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Investigators are only now beginning to piece together the complex investment and fraud network of Kenneth I. Starr, a former bookkeeper and administrative assistant to various celebrities who eventually transformed himself into a high stakes con artist to the stars. The aptly-named Mr. Starr did in fact have contacts in the celebrity world as well as some acquaintances in top Wall Street circles. His strategy, it seems, was to play the two groups off of one another in selling his schemes.

As an expert name dropper, Starr would let his Wall Street friends know that he was in close contact with certain high-profile celebrities and Hollywood players. That would always pique their interest and draw them into investment opportunities for upcoming film projects and other deals that people outside of the entertainment industry would not be able to access. On the other side of the coin, Starr would speak to celebrities in great detail about his close relationships with top executives on Wall Street and explain to them how he could help get them into great financial investment vehicles for their growing bank accounts.

So far, authorities can only account for about $30 million that Starr stole from his array of A list clients. But as the investigation continues, it’s expected that the number of victims and the depth of the fraud will likely increase significantly. Among some of Starr’s more notable clients over the years were the likes of Al Pacino, Ron Howard, Martin Scorsese and Uma Thurman. And they are just the names that jump off the list to a casual fan of Hollywood.

There are so many others on the list, from heiresses to film moguls and others who saw Starr as a smooth-talking and confidence-inspiring investor who was going to protect their assets while gaining access to high-end investment vehicles for his clients. Starr also held friends within the high-powered financial circles of Wall Street.

He was known to lunch with Pete Peterson, a founder of the Blackstone Group investment firm and a well-known philanthropist. It is believed that he used his celebrity relationships as chips to build credibility among the financiers whose investment skills Starr portrayed himself as sharing. By all accounts, it appears that Starr was an incredibly smooth operator when working his deals and creating the façade of himself as a man with all the connections and all the answers.

Although Starr was only arrested in Manhattan on May 27, court records reveal that his schemes began to fall apart as early as 2002. It was at that time that he was sued by Sylvester Stallone for failed investments relating to Planet Hollywood. In 2007, he left his third wife and began a relationship with a stripper, all while continuing to court and land high-profile clients and convince them to invest millions with him.

Starr created and maintained a lavish lifestyle throughout his fraudulent run, even purchasing a $7.5 million Manhattan apartment in recent months using investment monies he’d received from the likes of Uma Thurman. When Thurman requested to retrieve $1 million from her initial investment, Starr diverted the funds from the account of another investor to cover the request.

At this point, Mr. Starr remains incarcerated as the investigation into his dealings and his client list continues. He has been denied bail as a potential flight risk and it is likely that investigators are only scratching the surface of his A-list Ponzi scheme.

Why Rent When You Can Own a Belize Real Estate Home

……..

A lot of people thought that they should just
rent out a vacation home in Belize whenever they want to visit, saving
them costs on lodging and food as opposed to checking in a hotel. The
thing is, this is a great misconception that everyone thinks is right.

Everyone loves to visit Belize. Believe it or not, since 1998, the
amount of tourists visiting the country has a continuous increase
annually, and the country is fast becoming to be the best Caribbean
paradise in Central America, outshining its neighbors.

But what does Belize have that the others don’t? We all know that Belize
is relatively a new addition to the Caribbean belt, but what they don’t
know is Belize is Mother Earth’s best kept secret. Now that it has been
unveiled, people can’t get enough of it. This country has a lot of
protected natural reserves, and the government is dedicated to the
preservation of its environment.

Expect to see Belize’s surrounding environment still bearing its natural
beauty. Lush rainforests dominate the land of Belize. And aside from
tourism, agriculture also gives the country a nice chunk of its revenue.
The country also boasts of magnificent mountains in the country, a
diverse marine biology and having the largest barrier reef in the
western Hemisphere.

In this tropical paradise of white sand beaches, crystal blue waters and
cool sea breeze, renting isn’t the best option for you. What you should
do is purchase your very own vacation home and have it rented out to
others!

Belize real estate
properties are very affordable and people can easily achieve luxury here
without spending a fortune. Investing on a vacation home in this lovely
Caribbean paradise is actually a great opportunity to earn in the
future. Properties here have the highest appreciation rate in Central
America. And with the economy of Belize being stable, this results to an
upward trend on real estate sales.

Having no inheritance tax and no capital gains tax definitely helps.
There are a lot of benefits investors can take advantage of here in this
country. And if you plan to retire in the future, the government has
the Qualified Retired Person program that gives incentives to approved
applicants such as tax exemptions and more!

Affordability is also one of the factors that make Belize real estate
quite an attractive place to invest on. People who thought they
couldn’t purchase a vacation home now have a beachfront home here. It
also means that luxury is easier to achieve. And when it comes to
investing on a luxurious home, the only place to consider is Sanctuary
Belize.

This community is the best place you should be purchasing your vacation
home because of its breathtaking beauty, and the homes that are built
with such intricate designs and functionality that will definitely match
your needs and lifestyle. The community has world-class amenities that
include a private resort and spa, the Equestrian Center, Yacht Club, the
Marina Village and more!

If you plan to visit Belize and plan on retiring here in the future, it is best to purchase your own vacation home.

Article Tags:
Belize Real, Real Estate, Vacation Home

Belize – simply a paradise. Own a piece of that Jewel now! SanctuaryBelize.com is the best belize real estate
for you. They offer buyers from all walks of life, the opportunity to
maximize the benefits of property ownership in Belize. No other
community offers such abundant natural beauty, modern amenities, and
return potential – for so little investment.

Every industry has its scam artists, and real estate is no exception. While most of the professionals who work in real estate are ethical and honest, there are people in the industry who want to take your money and run. Worse, there are scam artists who use real estate as a cover. These fraudsters may know nothing about real estate but simply use properties to extract money from victims. Sadly, properties mean large amounts of cash and this can attract criminals. You don’t have to be a victim, though. Whether you are investing in real estate or buying your own home, there are a few things you can do to stay safe:

1) Get it in writing. The simplest and most effective way to stay safe is to assume that nothing is concrete until it is in writing and signed. Any verbal promised made simply does not count unless it is in a legally binding contract, so never assume anything until you have a contract in hand. Never assume that someone will follow through on a promise of any kind unless there is a viable contract.

2) Get professional advice. An experienced real estate attorney should be looking at any property contracts you sign. If you are interested in investing, join a real estate club so that you can get advice and help from professional investors. If you are buying a home, get the help and input of a professional assessor and inspector. Interested in learning about real estate investing? Make sure that your instructor is an experienced and qualified investor themselves. Aim to work with the best professionals you can find. Whether you need to find the value of a home or the loopholes in a contract, turn to the appropriate professionals. They will help you uncover shady deals.

3) Keep abreast of common real estate schemes. Thank goodness real estate scam artists (like other fraudsters) are not too original. In many cases, criminals will use the same scams again and again. If you are buying a home, refinancing, selling, or investing, find out from the media and from the IRS about common scams. That way, you can watch out for red flags.

4) Deal only with professionals. Make sure that anyone you are dealing with – from a real estate agent to a real estate attorney – has the right qualifications for their job. If you are dealing with a buyer, make sure that they are honest about their employment and credit history. Scam artists will often invent elaborate backgrounds in order to gain your trust. If you detect the lie, you can detect the fraudster, so do your research.

5) Ask lots of questions. Be willing to trust yourself to walk away if an offer is too good to be true or if your questions are not answered to your complete satisfaction. Any real estate deal you make should have a benefit for you and a benefit for the other party. If the deal seems to favor you, find out what the other party is getting.

6) Keep an eye out on your credit scores and accounts. In many cases, real estate fraud ends with identity theft. Fraudsters may take your property under false pretenses or use your personal information to open accounts in your name. You are entitled to one free credit report per year from credit bureaus. This shows you how much you officially owe and which accounts you have open. Keeping tabs on your finances ensures that you don’t become a victim.

7) Don’t pay more than you can afford for real estate. If you are buying, don’t pay more than you have to. Fraudsters will often try to have you spend too much or sell for too little so that they can pocket the difference. A classic scam in real estate involves a con artist with charm or an urgency encouraging you to sell your home for nothing or encouraging buying a property for far more than it is worth. Always know the value of real estate you are dealing with and budget accordingly.

These simple tips can prove helpful when doing business in real estate. These basic tips cover most types of real estate fraud and help you avoid the real estate scams that are out there. Good business common sense can help you stay safe.

Article: 3 Areas That A Real Estate Investor Should Be Aware Of When Choosing A Commercial Real Estate Investment

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If you are a young professional aspiring to be wealthy and looking for extra income opportunities, then you have probably checked out the real estate market. Many are making a fortune through real estate by cashing in on their investment property. At this point in your career, you have two real options you should consider. You could buy an investment property and hope to cash in on the property in the future, or you could look for an income property that will offer profitable cash flow from month to month.

Let’s take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of investment properties and income properties.

Income Property

The methodology behind investing in an income property is focused around making money now. Not everybody can invest money in real estate and hope for a huge return 15 or 20 years down the road. For investors that don’t have a big stash of cash laying around waiting 15 or 20 years for a return on their investment is not a viable business plan.

Thus, as you might expect, an income property is a property that returns positive net income from month to month. For example, the typical income property for small real estate investors is a single family dwelling. Suppose a person much like yourself decides to invest in house that is being sold at or below market value. The business plan is to make minimal investments fixing up the house, and then rent out the house to somebody with sub par credit that can’t get a loan for their own house. To initially pay for the house a mortgage loan is taken out. The monthly mortgage loan payments are calculated to be $850 and you plan on renting out the house for $1100 since there is a shortage of rental homes in the area. Right off the bat you have a gross operating margin of $250 on this income property. Of course there will always be other expenses, such as maintenance and taxes, which you must pay. However, these additional expenses will still leave a nice little cash flow of profits for your efforts. Bigger investors follow this methodology and buy an income property like an apartment building and will make larger profits thanks to economies of scale.

Investment Property

The methodology behind an investment property is a bit different. Rather than focusing on current profitability like an income property investor, an investment property investor focuses on the big picture. The investor will buy an investment property which allows him to at least break even or perhaps make a small profit from month to month. However, his primary interest is holding onto the property for the long term and selling the property when the market value has risen significantly. Over a span of 15 to 20 years, it is not unreasonable to expect investment properties in hot real estate markets to double or even triple. Thus, the typical investment property
investor has two resources. He has lots of money on hand as well as time to play the waiting game.

The investment property investor is not terribly interested in making money on his investment right now. That is not to say he is willing to lose money on the property from month to month, but he is willing to operate at much lower profit margins than your typical income property investor. The real objective of the investment property investor is to strike it rich down the road when he finally decides to the sell the investment property.

Both of these investment strategies serve as viable business plans. What suits you best will depend on your needs as well as your resources. If you have lots of money and time then an investment property could be way the go, but if you need to make money now an income property might be your best choice.

Adam Smith is an informational author for 10X Marketing.com To learn about making a positive cash flow from investing in Real Estate, visit SNCLoans.com

SEO Services In Santa Barbara

Hiring a local search engine optimization service or an online marketing agency is the perfect way to track your performance and strategies. Outsourcing your SEO tasks is not an option, especially if you have a business in Santa Barbara, and can hire an expert professional near you.

Companies find it easier to outsource tasks, especially SEO and other online marketing strategies to different countries. Granted this is an inexpensive option, and you get more work hours for the amount of money you spend.

But does this expense guarantee you quality and face to face interaction with the person you are hiring? It is more likely that you are just sending over confidential and sensitive information over without second thought. Have you ever wondered how dangerous it can be if your data is misused?

Businesses In Santa Barbara, California

Do you have a business in Santa Barbara, clearly aimed at online users in Santa Barbara and surrounding areas in California? You need to consider Santa Barbara SEO for effective face to face interaction that can promise you the results. Here are a few pointers that can help you choose a marketing service for your business.

1.      Search for an SEO service in Santa Barbara through Google. You can also be a little flexible in your search, and you can also search for services in California, which can help you browse through different choices and strategies that suit your business.

2.      Talk to the services that you have narrowed down. See if they are willing to talk to you and how open they are with respect to their strategies and proven results. Talking with them face to face can resolve a lot of issues.

3.      Understand their white hat policy. Some services offer gray hat services, stay away from them. We are looking to build a business, not a get rich scheme.

4.      Consider the type of budget and the services that you receive for your money. Usually, hiring a local SEO will only cost you around 25% more than outsourcing. And the extra buck you spend will provide immensely amazing added value to the services that you receive.

5.      Always ask for testimonials and references, it will help you determine their authenticity.

The Advantages Of Hiring Local SEO Services In Santa Barbara

There are numerous advantages to hiring a local marketing company:

1.      Track your progress and discuss strategies and performance on a monthly basis directly. As questions about your website and promotions and discuss it face to face with the company representative.

2.      Hold the people accountable for their actions and have people answer to certain problems when they arise.

3.      Security and confidentiality of your sensitive information. You can trust people that you can see and talk to directly.

If you are indeed looking to hire a marketing specialist, always consider the significantly greater number of pros of local services before thinking about outsourcing.

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For more information on Santa Barbara SEO services and SEO consulting in Santa Barbara, visit http://www.firstclickseo.com

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Rental property investment starts with finding the best deals. To do this, you can increase your odds by finding more deals. Who’s more likely to get a cheap apartment building, an investor that looks through the MLS listings and calls it a day, or the one that uses ten resources? Here are those ten:

1. Look in old papers to find “For Rent” ads. Call if they are a few weeks old. The landlord may be ready to sell, especially if he hasn’t yet rented the units out.

2. Look up old FSBO ads. Call on two-month-old “For sale By Owner” ads, and if they haven’t sold, they may be ready to deal. Owners often give up the effort, but still would love to sell. Help them out!

3. Drive around looking for “For Sale By Owner” signs. Owners often don’t want to pay to keep the ad in the paper every week, so you won’t see all properties there.

4. Find abandoned properties. That’s a pretty clear sign that the owner doesn’t want to deal with the property. He might sell cheap.

5. Talk. Let people know you are looking and sometimes the properties will come to you. There are a lot of owners out there who want to sell, but haven’t yet listed their property.

6. Talk to bankers. You might get a foreclosed rental property cheaper if you buy it before they list it with a real estate agent.

7. Offer someone a finder’s fee. There are people that always seem to hear about the good deals. Have such people coming to you.

8. Eviction notices. If your local papers publish eviction notices, or if you can get the information at the courthouse, it can be useful. A landlord who just went through the process of evicting tenants is a likely seller.

9. Use the internet. Go to a search engine and enter the type of real estate you are looking for, along with the city you want to invest in. You never know what you might find.

10. Put an ad in the paper. “Looking for rental properties to buy,” might be sufficient to generate a few calls.

There is a lot more to learn to do it right, but finding good properties is a good place to start for rental property investment.

Steve Gillman has invested in real estate for years. To get a free real estate investing course, and see a photo of a beautiful house he and his wife bought for $17,500, visit http://www.HousesUnderFiftyThousand.com

Chennai property prices have been on a high throughout the last few years and they are expected to see an upward trend this year too.

The ITES and BPO industries are a primary reason for this boom in the real estate market in Chennai. Not only has it increased the capital and rental values of commercial property, it has fuelled a demand for housing for its workforce. The IT corridor along Old Mahabalipuram Road is seeing a facelift. A six-lane highway stretching 20 kms is home to many MNCs who are setting up operations here. This has pushed property prices in this area of Chennai.

Chennai property prices have already skyrocketed in the ECR (East Coast Road) almost upto a few kilometers short of Pondicherry. This tips the scale in favor or older industrial estates. Land prices in the industrial areas of Guindy and Ambattur are also seeing climbing rates.

Residential property prices in Chennai have also seen an upswing due to increased demand for premium housing apartments as well as budget flats. Chennai properties have been buoyant since 2004. Consequently rental prices have also shown an upswing. Certain suburbs are seeing increased real estate development activity.

By and large, builders are concentrating on the middle-income group and upper-middle group, for their buyer base. With an increase in the number of software professionals in the city, apart from the usual Non-resident Indian (NRI) investors, there is increased demand for flats even in the range of Rs 15-25 lakhs. Despite an increase in land and construction cost, the demand for both housing and commercial space has gone up in the Chennai property market.

According to media reports the demand for Real Estate in Chennai have gone up as people opting to buy their own houses in Chennai has gone up as most people preferred to pay the monthly installment on bank loans rather than to rent.
George Gonigal provides you the best and latest information on India Real Estate, If you want to Buy Apartments in Chennai, he suggests you log on to magicbricks.com

Article: Understanding Vehicular Insurance

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