August 17, 2008

Foreclosure Real Estate Sales

Filed under: realestate3_200 — admin @ 1:16 am

One of the most straightforward ways to find a discount home or other property is to scout out foreclosure sales in the area you are interested in.

A foreclosure occurs when a homeowner cannot afford to satisfy a major (usually a mortgage), and can no longer afford to live at their current residence. In the event of a foreclosure, properties are generally liquidated to cover the homeowner’s obligations.

Although unfortunate for the former owner, foreclosures can offer an interesting opportunity for young homebuyers or low income families looking to buy their own homes. Because most foreclosures are priced for quick sale, it is often possible to get these properties at below market rates, and make it possible to enter a previously unattainable market.

The most important thing to consider, however, before buying one of these properties is the long-term expense involved. You need to think about why the former homeowner couldn’t make the payments, and how you will avoid making the same mistakes.

Ultimately, it is a good idea to come up with a budget or long-term spending plan before making an offer, so as to ensure that you won’t be facing a foreclosure of your own in a few months or years.

For more information about the U.S. real estate market, and how to buy homes at below market value, please refer to Cheap Real Estate.net.

About the Author:
Jeremy Maddock is an online journalist, and owner of PropertyPlex.com, which provides real estate industry news and commentary.

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August 16, 2008

Thinking of Selling your Home Don’t Believe the Hype When Hiring a Realtor to Represent You

Filed under: realestate5_200 — admin @ 1:05 am

Just peruse through the Sunday newspaper, real estate books or scan various Realtor websites and you will see alot of hype.

  • Largest Producer!

  • If we don’t sell your home we will buy it!
  • Your home sold in 39 days or we will sell it for free!
  • We will advertise your home until it is sold!
  • We guarantee to save you $5,000 on your next home purchase!
  • We will sell your home for 1% 2% or 3%!
  • #1 Real Estate Agent!

    Real estate is a cutt thoat, competitive industry. Realtors are always trying to find new ways to attract home buyers and sellers. With so many to choose from Realtors are constantly trying to make themselves stand out from the crowd. With this desire to be different we naturally create alot of hype.

    Let’s go through a few of the more common ways Realtors try to grab your attention.

    Largest Producer!

    People should be impressed by any agent that is the largest producer. Right? What if that Realtor is in a 2 or 3 agent office? It is not as impressive anymore. What if the agent was the largest producer for just one week? They don’t advertise that information. Again, not as quite as impressive. Most people just assume that the agent is the either the largest producer ever or for atleast a long period of time like a year.

    If we don’t sell your home we will buy it!

    Are these Realtors so confident in their ability to sell your home that they will buy it if it does not sell? Not really. If you read through the details you will see that the chances of the Realtor buying your home are slim to none. Most of the agents who advertise this have never bought one of their client’s homes. In order for the agent to purchase your home there are usually numerous requirements such as them buying your home for the appraised value minus various costs like financing and marketing (broker commissions) fees. In the end, it does not make much sense for the home owner to sell to the Realtor.

    Your home sold in 30 days or we will sell it for free!

    This one is similar to the above hyped program. Typically, there is a list of things the homeowner would have to do to get the Realtor to sell his house without a commission. In reality, it rarely happens. Typically, the Realtor requires that the homeowner price the property at a value given by an appraiser or by the real estate agent. Other requirements may be:

  • the asking price of the home needs to be dropped frequently
  • when the home sells the homeowner would be required to buy his next house through the same real estate agent
  • the home would be required to be in showing condition all of the time
  • the home would also be required to be easily seen on short notice.

    If the homeowner does not perform on any these tasks then the Realtor would not be required to sell the home free. There are all kinds of caveats that the agent can have to get them out of selling your home for free. Some of them are very entertaining.

    We will advertise your home until it is sold!

    Most Realtors will do this one without too many caveats. Most agents know that advertising rarely sells a home. A very small percentage of people buy the home they originally called on. The main purpose of advertising by a Realtor is not to sell your house directly. Advertising generates phone calls and some of those people become clients of the Realtor. Over time this builds up a list of home buyers looking for property. Another reason Realtors like to advertise is to get future listings. People thinking about selling will usually interview agents that advertise heavily. So when an agent tells you how much they plan to advertise your home keep in mind that most of that advertising benefits the Realtor and not your house.

    We guarantee to save you $5,000 on your next home purchase!

    Most home sellers have a built in cushion in their asking price. Here in Sarasota, Florida on the average a home will sell for about 97% of list price. If I sell a home for $350,000 chances are that the home was listed for $360,000 - $365,000. In this situation it would be pretty easy for the selling agent to say he saved his buyer $10,000 - $15,000. Was the agent such a shrewd negotiator that he got the seller to drop his price? Most likely not. The seller probably just factored a 3-5% cushion into their asking price.

    In many instances, especially in hot markets, homes sell at or above their asking price. Most Realtors who advertise these guarantees either give you something small such as a home warranty or a some other type of buyer credit if they do not help you negotiate a lower price.

    We will sell your home for 1% 2% or 3%!

    This is another hook that Realtors use to attract home sellers. Usually this 1% 2% or 3% is the listing agent’s fee for selling your home but it does not include any co-broke fees.

    Depending on the market, sellers will list their home anywhere from 5%-7%. What happens now is that the listing agents goes to the Realtor community via the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and offers a co-broke fee (usually 3% or half of the total commission). If the other agent brings the buyer he is paid the co-broke fee. The majority of real estate transaction involve 2 Realtors. Therfore, the 6% total commission is split between the two agents. Often times when an agent advertises 1% 2% or 3% they are only advertising their fee but the commission goes up if you want your house listed on the MLS. Most of the time it is crucial to have your home listed on the MLS.

    #1 Real Estate Agent!

    #1 at what? Are they the absolute best Realtor in the world? Have they sold the most real estate? Are they always the biggest producer? Did they sell the most homes last week, last month, last year?

    I see Realtors throw this one around alot. Any real estate agent can #1 at something on any given day. There are so many statistics in this industry that it would be pretty hard not to find an agent to be #1 at something. I think agents use this one because it tends to grab people’s attention more.

    I think it is normal to see this type of marketing in a highly competitive industry. I feel it is the nature of the business and there is nothing wrong with it. Many successful agents have used or are currently using these marketing ideas. When looking to find an real estate remember not everything is as it seems.

    Marc Rasmussen is a Realtor in
    Sarasota, Florida. He works with mostly second home buyers for Sarasota,
    Siesta Key and Longboat Key.

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  • August 11, 2008

    How to Sell Your Home for the Highest Price Possible!

    Filed under: realestate4_200 — admin @ 1:17 am

    Making a mistake in selling a home can cost you hundreds or thousands of dollars in lost profit. Often home sellers make the same mistakes over and over. Avoiding these mistakes is easy and takes little time and effort on your part. Take the time with your home sale and follow the guidelines in this report.

    1. Distress Selling: At times, selling quickly is unavoidable. That’s when knowing the right techniques to sell your home without looking desperate and making yourself a target for low bidders really pays off. Know all there is to know about the market before listing and work hand in hand with the right real estate professional. Ensure that you are not settling for the first offer through the door.

    2. Best Home in the Neighborhood: Your home is one of your most personal possessions. Don’t be blind to flaws and needed cosmetic improvements. This will cause overvaluing of the home, hurting its chances to be sold. Listing with the right agent gives you a well informed third eye that will help you price your home at a fair market price.

    3. Limited Home Viewing: Buyers want to view a home on their own time schedule. Unfortunately their time schedule does not always coincide with your time schedule. Leave a lockbox or key with your agent so your home can be shown when you are not around. You never know if the one who got away was your buyer.

    4. Restrain Emotional Decisions: Don’t allow a few hundred dollars to ruin a sale. That money will mean very little to you in the long run. Take a look at the big picture and react rationally. Use sound business judgment!

    5. Make Cosmetic Improvements: Prospects make up their minds within the first twenty minutes. First impressions can make all the difference in selling your home. Spending $1,200 on new carpet might add another $4,000 to the price of your home. Get an objective point of view from your real estate professional. They can provide you with a list of items that will maximize the profit of your home sale.

    6. Disclose Property Flaws: Property disclosure laws require sellers to list any flaws required by your state. If you are unaware of flaws or attempt to cover them up, you risk losing the sale and finding yourself in court. Get professional assistance from your agent who can introduce you to qualified inspectors and ensure the smooth sale of your home.

    7. For Sale By Owner: Most homeowners who decide to sell their own home do so to save the commission paid to the real estate agent. Everything has a price and selling a home carries a high one. The enormous amount of time, cost and effort required to sell a home often surprises the “For Sale by Owner.” It’s o.k. to give it a try, just be as educated as you can be starting. Many costly mistakes can be avoided with the right guidance.

    8. Refusing to Trust Your Agent: Would you tell a physician that you’ve decided to run your own tests and come to your own diagnosis? By choosing the right Realtor, you can relax and trust their judgment. The right agent is a valuable team member who will protect your best interests and make your sale as profitable as possible.

    9. Know Your Market: Most homes that do not sell in their first listing period are priced too high. Conversely, most homes that sell quickly are priced too low and cheat the homeowner out of profits. You need to understand the market and evaluate the value of your home based on fact, not gut instinct or conventional wisdom. A professional agent knows the market, just as you know the market for your business.

    10. Choosing a Realtor Based on Personal Relationships: Home sellers often pick a friend or family member as their agent. It’s very difficult to fire a friend or family member if things aren’t going well. Instead, choose an agent with a strong track record and aggressive Marketing Plan. A top producer knows the market well and can generate many buyers. Selling your home is one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make! Base your choice on good, sound business sense and the rewards will add up.

    Before you make one of your most important decisions regarding your home sale become as informed as possible? By aligning yourself with a top agent you ensure that all the important issues and seemingly insignificant but… very important… details are handled professionally. Your home sale should not be a grueling ordeal. The more informed you are, the better chance you have of making a sound business decision.

    The Author, Terry Wilson is a long time Real Estate Investor, Licensed Real Estate Agent and Real Estate Investment Instructor.

    This article may be freely distributed on the condition that all hyperlinks and anchor text are kept active and not altered in any way (including cloaking links or adding the nofollow tag). Anyone using this article that alters the content or hyperlinks agrees to pay the copyright holder $100 for use.

    Author Terry Wilson
    http://www.propertybuyingexposed.com
    http://www.yourutah.com

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