6 Steps to Successful Special Education Eligibility For Your Child!

Are you concerned that your child may have Asperger’s Syndrome or be on the Autism Spectrum even though special education personnel in your school district say that they don’t? Is your child struggling academically even though school personnel say everything is fine? This article is for you! I will be discussing the 6 steps to special education eligibility, and how you can prepare for each step to increase your chances that your child will be found eligible!

The federal law that covers special education is called the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 or IDEA 2004; which all states must comply with.

Step 1 is the Request for Evaluation. According to IDEA 2004 school districts must find, locate and evaluate all children with disabilities, under the Child Find section. You may submit a written request that your child receive a comprehensive psychological evaluation, to determine if they have a disability.

You should include any information that supports your case that your child has a disability. Outside evaluations, medical reports, district and state wide standardized testing, teacher comments etc. Also in your request, mention all areas that you think your child may have a disability in because schools must test in all areas of suspected disability.

Step 2 is the decision by the school district whether they are going to test your child; which is usually done at a meeting between parents and school personnel. You must stand up for your child at this meeting, and absolutely insist that your child be tested in all areas of suspected disability.

Step 3 is the consent to evaluate. If the school agrees to evaluate your child you must sign a consent form for this testing. IDEA 2004 requires that parents give informed consent. What does this mean? This means that you understand what tests are going to be given and in what areas. You may withhold consent to test in one area, or to give a specific test if you do not agree.

Ask that all evaluation reports be sent to you by mail at least 10 days prior to the eligibility meeting; so that you can be a full participant in the process.

Step 4 is the actual evaluation. The school has 60 days in which to complete the evaluation. Most evaluations have interviews with one or both parents especially if a Vineland or an Autism Rating Scale is being given. Rating Scales should be filled out by parents because they know the child best; and this will increase the reliability of the Scale.

Step 5 is the Eligibility Conference and the Individual Educational Plan Meeting. If at all possible bring another parent or an advocate who is familiar with special education.

Ask lots of questions especially about terminology that you do not understand. Ask evaluators to fully explain their report, and especially any scores that are below grade level. If scores are below grade level evaluators should be able to tell you why? For example: A third grade student that reads at a first grade level may have undiagnosed learning disabilities. Any area that is below grade level means that a child may need related and or special education services in this area, in order to benefit from their education.

If the child is found eligible then an Individual Educational Plan (IEP) must be developed for the child. All services needed should be included on the IEP, as well as minutes per week that the child will receive the service.

Step 6 is Consent for special education Placement. IDEA 2004 requires that parents sign for initial related and special education services. Special education is not necessarily a special class, but can be services that your child needs for their education. Related services are things such as therapies, assistive technology, counseling, etc.

While eligibility is not guaranteed, advocating for your child you will increase your chance of having your child found eligible for special education services!

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Starting A Computer Home Based Business

Fortunately, countless methods of earning money to make a living by simply using a computer exist today. Of course, this type of earning a living may not be the right step for everyone which often requires an inner judgment call that must be taken seriously. For the right person, staring a computer home based business could the answer to a successful business venture and getting on the road to financial freedom in the process.

The use of the internet and computer technology in order to earn a living is rapidly growing by the minute. Millions of people across the globe today are currently earn their living by simply using their computer and internet. This, of course, also means that there are a tremendous amount of competitors in this field which requires one to perform due diligence in this decision.

Perhaps the most fundamental question in starting any computer home based business is the question of being able to sit at the computer for extended period of time. Surprisingly, countless numbers of people that are not able to do so and will lead to failure. A business often requires countless hours which allows for an incredible amount of discipline as well.

The internet is actually a vast marketplace which requires the ability to navigate through it. As such, one should understand how to effectively use the tools the internet provides in order to make a living. There are a vast amount of basic internet courses available that are incredibly effective and often free of charge.

Naturally, when using the computer for anything, one must be computer literate. There are courses that are easy and can be taken at any time which makes it easy to become literate and navigate through it. These should be taken in order to use the computer for any home based business.

Also, one should consider their current financial position. This type of business could take some time in generating cash flow which could prove dangerous for many. If possible, be sure to have funds saved for living expenses to use prior to earning an actual profit.

Finally, one should consider which area of business to begin in order to be successful. Type of computer home based business opportunities include sales and marketing, freelance writing, network marketing, and even customer service. Naturally, if one has skills in any of the afore mentioned areas, this should be the area of expertise they focus on with their business venture.

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Home-Based-Business-Opportunity Customers Are the Key to Home-Business Success

Home based business opportunity success depends on having, finding or creating a customer base. Family and friends are the obvious choice to start your business with loyal customers. Well, at least your hope is that they would be loyal customers. It usually does not take very long before you realize that your family is not big enough and your circle of friends is too small to support your home based business opportunity.Customers have always been, and will continue to be, the best kept secret to success online. Affiliate companies want business builders who want to make money and they will reward you for every builder you find. Reality is that most companies are top heavy. Business builders look for business builders who become their customers. A network of people expecting to earn an income can be very precarious. Frustration becomes more prevalent when those business builders are not making the amount of money they expect. Every successful business, whether online or off, depends people in large numbers purchasing their products. If product does not move from the company to the consumer, nobody makes any money. Building a strong customer base is the only way to make money online. Finding those people who want or need what you have to offer can take time. The Internet certainly has a potential for making a large number of people aware of your home based business opportunity but it still takes time. When you get started be prepared to work diligently and consistently for three to five years. Building a business online should never be taken lightly.3 Important Questions About Your Potential Customers1. Who are your potential customers? – Your product has to appeal to people or they will not purchase them. Consider whether your product is targeted to youth, adults or seniors.2. Where will you find your customers? – A good marketing plan will be more effective if you are targeting the right groups. You want to get the word out where the potential customers are likely to be looking for what you have.3. Why should they purchase from you? – How will you distinguish yourself from all the other people out there who are competing for the same customers you are marketing to.Focus on building a strong customer base. Affiliate marketing companies are a popular way of starting a business. You can get a part-time business up and ready to start within minutes. Finding people who are wanting to earn money working from home is important to your overall success. Do not make the mistake of putting all your efforts into opportunity seekers.Focus your marketing strategy to finding those people who will purchase your products without any expectation of earning money. A customer wants quality products and exceptional service and they are willing to pay for it. A strong customer base will give your business stability and long term residual income. Customers are the back bone of every successful business opportunity.

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Christian Home Based Business

Managing and operating a functional and money-making Christian home based business can be a daunting endeavor to say the least. So much to do and so little time to do it!So how do the “chosen” few actually turn their home based Christian business into a profitable venture? Why may it seem that you are giving it all you’ve got and just not grabbing the traction you need or feel you deserve?Here now are a few Christian business practices that can give you a significant business edge.Step 1: Begin each and every day with prayer and taken in a powerful dose of God’s Word, the Holy Bible. Be sure that Jesus is on your side. Team up exclusively with the Holy Spirit. Make God your intimate business partner. “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” Matthew 6:33.Step 2: As you begin your plan, be sure to include and implement a “gifting first” process. The object is to lure suspects and prospects into your Christian home based business world by offering “free” incentives. These incentives might be a “free” special report from your web site, or you might invest in inexpensive promotions items such as pens, mini-calendars, or refrigerator magnets with your brand printed on them. Give these items away to all potential customers and clients.Step 3: Get involved in the community. Be of service to others and be available when needed. Be on the constant look out for opportunities to building and nurture long-term relationships by providing your time as a goodwill measure. Caveat: Never simply give of yourself expecting to “get” in return. When you give from a heart of Christ, people “will” take notice and respond. Let God open these doors as you share His love throughout your target market zones. “If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too” Romans 14:18.Step 4: Run your Christian home based business like a true professional. Even though your business is located at your home, adopt and maintain the mindset of a corporate giant. Act like you “intend” to do business. Although working your Christian home based business can afford you work schedule flexibility, keep your focus on your plan, your daily schedule, your work ethic, your customer service practices, and well-formed business goals top of mind. You might even consider dressing and acting the part, too.Step 5: I encourage you to consider these Christian home based business practices and put them into action right away. God knows the open marketplace can be challenging, but by following a professional Christian business regimen, you can distinctly level the playing and generate the success you seek to achieve. Keep God in the forefront of all you do. You will most definitely need His anointed blessings. “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” Ephesians 3:20.And finally…Step 6: Don’t worry and don’t be afraid. We serve a big God who wants you to win. Let go of your inhibitions and fears. Go boldly and listen for God’s direction. Hold fast not to your will, but to God’s will. He will lead you to the land of milk and honey. “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done” Philippians 4:6. Believe it and become it!May almighty God bless you abundantly!

Tips For Devising a Smart Internet Home Based Business Start Up Plan

A home based business start up must be well planned and executed. The success of such a business depends a lot on the start up plans.You must devise a start up plan that will give an edge over the many competitors in the ever growing web world.The success of your home business will be dependent on your awareness and understanding of the internet market.Without this knowledge, a home-based business meant to be done from the comfort of your home might turn out to be an uncomfortable, stressful and frustrating effort.Here are a few tips to make your home based business start up a success…Start from the netIf it’s the internet that will get you business, it is the internet that will get you the resources as well.Yes, it’s all there; you can get all the tools on the internet itself. So go ahead and try.How to design the site?Though the internet itself will provide the resources required for the home based business start up, with many tools that are user friendly, if you are not confident you should hire a professional.Pay attention to domain nameThe old saying “What’s in a name?” is applicable here. The name of your site is vital and must be related to your products and services.Choose the right web hostAs a part of your home based business start up plan you should be sure whether you require a virtual or dedicated server. You must also know how upgradable is the server, the bandwidth and whether it can provide a control panel.Don’t overlook the legal issuesBe careful about the registration, licensing, etc. in order to avoid any legal hassles later.Effective payment facilityYou should have a secure and smart means of receiving payments. Clients should not be held up or timed out while making payment transactions.Build your marketThe first hiccup of a home based business start up is your zero online visibility. Hence, you must spend a lot of your initial days trying to build constant traffic to your website with the help of web promotion and marketing strategies.You must have a good marketing strategy which is suitable to the internet since here the customer won’t know about your business unless he sees and hears about it.Study the marketJust like any other business, you must evaluate the market and the demand for the products and services your business will provide.Make your site stand outTo make your site visible you must ensure good SEO ratings. This is also one of the key marketing strategies of a home based business start up.Plan a client strategyYour business plans should be aimed towards increasing profits. It should inform clients about your products, create credibility with them, attract them, prove or show the products worth and finally impel them to the action of buying the product.In fact, one indispensable client strategy is a good visitor-converting tool where a surfer enters your website as a visitor and leaves as a customer.Create a client listIf you are equipped with a customer, your marketing strategies will be more targeted. Hence, a few handy tools for creating your own opt-in lists is a must have.Thus, work out on a start up plan and create a successful home based business.

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Why Invest in Property in South Africa

Trend towards Property Investment
Property investment in South Africa is simple as well as secure and can offer tremendous profits in respect to other forms of investment which often prove to be unstable and unrewarding. One of the many incentives that may sway an individual towards property investment is the well acknowledged fact that typically, every seven years, the value of a property doubles.A great deal of investors realise that even though the stock market presents opportunities for large proceedings, it does not alleviate the hitches of its erratic and risky traits. Many investors are now becoming more inclined to choose property investment over other forms of investment as it’s proving to be a somewhat more stable option, offering far more rewards.South African Property InvestmentAside from the extraordinary lifestyle and climate South Africa has to offer, there are an abundance of advantages from which property investors can benefit.Investors will find opportunities for lucrative investment in numerous areas in South Africa. Commercial projects and present regeneration projects in places such as Muizenberg in the Western Cape are offering exceptional returns; investors from various countries are being drawn towards similar projects due to the tax breaks available.Experienced investors are reaping the benefits of the real estate market in South Africa at present, with many potential opportunities in buy-to-let, pure investment and land options.For Foreign InvestorsOn the African continent, South Africa has one of the strongest economies. Aside from this, today’s overseas investors realise that South Africa is a spectacular country with regard to standard of living and ambience alike.In the past few years commercial property has enjoyed considerable growth and this seems to be a trend set to carry on with government motivation now in place. Arrays of opportunities present themselves for profitable returns from South African property, especially in particular areas.The government is dedicated to creating a strong tourism industry in South Africa. This has become an increasingly important revenue sector and also forms a part of the government’s job-creation strategy. The country is popular with foreign visitors because of its favourable climate and amazing natural scenery.Another perk of property investment in South Africa is that there is a shortage of property due to its political past; ultimately this factor has generated long-term growth prospects in the property market. There is also a relatively stable democracy and all kinds of investment are encouraged, with foreigners being prompted to invest in South African property as there are no restrictions on ownership.The economy is growing and consequently focus is now on initialising a strong middle class economy, thus increasing demand for homes. Considerable taxation breaks are put forward for real estate developers and with the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, demand for rental properties is also on the rise.The housing property market is displaying a stable growth and in metropolitan areas and the commercial property market is out shining many markets in Western countries.Proven Perks of Property InvestmentThere is no other investment which permits an individual to make a purchase using other people’s money, this being the bank’s, and then pay the money back using the money of other people, this being the rental income from tenants.When you buy property exclusively for investment purposes, any form of sentiment is eradicated from the purchase and the property can be seen strictly as an investment. If you own property, equity can be released against it as even though there is no guarantee your property’s value will increase annually; it is widely acknowledged that property in a satisfactory area, that is well maintained, will certainly increase in value.Trend towards Property InvestmentProperty investment in South Africa is simple as well as secure and can offer tremendous profits in respect to other forms of investment which often prove to be unstable and unrewarding. One of the many incentives that may sway an individual towards property investment is the well acknowledged fact that typically, every seven years, the value of a property doubles.A great deal of investors realise that even though the stock market presents opportunities for large proceedings, it does not alleviate the hitches of its erratic and risky traits. Many investors are now becoming more inclined to choose property investment over other forms of investment as it’s proving to be a somewhat more stable option, offering far more rewards.South African Property InvestmentAside from the extraordinary lifestyle and climate South Africa has to offer, there are an abundance of advantages from which property investors can benefit.Investors will find opportunities for lucrative investment in numerous areas in South Africa. Commercial projects and present regeneration projects in places such as Muizenberg in the Western Cape are offering exceptional returns; investors from various countries are being drawn towards similar projects due to the tax breaks available.Experienced investors are reaping the benefits of the real estate market in South Africa at present, with many potential opportunities in buy-to-let, pure investment and land options.For Foreign InvestorsOn the African continent, South Africa has one of the strongest economies. Aside from this, today’s overseas investors realise that South Africa is a spectacular country with regard to standard of living and ambience alike.In the past few years commercial property has enjoyed considerable growth and this seems to be a trend set to carry on with government motivation now in place. Arrays of opportunities present themselves for profitable returns from South African property, especially in particular areas.The government is dedicated to creating a strong tourism industry in South Africa. This has become an increasingly important revenue sector and also forms a part of the government’s job-creation strategy. The country is popular with foreign visitors because of its favourable climate and amazing natural scenery.Another perk of property investment in South Africa is that there is a shortage of property due to its political past; ultimately this factor has generated long-term growth prospects in the property market. There is also a relatively stable democracy and all kinds of investment are encouraged, with foreigners being prompted to invest in South African property as there are no restrictions on ownership.The economy is growing and consequently focus is now on initialising a strong middle class economy, thus increasing demand for homes. Considerable taxation breaks are put forward for real estate developers and with the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, demand for rental properties is also on the rise.The housing property market is displaying a stable growth and in metropolitan areas and the commercial property market is out shining many markets in Western countries.Proven Perks of Property InvestmentThere is no other investment which permits an individual to make a purchase using other people’s money, this being the bank’s, and then pay the money back using the money of other people, this being the rental income from tenants.When you buy property exclusively for investment purposes, any form of sentiment is eradicated from the purchase and the property can be seen strictly as an investment. If you own property, equity can be released against it as even though there is no guarantee your property’s value will increase annually; it is widely acknowledged that property in a satisfactory area, that is well maintained, will certainly increase in value.

Property Management Accounting Software Can Save You Time and Money

One of the most daunting aspects of being a landlord is staying on top of income, expenses, and tax obligations. If you are feeling a bit overwhelmed or like you just need to become better organized with respect to your rental real estate investments, property management accounting software can end a landlord or property manager’s reliance on paper-based systems and streamline their business. Well designed property management software can make managing rental properties more efficient, which can often translates into tremendous savings of time, money and frustration.

Tracking income and expenses is fundamental to managing property. When tax time arrives, your income and expense data must be readily available and well organized. Software allows you to store all that information in one place. Good software will allow you to know your tax liability right away. Besides record keeping for tax purposes, a good software program allows you to quickly output reports. The reports produced by the software display the financial details of your rental property investments. These reports can then be printed, distributed or saved to a file if necessary.

Easily tracking rent received is another important benefit of good real estate accounting software. Tracking rent payments represents a significant portion of a property manager’s record keeping duties. Using software, a landlord can tell at a glance which tenants have paid and which tenants are carrying a balance due. In addition, software can allow you to store and view the rent payment history of a given tenant or tenants.

Property management software also allows you to know at all times exactly where every dollar goes. Often, expenses can spiral out of control due to unexpected events or poor planning. Keeping on top of income and expenses is vital to successfully managing rental properties. The ability to track prior and current expenses, both in total and at the individual property level, allows landlords and property managers to make better decisions about spending, budgeting, cutting back, vendors and rent increases.

Whether you are a part-time, do it yourself landlord managing a single property or a property management professional managing over a hundred units, the decision to use property management accounting software is a good one for your business. When it is time to pay your taxes or make any important decision regarding your rental property investments, a well designed real estate management application can make all the pertinent data readily accessible and very easy to evaluate all in one place. A good software program will keep you organized, reduce time spent on administrative tasks and help you make solid business decisions.

The Best Ways of Advertising on the Internet

Something which is still in its infancy in the grand scheme of things, advertising on the internet has been and will continue to be a growth sector in the advertising industry as consumers spend an increasing amount of their time online. The web is already one of the world’s largest marketplaces and as any advertising or marketing professional can tell you, the way to reach consumers is to go to them. And that place is ever more likely to be the internet, making bringing advertising to the internet an essential to any business which hopes to remain competitive.

Not only consumers but businesses have moved much of their commercial activity to the online world, making this also a new area of growth for business to business marketing as well as business to consumer advertising. While advertising on the internet is still an emerging part of the marketing world, there are already a variety of means which advertisers can employ in their efforts to make headway with online consumers.

Advertising banners and text ads are the most well established form of advertising on the internet, with PPC, PPA and other forms of contextual advertising becoming a growing part of web based marketing efforts. The cost of advertising to the advertiser can be determined in several different ways, depending on the pricing model used. There is the pay per click (PPC) model, which relies on gathering a large number of tricks to be useful to the advertiser and profitable for the seller of online ad space. Other advertising sellers prefer the CPM model, which involves a flat fee per 1,000 impressions ‘ something which works well for companies who have high levels of traffic selling advertising on the internet.

There is also the CPA or cost per action model; these actions could be clicks, impressions or anything else determined by the advertiser and the advertising seller. However, the most common action in this model is something which helps the advertiser to build their list such as an email-based subscription.

Adverts used in internet marketing campaigns involving newsletters, a popular choice in the field of B2B advertising on the internet are often priced this way. CPA advertising tends to be more expensive for the advertiser, but it does yield much more certain results ‘ and in the case of B2B advertising, the return on investment tends to be higher. Newsletters are a favored method for business to business campaigns because of the repeated contacts generally needed to close a sale and because for these sorts of applications, banner and text ads tend to be far less effective.

When using banner ads, the placement and design must be taken into account by both parties; different ads will benefit from different placement on the page; website owners selling advertising on the internet should have the behavior of their visitors analyzed to determine favorable placements. This helps the publisher do a better job of selling advertising, as well as making the decision an easier one for the advertiser.

The Finer Points of Internet Auctions

WHAT IS A PENNY AUCTION?

Penny auctions have exploded in popularity with the massive growth of the internet. However, few people know the true origins of penny auctions.Beginnings actually stretch back to the Great Depression. Those were hard times for everyone, but even harder for farmers. Farmers struggled to bring in steady income because of droughts and crops not selling as well as they had previously. As a result, the banks would foreclose on the farmers who couldn’t keep up with their mortgage payments.

The banks weren’t satisfied with just repossessing the house, they wanted to raise as much capital as possible, so they resorted to selling off the possessions of the owners of the repossessed houses. There was not much the farmers could do about it so they began bidding ridiculously low prices, pennies, on the items while threatening others who dared to bid higher than a few pennies.

The auctions of today hardly resemble their tremulous beginnings. Being part of a penny auction today is exhilarating, fun, and addictive. It combines the selling format of auctioning with a little bit of chance factored in.Auctions are a game of strategy but also a game of luck.

The premise behind penny auctions is giving people the chance to win an item at a drastically reduced price.Auctions make that possible by spreading out the cost of the product among multiple bidders. In order for a person to take part in an auction, they must pay a set price for each bid. For example, if a person wanted to bid on a fifty dollar Amazon gift card then he would spend a dollar for each time a bid placed. If he ended up winning the gift card, then he would only have spent a few dollars for a fifty dollar gift card. Usually penny auctions sell bids in packages.

HOW PENNY AUCTIONS WORK!

The main foundation of penny auctions is the pay-per-bid format. It is the key that allows bidders to win items at the fraction of their retail value and allows the auction owners to keep their site profitable. Most y auction sites run on the same premise: people pay a set amount for each bid, whenever a person places a bid within the closing seconds of the auction time will be added, the last person left with a unique bid after the clocks runs out will win the item. There are a large variety of items that can be won, but they tend to be popular electronics or gift cards to popular stores.

There are two types of auctions: lowest unique bid auction and highest unique bid auction. Lowest unique auction sounds confusing but it is actually quite simple. A unique bid is when only one person has a bid at a certain price. Bids usually start at one penny, a bidder can then place a bid at two pennies. Until another bidder places a higher bid, the most recent bidder will be the lowest unique bid because that was the only bid at two cents and nobody bid higher. However, penny auctions generally don’t stop at one penny. It is not uncommon to find auctions that end up at a couple hundred dollars based on the popularity of the item being auctioned. However, the same principles apply for those auctions. Highest unique bid auctions follow the more traditional auction format such as eBay. The person with the highest bid at the end of the auction wins the item.

Auction site owners turn a profit by selling bids. Say twenty people are bidding on a ten dollar gift card at one dollar per bid, at the end of the auction if there were twenty bids placed in total then the site owner would have made twenty dollars with a ten dollar profit.Auctions do seem like a win-win situation:The site owner makes money while the bidder gets an item for dirt cheap. However, not everyone wins in penny auctions. The people who paid one dollar each bid but left with nothing to show for their investments will not be so happy.

HOW TO WIN!

Penny auction has a lot of chance mixed into it, but one can incorporate strategy that will help raise the chances of winning. Playing smart can make all the difference between gambling and auctioning.

The first crucial tip to winning penny auctions is to know how to manage your bids. Your goal should be to win as much as possible without spending a ton of money buying bids. Managing your bids means that you should already know how much you are willing to risk in order to win an item. The amount of capital you are willing to risk will determine how many bids you can use. Once you know how many bids you have to spend on an item, then you will be better able to manage how and when you place a bid. That will keep you from blowing away all of your bids in the first few seconds of the auction.

The next tip is to practice time management. When fighting in the trenches of penny auctions, you have two enemies: other bidders and time. Knowing when to bid is a must if you want to have success. Placing a bid when there is a lot of time left on the clock is never a good idea. You have to remember that the key to winning a penny auction is being the last one standing when the clock runs out and that each bid increases the amount of time left. It would be a good practice to wait until the last few minutes of the auction before you begin to bid.

The final tip for successful auctioning is to keep your emotions under control.Auctions have a lot of similarities to gambling, and just like gambling, your spending can get out of control. If you keep your emotions level, it will keep you from making rash decisions and blowing loads of cash. Keep your mind clear so that you can gage the behavior of the other bidders and outsmart them.

HOW TO AVOID SCAM SITES!

Penny auctions are a great addition to the web whether you want to win an item that otherwise you wouldn’t be able to afford or if you simply enjoy the thrill that comes with bidding in auctions. Unfortunately, scam sites have tarnished the reputation of the legitimate penny auction sites. However, there are ways that you can protect yourself from scamers and enjoy your auctioning without having to worry about losing your money due to dishonesty.

Checking the reputation of the auction site before you start spending your hard earned money is always a good idea. Chances are other people have tried the site before you and some of them have left reviews. The reviews are your way to gage whether a auction site is trustworthy or not. If a site is getting overwhelmingly negative reviews, then that is a clear indication that you should steer your business elsewhere.

Another tool you can use to protect yourself is checking the Alexia ranks of the auction sites. Alexia rank will give a solid view of how much traffic the auction is getting. If you see a huge difference in the amount of traffic Alexia is projecting and the amount of active bidders on the site, then warning signals should be ringing in your head. Some auction sites have been known to set up robots that automatically bid on projects in order to keep the auction going and inflate the price. That is known as shill bidding. You can sniff out those sites by comparing the traffic the site should be getting to the amount of users using this site.

CONCLUSION!

New legislation may come out later down the road that will officially make penny auctions gambling, but until then, it is a fun, exciting auction that allows one to win the item they’ve always wanted but couldn’t afford.Auctions are also quite lucrative for the site owners because of the pay-per-bid strategy they’ve incorporated. Penny auctions had humble beginnings with farmers who just wanted to get back at the banks who kicked them out of their house. More recently, auctions have enjoyed an explosion in popularity with the rise of the internet.

There are two main formats fora auctions, lowest and highest unique auction, however they both run on the same premise where the last unique bid wins the item. Winning a penny auction will require a certain amount of mental tactic and a bit of luck. However, you can increase your odds of winning by practicing certain techniques such as managing your bids wisely, learning how to work with the time, and keeping a level head and your emotions under control. When you combine those three strategies to your bidding plan, you will find that you win a lot more often.

It is important that you do your due diligence to protect yourself when participating in auctions. Not every auction is run by honest and trustworthy people. There are people out there who just want to take your money. You can protect yourself by ensuring that you only bid on sites that already have a very positive reputation from real users.

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How to Find Great Live Auctions for Resale Items

Hi, my name is Walt. I’m an auctioneer with 25 years of experience in the auction business and licensed in the state of MA. I own Quick Auction Service, a company that specializes in building and running custom auctions, I’m also the webmaster of my own site and have been on eBay for 8 years. Besides eBay, the types of auctions I run most frequently are antiques and on-site estate auctions, although I’ve run everything from business overstock auctions to charity & special event auctions.

I enjoy sharing my knowledge and stories of the auction business. My goal for article is to help folks get the absolute most out of their auction experience.

Whether your fresh out of the package or a seasoned dealer I think I can offer something in this article to help you with your auciton adventures.

There may be as many reasons to attend auctions as there are types of auctions to attend. Maybe you want to attend an auction to buy items for re-sale on eBay, or some other market. Maybe you want to furnish your home with wonderful antiques, or you want to furnish your home as inexpensively without sacrificing quality.Some folks are just looking for a fun night out. With a little perseverance all these things are possible.

There are antiques and estate auctions, auto auctions, overstock auctions, absolute and no reserve auctions, real estate auctions, specialty auctions where only one genre of items are sold, tailgate auctions, live auctions, online auctions, sealed bid auctions, silent auctions, charity and fund raising auctions and many more.

Can you really buy for pennies on the dollar at an auction? You bet! Many times I’ve seen folks buy and re-sell at the same auction on the same night for a good profit, although be advised, this should only be done after the auction is over.

There are a lot of ways to find an auction, but here are some tips on how to find and attend the best ones.

Visit the genre of shops in the area that apply to the type of auction you want to attend. IE: If your looking for a good antique auction to attend, stop in the local antiques shops and ask for what there are for good auctions in the area. Sounds obvious right? But listen to what they don’t say as well as what they do say. Oftentimes when a dealer speaks poorly about an auction he or she attends, it may be likely that they are trying to keep a good thing secret. Think for a moment, why would a dealer keep attending a lousy auction?

Newspaper ads: I personally like to find ads in the classified ad section rather than flashy display ads. Flashy ads are usually indicative of an auction that will be high priced, may have reserves, (a set price on an item), and usually an enormous crowd. While any auction can be profitable to attend, it is usually best to steer clear of the glitzy ones, at least for the beginner.

Here’s the minimum you want to find out before you go. If there is a phone number in the ad, call and ask for the terms of the sale. What forms of payment do they accept? Is it an absolute auction? An absolute auction is one that has no minimum or reserve bids on items. These are the best auctions to attend! Is there a buyers premium? A buyers premium is like a tax that everyone who makes purchases at that auction must pay above the winning bid price. Most auctions these days do charge a buyers premium, 10% is not unreasonable but I feel much more than that is greedy, and the auctioneer that charges over 10% is counting on most bidders not doing the extra math as the bids quicken in pace.

A fair auction will have ample time to inspect the merchandise, usually at least 2 or 3 hours. Find out when inspection starts and make sure to attend! Never attend an auction if you can’t make the inspection, not unless your prepared to gamble. Most auctioneers sell at a rate of about 100 items per hour, which is why they sell “as is”. They simply don’t have the time to give a detailed description of all the items. Since almost all items at auction are sold AS IS, there are sure to be some damaged, refinished, fake and incomplete items at any given auction. Beware of any auctions that offer very little or no inspection time.

Good auctions will usually have 150 to 400 lots. A lot may be one item or a group of items. The exception to this are specialty auctions, auto auctions, real estate auctions etc.

When you attend your first sale, take note of the 1/2 dozen or so dealers that buy the most often. See if you can find out about other area auctions they attend.

When you do find an excellent auction, attend it as often as possible. By frequenting good sales, you help increase the bottom line of that business. It’s difficult for many auctioneers to keep the quality of merchandise consistent, so good attendance certainly helps. And when an auctioneer gets to know you as a buyer, he/she will go out of the way to accommodate you, to keep you coming back.

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