Saturday, May 28, 2011

Sarah Palin's new Arizona estate


The former first family of Alaska recently bought a home in Scottsdale, Arizona. for $1.695 million. The gated home was previously sold one year ago for $803,650, according to public records.

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Let Your Seller Prospect Talk & Get Comfy with Your Commission

First of all You need to know as much as you can about the seller's situation and motivation before you can properly advise him. Heck, you need to know this stuff before you can decide if you even want the listing! So, besides the fact that the seller will love you if you let him talk more than you talk, it also gives you the opportunity to better understand if, and how you can best help.So, here's what to do when you get to the house. Have the seller show you around, ask questions, take notes, and really listen to the seller's answers. If this is the first time you've seen the inside of the seller's house, you can't really be expected to tell him what
it's worth; you have to go back to the office and do your homework. But the more you listen and show interest, the more that seller will be impressed with you - seriously! LISTEN, and the seller will trust you. Leave your sales pitch in the car.

Get Comfort with Your Commission Many new agents are nervous about the prospect of
discussing their commission with a potential seller. If this is the case for you, it will help tremendously if you’re 100% comfortable with the commission fee you're going to propose. If you have concerns that you're overcharging for your value, it will be crystal clear to the seller prospect. It can be a tough spot to be in for a new agent! On one hand,the rookie may not be confident in her listing expertise, and therefore her value, but on the other, she must HAVE confidence to negotiate effectively! Here’s the secret - you need to convince yourself that you're worth it before you can ever convince a seller.

http://www.realtytimes.com

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Home selling tips for FSBO

Once you decide to sell your home, it can be helpful to start thinking of yourself as a businessperson and a home-seller rather than as the home’s owner. By looking at the transaction from a purely financial perspective, you’ll distance yourself from the emotional aspects of selling the property that you’ve undoubtedly created many memories in. Also, try to remember how you felt when you were shopping for that home. Most buyers will also be in an emotional state. If you can remember that you are selling not just a piece of property but also an image, a dream and a lifestyle, you’ll be more likely to put in the extra effort of staging and perhaps some minor remodelling to get top dollar for your home. These changes in appearance will not only help the sales price, they’ll also help you create that emotional distance because the home will look less familiar.

Although real estate agents command a hefty commission, trying to sell your home on your own, especially if you haven’t done it before, is probably ill advised. A good agent will help you set a fair and competitive selling price for your home that will increase your odds of a quick sale. An agent can also help take some of the high emotion out of the process by interacting directly with potential buyers so you don’t have to, and eliminating tire kickers who only want to look at your property but have no intention of putting in an offer.

An agent will also have more experience negotiating home sales than you do; potentially helping you get more money than you could on your own. Further, if any problems crop up during the process - and they commonly do - an experienced professional will be there to handle them for you. Finally, agents are familiar with all the paperwork and pitfalls involved in real estate transactions and can help make sure the process goes smoothly.

article source: http://www.yourrealestatetips.com

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Investing in Bank Owned Properties

The current economic climate has dramatically changed the real estate landscape. Locally, in the Portland/Vancouver metro area in the 12 months ending May 31, 2008, only 2% of the homes sold were Bank Owned or Short Sale properties. In the 12 months ending May 31, 2009, it was 11%. Today, 16% of the properties on the market for sale fall into these categories. In some markets around the country these statistics and trends are even more staggering.

With this market shift comes new challenges for buyers, sellers, brokers and lenders. There also seems to be a lot of confusion when it comes to the differences between a Bank Owned asset (REO) and a Short-sale, who the parties are, paperwork, how to structure a winning deal and expectations of buyers, sellers, brokers and lenders. What follows is an overview that may help reduce this confusion.

read more: http://realtytimes.com

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Existing Home Sales - July Report

Home Sales Pace

Sales were up in May of existing U.S. homes, the second month of increases in a row, and the first time a back-to-back monthly rise has been posted in almost four years. Sales climbed up by 2.4 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.77 million units, from a downwardly revised April total of 4.66 million. The new figure was down just 3.6 percent from the May 2008 sales pace of 4.95 million homes.


The national median price for existing homes rose in May to $173,000 from $166,600 in April, but fell 16.8 percent from a year earlier when the price was $209,700.

The NAR defines existing homes as all previously-owned single-family homes, townhouses, condominiums, and co-ops. The group “seasonally adjusts” the sales numbers to factor in things like inclement weather, school sessions, winter holidays, etc to smooth out the trends. The NAR also describes its sales data based on an annual pace. The monthly figure represents the total number of housing units that would be sold in one year if the current rate were to continue unchanged.

Sales Pace by Region
Sales were quite varied by region in May. The Midwest saw a large monthly uptick in sales with a 9.0 percent increase to 1.09 million units, but sales were still down there 4.4 percent from May 2008.

Sales also rose in the Northeast by 3.9 percent over April to 800,000 homes, but fell 10.1 percent in a year-over-year comparison.

The South saw no change in its sales from April to May with 1.74 million units, but the figure was still down 8.9 percent from one year previous.

The West was the only region to post a decline in monthly sales as they slipped 0.9 percent to 1.14 million units, but it was the only area to see a yearly gain, with an 11.8 percent increase.

Home Prices

The median home price, the point at which half of all homes are sold for more and half are sold for less, rose in May from April led by gains in all regions but the West. The West experienced a decrease in sales price to $197,700 from $204,200, and was also down 30.6 percent from one year ago.


The median price rose in the South to $157,400 in May, up from $147,900, but the price was down 9.9 percent from the year before.

In the Midwest, the median price grew to $145,800 from $138,800 in April, and was 10.4 percent below the price from May 2008.

The Northeast saw home prices pick up to $243,600 in May from $237,400, but it also had the largest yearly percentage decrease with 12.5 percent.


Inventory
The number of homes from sale in May drained to 3.798 million, a 3.5 percent decrease from 3.94 million in April, and at the current sales price the total inventory represented a 9.6-month supply, down from a 10.1-month supply the month before.


Article source:http://www.realestateabc.com

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Can anyone stage a home?

A Chicago Tribune article cites a National Association of Realtors (NAR) study validating the importance of staging your home before going on market. The article states, Owners..."cannot view their homes as the commodities they become once they are on the market."

The article says, "Staging the house so prospects see it in its best light "can have a profound affect." "Many HomeOwners don't know how to make their homes show well." "They fail to remove the clutter or put away all those personal items that distract visitors." "To them the house is wonderful as it is." "They don't look at it through the buyers eyes."and that where the problem is.

Most real estate agents are happy to refer their clients to Home Stagers. There's a conflict of interest between obtaining listings and critiquing your home. Some homeowners are not ready for constructive criticism. Without a Home Staging Professional, Realtors may have to rely on your broker open house to obtain the constructive criticism you need from their peers.

I always recommend that you start with a pen and paper. Walk through your property making some notes of the obvious things that you think may need to be get it done. Every perceived problem is likely matched with a price reduction.

most people automatically assume, major remodel expense, tearing down walls, ripping out cabinets, etc.But, that is not what Home Staging is about. If you see the other side of it you see. You spend zero dollars for real, with the exception of the staging fee, you spend almost nothing. And for the cost of the staging fee, and this is so important for the homeowner to understand, you will get your staging fee back, when your house sells quicker and for more than the one in your neighborhood.

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Dealing with Real Estate Agents

Historically, real estate agents have represented the seller of a property. The seller, after all, is usually the one who pays their commission, and agents therefore have a fiduciary relationship with the seller. This in no way means that agents may operate outside the bounds of the law and ethical conduct of course. It just means that the real estate agent is just that, an authorized agent of the seller for a particular transaction. Another way to get an agent to take you seriously is to offer a fast closing. Nothing makes an agent salivate more than the thought of a commission check in ten days

More recent trends have introduced buyer's agents, who usually work on a fee basis exclusively for the buyer and the agents. Agents represent both seller and buyer, particularly in cases where the agent's company is the listing company. The higher the price, the higher their commission, so their reasoning is that agents never really have the buyer's best interests at heart. Sometimes you will get the opposite of an uncooperative agent - an overzealous agent. Be suspicious of an agent who tells you what a deal you are getting on a property. If it is such a good deal, why didn’t he buy it? Don’t take his word as to the value. Ask for a printout of comparable sales . Be aware that information contained in the MLS computer was entered by the listing broker and may be exaggerated. If a comparable sale shows the same square footage as the house you are looking at, take a drive by and see if it is accurate. Do your own assessment of value.

If you cannot finesse an agent, don’t be afraid to stand up to him. Some agents are unethical and will refuse to present your offer.The bottom line in dealing with a dual agent is to remember that the buyer and seller have conflicting interests in the price and other terms of the sale. It's very difficult for an agent to truly and equally represent both parties, since the conflicting interests make that inherently impossible. If you do choose to use an agent, be sure the exact nature of your relationship with the agent is clear, know what services the agent will be performing for you during the transaction, how the agent will be paid, and how any conflicts that arise will be handled.

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Looking for personal financing?

Now a days people are like us suffering problem of personal financing. Basically If you are looking for finacial support for your personal needs or I can say your business need, you will find many good websites online which offer these things. It offers unsecured loan programs and assistance in obtaining loans on an unsecured basis for almost every purpose. If you need to borrow money and don't have the necessary collateral, you can apply for a unsecured loan. These online websites that allows you to apply for loans. There are personal financing and business financing offer by them, and with experienced experts you can acquire straight answer and outstanding result of your problem solve.

If you want to apply for Personal Loans, you can directly apply for the loans by fill out the form. However, you should in their requirements such as having good credit scores and willing to provide voided accounts current account summary. Personal Loans Websites give you opportunity to get low interest rate (those are different on different sites). few websites also accomplish with video of people who already success with online websites. It helps you to motivate yourself in dealing with your Personal Loans.
The one I would like to recommend is directlendingsolutions.com

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Home Sellers - few Great Tips to Close the Deal

When putting your home on the selling market it is important to get as much information as you can. Buyers are interested in more than your home they also want to know what kind of neighborhood you live in and what the area has to offer. A useful selling tool you can provide them that your neighborhood, shopping, school, etc. Do not neglect the landscape. The outside of your FSBO house is just as important as its inside in terms of first impressions.To get top dollar for your home you need to sell more than the house. During the weekend do chores around your home. Clean the yard, trim shrubs, water, plant flowers whatever you thing to do to make it better. The goal is to get buyers through the front door so they can see how is your home.
Get rid of clutter, pack it away and put it in storage not in the garage. You want your home to look as spacious as possible. . Give your home a clean clutter free look. Hide or get rid of torn/broken furniture and try to get everything cleaned. Add color to your home with freshly cut flowers. This steps looks so simple but taking these easy steps can go along way in getting sell your home for most money. few little changes can make a huge difference when it comes to selling your home.

You have to set the right price for your home by studying the local housing market. Easy step is to compare similar homes that are for sale and that have sold. Each home has something special to offer so take into account what yours are. Buyers these days are well informed and if your home is priced too high then you may not get the traffic you expected and your home will sit on the market for months. Use your time wisely.
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Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Tips for First Time Home Buyer

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By taking such steps you will be well on your way to finding every FSBO home in the market you are looking to buy in. These are great ways to find a good deal.
Check out websites that feature free classified ads like Craiglist.org Or specialized websites that offer just by owner listings. More of these are starting up and usually have an option to search by city the one I know doing better now a day is 101nicehouses.com . This site specialize with FSBO.3. Get the local newspaper especially on Sunday when there are bigger featured real estate sections, and check it thoroughly for the by owner ads.Or You can use your social network. Tell your friends that you are looking to find a for sale by owner home and if they know of one to please pass along the information. It is surprising how often someone in your circle may know of a home that is not even on the market yet. You may get the first deal.If you have a Facebook, MySpace or other social networking account, make a mention that you are looking for a FSBO home. Take a ride as you get time through the areas and neighborhoods you would like to buy in . Check local real estate publications. Often there are free real estate magazines available in grocery stores,Gas Stations, libraries and other public places. While a majority of ads will be for real estate agent listings, there are often for sale by owner ads too.Obviously, the home selling process requires you to learn a few more details, but isn't it worth it? What if I told you that I would pay you $30,000 to learn how to sell a home? Would you do it? I guess yes. That is exactly what you are doing when you become a FSBO seller.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

The Staged Homes Sell Faster

How many times have you heard the news talk about the real estate market not being what it was a few years ago? to tell you the truth I am tired of it. Be the smart Homeowner and have the property Staged before you list it.The knowledge and expertise of a home stager is extremely valuable to a home seller Many homeowners hire a stager just for their advice and then do the rest of the work themselves.It will make the difference in how long the property is on the market and how much it will sell for. The statistics prove that Staged Homes Sell Faster And For high Money you deserved..so do yourself the service of staging and let the facts help you sell faster.Basically the homeowner have to be understood why Staging is so critical and that it should be done before the house is listed. Preparing the home to be shown so it looks its best before the Brokers Open House.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Way to Prepping and staging home

First of all Start with your home assessment to determine the value of homes in your area.Most assessor's office or appraisal district data You can find online nowadays as well as as the search process is pretty simple to follow. If it is not possible for you then you can call your local office and ask for your current total assessment if this not gonna work then drive your local office quick and get a current status print out. First - get your home valuation expert hat on and ask yourself is my home worth this much or more? You can get a few other assessments in your area for comparison purposes.its will help immensely.

House Staging - Prepare Your House For Sale
Free Tips and Advice for home seller
www.kellyshousingtips.com

You can all a realtor who knows home market values and mostly in your area. Most realtors are pretty talkative, but they are busy too. If you have a realtor friend then it gonna work talk with them, ask them many questions as to fulfill your requirments, ask them what home values are doing in your area/neighborhood. Make more than one call as realtors opinions vary as well. Talk to a realtor who you know has sold a home in your neighborhood recently. Be professional and courteous and you will get solid data according to your need.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Increasing number of mortgage borrowers

Lenders have helped an increasing number of mortgage borrowers to get current on payments and stay in their homes, but the tide of foreclosures is still rising. The mortgage lending industry is responding to the needs of its customers and offering solutions that are appropriate to the current market and economic conditions.The Obama administration's foreclosure prevention initiative could send mortgage modification numbers higher in the coming months, but it will take time.

Wanna Sell a House Quick?
List your house for sale, No
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Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Mortgage leads online

Now a days, there are many thousands of businesses which provide mortgage leads online but it is very important to realise that they all have their own different policies. A review of the policy of a company is must before buying mortgage leads online. The lead return policy is the most important thing to look at to establish the percentage of bad leads the company generates. You can also examine at the standards used by the company, which makes a certain lead bad.
Broadly speaking, even though it can be costly to buy mortgage leads online but it is a better idea to buy exclusive leads in order to be confident that the company does not sell the lead to multiple people. Overselling is certainly not thought of as a good strategy. Some companies allow the clients to set filters, allowing them to set criteria for the mortgage leads they obtain.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Purchasing a foreclosed home

We can see the market conditions a few years ago have clearly shifted and what was a sellers market has become a buyers market, this means that a few years ago people were selling homes because of highly inflated values but as the market reaches an equilibrium point buyers have the upper hand in terms of negotiation; this is because banks and other financial institutions want to get these properties out of their books since they are not in the business of owning properties but in the "finance" business.

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Despite of the fact that it is a buyers market, there are still some factors to keep an eye on, if you are a first time home buyer who is interested in purchasing a foreclosed home, one of them is that these homes may have been empty and unattended for quite some time may be for days or months or even it would be years who knows. So it is That why its important to have the property fully inspected before buying or even signing any kind of document but as you might have figured this is just basic steps that every homebuyer should follow but it is good to make notice of such situation, especially in these times when first time homebuyers are trying to get the deal of their lifetime and want to make them dreams come true.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Maximize your commercial Property Profit

One thing I have realized that each geographic area has its own types of construction materials that are popular and effective for that locale .Agricultural areas, including farms (pig/chicken), pesticide/fertilizer manufacturers, agricultural chemical makers and transporters, and grain storage facilities, have the potential for environmental contamination that could migrate to adjacent property. These areas are also usually smelly and may have a lot of truck traffic coming and going. Every situation is unique, but if it looks like a major agricultural operation is going on next door, the seller should make sure and understand that property values may be affected.Similar to fuel oil tanks, properties having a septic tank should not necessarily be a cause for alarm. Most rural properties have septic tanks and many operate correctly. However, a faulty septic system is usually easy to spot or, should I say, smell. Look for smells around low spots or in ditches. If you smell sewage and the property is in a rural area, you may have located a septic problem. This may not be a deal killer if the property is a good bargain, but fixing a septic problem can cost thousands of dollars and require approval by the county.

Friday, February 13, 2009

Three main reasons not to use an agent

We all better know that the real estate market has seen better days. As the economy becomes more and more tight and families continue to cut back we are seeing a large increase in the FSBO market. it's important that FSBO home sellers take advantage of the different marketing methods available to them.What I have found is that many people choose not to use an agent for three main reasons.
1) Many people in the FSBO market have been wronged by an agent. They have had a bad experience with their agent. In many cases the agent did not follow through with their promises during the listing presentation. Many FSBO's say that their agent simply did not communicate what was going on with the home while listed.
2) most of the FSBO's do not trust agents. This is typically a case in which an agent lied to the owner about showings, marketing activities, or some other factor.
3)During this tough economic times consumers are finding hard to pay a real estate agents the thousands of dollars in commission to sell the home, especially if number 1 and 2 above are true.

sell your home for Free: www.101nicehouses.com

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Staging Your Home to get good result


Most owner are immune to the odor of their pets and their home. Does your home smell of cigarette smoke, old tennis shoes, the fish you had last week or Fido when he's wet? Smell is a very important sense and you want your home to make a good first impression on all the senses. Open the windows and air out the house. Use an air freshener or high-end fragrance. Also consider baking cookies before an open house.
Before you place the "FOR SALE" sign on your front house, let us talk about the best way to sell your home faster and for money. Would you go to a job interview in your torn jeans and a t-shirt? Of course not. You will put on your finest conservative outfit that you picked up from the dry cleaners, make sure your shoes are shined, and your looking like you want the job. so you should have think in that way..it is the same concept. we need to make sure that your home has the same image.
This is particularly important in the kitchen and bathrooms. Organize countertops and cupboards so that they do not appear cluttered. You want to make your space appear clean, spacious and functional.Depersonalizing is a powerful selling tip. Pack away family photos, trophies, souvenirs, children artwork, etc. Potential buyers will be more attracted to your home if they can imagine themselves living thereHow good does your home look from the street? This is the first impression a home buyer will get walking up to your house. Make sure it looks inviting. You might want put a coat of paint on the front door, add planters, flowers, etc.

Friday, January 16, 2009

Home staging is different from interior design

Location, Location, Location! These words have traditionally been used as the most important aspect for buying real estate. For selling Real Estate, we believe the key words are Staging, Staging, and more Staging! Staging a home is the best proven way to sell real estate faster, and get the most money from your property.Consider paying for the staging service yourself. You can offer this service as a signing gift and deduct it from your taxes. Either way, it is a win-win situation for the busy real estate agent. You will never have to worry about dealing with a sensitive situation again!
Home staging is different from interior design, which is intended to make living in a home more pleasant for those who inhabit the space, based on their lifestyle and personal tastes. Morever home staging is meant to make the home more appealing to as wide a range of potential buyers as possible. In other words, interior design is geared toward home owners, while home staging is geared toward home buyers.
Over the last few years, statistics have shown that it's actually more cost effective for owners to raise the level of presentation of their homes through the use of home staging than to lower the price of their homes in an effort to sell home more quickly. In most cases, the homes that generate the highest offers are those that are well presented and beautiful, including the furnishings.
Home staging is an art and a professional Home Stager should possess both a knowledge of home buyer psychology and an innate design and decorating sense and that is because when you begin your search for a home Stager, make certain that they can demonstrate a strong knowledge of both. As for referrals, and arrange to visit homes they've staged that are currently on the market.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Tips For Selling a House in a Buyer's Market

Everyone knows that each city's real estate market is unique. In your nearby area, there are thousands of people trying to sell their property in a market that is currently glutted with new residential construction. As you know Selling a piece of property is not that easy especially now that the world is facing economic problems. For those decided to sell their property, First thing you can do is to contact your family and friends. You can tell them that your house is for sale. If ever they have friends or co-workers that have plans to buy a home of their own, they can refer your place. Word of mouth is the best kind of advertisement you can do. You do not need to pay the newspaper to print your AD. Morever, when people bring up the topic about property, your friends can easily tell their friends that your property is for sale.More to say you can put up flyers in your neighborhood and nearby areas that your house is for sale. You might want to leave a contact number so that will holp prospective buyers can easily contact you. Last tip is that when you advertise your home, you have to include a photo or two so that people will see what the house looks like. It can be quite hard for prospective buyers to buy a home without seeing it first. At least when they see your flyer, they know already how your home looks like. It makes decision making easier and faster because they have an idea on what you are selling.Take care of minor repairs and spruce it up. Homeowners are looking for homes that they look good on the inside and out. Therefore, make sure that you clean or replace the carpet, replace burnt light bulbs, add ceiling fans, etc.
Post your home for sale for FREE : http://www.101nicehouses.com