Actual for You - Business

Test You Residential Construction Estimating Know How
Estimating a residential construction job is very different from a commercial job. Often the contractor is frustrated with collecting data to create an estimate that is low enough for them to win the bid and high enough for them to make a profit.before a contractor even begins the project it is a good idea for him or her to look at the area that will be built upon to make sure that there are no environmental hazards, or that there are no structures that may have to be taken down. These factors not only cause delays, they can cost additional money.when a contractor is creating an estimate he or she must take into consideration create a quote for all aspects for the estimate.A residential estimate is comprised of many more factors than a commercial estimate. A contractor must create his or her estimate from small quotes on different parts of the construction job.All materials that will create the residence need to be taken into consideration. this includes all of the labor and materials for foundation, heating and cooling systems, framing, and flooring. All machinery that is needed for this work also needs to be incorporated into the estimate.The interior and exterior of the residence also needs to be figured into the estimate, as well as windows and doors, along with all of the materials and labor that it will take to co

ased on your equity. If you are seeking a business loan, you need to speak with a Commercial Finance Consultant and they will tell you what you need to do and how to achieve your goals. If you have a relationship with your current bank, then make an appointment and your local bank should be able to answer many of your questions and explain your options as well. A Banker can explain all the parameters of institutional lending with you but just remember that business lending goes far beyond the limitations of a bank. Try to meet with two Finance Consultants before making your determinations.

There are many misconceptions about what it takes to achieve a commercial loan. We hope to overcome those misconceptions by providing insightful and accurate information that will guide and assist you. Since there are literally dozens of types of loans, we’ll stick to the basics and work from there. Remember, this is a process.

1. Executive Summary – The first item you want to prepare is a summary of your project. This summary will discuss the project and how much money it will require to complete the project and the projected time frame. This doesn’t need to be elaborate as it is a “summary” and the plan is a separate format. Since some projects are larger and more detailed than others, this can be anywhere from 1 to 5 pages. Ideally, you want your summary to be 1 or 2 pages to keep things simple.

Better Productivity Through Praise
If there's one thing managers know best, it is this: recognition is a powerful motivator. If you praise your employees and acknowledge stellar efforts on their part, you will make them feel better about themselves and the hard work they put in.The Myth of Raises One of the key factors in improving employee productivity is recognition. In the old days, it was believed that a salary increase is the most obvious tool for encouraging employees to work harder. Since then, several studies have debunked the idea. Employees do not become more productive simply because they are paid more. After all, employees do not calculate the monetary value of every action they perform. They do not compute, for instance, how much they earn every time they finish a report or send out an email. Studies show that while a raise makes employees happy, there is an abundance of other things that can accomplish the same thing.The Power of Praise Praise is one such thing. A pat on the back is an important tool for motivating employees. For a manager to be effective, he must recognize that fairness and leadership by example are not the only two values that will inspire his staff to work harder. Sure, we all downplay the importance of the proverbial pat in the back; but deep inside all of us, we find ourselves craving it. Praise is an affirmation that we did something r

and fruitful beginnings…

In life, a process that begins properly will increase the chance of accuracy all the way through and a successful conclusion. The world of commercial finance can be complicated as every project is unique. There are many programs and products available but every application is as different as the applicant. The part of this process that is universal is the preparation. Some may tell you that luck is the residue of preparation but in reality, preparation is the prerequisite for sustained success. Whether you are starting a business or seeking to expand one, the fundamentals of preparation cannot be forsaken and discipline must be applied. This article intends to address the commercial loan process and how one begins a business and sustains growth and prosperity.

Starting a business for the first time can seem like one of the most difficult things you do but if you view it as a process and not a destination, the journey will be far more pleasurable and the rewards, more sweet. Some people like to dive right in and start plotting and planning how much money they’ll make and how they’re going to make all this money. Such a dive may often be a flop, as it lacks meaning. Aristotle once said: Life without purpose has no meaning. The purpose of diving right in appears correct, as one eagerly rushes to make money but what’s the meaning of starting your own business and have you defined the parameters? So to begin, let’s explore some procedures of the process.

1. Define who you are? – Yes, that means exactly what it states. This part is scientific but you don’t need to be a scientist or a psychologist or even a psychiatrist, as none of those professionals will ever know you as well as you know yourself. For instance, if a man is seven feet tall then he probably shouldn’t be entering into the field of becoming a horse jockey. It’s not a question of “can” he succeed but it’s a matter of what the reasons are that no horse jockeys are seven feet tall. Unless that is a burning desire that won’t fade, he’s better off seeking more reasonable measures. Once defining the science of who you are, you must then explore the art of who you are. The art of who you are is your characteristics, your imagination and thoughts and how you express those traits in your respective society. Understanding your art will assist you in how you locate your market and how your skills are best exhibited. If for instance you lack patience, then you probably shouldn’t be working with children, as patience is an essential component to working with the youth along with multiple other characteristics. Defining who you are is paramount to choosing what type of business you start because your business will lack an identity and you will struggle to understand why. The most important part of this stage is to be honest with yourself and make your determinations in private.

2. Define who you want to be. – Again, this means exactly what it states. The science of who you want to be can only begin once you’ve discovered who you already are; otherwise you will remain confused and frustrated. If you are over the age of 25 and six feet tall, chances are that you will never be seven feet tall, therefore this idea would be nothing more than an illusion and your desires must be redirected. If you are right-handed and aspire to be ambidextrous then it only follows that you must commit yourself to using your left hand when other options are available. If you do not speak Spanish and would like to engage the Spanish market, then of course you must learn to speak the language. Thereto, you must again explore the art of who you are. If you aspire to work with children and know you lack patience, then you must place yourself in situations that command patience until you’ve mastered the art. Deciding who you want to be is again a process and one that requires these decisions to be made in private, as no one can fully understand your dreams.

Now you feel good that you’ve properly identified yourself and your dreams. You’ve chosen a business that is suitable to your needs and supplies your visions. These conversations with yourself have been ongoing for quite sometime but I assure you that you’re not crazy and don’t need to be admitted to a mental institution. This is all just part of the process. Before you rush out to apply for all the necessary paperwork, let’s take some other proper measures.

1. Meet with an Accountant – Preferably, you want to meet with a CPA but a Tax professional will do. You don’t need to meet with a tax attorney because they usually help people get “out” of trouble and we are planning for you to not get into any [trouble]. Whatever tax professional you choose, you must provide them with full disclosure so they can properly assist you. The Accountant must understand your current income and tax status and what type of business you are starting. They also must know how much you expect to make and how much you need for you and your family. This part of the process is crucial and when forsaken, many find themselves in arrears with the IRS or worse, in court. Tax planning accounts for one-third to one-half of all wealth in America which should enable you to understand its significance. Try to meet with at least two tax professionals before you begin.

2. Meet with an Attorney – Depending on the type of business you’re starting, you may need to meet with more than one type of attorney. One of those attorneys should be a Corporate Attorney. Again, you must provide full disclosure because this is the only way they can properly guide you and your business. Despite all the lawyer jokes in America, Attorneys provide an invaluable service to the public and are even more essential to starting and building a formidable business. Most businesses involve real estate in some form or fashion, so I also recommend you visit a Real Estate Attorney and explain your current situation and what your intentions are to become. This advice will broaden your perspective and enlighten your goals as you venture forward. Again, try to meet with two Corporate Attorneys prior to your beginnings.

3. Meet with a Finance Specialist – That term appears broad because it is, therefore you must refine and limit it based on your limitations. Those starting a business will understand that all businesses require funds and funds can be accessed from multiple venues. If you are planning to begin a business in your home, you may want to speak with a Residential Mortgage Broker. This person can speak to you about home equity loans, second mortgages, lines of credit and what your options are based on your equity. If you are seeking a business loan, you need to speak with a Commercial Finance Consultant and they will tell you what you need to do and how to achieve your goals. If you have a relationship with your current bank, then make an appointment and your local bank should be able to answer many of your questions and explain your options as well. A Banker can explain all the parameters of institutional lending with you but just remember that business lending goes far beyond the limitations of a bank. Try to meet with two Finance Consultants before making your determinations.

Residential Construction - Estimating Software Will Save Contractors Time & Money!
It certainly isn't the easiest job in the world to manage a construction project – and it involves a lot more than knowing how to use tools and build things! Of course construction managers do years of study to learn all the complexities of their role, but onstructionestimating is something that is only mastered through hands on, long term experience. Many contractors hold the belief that residential construction estimating software can cause more harm than good, and this was perhaps the case in the earlier stages of development. Modern day advances mean more variety is available on the market and there is a construction estimating software package that can make your life a whole lot easier.If you want your residential construction business to be a success, it is vital that you have solid record keeping procedures and immaculate books: If the numbers aren't right the whole business could go under. Construction estimating software will enable you to keep track of every expense, every day and produce analysis and reports on demand, without getting out your calculator. So often contractors are left scratching their heads and wondering where they went wrong with the residential construction estimations that made them lose so much money each year. With the right estimation software contractors can monitor the budget, work out the productiv

chiatrist, as none of those professionals will ever know you as well as you know yourself. For instance, if a man is seven feet tall then he probably shouldn’t be entering into the field of becoming a horse jockey. It’s not a question of “can” he succeed but it’s a matter of what the reasons are that no horse jockeys are seven feet tall. Unless that is a burning desire that won’t fade, he’s better off seeking more reasonable measures. Once defining the science of who you are, you must then explore the art of who you are. The art of who you are is your characteristics, your imagination and thoughts and how you express those traits in your respective society. Understanding your art will assist you in how you locate your market and how your skills are best exhibited. If for instance you lack patience, then you probably shouldn’t be working with children, as patience is an essential component to working with the youth along with multiple other characteristics. Defining who you are is paramount to choosing what type of business you start because your business will lack an identity and you will struggle to understand why. The most important part of this stage is to be honest with yourself and make your determinations in private.

Machine Quilting: Hit The Accelerator
Machine quilting is becoming more and more popular by the day. Long gone are the days when you would sit down with a quilting frame and manually hand sew it until you are satisfied that it is well designed and will stand the test of time. If you still do use that method then you should really try machine quilting for size. If you do not like it then it is your choice, but you owe it to yourself to try out the technology that may just save you a lot of time and make it more enjoyable as a pastime. Some quilters love machine quilting, especially those that are new to the hobby, but some prefer to stick to the traditional methods of quilting instead. The choice is yours!Hand-Sewing Vs. Machine SewingYou have to be creative if you want to create works of art via quilting. There are various patterns that you can follow but it is much more satisfying to come up with your own designs and create a style for yourself. Hand sewn quilts are symbolic of the effort that individuals are prepared to put into their handiwork and if you make your quilts that way then you should be proud of yourself. However, you may well have to wait for weeks and weeks before you can finally add the finishing touches to one quilt. With machine quilting, however, you can easily create beautiful quilts in just a few days. Machine quilting is the in thing at the moment

right-handed and aspire to be ambidextrous then it only follows that you must commit yourself to using your left hand when other options are available. If you do not speak Spanish and would like to engage the Spanish market, then of course you must learn to speak the language. Thereto, you must again explore the art of who you are. If you aspire to work with children and know you lack patience, then you must place yourself in situations that command patience until you’ve mastered the art. Deciding who you want to be is again a process and one that requires these decisions to be made in private, as no one can fully understand your dreams.

To Tag Or Not To Tag?
A tagline is a succinct phrase that communicates some of the basics of your brand. Ideally, your tagline is also memorable and helps your target audience relate to your business.If used correctly, a tagline can be a powerful part of your marketing strategy. Creating a phrase of a few words to uniquely identify you (or your business) in all of your marketing materials helps you to cover two of the major ways that a prospect can immediately gather information in your business communications - the prospect sees both the images of your logo and Visual Vocabulary and the text in your tagline to learn more about your brand.The advantage of adding a tagline to other text that describes your business is that a tagline can appear on all of your marketing materials, including your business card, stationery, and other applications, where descriptive text either will not fit or is not appropriate.Here are some tips on using a tagline in your marketing materials:Pick one tagline and run with it.It can be very difficult to settle on just one tagline. However, choosing one tagline and using it consistently throughout all of your materials will help your marketing materials to look consistent. The repetition of the tagline will also make your materials memorable. This consistency makes your business appear well-thought-out as opposed t

r you and your family. This part of the process is crucial and when forsaken, many find themselves in arrears with the IRS or worse, in court. Tax planning accounts for one-third to one-half of all wealth in America which should enable you to understand its significance. Try to meet with at least two tax professionals before you begin.

Hold Your Nose and Look into Opportunities Others Avoid to Make 20 Times Faster Improvements
FIRST IMPRESSIONS CAN KEEP YOU FROM OPPORTUNITIESMost people can identify situations in which they dismissed an opportunity that someone else capitalized on later. Often these opportunities were overlooked or rejected because they were perceived as dull, boring, or unpleasant. You may recall the fairy tale of "The Ugly Duckling." It is the story of a cast-off baby bird that is mistreated because it is unattractive to the young ducklings raised with it. Much to everyone's surprise the ugly duckling develops into a beautiful swan. Thus, what we call the unattractiveness stall prevents people from seeing potential because they make judgments based on insufficient knowledge.As you contemplate this point, it is worth remembering that if Alexander Fleming had been unwilling to work with the unpleasant green mold that affects stale bread, the world might not yet have the wonder drug penicillin and its heirs.DON'T TAKE MY PICTURE, I'll Break the CameraThe Taj MahalAll too frequently, management becomes engrossed in creating posh office space. Having feathered their nests, executives avoid the ugly duckling sites that need attention.In many companies, distribution is one such ugly duckling. Trucks and loading docks excite few corporate chieftains. Yet Wal-Mart struck gold by focusing on fast deliveries through warehouses

2. Business Plan – If you are starting a business or venturing a major project, you will need an actual business plan. If the project is very simple, a proposal will suffice. A well-written business plan will include a marketing strategy based on data research and cost projections based on industry trends. It’s always wise to include a risk analysis to display not only that you understand your industry but to further enhance that you know what you’re doing.

3. Financials – Personal and business financials should be organized and readily available. For your personal finances, prepare 3 years of history but a financial statement will suffice to begin. For your business, there should be a profit and loss statement, balance sheet or operating statements available. The criteria for each loan is different and don’t anoint yourself qualified to make those judgments. Leave it to the banks.

4. Resumes – Make certain that you have resumes on yourself and all principals involved on the project. In your resumes, don’t just list your work and educational history; provide some background into who you are and what activities you’re involved in. Remember these people don’t know you and this information is all they have to go on. So list things like your hobbies, community activities, charities, etc… When providing your resume, you should try to paint a complete portrait of yourself and in the best light.

5. References – If at all possible, enlist your friends and former co-workers to write character references about you. Similarly to the resumes, this type of information can fill any potential holes or gaps that may linger with respects to who you are and what your capabilities may be as a business owner.

6. Terms – In your business plan or proposal, plan how you want to pay the loan back and diagram the parameters in your plan. The lender will see that you’ve put much thought in this project and how to execute its success. Make certain that your parameters are reasonable and marketable. The more you appear as if you understand what you’re doing, the more qualified they will view you.

These are just some of the fundamentals you can employ on each and every project you pursue. The intricacies may vary with the complexity of each project and based on your personal dynamics and your business longevity. The most popular question from applicants is “How long will it take to get the funding?” The appropriate answer is that you must remember to “respect” the process. The answer to that popular question is “That depends on you.” If you respect the process and are properly prepared, then the process will work for you. The money is ready and willing, are you? Be prepared!

J. R. Parler

JRParler@yahoo.com

Commercial Real Estate & Finance

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