order, white, gray, blue, tan or brown, cream, beige, green, yellow and red. Of those, the overwhelmingly most popular house painting color is white, with over 37 percent of all homeowners stating that if they were repainting a house, they would choose white. While gray is the second most popular color, most realtors would recommend painting your house a pale shade if that's your choice. The reason? Lighter colors brighten a house and make it seem more spacious. Among the other colors, the favored shades tend to be muted tones, often in ‘historical' themes. House paint manufacturers like Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams often name their paint colors to cater to that trend. Thousands of houses across the country are painted Williamsburg blue or Colonial green. If you do want brighter accents in your exterior house painting scheme, advise Realtors, confine yourself to the front door and shutters. A front door that's painted a friendly blue or warm red, they say, puts buyers in a good mood as they enter your house. And who'd know better than the guys that sell houses?

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web. Visit this Home Improvement Website and Majon's Home Improvement directory.

Your Auction Headline Or Title - The Most Important Part Of Your Auction

2007-11-29T22:07:00.002-08:00

The words you select to describe your item will have a tremendous impact on the final price it receives or if it receives any bids at all. This is because no matter how great the item is you have up at auction, if you use words that don't lead prospective buyers to it, no one will ever see it. You have a total of 45 spaces to use for your auction headline to get people to visit your auction, so it's extremely important that you use each space wisely.

The vast majority of buyers search through eBay listings by entering the item they are looking for into eBay's search engine. The main auction search engine only searches for words listed in auction titles. If a person selects a word that isn't in your auction title, your auction won't come up as a result of their search.

This means that by far the most important task you have when composing a title for your auction is to use words that are relevant and specific to the item you are listing. While this may seem obvious, a lot of sellers don't do it (in fact, searching for listings in which people have ineffective or mis-spelled titles can often get you some great items which you can resell for a profit).

If you are going to spend any extra time on your auctions, thinking through the best key words for your title is where you should spend that time.

With a limit of 45 spaces, writing everything you want in the title just isn't going to be possible. For example, say you have a consignor with a complete set of four bobblehead giveaways, sponsored by Mountain Dew, that the Minnesota Twins gave away at select home games during the 2002 season.

Although accurate, that description is way too long for the allowable number of spaces. The key is to think through an accurate description that includes everything and then taking the most important words out of that and using them.

A simple title might read "Minnesota Twins Bobbleheads". However, that title would be ineffective because it isn't specific enough. While there are many buyers who are looking for Minnesota Twins memorabilia and bobblehead dolls, the categories are too large and your auction will be lost among all the listings. You will have a very limited number of people who will ever see your auction.
Tip! Once you are able to make contact with the auction house, ask to be put on their mailing list. Although there is likely to be charge for this, you will begin to receive details of properties due for sale.

A better title might be "2002 Complete Set Minnesota Twins Bobbleheads". This title uses every available space and gives a specific description of what you are selling. It will also now appear in results for a narrower search.

Another possible title might be 2002 Minnesota Twins Bobblehead Bobble Head". People searching for this item type bobblehead into the search engine, while others type bobble head. A search for one will not bring up any results for the other, so at times it's to your advantage to list two different spellings of the same word.
Tip! As auctions tend to cater for property professionals, rather than the general public, advertising and awareness of auction houses is limited.

Take a few minutes to think about who would want the item you are selling and, if they were searching for it, what words would they be most likely to type into the search engine.

You will find many sellers using what some call Power Words. These are words such as RARE, LIMITED, VINTAGE, UNIQUE, WOW, GREAT, WONDERFUL and AWESOME. Many sellers seem to think that using words such as these will attract more bidders to their auctions.

I''ll guarantee you right now, that no one types any of these words into eBay's search engine. The use of words such as these does nothing but take up valuable space that could be used for words buyers do search for. Avoid them like the plague.
Tip! ï¿½ Some auction houses are notorious for their complicated fee schedules, which make it easy to tack on hidden charges later. So discuss everything openly before hiring an auction firm.

The same applies to the symbols so many sellers use in their headlines. They try to make their headline stand out by using symbols such as $,#, %, and @ in their auction titles. A particular favorite of many is L@@K!. Once again, all of these are a complete waste of valuable title space.

The only symbols you should ever use are & or + when their use will save you valuable title space.

Acronyms and abbreviations are another matter however. Collectors of certain items have developed their own abbreviations and acronyms for certain commonly used phrases within their specific collecting specialty. It is to your advantage to learn at least some of these.
Tip! Only Invaluable gives you unrivalled access to pre-sale and post-sale information for auction houses and salerooms across the globe.

NR, for example, means "No Reserve." To a Star Wars collector ROTJ means "Return Of The Jedi." Becoming familiar with some of these that are common with the type of items you sell will allow you to get more key words into the limited space which will result in more people viewing your auction.

Spend some time browsing the titles that others have created for their auctions. Look for both good and bad examples of titles. Just spending a few hours doing this and thinking about where the seller could have improved their title will help you enormously in writing titles for your own auctions.

Never forget - the first step is getting buyers to your auctions because if they can't find them, they can't buy anything from you.

Gary Hendrickson has been making his living selling on eBay for more than six years. He's the author of two eBay related ebooks, has a blog for eBay sellers, and is the owner of ColdItems.Com.

ColdItems.Com The Auction Rebel Blog

Real Estate Auction Action - Buying A Home At Auction

2007-11-29T22:07:00.001-08:00

Due in part to the popularity of the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)'s home auction program, more potential homebuyers than ever are buying homes at auction. Homes for auction aren't limited to just HUD, however. Many government entities auction homes for payment of back taxes, and some homeowners even auction their homes on eBay.com!

Homebuyers considering buying a home at auction should take some steps in advance to help them with their bid price, and even whether to bid at all on a specific home. There will always be a degree of risk when buying a home this way, but with a little diligence, potential homebuyers could save a lot of money buying in this manner.

Before the auction, you should have your financing arranged, and have enough cash on hand or in your bank account to cover a deposit on your purchase. You need to check the features, location, condition, and ownership history first. Afterwards, be sure to learn what the property is worth by looking at sales of comparable properties in the same area. Compare homes with the same number of rooms is possible, but be sure to allow for price differences due to pools, decks, carpeting, window treatments, etc.

At the auction itself, resist the temptation to get into a personal bidding war, just "to beat out the other guy". Have a set price limit and stick to it. Other houses will come along, and you don't have to win the first auction that comes your way.

You should know that the price of a home at auction is typically the loan balance (if foreclosed), plus any back taxes owed, plus legal fees and other expenses in foreclosing the property. This will typically be the opening bid amount, and the price will go up from there. Even so, it's possible to get a great deal in an auctioned house, with a little research and planning first.

Also, know that you probably won't be able to get an inspection, and are buying the home "as is". If you can't do any needed repair work yourself, or can't hire it done within your budget, you may not end up getting such a bargain in the end.
Tip! Once you are able to make contact with the auction house, ask to be put on their mailing list. Although there is likely to be charge for this, you will begin to receive details of properties due for sale.

About The Author

Jakob Jelling is the founder of http://www.cashbazar.com. Visit his website for the latest on personal finance, debt elimination, budgeting, credit cards and real estate.

Your One Stop Online Auction Shop: Finding that Perfect Auction Site

2007-11-29T22:06:00.000-08:00

Selling through online auctions is a great way to earn extra cash or even start a full-time business. When you find your one stop online auction shop that's just right, it can become a very lucrative business. There are many auction websites, but you'll want to find a site that best fits your selling needs. Here are some tips. Be an Auction Lurker Before listing your items, observe the auctions for a while. See what's hot and what's not. Every auction site will have its own unique audience. Some will attract more of certain types of buyers than other auction sites. The auction company might advertise more to certain groups of people using banners or paid search engine listings. If you're selling wholesale products, then you will naturally want to list with an auction shop that attracts wholesale buyers who are looking for great bargains. If selling household items, you'll want an audience of people who buy household auction items. Also, observe how the site operates on a day-to-day basis. Do the auctions seem to end with more bids on certain days of the week or a certain time of the day? For instance, auctions that end on late Saturday night get more bids than those ending on a Tuesday night. Lurking at different auction sites will help you find a one-stop online auction shop that's right for you. Test Your Auction Items When searching for your one stop online auction shop, try several test auctions with some of your items. Monitor the response as well as the amount of traffic the listings receive during the auction's running time. Many auction sites allow you to place a visitor counter on your auction pages so you can know how many people view your auction. If you sell many types of products, advertise several items from a few categories. Minimize Auction Expenses There are many online auction shops that offer free or low-cost listing capabilities. Some auction sites only take a percentage of each sale while others may charge a fee for each listing whether you sell or not. Those auction sites that offer free listings and/or only take a percentage of each sale are very beneficial to you as a seller. You only pay when you sell items instead of paying high fees just to advertise your products, so you are taking no risk when listing your items. Though these auction sites may have smaller amounts of traffic than the larger bidding sites, you might find the savings will make it worth your while. After all, auctions are supposed to be "bargain" sites, right? Some auctions charge a fee AND take a percentage of each sale. These may have more traffic, but the charges add up in a hurry and every listing can become a financial risk when you're just starting out. With so many options, you can easily find a one-stop online auction shop that fits your budget and listing needs. Use these tips to find that perfect online auction shop and sell those unwanted items today!

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web. Learn more about Find the Perfect Auction Site or Majon's Business and Entrepreneurs directory.

Host an Event to Sell Your Property!

2007-07-08T17:27:00.000-07:00

Marketing your real estate investment can cost more than you realize and it doesn't always bring the results that you hoped for. Common marketing tools that have been proven successful in the past are now losing their appeal especially in markets that are considered to be buyer's markets. Buyer's markets are housing markets where the ratio of houses for sale far outweighs the number of buyers looking for a new home.

In these markets, it is hard to generate enough traffic with traditional marketing tools to give your property the attention and exposure that it deserves. So if your goal is to be successful in real estate investing, you need to look for new and unique ways to direct traffic to and through your investment property. This can be quite successful if done right and doesn't cost that much to pull off either.

One strategy that many investors have found to be successful is to allow their property to be used to host a charity or community event. A great deal of media coverage usually accompanies these events and you can take advantage of it if you know how.

The first step to hosting an event on your investment property is to become involved in the community so that you can learn about upcoming charity events while they are still in the planning stages. To do this, read the local society pages in the newspaper, attend council meetings, and frequent area events.

Look for events that will attract a good number of potential buyers from the demographic that you are trying to market your property to. For example: If your investment home is a high-end property, look for events that will attract professional, high-income couples. Events could include charity dinners, community auctions, blood drives, or school banquets.

Once you have found a suitable event to use as part of your real estate investing marketing strategy, approach the organizers of the event and offer the use of your property at no charge in exchange for free publicity. Ask that mention of the host property and its for sale condition be present in every media release and advertising material associated with the event.

Be sure to post signs and have business cards with your information present at the event itself. You might even be able to attend the event to answer any questions about the house raised by those interested in the property. Throughout the whole event, though, be sure to keep your sales pitch on the soft side lest you alienate any contacts that might be interested in helping you out in the future.

Granted, it is going to be difficult to find a suitable event to host on your property for each and every property that you sell. But while you may not be able to use this strategy as the backbone of your real estate investing marketing strategy, it can bring a good deal of free advertising that will aid you in selling all of your investments and not just those loaned out for events.
Author Resource:- James Klobasa, once broke with no job and $20,000 in debt made a choice that changed his life forever. That choice was investing in Real Estate. With the founder of, The Little Building Co. you too, can learn at Real-Real Estate Investing
http://www.real-realestateinvesting.com/

Fabulous Return On Investments

2007-07-08T17:26:00.001-07:00

Developing the right contacts and being market savvy are crucial for successful real estate investing. Creative real estate investing strategies can earn fabulous return on investments.
Real estate investing is one business that enables people with minimum or even no start up capital to establish a successful business. This is one business that may be started from your home without too many overhead expenses. Interested Real Estate Investing requires real commitment and dedication. In order to be a truly successful investor hard work and determination is necessary as well as more than a working knowledge of the investing in real estate.

Interested real estate investing requires a good understanding of the local market conditions. The investor has to spend time understanding the factors that influence the local markets. The must be able to identify signs of bust or boom and take necessary actions. There are several investors who tried to take advantage of a boom period and held on to a property waiting for a better profit margin only to end up shattered due to a market crash that reduced house values as there were not many buyers and the mounting mortgage payments forced them to face foreclosure.

To get a better idea of the local market you may develop contacts with realtors and enquire the property rates in areas of your choice as well as read books and e-books written about investing in real estate. It will help Interested Real Estate Investing if you are familiar with creative real estate investing techniques such as flipping, optioning, rehabbing etc. investing in tax liens are also very safe, more so than perhaps bonds and securities. Tax liens are sold in 18 states. Tax liens are sold in auctions and awarded to the highest bidder. Tax liens are generally less than 10% of the value of a property. Tax liens can earn interest rates between 16% and 24% and they are considered to be low risk and low maintenance investments. Tax liens are also mostly protected from any changes to the Federal Reserve interest rates. It is a safe investment as you get a guaranteed return on investment or if the property owner defaults payment, you may get deeded rights to a property, as it is a first priority claim. Tax liens are extremely affordable investments as they may be purchased for very less ranging between $200 and $30,000. The investor is not subject to landowner liabilities. If the investor of tax lien does not receive payments during the redemption period, he may initiate foreclosure proceeding on the property. The cost of the foreclosure proceedings is added to the redemption price.

Rental income properties are also a good investment for Interested Real Estate Investing. Many people invest in multi-tenant commercial units as they are highly profitable as the equity of the property steadily increases each year. If the owner is not too keen on managing the property he may hire the service of a management firm or opt for a triple net lease property.

The opportunities for Interested Real Estate Investing are boundless, so the more knowledgeable you are the better you are equipped to run a real estate investing business. Learn to identify opportunities and utilize them optimally.
Author Resource:- James Klobasa, once broke with no job and $20,000 in debt made a choice that changed his life forever. That choice was investing in Real Estate. With the founder of, The Little Building Co. you too, can learn at Real-Real Estate Investing
http://www.real-realestateinvesting.com/

Increase Sales By Letting eBay Shoppers See Your Whole Store

2007-07-08T17:26:00.000-07:00

Many people on eBay run online eBay stores. This is a unique option that allows people who sell multiple items on eBay to put them all together into a "store" concept. There are many eBay auction tools available to help people create a professional and user friendly eBay store, where they can effectively display their merchandise and increase their traffic and sales.

There are several online eBay auction tools available that increase your sales by letting eBay shoppers see your entire store from many different angles. Some of these tools include an auction spell checker, an auction ad creator, an eBay Smart Shopping tool, auction stores, and image hosting.

The auction spell checker is a useful eBay auction tool for any eBay auction store. This tool will check through your listing's description and catch any spelling and grammar mistakes that are present. You can make your eBay store look more professional by not having any typos or spelling mistakes. This is a very useful eBay auction tool.

An auction ad creator is one of the most essential eBay auction tools for any online store operator. With this eBay auction tool, you can create professional looking ads in no time. You do not need to know any HTML to create these ads with this tool. With eBay auction tools like the ad creator, you can add a payment link to your site, add pictures quickly, attract new customers, and it will make your eBay store look much more professional. It is easy enough for a new eBayer to use and advanced enough for an experienced eBayer.

eBay Smart Shopping Tool is something every eBay needs. It is the ideal eBay auction tool for the online store owner. This tool will save you a lot of time and money. This tool will help your shoppers with pricing, bidding, banner control and more. Your customers will know how much you care about their shopping experience in your store when they see that you have the eBay Smart Shopping Tool available.

Auction stores is another useful eBay auction tool. This is a directory of all the online eBay auction stores. This is a good tool to have so that you can easily be aware of what your competition is selling on eBay.

Finally, your images are an important part of your eBay store. Having an eBay auction tool to help you create and post high quality images is a very important factor to successful selling. So, you will want to have eBay auction tools that help you create very high quality images. Your first impression is the most important, so you will want to have very clear, crisp pictures.

There are several eBay auction tools available to eBay store owners. Some of the other tools available include checkout services, shipping tools, online auction forums, feedback capabilities, and an eBay calculator. These are just a few of the eBay auction tools that are available and very useful to the online store owner. They will enhance any online store and make it very presentable to all of its customers. It will also attract customers, increase traffic to your eBay auctions and increase your online auction sales.

In conclusion, you can increase sales by using these and other eBay auction tools. Tools such as these actually allow the visitor to see your store as a whole. They allow the customer to view your merchandise in a new light.

When the customer is able to see your merchandise completely, they will learn more about it and in the end will feel more comfortable purchasing from you. eBay auction tools are designed to make your store look very nice and professional.

eBay auctions tools help make your descriptions grammatically correct with no typos, your images clear, bright, and crisp, and allow for first class customer service. These are essential items to running a successful online eBay auction store. Most of these eBay auction tools and more are available in the eBay Solutions Directory.

Some of the tools can also be found online, via their websites or search engines. So, don't wait any longer. Get those useful auction tools and start increasing your sales by letting eBay shoppers see everything you have to offer.
Author Resource:- John Jackson serves as President of CrossPitch, a leading maker of Ebay seller solutions including the state-of-the-art CrossPitch Gallery. Ebay sellers interested in increasing revenues and cross-promoting their items while reducing fees can visit http://www.crosspitch.com

Buying The Right Kind Of Foreclosure Home

2007-07-08T17:25:00.002-07:00

The market for foreclosed homes has become immensely popular in recent times. You see people on TV, buying foreclosures and flipping homes and sometimes you might wonder if buying into the foreclosures market is right for you. A lot of people are now trying to get into this business because foreclosed homes are seen as a very good and affordable way of buying homes. Those who have not tried it may want to at least take a look. However, you need to know the different types of foreclosures and which ones would be right for the beginner and the first time investor.

In order to find the correct information, you must delve into it a little and see if it suits you. It is not as if there are no cons, no negatives, in the business. Like everything else in life, there are disadvantages you must look at. Most people, however, agree that the advantages in the foreclosure homes market outweigh the disadvantages. Pre-foreclosures are not really easy to find, but the ultimate rewards can be great. A pre-foreclosure is a home that is in the beginning of the foreclosure process or about to be foreclosed on.

There may be many reasons for foreclosure, like divorce or death in the family, the loss of a job or the sudden inability to go to work or any one of many such hardships. Most people in a pre-foreclosure want to save credit ratings and are willing to sell their homes fast and cheap. You can simply buy a list of homes in pre-foreclosure stage and then send out letters stating your interest in buying the home. Remember that these people are desperate to sell their homes and hopefully get something out of the deal. They are about to lose their homes and have to move, so do not take advantage of these people. Try your best to work out a deal that is good for both parties. Foreclosure properties can be bought at courthouse step auctions as well. But these are extremely difficult and best left to the professional real estate investors. Although an investor can often make substantial amounts of money with courthouse step auction foreclosures, the risks are equally high and it is not recommended for beginner foreclosure investors.

The main disadvantage of foreclosed or foreclosure-homes, is that they may need a fair amount of work done on them, before you can move in or flip the house. People who are in financial difficulty usually own foreclosed houses. This usually means that maintenance and upkeep might have suffered as well. Foreclosure homes generally need some repairs, a layer of new paint and some new carpets at the very least, to turn them into inhabitable and attractive residences or resalable investment properties. REO homes are great for beginning real estate investors and first time homebuyers who do not wish to invest a lot of time and money in repairs.

An REO is a home one that has already been foreclosed. The home did not sell at the courthouse step auction, so the lender asked a realtor to sell the home. These homes are then sold at five to ten percent below retail and make excellent first time real estate investments or homes. Getting a home inspection before making an offer will lower the risks of landing a really badly run down property.
Author Resource:- Do you need to Sell Your Home Fast? As Is Now will buy your house fast in any condition at a fair price. Smart home sellers use our services for a variety of reasons including to Stop Home Foreclosures and Estate Sales. Why hassle selling your home the traditional way? Discover more at our website http://www.asisnow.com

Using Auction Listing Software to Build Your eBay Fortune

2007-07-08T17:25:00.001-07:00

Founded in September 1995, eBay has become a powerful marketplace for the sale of goods and services by a passionate community of individuals and small businesses. eBay is an online auction house where anyone in the world can log on and buy or sell goods and services through an auction. However, in order to be successful with selling on eBay, every eBay seller must have the right eBay auction tools.

Auction listing software is essential to be successful as a seller on eBay. The auction listing tools can be a software package that you purchase or it can be found for free on the web. If you use a search engine, you will be able to find different auction listing tools and software. This article will discuss the features of auction listing software that is currently available.

eBay helps people trade and sell practically anything on the face of the earth. With an auction listing software program, you can monitor anything that you buy or sell. eBay was founded upon the belief that each of their customers, whether a buyer or seller, is an individual who deserves to be treated with respect. eBay continues to enhance the online trading experiences of all - collectors, hobbyists, dealers, small business, unique item seekers, bargain hunters, opportunistic sellers, and browsers.

The growth of the eBay community comes from meeting and exceeding the expectations of their customers. eBay is able to condense over four million items into thirteen main categories that are quite user friendly. They are easily navigated and buyers are able to find what they're looking for without any troubles. It truly is an online business that has been extremely successful.

Successful sellers on eBay always monitor what is going on with their site. They know exactly what actions are taking place on their site concerning bids, sales, and more. They stay updated on their eBay activity through the use of auction listing software. This program allows them to monitor all of the actions taking place with their posted auctions. Selling on eBay involves a lot of work and with the use of an auction listing software package, this hard work may not seem hard at all.

Auction listing software is a program that is able to successfully manage and monitor your auctions on eBay. Regardless of whether you are buying or selling on eBay, an auction listing software package is a nice tool to have. With auction listing software, bidders are notified instantly whenever they have been out-bid by another bidder.

This offers the bidders an option of knowing about the auction action and gives them the opportunity to respond in a timely fashion before the bidding period ends. Sellers can easily monitor how many bids have been made, the current selling price, the username of the highest bidder, and how much time is left before the end of the auction. Most auction listing software is set up to show the status of 200 items at one time.

You can increase your sales on eBay by using auction listing software. This is a very useful tool for both buyers and sellers alike. It is a tool that could easily build your eBay fortune because the more you know about what is going on with the auction, the more likely you are to be successful. This basic tool can help you organize your listings and monitor and manage all of your eBay activities regardless of rather you are a buyer or seller.

Most of the auction listing software packages that are available today are very user friendly. They are compatible with most computers and are a great way to monitor all of the actions taking place on your eBay site. You will never miss a beat if you use this type of software to enhance your eBay buying and selling experiences.

In conclusion, selling on eBay can be a fun and exciting experience for everyone. Both buyers and sellers alike are able to enhance their eBay experience through the use of auction listing software. Such programs help buyer and sellers to monitor all of the activities that take place on a particular auction. It is a great tool to use to monitor all of the actions taking place on a specific auction on eBay. So, no matter rather you are buying or selling on eBay, auction listing software is something that you must own.
Author Resource:- John Jackson serves as President of CrossPitch, a leading maker of Ebay seller solutions including the state-of-the-art CrossPitch Gallery. Ebay sellers interested in increasing revenues and cross-promoting their items while reducing fees can visit http://www.crosspitch.com

Using eBay Auction Software to Increase Your Sales

2007-07-08T17:25:00.000-07:00

When you are selling on eBay, you are listing many items, often with new things going online on a daily basis. Whether you are a power seller looking to increase your business or a part time seller looking for a bit more cash flow, you can achieve your goals with the aid of eBay auction software to help you.

Your goals are closer than you think, so if you are worried about your current sales figures, then perhaps you are simply not doing the research that could help you get them where you want them to be. There are many different kinds of auction software available, and one of them will surely help you solve the problems that you didn't even know you were facing. Some of these programs will help you to create better listings, and many will offer to help you track your current listings better than ever before.

If you are just starting out as an eBay seller, then you may need help to improve your listings. In addition to the many photos that you should be placing to showcase your items, graphics and other designs can help your listing look more professional and more interesting to buyers and potential bidders. If you are looking for a way to improve your listings, eBay listing software is the answer for you.

You can buy software that will help you to improve your listings, and it will pay for itself in no time with better sales, bigger profits, and more time saved for you to add additional items to your inventory or to spend as you see fit. Your listing software will help you to design a listing page, and will allow you to save your template for future use, meaning that your auction pages will look alike and will look much nicer as well, drawing potential buyers out of the woodwork and making them consider you as a real eBay retailer.

Once you have established your listings pages as professional and helpful to selling your items, you will need to track your sales from those listings. You can do this manually, but it takes time and effort to go through each and every one of your auctions and to confirm that every item was shipped on time and to the right address. Since this can be time consuming, consider using your eBay auction software to come to the rescue again.

There are plenty of types of eBay auction software out there to help you track your orders, and some will have more features than others or work better with your own way of doing things than others will. Check out the features of each before you settle on any one kind of eBay auction software, and make sure that it has all of the features that you want and need to keep your eBay business running smoothly and your online auction sales going well.

Your auction software will help you track everything from sales and buyers to whether your packages have shipped, and on what dates they were sent out if you use it correctly. Once your business is running smoothly, allowing you more time for listings and more time for profits, of course, it is time to get hard core about your auctions and listings with more eBay auction software.

Look for software that will help you track the sales of items like the ones that you sell, and you will be able to find out what he hottest sellers are selling and what kinds of prices they are getting for their own merchandise. With a lot of time and effort you could do this searching by hand, but with the right eBay auction software, you will save time and energy on market research and be able to run a better business because of it. The better you run your business, the more money you can make each week on the items that you sell on eBay, turning you from casual seller into a power seller on eBay.

There are many different kinds of eBay auction software, and each one has a different use to help you get your auctions making the best money for you. You will be able to list more items with the time that you save, and your market research will help you to sell only the most profitable merchandise available. Auction software for eBay can help you drive your profits through the roof, and will pay for themselves in cash value as well as in time saved.
Author Resource:- John Jackson serves as President of CrossPitch, a leading maker of Ebay seller solutions including the state-of-the-art CrossPitch Gallery. Ebay sellers interested in increasing revenues and cross-promoting their items while reducing fees can visit http://www.crosspitch.com

Finding and Using eBay Auction Listing Software

2007-07-08T17:23:00.000-07:00

If you are planning on becoming an eBay power seller, or even if you are just looking to make a little extra money on the side, you will want to spice up your auction listings. Adding pictures is almost necessary in the modern market with most auctions now coming complete with full galleries of images. In addition, these auction listings are likely not just a few lines of text describing the item. Many successful sellers on eBay use stunning sales pages that highlight their item as well as their own professionalism.

These pages are full layouts with colors and graphics that are designed to grab the attention of potential buyers for the item in question as well as possibly directing them toward other items that they offer which the buyer might also be interested in. These pages look highly professional and showcase items to a much greater degree, attracting that much more interest from potential buyers.

You do not have to be a professional web designer to get these incredible pages anymore! The use of auction listing software can be a great way to make your pages look incredible and get your sales up quickly and easily. These software programs will help you design an ideal auction page for your items, and will help you by providing the code that you need to add to eBay to list your item and get it out there for people to see.

You will love the easy templates and the way that this software is designed to work with beginners and experienced auctioneers alike. You will be able to create incredible auction pages, and the template will be saved for the next time that you have a similar item to auction, making this the ideal way to list your items on eBay or on any other auction site.

There is free software available for trial and download online that helps to create auction web pages, however you will often find that you get what you pay for. Free software can tend toward being buggy or might include spyware or other harmful elements that are designed to infiltrate your computer in exchange for your free software. Some free programs might even be designed to steal your eBay user ID and password or other information, so be extra careful when using anything that is available at no cost.

If you are planning on paying for any auction listing software, look at all of the features that they list for you before you buy. You want to know exactly what you are getting and how you can use it before you decide where to spend your money. Auction listing software can be a great boost to your eBay business, but only if used correctly and only if you have the options that you want to use for your particular listings.

If you are looking for other kinds of auction listing software, you can find that as well. Find software that will monitor your eBay listings for you to help you watch for high sales items, items that need a boost, and even monitor who is bidding on what, and how much they are willing to pay for your items. This can help you keep greater track of your items and help you to keep your listings and shipments running smoothly as well.

Your eBay auction listing software can be just the solution you need to get your internet auctions up and running and keep your sales high. Interest will soar as soon as the look of your page improves, and people will begin to envision purchasing things from a storefront or warehouse rather than thinking that they are buying something from out of your living room.

The degree of professionalism that you display should match the web page listing that you create, making your business seem just as serious as it really is. Whether you are listing items occasionally to make some extra money or you are working to become a hard core eBay seller, you will want to have the tools at your fingertips to make a great listing page for your items and attract the most business and the most bidders possible.

eBay auction listing software can bring you the edge that you need to take your sales from ho hum to stellar in no time, and the effort that it takes to create your pages will diminish to almost nothing over time. This software pays for itself in an amazingly short period of time, and you will find that your sales just keep growing.
Author Resource:- John Jackson serves as President of CrossPitch, a leading maker of Ebay seller solutions including the state-of-the-art CrossPitch Gallery. Ebay sellers interested in increasing revenues and cross-promoting their items while reducing fees can visit http://www.crosspitch.com

AUCTION TIP: A Basic eBay Listing Template

2007-07-08T07:54:00.001-07:00

by: Chuck Smith
The following article pertains to anyone who is looking to
start an online auction business on eBay. Please feel free
to use it for your ezine, web site, or any other electronic
or print publication, with the following exception:

You may NOT use this article in any form of spam.

I only ask that you:

1. do not add or delete anything from the article
2. include the resource box at the end
3. notify me (csmith@auctionrookie.com) you are using it

Synopsis
--------

A good auction listing must not only read well, but
must look professional. Here’s a quick, easy template
anyone to make their listing more professional

Word count according to Microsoft Word: 728 including
title, byline, and contact info.

Thanks,

Chuck
www.auctionrookie.com
mailto:csmith@auctionrookie.com

============================================================

AUCTION TIP: A Basic eBay Listing Template

by Chuck Smith

Do you know what drives me nuts on eBay? When I view an
item up for auction and the listing has no style whatsoever.
There’s just a long scroll of text that gives only the
briefest explanation of what the product is and why I
should buy it.

Writing a good auction listing is a topic for another
article, but I can help those of you who want to spice up
the look of your auction listings with a simple template
that will work in the eBay “Sell an Item” system.

First, I want to go over a couple of HTML “tags” so you
know what all the funky little letters in the brackets
(< >) are for. But don’t worry – I’m not going to try
and teach you HTML. I just want to show you a little
to keep you from messing up your listing.

First, an HTML TAG is just a quick way for you to let
a Web browser know how you want your web page to look
like when it is displayed in your Web browser. That’s it.

======================== HTML TAGS =========================

HEADING TAG: This tag designates that the text is a heading
and should be larger than the page text. You can designate
different sizes of headings (I use heading2 below - ).

FORMAT: Starts with and ends with

PARAGRAPH TAG: This tag lets you format a block of text,
complete with a break in between paragraphs. The break is
always there, and you cannot start a new paragraph on the
very next line.

FORMAT: Starts with

and ends with

LINE BREAK TAG: This tag is like a carriage return on your
word processor or typewriter. This tag will allow you to
start on the very next line. NOTE: You cannot use more
than one Line Break Tag in a row – HTML ignores them.

FORMAT: Put a
at the end of the line

BULLETTED LIST: This will allow you to create a nice list
of items with bullets in front. Great for showing off
some features, since people tend to skim pages.

FORMAT: Start the list with

and end with

# Each list item gets a in front of it

======================== HTML TAGS =========================

That’s it for the HTML tutorial. That wasn’t so bad, was
it? Now, here’s a quick template you can use to spice up
your eBay listings. Just cut and paste the text below
(in between the “CUT HERE” lines) into the Notepad program
on your PC (located under “All Programs > Accessories” in
the Start menu) and edit the information in ALL CAPS.

++++++++++++++++++++++++ CUT HERE ++++++++++++++++++++++++

YOUR INTERESTING HEADLINE

AN INTERESTING SUBHEAD

HERE, YOU CAN EXPLAIN THE MAIN BENEFITS OF THE ITEM.
MAKE IT A COMPLETE DESCRIPTION (2 – 3 SENTENCES).

ANOTHER BENEFIT PARAGRAPH.

SOME FEATURES IN A BULLETTED LIST:

* FEATURE 1

* FEATURE 2

* FEATURE 3

* FEATURE 4

USE THIS PARAGRAPH TO WRAP-UP. YOU CAN STATE THE PRICE
OF THE ITEM IF THEY BOUGHT IT IN THE STORE (I.E. I SAW
THIS PRODUCT FOR $97 AT THE LOCAL STORE). YOU CAN ALSO PUT
IN SOME CLOSING COMMENTS (I LIKE THIS ITEM, BUT I DON'T
HAVE ANY MORE ROOM IN MY BASEMENT).

PAYMENT TERMS: PUT YOUR PAYMENT METHODS HERE.

P.S. ADD YOUR ABOUT ME PAGE HERE
About Me

Thank you!

++++++++++++++++++++++++ CUT HERE ++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Once you’ve changed the text and saved it from Notepad,
just copy all of the text and paste it into the listing
window on eBay. This will be the “Item description”
form that comes up after you’ve picked a category. You can
preview the description by clicking on the “Preview Page”
link below the window. If you’ve done everything correctly,
it should look great!

By using this simple template, you can immediately vault
the professionalism of your listings above and beyond what
a lot of eBay-ers are putting out there right now. And
that can result in more sales, at a greater price, for your
online auction business.

About the Author:

Chuck Smith is the creator of the Auction Rookie web site.
This site is dedicated to helping people start and run
a successful online auction business. Visit his site to
get a free report on “How to Get Started Selling on eBay.”
http://www.auctionrookie.com or
mailto:csmith@auctionrookie.com

-------------------------------------------

Auction Rookie – Tools and Tips for Online Auction Success
Visit http://www.auctionrookie.com for a FREE report on
“How to Get Started Selling on eBay.”
Comments or Questions? mailto:csmith@auctionrookie.com
(c) Copyright 2003, Chuck Smith. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

About the Author

Chuck Smith is the creator of the Auction Rookie web site. This site is dedicated to helping people start and run a successful online auction business. Visit his site to get a free report on “How to Get Started Selling on eBay.”
http://www.auctionrookie.com or
mailto:csmith@auctionrookie.com

Used Car Auctions: Do's and Dont's

2007-07-08T07:53:00.000-07:00

by: Thomas H. Miller

This is Part 1 of a 4 part series on how to buy a car at an auction

So you are looking for a car or truck, but you're tired of running around town and finding other people selling their "headaches" through the local classifieds, or dealers offering "cream-puffs" for inflated retail prices. All you want is a good vehicle for a good price. Period. Does such a deal exist? Yes, indeed! Repossession auctions are becoming more and more popular across the country. I have been attending them for over 20 years, and have purchased many cars and trucks at bargain prices - everything from a brand new car (still with the window sticker on it and 3 miles on the odometer) for $1,100 below the sticker price, to a conversion van with 99,000 miles on it. Both of these vehicles are still in the family and running strong.

1. What I'd like to do here is share my experiences with you, and give you some tips on how you, too, can find these bargains.

First of all, how do you find the auctions? Your local paper is a good place to start. Many banks and other financial institutions (such as GMAC) list the times and places of their auctions in Sunday papers under "Auctions" or "Cars for Sale". Also, if there is a "legal publication" in your area, that publishes court proceedings, bankruptcy notices, etc., this is another source for repossession auto auction notifications. One other way to find them is to call your local banks and ask for the Installment Loan Department. They should be able to provide you with details on their particular auctions. Many even have regular mailing lists, where they will automatically send you a notification of their auction and even a listing of what vehicles will be included. While some institutions restrict their auctions to dealers only, most will allow the public to attend and bid. Once you have found an auction, be sure to get all the details BEFORE you go. You'll need to know if there are any minimum bid requirements, what type of payment they need, and what type of paperwork they provide to the purchasers. Many auctions will sell everything to the highest bidder, no matter how low the bid is. Still others may have a minimum bid they must get, or they "buy back" the car and save it for the next auction. Most institutions retain the right to bid, so be aware that you may be not only be bidding against other people interested in the vehicle, but also against the auctioneer!

While most auctions will publish their requirements for payment along with the auction notification, DON'T assume that that's all there is to it. Find out if they expect cash only, certified checks or personal checks. Also, many require full payment immediately after the sale, while others may require a non-refundable deposit with the balance due in a few days. All too often I have seen people make costly errors at auctions because they didn't understand these payment rules.

In this day and age of red tape, titles, liens, etc., the paperwork an institution provides is as important as anything else. In New York State, for example, if the institution sells the vehicle with "as-is" marked on the bill of sale, you may encounter a legal nightmare that involves a major full-vehicle inspection and an 8 to 10 week wait for a title search and registration procedure that will prevent you from putting the vehicle on the road for months. It is imperative, therefore, that you find out specifically what paperwork the institution will give you when you purchase a vehicle through their auction. If you plan on registering the car right away, tell them that and make sure you are satisfied that they will give you what you need. If in doubt, contact your local Motor Vehicle office ahead of time to insure that you'll be able to proceed with what the institution will be giving you. Laws vary dramatically from state to state. Above all, make sure that all liens have been satisfied before you purchase a repossessed vehicle. Most banks and financial institutions will give you some type of form to verify this.

OK... now you've found the auction and understand the rules and requirements. The next step is finding the vehicle that fits your needs. In order to know what the vehicle's value is before you bid on it, you'll need a good resource of wholesale and retail pricing. One good source is the NADA "Blue Book". This book lists cars and light trucks by manufacturer and body style, giving you the current average wholesale and retail for each. I have used a book called "Edmund's Used Car Prices" for the past 15 years or so, and found them to be a very reliable source. Like the NADA book, it lists the cars and light trucks by manufacturer and year (usually the past 7 model years), and provides the vehicle's original list price, current average wholesale and retail. It also provides you with a list of popular options, and what they add to the value of the car or truck. There's plenty of details in the book which I won't go into here. Just make sure you read the "How to Use This Book" section thoroughly before you start using it. Options such as air conditioning, power steering and brakes and type of transmission may dramatically affect the value of the vehicle. Also, excessive mileage for that particular year car or truck will affect the value. So, read the book and know how to use it BEFORE you get to the auction.

Visit my site at www.helpmebuyacar.bravehost.com

Affordable Online Car Auctions

2007-07-08T07:52:00.002-07:00

by: Kathy Jones
Still hunting for the car of your dreams? Public car auctions online are becoming a happy hunting ground for car aficionados for they bring you a huge selection of affordable cars in various models at unbelievable prices.
With online car auctions you can buy a new car at prices, which are quite less than the manufacturer’s price in the retail showroom. You can buy a car at price that you can afford. Automobile auctions have car prices which are among the most affordable and there are all kinds of options available to suit every kind of budget.
For instance, you can find all kinds of auto auctions online - from recreational vehicle auctions to buying used cars on line. Buying used cars online is a win-win situation for you for you can find cars that are practically new in their look and feel but have prices far less than the new ones. Some of the vehicles listed in internet vehicle auctions are still under factory warranty.
Internet auto auctions is open to the people residing anywhere. Online auto bidding auctions include quality vehicles, used luxury and economy cars and even online auctions for car parts and accessories

If you are on the hunt to buy your dream car, visit Auctions4Wheels.com < http://www.auctions4wheels.com/index.php > for some truly affordable online car auctions. Registration is FREE with this auction site. You can choose to place a bid and if successful you will receive a confirmation message. If your bid fails to outbid the current high bidder you will be offered the option to place a higher bid.

Use Auction Templates For eBay Success!

2007-07-08T07:52:00.001-07:00

by: Sydney Johnston

Auction templates are simply a must for successful online auction selling. One day I spent approximately 45 minutes writing a listing for an item that would make me about $5 in profit! I suddenly realized the stupidity of what I was doing. Here I was scheming and plotting to become a net millionaire - and I could work at WalMart and make more money than this!

It seems as though you are selling products on eBay, but really you're not. What you have to sell is:

* Your time
* Your knowledge

And you must maximize the use of your time, rather than spend it constantly writing listings. The best way to do this, of course, is with a template. A template is a pattern that you can use again and again, without having to write news listings every time you have an eBay auction.

Here is an example of a template that I used when I was selling ready-made websites on eBay:

http://auction-genius-course.com/listings/template2.shtml

I only had to make a few changes on the page, such as ...

* The picture at the top left
* The website name
* The appraised value

... and my auction was ready to list. Time spent: under five minutes!

Personally, I make my own templates, but if you do not want to do likewise, you might consider eBay's management service which offers templates as part of its package.

http://pages.ebay.com/sell/tools.html

Naturally, there are many off-eBay auction templates as well.

Free template sources:
http://auctionsupplies.com/templates

http://nucite.com/templates

http://web.thenetter.com/free_templates_and_graphics.html

http://www.firstauction.com/template/template_generator_others.htm

http://www.antique-central.com/tips1.html

http://auctioninsights.com/practice/auction-template.html

http://desacs.com/downloadtemplates/auctiontemplates.htm

http://woowoodesigns.com/collection1.html

Paid template sources:

http://www.auctiontemplatecentral.com

http://www.auction-resources.com/templates.html

http://www.pc-limited.com/ebay.html

http://www.auction-lizard.com/lizard

http://zoovy.com

Without auction templates my eBay success would have been much less than it is. If you are selling the same items repeatedly, you must use templates or you will waste far too much time in repetitious, tedious tasks. Success isn't about killing yourself working 20 hour days, but about managing your time to make maximum profits.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sydney Johnston, the AUCTION QUEEN, was one of the original sellers on eBay and has been selling on eBay since the winter of 1996. She is the originator and teacher of the famous Auction Genius Course, a powerful 16 hour multi media seminar on the Internet that teaches her students how to sell on ebay.