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1. Thou shalt deliver thy load on time:

a. Even when dispatched 5 minutes after delivery is due.

b. Night or day?whether black ice, deluge, fog, or flame.

2. Bestow pity upon thy dispatcher:

a. Whenever he proves himself a raving jackass?

b. Forgive him, for he is weak.

3. Honor thy truck:

a. Neither is it a damnable beast, nor doth it conspire against you; nor can it outrun the wind when screamed at.

4. Love the delivery dock:

a. Know the dock foreman\’s black heart is filled with compassion.

b. Swampers & lumpers having hearts of gold, know that they seek but a pittance of your driving pay to unload your truck.

c. Salute the grocery warehouse for its dry and unsplintered pallets, its hospital cleanliness, and its cloistered silence.

d. Know you are not breaking down a thousand-piece load onto

a hundred \”small wood\” pallets, except to lighten the burden of that company\’s next-day delivery costs.

e. Believe that you will leave this place of consequence overflowing with love for your fellow man, renewed for your next mission.

5. Doubt not your fellow drivers:

a. Know they are at all times of pure word and reason, and never will they use their radios to heap abuse upon your tiniest breach of driving etiquette.

b. Know the owner of the most splendidly decked out \”large-car\” will never cast aspersion on the fleet driver\’s lumbering cab-over while sailing past. (Know also he may disguise his radio voice, so as to avoid any payback at the next truck stop.)

b. Always know your fellow driver drives more miles per week, earns more, is assigned better trips, and has an infinitely more perfect safety record?than you.

6. Doubt not your company:

a. They will always be there for you in a pinch.

b. If you can pee in a cup and pass, your trips will often flow through the home \”yard\” with its drug conformity office.

c. \”Safety\” will never assign you \”points,\” except when needed to demonstrate departmental accident awareness.

d. Management will experience zero turnover.

7. Welcome four-wheelers?a long hauler?s best friend:

a. Four-wheelers never change lanes without signaling, except on ramps, skinny roads, and highways.

b. Four-wheelers never pass on the right, except when they need to squeeze blindly out in front of you into the hammer lane.

c. Four-wheelers never pass you on a downhill run.

d. Four-wheelers never block you heading into a hill.

e. Four-wheelers never slip you the finger.

8. Fear not truck stops:

a. They have only your comfort, convenience, and wallet in mind.

b. Fuel prices will be shoved up only mincingly, until they cry out for total omission?for driver violence is a blot on fuel counter operations.

c. Pity your waitress for her rotten disposition, her children alone at home, the miserable $5 tip you will leave her, and the evil chef who warms up the garbage she presents you.

d. Pity the shower attendants, who must swab worn shower receptacles with their filthy mops, gathering chips of soap from the drain covers, squeezing them into tiny balls and placing them in the trays of freshly prepared shower rooms.

e. Pity those enfeebled drivers trapped in electronic game rooms, bashing knobs, levers, and pedals, as if still in their trucks mashing knobs, levers, and pedals.

Notice: Above Creed should not be taken as a dire word of warning to anyone who dares pick up and wear the banner of the Long Haul Trucker. Rendered in the spirit of driverly cooperation?take this information as equal in value to the cost of its acquisition.

Article by Richard Ide
Richard Ide is a writer of realistic, action-adventure and romantic-suspense fiction. On May 26th, 2008, Button Top Books released 3 ACES, his first published work. Now available on Amazon.com or by special order (ISBN: 978-0-615-15821-1) in bookstores. For more information on Richard and 3 Aces, visit: 3 Aces.

During our six and a half year circumnavigation in Dolphin Spirit we visited 56 countries and ate in 50 of them. The only time we were ever sick was after eating at a McDonalds in Egypt ? that exotic food will get you every time.

In fact that bit about exotic food is totally untrue. After having lived and worked in more than 100 countries over more than 30 years, I have had food poisoning just three times, the above incident being the second. The third was in France where I dined one night on fish soup followed by fish in puff pastry.

I attribute my survival to one simple rule ? eat the food of the country you are in. In Sudan I ate lamb tartare (minced raw lamb) regularly, with occasional side dishes of sheep eyes and testicles, and suffered no ill effects. When in Brazil, I ate lamb tartare at an Arab restaurant, and spent the next two days unable to leave a bathroom. That was the first food poisoning, and the one from which I developed the \”eat local\” rule.

In the south of Columbia we stopped for lunch at a roadside \”restaurant.\” An open drain ran through the middle of the dirt floor under the open-sided thatch roof. Chickens, dogs and children chased around the few tables, which had the beneficial effect of keeping the clouds of flies in constant motion. We ate steak, well done, with boiled yams, washed down by beer directly from the can, with no problems.

Which brings me to the first codicil to the rule ? grilled meat, well done, and boiled, skin-on vegetables, can be eaten anywhere. Unless you have seen the steak cut off the just killed beast and placed on the grill, then rare is an invitation to disaster, outside of the better restaurants in the cities. If refrigeration is rare, then the meat should not be.

During a visit to Asmara, the Eritrean capital, by good fortune we stumbled into a room reserved for locals. It had weapons and game heads on the walls, low tables, stools and couches each covered with an individual baby goat skin - a wonderful ambience. Dinner was a four foot diameter platter, lined with pancake like sour bread, and covered with heaps of various local dishes, all meat, mostly goat. Correct procedure was to tear off a piece of bread and scoop up some food with it, all with the right hand of course, as the left is reserved for more intimate cleaning functions. Left-handed me had some etiquette problems.

That introduces the second codicil ? learn the local customs in advance. In Taiwan, when you are asked to pick the snake you want to eat from out of a slithering heap, just go ahead and pick one. After cooking and smothering in delicious sauces, it will taste just like the delicious sauces, and you know it is fresh. It is perfectly okay to decline to drink the warm snake blood you will be offered, but very bad form to not select the snake.

I have eaten almost every type of meat there is from rat to elephant and turned down only a few. Raw monkey brains is not something I even like to be in the same room as, particularly when they are still attached to the monkey. For some reason, I cannot stand rabbit ? yes, I comfortably eat rat, snake and flying fox, but won\’t eat rabbit.

Travel is about broadening knowledge and gaining new experiences and this includes experimenting with new foods. In other countries there are hundreds of fruits and vegetables with tastes that range from bland to delicious and which are never seen in the US. So, even if the thought of eating meat that may not have come out of a US supermarket is revolting, try a new fruit a day. Do remember to eat only fruit you have peeled yourself, never pre-cut, pre-peeled or un-peeled.

Oh, yes, I was poisoned a fourth time, through eating an already cut watermelon I bought at an Indonesian market to quench my thirst. Break the rules and you will be punished, even if they are your own rules.

Article by Lawrence Pane
Lawrence Pane circumnavigated with his wife and young son, and his expertise in the areas of sailing, cruising and travel, expressed through two books, numerous magazine articles and very popular seminars, has informed, assisted and entertained a wide audience of sailors and non-sailors. Visit Chasing Sunsets to enjoy the photos, buy the books, and check up on coming seminars.

Generally, most people have a misconception about their insurance agent. They believe that because they have been paying their annual premiums that the agent is concerned about doing what is right for them. While that may be true for a small number of agents, most agents on the other hand know their loyalty is to the insurance company for which they work.

When the adjuster comes out to examine your damage, he or she wants to save the boss as much money as possible. And that means they will do whatever it takes to minimize the value of your claims.

Of course, you won\’t be thinking about all of these issues at the time. You will be worried and stressed because of the accident, the fire, the storm, or whatever may be the cause of your claim. And that is why it is important for you to use an insurance claims specialist.

What Does an Insurance Claims Specialist Do?

Insurance claims specialists work with people like you who need assistance in filing their claims and in handling all of the other responsibilities that may entail. The specialist can come into the picture and help you answer questions from the insurance company and deal with all of the other professionals who will be involved in making you whole again. You won\’t have to deal with the phone calls, emails and letters from the insurance company, the contractors, or anyone else. All of that will be handled by your claims specialist. You just work on getting your life back together.

Another important service is that an insurance claims specialist can help you interpret the fine print of your policy. Most of us don\’t understand the jargon insurance companies use to explain our coverage, the policy exceptions and other elements. They can step in and help you make sense of all the details so you will be armed with knowledge.

Specific Services from Insurance Claims Specialist

As soon as you need to make an insurance claim, you should call in your specialist. Because you will need to make sure your story is coherent, you can work with the specialist before you start answering questions from your agent.

Additionally, if you need a temporary place to live or a rental car or even cash to hold you over until you can begin receiving funds from your policy, your insurance claims specialist can take care of all of these areas for you.

Once your basic needs are taken care of, your specialist will start assessing your damages. He or she will be able to provide a true estimate of what you have lost as a result of the accident, fire, or other destructive event. They can also examine your policy and decide what you can expect to receive based on those damages.

After the wheels of the claims process are set in motion, your representative will work with the professionals on your behalf and will help to negotiate the type of settlement you desire and for the amount you deserve.

Remember they will be working for your interest not the insurance company\’s.

Article by Derek Rogers
Derek Rogers is a freelance writer who represents a number of UK businesses. For Loss Assessor Consultants and Insurance Claim Specialists, he recommends Morgan Clark.

Fires can have devastating consequences for any family. Even if no loss of life or serious injuries are caused from the fire, you may still end up losing a large portion of your belongings and it may very well result in you becoming homeless. Thankfully, if you have home insurance, much of what you\’ve lost should be covered.

Basics of Home Insurance

Generally, insurance providers divide home insurance coverage into two separate components: these being buildings and content. You need to look carefully at your policy because some companies combine both components while others sell each one separately. Never take for granted what your policy covers, always read the contract carefully.

If you have the buildings component of your home insurance, then your insurance should cover the repairing of your home\’s structure or it\’s rebuilding up to the total amount of your policy. That will also apply to other buildings or permanent fixtures on your property, such as swimming pools or garages. If these parts are damaged from the fire as well then those costs will usually be covered by this portion of your policy. Remember that only the structure of the garage will be covered - not anything that was inside.

With the content component, you will also be able to file a claim for the loss of anything you owned that was inside the house, including electronics, clothing, furniture, appliances, etc. This portion may also cover anything that was damaged in your garage, such as your car or lawn care equipment.

With both of these policies, the most important thing to remember is that no matter how great your losses the most you can recover will always be the maximum value of your policy. For example, if your home policy offers protection up to ?100,000 then you can only receive monetary reimbursement in the amount of ?100,000, even if you\’re out ?300,000.

That\’s why it is always important to purchase the most insurance you can afford. Take an inventory of the value of your property and of the cost to rebuild your home in the event of a fire or other devastation. That should be the amount of coverage you purchase. Consider increasing your coverage every couple of years to account for inflation.

Other Coverage Issues

Of course, before the insurance will pay for any damages, you will have to go through the claims process which can sometimes be very intimidating. If the cause of the fire is easily identified and is clearly not your fault, then your process shouldn\’t take too long. Quotes will have to be acquired and you will probably be asked to provide documentation of the items you lost in the fire.

However, if there are any questions about the fire\’s cause, this could delay your claim. Make sure you have read your policy and know under which circumstances your policy does not have to pay. You don\’t want to find yourself receiving any unhappy surprises at this time in your life.

Additionally, you will be expected to cover the deductible outlined in your policy before any of your claims can be paid.

Article by Derek Rogers
Derek Rogers is a freelance writer who represents a number of UK businesses. For Fire Insurance Claims, he recommends Morgan Clark.

Choosing the right lighting for your aquarium is of paramount importance, if your aquarium is to be fully functional and exciting.

To determine the right lighting for your aquarium you will have to consider the following:

* What you are keeping in the aquarium

* Its\’ depth

* The amount of heat the lighting will give out

* Your personal tastes

One lamp will be all you may need if all you have in your small aquarium are a few fish. Even though you may need just a single lamp, it is also worthwhile to note that the fish will need lighting at certain regulated times. Too much lighting will mean that the fish will not have enough time to rest, while very little lighting will also make the fish listless and they may end up losing colour.

To achieve the best results in this case, one lamp with a timer to switch it on and off at stipulated times, preferably every 12 hours, would be the best. Remember that lamps that emit more red do illuminate the fish better. The preferable kind of lighting for this kind of aquarium would be incandescent lighting. This type of lighting will offer various colours and bulb strengths.

A deep aquarium will need more lighting, as obviously you will have a larger area to light. This kind of aquarium will require intense lighting and the best kind of light for it would be the metal halide as opposed to other types. They give light in wavelengths that encourage photosynthesis. A compact bulb would be a suitable option for this kind of aquarium. They are economical and last very long. They can be replaced after 2+ years, which is a sufficient period.

If you happen to have only plants in your aquarium you have to be extra careful in choosing the correct lighting. Failure to do this is one of the common reasons as to the poor growth or total failure in growing plants. Choose a lamp that is deliberately designed to emit red wavelength light which is similar to the light of the sun. Use an actinic light combined with daylight light which proves excellent results.

Finally after putting all the above into consideration, as usual the cost of the lamp or lighting will come into play. The amount of money you have in your budget will determine the kind of light that you choose. Consider the cost of replacing the bulbs, as you will have to replace them at some point. Ensure that the bulbs you buy are economical now and in the future.

A well lit aquarium means healthier fish and plants. These make up the beauty of a blossoming aquarium. Your plants and fish will respond to the right lighting and all of you will live happily ever after. Lights which are good for plants also bring out the colours of the fish, so you will take great pleasure in seeing them at their very best.

Article by Derek Rogers
Derek Rogers is a freelance writer who represents a number of UK businesses. For information on aquariums, he recommends Seapets, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of Aquarium Lighting.

Garden pond plants breathe in oxygen during the night and carbon dioxide in the day; this makes them eco-friendly. They keep your pond water clear by absorbing the nitrates in the water hence preventing it from turning green. Your tastes and preferences will determine the kind of pond plant you use in your garden.

Some examples include:

* Water Violet

* Water Crow Foot

You may also decide to have some fish in your pond, along with your pond plants. In this case you may decide to put in plants that oxygenate the water which will increase the amount of oxygen in the water for your fish to take in, as well as keeping the water clear so that you can view your fish. These types of plants are usually under the water and when looked at keenly on a sunny day have bubbles coming from the leaves. They can cohabit excellently with your fish, because just like fish they cannot survive outside of the water. The preferable kind of garden pond plants to use when you have fish in the same pond is the one that is rootless and float under water. They are mobile and will not be disturbed by your fish as they swim about.

Beautiful flowers are a sight that is never easily forgotten. If you have a passion for flowers then you should use marginal plants. They grow in shallow ponds, especially if they are muddy. They are the ones that grow many beautiful flowers that will brighten and lighten your day. They include plants like Water Buttons, Marsh Marigold, Duck Potato and many others. Another kind is the water lily which is available in various colours and scent, which when put together provides not only a wonderful sight but aroma too. They are hardy and have longer flowering periods.

The size and depth of your garden pond will also determine the kind of plants you use in your garden pond. There are those plants that grow rapidly like the lily; these will need a larger and deeper pond as they need more space to accommodate their rapid growth. Others like the water hyacinth also grow very rapidly and may easily take over your pond, so should you decide to use them then you should take great care in controlling their growth. The lotus is also another one which may need to be put on its own, as its leaves tend to grow high above the water. The flowers will grow even higher; this is due to them being situated above the leaves.

At all times and with all sizes and depths of garden ponds, it is of paramount importance to ensure that you only use garden plants that have been properly excavated and free from any form of disease or infection. This will ensure that your garden pond plants are healthy and stay healthy and your efforts will be rewarded.

Most people who make garden ponds intend to have very beautiful and healthy plants.

Article by Derek Rogers
Derek Rogers is a freelance writer who represents a number of UK businesses. For information on your garden pond, he recommends Seapets, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of Garden Ponds.

If you want a good idea for a great family vacation spot in Barbados, then why not check out the Pirate\’s Inn at Christ Church in the south end of the island.

A Family Vacation Spot in Barbados isn?t really any different from anywhere else in the respect that it needs to be near enough to walk to a beach or beaches. There needs to be watersports plus proximity to golf, tennis, squash, and other dry land sports, and of course shops, restaurants, banks, and supermarkets. In addition there is the safety element both in and out of the water. Choose the Pirate\’s Inn, and you will be more than satisfied on all these counts, which makes it the right spot for a great family vacation.

Another couple of points to make in that all the rooms have a kitchenette, which means there is a self catering option which is often much better for a family vacation, so you aren?t necessarily tied to meal times. Children get hungry and tired at the most inconvenient times in a hotel!!

The rooms in the Pirate\’s Inn come as Studio Suites with a generous 360 square feet of space, or 1 bedroom apartments which are big enough for families. It is also fair to regard the Pirate\’s Inn as a cheap hotel with an average price of around USD90 per night.

Guest satisfaction is high at this family vacation spot, and one of the main reasons given was that Pirate\’s Inn is different to most hotels. Many guests feel almost paralyzed by inaction when they stay in a hotel. It?s like having the power of choice removed the second you walk through the door. What with meal times, and the almost sheep like behaviour of guests, with everyone doing what everyone else is doing. By comparison arrival at the Pirate\’s Inn and the fact you can have a mobile phone issued to use, then the realization that you have a kitchenette opens up a world of possibilities, and so you view your holiday quite differently.

As an example you are now very much more likely to get out of the hotel and mingle with local people. You will be going quickly to the local supermarket, and realize immediately how much cheaper everything is there, from the booze to basic foodstuffs. Whilst not suggesting for one second you are going to eat in, at least you have another choice of what to do. Statistically you will eat out more, you will travel around more, and you will really appreciate how nice it is to return to Pirate\’s Inn, instead of spending your entire holiday complaining about shortcomings in your family hotel, because you haven?t been anywhere, or seen anything.

This may seem like a rant, but sadly it is all too common with any family vacation spot if you are stuck with it because you have a meal deal. Even the best food in a hotel becomes repetitive after a week, but if it is prepaid or you are all inclusive, then you have to lump it.

Not so at the Pirate\’s Inn, where you have a hotel with a great pool, perfectly located for anything you want to do.

The staff are warm and helpful, as well as being efficient, understanding and kind. You will be more than reassured by the high level of security with 24 hour staff on duty for this purpose. You won?t ever feel unsafe at night because the hotel is locked up and guards are there. For a relaxing family vacation spot you can?t really ask for more.

The cleanliness is also above reproach, so if you just continue to remind yourself that the Pirate\’s Inn is a cheap hotel, and is not The Hilton, you should be well pleased with this as a family vacation idea.

Article by Andrew Watkins
Andrew Watkins is the owner of Barbados Vacation Spots as well as being a contributor on occasions to Worldwide Vacation Spots and he thinks it would be worth your while to check out Caribbean Vacation Spots especially any information you can find about Barbados.

A self catering holiday within a hotel environment has to be potentially the best of both worlds. The freedom of self catering, and the facilities of what will normally be an affordable hotel.

The Butterfly Beach Hotel is no exception to this rule, sitting in the Christ Church area of Barbados in a lovely oceanfront location with access to two white sand beaches. With 90+ rooms it isn?t too big so as to be impersonal, although only rated as two star it could be ideal as a decent quality affordable hotel.

The Butterfly Beach Hotel is what might best be called a mixed accommodation hotel with some Superior Rooms but no kitchenette, then the Superior Island View Studio, but with no balcony to sit on, with a kitchenette, called The French Balcony Rooms. Then there is the Superior Island View Studio as above but with a balcony or a terrace. The Superior Oceanview Studio as before, but with Oceanview obviously!

In addition there are one and two bedroom Island view apartments, Two Bedroom Oceanview Apartments, and a Penthouse Apartment, and the cost per room per night starts at about USD100 and rises to about USD300 depending on the time of year. All the rooms are air conditioned, with ceiling fans, and cable TV, and internet access. You will find the rooms are large, kept very clean, and generally offer good value for money, and the oceanview rooms do offer a great view of the sea.

There is a large swimming pool and there are beach towels provided at the front desk. There is a restaurant and beach bar, open all day offering buffet breakfast, a la carte lunch, and dinner, offering a good choice of Caribbean Cuisine and international options. The breakfasts and lunches get a very high satisfaction level from guests, and although the dinner menu is a little limited the quality is good, and the price very reasonable.

For those who prefer to use the Butterfly Beach Hotel for a self catering holiday the town of Oistins is close by where there is the famous fish fry on a Friday, and also eating out in St Lawrence Gap is great fun with good restaurants, and getting on a local bus to and from, is very much part of the fun. They come often, are cheap, almost always crowded but very good natured. Restaurants like Houdinis, and Bellini?s are well worth a visit, and many of the restaurants have lovely views of the bay and the beach. It is also worth going to Pisces, although it isn?t cheap, the food is fantastic, and also the Mexican restaurant Caf? Sol.

There is no doubt that the Butterfly Beach Hotel is a great place to be for a self catering holiday. The self catering accommodation, whilst perhaps a little dated is clean and comfortable, as long as you remember this isn?t a five star deluxe, is more than adequate. The food is good, the oceanfront position is perfect, as is the ease with which you can access restaurants and bars and entertainment. It is a more than affordable hotel, and will almost certainly give you a great holiday in Barbados.

Article by Andrew Watkins
Andrew Watkins is the owner of Barbados Vacation Spots as well as being a contributor on occasions to Worldwide Vacation Spots and he thinks it would be worth your while to check out Caribbean Vacation Spots

If you?re looking for a great skiing holiday location, then be sure to check out St Martin de Belleville in the Rh?ne-Alpes region of France!

The resort boasts the best of both worlds. It is an amazing Savoyarde village that has retained its character yet it also has all the ingredients of a fantastic French ski resort.

From St Martin de Belleville you can get easy access to the wonderful Three Valleys ski area, which provides a wealth of skiing facilities. It is said to be the largest ski area in the world. Some say that it?s the best ski area in the world. It doesn?t matter whether you?re an experienced skier or are just a beginner, you will be well catered for here.

This area offers some truly superb facilities for all ages. What?s more, it?s a perfect destination for a holiday property rental. You will be able to enjoy all the facilities in the area while staying in some great accommodation to suit your budget and taste.

The Three Valleys boast more than 600km of ski slopes, so you will be spoilt for choice! It includes the well known resorts of Courcheval, Meribel and Val Thorens.

Be sure to check out Courcheval, which is an ideal location to ski and it doesn?t matter whether you?re a complete beginner, if you want your kids to learn the sport or if you are a professional on the slopes. This area is also good for shopping (watch out if you?re a shopaholic!), it has some excellent restaurants and it has a great atmosphere.

The ski resort Meribel, meanwhile, is another popular area and is in the heart of the Three Valleys. The area offers an abundance of snow sports besides skiing and snowboarding. You can also go mountain biking, hiking, paragliding and a whole lot more! There is plenty to do in summer and winter in Meribel.

Val Thorens is another excellent resort you should check out. It is the highest ski resort in Europe (at 2300 m altitude) and, not surprisingly, it offers some superb skiing facilities and sports activities.

Why not take your next holiday around St Martin de Belleville. It?s an ideal destination for a fun-filled holiday. If you?ve got children, then they will be well looked after here. There are plenty of clubs and courses etc. available for kids to join so they can enjoy their holiday just as much as you do.

If you?ve got a family then it?s an ideal place to rent a holiday home. By taking a holiday property rental you will also get the chance to eat and drink at the restaurants and bars available, too. It?s a great opportunity to sample some of the delicious food in this area of France.

And if you?re looking to do something else other than skiing, then St Martin de Belleville and the surrounding area offer plenty of other activities you can get involved in during your holiday. You can go mountain biking, walking or swimming. Or maybe you would prefer to try your hand at tennis, horse riding, paragliding, sailing, water skiing, wind surfing or canoeing - and more!

There are some great holiday homes available in St Martin de Belleville, so you should be able to find your ideal property in this area of France.

Article by Karen Waller
Karen Waller is a destination rep for Self Property Rental, http://www.selfpropertyrental.com offering a wide selection of holiday rentals St Martin de Belleville, France!

For any investors serious about buying property in Dubai, one should be sure to have all one?s finances sorted out before you begin searching for the ideal real estate.

Due to the fact that the purchase process, once underway, can progress extremely rapidly and should a property investor not have a mortgage agreed upon or should the investor in question not have enough money to hand the sale ? it could result in the whole process falling through as a result of the continual fast-moving nature of the Dubai property market.

Many investors, internationally and locally feel that in direct contrast to the ?highly sophisticated sales process in Dubai which sees developers and estate agents presenting potential clients with superior show homes to view and lovely brochures to peruse, the property buying process in Dubai currently lacks some sophistication and transparency.? ? This is not good news when sales agents seek to ?clinch? a deal with a potential purchaser.

Read on to see how to avoid the common issues that investors may encounter during the buying process in Dubai.

Altogether there are so many developments which are in the process of being built, that an investor will have to spend a considerable amount of time comparing the qualities of any given development, the developer and the specific properties characteristics and features, all this needs to be compared with the investors available funds, to ensure they get the best valued property for their budget and investment criteria.

When one attempts to arrange a mortgage (in order to buy property in Dubai) an investor can either do this in their country of residence or locally in Dubai. An increasing amount of financial institutions are now offering more products to non-resident purchasers on a monthly basis, therefore it is extremely beneficial as an investors to ?shop around? for the best interest rates and payment terms.

Should the investor require financial assistance in order to purchase a resale property, he/she will have to have a valuation completed on the property to satisfy the financial institution and further show that the property in question is indeed worth the asking price.

To help smooth matters out, it is advisable to have a solid idea as to what kind of investment you would like to attach yourself to?before you begin searching!

The good news for purchasers looking at buying investment property in Dubai is the fact that there are no property related taxes to speak of. Translated, this means that there is only a minimal additional outlay with buyers having to cover lawyer?s fees he ongoing maintenance of the property as well as any shared areas or facilities.

For all those investors seeking to gain profits from their purchase immediately, there is always the option of purchasing real estate in Dubai that is on resale.

It is important to bear in mind that because there is currently no formal conveyancing system in Dubai, as well as no way of finding out who holds the freehold title of any given property, an investor is encouraged to ensure the property transaction for any resale unit ?goes back via the original developer.?

This is critical as it is quite common place for investor?s who are not aware and alert to become the victim of fraud. It really cannot be emphasized enough - an investor interested in any resale property must contact the original developer before signing any contract to purchase (note to self ? this is one of the most important issues one needs to contend with when purchasing property in Dubai).

As had been done in the past, many property investors turn their properties over to a secondary purchaser during the construction period already, in order to take advantage of any capital gains already accrued.

When it comes to the buying of a resale property during its construction period, most developers will allow for the resale of off plan property; however some developers are of the persuasion that only the original purchaser is allowed the right to resell during construction.

The secondary buyer, in such cases will only be able to resell property upon completion of the development. It has however become the norm for investors to purchase during the construction phase, as the majority of property developments are still to be completed!

Due to the fact that there are no escrow account structures in Dubai, any money an investor pays goes directly into the developers? accounts (so as to fund the building process).

The fact that in Dubai, the government has a sophisticated process in place, whereby ?any developer wishing to sell property units has to agree to place 50% of the price of each unit in a bond and only then is he allowed to sell his property.?

Translated loosely, this means that should a developer go bankrupt or renege on a contract in Dubai, the government should have sufficient funds in the bond to get the project completed.

Such insight into the buying and selling process of Dubai?s property market is imperative and undeniably necessary for all potential investors to be able to equip themselves with all the needed information to speedily come to an investments choice, which will prove lucrative and highly successful.

Article by Andrew Hillis
Property Select offers a comprehensive selection of overseas Property in Dubai and the Unite Arab Emirates (UAE), including a news feed, members club and reviews of the latest property developments from around the world.