Real Estate Info

In today’s 2008 real estate market, sellers are facing new battles in attempting to get their homes sold. With inventories of properties for sale on the multiple listing service (MLS) still at all time highs, sellers are really forced to look hiring a stager in order to get their home sold. Today, let’s discuss the ins and outs of having your home staged, and how it can help you in competing to get your property sold.

First of all, many people wonder, “What is a home stager, and how does the process work?” A home stager essentially is a company that comes in to make your home more sellable. Often times a home is vacant and it needs furniture in various rooms, etc. The stager has rented furniture that he or she brings in to the home. She also has various decorations available. Sometimes, a home needs a complete makeover if you will. In this case, the stager will bring in all types of furniture and assessories.

Sometimes however, a home seller may just need a consulation with a stager to examine items that need to be done in order to make the home more sellable. In cases such as this, no new furniture is brought in, but perhaps more minor things are discussed with the seller to improve salability. Perhaps one room needs some furniture rearranged. Perhaps another room could use a new color of paint. They may often times not seem like very major changes at all. However, these smaller things can make a world of difference for a prospective home buyer.

And it should also be noted: a real estate agent does not always have the “eye” for what a seller needs to do to make the home ready for sale. He or she may be the best marketer, but may not have that right “touch” that can get a home staged and ready to sell. In cases like this, bringing in a home stager can really be an outstanding choice.

Lastly, many people question what overall costs will be. Again, depending upon a home consultation by a stager, which can be a couple hundred dollars, to a full blown staging effort which may go into the thousands, the benefits are surely immense. Home sellers are preparing their homes for sale and getting them ready to receive top dollar offers from buyer agents in their respective real estate markets.

Ryan O’Neill is a licensed agent with RE/MAX Advantage Plus. As the founder of The Minnesota Real Estate Team, Ryan and the team help clients buy and sell Minneapolis Real Estate and Minneapolis Homes.

Print This Post

Tags:home buyer · home seller · homes for sale · mls · multiple listing service · properties · properties for sale · property · Real Estate · real estate agent · real estate market No Comments.

Finding premium quality Florida beach real estate isn’t necessarily an easy endeavor. There are a lot of real estate agents out there within the state of Florida, but just which ones are the best? In this article we will try and answer this question.

Florida is surrounded by many beautiful and breath taking beaches, indeed the state itself is situated on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, and contains some of the most serene, exotic and beautiful of views in America. It is of no surprise that many people consider purchasing real estate within this state, as it possesses some of the most scenic locations.

There are many beaches in Florida, ranging from Key Biscayne, right through to to the Florida Keys and Miami Beach, with a large number of other islands, cities, villages and townships also containing spectacular beach front properties.

Of course, since there is such demand for these properties, there are also a number of real estate agencies within the region. Trying to buy or sell a property within any of the various Florida beach locations can at times seem a little confusing in terms of knowing who to list yourself with. So if you’re not sure how to go about finding a real estate agent, why not do an internet search and compare the various agencies? You may look for things such as commission percentage, whether or not the agency covers advertising costs for your property, and just how successful they have been selling properties within the region recently.

It may very well be the case that it is more expensive to list your property with one real estate agent over another, however if an agency has a track record of success, and you’re wanting to sell your property quickly, then listing yourself with an agency that has done well in the past may just be a good idea. If alternatively you’re looking to buy a real estate property, then you’re going to want to compare the prices of various locations and come to your own determination as to which one will best suit your needs.

Generally pricing should be consistent between similar properties in the same region, however one property may sell for a great larger sum simply because it has a slightly better view, or some features that another property doesn’t. Be certain of what your needs are, and exactly what sort of property and view you’re looking for, and find an agency that is selling a property within your price range. Research is the best key to finding a Florida beach front property that you can afford.

Hopefully this guide has been of some use. If you want to buy or sell any Florida beach real estate, then try looking at a few different agencies, and determine which one will be best for your needs.

The writer of this article, John Hubert, maintains a site on Florida Beach Real Estate. It is recommended you check out the Miami Beach Real Estate section.

Print This Post

Tags:properties · property · Real Estate · real estate agent · real estate property · selling properties No Comments.

Every home seller wants to know the same thing: how much will I get for my house? This is a valid question, but one that is difficult to answer. The answer depends on many factors, including market trends and the condition of the property. in reality, it is the buyer that determines how much a house is worth. No matter how nice a property and its location may be, you will only be able to sell it for the price that someone is willing to pay. With that being said, there are some factors you can look at to help you establish your listing price and estimate how much your Santa Cruz home is likely to sell for in the end.

Property Features That Help Set Sale Price

One of the most important aspects of setting a sale price for Santa Cruz real estate is the property itself. Obviously, the condition of the property is one feature that is going to set the sale price. Does it have up-to-date appliances and decor? Is the outside of the property in good shape and appealing to the eye? These are some of the first items a potential buyer is going to notice, and buyers want property they can move into without a lot of work.

The size and layout of the property is also important. The number of bedrooms and bathrooms, for instance, will affect the sale price. The more bedrooms and baths a property has, the higher its price will be when compared to properties in similar condition. Layout is also important. Does the property take advantage of natural lighting and views? These are assets to a property and will increase its selling price.

Market Trends That Affect Sale Price

The market itself also affects the sale price of your house. While Santa Cruz is always a popular location, the type of property that is popular changes from time to time. Sometimes condos and townhouses will be the hot property type, while at other times buyers are interested in single-family properties instead.

If there are many houses similar to yours on the market, this will drive down prices. The more properties a buyer has to choose from, the pickier and stingier the buyer can afford to be. If, however, your home is one of the only ones like it on the market, you may be able to get a higher price, provided there is a demand for the type of property you are selling.

Remember, estimating a sale price has little to do with the history of the property itself. It does not matter what you paid for the property, for instance, or how much you still owe on it. Instead, what matters is how much someone today in the current market would be willing to pay. The good news is that property values in Santa Cruz tend to increase yearly, but you will need to do some research or enlist the help of a qualified real estate agent in order to accurately determine the approximate selling price of your Santa Cruz home.

Seb Frey is a Capitola, California Real Estate Broker specializing in Santa Cruz Real Estate. He is fluent in Spanish and enjoys helping people find their piece of the American Dream in Santa Cruz. You can find Seb’s blog at SantaCruzHomeBroker.com/blog.

Print This Post

Tags:home seller · properties · property · Real Estate · real estate agent · real estate broker No Comments.

Belize is a beautiful country located in Central America on the Caribbean Sea. Belize has so much to offer to anyone looking to live or retire there. Since Belize used to be a British Colony, English is a predominant language. It is very easy to communicate in Belize, which proves to be a huge plus with all of the tourists or foreign land owners. English is taught in the schools, signs are written in English and most importantly any kind of government form is in English. This makes Belize a desirable place for any native English speaker. Many foreign countries have a huge language barrier and Belize will make any English speaker feel right at home.

Belize is a very inexpensive place to live. You can enjoy Belize’s high standard of living on a relatively small budget. Belize also has hardly any taxes. There is no income tax, inheritance tax, or capital gains tax. You can become a resident of Belize after living there for just one year. Living in Belize also means you can keep your citizenship of the country you came from too. Starting a business in this exotic country is extremely easy. The only qualification for starting your own business is that you must have a work permit or permanent residency status.

Besides the low cost of living, Belize offers some of the best water sports and adventures in all of Central America. Cave exploring, snorkeling, scuba diving, boating, fishing and jet skiing are some of the most popular sports in Belize.

Belize is a great place to relax. In Belize things are very laid back. No one is ever in a hurry to do anything. Many retirees find that the pace of life in Belize is extremely desirable. Native inhabitants are very kind and you will often engage in conversation with them whenever you come into contact with them. Belize really allows all retires to completely unwind and enjoy life in a beautiful country that really has so much to offer. You will enjoy fresh air, fresh sunshine, lots of walking and exercise and very little stress in this beautifully elegant country.

Living in Belize will teach you that things you thought were a necessity in the States really are not. There are no dishwashers or washing machines in Belize. The people here live off the land and do things for themselves. Many retirees find that it is really not that difficult to live without “American necessities.” Many people actually come to enjoy washing their clothes by hand and using a washboard. And if by chance you are the small percentage that does not enjoy it, you can hire a local for a very small stipend to wash your clothes for you.

Belize has so much to offer to everyone and no one who has visited or retired in Belize has ever been disappointed with this easy going, refreshing, fun lifestyle in beautiful Central America.

Mike Williamson is an internet marketer and developer of Belize Townhomes which offers Belize property for sale .

Print This Post

Tags:capital gain · capital gains tax · property · property for sale No Comments.

When you head to the loan office to close on your home, you are going to need more than just the money for your down payment. You will also need to pay closing costs. These are the costs of the loan and the sale of the home. While closing costs are unavoidable, they can be reduced if you know what to expect beforehand.

Typical Closing Costs

Closing costs are the fees and taxes associated with getting a loan and the actual sale of the house. Some are negotiable, while others are required by law. Here are some typical costs you will need to pay:

* Property taxes: 2 to 3 months worth for escrow
* Mortgage insurance: protection for the lender if you default
* Homeowner’s insurance: 2 to 3 months worth for escrow
* Loan points: points you pay upfront to lower the interest rate on your loan
* Loan origination fee: fee for preparing the loan
* Appraisal fee: fee for the appraisal the lender orders
* Credit report fee: fee for attaining a copy of your credit rating
* Title search and insurance: fee for searching for information on the property’s ownership history
* Home inspection: some states require a home inspection before the sale of the property

There are also numerous miscellaneous fees you may be charged, such as processing, document stamp tax, survey fees, deed recording, document preparation, underwriting, and attorney fees.

How to Lower Closing Costs

Closing costs for a Santa Cruz property are going to be steep, so make sure you are only paying what you have to pay. Ask for your closing costs to be itemized for you, and question anything that does not appear to be a required cost. For instance, “processing fees” may be negotiable, particularly if you have another lender on hand that will offer you a better deal.

Consider doing some things on your own. For instance, you may be able to have the home inspected and appraised on your own. Using your own appraiser may be more affordable than using the one the lender works with, so ask your lender if they will accept outside appraisals. The same is true for insurance. You may be able to get lower insurance costs by shopping on your own for mortgage or title insurance.

The more you put down on your home, the lower the closing costs will be, as many of them are based on the final value of the loan. Put as much down on the property as you can, while saving yourself enough money to pay for your actual move.

You can also lower your closing costs by not paying points. However, you will need to determine whether or not this is cost-effective. You may find that the higher interest rate will cost you more over the life of the loan than the immediate cost of the points.

Finally, consider asking the seller to split the closing costs with you. If the seller is in a position where they need to sell quickly and this will close the deal for them, they are often willing to comply. Don’t suggest this, however, if there are other offers on the table for the property, unless you are offering at least full price or more for the property.

Seb Frey is a Capitola, California Real Estate Broker specializing in Santa Cruz Real Estate. He is fluent in Spanish and enjoys helping people find their piece of the American Dream in Santa Cruz. You can find Seb’s blog at SantaCruzHomeBroker.com/blog.

Print This Post

Tags:interest rate · mortgage · property · property tax · Real Estate · real estate broker No Comments.

Your interest rate is the most important factor in determining how much your mortgage is actually going to cost. Before you sign for your next home loan, make sure that you are getting the best possible interest rate. Even a few percentage points will save you thousands over the lifetime of your loan.

Fix Your Credit Score

If you have some time before you have to get a mortgage, work towards fixing any problems you have on your credit score. Pay down your debts, but don’t necessarily work towards paying them off completely. Instead, try to make each balance close to a third of the credit limit on the account. Also, make sure any mistakes on your credit history are corrected. These will increase your credit score and lower your interest rate.

Use the Power of Competition

Of course, not everyone has the luxury of time when shopping for a mortgage, and you may be in a position of needing a home now. If you cannot work on your credit rating, do not be afraid to let lenders compete for your business. While lenders make thousands of dollars on the interest rate attached to your loan, they also make quite a bit on the closing costs, and this gives them a little bit of room to negotiate when it comes to your interest rates.

If you do not like the rate you are quoted by one lender, get it in writing, and then visit other lenders to see if a better rate exists. Get those rates in writing, and then approach the first lender again and see if they will counter offer with a lower rate. You will not get them to lower the rate below the national interest rate for home loans, but you may be able to get some discount by offering to take your business to the competition.

Cautiously Consider Adjustable Rate Mortgages

Adjustable rate mortgages almost always have lower interest rates at the outset of the loan than their fixed-rate counterparts. With that being said, the catch to an adjustable rate mortgage is the fact that it will increase if the national interest rate increases. However, they usually lock in the interest rate for a period of time, so if you do not intend to be in your home for the long term, this can be a good way to lower your interest rate at the outset of your loan.

Consider Paying Points

If you pay points at your mortgage closing, you will lower the interest rate on the loan as a whole. Basically, points are pre-paid interest, and they allow you to pay in order to lower your interest rate. However, they are not always worth the cost, because they may cost too much to make the interest savings worthwhile. If you are not planning to stay in your home very long, the amount you will save due to the lowered interest rate will not cover the cost of the points. This strategy only works for homeowners who intend to stay in their homes for many years.

Seb Frey is a Capitola, California Real Estate Broker specializing in Santa Cruz Real Estate. He is fluent in Spanish and enjoys helping people find their piece of the American Dream in Santa Cruz. You can find Seb’s blog at SantaCruzHomeBroker.com/blog.

Print This Post

Tags:interest rate · mortgage · Real Estate · real estate broker No Comments.

If you’ve decided to sell your home, it’s important that you understand how to make your home sell by marketing. Marketing is the term used in order to bring attention to your home.

There are several ways to market your home, you can market it yourself, or you can hire an agent. There are also Internet marketing plans, real estate marketing plans, newspaper plans and a variety of other marketing ideas in order to get your home noticed. The whole point with marketing is to allow people to understand that your house is for sale.

Make sure if you plan to market your home yourself that you understand how advertising can affect the sale of your home. Good advertising will paint a great picture of your house, bad advertising will be discouraging to future buyers. It’s important that you understand how words that describe your house leave a feeling with people have home. If you’re not familiar with advertising and the way words work, perhaps getting a professional to help you put the advertisements together can help.

There are plenty of real estate professionals out there that are selling homes on a regular basis. Look for a real estate professional that understands marketing, understands the market your home is in, knows the location, and knows prospective buyers who may be looking for a home such as yours. It’s important that your real estate agent communicate well with you.

Your real estate agent can help you sell your house by making suggestions on improvements that may not cost a lot, but can make your house more attractive to buyers. This is all a part of marketing. If you have the exterior of your home that doesn’t look clean, neat, and organized, taking a few steps to make it look better can market your house better.

Drive-bys are one-way people discover homes for sale. Without curb appeal, or your home looking it’s best from the exterior, you’re missing out on good marketing plans. Your real estate agent can make a few suggestions as to how to increase your curb appeal.

Don’t forget simple marketing plans such as newspaper ads and drive-by signs. You’ll be amazed at how many people who may just stop by with an open house sign down the road from your house. Make sure that the signs are in easily seen areas and give clear directions to your home. Whether they stop by or not, drive-bys are great way to advertise your home for sale.

When it comes to how to make your home sell, you need to be familiar with marketing plans. Either hire a real estate professional or study different plans that may be available. Your marketing plan on how to sell your home can be as simple as newspaper advertisements and drive-by signs, or as complex as a nationwide marketing plan. It’s all up to you and how you want to make your home sell.

Jenni Snook is the chief writer of http://www.Tips4SellingUrHome.com, a website dedicated to giving people important yet very practical advice on successfully selling your home.

Print This Post

Tags:home for sale · homes for sale · Real Estate · real estate agent · real estate market · selling homes No Comments.

Commercial real estate has proven to be a sound investment, even during uncertain financial times. When a investor chooses to invest in commercial property, they are able to purchase some that will have multiple tenants, and therefore they will have multiple sources of income.

If people are interested in investing in commercial property, they will have many options. An investor can purchase an apartment complex, office buildings, or other properties for the purpose of real estate investing.

While investing in commercial propery can be incredibly lucrative, one has to be skilled in order to allow their profits to grow. This type of investing is actually quite complicated for someone who has not tried it before. There are several guidelines that an investor needs to learn in order to maximize his profits and minimize his risk.

A novice real estate investor will not understand how to pick the perfect property. He will also be unsure of the right times to buy, and when he needs to sell the property as opposed to selling. He will also not be aware of the marketing plan that will optimize his profits. This can lead to a great loss for the investor.

Because of that, many people are choosing to get all of the information they can about the process before they enter into commercial real estate investing. One can learn all they can by reading about investments and attending seminars. There is such a wealth of knowledge available, and potential investors are going after it in every way they can.

They are also entering commercial real estate investor programs in order to get the information and tools they need so they can tackle this type of investing. These commercial property investor programs can teach people important things in regards to investing. Potential investors can learn about picking out the right investment property, along with how to help the profits grow.

Real estate investor programs can also teach them how to build investor marketing websites, which can also lead to increased profits. They can explain both investing and marketing. With the knowledge of both processes, new commercial property investors are able to turn a profit and minimize their risks.

Because real estate investing is such a complicated process, it is essential for the new investor to gain the knowledge he needs. There are many experts in the field willing to share the knowledge. In most cases, the price for these programs is well worth it because people are then able to gain much more money from the market.

People who are truly interested in turning a tremendous profit in commercial real estate investing need to take advantage of the different programs on the market today. Through the programs, they will learn useful tools that will guide them along the path to making money through real estate investing.

Linda Palaske is a co-founder of Free REI Webinars. This website features Real Estate Experts who speak about their innovative and proven real estate systems. To learn more about getting the right information on obtaining government grant money and REI news, visit http://www.FreeReiWebinars.com and to learn more on commercial real estate investing, visit http://www.REinvestingToday.com today!

Print This Post

Tags:commercial property · commercial property investor · commercial real estate · commercial real estate investing · investment property · properties · property · property investor · Real Estate · real estate investing · real estate investor No Comments.

Real Estate investors of all experience levels are finding the market of 2008 to be an extremely interesting one indeed. Whether an investor be in Minneapolis, Florida, Washington state or New York, there are countless buying opportunities to consider in this marketplace.

Today, I wanted to take a look at some of the various types of real estate investing that is available in this marketplace. First of all, an investor can look at buying commercial or multifamily properties. Generally investors of this type are looking for four unit to 300 unit buildings. Cash flow potential for this type of building is outstanding. And currently in today’s market of increasing rents and increased rental demand, this remains an extremely popular type of investing.

Secondly, and investor may look at buying preconstruction. This was far more popular five to ten years ago when the real estate boom was in full swing. Investors would want to lock in on today’s price, and close on a property two to three years later when it was completed. In principle, this can work out great. However, we know that homes all over the country have not seen appreciation over the last few years. So investors have not of course seen the profits they had hoped to.

Third of all, an investor can look at simply rehabbing homes and flipping them. Again however, in this tougher resale real estate market, investors are unable to flip homes for profit.

Because of this, last of all, many real estate investors buy properties, rent them, and hold for the long term. This certainly is where the majority of real estate investors have made their money over the years. Though the real estate market may move up and down, historically, prices have always moved up. For a real estate investor, he or she gains tax benefits and hopefully cash flow as she owns the property. In addition, the principal balance on the loan can be paid down as well over time. And hopefully, by holding onto the investment property long enough, prices will rise.

Our real estate team knows of many investors who buy homes, condos, townhomes, duplexes, etc. There is certainly no right or wrong way to invest in real estate. The key is to have a longer term horizon in the back of your mind. With this sort of timeframe, a real estate investor can surely win in the game of real estate investing.

Ryan O’Neill is a licensed agent with RE/MAX Advantage Plus. As the founder of The Minnesota Real Estate Team, Ryan and the team help clients buy and sell Minneapolis Real Estate. They are a team of top Minneapolis Realtors helping clients all throughout Minnesota.

Print This Post

Tags:investment property · properties · property · Real Estate · real estate boom · real estate investing · real estate investor · real estate market · Realtor No Comments.

Cash rich Buy to Let investors are waiting to pounce on bargains and take advantage of an ever weakening market, says RICS’ UK housing market survey published this week. The South West has shown the greatest increase in demand with a net 12 percent of Chartered Surveyors reporting a rise in new buyer enquiries, the highest figure in the region since May 2007.

The South West house price boom has traditionally been connected to the growth in holiday lets and second homes and investors are closely watching those struggling at the margins.

This news comes as the average number of transactions per surveyor fell to less than one per week in September as a lack of mortgage finance continued to stifle the ability of buyers to access the market.

New instructions to sell property stayed in negative territory with 14 percent more Chartered Surveyors reporting a fall than a rise, a drop from 2 percent in August. With the decline in house prices unlikely to abate in the near term and the likelihood of achieving a sale a distant memory, many are placing their property on the market for rent or sitting tight while the financial turmoil continues. The market has still yet to experience significant numbers of forced sales but surveyors are surprisingly optimistic that sales will increase over the next three months.

The balance of surveyors reporting house price falls rose for the first time since April. 84.2 percent more Chartered Surveyors reported a fall than a rise in house prices, an increase from 81.8 percent in August.

Meanwhile the continued inability of many to secure mortgage finance is reflected in a further drop in transactions. The average number of transactions per surveyor (over the last three months) is now at 11.5, the lowest figure since the survey began in 1978. London is the worst hit region with Chartered Surveyor estate agents reporting only eight sales on average over the past three months.

Buyer enquiries rose to the highest net balance for 16 months. 17 percent more Chartered Surveyors reported a fall than a rise in new buyer enquires compared to 27 percent in August. Sellers have been forced to drop asking prices to more realistic levels but even so the gap between asking and selling prices continues to widen.

For the first time since June 2007 the net balance of surveyors expecting sales to improve turned positive.

RICS spokesperson Jeremy Leaf said: “The recent turmoil in the financial markets has dented confidence further but the announcement by the Government that the re-capitalisation of banks will be accompanied by increased lending to home owners, raises the possibility that the lack of mortgage finance that has so damaged the housing market might be eased.

“As it stands, only those with significant finances are in a position to access the market. The housing market continues to hold its breath and unless mortgage liquidity improves, the market is likely to remain a dormant beast for some time to come.”

Residential Landlord is the complete online resource for all UK buy to let investors providing up to date news and featured articles including information on the new legislation for energy performance certificates (epcs) which are now required for rental property.

Print This Post

Tags:house prices · housing market · mortgage · property · rental property No Comments.