How many female investors, whether they invest in equities, real estate or business, do you really know? Female investors are a growing market. We are getting smarter. We have our own money and we want to invest!

I would encourage all wise women investors to be educated. Stay up-to-date with the investment choices you make. Consider joining a women’s investor association where you can network and learn from like minded women who are looking to control their financial futures.

Understand the prospectus you read, understand what an IRA or an Individual (k) is and how you can accumulate wealth through these retirement accounts (to learn more about this subject visit www.theentrustgroup.com). After all, your goal is to maintain a certain lifestyle in retirement. Don’t underestimate how much money you will need in retirement.

Finally, be flexible and patient with your investments. The more you go “in and out” of something, the more it will cost you. Sometimes taking the slow and steady approach makes more sense. Think out and plan your financial strategy and re-evaluate it every year.

With more women creating successful careers and businesses, we need to also not forget to create an investment strategy to keep us from starting over!

When you do your own research,h it will pay off. Here is where to find the research to make a great offer on your next property

Affordability index in your location: www.nahb.org
Median price in your area: www.realtor.org/research/research/metroprice
Housing supply information: www.realtor.org/directories
Price-to-rent ratio: www.money.com/pricetorent
Housing forecast in your market: www.money.com/homeforecast

Happy hunting!

I was made of aware of this FREE teleseminar that takes place tomorrow, October 14 and thought I’d pass along to my readers.

Get Your Business BuzZen
presented by Jody England and Donna Fleetwood
http://hive.buzzen.us/members/buzzen/adminpages/GYBBTeleseminar
“We’re tired of hearing all the gloom and doom about how bad the ecomony is, what the recession is doing to business, and the ‘woe is me’ sentiment that is getting press all over the place. It’s time to slide back in the driver’s seat and realize that WE control our destinies. Join Jody and Donna on this FREE one-time call that will transform the way you think about your business forever…”

Con artists love bear markets. Anxious people may listen a little longer to a pitch. Oil and gas scams, in which promoters sell partnerships in dry wells or shares in suspect drilling equipment, are especially big now. Be alert! Telltale signs of a scam: promises of guaranteed returns and pressure to invest quickly. Also, make sure the projects and agents are registered in the state where the investment is before you invest!

Whether you invest in stocks, real estate or business, investing in today’s times is tricky. Here are 5 things to remember for your investing road map. If you can follow these, you will survive in any market.

1. Have a well thought out plan to help you not panic. When everything seems to be going in the opposite direction, your plan will help you stay the course.

2. Spend less, invest more. You must have a nest egg in today’s times. The first areas you should stash the cash? Your IRA or 401(k) which compounds wealth tax-deferred or tax-free.

3. Don’t get greedy. Now is the time to control your risk. Invest in what you understand and are comfortable with. Risk is just as important as the return.

4. Don’t go in blind. Research before you buy.

5. Don’t have your eggs in one basket. Now is not the time to be in just one investment type. Diversify.

1. Network to earn more. The successful woman works hard, but the ultra successful know to get out there and meet people. the more people you meet the more connections you will get, the more opportunity you have to get that better job, or that account.

2. Choose a field that pays. Want to switch careers? The following professions are desperate for employees and will be for years to come.
a. Accountant
b. Event planner
c. Environmental engineer
d. Sales/business development
e. School teacher
f. Financial advisor
g. Personal trainer
h. Advertising
i. Chef
j. Nursing

3. Spend less than you make. Put at least 10% of your income away. If you spend everything you make, you will never get rich!

4. Look before you leap…into that new business idea. Check out womanowned.com to help you plan out your new business.

5. Put in the time. Rome was not built in a day. It takes time and hard work to get where you want to go.

If this sounds like you, here are a few things to keep in mind.

1. You can’t time the bottom. Realize the property you might buy today may continue to go down. Focus on finding the perfect investment and start with a bid of at least 10% below asking. Remember the price is the seller’s first offer.

2. Have your financing in place before you buy. Mortgage rates are low right now and are expected to go up, that is, if you can get a mortgage in this market. Look to private financing as a tool.

3. Buy in areas with good schools. When the market was hot, the areas with good school systems were selling at top dollar. Chances are when the market rebounds, those same areas will be the first to rise, so if you are in the market, focus on the best areas you can afford.

4. If you work with a Realtor, make sure they have your best interest at heart. Remember, in most cases, real estate agents are paid by the seller. You want to make sure the agent working with you takes care of you, too.

Happy Hunting!

After losing homes to foreclosure, former homeowners are scrambling to find a place to rent. This situation will only become worse as the projections for foreclosures are expected to continue to rise. Many areas of the country are in short supply of rentals. The same markets where you read that foreclosures are at an all time higher, the vacancy rates are at an all time low.

I recently had a vacancy on a property in Florida. My property manager put an ad on Craig’s List. We priced the property $25 under market rent. We had over 100 applicants for the property and were able to put a nice couple in the home. They could easily afford the payment and told my property manager they would sign a lease forever if I would allow it, that they never wanted to own property again.

This is a trend. If you price your property right for rental and have a long term lease (I like one year leases as they allow me to evaluate market conditions ever year), you may see more and more people fighting for your investment property.

If you can afford to, don’t give up on being a landlord or holding property for the long term. We can ride the wave and watch the prices rise with good people in our homes!

In today’s economy, the business owner who knows how to manage their own cash flow will always be able to stay alive. We need to be aware of ways to find creative financing should we need this to expand our business, increase our credit lines or need working capital. As we all know, banks have been severely affected in the shaky economy. Below are some alternative sources for getting working capital, should you need it.

1. Credit Unions. Credit Unions still offer more flexibility and have a willingness to work with small business. Make sure you have an updated business plan you can present to the Credit Union so they have a “buy in” to your capital requirements.

2. Community Banks. These smaller banking institutions are looking to make commercial and business loans in the neighborhood. They are looking for good business relationships to help them get more exposure to the business community. They have not run into the difficulties that the big boys have faced due to making more conservative and smaller loans, and in many cases, no residential real estate loans.

3. Government-funded Nonprofit. Look at your local or state government to see if they make loans to businesses who create or retain full time jobs in the region. Economic Loans benefit all parties. Also, could look to the SBA and see what their lending requirements are.

Though the banking industry has experienced a rough ride, this may not apply to our businesses. Check it out, cash is still available!

WASHINGTON – July 23, 2008 – President Bush has dropped his opposition to legislation that aims to calm the chaotic housing market despite his opposition to a $3.9 billion provision, the White House said Wednesday.

Under the bill, the government would help struggling homeowners get new, cheaper loans and would be allowed to offer troubled mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac a cash infusion.

The House was expected to vote on the bill Wednesday, and it could become law as early as this week.

The Bush administration and lawmakers in both parties teamed to negotiate the measure, which pairs Democrats’ top priorities - federal help for homeowners facing foreclosure and $3.9 billion for neighborhoods hit hardest by the housing crisis - with Republicans’ goal of reining in mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac while reassuring financial markets of their stability.

Bush had objected to the $3.9 billion provision in the measure, saying that it was aimed at helping bankers and lenders, not homeowners who are in trouble.

White House press secretary Dana Perino announced Bush’s switch in a telephone conference call with reporters. “We believe this is not the time for a prolonged veto fight but we are confident the president would prevail in one,” she said.

It hands the Treasury Department power to extend the government-sponsored mor tgage companies an unlimited line of credit and buy an unspecified amount of their stock, if necessary, to prop up Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, two companies chartered by Congress. The two companies back or own $5 trillion in U.S. mortgages - nearly half the nation’s total.

Copyright © 2008 The Associated Press, Julie Hirschfeld Davis. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.