How to Maximize Return on Investment (ROI)

This article explains the world's easiest way to maximize your portfolio's return on investment. But there's one catch! Before you can gain access to the most lucrative investments available, you have to meet certain qualifications. If you qualify, an exciting new world of opportunities awaits you!

According to Wikipedia, "Return On Investment" (also known as ROI or "Rate of Return") is the ratio of money gained or lost on an investment relative to the amount of money invested. Return on investment is a common benchmark, expressed as a percentage, that is used by investors to evaluate how their investments are performing.

It may surprise you to learn that most investors in the U.S. do not currently have access to (or even know about) many of the most lucrative investment opportunities available -- and this is mandated by Federal Law!

Meanwhile, a select group of people who meet certain qualifications under this law have access to a spectrum of investments with extraordinary return on investment potential that most investors wouldn't believe possible AND will also never see.

QUESTION: What is the "world's simplest way" to maximize your portfolio return on investment?

ANSWER: Determine if you qualify as an "Accredited Investor"

Surprisingly, there are a lot of people who qualify as Accredited Investors that don't even know it! Also, most people don't know what the term means or the benefits associated with being an Accredited Investor. But as mentioned earlier, if you do meet the qualifications, a whole new array of investments are available to you. And, the potential return on investment for most of these will rock your world!

On the flip side, if you don't qualify, you will never hear about these investments. And the reason for this is because it is actually illegal for investment companies and financial advisors, according to the Federal Securities Act of 1933, to share information about them with Non-Accredited Investors.

BACKGROUND:

After the stock market crash of 1929 and the ensuing "Great Depression", the US Congress decided that it needed to institute tighter controls on the investment securities industry and financial markets. So, in 1933, the Securities Act of 1933 was passed. One component of this act defines the qualifications required for investors to participate in certain types of investment securities based upon their personal net worth and income levels. Those persons who meet these qualifications are known as "Accredited Investors".

DEFINITION OF AN ACCREDITED INVESTOR:

In the United States, for an individual to be considered an Accredited Investor, they must have a Net Worth of at least one million US dollars or have made at least $200,000 gross income each year for the last two years ($300,000 combined with his or her spouse's income if married) and have the expectation to make the same amount in the current year.

NEXT STEPS:

If you meet the qualifications above, you should get together with your Financial Adviser right away. Tell them that you qualify and would like to be made aware of all current and future investment opportunities to which only Accredited Investors have access.

If you do not have a Financial Advisor, you should get one soon to learn how to maximize your portfolio's return on investment with the spectrum of investment opportunities now available to you!

IMPORTANT NOTE:

One pitfall to be aware of when dealing with most Financial Advisors is that they will typically restrict the investments that they share with their investors (Accredited or not) to the investments offered by their company (the ones they earn commission on). And most often, they will only deal in "Traditional Investments" like stocks, bonds and mutual funds. As a result, you will never hear about investment opportunities in real estate, precious metals, commodities and other "Alternative Investments" because the Financial Advisor won't earn a commission on them.

To overcome this issue, look for an Independent Investment Advisor. They are not restricted to one particular company's investment offerings. For more information, visit this website: Free Independent Financial Advice

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

In addition to being an author, John Hanlin is an Independent Investment Consultant specializing in high yield investments secured by real estate for investor security. Click here for a copy of his FREE Special Report: "The Safest High Yield Investments You Can Make Today".

Where Is The Best Place To Invest Money Right Now? Buying Investment Property (PART 3)

PREFACE:

In today's chaotic economy, whether it's verbalized or not, a main topic on investors' minds is: "Where can I find a legitimate high yield investment without a lot of risk to my principal?" Is this a fairy tale now or can investors still find good safe investments that earn solid returns? This series of articles provides answers to these questions.

In Part One of this series (see my blog below dated 2-27-09), we focused on "WHY" investors should consider buying investment property in the form of raw land development projects and "WHAT" makes them legitimate high yield investments. In Part Two (see my blog below dated 3-13-09), we explained "WHERE" to invest in investment property.

Today, in PART 3 of this series, we will focus on:

The Raw Land Development Process
Step-By-Step

"What are best high yield safe investments"

STEP ONE: Professional Land Developers spend a great deal of time seeking what is called the "Path of Growth". They research economic and population projections and key factors such as job creation trends to identify geographic areas with favorable growth outlooks. Then, they drill down to the community and neighborhood levels to determine the directions of future growth and new construction. To do this expertly requires a seasoned research team and a network of external contact including local government officials, business leaders, real estate brokers, builders, etc. to conduct this 'due diligence' process and help locate possible raw, undeveloped land acquisitions situated in the identified path of growth.

STEP TWO: Once raw, undeveloped land is identified in the path of growth, the Land Developer will negotiate favorable terms for acquiring the property. There are a number of ways that land developers acquire property, the two most common are:

a) Purchasing the property upfront.
b) Obtaining an 'Option To Purchase' agreement: the land developer obtains the rights to buy the raw land by a set date at a set price by offering a non-refundable deposit.

NOTE: Investors are typically sought at this stage to help fund the acquisition of the property and cover costs associated with Steps Three - Five. These are typically 'silent' partners in the raw land development project.

STEP THREE: Plans are drafted for a proposed future economic use of the land. (e.g. Master-planned communities, shopping centers, business parks, industrial complexes, etc.)

STEP FOUR: The proposed plans are submitted to the city, county, state and federal governments for necessary approvals. This is known as "The Entitlement Process" and involves all of the critical sign-offs and approvals required for the newly proposed use of the property.

NOTE: In this step, the Land Developer literally 'creates' value and this is why raw land development can be so profitable. It is this entitlement process that creates an average 300-500% increase in the value of raw land - often with limited associated costs for even higher profits!

The increased value of the newly "entitled land" results from several important factors:

A. Obtaining the necessary government approvals to build on raw land requires time, experience, relationships and the ability to manage against competing intentions for the property.

B. The land developer makes formerly raw, undeveloped land available to builders and construction contractors in "ready-and-approved-to-build condition" -- often with turn-key access to utilities, municipal water and sewer, roadways, etc.

C. Fully approved or 'entitled' land is ready for immediate construction, giving builders and contractors the benefits of accelerated cash flow and returns.

All of these factors help make raw land development projects among the safest high yield money investments available today.

NOTE: A typical raw land development project will take anywhere from one to several years to complete. This all depends upon the size and complexity of the project, plus government approval time-lines.

STEP FIVE: After the raw land's value has been increased by the completion of the entitlement process and other improvements such as access to utilities, municipal water and sewer, roadways, etc., the newly 'entitled' property is sold to Building & Construction Contractors.

Result = average 300-500%+ increase in land value

Once the newly entitled land is sold,
the Raw Land Development Process ends.
Profits are realized and Investors are paid.


Finally, the Building Contractors take over.

After purchasing the land from the raw land developer, Building Contractors will begin to install the structures (e.g. homes, golf courses, retail shops, office buildings, industrial complexes, etc.) on the newly 'entitled' land. They will go on to sell the finished homes, offices, etc. to their customers - the end users (homeowners, businesses, etc.)

About the author:

John Hanlin is an Independent Investment Consultant specializing in low risk investments and retirement portfolio planning. He is a seasoned investor of over 25 years. Mr. Hanlin is the owner and contributing author of the website: www.JohnHanlin.com which provides detailed information about raw land development investments and free independent financial advice for retirement.

The Best Investment You Will Ever Make In Your Lifetime

The headline says it all. It is heartfelt and sincere. If you miss this, I'm sorry. I don't know a better way to communicate to more people than the internet.

Here it is:

"We are RIGHT NOW faced with the greatest opportunity for financial gain that anyone in our lifetimes will ever experience."

To learn more:

Click here and sign up for this FREE Special Report.

Where is the Best Place to Invest Money Right Now? Buying Investment Property (PART 2)

PREFACE:

In today's chaotic economy, whether it's verbalized or not, a main topic on investors' minds is: "Where can I find a legitimate high yield investment without a lot of risk to my principal?"

Is this a fairy tale now or can investors still find good safe investments that earn solid returns?

This series of articles provides answers to these questions.

In Part One of this series (see blog below dated 2-27-09), we focused on "WHY" investors should consider buying investment property in the form of raw land development projects and "WHAT" makes them legitimate high yield investments. In PART TWO, we will now discuss "WHERE" to invest in these opportunities:

In December of 2004, the acclaimed Washington D.C. think-tank, Brookings Institution, sponsored a research project by Virginia Tech University titled: "Toward A New Metropolis: The Opportunity To Rebuild America".

This study explains that in order to accommodate U.S. Census Bureau population growth projections, the United States' future raw land development needs will require 209 BILLION square feet of new community construction between 2000-2030. This massive expansion will take place primarily in 10 major metropolitan regions the study calls "Megapolitans" and at an estimated cost of $25 TRILLION.

Not only does this study underscore the fact that buying investment property is a legitimate high yield investment opportunity, it tells us WHERE to invest! This was well-documented in a November 2005 article by Paul Kaihla in Business 2.0 Magazine titled: "The $25 Trillion Land Grab".

Here is what the 10 Megapolitans are being called and WHERE investors should consider investing right now:

1. CASCADIA: Will encompass land from Seattle, WA to Portland, OR. Vast quantities of cheap, prime property give this Pacific Northwest megapolitan tremendous growth potential. By 2030, massive land development activity will have filled in the greenspace between these cities, making this one huge, intertwined metropolitan region.

2. NORCAL: Will encompass property from San Francisco to Sacramento plus the Central Valley of Northern California. There will be much more activity buying investment property east of the Bay Area, where there is much more reasonably priced raw land. The Sacramento region, in particular, is expected to build more housing and office space than any other Western area excepting Las Vegas.

3. THE SOUTHLAND: This megapolitan will include real estate ranging from Los Angeles in the north to San Diego in the south and through the "Inland Empire" to Las Vegas in the east. Surging trade with China through the nation's busiest seaport in L.A. will spur massive expansion in logistics, warehousing and distribution centers throughout the region.

4.VALLEY OF THE SUN: Will encompass land from Phoenix, AZ to Tuscon, AZ. This will be the smallest megapolitan, but also the one with the biggest amount of "buildable" land at the lowest prices. This is why it is expected to become the fastest-growing metropolitan region in the United States. The main attraction: Palm Springs resort lifestyle at a substantial discount.

5. I-35 CORRIDOR: Will entail land spanning San Antonio to Dallas to Kansas City. No region better captures and caters to the Latino population explosion. A new generation of Hispanic business owners and industrialists will drive the growth, and the area will become a magnet for foreign companies trying to cash in on the U.S. Latino market.

6.GULF COAST BELT: Will encompass real estate running from Houston to New Orleans. Surrounding megapolitans will enjoy spillover growth because of the region's higher risk premium punctuated by Hurricane Katrina.

7.GREAT LAKES HORSESHOE: This will encompass land from Chicago to Detroit to Pittsburgh. With manufacturing's decline in this region, these industrial cities are evolving into a "service industries" region and are expected to attract a flood of new people to this megapolitan.

8.ATLANTIC SEABOARD: Will include property from Boston to New York City to Washington D.C. America's most heavily populated megapolitan is set to experience another expansion. And most of the new development is expected to "vertical" with new skyscrapers providing much of the new construction. Expect more urban growth versus suburban in this region.

9. I-85 CORRIDOR: Will involve land ranging from Raleigh-Durham to Atlanta. The expanse running from Atlanta to Raleigh is becoming a contiguous strip of homes and businesses. As the textile industry fades, financial services in Charlotte, telecom in Atlanta, and high-tech in the Raleigh-Durham Research Triangle will drive future growth.

10.SOUTHERN FLORIDA: Will encompass land from Tampa through Miami. Florida posted the nation's highest job growth in 2004, as baby boomers from the North poured in to take advantage of the job market and climate. Land scarcity will also drive urban growth in this region.

BONUS: UTAH 'MINIPOLITAN': This is an add-on to the Brooking study markets. Key areas in Utah are experiencing tremendous population and job growth and need to be added to the list.

So, that summarizes "WHERE" investors should consider buying investment property (particularly: raw land development investments), as a "legitimate" high yield investment opportunity.

PART THREE of this series will focus on the PROCESS of Raw Land Development.
PART FOUR of this series will focus on HOW to invest in Raw Land Development projects.

About the author:

John Hanlin is an Independent Investment Consultant specializing in low risk investments and retirement portfolio planning. He is a seasoned investor of over 25 years. Mr. Hanlin is the owner and contributing author of the website: www.JohnHanlin.com which provides detailed information about raw land development investments and free independent financial advice for retirement.

Where is the Best Place to Invest Money Right Now? (PART 1) Buying Investment Property

[This is the first part of a new series]

In today's economy, most investors are asking this question:

"Where is the best place to invest money right now?"

This series of articles, starting today, will set out to answer that question. Specifically, the series will explain why and where savvy investors should be buying investment property (real estate) -- our recommendation for the best place to invest money right now. Furthermore, the series will explain why these investment properties should be in the form of raw land development investments.

First, some background:

It is widely held that more riches have been created by real estate than any other form of investment. Taking that one step further, raw land development is the most profitable form of real estate.

So, you can do the math: Where is the best place to invest money right now? Raw land development.

Can you think of a better time to purchase real estate than in a down market? The golden rule of investing is to always "buy low and sell high" right?

Here's WHY investors should consider buying investment property right now:

1. More millionaires have been made by investing in real estate that any other investment.

2. Raw land development is the most profitable form of real estate investment. Per industry average: professionally managed raw land development projects increase the value of undeveloped, raw land by 2-5 times its original price. (i.e. A professional raw land developer will sell their completed raw land development project for 200-500% more than they originally paid for the property. And it can be much higher.

3. In addition to being among the most profitable forms of investment, raw land development (professionally managed) can be one of the most secure, low risk investments an investor can make. This is because the raw land developer will typically back their investors' principal with the assets of their project (the property itself). In addition, they will place their investors in 1st position for project assets and revenue.

This means that in the event of a developer default on a raw land development project (heaven forbid), the land itself can be sold so that the investors can recoup part or all of their principal plus any net profits. Also, it means that the investors, being in 1st position, are first in line to be paid if project assets must be sold -- making this one of the most secured forms of investment available to investors.

4. Property prices are reasonable right now. Buying investment property in the form of undeveloped, raw land is a 'buyer's market' today.

This is because landowners aren't any different than other folks. They have been affected by the stock markets and the overall economy like everyone else. The net effect is that many are willing to sell their undeveloped land right now for very reasonable prices because they need the money.

As a result, raw land developers are in need of investors right now to help them acquire raw land at these 'bargain basement' prices.

5. The United States population is projected to grow +29% from 2000-2030. (U.S. Census Bureau) That means the addition of 82,000,000 new people in America. And these people are going to need new homes, new schools, new stores, new communities to support them.

Where are these new homes, schools, stores & communities going to come from? Raw land development.

Are you starting to see the answer to our question: Where is the best place to invest money right now?

Look for Part 2 of this series coming soon:

"Here's WHERE investors should consider buying investment property right now"

For FREE independent financial advice about safe investing and retirement, visit my website at: www.JohnHanlin.com. I specialize in the safest money investments and the best HIGH YIELD safe investments, particularly in raw land development. (Please fill out the Contact Form on my website if you have questions that the website couldn't answer.)

Smart Money: Safe Investing For A Secure Future

You can secure your family's future financial security by making smart money investments today. With the help of an experienced professional, you can learn about the best high yield safe investments available in today's marketplace.

As we get started, let's clarify one fact: there is no such thing as a completely "safe" investment.

There are, however, some very good "low risk" investments -- but the industry still tends to still refer to them as "safe" investments. So, when reading this blog or any article or advertisement about investing, please keep this in mind.

"Safe" investing in asset-secured, high yield investments is the key to a profitable and financially stress-free future. Imagine not having to worry about the financial security of your loved ones or yourself after you retire. Maybe you are ready now to begin living a life that is free from financial worries. Well, there is no need to wait. Take advantage of the experience and guidance of an investment professional who is ready and willing to help - at no cost to you. That's right! FREE independent financial advice for your retirement!

You have a multitude of choices about where to invest your money and it can be both confusing and intimidating. Your options include 'traditional investments' like stocks, bonds and mutual funds. PLUS, many other 'alternative investments' that you may not be familiar with, such as a professionally managed raw land developments, other types of land investments, apartment buildings, precious metals, commodities, etc.

By seeking the advice of an investment expert, you can explore these new opportunities, get all of your questions answered, and find the best and safest money investments that are most suited to help you achieve your financial goals.

For example, you can learn why raw land developments have, for generations, been cornerstone investments for many of the world's wealthiest investors. And, why YOU should consider investing in these assets for your own portfolio.

A professional can explain the raw land development process step-by-step; help you identify the best land developers to invest with; tell you where to find the top growth markets for land development; and even show you how you can use your IRA to to invest in real estate opportunities like these!

You'll rest easier knowing that you are investing your money with the guidance of someone who has the training and experience you need to help you find the best high yield safe investments that fit your personal goals and life situation.

You CAN still achieve financial security, even in today's volatile economy, by investing in secure, high yielding investments. And, you CAN feel confident that you are providing for your family's financial security in the years to come by investing with the guidance of an experienced professional.

For FREE independent financial advice about safe investing and retirement, visit my website at: www.JohnHanlin.com. I specialize in the safest money investments and the best HIGH YIELD safe investments, particularly in raw land development. (Please fill out the Contact Form on my website if you have questions that the website couldn't answer.)

HERE'S AN ADDED BONUS: "How To Earn Double-Digit Returns"

P.S. I have launched a new blog site named: "Raw Land Development Investment". Check it out for more information about what I consider to be the #1 safest, high yield investment available today!

How To Earn Double-Digit Returns

I recently wrote an article for eHow.com titled "How To Earn Double-Digit Returns".

If you are tired of earning sub-inflation interest rates on your money (or worse - losing it!) this article could be for you. You could be a earning double-digit returns with asset-backed security if you know where to look!

Please click on the article title in parentheses above to view the article.

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