GBI Group, LLC is pleased to offer exciting new investment opportunities to individuals and investment groups to be a partner in our real estate developments. We will prove to be a milestone for those of you who demand more return on the investment of your time and energy.
GBI started its real estate development in two states with the highest population in the nation, California, with 36 million people, and Texas, with 22 million people. These estimates exclude the impact of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. GBI is targeting Southern California and South of Texas for construction projects during the next 5 years and will continue to search for business opportunities with long-term growth. This current development opportunity exists for GBI in California and Texas because the fundamentals of a strong housing market are still in place where unemployment rate is low, more jobs are available, immigration is fueling demand and incomes are rising.
Houston Economy
Colliers International Houston Economic Outlook, January 2009
Houston's late entry into the economic recession has some economists optimistically predicting an early recovery for the area with local job losses expected to fall significantly below other comparable-size metros. On a more long term basis, Houston's business strengths continued to be grounded in dynamic future-growth industries that are well-positioned to meet the global demographics and market trends towards increased trade and industrialization of key emerging market worldwide.
US News and World Report, July 17, 2009
Unlike other metros areas, Houston has not been hammered by the national housing bust. In fact, real home prices increased nearly 5% from the first quarter of 2008 to the first quarter of 2009, according to a Brookings Institution report. But even without a sharp decline in real estate values, projected job and populations growth should drive future home price appreciation and create value, says James Gaines, a research economist at the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University. "The medium and long term prospects for Houston are extremely good"; "the area's low tax, pro-business climate will lure new employers to Houston and helps bolster an already sound economy, anchored by the energy and health care sectors". (James Gaines)
Builder Magazine, 2009
According to the Builder Magazine, the Information Source for the Building Industry, following are the Healthiest Housing Market for 2009:
Houston, TX
Austin, TX
Fort Worth, TX
San Antonio, TX
Dallas, TX
Raleigh, N.C.
Seattle, Wash.
Indianapolis, IN
Fayetteville, ARK
Washington D.C.
The American, A Magazine of Ideas
Joel Kotkin, August, 2008
Perhaps the key factor that will influence the rise of the next great American city is the ability to fit in the global economy. An opportunity city with only modest links overseas can certainly grow rapidly, but only an urban center (like Houston) with powerful ties to global commerce is likely to achieve greatness. This may be where the case for Houston's emergence is strongest. From its inception, Houston has been oriented to markets outside the country, first through its exports of timber and cotton, and later with a major oil port. Trade and the global connection of the energy industry have also paced the development of internationally minded banks, business-service firms, hotels, and specialized shopping areas. An indicator of Houston's internationally reach: it now ranks third among U.S. cities, behind Los-Angeles and New York, in the number of consulates locate there.
World Capitals Of The Future
Joel Kotkin, Forbes, August 2009
Shanghai, China
Moscow, Russia
Beijing, China
Mumbai, India
Sao Paolo, Brazil
Dubai, UAE
Calgary, Canada
Perth, Australia
Houston, TX, USA
Dallas, TX, USA
Houston and Dallas, TX, USA, the energy rich cities have actually added jobs, spurring a rapid population growth. Last year, Houston and Dallas grew more than any metropolitan regions in the country, and over the past decade, their populations have increased at six times the rate of New York, Los-Angeles, Chicago, or San Francisco. But it's not all a demographic game. The key difference lies with the Texan cities' rising corporate power. Houston, with 27 Fortune 500 firms, has passed Chicago in the number of Fortune 500 companies, while Dallas, with 14, ranks third. Together, the two Texan cities account for about as many fortune firms as New York, once home to almost a third of the nation's largest companies.
Free-Trade-Zone (FTZ)
http://www.naftz.org/index_categories.php/ftzs/5
Building local prosperity through
global business
In
an expanding global economy, there is increased competition among nations for
jobs, industry and capital. The FTZ program was designed to promote American competitiveness
by encouraging companies to maintain and expand their operations in the United
States. The
FTZ program encourages U.S.-based operations by removing certain disincentives
associated with manufacturing in the United States. The duty on a product
manufactured abroad and imported into the U.S. is paid at the rate of the
finished product rather than that of the individual parts, materials or
components of the product. A U.S.-based company finds itself at a disadvantage
vis-à-vis its foreign competitor when it must pay the higher rate on parts,
materials or components imported for use in the manufacturing process. The FTZ
program corrects this imbalance by treating a product made in a U.S.
foreign-trade zone, for purposes of tariff assessment, as if it were produced abroad.
Benefits for Communities When companies increase their cash flow,
save taxes and improve their bottom line by locating their operations in FTZs,
communities benefit in several important ways. Economic growth and development
are stimulated because jobs are retained and created in the community. The FTZ
program impacts indirect employment, as well, because a business location not
only creates jobs specific to itself, but also creates opportunities for
suppliers and service providers in the community. An FTZ project can be a
valuable asset when a community is trying to attract new business investment to
its area. Finally, a community with a FTZ may experience an improved
infrastructure and expanded tax-base as a result of higher employment and the
influx of new businesses. For all of these reasons, more than 200 communities
throughout the United States support and rely on the benefits that the FTZ
program offers public as well as private entities.
Benefits
for Businesses The
FTZ program helps American companies improve their competitive position versus
their counterparts abroad. The FTZ program allows U.S.-based companies to
defer, reduce or even eliminate Customs duties on products admitted to the
zone.
Elimination of Drawback In some instances, duties previously paid on
exported merchandise may be refunded through a process called drawback. The
drawback law has become increasingly complex and expensive to administer.
Through the use of a FTZ, the need for drawback may be eliminated allowing
these funds to remain in the operating capital of the company.
Labor, Overhead and Profit
In calculating the dutiable value on foreign merchandise removed from a
zone, zone users are authorized to exclude zone costs of processing or fabrication,
general expenses and profit. Therefore, duties are not owed on labor, overhead
and profit attributed to production in a FTZ.
Taxes By
federal statute, tangible personal property imported from outside the U.S. and
held in a zone, as well as that produced in the U.S. and held in a zone for
exportation, are not subject to State and local ad valorem taxes.
Quotas U.S.
quota restrictions do not apply to merchandise admitted to zones, although
quotas will apply if and when the merchandise is subsequently entered into U.S.
commerce. Merchandise subject to quota, with the permission of the
Foreign-Trade Zones Board, may be substantially transformed in a FTZ to a
non-quota article that may then be entered into U.S. Customs and Border
Protection territory, free of quota restrictions. Quota merchandise may be
stored in a FTZ so that when the quota opens, the merchandise may be
immediately shipped into U.S. Customs and Border Protection territory.
Zone-to-Zone Transfer
An increasing number of firms are making use of the ability to transfer
merchandise from one zone to another. Because the merchandise is transported
in-bond, duty may be deferred until the product is removed from the final zone
for entry into the U.S. Customs and Border Protection territory.
Other Additional
benefits Sometimes referred to as intangible benefits, have begun to
play a greater role in a company's evaluation of the FTZ program. Many
companies in FTZs find that their inventory control systems run more
efficiently, increasing their competitiveness. FTZ users also find that in
meeting their FTZ reporting responsibilities to the U.S. government, they are
eligible to take advantage of special Customs procedures such as direct
delivery and weekly entry. These procedures expedite the movement of cargo,
thereby supporting just-in-time inventory methodologies.
