Free Assault Rifle With Every Car

A Florida car dealership has seen sales double since they launched a promotional campaign, offering a free AK47 assault rifle with every car sold. The company, called Buy Nations Trucks, sell the sort of pickup trucks bought by vacant looking, chromosome-deficient 250lb blokes called Bud, with a penchant for  bib and brace overalls. – precisely the sort of people who would want an AK47. (But probably shouldn’t be allowed to have one!)

I’m not suggesting that you should supply a free weapon with your product – even if it was legal – but tell the story to highlight the fact that if you can come up with a desirable free gift for your target market, it can have a dramatic effect on sales.

If you don’t give away free gifts with your product, you’re missing a trick. If you think your customers are too wealthy or sophisticated to be swayed by such things – you’re wrong!

'In Situ' Deals 

Townends Estate Agents report that a growing number of properties are now being sold with tenants 'in situ'. 'A rising number of home owners who have been forced to let their property as they struggle to sell are opting to leave their property on the sales register whilst the tenancy runs, providing an ideal opportunity for investment landlords to purchase a property with a readymade tenant.'
 
Are these as good as they seem? I have, for example, been offered one or two of these 'readymade' deals myself this week - only problem is that, when you do the due diligence, the supply of properties in the areas seems to be quite generous suggesting that rents, and therefore yields, may be pushed down a little in due course.

Overeas Wills 

Peter Esders, international property lawyer, reminds us today of the importance of having a will in an overseas country where you have property; or other assets for that matter.
 
“Even if a UK will is valid in any other country, it certainly does make sense to make a separate will in the other country as this can often help make huge savings in terms of time, cost and taxes when dealing with the inheritance in that country.”

Student Accommodation Profits 

Just-out stats from Knight Frank reveal that landlords with student accommodation have made 13.5 per cent returns on average this past year. James Pullan at Knight Frank says, “Student property has delivered consistently healthy returns over the past five years.”
 
"The outlook for 2011 is extremely positive. The sector is well positioned to deliver stable and sustainable returns against a turbulent economic backdrop."
 
You need to do your due diligence though. The figures show, for example, that investors outside of London generated total average returns of 14.7 per cent and that compares with 8.4 per cent for investors in the capital.