Month: September 2023

Business

How to Avoid Common Frauds in Real Estate

Rita Gray

Real Estate

Real Estate is an asset class that delivers stable income streams and capital gains. It also provides tax benefits and has a low-to-negative correlation with other major asset classes.

Real estate consists of land and its permanent attachments, including natural resources such as growing crops, minerals, or water. It excludes personal property such as appliances and mineral rights under the land. Check out https://scamrisk.com/ for more information.

Definition

For millions of people, real estate in the form of their homes is their largest investment and the single most valuable asset they will ever own. The real estate industry is a vital component of any nation’s economy. It provides employment in fields like home improvement, development, construction, lending, insurance and brokerage. The real estate market is a leading indicator of the economy and can dramatically impact individual families’ financial well-being.

Technically, real estate is land plus anything that is fixed, immovable and permanently attached to the property like buildings, roads and utility systems. Land with any of these structures is referred to as improved, while land without them is referred to as unimproved. This can be a residential property, such as a house or condo; commercial property, such as offices, malls and warehouses; or industrial property.

Real estate is also a type of personal property, but it’s different from the typical car or jewelry that many people own. Real estate is an asset that can be inherited or passed down from generation to generation, and it has the ability to appreciate in value over time. For this reason, it’s often seen as a great way to diversify a person’s portfolio and to take advantage of certain tax laws.

There are several types of real estate, including commercial, industrial and raw land. Residential real estate refers to any property that’s primarily intended for human habitation, such as houses and condos. Commercial real estate has a business use and focus, and it can be owner-occupied or leased out to businesses. Industrial real estate is a subset of commercial real estate and encompasses property used for manufacturing, warehousing or other business-related activities.

Types

Real estate is divided into several different categories, based on what it can be used for. The main categories are residential, commercial and industrial. Residential real estate is land and buildings that are primarily zoned for housing. This category includes everything from single-family homes to multifamily dwellings like duplexes and quadruplexes. It also includes portable dwellings like houseboats.

The second general category is commercial, which encompasses properties that are primarily used for business purposes. This category can include retail spaces such as malls and individual stores, offices and apartment buildings that generate income for their owners. It can also include warehouses that store and distribute products.

Finally, there is industrial property, which covers buildings and land used for manufacturing purposes. This can include factories, workshops and even large warehouses that serve as distribution centers.

Real estate investments can be made as either buy-and-hold assets or active management assets. The former includes long term rents and vacation rentals while the latter involves acquiring properties and adding value to them in order to sell them at a higher value. Many investors also engage in the practice of flipping, which is when they acquire a property and quickly renovate it in order to turn a profit.

While all types of real estate are affected by the local economy and zoning laws, the type of real estate that has the most potential is undeveloped or vacant land. Developers often purchase land and combine it with other property in order to increase its density and overall value. Vacant or undeveloped land that is in the path of future development is often considered prime real estate because of its high chance of increasing in value as more people move to the area.

Due Diligence

Whether the real estate is residential or commercial, due diligence is a critical part of any real estate transaction. This process involves thoroughly investigating a property and examining its financial stability, both before and after the sale. It is an important way to avoid costly and time-consuming issues that could arise after the purchase of a property.

This process may include speaking with local home insurance companies to find out what it would cost to insure the property, as well as determining if there are any liens or legal disputes involving the property. It also involves checking with city officials to see if the property meets zoning requirements for the type of use it is intended.

If a buyer discovers something during the due diligence period that is material, they can ask the seller to fix it or terminate the contract and receive a full refund of their earnest money deposit. This is why it is important to negotiate a reasonable due diligence period in the purchase contract.

In the case of commercial real estate, the due diligence process may be much more extensive. Depending on the scope of the transaction, it can involve an examination of the building’s structural integrity, a review of past renovations and a determination of the suitability of the space for the purchaser’s intended purpose. In some cases, raw land may require a more extensive evaluation by site engineers and planners to ensure that the future development complies with zoning requirements.

Performing due diligence is the only way to make sure that you are purchasing a property that will provide you with the expected returns on investment. Without this important step, you run the risk of making a bad investment that will ultimately be costly to you in both your time and money.

Scams

Real estate can be a lucrative business. However, as with any industry that involves large sums of money, fraudsters are likely to find ways to take advantage of unsuspecting victims. Whether you are a professional real estate investor or just starting out, it is important to know the common scams in real estate to avoid them.

One of the most prevalent real estate scams involves wire fraud. Criminals impersonate the buyer or seller and request that the funds be sent to an illegitimate account. They do this by hacking into the buyer or seller’s email and sending phishing emails to other parties involved in the transaction, such as the title company or the lawyer. These emails contain information that reroutes the payment to the fraudster’s account.

Another common real estate scam involves bogus rental properties. Criminals will post a property listing that doesn’t exist and then collect security deposits and other fees from unsuspecting victims. They may even rent the property out to a tenant without ever owning it. The criminals then disappear with the money and the victim is left out of pocket.

Local real estate associations are warning their members about a new type of real estate scam that has been hitting the market. This latest trick involves fraudsters contacting real estate agents and posing as owners to list vacant lots and homes for sale. Once the property is listed, it can be sold before the real estate owner knows about it and the scammers can make off with thousands of dollars.

Lastly, scammers can use fake photos and videos to trick would-be buyers into believing that they are viewing a property in person. A savvy buyer or seller will always ask for proof of identity before agreeing to any transactions and never send any money to an unknown account. They should also insist on seeing the property in person before sending any funds, especially if they are asked to pay a deposit.

Marketing

There are many different ways to market in the real estate industry, and it’s important to find the right mix for your business. Some brokers and agents focus on digital marketing strategies, while others use traditional methods like postcards and direct mail. Whatever your goals, it’s essential to identify them and set measurable milestones. This will help you determine how well your strategy is working and if it needs to be tweaked.

Using email campaigns is another effective way to nurture leads and maintain relationships with existing clients. Personalized outreach messages can be used to share advice, important announcements (like open house dates) and branded content that’s relevant to your audience. Additionally, email marketing can be used to drive traffic to your website and attract potential buyers or tenants.

Real estate content marketing involves creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and informative blog posts, articles, and infographics to establish your expertise and attract organic traffic. This is an excellent way to showcase your unique selling points and build trust with potential buyers or tenants. Additionally, real estate agents can also host webinars to educate their audiences about specific markets or types of properties.

Commercial real estate agents can also leverage performance-based advertising campaigns on social media platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook. These Ads are highly-targeted and allow you to select who, when, and where your message is displayed. For example, if you’re selling or leasing life science properties in a certain geographic area, you can target C-level executives in the bioscience industry with an Ad that’s shown on their desktop, mobile device, or in their LinkedIn news feed.

Many real estate businesses attend local and national events to network with other professionals, build relationships, and learn more about market trends. While these events can be a great source of lead generation, they can also be time-consuming and costly.

Clothing Company

Fashion Trends for Spring

Otto Soto

clothing design

Clothing design is a fun and creative way to express yourself. Inspiration can come from many places, including visual art, something you want but can’t find in stores, or combining current styles to make new looks.

Outlining a person for each sketch can be difficult, so most designers use a figure template (called a croquis) to help them draw with proper proportion. Then comes pattern making, a necessary step that can be done manually or digitally.

Trending for Spring/Summer 2019

The spring runways gave us a glimpse into the trends that will fill your closet in warmer weather. Whether it’s a new take on a silhouette you love, a trend revival you never expected, or a cool new color palette to fall for, these fashion trends will refresh your wardrobe and prepare you for summer.

The sartorial theme that ran through the shows was one of escapism. From Wes Gordon’s orange twinset at Carolina Herrera to Altuzarra’s laid-back crochet dressing and Paco Rabanne’s sophisticated Balearic style, the spring 2019 season was full of styles that made you want to jet away.

Plaids, stripes and checks were big for AW18 and it looks like they’ll be bigger still for spring. From the more refined plaid blazers at Off-White to the rainbow striped playsuit at Paco Rabanne, plaid is an easy way to add pattern to your look.

Another print that’s taking a fresh spin is tie dye. While it’s often associated with surf bums and ageing hippies, the psychedelic swirls went from far out to totally in at the end of 2018, thanks to the likes of Dior and Stella McCartney. This summer, the tees and dresses you’ll see everywhere will be more luxe than your mom’s old ones, with embellishments and lace adding a more sophisticated edge to this unexpected style MVP.

Clashing prints is also a major trend for this season. From polka dots over checked shirts to animal print dresses paired with a striped blazer, this is a trend that’s destined for the bold and brave, so don’t be afraid to try it out.

If you’re not into clashing patterns, there’s another print to try this season that’s just as big: grown-up neon. This eighties takeaway has been given a more mature renovation by designers such as Ashish, Emilia Wickstead and Natasha Zinko. At Emporio Armani, it’s even worked into the all-in-one power suit trend we saw on the runway.

Cut-Outs

With celebrities like Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner promoting cut-out dresses, the trend has reached an all-time high. Whether it’s circles, thigh-high slits or even pelvic cutouts, the peekaboo design has sparked a fascination among fashion fans. But despite its sexy appeal, the cut-out has more to offer than mere sensuality. It can also symbolize the desire for self-expression and the rejection of rigid body standards.

Although cut-outs have been a prevalent fashion trend for the past couple of years, they made a comeback with more vigor this season on both the runways and streets. According to F-Trend’s analysis, this trend has seen a more than 8% rise compared to the past five catwalk seasons.

A variety of designers incorporated this sexy style into their collections, including Off-White ™, which paid tribute to Virgil Abloh with repeated holes in knitwear pieces. Peter Do reworked this concept with wide-legged jeans, and MSGM used star-shaped cutouts on hoodies and tees. Yoon from AMBUSH opted for a more creative aesthetic with her heart-shaped cutouts on animal print pants.

But it’s the younger generation of designers who are embracing this sexy trend with a more progressive mindset. Karoline Vitto designs with a focus on showing natural body curves and shapes instead of concealing them. Sinead O’Dwyer, on the other hand, refuses to follow the common workflow by starting with a standard model size. She believes that every body is unique and that it’s a designer’s job to make clothes for all kinds of bodies.

Denim

Denim is a sturdy cotton twill fabric that is usually blue in color but can be dyed any color. It is created by weaving horizontal threads of cotton (known as the weft) through vertical threads of cotton (known as the warp). The result is a rugged and strong fabric that is known for its distinctive diagonal parallel lines, also called ribbing.

The name ‘denim’ comes from a French town, Nimes, where the fabric was first created. It was originally created as a heavy serge fabric, and named ‘serge de Nimes’ or’serge from Nimes’. The weavers who created it tried to reproduce cotton corduroy, but they failed, and instead came up with the enduring fabric that we know as denim today.

When it comes to designing jeans, there are several things to keep in mind. First, the fabric must be thick enough to hold up against wear and tear. It must also be tightly woven to prevent stretch and shrinkage. It’s also important to use fabrics that are sustainable and ethically produced, since the manufacturing process for denim can be quite toxic for human workers.

It’s also crucial to design jeans with a good fit. To ensure this, it’s necessary to test the pattern by sewing up a sample in shell form with muslin or calico before the final product is sewn up. Once the prototype is tested, it’s time to move on to the next stage of the design process. This involves sketching the style on a figure template, called a croquis, to ensure accurate proportion and depiction of movement. This is an essential step, and one that I never skip! Once the sketches are refined it’s time to create a sewing pattern.

Geometric Prints

Geometric prints are all the rage this spring. Triangles, octagons, and trapezoids may have seemed uncool in geometry class, but they’re totally hip on a floral or polka dot print dress. Designers have taken this pattern trend to the next level, incorporating angular shapes into pieces that modernize gingham and plaid patterns. For example, MSGM incorporated rhombus shapes into its sweaters for a fresh take on the classic argyle pattern. And Alberta Ferretti and Philosophy used rectangular patterns in a similar manner to modernize tartan prints.

Another way to implement geometric designs is to use them as borders. This is an easy way to add structure and complexity to a piece without sacrificing the overall style of your design. To make a border even more eye-catching, try using a contrasting color scheme to break up the shape and create an illusion of depth. This technique is also useful for separating the different sections of a piece of clothing.

You can also use a geometric pattern as the background for a text box or header image. Or you can create a more organic look by adding a textured effect. To do this, overlay a geometric pattern over a photo. Then use a gradient to create a color palette that works well with the patterns.

If you’re looking for ways to incorporate geometric patterns into your designs, check out our Geometric Pattern Bundle. It’s a collection of high-quality, commercially licensable vector patterns that can be used in a variety of applications. Plus, they come in a range of colors so you can find the perfect one to suit your style.

Bold Back Prints

Reclaiming the space often left unused on the back of clothing, this season’s bold back prints showcase larger designs than those seen on the front of a garment. From a swirling paisley fit for a garden picnic to a tropical floral that speaks to summer vacations, playful patterns are quintessential to warm weather styles.

If you’re not quite ready to dive into a bold print dress, try adding denim or another layering piece to take the oomph off the look for a more casual style. Also, remember that a bold color doesn’t always mean a bold print. For example, the red and white floral dresses in this trend feature more red than white (like a polka dot or pinstripe). This helps the overall pattern feel subtle.