Posts Tagged ‘good deals’

Are you frustrated by how difficult it is to sell you house in this current economic climate? With increasing number of homes due for foreclosure; these changing times have forced many owners to sell their properties and downsize to a cheaper option in order to save on resources for the future.

Don’t let these facts worry you too much, there are still a number of people looking for a new home and most know that the present housing market condition is going to present them with a number of very good deals. If you are looking to sell your house quickly, there are a few things that you can do in order to make it seem more appealing to certain buyer groups.

(1) Lower the selling price – If you are in a tight situation and need to sell your house as fast as possible then this is going to be the quickest and most effective way to do it. Though, you’ll want to spend a good amount of time considering exactly what price to sell it at; one way to do it is to get a property evaluation and work from there. Also look through the listings in your area and find the average asking price; you may then need to take off between 10% – 15% in order to increase its likelihood of being sold faster.

(2) Sell through real estate investors – Again, if you are in a rush and want to avoid months of waiting and the long documentation process times you might want to consider selling directly to real estate investors. Most of these agencies will offer you the option of receiving payment in cash allowing them to close the sale in a matter of a few days, the drawback to this is a substantially lower sale price. Buying from investors will definitely cut out a lot of the messiness of dealing with your average buyer, who will more than likely be paying via a loan that you will end up having to wait more time for the approval and processing of the application. The other benefit of directly selling to investors is that they tend to buy properties ‘as is’, you will be given a quote for the current condition of your home and will not be asked to make any further repairs before the sale.

(3) Get it looking good – This should go without saying. It might be time to finish those DIY jobs that you’ve been meaning to do and clean the inside to a show able level. You’ll want to focus on the exterior first as most will judge whether they want to view the inside by how the exterior looks; add a few potted plants, an extra coat of fresh paint, keep the lawn in order and windows clean. Keep the interior uncluttered, you may want to aim for depersonalized or neutral appearance, potential buyers will want to imagine the home filled with their own belongings. If you have a lot of furniture in your home then you might want to rent a storage unit and keep a few things in there during the viewing period, it will definitely make your house more appealing. Remember buyers tend to make their decision 30 seconds after walking through the door, so you’ll need that ‘wow’ factor going for you; one tip is to over do the first room that the buyer walks into, repaint the walls, clean and wax the floors, plus make sure that all the windows are sparkling.

(4) Sell yourself – Selling your house on your own is a good way to save a substantial amount of money you are possibly saving about 6% – 7% of the sales cost by selling your property on your own rather than hiring the help of a property agent. Also some buyers prefer houses being listed as sold directly through the owner, as they are aware that it will be slightly cheaper and that they may avoid extra complications. Though, going this route will add extra effort on your part, as you’ll need learn about the selling process to ensure a fair sale, answer all the enquires and take prospective buyers on a tour of your property. Don’t forget the internet is a huge classified ads space with many websites offering free advertising space to just about anyone.

(5) Identify your buyers – Do your own research and find that certain market that you think will snap up your property the fastest. One particular group that you may want to focus on is the first time home buyers; the federal tax credit is up and set to expire pretty soon, which is pushing young hopefuls to purchase their first home. This group doesn’t have the worry of selling a previous home, so are ready and willing to close the deal as fast as possible. As new buyers they won’t be looking for a place that needs a huge amount of refurbishment, so will be put at ease when they walk into your fully furnished house and be able to imagine it filled with their own possessions.

Andrew owns a website that provides comprehensive Home Selling Guide. You can visit his website at: http://www.buy-and-sell-house-fast.com/home-selling-guide.shtml.

Author: Andrew Webber
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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I am a new real estate investor. I am looking for a good real estate investment coach in San Francisco Bay Area. I have a real estate saleperson license and have basic real estate investment knowledge. I am looking for a good real estate investor coach who have years of success investment experience in residential and commericial. I have private funds for good deals and would like to be partnership or learn from savy investors.

Several people still stick with the misconception that real estate agents are only after their Passport wallet. The truth is, these professionals are concerned about helping you get the best deals. The price for their services is actually already set so you shouldn’t think that they are giving you more fees for added bonuses. There are, however, a number of professionals who are doing more unscrupulousactivities, so stay cautious for these.

1. Check legitimacy. First of all, you need to ensure that you are dealing with a real professional. Ask for an identification card and professional license card to make sure that the person is honestlyaccredited to handle real estate transactions in your area. You can also call the proper agencies to confirm if they have the person listed in their roster.

Talk to the potential real estate agent and check his or her background. Ask how many years the professional has been working in real estate. Determinehow many years or what actual experiences the agent has encountered in the area you’re eyeing on to buy from. The more experience a person has on an area, the better chances there are for you to land good deals. Once legitimacy is confirmed, do not worry so much as to why the agent puts his driver’s license in his Leather passport holders.

2. Assess experience. You can find out more details about a real estate agent by asking about past deals and clients. It is better if the agent is living in the area where you plan to buy, since he most likely already has an idea about ongoing rates and where to get further discounts and reductions. Ask for referrals and contact the past clients. Ask them about what they assumeare the strong and weak points of the professional. You can then determine how well these work according to your personal objectives.

Also ask the agent what particular type of property he or she is an masterin. Some agents are particularly good in condos and apartments, while others are excellent in getting family homes and estates. If you’re getting commercial space, you should also invest in someone who has experience and thorough knowledge on the area. Assess the personality and methods of business too, and see if it well fitsyours.

3. Work ethics. I make it a point that my agent practices good and respectable work ethics. Primarily, I do not deal with anyone who doesn’t arrive on time. A good real estate agent should also be very transparent when showing you the details of the deal. If there are discounts and reductions to be had, he should give you the reasons behind and the exact amounts. Real estate agents should aim to help you save more and get the property you’ve always wanted.

You can talk to 2 to 4 potentialagents to know which one truly matches your preference and method of doing business. You can also ask for help from others who have had successful transactions in the past. If your current agent no longer gives you the services you expect, do not hesitate to look for a new one.

One persons loss can lead to big savings for someone else. Some of the biggest savings you can make on a home is buying a government home foreclosure. It is also true that you may not get a good deal either. With that said, the goal is to still sell these home very affordably. Were going to take a look at how you can find one of these homes and what is the best way to go about buying one.

The first place you should look is in some of your local classified adds. In there you may just find a home foreclosure auction. In many cases you will get the best deal through an auction. Be sure that you do go and check out the home before the auction. You almost always can, and you should make sure it is something you would want to purchase.

Do realize that not all of these houses are what you would call good deals. There are people who are owed money when it comes to these foreclosure homes. There are cases where they are owed lots and lots of money and selling the home is the only way to get that money back. In these auctions you may also run into someone who wants the house bad and is willing to run the price up to levels that are not affordable to you.

Any home that you purchase should be inspected before you consider buying it or bidding on it. Most of the time the people behind these homes are eager to have them sold so they can get their money out of them. This can leave a problem because they are more interested in getting their money. However, it is possible that there are some things wrong with the home. It is important for you to get an idea of what the house is worth to you, and not what it is worth to the seller.

Be certain that you investigate the location of the home. Ideally you should buy a foreclosure home that is in a great location where the value of the home will rise. This is how you get really great deals on a foreclosure home.

Finally, make sure that the home does not need very much work or that you are willing to spend money in it. Many of these homes haven’t had anyone living in them. When people are not living in these home there quality will often become less livable.

One persons loss can lead to big savings for someone else. Some of the biggest savings you can make on a home is buying a government home foreclosure. It is also true that you may not get a good deal either. However, the general goal is to sell these homes at a fair price that is usually in fair market value. Were going to take a look at how you can find one of these homes and what is the best way to go about buying one.

The first place you should look is in some of your local classified adds. In there you may just find a home foreclosure auction. In many cases you will get the best deal through an auction. You should see if you can check out the house before the auction. For the most part you should be able to take a look at the home to decide if it is something you would want to invest in.

You should be warned that not all houses are good deals. There are people who are owed money when it comes to these foreclosure homes. In some cases they are owed allot of money and they will try to get as much of it back as possible. In this auctions you may also run into someone who wants the house bad and is willing to run the price up to levels that are not affordable to you.

Before you go out and buy a foreclosure home you should consider having it inspected. Most of the time the people behind these homes are eager to have them sold so they can get their money out of them. This can leave a problem because they are more interested in getting their money. Do keep in mind that it is possible that there could be things that are wrong with the home. The whole point is to get an idea of what the home is worth to you, but not what is it worth to the people selling it.

Make sure that you investigate the location of the home. When you buy a foreclosure home you should take a good look at the location to see if the value of the home will rise over time. This is the best way to get yourself a good deal on a foreclosure home.

Finally, make sure that the home does not need very much work or that you are willing to spend money in it. Many of these homes haven't had anyone living in them. Becuase there is not always someone living in these homes the quality of them is not always as good.

So you want really cheap housing? Whether you are buying or renting, here are five ways to find a home that costs you less. Those are followed by a list of the real expenses you need to compare your options fairly.

If you can live where you like, you can start by looking at towns where houses or apartments cost less, and cut your housing costs by as much as half or more. For example, an apartment which rents for $500 in Tucson, Arizona might be $1,500 in New York or San Francisco. A house you would have to pay $400,000 for in California might be $120,000 in many other cities.

Once you know which city you’ll be living in, find the neighborhoods where prices or rents are lowest. If they aren’t clearly unsafe or otherwise undesirable, start your search here. Only move on if you can’t find what you need after carefully looking at what is for sale there.

Some types of housing are cheaper than others. Normally mobile homes on property are the cheapest options for buying or renting (although I have seen exceptions). Beyond that, the relative value of various types of houses can vary a lot in different cities. In some, classic old houses are valued more than new homes, while in other towns they’re seen for the trouble they are and priced lower. Start cheap and work your way up if you don’t find what you want.

There are often just plain good deals that can be found in any area or with any type of home. Putting a price on homes (or setting rents) isn’t an exact science, and some sellers won’t even use what decent tools are available for this, so keep your eyes open for an under-priced house. If you’re willing to deal with a fixer upper, this could mean paying $20,000 less to buy a home that needs just a couple thousand in repairs and deferred maintenance.

Also, you can always offer less than the asking price. Learn a few good negotiating tactics if you are going to be talking to the sellers yourself. Otherwise you can make a bunch of low offers to see if one of them is accepted by a seller. If your first ten are rejected without a counter-offer, though, you might need to adjust your sights.

How To Compare Housing Costs

Don’t make the mistake of thinking finding cheap housing  is all about the lowest price or monthly rental charge. A house for $10,000 less may mean paying $60 to $90 less per month on the mortgage, but if it means driving 10 miles more to and from work, and your car costs 30-cents-per-mile to operate, that’s an extra $120 per month right there. Look at the following when comparing options:

- Loan costs. A higher interest rate on a small house may make the payments higher than those on a lower-interest owner-financed home which costs more. Consider the interest costs.

- Home owner insurance. Really cheap housing may not be so cheap if you have to pay more because of old heating systems or being in a flood or earthquake area.

- Taxes. A block or two can be dramatic in the cost of property taxes, depending on whether you are in or out of the city or township.

- Car expenses. It is not only your job, but also stores that can be further away if you are too far out of the city. Estimate your monthly car expenses based on the location and your habits.

- Gas, electric and other utilities. Your heating bill can be twice as high on a drafty old house versus a new energy-efficient one. Consider electricity, water, sewer and garbage collection expenses too.

- Repairs. Some homes are truly ready to live in without any work needed. Try to estimate the next three-year’s repairs and divide by 36 to get a monthly figure to compare.

- Other regular costs. Does the home, condo or apartment have association dues? How about special assessments, snow removal costs or lawn care expenses?

Write down any and all expenses for each home you consider, so you can meaningfully compare them. Estimate as closely as you can if no records are available, and find a monthly average total for each. In this way you can see which are really cheap housing options.