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HUD homes are properties where buyers obtained FHA financing which government is financing that offers a low down payment of 3.5% and this FHA loan is guaranteed by the government so that when the homeowner defaults Hud-FHA then pays that lender off so they do not lose any money. When these homes are foreclosed on and sold back to HUD at the foreclosure auction then they become HUD owned homes or government owned homes. After HUD receives title then HUD places the home on the market for sale with a Real Estate Broker. You cannot buy a HUD home directly from HUD. HUD properties are listed with Real Estate brokers and placed on the multiple listing services for sale. The best way to find out about HUD properties is to find a certified HUD broker who will submit a bid for you and give you advice.

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Only licensed broker who are certified with HUD can sell HUD homes to the general public, however registered non-profit organizations and government entities may submit offers without the use of a broker. HUD gives priority to owner occupants however anybody can buy a HUD home. Owner occupant by HUD is some who has not purchased a HUD home in the last 24 months and someone that will occupy the property. Falsifying owner occupant status is considered a felony and subject to a 0,000 fine (18 U.S.C. 1010,3559;3571).

When HUD properties are listed for sale they go into one of the following categories:

IN (Insurable)-qualifies for FHA Financing.

IE (Insurable with escrow)-qualifies for FHA financing with repairs of ,000 or less. These repairs will be responsibility of buyer but can be added to loan amount.

UI (Uninsurable)-these properties do not qualify for FHA financing. These properties typically have repairs exceeding ,000.

UK (Uninsurable)-these properties do not qualify for FHA financing FHA 203b but will qualify for FHA 203K which is an FHA program that allows you to add repairs over ,000 to the loan.

To submit a bid you must be pre-approved by a certified HUD lender and if you are paying cash you will need a bank statement proving you have funds in the bank to close. Bids are submitted through HUD’s website by a certified real estate broker. Bids must be submitted by 11:59 PM CST by the bid deadline date.

All uninsured (UI) and uninsured -203K eligible (UK) properties are assigned to a lottery program for 7 days. Also properties in designated Revitalization areas are also assigned to a lottery program. These properties are only available to good neighbor next door (GNND) participants and HUD approved nonprofit organizations and government entities. A government entity usually includes school teachers, and law enforcement. These properties are not listed in MLS and must be submitted through HUD website hudhomestore.com. These offers must be full price and HUD does not pay commission or closing costs of these properties.

The good neighbor next door (GNND) program offers properties in designated revitalization areas at a 50% discount to:

Officers

Teachers

Emergency Medical Techs

Firefighters

These buyers must meet some eligibility requirements but the main one is that they sign a silent note for the discounted mortgage amount that is removed after the buyer has lived in the property for 3 years. The main purpose here is to get get citizens to move into areas that need to be built up.

After the 7th day on the market HUD properties normally become available to owner occupants only and investors generally are not able to make offers until the listing status is changed by HUD to include investors. HUD will pay a certified broker up to 3% commission of the sale of the property. HUD will also pay 3% towards buyers closing costs but HUD accepts the offer that has the highest net to them. For example if the selling broker makes an offer on a property for 0,000 and takes a full 3% commission and the buyer asks HUD to pay 3% for closing costs than this total amount is deducted from the sales price and the net sales price that HUD looks at is 0,000 minus $,000 for commission and costs which leaves a net figure of 8,000. The 8,000 is the price HUD looks at.

HUD Homes for Sale

There’s something about a classic car that brings back fond memories of youth, and that’s probably why classic restored cars for sale are so popular. They just don’t build them like they used to, and nothing matches the style, elegance, and speed of classic restored cars. That’s why so many people are collecting these beauties. If you want to start your own collection, then first, you’ll have to find just the right classic restored cars for sale.

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Where can you find classic restored cars for sale? Here are a few places to begin your search.

1. Online. Many classic car collectors buy and sell their treasures online, through online auction sites like eBay or Craigslist. If you buy classic restored cars for sale online, buy from a reputable site that offers guarantees or purchase price refunds if you’re not satisfied with the quality of the car.

2. Used car lots. Some used car lots specialize in classic cars, and there may be one or two in your city that are specialists, too. Look for “classic restored cars” in the Yellow Pages.

3. Car clubs. If there’s a car club in your area that specializes in the make and model you want to collect, join it. You can learn more about your favorite car, but you may find members who are selling their cars, and you may be able to make a good deal. Often, these clubs have connections across the country, and they offer newsletters and even classifieds offering classic restored cars for sale.

4. Car auctions. Many car auctions specialize in classic cars, and if you get their catalog, you can choose the models you like, and even bid over the phone, so you don’t even have to attend the auction in person.

5. Car shows. Attend a classic car show like “Hot August Nights” in Reno, Nevada. You’ll find thousands of car enthusiasts at the show, you’ll get to see thousands of classic cars, and many people come to the show to buy and sell vehicles. You may find the car of your dreams on display at the show. Many car shows like this include car auctions, too, so you have even more of a chance to find just the right car for you.

What should you look for in classic restored cars for sale? First, you should always get the pink slip when you buy a car, no matter what year or condition it’s in. If the car is fully restored, find out who did the work, and if they guarantee it. Take the car for a drive, and see how it handles, how the engine sounds, and if all the instruments work.

Look at the engine, and have a certified mechanic inspect the car before you buy it. Look at the tires, exhaust system, the body, paint, and interior, too. A classic restored car is a big investment, so take the time to check it out before you buy, and you’ll make a better deal. Find the perfect classic car, and you’ll soon be cruising in your own childhood dream!

Classic Restored Cars For Sale

When a person is looking for good used furniture for sale there are not many better places to look for it than the local newspaper. Most newspapers have a “wanted” section as well as a sales section in which they keep information for people and allow people to buy and place ads to for things such as used furniture for sale.

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This is good for everyone involved in the process for a number of reasons. It allows people to get rid of things that they do not need and including their furniture. Another reason for this is that it allows those who wish to purchase furniture for less than the full retail price a place to purchase it without the hassle of going through a pawn shop or the internet. They can call up the person who placed the ad and look at (and perhaps purchase) the item directly from the buyer.

There are a great number of people who have items that they do not wish to keep such as used furniture. Luckily, placing an ad in a newspaper allows these people to put their used furniture for sale through a popular medium that has been around for centuries. The newspaper, though falling into disfavor in recent years, is still a very popular place to place advertisements and sale ads for used furniture for sale. Pawn shops and the internet provide problems because of a number of extraneous issues. These issues include problems such as commissions and shipping costs, which will add to the original cost of the furniture and cause extra hassle to the prospective buyer of these items.

Finding used furniture for sale is not a difficult task to accomplish when using a tool that is as widely available as a newspaper or a trade magazine. This is simply because ads pay for most of the operating costs of these types of publications to stay in business to begin with. Without ads, the publications themselves would go under. It benefits them to allow people to place ads because the people who wish to view the ads will have to buy the newspaper or trade publication in order to see it. The main benefit is their wide availability. This wide availability means that people everywhere generally have access to them. Since they are so widely viewed, it is easy to find used furniture for sale or hotel furniture for sale wherever a person has access to these (which is virtually everywhere).

Using Newspapers to Find Used Furniture For Sale

When you are interested in nontraditional farming, looking into deer farms for sale should be your first step. Deer farms are for people who raise deer for commercial purposes. The deer graze on the farm land during development and are then sold as livestock or for use in hunting areas. Venison used to be considered meat only eaten by the hardy hunter. But the focus on healthy eating has resulted in increased interest in venison, which is lean meat. In addition, deer farms raise trophy deer that are sold for hunting purposes. Deer farms can also be used to raise elk.

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If you are considering investigating deer farms for sale, begin by determining your primary reason for getting involved in deer farming. The main reasons for choosing deer farming include for investment purposes, expansion of current farming operations, or as a hobby farm. People who already raise cattle or other livestock are good candidates for deer farming. They already understand the requirements in terms of time, people and money. Considering the many deer properties for sale it is also a good option for people who wish to invest in an interesting hobby farm while continuing to work a full or part time job.

Before deciding to buy a deer farm, there are several considerations to take into account. First make sure you understand your state’s wildlife rules concerning deer farming. Also, have a clear knowledge of the kinds of deer allowed to be farmed. It doesn’t make sense to plan on raising exotic deer if only native deer farming is permitted. You have to understand the rules concerning land and fencing requirements in the area where you plan on searching for deer farms. In addition, make sure you are clear about the market for venison or trophy deer. If you have the farm experience, the money, and a good understanding of the rules related to deer farming, your chances of success are greatly increased.

There are multiple ways to earn money after purchasing a deer farm. You can offer hunting services by allowing hunters to purchase hunting rights. You can rent grazing lands to other deer farmers. Once you begin farming, as a deer farm owner you can use your farm to teach others about farming practices or farm design. Of course, most revenue will be produced from the sale of deer meat and deer by-products.

Once you choose a deer farm, you are able to market the many different products related to deer. These include trophy deer, deer meat, fawns for new stock, meat by-products that can be processed into sausage or jerky, antlers, hides, and urine for scent camouflage. One of the attractions of deer farming is the large variety of ways to generate income once the farm is operational.

Deer farms for sale include land only, or land and deer combinations. The more well developed the farming operation, the more expensive the price naturally. The cost of starting a deer farm on vacant land can vary wildly. You must consider the per acre price, fencing, licensing, farm buildings and stock. You can start slowly and expand your operation as time and money permits. But you should have an idea if you plan on taking this approach before buying a deer ranch or farm. This is so you purchase land in an area that allows for expanded operations.

Deer farming can be a fun and interesting business or hobby if you do your homework first.

Deer Farms For Sale

When looking for the right Chihuahua puppy for sale, it is important that you have already read up on the history of the breed along with its temperaments so that you are sure that this breed will fit nicely within your home. Before beginning your shopping, you will also want to make sure that you are stocked up on proper Chihuahua puppy supplies so that your new addition to your home will feel welcomed when they first arrive.

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And now, once you have fully informed yourself about the important things to know regarding Chihuahua puppies, it is time to carefully consider how and where you will begin your search for a Chihuahua puppy for sale. It is very important that, just like researching the puppy’s needs, you research sellers, or breeders, very carefully. There are many reasons why selecting the right place to buy from is important and you never want to end up regretting your decision later.

Just like you would not buy a car from someone who knows nothing about cars, you would not want to purchase Chihuahua puppies from someone who knows nothing about them. When looking for a Chihuahua puppy for sale, it is important to try to steer clear of places like pet shops as they are filled with people who may not know enough about this breed in order to help you make the right choice.

Also, you never know where these puppies come from as the stores often do not pay too close attention as to the type of breeders that their dogs are coming from. It is vital to make sure that your puppy comes from a clean and loving environment so that it’s adult life will be a healthy and stable one. Ask any pet store employee about the breeding environment that the dog comes from and you will soon see that they really do not know much about the dog or where it comes from.

Now that you know what to look for when searching for the right Chihuahua puppy for sale, you know need to continue to research some more about the right breeder to go with. It is more important then most people tend to think. Having an ongoing relationship with a real, honest and dedicated breeder is essential to getting the most out of your puppy raising experience.

It is best to pick from small experienced breeders as these seem to be the ones with the most time to share and they use this time to treat their puppies well. Places like puppy mills and such are nothing but puppy making factories. Once you are at the place where you may or may not select a puppy, make sure you look around to notice the environment that you are in. It is important to feel a certain level of comfort from the place where you select your puppy. It you do not feel at ease there, it is probably a fact that the puppy doesn’t feel at ease there either and this can lead to a large pile of problems down the road.

Getting A Chihuahua Puppy For Sale

One early morning, you find yourself surfing at the internet with the phrase — boxer puppies for sale — in mind. You just got to own for yourself some cute puppies. Well, okay even just one boxer puppy, one that you can own and take care and really be a great companion.

Caring for puppies needs ample attention, effort and patience

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So, okay now you found a great pet site, and one link does say “boxer puppies for sale.” Will you go ahead and buy online for your pet boxer? Or will you first take some time to see if you are really ready to care for a small puppy? Before you check on those boxer puppies for sale, just remember that it can take from you so much time and energy just caring for them, even for just one small dog.

Avoid getting newborn puppies

It’s ideal if you boxer puppy is aged at least 8 to 10 weeks old; this is the time when they can leave the place of their birth and be transferred to a new home and owner. By this time, these cute puppies are much older and can take in solid food. Most pet websites have older boxer puppies for sale; just as well be specific about the age when you are finally going to buy one.

Be ready for his own place

Of course, before your new boxer puppy reaches you place, it is best that you already have the basic puppy supplies for ready care. Set aside a nice place for your puppy, one that should be used as his own space. Such space is where he can do all that he needs to do like play, have his food and sleep as well.

Remember to prepare a nice bed

A nice comfortable puppy bed is ideal for you — especially if he is new to the place. If you can’t buy a specially made doggie bed from the pet store, then a modified box layered with some soft clothing will be comfortable as well.

Be a loving pet owner

Your boxer puppy is new to your home and so he might tend to be become unreceptive to your approaches. Be patient and just spend lots of time playing with your boxer puppy. I no time at all, he will appreciate all the attention that you are giving him. If there are small children in the house, let them interact with your puppy, preferably with you observing them. Soon enough, the puppy will get used to the presence of people in the house and will be delighted being around everyone.

Boxer Puppies For Sale – Are You Ready to Become a Puppy Owner?

So you are done with furnishing and decorating your house. Taking another look at it, you still find that something is missing! You might need coffee and end tables. Of course all of us know they bring completeness to the place you live in. we decorate our rooms in different styles. These are available in every single style ranging from an old classic look to modern elegant and decent one. You might find weird styles as well to fulfill satisfy and match the crazy theme of your place. Some styles come with shelves, cabinets and drawers so that you can store things in them too.

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The top can serve as a place to carry your favorite decoration piece, a lamp or a flower vase carrying a bouquet of fresh flowers. Shopping for one of your choice can get really expensive as well depending upon the material used and the amount of craftsmen involved in its making. To find one in your range, you need to keep an open eye so that you don’t miss any of the garage sales, discount sales or the clearing sales at the big stores because that s your only chance to get one that fits in your budget.

If buying a used table from a garage sale, make sure to check it thoroughly because it can have defects as it is already used. Once you have had a thorough inspection and you don’t find anything wrong with it, buy it. One more thing to be kept in consideration is that it shouldn’t be a misfit in the room because if it is, it will destroy the whole look of your place. Don’t be hasty in making a decision consider all the possible choices and if it doesn’t go with the theme, leave it this isn’t the only sale in the whole area. Besides buying a misfit would rather be a waste of money as well.

Coffee and End Tables For Sale

Often I am asked, after I find a stump or root ball, what are the procedures to finishing it out: Here they are:

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Finishing a Root Ball or Tree Stump

After you have found your root ball or tree stump that you know would make a beautiful table or lamp, you will need to finish it. Here is the process I use:

Leveling the Piece: Cut the bottom in a plane perpendicular (at a right angle) to the length of the piece.

Set the piece on a level surface and using a level, draw a line around the piece at the height you want. Cut on this line.

I use a chainsaw for this, but a sharp hand saw will work also.

Sand both top and bottom surfaces to desired smoothness.

Stumps and root balls take time to dry-often years. If the bark is tight, the piece probably is not dry. Remove bark with a draw knife or chisel.

Physically remove rot and bugs. Smoke and heat will make the bugs jump ship. A bonfire works great. Place the piece close to the fire and heat it up. It will take time to heat up in the middle because wood is a good insulator. Wood doesn’t burn until it reaches 500 degrees F. If you get the stump plus 200 degrees, it will kill any eggs, larvae, etc.

Use a good quality polyurethane to finish the piece. Be sure to coat ALL surfaces: top, bottom, etc.

At least 3 coats are required to seal the piece. The polyurethane will harden the surface and stabilize minor rot. Rotted areas really drink the polyurethane-use it liberally in soft areas. Sand lightly with very fine sand paper between coats. Let dry completely, and it is completed.

Enjoy your work of art!!!

Gene Nellis

Unique Custom Furniture from the Big Sky Country of Montana

http://www.yellowstonefurniture.com

How To Finish A Root Ball Or Tree Stump For A Table Or Lamp Base

Unlike fractional ownership of aircraft and houseboats, fractional owners of a cruise ship can all use the ship simultaneously. There is plenty of room for you and the other owners to live on the ship any time you want, or all the time. You can use it as a full-time residence, and so can the other co-owners.

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The first obvious benefit of shared ownership is acquisition cost. There are many cruise ships on the market in all price ranges, sizes, ages, and conditions. There are many smaller and older cruise ships available for less than one million dollars. At the lower end, some smaller cruise ships in fair condition can be acquired for about 0,000. At the highest end, the biggest new mega cruise ships now cost about 0 million to build.

Do the math. If one hundred buyers pool resources in exchange for a percentage of ship ownership, the acquisition cost will be divided by that same number. One percent ownership of a 0,000 cruise ship would cost a mere 00 for ship acquisition. At the other end of the scale, one percent ownership of a brand new mega cruise ship would cost five million dollars.

There are some other figures that must be tabulated into the total cost of ownership. Acquisition cost is first and foremost. The next figure is the cost to put the ship in service. On an older ship this cost may be higher than the acquisition cost. On the other hand, the cost to put a ship into service can be much lower if you were to get a good deal on a ship that already meets the international standards for ship safety, especially SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea). Maintaining compliance with Chapter II SOLAS 74 amendments is cost prohibitive for some older ships and they are typically scrapped instead of being refurbished at great expense. There is a very important SOLAS implementation date coming up on January 10, 2010. On that date all commercial international ships will be required to be in compliance with the new fire safety codes. The most important new codes deal with the use of combustible materials in the ship. It will be expensive to replace all combustible materials in ships with non-combustible or flame resistant SOLAS compliant materials that meet the new safety standards. This will result in many ships being sold for scrap metal.

The looming SOLAS 2010 implementation date offers both perils and opportunities. The biggest peril is the possibility that the expense to bring a ship into full compliance with international standards will be greater than the value of the ship. However, there is a silver lining in this cloud. This pending SOLAS implementation date has already started to show up as a primary factor in the asking and selling prices of ships on the market today.

SOLAS 2010 also offers a tremendous opportunity for those who may prefer to have a very large houseboat instead of a commercial ship. Ships that are not in compliance with SOLAS 2010 are now selling for a song (inexpensively). A cruise ship can easily be converted into a megayacht with the stroke of a pen. Privately owned yachts, not in commercial service, and not carrying passengers or cargo for hire are exempt from many of the SOLAS requirements. Operating costs are also lower for a private yacht. It cost less to register, flag, and insure a private yacht. Megayachts can be flagged and classified for unlimited service. That means that a megayacht can go practically anywhere you want it to go. There is one major drawback to registering a cruise ship as a private yacht. You cannot use the yacht commercially. This cuts off a potential revenue source.

There are many decent cruise ships for sale at prices of less than one million dollars that would make good private megayachts. For example, take the ‘VERGINA SKY’ is a ship that I have personally inspected and so I can talk first hand about it. The asking price was 0,000. Here are the specifics of the ship in a nutshell:

Current Name: Vergina Sky

Ship Details: Built: 1971 in Japan – totally rebuilt 1992 in Greece

Dimensions: LOA 97.8m x LBP 82m x beam 14.6m x draft 4.49m Dwt: 500 on 4,49 GT/NT: 4,668 / 1,717

Description: Pielstick 2 x 8400bhp, twin screw, bow thruster, 3 x 500kw generators, 16 knots, 2 saloons, restaurant, 3 bars, casino, duty free shop, disco, swimming pool, 120 cabins for 318 guests. Lying Greece

My Comments after inspecting the ship

This is a well built little ‘Pocket Cruiser.’ At just over 320′ in length overall, it is a small cruise ship. Many experienced cruise passengers prefer smaller more intimate cruise ships for a variety of reasons. This ship can go places where the big cruise ships cannot reach, such as shallow draft ports and even many rivers. It has an omni-directional bow thruster and can turn on a dime (relatively speaking of course). I have carefully examined this ship from the engine log to the ultrasound hull report. This is a sound and safe little cruise ship. It is also a very fuel efficient and economical ship. My first time on this ship was in the middle of the summer in Greece when it was very hot outside. The ship is fully air conditioned and it was cool and comfortable inside the ship. I checked the engine room to see how many generators were running. I am happy to report that all the electric and air-conditioning requirements can be met by running just one of the three Daihatsu generators. These generators are very economical to operate in terms of fuel consumption and maintenance.

I was able to negotiate with the owner, John Kosmas and get some concessions. I got the price down to 0,000. And at that price, he agreed to bring the ship into compliance with SOLAS 2005 and also to include new paint topside. The ship was fairly well furnished even including bed linen, but the ship had been laid up for years. Its most recent service was in the Mediterranean and Black Seas. Cruise ships that trade exclusively in the Mediterranean and Black Seas tend to have smaller cabins and fewer amenities than the typical cruise ships that frequent the Caribbean. The bottom line is that this ship was an economy model, not a luxury model. When I was inspecting the engine room, I asked for the engine log. When I opened it I noticed all the entries were in Greek. I was able to discern some dates and other data that told me when the ship was last in service, but I could not read the Greek entries so I handed the engine log back to the ship owner, and told him “It’s all Greek to me.” Being Greek, Mr. Kosmas failed to find the humor in that.

Let’s look at the numbers on this ship. 100% of the acquisition cost would have been 0,000. 1% thus = 00. One hundred buyers could own one percent each. There are 120 cabins so each co-owner could have a private cabin with 20 cabins left over. However, these cabins are a bit on the small side. Every cabin does have a bath and shower, but the size is just too small to be comfortable for most people, especially if the owners intend to live onboard full time. On a ship this size I would recommend that there be no more than 60 joint owners so each can have two cabins and will have the option of converting those two cabins into a two room suite. To keep the numbers simple lets say that this ship has 50 buyers who each buy 2% of the ship. Buy in cost per owner would then be ,000. If there were only ten buyers, then the acquisition cost per buyer would be ,000. ,000 will not buy much of a house on land, but on this ship it would buy 10% of a ship like the Vergina Sky and twelve cabins that could be converted into a fairly large home.

At the economy end of the scale, a co owner could buy 1% of an economical cruise ship for about 00. However it is not necessary for all co owners to have equal shares in the ship. Ownership can easily be divided up into 1% increments. If one buyer wanted 5%, then his cost of acquisition would be ,000. He would be entitled to 5% of the ship’s cabins, and would have five votes on operations and management of the ship, such as itinerary planning.

Before becoming a joint owner, it would be imperative to find other people who have similar goals. I would suggest composing a preliminary DCCR (DECLARATION OF

COVENANTS, CONDITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS). You can do this before you even shop for a ship. Write your version of how you envision the shared ownership of a cruise ship as it should be. Then see if you can find some people who agree with your goals and your DCCR, subject to some revisions and concessions to accommodate other joint owners.

Step One: Determine if you and your family have the desire and financial capability to become joint cruise ship (or megayacht) owners.

Step Two: Find others who agree with your concept for shared ownership of a ship.

Step Three: Shop for a ship. This is the fun part.

Step Four: Buy a ship.

Step Five: Put the ship into service.

Even if you are not rich, you can afford to jointly own a cruise ship. But then comes the next logical question: Why would you or anyone want to live on a cruise ship? Who would this be suitable for?

If you are retired or otherwise have a stable income from a dependable source you probably can afford to be a cruise ship co-owner and live full-time onboard a cruise ship. If you work in a field where you can work from home online, then you too can probably afford to become a co-owner of a cruise ship. Most modern ships have satellite Internet service available 24-7.

Operating a cruise ship is expensive. The expenses include the cost of fuel, labor, maintenance, repairs, spares, food, port charges, insurance, technical management, shore management, registration, and the other costs of operating the ship. At first glance these costs may seem expensive, but in reality the cost of living at sea is actually a bargain considering what you get based upon what you pay. The best value does not always translate to the cheapest price. If the ship is well managed, the management will seek the highest quality goods, services, and labor at the very best global value. If the owners are dissatisfied with either technical or shore management, they replace them.

If there are many other co-owners of the ship to split the operating expenses of the ship, it can be affordable for those with a moderate level of income, such as a retirement check. I do have specific operating cost figures but I won’t bore you with that data. The bottom line is that it would not be prohibitively expensive for a middle-class average person to be able to afford to own a fraction of a cruise ship and be able to afford to live on the cruise ship full-time if they elect to do so.

For comparison purposes it is noteworthy that you have expenses in land based housing too. Those expenses include property taxes, homeowners insurance, maintenance and repairs, yard care, and utilities. Additionally you have transportation costs and of course food costs. Most people also spend money on entertainment too. When these expenses are added up the maintenance fees for living aboard a ship are comparable.

There are actually some savings resulting from living aboard a ship. The ship’s executive chef buys food and kitchen supplies in bulk for the ship and can get better prices than the average shopper. Other savings result from the large freezers and the mobility of the ship giving the food service management the ability to stock up on supplies in countries where prices are low. Some crew and owners may choose to fish for leisure. This can supply some fresh food at even lower costs to the owners. Labor savings are realized when the crew is hired based upon the best global labor rates. The laws of supply and demand drive prices down in some places in the world. Proper ship management can capitalize on these disparities. All the savings would be passed on to the cabin owners resulting in an economical cost of living similar to what you could expect to spend with a conventional home. Ship management should have accounting transparency will all books (financial records) open and available for any owner to inspect. Also ship management should submit all financial records quarterly to an outside auditor for the peace of mind of the owners. Anybody in the chain who spends any of the ship’s operational funds should also be periodically audited. For example, a good way to audit the executive chef would be for one or more of the live-aboard co-owners of the ship to go to the food market district of each port of call and they should try to haggle and get a better price for the same food than the price the executive chef was able to acquire. If the executive chef cannot find better deals than the ship’s co-owners, then the executive chef should be given his walking papers. The executive chef position is a vital position on a cruise ship. This is a position of trust because he will bill the food he buys to the ship. He must never be tempted to accept bribes from vendors or suppliers. Therefore, he should know that he will be routinely audited and any substandard performance will result in termination of his employment.

The biggest value of all onboard cruise ship is in labor costs. The better cruise ships tend to be labor intensive, providing passengers with unrelenting attention and extravagant pampering. The hotel staff on all cruise ships provides the basic services including food preparation and serving, laundry, cabin stewarding, entertainment, casino operation, beauty shop operations, This is one area where I would prefer to not scrimp because of the very good value in these services due to the low cost of international labor. I would prefer to go beyond the level that most cruise ships go in the area of spas. Land based luxury and specialty resort spas are very expensive, but the exact same level of service, professionalism, skill, and treatments can be provided on a cruise ship at extremely low cost. Labor is the key and the primary reason for most of the expense of spas. Labor is a tremendous value on a cruise ship because the cruise ship managers can choose workers from the global marketplace where it is easy to get the best value for the money.

Spas

Spa treatment is customized for each client. Spas commonly offer services such as:

Soothing massage therapies, skin and body treatments drawing from European and Eastern principles, expert hair and nail services, and a full menu of therapeutic treatments utilizing a deep-cleansing facial at the start of the program, as well as a series of detoxification and contouring wraps, lypo-reduction wrap, as well as marine mud and herb wraps. Massage Therapies including: Swedish Massage, Shiatsu Massage, Deep Tissue Treatment, Maternity Massage, Therapeutic Foot Massage (Reflexology), French Hydrotherapy Massage.

The healing therapies include a variety of massages, reflexology, facials, firming and many other body treatments. Plus a wide variety of services and wellness programs specially designed to meet the individual’s needs and desires. A full service salon offers all manner of hair treatments (including a certified colorist), as well as a variety of manicures, pedicures, and ‘facelifts’ for your hands. Extensive skin care includes: Age Management Therapies including, Glycolic Facial, Anti-Aging Facial Peel, Microdermabrasion; Facials including: Aromaplasty Facial, Teen Facial, Gentleman’s Facial, Nutrisource Facial, Regulating Acne Facial, Vitamin “C” Skin Renewal Facial; Body Treatments including: Decleor Sauna Mask, French Hydrotherapy Massage, Andromeda Salt Glow, Mummy Mud Mask, Seaweed Body Wrap, Safe Sun Treatment, Herbal Wrap; as well as various hair and nail treatments.

Additionally, spas also can facilitate weight reduction programs, and even administer physical therapy. In short, you can be treated like a king, on the budget of a pauper.

Labor Costs – International competition provides the most value to the ship owners.

On paper it seems to make good sense to man the ship with a Philippine crew. I love the Philippines. I have been there several times. English is still widely spoken and usually spoken quite well. The people are usually friendly and happy to see foreign tourists. A large percentage of ships worldwide are manned by crews from the Philippines. The Philippine government has a pretty good structure and system to facilitate the export of Philippine labor. In spite of how attractive it seems on paper, I would recommend NOT hiring a crew from the Philippines. Philippine workers tend to be envious of others, and especially of everybody else’s wages. They tend to think they are getting the raw end of the deal. It is rare to find a Filipino who is happy with his employment. While I am sure there are many good employees from the Philippines, there are more who are dissatisfied than satisfied with their employment. There seems to be a cultural anomaly in the Philippines where people feel that employers are bad guys. I would hesitate to recommend a crew from the Philippines in spite of the apparent advantages on paper.

My recommendation (for what it is worth)

I do know something about what I am writing about here. I am the former President of Adventure Spa Cruise. My advice is not just uninformed ranting. Back to the point now, the second best manning nation for a ship is India. I highly recommend India for the medical staff and the entire hotel staff, including the spa, and every other position except the deck and engineering. The labor costs in India are very attractive. I would also recommend using an Indian based manning agency. It is best if the ship’s owners do not have to deal with every employee issue or concern. The manning agency takes the pressure off the ship’s management, and their service is very reasonable. Indian employees tend to make better employees than do Filipinos. Indians also speak English, albeit not quite as well as Filipinos. I know Americans tend to get all worked up when someone uses a broad brush to paint an entire ethnicity. I love the people from the Philippines, but as employees they tend to be more problematic than do Indian employees. I realize that this statement is politically incorrect, and these days that might get me thrown in jail. I usually do not worry so much about being politically correct. I call it the way I see I and I let the cards fall where they may, and hope I can stay out of jail for speaking my mind.

All deck and engineering positions should be filled with an all Ukrainian crew. The ship will realize the most value for the money with Ukrainian deck and engineering staff. The Ukraine has a long maritime history and tradition. Maritime training and standards in the Ukraine are among the best in the world. Ukrainian deck and engineering staff are as good as or better than any other, but the cost of their labor is a very good value. The labor for deck officer and engineering staff are governed by international agreements, including STCW (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers).

Putting a cruise ship into service

After acquiring the ship, it will require some more investment to put it into service. At this point the joint owners will need to reach some agreements on many points. The cost of putting a cruise ship into service as a megayacht (very large private yacht) is much less than putting the ship into commercial service. However, if you can afford to buy a ship can easily meet SOLAS 2010 requirements, and can afford to flag and register it as a commercial ship then you can use the ship commercially to produce income and ROI (return on investment).

There are many marketing options for a commercial cruise ship. If the owners use no more than half the cabins, then that will leave sufficient means to produce enough revenue to at least pay for operating costs, and possibly produce a profit above operating costs. I will just briefly touch on some of the options available for marketing cruise ship capacity.

1. Conventional cruises. There is a trade-off here. You can produce revenue by providing conventional cruises. This will require that the ship have an itinerary that suits the commercial cruising market.

2. Freight and cargo. Some cruise ships have enough cargo capacity to produce some revenue by booking freight.

3. Assisted living. A cruise ship is well suited for assisted living, including crew and facilities. The going rate for assisted living in the average city in America is higher than the average cost of a cruise of the same duration.

4. Timeshares. This is an option not available to conventional cruise ship operators but could be facilitated if your co-owners agree to this type of marketing to fill cabins not used by co-owners. I will not go into the figures here, but timeshares tend to be high profit sales. There is a good chance that if the joint owners use no more than half the ship’s cabins for their own personal use, the remaining cabins could easily produce more than the total amount all the joint owners combined have invested.

Ships that would easily meet SOLAS 2010 tend to cost a bit more money to buy up front, and cost more to put into service. So I will give you couple of examples.

The Orient Venus is one of my favorite high-end ships. The specs:

M/V ORIENT VENUS

BUILT: JULY 1990 AT I.H.I.TOKYO

JAPANESE FLAG

JG. NK OCEAN GOING

GRT: 21,884 TONS

DWT: 4,863 TONS ON 6.50 M

LOA x B x D : 174.0×24.0×8.7 M

M/ENG: DIESEL UNITED-12PC2-6V x 2 SETS ,

TWIN SCREW CPP

SPEED: SERVICE ABT21.0 KNOTS / ABT 56.70MT /D

FUEL TANKS CAPA: IFO 1,500.4 M3 /MDO 87.30M3

GENERATOR: 1,600KWxAC450Vx60HZx 3 SETS

ENGINE ROOM M0 SYSTEMS

CRUISING RANGE: ABT 7,000MILE

PASSENGERS: MAX 606 PERSONS

CREW: 120 PERSONS

ABA WOG

DELIVERY: BY ARRANGEMENT

INSPECTION : KOBE.JAPAN

OWNERS PRICE USD 22 MIL net here

My personal assessment of the Orient Venus

It is a late model and beautiful ship. It has many highly desirable attributes for a residential ship. It is a high end luxury cruise ship with an extraordinarily high tonnage to passenger ratio. This is very important for a residential ship. More living room and more space per passenger is far more essential for a residential ship than for a conventional cruise ship. When passengers are only on a ship for a short time, they can tolerate cramped living quarters, but when they live year-round on a ship, the extra space is quite valuable. The owners have been trying to sell this ship for ,000,000. That may seem like a high price, but when you divide it by the number of cabins (195) the asking price per cabin is 2,564. This price is in line with what you would expect to pay for a condominium. The last word I got from the owners is that they will sell the ship for ,000,000 now (,307 per cabin). The cabins are all “outside” cabins and are large. The ship can accommodate 606 passengers and a crew of 120, for a total of 726 people.

Several ship brokers have this ship listed. I usually do not talk to ship brokers. I prefer to talk directly with the ship owners. I am in contact with the owners of the Orient Venus. I could probably get this stunningly beautiful ship for less than ,000,000 today, and get some concessions and extras thrown in to boot.

Another example of a high end ship that would make do well as a commercial cruise ship, plus accommodate a hundred or so full-time live aboard co-owners is the Dream Princess, originally named Song of Norway.

GRT: 22,945

Max Draft: 6.7 M in sea water

Length: 194 M.

Total No. of Cabins: 538

Total No. Of Beds + Berth: 1280

Outside Cabins: 346

Inside Cabins: 192

Cabins size range: SQ. M: 11 -18.

Main Engines: 4 Wartsila Sulzer – 18,000 HP.

Service Speed: 16 Knots.

Public Rooms:

Main Dinning room – “King & I”- about 500 pax.

South Pacific Lounge about 400 pax.

My Fair Lady Lounge about 500 pax.

Bars- 5

Self Service Restaurant on the swimming pool deck

Large Swimming pool

Disco

Casino

Duty Free Shops

Gym

8 passenger decks

extensive outdoor areas

Ship was redecorated / refurbished extensively during 2005.

The asking price on this ship is million USD. Divide the asking price by the number of cabins and the average cost per cabin would be ,620. Of course some cabins are better than others so co-owners would have to agree of the shared usage before agreeing to the purchase.

I have some bad news for the ship owners and some good news for you. This ship will not sell for the asking price.

Fuel

Ship fuel is cheaper than automobile fuel for a few reasons. There are no road taxes on ship fuel of course and also it is different fuel. Ships main engines usually run on IFO180 or IFO380. Generator engines tend to be more finicky and commonly require diesel (MDO), which is still cheaper than automotive diesel. IFO 180 and 380 costs much less than MDO, usually about half the price. Ships consume a lot of fuel. So fuel cost is a major concern. I have some suggestions. If I were a co-owner of a ship I would be willing to invest a little more in the ship to increase fuel efficiency, and thus lower operating costs. There are many things that can be done to increase fuel efficiency. I would start with hull resistance. There is a new silicone-based paint from International Paints that when applied to the hull reduces amount of resistance in the water sufficiently to result in a 3 to 5% decrease in fuel consumption. A similar coating for the propellers also has been proven to increase fuel efficiency.

In addition to hull and prop coatings, there is an even more promising way to achieve dramatic fuel savings.

There is a company called Kiteship that has developed and produces kites for racing sailboats. These sailing kites do not require a mast. The kites fly high above the vessel, attached by cable and controlled from the vessel. Dave Culp of Kiteship has done a technical feasibility study on fitting a very large kite onto a conventional cruise ship. This would dramatically reduce fuel consumption. It would convert a fuel guzzler to a “green machine.” This is tantamount to converting a powerboat into a sail boat. The design of a cruise ship limits the amount of sail that a conventional ship can safely accommodate. A cruise ship lacks the ballast of a sail boat. If used in addition to the main engine(s) the kite will increase fuel efficiency. If the kite is used to pull the ship with the main engines shut down the ship’s speed will be reduced substantially. However, in this case, not only would the ship save IFO (main engine fuel) but also save MDO (generator engine fuel). If the kite were pulling the ship unassisted by the ship’s engines, then the propellers could be used to propel the ship’s generators without firing up the diesel generator engines. Even if the ship were traveling very slowly in the water, the propellers would turn in reverse if freed from the main engines. This is a very simple and easy task for the ship’s engineer to accomplish. In other words, the ship can be pulled by the kite, and that motion will push the ship’s propellers providing power to produce electricity and power the air-conditioning without using any fuel. The trade-off is a loss of speed and also some tacking is required, further reducing actual speed. What’s the rush? Why not go for maximum fuel savings? The salient point is that a high flying large kite can pull a cruise ship. If I were a co-owner of a cruise ship I would hope to find like minded co-owners who would be receptive to using such state-of-the-art technologies to save fuel.

There are hundreds of cruise ships on the market but I will just mention one more here. This cruise ship has RO/RO (Roll-On, Roll-Off) capability. This would be very convenient for live aboard owners who want to bring their “toys” with them. The garage deck will accommodate 6 to 8 trucks, or 60 to 80 cars. That converts to a lot of co-owner toys such as motorhomes, travel trailers, campers, cabin cruisers, ski boats, jet skis, sailboats, houseboats, bass boats, motorcycles, ATVs, cars, and trucks.

Specifications:

650 PASSENGER CRUISE SHIP FOR SALE

VESSEL IS FULLY FITTED WITH SPRINKLERS

SOLAS 2005/2010 FITTED

TWIN SCREW CRUISE

VESSEL DIMENSIONS LOA 137.10 X BREADTH 21.00 X 5.8 METERS DRAFT

BUILT 1981 / POLAND

REBUILT 1991

REBUILT – UPGRADED 1999

REBUILT – RENOVATED – REFURBISHED 2002

CLASS R.S. ICE CLASS L2

GRT 12637

PASSENGERS 650 IN 230 CABINS (BASIS 3 BERTH OCCUPANCY)

ALL CABINS WITH PRIVATE FACILITIES (INCLUDING SUITES AND SEMI SUITES)

9 DECKS

HELICOPTER PAD

MAIN ENGINES SULZER 4 X 4,350 BHP

SPEED ABOUT 17.5 / 15 KNOTS ON ABOUT 45 / 36 M/TONS + 9 TONS DIESEL OIL

BOWTHRUSTER 800 BHP

STABILIZERS

120 TONS PER DAY WATER MAKER

RECEPTION

LOUNGE

RESTAURANT (420 SEATS)

NINE BARS

CASINO

DUTY FREE SHOP

CHILDREN’S PLAY ROOM – TWO DISCOS

TV/MOVIE CORNER

DUTY FREE SHOPS

HAIRDRESSING SHOP

JACUZZI

ONE PASSENGER ELEVATOR

LAUNDRY SPA & HEALTH CLUB

TWO SAUNAS

CLINIC

TWO SWIMMING POOLS (ADULT & CHILDREN)

Cost per cabin based on asking price, ,739. This ship will sell for less than asking price. It is already SOLAS 2010 compliant. It would cost very little to put into commercial service.

Conclusion

Becoming a co-owner of a cruise ship is not a far fetched idea. It is practical and feasible if you are able to find like minded people who would be willing to share the expenses.

You Can Be a Cruise Ship Owner Even If You Are Not Rich

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Place For Sale

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