Due diligence is an essential step in real estate investment. After selecting the property type and geographic location, the investor needs to ascertain he has accurate information regarding the physical asset, financial performance, tenant base and future prospects for the subject property. Due diligence helps the investor accomplish those tasks. Due diligence can provide in-depth data and insights for these areas and mitigate the risk of a real...more
Truly Great Leaders expect maximum productivity from everyone!In High Performance Teams absenteeism is very low, productivity is high, and people are busy doing what they should be doing to contribute, they are entirely relaxed about the leader and see him or her as part of the team, rather than the Commander.Dictatorial leadership, or assuming the role of the Commander, usually leads to development of a blame culture.A blame culture is where...more
All project management is risk management (Eric Verzuh)Risk management is an essential activity in any project or organisation. Risk is defined by M_o_R (Management of Risk, the OGC risk management methodology) as uncertainty of outcome. A risk manager is concerned with managing the risks (uncertain issues and incidents) that, were they to occur, would affect the product or services that an organisation sets out to deliver.The M_o_R framework highlights three basic steps to effective risk management that can be applied within an organisational or project context: IdentifyThe first step of risk management is risk identification. This includes naming and describing any risk that might affect the achievement of objectives, to ensure that there is a common understanding of these risks among all appropriate individuals involved in the organisation or project activity.Techniques for identifying risks will differ according to the size and structure of the organisation, the nature of the activity or project and the experience of the risk management team. For example, risk management within a small software organisation may involve brain-storming and discussing potential risks to the...more
Every activity and situation carries risks. Whether you are launching a new project, providing ongoing services or heading a strategy for widespread organisational change, thorough and effective management of the risks involved is essential to ensure long-term success.The M_o_R (Management of Risk) methodology, owned by the OGC and administered as...more
Amid the frenzy of homeowners facing foreclosure, potential buyers struggling to obtain loans and banks, lenders and realtors trying to stay afloat, I feel like there are lots of questions that no one is asking! Correction, the regular guy on the street like the real estate professionals I deal with daily are asking. But no one is listening to them...more
For many people the thought of using an online e-currency can be a scary thing. We have all heard the horror stories of people being scammed and money being stolen by dishonest companies, but there are some companies out there that have worked hard to build up a good reputation for being honest and do what they can to fight frauds and scams that use e-currencies.What is an e-currency?Just putting the word e-currency into a search engine will bring up a huge list of strangely named currencies that you have probably never heard of. There are though a few big online currencies that are accepted by many merchants, companies and shops.One of the main e-currencies that has been around for over 5 years is E-gold. This is an online payment system backed by real gold. You have an account, much like a bank account, and your gold is stored in that. E-gold themselves do not buy or sell e-gold, you have to do that through an e-currency exchanger. Once you have e-gold in your account you can spend it with any merchant who takes payment that way.Another good e-currency is Pecunix. This is again an online payment system that is backed by gold. Pecunix essentially works the same as E-gold, so they...more
Are You NutsThat was the response I received from the first client I spoke with a few days after opening our doors for business. The husband and wife were questioning my sanity because I was suggesting that the time was right to be investing in a...more
What comes in to your mind when you mention the word investing? Do you think of putting your money in insurance, mutual funds, the stock market or even high-yield investments? Does it make you think you need to learn how to invest in stocks or real...more
Entity layering is a key concept in risk management. It is like the layers of an onion. The outside of the onion is the toughest layer and there are many layers to the onion. As soon as you peel that first layer back, a chemical reaction begins,...more
Have you ever wondered why some people achieve small business success while others find themselves sitting on the sidewalk waving flags as the parade passes by?Unfortunately, there are many external reasons why people fail. But the good news is that...more
These days, more and more individuals are taking advantage of the fact that there are many ways for them to work at home. Nothing beats the feeling of knowing that you can be your own boss and you can grow your business at your own pace, and your own...more
Writing a really good report can be important to our career, and because of this, it is something we should take very seriously. After all, a written report is a permanent record. It is a record not only of our writing skills, but also of our clarity...more