Saturday, November 28, 2009
Adding a Conservatory Could Help to Sell Your Property
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Friday, November 27, 2009
Showing Your Home During the Rainy Season
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Inexpensive Updates Before You Sell Your Home
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Thursday, November 26, 2009
Sell House Now Tips and Information - Learn How to Sell a House Fast
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Do Not Make These Home Selling Turn Offs
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Wednesday, November 25, 2009
The Top 3 Reasons Using Solar Energy Raises the Value of Your Home and Gets it Sold
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Avoid Repossession and Sell Your House Now
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Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Sharing Information is the Secret to Success
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Real Estate Market is Returning to Normal
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Home Selling Plans and Preparations
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Need to Sell Your Home Fast - Follow These 5 Cracking Tips to Get Your House Off the Market!
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The Home Seller Pricing Guide
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Monday, November 23, 2009
Quick Sale Tips - Steps on Fast Home Selling
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How to Select a Real Estate Agent to Sell Your Home
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How to Sell a House With Pets
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Simple Improvements You Can Make to Get a Higher Selling Price For Your Home
Selling a Home With a Real Estate Agent is Convenient
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Selling a Home in a Buyers Market - Real Estate Agents Tips
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Sunday, November 22, 2009
Are You Aware That There Are Things a Lender Will Not Tell You About a Short Sale?
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Effective Price Verses Value Counseling
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Friday, November 20, 2009
Closing Costs - Fees and Expenses Associated With Selling Your Home
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How to Sell Your House in a Slow Market
Learn to Sell Or Purchase Homes Using a Lease With the Option to Buy
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Flipping Land Vs House Flipping - What's the Difference?
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HIPs - When Will the Politics Stop?
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Using the Internet For a Fast Home Sale
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What is the Right Price to Put on My Home For Sale?
Selling Your Home in a Buyer's Market
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What is the Right Price to Put on My Home For Sale?
Selling Your Home in a Buyer's Market
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Getting Ready to Sell - Why Cheetos, Fly Swatters and Bouncy Balls Aren't a Marketing Strategy
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Ten Steps to Selling Your Home
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Fixing-And-Flipping a House the Right Way
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Staging, It's Not Just About Pretty
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Wednesday, November 18, 2009
What is the Best Way to Sell a Home?
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Reasons Your Home May Not Be Selling
How a Sell and Rent Back Contract Works
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Why Sellers Need to Price Aggressively Now
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Tips For Getting Your House Ready to Sell
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Monday, November 16, 2009
Sell That House - Accessibility
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Income Tax Strategies For Seller Carry Back Notes
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Important Tips About Selling a Home
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The Problem Areas a Home Inspector Will Be Targeting When Your Home is For Sale
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Points You Must Think About Before You Sell Your Home
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Friday, November 13, 2009
Should You Consider Selling Your Home Without a Real Estate Agent?
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Thursday, November 12, 2009
What Are the Best Ways to Sell Your Wholesale Deals?
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Home Sales Trends in the Crest Area of Rancho Palos Verdes
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Sell Your Home Now - Canvas Art Works Best For Home Staging
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Learn How the 1031 Exchange Works
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The Pictures That Make the Sale
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Wednesday, November 11, 2009
How to Prepare Yourself to Sell a House
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A Rebound in Home Prices - Good News Or Something Less?
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Can You Guess Which Home Improvements Will Yield the Highest Return?
Dealing With Lenders on Short Sale
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Tips For Selling a House Quickly
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How to Calculate Your Home Value
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Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Tips on Selling House
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Stepping Stones to a Short Sale
Do You Believe in Love at First Sight?
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Do I Use a Realtor Or Sell My Home Myself?
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Monday, November 9, 2009
Orienting the Real Estate Agent Recruits
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The Recession is Big
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5 Tips on How to Sell Your House Without a Realtor
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Friday, November 6, 2009
Tips on Successfully Selling a Home in a Buyer's Market
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Walk an Extra Mile
Owner Financing the Sale of Your Home - Desperate Times Lead to Creative Measures
Factors to Consider in Selling a House
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Owner Financing the Sale of Your Home - Desperate Times Lead to Creative Measures
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Factors to Consider in Selling a House
5 Tips on How to Sell My House - Without a Realtor
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Thursday, November 5, 2009
The Look of the House From the Outside
How to Hold an Effective Open House
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Why You Should Hold Off on Selling Your Home If Possible
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How to Sell Your Real Estate Note
The Doors We Open and Close Each Day Determine the Lives in Which We Live
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Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Never Underestimate the Selling Power of Presentation
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Proper Presentation of Your House Counts When You Are Gathering All the Selling Points
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Three Biggest Misconceptions About Short Sales
Key Determinants of House Prices
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Have You Decided to Sell Your Home?
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Tuesday, November 3, 2009
How to Shortcut Your Way to a High Sales Price Without Spending a Lot of Money
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Can House Staging Close the Deal Faster?
Planning to Sell a Home?
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Home Repairs to Make Before Listing Your Property
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Homeowner Warranties - A Good Way to Help Sell Your Home
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Selling Your Home - Preparing Your House For Sale
Monday, November 2, 2009
Will it Help Sell My House Fast If I Lower the Price
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Tips on Selling Your Own Property
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Selling Your Home - Preparing Your House For Sale
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Real Estate Agents Serving As a Fiduciary Representative
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How to Short Sale My Home - Answers to How to Handle a Real Estate Short Sale on Your House
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Realtor Assistance - Help Your Realtor Sell Your Home
Friday, October 30, 2009
Want to Sell Your Home Fast? Think Like a Buyer
Why You Should Hire a Real Estate Agent
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Home Tours - How to Make Sure That Prospective Buyers Don't Know Too Much About You
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Some Real Home Improvement Tips to Increase Your Homes Value
UK Home Owners Turn To Cash Sale To Stop Repossession In Credit Crunch
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Thursday, October 29, 2009
Practical Home Selling Tips
Top Secrets in Selling Your House Fast
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Price Your Home to Sell Fast and Save Money
Sell Your Vacant Home - Tricks to Win the Eye of the Buyer
Four Characteristics of a Good Real Estate Agent
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Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Most Promising
Setting Your Home's Price
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Key Determinants of House Prices
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How to Be a Super Successful Real Estate Agent
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The Stage is Yours - Staging Your Home
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Decluttering Your Home Before You Put it on the Market
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
How to Sell That Haunted House
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7 Classic Mistakes When Selling a Home
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Selling Your Home - Tips For Success
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Can I Sell My House Fast Without a Real Estate Agent?
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Clean Homes Sell Fastest - Tips For a Quicker Sell
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Involving an Investor Could Help You Sell Your Home
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Monday, October 26, 2009
Real Estate - How to Short Sell Your Home
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Few Secrets on How to Sell Your Home Fast
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Learn the Secret to Sell Your House Quick in 21 Days Or Less
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How Do You Stage an Empty House?
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Sunday, October 25, 2009
The Secret to Selling Your Home
A Guide to Successful Home Selling
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The Secret to Selling Your Home
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Saturday, October 24, 2009
A Guide to Successful Home Selling
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Friday, October 23, 2009
Four Things Your Must Do Before Putting Homes For Sale
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A Pre-Sale Home Inspection Can Help You Sell Your Home
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A Home Seller's Guide to Marketing Property
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Thursday, October 22, 2009
10 Top Sell and Rent Back Tips
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Painting Your Home Can Encourage a Buyer to Make an Offer on It
Good and Attractive Photos - The Key to Selling Your Home Fast
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Using a Broker to Sell Your Home
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When Should I Sell My House? Answering 3 Questions Will Help You Decide!
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Wednesday, October 21, 2009
How to Sell a Home in Any Market
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The ABCs of Home Selling - What Every Home Owner Needs to Know
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Does Your Home Have a Curb Appeal?
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Adding Value to the Home to Get a Good Selling Price
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Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Closing a Short Sale - How to Do It
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Short Selling a Home - What the Seller Should Expect
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Things to Consider Before Reselling Your Home
Get it Sold - Working With Real Estate Investors When You Have to Sell Now!
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Monday, October 19, 2009
Get it Sold - Working With Real Estate Investors When You Have to Sell Now!
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7 Reasons Why Your House Isn't Selling
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Sunday, October 18, 2009
Get Your Home Appraised Before Listing
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Selling Your Own House Without the Help of a Realtor
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A Fast House Sale Strategy For Desperate Home Owners
Friday, October 16, 2009
Winter Home Sales
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10 Vital Statistics to Help You Sell Your Home
Selling Your House Quickly on a Budget
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Home Staging - How it Helps Selling Your Homes
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The Dreadful Contracts of Sell and Rent Back
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Real Estate Sales Contract and Commissions
Getting the Highest Possible Value When Selling Your Home
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Attention Realtors - Time to Spice Up Your Open Houses!
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Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Set the Price of Your Home to Sell
Real Estate Agent Pointers - What Every Agent Should Do Before Listing a Home
Pricing Your Home to Sell in a Buyer's Market
5 Tips to a Successful Real Estate Sale
The $40,000 Washer and Dryer - Real Estate Mistakes Made When an Ego Comes Into Play
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5 Tips to a Successful Real Estate Sale
The $40,000 Washer and Dryer - Real Estate Mistakes Made When an Ego Comes Into Play
Why Isn't My House Selling?
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Essential Home Repairs Before Putting Your House on the Market - Tips For Successful Home Selling
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Removing Personal Items Can Help a Home Sell Faster
How to Sell Your Home is Changing
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Selling Your Home - Important Questions to Ask When Hiring a Realtor
Monday, October 12, 2009
Going Deeper With Your Clients
Make Sure Your Home Has Curb Appeal
Change Your Attitude Towards Your For-Sale Home to Sell Quickly
FREE Real Estate Leads Are Easily Generated - Read More
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Sunday, October 11, 2009
How to Sell Your Home - The 2 Most Crucial Factors That Can Boost Your Chances of a Sale!
What's My House Worth? - Figuring Value in Today's Market
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Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Four Steps to Help You Sell Your House Faster
Selling your house can be a long, stressful process! It can drag on for many months with out any potential buyers, But it doesn't have to be! Here are four simple steps to make selling your house easier, and faster!
Step One
Now that you have decided to put your house on the market, you want your house to STAND OUT from all the other house in your area and even the MLS listing. It's a known fact that curb appeal, kitchens, and bathrooms are what sells a house. So take that extra time and money to really focus on these three factors. But be careful you don't go to extreme, because you do want to make a profit, and you don't want to be to expensive for your area. Know what other house in your neighborhood, that are similar to yours, are priced at.
Step Two
You want to simulate peoples CURIOUSITY about your property. As soon as a prospective buyer reads about your listing, you want them to want and need to respond to your Realtor by calling or just by driving by. You want that prospective buyer to be so excited to see your property that they just can't wait to get in to see it. Your verbiage in the newspaper ad and/or in the MLS listing is a key role in setting the mood for your house. If the verbiage is not just right, that can discourage certain potential home buyers.
Step Three
TRAFFIC is another huge key in selling your house. With out it, it's almost impossible to sell. Even if a potential buyer comes into your house and it's not right for them, they might have a friend who it might be perfect for. Get creative and figure out how you can create a continuous flow of qualified buyer to your front door.
Step Four
In this last step, you want to keep potential buyers FOCUSED on your home. Help them visualize their family living in this home. To the point where they can't even think about any other properties. Show them why your property is the best fit for their family and what makes your property stand above and beyond any other property they have seen.
Following these four simple steps, standing out, curiosity, traffic and focused on your home, will help you sell your house just that much faster. If you want an amazing e-book on how to sell you home with in 21 days or less, click on the link below!
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Owner Financing Real Estate - How to Improve Value by Selecting the Best Interest Rate
The interest rate a seller agrees to accept when providing owner financing to the buyer has a large impact on the investment value. Unfortunately, many sellers overlook this important decision. Here's why the percentage charged on a seller carry back is such a big deal.
Inflation Fighter
Each year it seems the cost to buy the basics just keeps going up. It's not your imagination; it's inflation. In fact in July 2008 that inflation rate was 5.6 percent higher than in July 2007 (based on the Consumer Price Index reported by the U.S. Department of Labor on August 14, 2008). Worse yet, some basic items like energy increased 29.3% over that same time frame.
So what does inflation have to do with seller financed real estate? Well a seller would need to charge an amount at least equivalent to the inflation rate just to break even!
Return on Investment
Rather than just breaking even, a seller desires a return on their investment. By accepting an IOU or payments from the buyer that money is tied up. Plus, once the property is sold the new owner will be the one to directly benefit from any increase in property value.
The seller is now acting as the bank and should expect a return at least equal to what a bank is demanding for a similar loan. The seller does not have the protection of private mortgage insurance that many banks require adding another level of risk that should be rewarded by an increased rate.
Since the buyer is saving the costs a traditional bank might charge for a loan (points, underwriting fees, origination fees, etc.) it is reasonable to expect them to pay above what a bank would charge. On average, it is recommended that a seller financed transaction be set at 2 to 4 percentage points higher than bank rates to compensate for these matters.
Improves Resale Value
If a seller ever desires to sell their future note payments for a lump sum of cash, they will quickly realize how important the terms are to investors. While they look to a variety of factors to determine pricing, all things being equal, a higher interest rate results in a higher purchase price from an investor.
For example, a seller holds a private mortgage with a balance of $100,000 with monthly payments of $1,110.21. If the mortgage rate is 6% and the investor wants a 9% yield then the offer would be $87,641. Now if the rate was 4% the offer would decrease to $81,623. On the flip side the offer would increase by thousands of dollars to $95,274 if the face rate was 8%.
For simplicity of comparison, these examples assume the monthly payment amount remains the same and there are acceptable credit, equity, and documentation. But you get the idea, the higher the interest rate the more valuable the note.
No Take-Backs
The time to give serious consideration to the interest rate is at the time of creation. There are no take-backs or do-overs. The percentage you agree to accept at closing stays the same for the life of the note.
The only way to change it later is to get the buyer to agree and execute a formal modification. It's highly unlikely a buyer or payer is going to agree to have their interest rate increased at a later date (unless there is some advantage to them).
Be sure to give the amount of interest charged on a seller financed note serious thought. It will affect the value of your payments not only today, but also far into the future.
Selling Your Home in a Declining Market
The Real Estate Market has shifted and is has been declining and there are certainly more homes on the market than buyers some would argue. This would be a text book buyers market, but you have to sell your home due to a job transfer, divorce, family situation or some other personal crisis or reason. With no option but to sell your home in a declining market what can you do?
Selling a home in a declining or shifting market starts with a proper attitude and finding the right Realtor® who is optimistic, comprehends the current local market, has a fortified marketing strategy and the right sales techniques. Having the right approach to the market and taking a proactive and realistic approach will be the ones who sell their homes.
The key to successful selling in a "declining market" is pricing your home at today's market value, having your home in tip-top condition and being able to strategically market the home nationally, especially in a great market like Southwest Florida.
As the seller you need to look at your home from a buyers perspective, walking through it as if you were not attached and looking to spend asking price for the home. What little things would you want to spruce up? Look at the carpeting, paint, fixtures, mirrors and your yard. Make sure your home is de-cluttered and organized. I recommend that you go through every closet, cabinet and box in your home and garage and have a yard sale to get rid of anything you do not need or use.
Make sure that you get weekly updates from your Realtor® regarding your home, the market and other sales in your neighborhood or community. Properties need time to get the proper exposure so please be patient in the process. Finding out where your home is advertized and marketed is a great question to ask your Realtor®. Your property should be advertized on at least 8 - 10 websites to get the proper exposure needed in today's market.
A house can sell in any market condition you follow five steps.
1. Pick a great Realtor® who has a fortified marketing strategy, strong understanding of today's technology and comprehends the current market conditions.
2. Make sure you look at your home as a buyer and not the seller / owner. Look at staging your home for sale, getting rid of clutter and sprucing up your home with paint, etc.
3. Make sure your home is priced right for today's market. If the market is declining, you need to utilize the Comparative Market Analysis to determine what homes are selling at currently. You should know what features these homes have differently than your own and vice versa. What features does your home have that the others do not and what is the value of those features.
4. Make sure your home is getting optimal exposure through marketing and advertising including multiple websites and social media like Facebook and Twitter.
5. Be patient and partner with your Realtor® for weekly updates on your home, neighborhood and the market. A successful sales process starts with dynamic partnerships between the seller and Realtor®.
4 Ways of Selling Your Property
Property owners are often faced with the question of what method of selling property they should use. There are many ways to sell your property, but it is important to notice that each one has its own risks and rewards. Here are 4 options when selling your property:
Method 1: Using a Real Estate Agent
This is by far the most common way of selling a property and includes paying a licensed estate agent commission to sell your property. By no means is this a legal requirement when selling property but for those who are selling for the first time, this should be a serious option. Not only do real estate agents bring experience and knowledge to the table but they are also skilled in negotiating and closing deals - both things that can be very daunting for a first time seller.
Method 2: Sale by Private Tender/Set Sale
When you put your property up for sale by tender, you set the terms, conditions and the deadline while prospective buyers have the opportunity to put forward their competitive bids. The individual bids are not transparent and tenders are asked to seal their offer in an envelope and deposit it by a predetermined date and time. The seller then opens the tenders together and chooses the best one. This method of selling is a great way to get the maximum sale price but at the same time it reduces the possibility of achieving a result higher than expectations.
Method 3: Sell at an Auction
When using this method, sellers introduce a starting price and potential buyers bid against each other. The final price is decided by the highest bidder, which means that the sale price can be higher than expected in some cases. This is an expensive way to sell but it can be very beneficial especially for property that has the combination of being both unusual and sought after.
Method 4: Do It Yourself
This means that you, the seller, would be doing the job of a real estate agent and naturally means that you would need some knowledge of the process of selling property. You would be handling all tasks including marketing and advertising property, arranging viewings with potential buyers, negotiating prices and making legal and financial arrangements for the transfer of the property.
No two property sales are ever the same and different methods of selling are suitable for different circumstances. It is important to do research and find the right way to sell your property to ensure the maximum sale price.
Halifax Real Estate Market Outlook For 2009
Halifax Real Estate Market Outlook
The overall economy is Nova Scotia is expected to contract by 1 percent in 2009 and that is effecting the housing market in the Halifax area. It is expected to recover moderately in 2010 however with growth of about 1 percent but we are in a much better position economically than most other regions in Canada and the world. We have avoided the peaks and dips that these other areas have seen both economically and with our Real Estate Market. The Halifax Area has been influenced by an increasing number of people migrating to the city from rural areas and from other countries. This has reduced the stress on the recently tight labour market. We have seen a record number of employed people in the Halifax Regional Municipality. There is an average 209,000 people employed in Halifax and through the first 3 months there was an average of 213,000.
Record employment and low interest rates will continue demand for housing
Despite coming off record levels of employment in 2008, near record levels on employment in HRM coupled with really low interest rates will continue the demand for housing in the Halifax-Area. Economic uncertainty will offset this and the result will be lower demand for both resale and new construction in Halifax than in 2008.
Less expensive homes are more in demand
Consumers have shifted to less expensive homes as a result of the economic uncertainty. In the 3 months of 2008, 54 percent of new single-detached homes sales averages more than $300,000 in price. This percentage share has dropped to 47% in the first 3 months of 2009 even though the average sale price of a resale home has increased in the same period. This trend is expected to continue and will result in a negative impact on the average sale price of homes in the Halifax Regional Municipality.
Halifax New Home Construction
Existing home sales to decline further in HRM
There was an 11 percent drop in the number of MLS sales in 2008 compared to 2007. Most of this was in the 4th quarter of 2008 with seasonally adjusted sales being off by 26 percent which is equal to the amount sales dropped in the first quarter of 2009 compared to the first quarter of 2008. While the economy in Halifax is steady the bad news from other areas of the world and the uncertainty is causing reduced demand for homes, both new and resale. Therefore, the number of resale homes in the Halifax Regional Municipality are expected to decrease by another 11 percent for the remainder of 2009. They are expected to recover in 2010 by 7%.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Pricing Your Property
Your asking price for your property is one of the determining factors of how much profit you will gain from the sale and how long your house will be put up on sale. You should seek the help of your real estate agent who is well versed in this industry so that you can determine the best possible price for your home. Deciding on a reasonable and competitive price is your main target here.
The following are some guidelines in pricing your home:
1.Time
Time is not your ally in this industry. Along with other factors, time will largely determine if you are going to realize profit from your sale and by how much. Research results suggest that a house will not be sold at its original price if it is hanging on the market for a very long period. Thus, when pricing your property, think about the fair market value.
2.Value vs. Cost
You have to weigh the value of your property with the cost homebuyers are keen on purchasing it. Factoring in the cost of improvements in your home should not be stressed and prioritized when determining your asking price. Remember that your preferences may not be the same as your buyers'.
3.Simplicity
As the popular saying goes, time is gold. Accommodate your buyers' requests as much as possible. Be flexible on the time when your real estate agent can set house viewings. Furthermore, do not put any contingency on the sale as it could cause you a botched sale.
Top 7 Things to Leave in Your Home While Its For Sale
There are hundreds of ideas floating around about what you should not have in your house when you're trying to sell it but what about what you should keep? Believe it or not, stripping your house down to its bare walls will actually hurt your chances of selling. Here are seven things you shouldn't take out of your house when you're trying to sell it:
Keep all major furniture pieces. - Taking away furniture that defines a room's purpose is the worst way to sell your home. Keep the dining set in place so potential buyers don't have to think about how each room should be used.
Leave your car in the garage. - Unless you have just one car, leave your second car in the garage during showings. Sure it'll take up a lot of space in the garage but that's a good thing. Just as furniture gives buyers perspective on a home's layout, a garage with car will let buyers see how they could utilize the space.
Continue using your kitchen counters. - One misconception home sellers often make is that less is more when your home is for sale. While that is true when dealing with cluttered spaces you still need to show how capable your kitchen is. A coffee maker and a few storage pots make great kitchen eye candy when selling your home.
Fully stock each bathroom with towels and essentials. - Often forgotten when homes have been vacated for a while, basic toiletries and towels should remain even if you no longer live in the home. After a long day of showings its possible that buyers will need to use the bathroom while viewing your property. What better way to showcase the value of your home than to fulfill an urgent need of the buyers?
Before and after pictures of home renovations. - Family photos are the taboo of home selling because they can detract from a home sale but renovation photos are their good stuff counterpart. Show buyers the amazing amount of work you went through to build out that sunroom or expand the master suite and watch their eyes light up with value. This technique will also keep buyers in your home longer, increasing the chances of a second look!
Seasonal landscape photos. - Just as home renovations can prove the value of your home, landscape photos can offer a glimpse of your home's year-round beauty. If a buyer can see the stunning flowers and plants that come to life during the Spring in the middle of November then they have something to look forward to if they buy your home.
List of utilities and costs for one year. - It's not common knowledge for first time home buyers to know how much it costs to use the utilities in a home. This rings true even more so for renters who have their utilities included in their rent and aren't used to paying for utilities. You may worry that this will scare them away but just remember every home requires utilities to be lived in. Answer their questions upfront and they'll trust you more than other homes for sale.
Home buyers are looking for the best deals possible in today's market but they also want to understand what kind of home they're buying. By defining the spaces and using the tips outlined in this guide you'll be more than a few steps ahead of the competition.
Top 7 Ways to Create a Bidding War on Your House
In any market you're bound to have competition from other homeowners and builders who want or need to sell their home quickly. So in today's market where it seems to be a small miracle each time a home sells you'll need all the help you can get. Luckily there are still ways you can make your home stand out from the crowd and, if your house really stands out, maybe even create a bidding war among buyers. Here's how to do it:
Replace the appliances. - Many colors and tones have come and gone to replace the always high end stainless steel look to appliances but it's not changing anytime soon. If you have aging or heavily used appliances in your home then now is the time to replace them with commercial looking stainless steel appliances. Buyers will love you for what they see as you absorbing the cost to keep your home up to date and you'll love that their offer is much closer to asking price.
Bring in an interior designer or stager to evaluate wall colors. - Does each room in your house give a new clue about your personality? If so, your home may be a bit too personalized. Consult with a design professional to evaluate the wall colors in your home and see if there are any spots where you can improve the value of your home by making the walls more neutral.
Edit and clean up your landscape. - We've all been there. A few weeds and one busy season later, your garden has turned into the amazon. Take out dying or out of place looking plants and flowers in favor of a more cohesive flow. The strongest return on your landscaping dollar will be plantings and walkways leading up to the front door.
Get the carpets cleaned professionally. - The smell, or lack thereof, of clean carpets will keep home buyers happy as they walk through your home. Even deals on million dollar homes fall through because the new buyers simply couldn't deal with the light carpet odors or uneven wear patterns in the carpet. Get them cleaned and/or replaced and watch buyers fall head over heels for your fluffy abode.
Refinish any high traffic hardwood floor areas. - Another floor surface that often goes overlooked, hardwood floors that show heavy wear are a major headache for buyers. If you opted for hardwood in your foyer and hallways that are used frequently then you should have them sanded and refinished before going on the market.
Finish your garage space completely. - Many times the garage can be reused as a storage space or work shop. Spend the money now to cover up the rafters and beams with finished walls and you will see offer prices increase across the board.
Paint your front door red. - Oh, that red front door. Red front doors have positive meanings ranging from feng shui to religious tie-ins and as a sign of prosperity. The simple truth: Red doors make your home more appealing to a wider demographic of buyers.
It might seem like a moderately large investment into your home when you're about to sell it but just think of the thousands you'll save by not having to reduce your asking price. Buyers love move-in ready homes and can't stay away from a house that stands out as a dream home.
Home Selling Tips - Good Seller Etiquette
Potential buyers are not the only ones who can view your home listing once you put up your home for sale. Strange and dishonest vendors as well as inexperienced and unqualified buyers will be informed too. Similar to any deals, buyers, sellers, and their own agents should follow certain procedures. Notify your agent immediately if your transactions with other parties go out of hand.
The aggressive agent
As stated in all your advertisements, your real estate agent should be the one contacted by interested parties and not you. However, there will be instances when a buyer's agents will get in touch with you directly so that the seller's agent will completely be out of the picture. If this happens to you, do not tolerate it. Tell this to your agent right away.
The dishonest vendor
When you alert people that you are selling your house, you may receive many junk mails in your inbox. Putting your home for sale requires many new buying decisions and apparently, unethical vendors do not understand this. Many companies have devised ways on how to gather information to create group mailing lists even if a number of Multiple Listing Service associations have created and implemented rules on how to use posted information properly.
Inform your real estate agent if you always receive junk mails so he or she can initiate an investigation.
The inexperienced buyer
Some potential buyers may feel very excited after seeing your promotional materials that they will merely pop around and visit your home without informing you or your agent. Do not conduct a spontaneous house tour if this will happen to you. Give them your agent's contact number and tell them in a nice way that it would be best for them to contact your agent first since he or she is the one arranging house visits. Handling this kind of situation alone is not advisable since you may accidentally give out confidential information that can be disadvantageous to your position during the bargaining phase.
Top 7 Things to Remove From Your Home Before Selling
Before you sell your home you have to go through a process known as getting your home in "showing condition". Showing condition means keeping the floors clean and the house in top shape for prospective home buyers so they can view the home at its best. Here are seven things you should remove from your home before putting it on the market:
Family photos - When you live in your home it becomes your private sanctuary. Putting your home on the market is much like opening those doors to the public for all to see. Remove any family/vacation photos from your home to ensure buyers don't get ensnared by their curiosity of who you are and stop paying attention to the house itself.
Jewelry and other valuables - Not every potential buyer is the real deal. Sometimes thieves will pose as a home buyer in order to see what kind of luxuries you have in your home. This is especially true in the for sale by owner market where thieves will try to work their way into a home based on a seller's lack of experience dealing with showing protocols. If you have expensive items and valuables like jewelry, collectibles and rare art you should take it out of the house before sticking the for sale sign in the ground.
Unneeded or leftover prescription drugs - Another prime target for theft, high value prescription drugs like painkillers are sought after in properties with easy access because the homeowners are trying to sell it. Keep these in a safe place or remove them from the home entirely before showing.
Boats and other outdoor eyesores - If there's ever been a time to pull up the stilts on a novelty pink flamingo, this would be it. De-clutter the exterior of your home by storing large possessions like boats, RVs and trailers at an off-site storage facility. Any ornamental lawn pieces should also be packed ahead of time so as to not deter buyers.
Out of season items stored in the home - Spring has always been the best time to sell your home. You've got the perfect storm of school ending, summer coming and lots of houses coming on the market to draw out home buyers. Showcase every square foot of your home by removing out of season items like snowblowers and winter tires from the garage.
Desk and workstation clutter. - Every home has a pass through station where mail, car keys and other assorted goods tend to accumulate. These are exceptionally useful spaces except most of them are within lose proximity of the front door and are a huge eyesore to home buyers walking in the front door. Clean up these areas to put your home's best foot forward.
Major signs of pets in the home. - There are different extremes everyone is willing to go when selling their home. Some will keep their pets in the garage during a showing or leave them with parents/family while their house is on the market. While I don't endorse leaving your pooch at Mom & Dad's while your house is on the market I do recommend keeping major pet signs in the house to a minimum. This includes oversized dog bowl stations and kitty litter boxes that don't get cleaned. Pets leave odors behind that you grow used to but will seem pungent to a first time visitor (very true for litter boxes!).
Selling your home can be a fun and brief experience. Use the guide above to give you a general overview on how to minimize your number of days on the market while still keeping your sanity during each showing.