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14-03-2012 08:45 How agents can intelligently position themselves to develop new business listings and sales on autopilot.

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Real Estate Agents Internet Marketing101 - Video

14-03-2012 09:09 Get involved with agents that can provide the answers you need davidpylyp.com in your preferred method of communication. a Better lifestyle is possible in Toronto.

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Internet is not a FAD - Toronto Real estate - Video

William H. Poteet Jr., Naples

President, Naples Area Board of Realtors

Tax advisory

As tax time nears, rumors are circulating again on the Internet and via email about a 3.8 percent tax on real estate that will take effect in 2013.

---- There is a common misconception that the new tax, which was included in the health-care reform legislation, is a sales tax or transfer tax that will be imposed on all real-estate transactions. This is untrue.

---- The 3.8 percent tax may be imposed on some high-earning homeowners income from interest, dividends, rental income (less expenses) and capital gains (less capital losses).

---- The tax will fall only on individuals with an adjusted gross income (AGI) above $200,000 and couples filing a joint return with more than $250,000 AGI. The tax is expected to hit only some portion of investment income for upper-income homeowners when they sell a home or investment property.

---- The purpose of the tax, which was inserted at the last minute into the legislation, is to offset some of the cost of health-care reform. The tax is expected to generate $325 billion over eight years.

If you fall in the income range and are considering selling real-estate properties, its important to talk about your specific situation with a Realtor and your tax adviser. You also can download a free brochure by the National Association of Realtors at http://www.realtor.org/government_affairs..

---- The Naples Area Board of Realtors will continue to keep homeowners informed as the 2013 effective date approaches as we seek to clear up any confusion about how you may be affected in a real-estate transaction.

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Letter: Tax advisory

By Paul Owers March 15, 2012 07:00 AM

That open house you want to schedule actually will help your real estate agent more than you, according to a feature in Reader's Digest.

The iconic magazine is out with a list of 13 things your agent wont tell you.

With just about everybody house-hunting on the Internet, most open houses no longer are magnets for serious buyers. The events typically attract neighbors looking to see how your house compares to theirs.

While an open house makes the seller feel good my Realtor is marketing the property! -- its primarily a chance for your agent to drum up new business by passing out business cards.

Other things Reader's Digest wants you to know: Check the contract for administrative fees on top of the commission and if your agent is new to the business, he or she might list family and friends as references. So be sure to ask the reference about his or her relationship to the agent.

In fairness, though, some of the 13 things aren't exactly state secrets. Such as: Don't skip the final walk-through, and rooms without furniture don't look bigger. Most real estate agents would be happy to share those tips with you.

OK, agents: It's your turn. What do you think of the list? Tell us about it.

To follow Paul Owers on Twitter, click here.

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Reader's Digest: 13 secrets your real estate agent is keeping

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

BOKU, the global leader in online mobile payments, announced today that it has secured $35 Million in funding. Investors include New Enterprise Associates (NEA), Telefnica Digital, the growth arm of the global telecoms leader, as well as previous investors. Additional participants in the round include Andreessen Horowitz, Benchmark Capital, DAG Ventures, Index Ventures and Khosla Ventures. The funding will be used to expand the team, broaden infrastructure and continue BOKUs global expansion that started in 2009.

Payments is an industry that requires scale, and in the three years since BOKU launched weve grown rapidly to partner with more than 250 mobile network operators, processing transactions in 67 countries around the world, said Mark Britto, CEO of BOKU, Inc. We see this investment as a clear vote of confidence from our new partners at NEA and Telefnica. They recognize that weve established a mobile billing system that offers bank grade technology on a global scale; this strategic investment will help us expand our business as well as facilitate the growth of our new BOKU Accounts platform.

Payments are going mobile and we want to be at the forefront of this trend, said Matthew Key, Chairman & CEO, Telefnica Digital. BOKU has quickly established itself as a true innovator in the mobile commerce space and this investment gives us access to their tools, infrastructure and know how, ideally complementing our own mobile payments expertise. In addition to the investment we are also embarking on a global partnership with BOKU to enhance our operator billing capabilities and the overall payment experience through our future mobile wallet services.

Financial Services is a key focus area for Telefnicas Digital unit that has been formed to drive growth and innovation across a range of digital services. Telefnica is committed to bringing mobile wallet and other innovative payments services to its customers across its operating businesses and through Wanda, its joint venture in Latin America with MasterCard. Tracy Isacke who runs the Venture Capital arm of Telefnica Digital and is based in Silicon Valley led the investment in BOKU.

BOKU has built a phenomenal business around online mobile payments, said Ravi Viswanathan, PhD, General Partner at NEA. The next step is bringing mobile payments offline, and thats what BOKU Accounts accomplishes. It works on all mobile operating systems across all hardware types, and applies for all subscribers. We look forward to partnering with BOKU as they take their offering to a whole new level.

BOKU has raised a total of $75 Million in a series of funding rounds starting in 2008 when the company was formed. The company operates in 67 countries around the globe and partners with 250 mobile network operators.

About BOKU:

BOKU, the leading online mobile payments company, brings bank-grade payments technology and mobile users together, creating a trusted, accessible platform for consumers, merchantsand carriers alike. Based in San Francisco with offices in Europe and Asia, BOKU reaches nearly 4 billion consumers worldwide, across 66 different countries. Leading Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and venture capitalists fund BOKU including Andreessen Horowitz, Benchmark Capital, DAG Ventures, Index Ventures and Khosla Ventures.For more information visit: http://www.boku.com

About Telefnica Digital

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BOKU Secures $35 Million Strategic Investment From NEA, Telefónica and Other Investors