Real Estate
Charles Carreon
Real estate could more accurately be called “royal estate.” Originally, which is to say in feudal times, nobody could own land except the monarch. Even feudal lords were only tenants of a higher class, who could be dispossessed at a moment's notice should they displease the king. Since everyone was a tenant, taxes were collected based upon the fact that the king allowed you to live there.
Nowadays, it is common knowledge that anyone can own a piece of real estate, which includes anything from bare dirt to a broom closet in a skyscraper. Like my friend said, it is usually best to own your real estate, especially if you are an online businessperson. If you're an online businessperson, and you don't need a storefront, it is perfectly appropriate to run your business out of your home. This will save money on rent, interest paid on a home mortgage is tax deductible, and you can charge your business rent for the fair market value of the floor space that is fully dedicated to the business.
One caveat here — local development and zoning regulations may prevent you from doing certain types of business in certain areas of town. For example, if your online business consists of packaging and selling gift items over the Internet, some jurisdictions might call this “manufacturing,” and you will be prevented from doing it. Likewise, some adult industry entrepreneurs have found themselves facing zoning regulations when operating a “voyeur” website. This guide does not attempt to tell you whether you will be subjected to such local regulations or not; I am simply flagging it for your attention so you will realize that not all online businesses can be conducted out of your back bedroom, although a great many can.
Real estate could more accurately be called “royal estate.” Originally, which is to say in feudal times, nobody could own land except the monarch. Even feudal lords were only tenants of a higher class, who could be dispossessed at a moment's notice should they displease the king. Since everyone was a tenant, taxes were collected based upon the fact that the king allowed you to live there.
Nowadays, it is common knowledge that anyone can own a piece of real estate, which includes anything from bare dirt to a broom closet in a skyscraper. Like my friend said, it is usually best to own your real estate, especially if you are an online businessperson. If you're an online businessperson, and you don't need a storefront, it is perfectly appropriate to run your business out of your home. This will save money on rent, interest paid on a home mortgage is tax deductible, and you can charge your business rent for the fair market value of the floor space that is fully dedicated to the business.
One caveat here — local development and zoning regulations may prevent you from doing certain types of business in certain areas of town. For example, if your online business consists of packaging and selling gift items over the Internet, some jurisdictions might call this “manufacturing,” and you will be prevented from doing it. Likewise, some adult industry entrepreneurs have found themselves facing zoning regulations when operating a “voyeur” website. This guide does not attempt to tell you whether you will be subjected to such local regulations or not; I am simply flagging it for your attention so you will realize that not all online businesses can be conducted out of your back bedroom, although a great many can.