Money Making Schemes

Nagesh answers:

Yes, there are several of them, and you can find them on the web. (Normally the “Do-it-yourself” companies charge a fee up-front of anywhere from $500 – $1500, and this does not include any commission for the buyer’s agent.)

That being said, one of the things you should do if you’re going to sell your own property is have a quick talk with your lawyer. Ask him/her if he/she is familiar with real estate law and real estate contracts.

Lots of folks do well selling property on their own, but remember that potential buyers will want to get a lower price because you aren’t having to pay an agent.

Additionally, there are folks that look for “For Sale By Owner” properties because they know that the seller doesn’t have that much experience in selling and may not recognize some of the pitfalls. One favorite scheme I’ve seen is to tie up the property with a sales contract, then hold things up (with various excuses) for months.

If the market then takes an upturn, the “buyer” completes the deal on the now-underpriced property and flips it. If the market drops, the “buyer” backs out, and under most state’s rules, there is little that the seller can do to even keep the earnest money.

Real estate commissions in my area run between 4.5 and 7 percent, depending on the property (bare land can go as high as 10 percent – it’s a lot more work and the prices are lower). Most of the time, folks find that it’s worth it to pay the commission, but some folks make out well on their own. Remember, however, that in any transaction where there is that much money and value, there are unscrupulous people trying to take advantage.

If you do eventually sign on with an agent (and most FSBOs do), I recommend that you interview several and ask about their qualifications.

DON’T just go with the one that quotes the highest price, as there is a tactic in this industry called “buying the listing” where the agent quotes a high price, gets you to sign a long listing agreement, then gets you to lower the price because “the market changed” or “the feedback I’m getting from buyers is that we’re priced too high”.

Sometimes those things actually happen, but if one agent gives you a price significantly higher than any other, it’s a warning sign.

Nagesh answers:

I can tell you about what I did to make money from home. I have two children and really didn’t want to work outside of the home, but having some extra money was something that I wanted. I decided to do some reading.

Gracious, are there ever some get rich quick schemes out there. I read about all of them over the course of two months. Nothing I saw really intrigued me until I read about Site Build It.

What is that all about?

Creating your own web site. My site is about resume writing. I know a lot about it and I have worked in the field before (for years), so writing about it is almost second nature.

I’ll list my web site below and if you want more information, click on the “My Passion” button on my site or click on the “Contact Us” button and ask me any questions you want.

Some people who have their own sites make a whole lot more than I do. I happen to have created a web site in a very competitive field. My next site will be more focused on a tighter niche as those tend to make a lot more money.

Anyway, it has worked for thousands of people and it’s now working for me.

I’ll include one other link so that you can read about other people’s stories. One young lady started building her site when she was a teenager and has completely financed her way through college with just one web site.

My site won’t do that anytime soon, but I like what I have built so far. 🙂

Good luck with whatever you choose to do.

Nagesh answers:

They’re all just pyramid scheme variations. If you get in early, you may make a little money. After that, you’re screwed

Nagesh answers:

Trump would most certainly tell you the real estate business is the best choice. All you need is an office from which to conduct your business -or even your kitchen table will work. If money’s short, then rent your garage out, or build a garage and rent that out. You’d be surprised how many people make good money renting garages -and how many people are looking to rent them. Or get together with some other investors and buy a distressed property, fix it up, and rent that out.

Otherwise, consider the moving business. Trust me, plenty of people WILL be moving. Get an old pick up or van, or even a trailer, and advertise to move furniture, haul trash, etc. A friend of mine turned an easy 3 bills a week moving couches, appliances, etc, for people. Cash money, very little investment. If the load is too much or too big for you, arrange with someone who has the muscle and equipment to do the job -and collect a commission.

Martha’s advice would probably be similar.

Neither would tell you to fall for the various cams and schemes -such as data entry at home or selling “methods” to others.

Paid surveys? Forget it. I DID paid surveys and the pay is very little and not very often. I think I made about $10 a month and spent HUNDREDS of hours.

Nagesh answers:

1. Do what you need to do for you.

Everyone has personal needs, whether it’s going to the gym after work or taking some alone time on Saturday morning. If someone asks you to do something and your instinct is to honor you own need, do that. I’m not saying you can’t make sacrifices sometimes, but it’s important to make a habit of taking care of yourself. (More on this: 10 Ways to Balance Self Interest & Sacrifice).

Someone once told me people are like glasses of water. If you don’t do what you have to do to keep your glass full, you’ll need to take it from someone else–which leaves them half full. Fill your own glass so you can feel whole and complete in your relationships.

2. Give people the benefit of the doubt.

It’s tempting to doubt people. To assume your boyfriend meant to hurt you by not inviting you out with his friends, or your friend meant to make you feel inadequate by flaunting her money. People who care about you want you to feel happy, even if sometimes they get too wrapped up in their own problems to show it well.

Sometimes they may be hurtful and mean it–let’s not pretend we’re all angels. But that won’t be the norm. It will likely be when they’re hurting and don’t know what to do with it. Odds are they’ll feel bad and apologize later. If you want to get good will, share it by seeing the best in the people you love. When you assume the best you often inspire it.

3. Look at yourself for the problem first.

When you feel unhappy with yourself, it’s easy to find something wrong in a relationship. If you blame another person for what you’re feeling, the solution is on them. But this is actually faulty logic. For starters, it gives them all the control. And secondly, it usually doesn’t solve the problem since you didn’t actually address the root cause.

Next time you feel the need to blame someone for your feelings–something they did or should have done–ask yourself if there’s something else going on. You may find there’s something underlying: something you did or should have done for you. Take responsibility for the problem and you have power to create a solution.

4. Be mindful of projecting.

In psychology, projecting refers to denying your own traits and then ascribing them to the outside world or other people. For example, if you’re not a loyal and trusting friend, you may assume your friends are all out to get you. It’s a defense mechanism that allows you to avoid the discomfort of acknowledging your weaknesses. There’s no faster way to put a rift in your relationships.

This comes back to down to self awareness, and it’s hard work. Acknowledging your flaws isn’t fun; but if you don’t, you’ll continue seeing them in everyone around you. And you’ll continue to hurt. Next time you see something negative in someone else, ask yourself if it’s true for you. It might not be–but if it is, identifying it can help create peace in that relationship.

5. Choose your battles.

Everyone knows someone who makes everything a fight. If you question them about something, you can expect an argument. If you comment on something they did, you’ll probably get yelled at. Even a compliment could create a confrontation. Some people just like to fight–maybe to channel negativity they’re carrying around about the world or themselves.

On the one hand, you have to tell people when there’s something bothering you. That’s the only way to address problems. On the other hand, you don’t have to let everything bother you. When I’m not sure if I need to bring something up, I ask myself these few questions:

Does this happen often and leave me feeling bad?
Does this really matter in the grand scheme of things?
Can I empathize with their feelings instead of dwelling on my insecurity?