Articles for Your Real Estate Questions

Home buying tips for homebuyers

2007-04-30T16:11:00.004-04:00

Purchasing a house as per our requirements is a difficult process. We have many choices to select good ones, sometimes house may look good, but it doesn’t match your budget or sometimes the prices may be good, but the house selected may be wrong and so on. These are some basics steps to keep in your mind while buying a house:

1. List the agent: This is basic step; one has to follow while buying and selling of house business. Today, large number of house was sold by agents and the remaining is sold by the owners. It is best to select an agent because more than 80 percent of the property goes through agents and remaining 20 per cent of the houses only sold by the owners. From the list, select a proper agent and make avail of the service provided by him.

2. Select the agent: It is a difficult one to select an ideal agent for buying or selling a house. While making selection, follow some necessary steps.

• From the list select the agent who you feel an ideal one.
• Check whether the houses shown are properly listed.
• See to that, he is an experienced agent in real estate.
• Ensures the details collected by him are currently updated.
• Verify the documents shown by him and see whether it is a legal document.

3. Budget Estimation: Before looking for a house, make a decision for proper budget estimation to buy a house. You should be cautious and aware while estimating a home budget with your monthly and yearly income. Only when you have proper budget estimation you can continue to look for a house. Even you can avail the pre-approved mortgage which clearly estimates the limits of your budget. It helps to hurry up your search which affects your purchase.

4. Locate your area: If you decide to buy a house, then select the location your want to live. If you decide to buy a house, then select the location your want to live. You can also list to the agent what kind of house you needed, whether it suits your budget, the location you find more comfortable and so on. Select the one which you feel good and also suits your needs.

5. Have Precautions: While buying a house, remember that you are making a huge investment. Since house buying has a huge investment, select the one which will be best for a longer period. Have some precaution while buying a house. Also think about your future, because your life is uncertain. Once you decided to buy a particular house which is already used, see to that any alteration like repairing, electricity maintenance is to be made.

6. Perfections: Be always systematic in your work. File the information you collected from different agents. Also file the information relating to price, description and suitability. At last, while taking decision this information will highly help you. With the help of this information you can select the most appropriate house which suits your needs.

7. Proper Inspection: When you are looking a house see to that the process carried on in your house are as per the requirements. Inspecting a house is a more important aspect while making a selection. You should have to check the walls, electricity, painting and maintenance etc. You can carry any number of steps while inspecting your house. Check whether the house is a qualified one.

About The Author

Ron Victor is a Expert Author for We buy homes cash. He written many articles in various topics like Sell your house fast and buy your house. For more information visit We buy home fast .Contact him at ron.seocopywriter@gmail.com

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Fix-It Projects to Speed The Sale of Your House

2007-04-30T16:11:00.003-04:00

The interior walls are neutral. The clutter is a distant memory. A shower door has been replaced and even the design of the bedspread has been factored in. The Green family's Chicago home also got a professional inspection and appraisal to limit any surprises down the road, said Dan Green. Now it is ready for sale.

"We're paving the road to make the closing process much smoother," Green said.

He has even created a blog, partly as a marketing tool for his Lincoln Park neighborhood home. See the blog.

For some sellers, a little extra work can mean not only a difference in how smoothly the sale goes or how much they can ask for their home but also if they get to the closing table at all in an uncertain market.

"Talk to Realtors and they will tell you anything you do cosmetically to increase curb appeal is going to help the resale value," said Sal Alfano, editor of Remodeling magazine.

In addition, many home buyers stretch economically to get into a home, said David Lupberger, home-improvement expert for ServiceMagic.com, an online company that connects homeowners with screened home-service professionals. If a home has number of projects that will need to be addressed in the near future, a buyer might decide to pass it over.

"The last thing you want is a list of projects that has to be taken care of," Lupberger said.

Here's the bright spot: Many improvements that have an impact on selling a home aren't very expensive at all, said Jim Gillespie, president and CEO of Coldwell Banker. And some tasks, such as giving rooms a fresh coat of paint, quickly pay off.

Those planning on adding a "for sale" sign to the front lawn this spring might want to consider these five areas while creating their to-do list.

1. First impressions count

It's wise to make a good impression from the moment a potential buyer pulls up to the house, experts say. First glimpses of the home will include the home's exterior, the shrubbery, the gutters and the front door.

Peeling trim could be a kiss of death. Paint the exterior of the home in an odd color and you could lose their attention before they come inside. Don't underestimate the importance of good lawn care, either.

"A lawn that looks good on the outside gives the impression that someone cares about that home," said Trey Rogers, professor of turfgrass management at Michigan State University and author of "Lawn Geek," a book of tips on how to maintain a lawn.

His advice is "keep it green and keep it cut." Mow the lawn about three inches high at least twice a week when a home is on the market; two inches if the home is in a Southern state. The more it is mowed, the denser it will become. And get on a fertilization program, starting at the beginning of the season, he said.

Bypass store-bought sod and instead borrow some grass from an inconspicuous place elsewhere on the lawn if there are small spots that need to be filled in, Rogers said. The grasses will match better if they come from the same lawn.

Early birds selling at the tail end of winter should keep the sidewalks shoveled if there is snow on the ground.

2. Neutralize and declutter

When it comes to preparing a home's interior, any real-estate professional or stager worth their paycheck will advise a client to make a move to more neutral colors in a home.

"People can't visualize beyond what they see," Gillespie said. Neutral colors, including beige and ivory, can also have an added advantage of making a room appear larger -- an effect that Dan Green noticed right away when he repainted his bedroom walls.

Removing a home's clutter is also extremely important in getting potential buyers to imagine their family living in the home, Gillespie added.

Beyond that, do some basic spring cleaning: Shampoo the carpets, rebuff hardwood floors and oil any wood cabinetry, Lupberger said.

3. Consider replacement projects

Sellers might also consider having a home inspection done prior to listing the home as a way to detect any overdue replacement projects, Gillespie said. A seller has the option of either fixing the problem or giving the buyer a discount to account for the needed repairs, but Gillespie is an advocate for making the necessary repairs before selling.

Home buyers recognize the value of a house that doesn't need major repairs, Alfano said.

"The house is probably not going to move, or you're not going to get all the value out it, if the new buyer knows they're going to have to replace the roof sometime soon," he said.

In fact, according to the 2006 "Cost vs. Value" report from "Remodeling" magazine, a roof replacement for a midrange home had an average cost of $14,276, and returned $10,553, or 73% at resale. A vinyl siding replacement had an average cost of $9,134, and returned $7,963, or 87% at resale, according to the report.

A wood window replacement in a midrange home had a national average cost of $11,040, and $9,416, or 85%, was recouped at resale. A vinyl window replacement had an average cost of $10,160 and returned $8,500, or 83%, at resale. See the full report.

4. Kitchens and bathrooms rule

It's no secret that buyers tend to be awed by updated kitchens and bathrooms.

"If the last time it was remodeled was in 1980, that's going to be points against versus another house that was upgraded even five years ago with sort of a modern look," Alfano said. "It's hard to go wrong with a kitchen or bath remodel unless you get a little too edgy with the design or the materials you use."

That said, a seller with less than a couple years to spend in a house probably isn't going to do a complete remodel of either room. Sellers should decide where these rooms need the most improvement, and then zero in on how much they want to spend, Lupberger said.

If kitchen cabinets are structurally fine but their exteriors are outdated, it might be worth it to reface them, Lupberger said. If counters are old, maybe replacing them will add new life to the room. In the bathroom, there are companies that will come in and resurface chipped and damaged bathtubs, he said.

5. Warranty coverage and documentation

Sellers can provide some extra peace of mind to buyers by purchasing a home warranty on their home that will cover such things as heating and plumbing should the buyer run into problems after closing. The coverage is getting a bit more popular nowadays, Gillespie said. Warranties can be bought from companies including American Home Shield and AON.

"Little things like that ... you need that today to set the property apart with all the competition out there," Gillespie said.

Gillespie also recommends displaying the age of the water heater and furnace; if either one is on the older side, have it inspected for proof that it works correctly.

And if replacement projects have been done in the past few years, dig out the documentation to prove it, Alfano said. Also, explain if any of the improvements have produced a cost savings in terms of energy usage.

"You never really could (miss), but it wasn't on the tip of everybody's tongue. Now, it's in the news all the time," Alfano said.

Email your comments to rjeditor@dowjones.com.

by Amy Hoak

From MarketWatch

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Getting the Words Right: Tips For Writing a Real-Estate Listing

2007-04-30T16:11:00.001-04:00

Words can do as much to sell a home as photos. Use the wrong wording, agents say, and even the most photogenic property may lose potential buyers.

But what words work and which don't? It can vary, depending on a home's price and geographical location.

In Manhattan, "light" implies a condo with plenty of sun, one that's on the front side of the building, whereas using "light" to a describe a home within, say, sunny Miami or Southern California, can be redundant. For more expensive, or luxurious houses, bedroom and bathroom counts are far less important than lifestyle features. For first-time buyers, "fixer-upper" isn't always a bad word, especially if the property is in a good neighborhood or school district.

There are, of course, overused terms: "Gourmet kitchen," "luxury bath" and "cozy" (meaning, "small" or "cramped"). Some argue that words like "half bath" connote a lack of features (there's only half a bath) instead of something positive (there's a powder room).

Here are tips for writing an effective real-estate listing.

1. Avoid exaggeration.

At least 50% of the listings she sees overstate or gloss over home features, which could turn off savvy buyers, says Leslie Lazarus, an agent with DJK Residential in Manhattan who markets condominiums priced from $500,000 to $2.3 million. For example, a listing may refer to a bonus room as a "bedroom" when the room needs a window or emergency exit to be considered a bedroom. Other listings fail to mention key flaws such as the existence of an unrenovated portion of an otherwise up-to-date home.

The most important home facts to mention for an urban listing in a market like Manhattan are lighting, bedroom count, age of the building, building-wide amenities and when renovations to the building most recently took place.

"I can't stress enough how important lighting is in New York," Ms. Lazarus says.

It may be tempting to fudge your home's location, but don't do it, says Ms. Lazarus. In Manhattan real-estate listings, the Upper West Side, a desirable area for many buyers, is often stretched as much as five miles beyond its boundaries by agents eager to bring in prospective buyers.

"Over time people figure it out when there's exaggeration," she says.

2. Be specific.

Some real-estate Web sites cap the number of words that can be used in real-estate listings, but that doesn't mean descriptive language or references to a home's unique details should head for the cutting-room floor. Homes that are described with specifics like "granite" and "maple" tend to garner higher sales prices, according to research released in 2005 by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Don't just toss in words of praise. Positive, but vague adjectives like "fantastic" and "charming" or "spacious" may have no impact if the home feature those words modify is either already in the listing (a large lot or home's square footage indicate spaciousness) or is left out of the listing, according to NBER. Avoid descriptions that only offer "faint praise," such as "clean" or "quiet." Cleanliness, for instance, should be a given rather than a selling point.

Put buyers first and think about what it is about your home that will appeal to them most. Don't highlight what you like about your property -- it might not correspond with what today's buyers want. This means that sellers and their agents should try to step outside the seller's fondness for the home and think about why other people would enjoy it, says Daniel Levitan, president of Levitan & Associates in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

3. Use the "F" word carefully.

The term "fixer" can be a dirty word in real estate, but using the word isn't always bad -- some buyers, namely bargain hunters, first-time buyers and investors, seek these properties. But rather than play to a house's state of disrepair, it's wise to highlight its good points. Every home has something that makes it valuable, says Mr. Levitan. If a house or condo is in need of extreme repair, it could be marketed various ways depending on who might buy it, he says. Use phrases like "redevelopment opportunity" or "zoned for multifamily," or mention a property's large lot if the area is ripe with teardowns or if developers are seeking land zoned for multifamily homes. Mentioning that a property is a bargain within a neighborhood that is home to a sought-after school district or other amenities may put a positive spin on a handyman's special.

4. Pitch lifestyle.

Buyers of high-end homes (those in the top 10% of an area's housing prices) want luxury, so when writing a listing for an upscale property, start with the quality of life the home offers, says Paul Boomsma, executive vice president of Luxury Portfolio Fine Property Collection in Chicago. "It's not really about the number of bedrooms or baths with these homes," he says, noting that affluent buyers, especially when spending $5 million or more, know any home they consider will have plenty of space.

Within this market avoid using the word "luxury," especially when applied to the home itself or its bathrooms, since it doesn't convey much. To upscale buyers, "contemporary" may imply that a house has lots of windows and an open floor plan, but, on the flip side, it may also signal that it doesn't offer many walls to display sizeable art collections. Conversely, describing a residence as a "palatial estate on 26 acres" gives a better indication of its size and stature, according to Mr. Boomsma.

Rather than saying that the buyer will love entertaining in the home, mention what the house offers: an indoor kitchen with catering nook, as well as a covered outdoor kitchen and pool house for summertime parties. "We try to stay away from telling people how they'll feel about the property," says Mr. Boomsma. Instead of writing that the buyer will love playing golf at the course across the street, tell them that golfing is available: "Spectacular new contemporary home on oceanfront golf course; resort views."

5. Choose carefully.

One area where sellers frequently run into trouble is using comments that could be viewed as "discriminatory" under the Federal Fair Housing Act, or when they make casual claims about the home that may not be true, says Elizabeth Weintraub, a broker associate with Lyon Real Estate in Sacramento, Calif. For-sale-by-owner (FSBO) home sellers sometimes use language that either inadvertently makes false claims or is inadvertently discriminatory because the sellers composing their own property description may not be aware of terms that aren't allowed -- typically those that allude to race, religion, sex, handicap, family status or national origin, Ms. Weintraub says.

For instance, Ms. Weintraub says that listings that mention a school district could violate the housing act -- i.e., is the home's location in a particular school district a guarantee that a student could enroll there? Calling wood floors "hardwoods" is a common mistake made by both FSBO sellers and naive agents, she says. Technically, some wood floors, such as fir, are "softwoods."

By Jane Hodges

Ms. Hodges is a a free-lance writer in Seattle.

Email your comments to rjeditor@dowjones.com.

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Digging Out of Delinquency Can Be Tough for Borrowers

2007-04-30T16:10:00.003-04:00

As mortgage delinquencies climb, lenders say they are taking new steps to work with homeowners in financial trouble. But many borrowers say red tape and other obstacles are keeping them from resolving their problems.

The sharp rise in delinquencies in recent months is straining mortgage companies' ability to respond quickly to borrowers, with such solutions as new repayment plans or modifications to loan agreements. Borrowers often must make many calls before finding someone in a position to help them, by which point their problems may have worsened. The process can be particularly complicated when mortgages have been packaged into securities and sold to investors, which can limit the mortgage company's flexibility in working out a solution. And for some borrowers, there may not be a good solution, apart from the sale of their home or foreclosure.

"If you're a borrower trying to deal with [a mortgage company] ... or even a private attorney, you're likely to run into brick walls," says Iowa Assistant Attorney General Patrick Madigan, whose job includes working on behalf of Iowa homeowners.

Benjiman Johnson, a single father on a fixed income who lives in Sacramento, Calif., fell behind on his $300,000 mortgage in January after the combination of loan and property-tax payments became unmanageable. He says he's talked to at least a half-dozen people at the company that services his loan, GMAC Mortgage, "but nobody wants to pay attention to what you can do. It's like being talked to like a child." Now, Mr. Johnson has put his house up for sale. But given the weak housing market, he hasn't gotten any offers.

A spokesman for GMAC, a unit of GMAC Financial Services, says, "Because of federal privacy laws, we cannot comment about specific customers." He adds: "We strive to reach out and work directly with our customers to try to resolve issues when they arise."

The mortgage-delinquency rate climbed to 2.87% in the first quarter from 2.51% at the end of last year, and from a recent low of 2.03% in the fourth quarter of 2005, according to a new study by Equifax Inc. and Moody's Economy Inc. That's the highest level since the companies began tracking delinquencies at the beginning of 2000. Delinquencies also were up sharply for home-equity loans and lines of credit.

"The erosion [in credit quality] is greater than I expected," says Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody's Economy.com, who expects mortgage delinquencies will peak at about 3.5% in mid-2008. "It's the noxious mix of all those aggressive loans now facing resets combined with falling house prices and a deceleration in job growth, particularly in some markets."

Until recently, mortgage delinquencies had been at historically low levels, with low interest rates and rising home prices making it easy for those who ran into trouble to refinance or sell their home. Now, as problem loans increase, lenders have tightened their standards, adding further to pressures on the housing market. As long as job growth remains strong, Mr. Zandi says he doesn't expect the housing downturn to derail the economy, but the impact on consumer spending is likely to be "more pronounced" than previously expected.

In an effort to head off loan problems, mortgage companies are using computer models to predict which borrowers are most likely to run into trouble. They are also reaching out to borrowers earlier and encouraging them to get in touch if they are having trouble meeting their payments. Last week, Bear Stearns Cos.' EMC Mortgage unit announced it was creating the "EMC Mod Squad," a team of 50 loan-modification specialists who will help delinquent borrowers avoid foreclosure. The specialists are charged with being "more counselors than collectors," says EMC President John Vella.

Working out a solution is easiest when the borrower's income has been interrupted, perhaps because of illness or job loss. Then, the amount owed can be added to the mortgage balance or repaid over several months, says Steve Bailey, senior managing director of loan administration for Countrywide Financial Corp., the nation's largest mortgage lender. Finding a solution is more complicated when borrowers can't afford their monthly payment on an ongoing basis because of a decline in their income, an interest-rate increase or other factors. Countrywide has become more willing to lower the interest rate or outstanding loan balance for such customers, but the chances are greater if borrowers live in the home and can show they are committed to paying the lower amount, Mr. Bailey says.

Lenders say the sooner they hear from a borrower in trouble, the easier it is to work out a solution. But housing counselors and government officials say that's often not the reality. "We don't look at it as a viable option," says Pam Canada, executive director of NeighborWorks Homeownership Center in Sacramento, Calif., which counsels borrowers in financial distress. In many cases, it's more effective for borrowers to turn to family members for help or to sell their home to get out from under their debts, she says.

Mortgage payments are typically collected by loan-servicing companies, which are also charged with resolving any problems. Sometimes the servicer is also the company that made the loan. But often, it is working on behalf of another party, usually investors who own mortgage-backed securities.

When problems arise, borrowers are often first referred to the loan servicer's collections department, says Ken Wade, chief executive of NeighborWorks America, a non-profit group in Washington that works on affordable housing nationally. Only later, when things are worse, are borrowers shifted to loss mitigation, where someone may have the authority to modify the terms of their loan or come up with another solution, he says.

The red tape can be greater when loans have been packaged into securities and sold to investors, as two-thirds of mortgages are. In such cases, trust documents determine how problem loans are handled. Roughly one-third of bond deals include restrictions on the number of loans that can be restructured, according to a recent analysis by Credit Suisse Group that looked at 31 deals made up of subprime mortgages.

Even where there aren't specific restrictions, the servicer may not be able to change the terms of the loan until the borrower is at least 30 days delinquent, even if it's clear that trouble looms, says Doug Duncan, chief economist of the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Rules for modifying loans can be vague, leading to legal disputes between servicers and investors. Changing the trust agreement can require the approval of the investors, who can be difficult to locate. Mr. Duncan says his group is meeting with investors, borrowers, lenders and community groups to find ways to overcome such obstacles and come up with ideas for new products aimed at troubled borrowers.

The rise in delinquencies has been steepest in markets that benefited heavily from the housing boom, including parts of California and Florida, according to Equifax and Moody's Economy.com. On an absolute basis, delinquencies are highest in areas such as Detroit-Livonia-Dearborn, Mich., and Brownsville-Harlingen, Texas, where employment has been weak.

In a sign that more borrowers are having trouble getting back on track, the number of mortgages in default climbed to 1.16 million on an annualized basis in the first quarter, from 900,000 last year. Lenders report defaults to credit bureaus when they begin the foreclosure process. Some borrowers refinance, go on a repayment plan or sell their home before the foreclosure is completed.

By Ruth Simon
From The Wall Street Journal Online

Email your comments to rjeditor@dowjones.com.

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Matching My Family's Lifestyle To the Design of Our Home

2007-04-30T16:10:00.001-04:00

Editor's Note: This is the sixth installment of "Teardown Diary," a feature by Wall Street Journal correspondent Nancy Keates. The column details her decision to demolish the Portland, Ore., home where she lives with her family and build anew. In the months ahead, she will chronicle what led to the decision, the financial costs, hiring an architect, knocking down her house, choosing the features of her new home and the final product.

According to the American Institute of Architects, there are five phases of design. The first is "Originate" -- which involves discussing and exploring the idea of the project and how to use an architect.

We have come to the end of the second phase, called "Focus": Refining a vision for the project. "Your architect leads you through a 'programming' exercise to help you explore the needs of those who will live, work or play in the space you create," says the AIA Web site.

For clients of our architect, Dave Giulietti of firm Giulietti Schouten of Portland, Ore., that exercise includes a questionnaire that arrives via email just before we go on a week's vacation. It starts out by asking about our reasons and goals. Readers of my previous columns know why we have started this adventure -- a horrendous floor plan, not enough room, heating issues, and so on.

Next I am to describe in as much detail as possible our "existing lifestyle and anticipated future goals or desired lifestyle." That means our work schedule, habits and hobbies. As I do this, I realize what a helpful exercise it is for the design process.

Every morning without fail -- and no matter what time he goes to bed the night before -- our almost-7-year-old son Vaughan gets up at 6 a.m. Using the bathroom, he inadvertently (or not) wakes up his brother Teddy, 5, who, depending on how much sleep he got the night before, can then become very cranky.

The clomping of the kids coming down the stairs wakes us up minutes later, since our bedroom is on the ground floor in between the stairs and the rest of the house. We have breakfast, and the kids are off to school at 7:20.

I work most of the day alone in the house's cramped, cold entryway. The boys arrive home and do homework, watch "Tom & Jerry," color or play with Legos; occasionally they make messy projects that get tape, staples, paper and glue everywhere. There's almost always a wild chase or two around the kitchen while I am cooking.

We eat dinner at the small round table in the family room that's squished in a corner. We'd prefer the dining table, but there's usually an ongoing Monopoly game at one end and my husband's work piled on the other. After dinner, the kids like to do more messy projects with Dave. They go to bed. We go to bed. A couple times a week Dave gets middle-of-the-night pages and/or phone calls that send him to work at the hospital.

Wouldn't it be great to have a room just for projects so the house is less messy? An office for Dave would allow us to eat on the dining room table. And a family room big enough for a table would be great for those never-ending games of Monopoly.

Our sleep problems could also be solved: If Vaughan's room was away from Teddy's and the bathroom was across the hall near the stairs, maybe Vaughan could wake up and get downstairs without waking up Teddy. If Dave could go from our room to the bathroom, to a walk-in closet that leads to his office and then out his office door down the stairs, maybe I could go back to sleep more quickly after he gets paged. I can't think of a design solution for getting him to work less -- but maybe if he had his own space here, he might do more at home.

The questionnaire takes a more taxing turn, when in a section called "Spatial Elements," it asks for an explanation, in as much detail as possible, of my perception of the rooms we want. "Try to use descriptive adjectives to express the feeling of the spaces you desire, rather than describing a physical appearance," it says. It provides some examples: "warm, romantic, open, secluded, inviting and functional."

Suddenly, I am spending late nights searching for choice words that will accurately define this imprecise vision. I panic and Google stories in home sections of newspapers for help. Finally, I settle on words like uncluttered, light, spacious, clean, colorful, inviting and warm, a mix of new and old, and authentic. Definitely not romantic -- that sounds like a kitschy B&B.

The last section asks for a description of each room in terms of specific requirements, "qualitative as well as quantitative," including a list of furnishings and equipment requirements. The example it gives is for the dining room: "I would like to serve dinner for four people with capability of serving eight. The room should have a view of the outdoors. It should be located near the kitchen, but I do not want visual contact with the food preparation area. It should have space for my antique cabinet, and my original Picasso should be in view. I would like built-in speakers for music while I dine."

That sounds good, so I copy most of it down (not the original Picasso part, of course). I even go so far as to describe the broom closet: "Room for vacuum, brooms, cleaning supplies, big mop and bucket -- and an efficient way to store all that."

The next phase, according to the AIA, is "Design." Then "Build" and then, finally, "Occupy." Oh to occupy!

By Nancy Keates

Join a reader discussion on the Teardown Diary discussion board.

-- Nancy Keates is a correspondent for The Wall Street Journal and lives in Portland, Ore.

Email your comments to teardowndiary@dowjones.com.

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Good Things To Ask Your Realtor

2007-01-24T14:05:00.000-05:00

When searching for a Realtor to assist you in the sale of your home, there are a few things that you should ask to ensure that your home will get the representation that it deserves. The real estate market is a competitive place and it is of paramount importance to find an agent that will go that extra mile to sell your home.

1. Do you work solo or in a team? Both of these have their advantages and disadvantages. Solo Realtors with fewer listings may be able to spend more time on your home and give you more personalized attention. Team Realtors can usually provide more diversified service due to the presence of other realty professionals. The most important aspect here is how you relate to the agent or team members.

2. Are you always available? A good Realtor should always be available in case an offer comes in, or to answer any questions that you may have.

3. How will my home be marketed? To stay competitive in today's market a Realtor needs to have access to the latest technology and marketing tools. Do they take out full page color ads in the local newspaper? How attractive and useful is their web site? How often will they hold open houses? All of these are integral elements in the art of selling a home and should never be overlooked.

4. How many homes have you sold? Always ask your Realtor about their track record. Knowing how many homes they have sold recently is a good indication of how they conduct their marketing and home sale strategy.

5. What kind of web presence do you have? Does your Realtor have a good web site? Web presence is a huge part of selling homes and most of the first views of your home will come from the internet.

6. Always ask for references. There is no better indication of your Agent's abilities than the testimonials of happy customers. Chances are if your Realtor can supply you with good references from many customers, then they can supply you and your home with the necessary attention.

About the Author

by M. Shane

REW Writers is a collective publication network facilitated by real estate community. This particular article was submitted on behalf of Lane Hornung, Denver Colorado real estate expert.

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Help Foreclosure Victims Keep Their Home and Buy More Houses

2007-01-24T14:04:00.002-05:00

Are you helping homeowners facing foreclosure keep their home? If you aren't, you are failing as an investor and could be walking away from a personally rewarding experience and long-term financial growth.

How often do you contact preforeclosures and hear homeowners say, "I want to keep my home?" Most of the homeowners you meet have invested most of their hard earned money into purchasing and maintaining their home. Homeownership is the "American Dream." As an investor, shouldn't you also be helping homeowners maintain that dream?

Based on years of research, SaveMeFromForeclosure.com has found that 8 out of 10 homeowners facing foreclosure just want to keep their home. So how can you help them? There are many ways you can help individuals save their home and their credit.

First, you can speak to homeowners about the possibility of refinancing. Remember that they need ample time before the foreclosure date, and enough equity in their property to refinance. Credit scores are a large part of getting qualified for a loan, the more payments the homeowner has missed, the more difficult it will be for them to qualify for a loan. The homeowner will also have to come out of pocket to pay for an appraisal and a credit report, at a minimum, with no guarantee of the loan getting closed.

If refinancing isn't an option you could offer loss mitigation services. This is where you can negotiate with their existing lender to restructure their loan. During this process you will help the homeowner understand their expenses against their income. You will be able to tell the homeowner whether they can realistically afford to keep their home. Once you determine that the homeowner can afford to keep their home you, or a reputable outsourced company, can work to negotiate with their lender on their behalf.

Finally, and as a last resort, you could help the homeowner find a bankruptcy attorney who could determine whether filing bankruptcy would allow the homeowner to stay in their home. You should remind the homeowner that a bankruptcy will be on their permanent financial record, and that you're not an attorney and therefore can't give any legal advice.

After you have walked thru these options with homeowners you can determine which course of action could be most effective for keeping their homes. Oftentimes homeowners have reasons to want to get out of their home quickly and avoid a foreclosure with the least amount of work and risk. For these people selling to an investor may be their best option. But by now you have also provided the homeowner with real options for staying in their home.

The last thing you want to be sure to offer the homeowner is advice on improving their credit and assistance in obtaining credit repair services. The number one thing you can do to help homeowners is to help them stop a foreclosure followed by assisting them in getting back on track financially. Poor credit can and will continue to haunt the preforeclosure homeowner until they do something proactively to correct the problem. As an investor you must provide this help in some way or another.

About the Author

Dreama Towe Lee is the Co-Founder and President of SaveMeFromForeclosure.com, LLC. She owns and operates several real estate, foreclosure prevention and marketing businesses throughout the U.S. and Canada. Prior to becoming a real estate investor and foreclosure prevention expert, she worked in policy and public relations in the Federal government in Washington, DC. Ms. Lee holds a Bachelors of Arts in Foreign Affairs from The University of VA.

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Selling Your Home Fast

2007-01-24T14:04:00.001-05:00

You may think that business schools are not for you, but don't dismiss them so easily. Even after you receive a four-year degree, you may find that this is something you want to do. You dont have to enroll for a full degree at a business school, sometimes you can just take a few courses that you need, and then be on your way. If you want to know how to run a computer, learn shorthand, or want to know the ins and outs of running a travel agency, business schools can be just what you need.

A few years after I finished college, I found that I just wasn't happy with the direction my career was going. I made some phone calls, and looked at some of the business schools in my area. I thought perhaps business schools were just for secretaries and travel agents, but I soon found a program that offered me computer training. Since I was very interested in working with computers, this was just what I needed. A year later, I had a diploma degree and the first job I truly enjoyed.

Business schools are great in many regards. The programs are usually one or two years long, and you can have your choice of what classes you want to take. They also have flexible schedules, and you can take your classes strictly at night if you have a day job like I did. Not only that, you have the same financial aid opportunities that you get with a college or university.

If you feel your career is in a rut, you may just need a few courses to get you moving again. This may help you land a promotion, or give you a new direction in your career. If you aren't even sure what you are looking for, but feel the need to expand your education, have a look the business schools in your area to see what they have to offer. All you have to do is give them a ring, and you will be connected with someone who can help you decide what is best for you, and what your options are going to be should you decide to go.

Today, you can even find business schools online, and you may be able to complete your courses from the comfort of your own home. Some courses can't be completed this way, but you may find that some of the ones you want can be done with the use of your computer screen and your modem exclusively. Even if you don't need any career help, you may be surprised how wonderful it feels to learn something new at any age.

About the Author

by John Pawlett

Sales At Home is an informative resources site on everything Home Business related. Find out how Sales At Home can expand your horizons.

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Pitfalls of "For Sale By Owner"

2007-01-24T14:04:00.000-05:00

If you have decided to sell your home, you have probably realized that there is more than one way to go about it. In recent years there has been much talk about the FSBO, or "for sale by owner" method of selling. Unfortunately there are some definite disadvantages to selling your home without the aid of a trained professional. Many of these disadvantages are related to the actual "legwork" involved in the process that is normally handled by a Realtor. There are a number of aspects involved in the sale of a home with the FSBO method where owners can find themselves at a loss, literally.

One of the best assets that a Realtor or agent can offer is the surety of showing your home to qualified buyers. A agent knows that showing a home to unqualified buyers can be a waste of time for themselves and for the home seller. For this reason agents concern themselves primarily with buyers who have been pre-approved for financing. Many people who have sold their own homes have gotten the sale process tied up by a buyer who cannot secure proper financing. A contract should never be drawn up until the pre-qualification ha been verified.

Another area where owners can find themselves overwhelmed is in the actual contract negotiation. Realtors and agents are trained in the execution of contracts and paperwork related to the sale of a home. This process can be amazingly complex and requires the services of attorneys, title or escrow agencies, and notaries. Contracts can be a time consuming and frustrating things to deal with properly. Are you confident enough in your ability to ensure that all aspects of the contract are correct to put your home on the line? This is not to say that it cannot be done, and done properly, simply that the process is streamlined and facilitated by a trained professional.

Remember, unless your home sells, the agent does not profit. It is in their best interests to ensure that your home sells quickly and for the best profit possible. And they can save the owner much time and heartache if things do not go as planned.

About the Author

by Tyler Fawcett

REW Writers is a collective publication network facilitated by Real Estate Webmasters each article is contributed by a member of our real estate community. This particular article was submitted on behalf of Specialists Real Estate, your Las Vegas realty professionals.

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Why Won't My Home Sell?

2007-01-24T14:03:00.000-05:00

Selling a property can often seem like a hit and miss proposition in today's real estate market. If you find you are missing a lot, you need to figure out why.

The real estate market is the ultimate roller coaster ride for buyers and sellers. For buyers, it is all downhill until they finally find the home that fits their needs and desires. Sometimes it seems like it will never happen and then suddenly they find it. With sellers, the process works the other way. It is all uphill until the magic moment happens. A seller has to deal with lookie loos and other stragglers that may create the impression there are no serious buyers out there. In worse case scenarios, you might get no interest at all. If you are going through this state as a seller, you need to consider why your home won't sell.

Most homes fail to sell for three primary reasons - price, appearance and exposure. Let's take a closer look.

The recent sellers' market is over. You need to understand and accept this. You can no longer just list your home at any old price and get an offer. The demand simply isn't there any more. You need to go back to traditional approaches, which means sizing up the market in your neighborhood. What are other homes selling for? How does your home measure up to them. Try to be objective when doing this analysis and defining the correct listing price for your home. If you can't stomach selling for the lower price, pull the property from the market and sit on it until things improve.

Our second reason is appearance. Appearance refers to curb appeal and how your home shows. This is a fairly simple thing to fix. First, get the yard and landscaping in shape. Second, make sure your home is spic and span when people come to see it. Clean, clean and then clean some more! For a helpful hint, bake something that smells delicious when prospective buyers are coming over. Trust me, it helps.

With exposure, we are referring to your marketing. Build it and they will come may have worked in a movie, but it does not in real estate. Stick up signs. List it in the paper. List it online. Make sure it is in MLS. Tell everyone and anyone you are selling. Carry fliers with you so you can hand them out if anyone shows interest. The property is no longer your home. It is a product to be sold. Market it as such.

While we are in the middle of a slow real estate market, it does not mean sales are not occurring. If you are not having any luck, make some by addressing the three issues above.

About the Author

Raynor James is with FSBOAmerica.org - learn to sell my home and save money on real estate agent commissions.

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Should I Use a Real Estate For a New Home Purchase?Should I Use a Real Estate For a New Home Purchase?

2006-12-16T19:08:00.000-05:00

I am often asked, "should I use a real estate agent when purchasing a new home from a builder"? The short answer is an absolute Yes! In many states, home builders encourage real estate agents to show and sell their new homes! However, the real estate agent must be with you on your first visit to the site.

Why do you need a real estate agent for a new home purchase?

Because the site salesperson is representing the builder, not you! This disclosure is in the sales contact which you will be required to sign, acknowledging that you have no representation. Most home builders have pledged themselves to a 'Single Price Policy', which means that their published prices shall be the same whether sold by the builder or a real estate agent. You will not pay more when you use your own real estate agent to represent you.

Additionally, the real estate agent will represent you and their primary responsibility is to protect you and your interests. They can give you unbiased information on neighborhoods, schools, nearby shopping, dining and entertainment.

Did you know the advertised price is not always the final price?

Depending on market conditions, new home prices are often times negotiable. This is even more true today because of the changing market conditions of the last year or so. Builders must turn inventory and they are increasingly more flexible than ever.

Want slate countertops or marble floor tile for free?

Hiring an experienced agent, one who has a successful track record, can help negotiate a better price, discounted upgrades, and more. In actuality, upgrades are not free, but it is possible, with a good negotiator, to get a lot of them thrown in as an incentive.

Hiring a real estate agent will not only save you money,they will help provide you piece of mind too. Give one a call today.

To find out more information about this article visit Tucson Real Estate

About the Author

Scott James Hubbard - A Tucson Arizona REALTOR®

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Preparing Homes for Sale by Getting Rid of Linoleum

2006-12-16T19:07:00.002-05:00

Renovating your home, or just preparing your home for sale? How to get rid of the existing linoleum? Like all things renovation wise, it can be a tough job, but that doesn't mean you have to immediately drag in the professionals. You can do it yourself, and take all the praise later.

Linoleum floor can be clingy. And the difficulty in removing it depends on its age and how it is fixed to your floor. If your current linoleum is still in good shape, with almost unnoticeable cracks, and soundly fixed to your floor, you can leave it in place and just cover it up with your new floor material. If you think that's cheating though, and you don't want your real estate buyers discovering the cover-up later, then just remove the linoleum and start from scratch.

This will take sweat on your part. Once you get the linoleum up, you'll have to deal with its adhesive material. The best tip when removing linoleum is to work in small sections. Cut the linoleum in workable sized strips or squares as you go and then peel them off. Not only will you remove the majority of the surface layer of linoleum but it will help you in getting to the adhesive as well.

You can further attack the adhesive using a paint scraper or razor blade scraper. The razor blades work much easier, although hard stubborn adhesive and concrete floors take several blades as they blunt eventually. Now that you've removed the majority of the linoleum and its backing, you can proceed with the applying a solvent or chemical remover. Make sure you follow instructions and read the warnings on the label, and wear skin and eye protection, such as gloves and glasses. Again, proceed by doing small sections at a time.

If you prefer not working with chemicals, a low-cost method of adhesive removal involves just boiling water. Pour directly on the remaining adhesive, in small sections, allow it to set a bit, and then scrape.

If you are working with hardwood floors and are worried about damaging it, simply remove the adhesive and remaining backing with a hair dryer or heat gun. Since hardwood floors are highlights in real estates for sale nowadays, it's all the more reason for you to proceed with caution. Try a test area such as in the pantry. Simply use the hair dryer to heat up the adhesive and then scrape.

Don't scrape against the grain of the wood because this will result in hot and sticky debris. Also, make sure you have a heat resistant container ready for the clean up. If you're using a heat gun, make sure you don't apply too much heat or else you burn the wood. Remember, the rule of thumb is: work in small sections, apply the heat in a moving motion versus static, and scrape each area as you go.

When working with concrete your goal is to remove 100% of the adhesive. But with hardwood floors, simply remove what you can then clean the area by vacuuming or sweeping the debris.

After you've successfully removed the backing, lightly sand or damp-mop the area using mineral spirits or a similar product to prepare the floor for its new finish. Now, your real estate property boasts of a new, elegant, and sensible floor--all because of you. And it's now ready to be listed in the online real estate market.

http://realestate.ozfreeonline.com

About the Author

by Neoli Marcos loves reading and writing.

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Real Estate Negotiation - Three Techniques

2006-12-16T19:07:00.001-05:00

The following are some simple real estate negotiation techniques to try the next time you buy a home or investment property.

Using The Power Of Expertise

I was looking at a house once with an agent who knew building codes and construction costs. He had suggestions for converting the basement into livable space. He knew what size windows would make it legal, and how much it would cost. He had other good suggestions. In fact, he was so helpful with his expertise that it was easy to forget that his job was to sell the place to me at the highest price he could get.

That is the power of expertise. To use it when you are buying a house, have expert opinions ready. For example, if you might get the realtor to show the seller the official statistics for "days on the market" for listed homes, so he'll feel motivated to sell. Carry an expert's magazine article on the costs of maintaining old houses when you go to look at that Victorian home. If you know about roofing, point out any flaws to a seller.

Use Time And Other Investments

Money is not the only investment people make. Time, effort, and reputation are some of the other things that are invested in a negotiation. Nobody likes to lose what they invest, and using that fact gives you power - if you use it.

For example, if you are hoping to get a major price reduction, spend an hour or two talking to the seller. Only then should you make your low offer. He's less likely to walk away than if you made the offer five minutes after you got there.

The sellers decide what they want to invest into a negotiation, whether it is time, trouble, money, or whatever. You decide when to reveal your needs, demands or requests. If you can, wait until they have made some investment.

Real Estate Negotiation By Not Caring

Generally, he (or he) who cares least has the most power in a negotiation. I was once selling a piece of land, and the buyer drove a long way to meet with me. One of the first things she said was, "The price seems kind of high. Why are you asking so much?" I honestly answered, "I guess because it's such a beautiful property that I really don't care if I sell it or not." She paid full price.

The appearance of not being too concerned or anxious will help a lot. The most power, however, is in truly not needing to worry about the deal too much. To that end, try to line up other options beforehand. You may even want to mention these options during the negotiations. "You have a beautiful home, but the other three we are looking at are selling for a little less, so I'm not sure..."

Of course, a seller might mention that there are others coming to look at the place the next day. He might act unconcerned about selling, as I did in the example above. All of these real estate negotiation techniques are useful for buying AND selling. As a buyer, keep this in mind, so you know when they are being used by the seller. The lack of concern may be real, or it may just be a ploy.

About the Author

Steve Gillman wrote the book: Cheap Homes - How To Save Thousands Buying Your Next House. To learn more, and to see a photo of the beautiful home he and his wife bought for $17,500, visit http://www.YourCheapHome.com

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Tips For Your Real Estate Finance and Investment Strategy

2006-12-16T19:07:00.000-05:00

You may have decided you would like to start investing in property but you are not exactly sure how to go about it. One thing you should do before you begin is to research the financing options that may be available to you.

Most people, when they first begin their endeavor with property investing, find that financing is their only means of purchasing property. The following is some information regarding real estate financing and investment strategy that may be beneficial to you.

When you hear the term "leverage" applied to real estate financing and investment, you will find that this term simply means to use borrowed money for financing your property investment. Your initial investment will be the money that you use for a down payment.

In order for this leverage to be beneficial in your real estate finance and investment strategy, you will want to secure the borrowed money at a low-interest rate and make sure the term of the loan is over the longest period of time that is possible. This is to avoid yourself from being tied up in the property and having least money for your own or other investment usage.

You do have to remember, however, that the risk of your investment is tied in directly with leverage. If you place a small down payment on the property, the leverage is high and the ratio of the amount owed to the value of the property is high, making the property a high risk. The more money you put as a down payment on the property, the lower the leverage and the lower the risk.

Many, in their real estate financing and investment strategy, use pyramiding to acquire more properties. What this simply means is that you are using the equity on one property to help you purchase another.

For example, you purchase a property for $100,000 by making a down payment of $20,000 and borrowing $80,000. The properties value at the time of the purchase is $110,000. Six months later, you have a positive cash flow of $1,000 a month on the property and its value has increased by $40,000 due to your renovations. You now have equity of approximately $70,000 or more in the property.

You take out a home equity loan of $30,000 and this is used for the down payment of another investment property. This is also known as pyramiding and is a real estate finance and investment strategy used by many.

Pyramiding through sale is also another real estate finance and investment strategy used by many, as well. In this method, when your property's value has increased, you sell instead of taking out a home equity loan.

In the example above, if the same property was sold for its value of $150,000, you would use the money to pay off the initial loan of $80,000, deduct your initial investment of $20,000, what you have paid in interest and principal, as well as the cost of renovations, to discover you've made a profit of approximately $25,000 to $30,000 in a matter of a six-month period. This money can then be used as a down payment on another property.

Before you begin investing in property, it is crucial to understand what real estate finance and investment strategy you plan to use. However, it is also important to understand that property investment comes with risk. Research the facts and figures before you make any decision with your real estate finance and investment strategy.

About the Author

by Casey Yew

Get Your Real Estate Investment Guide for Your Success Now. Learn More About Fundamentals, Financial Model and Investment Tips of Property Investment. Find Out Which Real Estate Investment Strategy Gives You Good Return.

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When A Tenant Won't Pay Rent On Time

2006-12-16T19:06:00.000-05:00

If you have been a landlord for longer than a year, chances are you have run across a tenant who does not pay rent on time or worse, doesn't pay the rent at all. This is a common problem for landlords and the best way to handle it is to be firm, fair and consistent with this problem tenant.

We have all experienced it. Rent is due on the first; here we are on the third and still no check. You call the tenant who tells you that "the car has broken down and needs to be fixed so I can work" or "my check doesn't clear until Monday, I'll have it for you then". Monday comes and you hear "I'll have the money on Wednesday for sure".

As soon as you let the tenant start calling the shots, they won't stop. Next month they will remember the power that you have relinquished and will stretch rent collection out all over again.

How should you deal with this tenant? There are several steps you can take to help them get the rent to you on time, every month.

The first step you can take is to be firm is from the start. When you sign the lease with a new tenant inform them that the rent is due on the first of the month and they will be paying late fees for every day the rent is late. Tell them that communication is key and to call you if the are going to be late with the rent. It's up to you if you are going to give them a grace period or waive late fees the first time rent is late if it's not habitual. This way you are the one calling the shots, not the tenant.

The second step is to enforce late fees every month. Tenants hate to pay extra rent and when they know you are going to charge them $5 every day the rent is late they will make every effort to get that rent to you on time. Charging late fees and more importantly enforcing late fees also takes some of the stress out of not having that rent in hand. You know you are making $5 extra per day and if they don't pay the fee immediately you can deduct it from their deposit at any time. Be sure to inform them you made this deduction and don't let the security deposit go to low using this method.

The third step is, when the rent is 2-3 days late, issue a 10 day notice to pay rent or quit. It doesn't matter how nice this tenant is, or how great your report is with this tenant. This gives you the OPTION to file for repossession. Chances are they will pay you before you have to repossess the apartment but incase they don't pay you, you can file after 10 days. A lot of landlords wait too long to issue this 10 day notice. By the time they want to start the legal path, the tenant will have 10 additional days before the landlord can file to repossess the apartment because of the requirement to deliver the 10 day notice.

The fourth step is to leverage the power you have over the tenant's rental history by reporting them to any or all of the different credit bureaus and tenant databases. To report to the credit bureau you need to pay for membership to a service that can submit this for you. To report them to the Deadbeat Database you need to join their website which costs about $70. Finally, the free option is to join the FreeLandlordSoftware.com which gives you access to a database for landlords to post and browse tenant rental histories for free. Whichever option you choose, you should inform the tenant of your intention and this may encourage the tenant to pay what they owe you.

Remember, you are the one with the control. It is your property and it's up to you to protect your investment. When you apply the pressure to pay the rent early in the process, you can always ease up after you are paid. When you wait for the tenant to string you along, you give up the control and you are the one that will loose.

I encourage you to check out the free services available to landlords at www.FreeLandlordSoftware.com. Membership is always free.

Remember, be firm, fair and consistent with your tenants and you will always keep your losses at a minimum.

About the Author

Corey Bornmann is a Real Estate Investor, Landlord and Web Designer. He has managed properties in central Pennsylvania since 2003. Corey is also the owner of www.FreeLandlordSoftware.com, a website that provides free resources for landlords including tenant rental history database, web-based management software, articles and more.

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How Do You Find A House?

2006-11-20T14:17:00.000-05:00

Are you searching for your dream house? Are you waiting for a listing? Are you looking a newspaper for a best house? Did you find a good real estate agent?

You may search in any of the above option. Through any of the process you may find your dream house. Within the limited time, you can search your house using the following steps.

* To search your home, take the real estate guides and books, refer to newspaper and browse in the online to find the area you are interested in. This searching helps you to know the area available for sale and also in what place you would like to live on. This is just a process which guides you to learn more information regarding your house.

* Then, decide the requirements you are needed in your house. It is an important thing because everybody has certain expectation in their house. You can start with the requirement that satisfy your needs. As per your budget you can increase your requirements you wanted. Feel free while your real estate agent calls upon you. The customer has to list the requirement wanted and they have to mention the price list to suit their budget.

* Next, choose the best real estate agent. If you are not sure then ask them a variety of queries which satisfies you. If you feel that particular agent is an ideal one for your project, you can call upon him. By listening to the advertisement also you can choose the best real estate agents who have a good publicity in the market who buy and sell ideal houses. They are the one who guides you in very aspect.

* When you have time, ask your real estate agent to show many number of houses in a day which match your criteria. The home listed, should be based on your desire. Also mention to the real estate agent to list the houses that are found in the newspaper and in the online.

* When you are ready to watch the houses which have been listed, make sure that the particular house matches your criteria. At first come around every house which has been listed, then select the house which relate to your desire. When you know the details regarding the houses, we can then decide whether you can select or not. If you to decide to buy a house in the city first, set the steps, before the agent start to list the house.

* Select the agent specifically that he is a buyer's agent. Then only he can list the houses which are for sale.

Once you have selected a good agent, you can find your dream house as per your desire. If you pay to the agent properly, then he lists the houses as per your requirements. Good negotiating on the part of the agent makes him a familiar personality.

About the Author

Ron Victor is a SEO copywriter for We buy homes cash.He written many articles in various topics like Sell your house fast. For more information visit We buy home fast .Conta

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How to buy houses under their true value

2006-11-20T14:16:00.000-05:00

Let's get one thing clear & out in the open immediately, in order for you to buy houses below their real open market value - someone has to have a very good reason to sell it to you at a loss to them.

I call it trading on adversity, someone must have a situation or problem they cannot solve on their own and they must have confidence in you that you can provide at least part of the answer before they will deal with you on the terms you need.

Some of the reasons are:

Financial hardship
Domestic break-up
Urgent Relocation
Retirement
Bereavement

There are long established trade secrets, tactics, methods and personal qualities which you must have, guidelines you need to become laser guided towards finding cheap undervalued houses.

The easiest and quickest profit you are ever going to make in buying and selling houses is when you buy them, it is the time the seller is the most motivated and eager to complete the transaction.

But beware, if you can smell a quick profit it will be a time where you can also become too enthusiastic for the deal. You might overlook something or be tempted to improve your offer if the deal is looking like it might not happen.

The answer is to have as many target houses as possible at the same time that you are negotiating for, you do this by saturating your target area with the knowledge that you are in the market.

You must also have strict guidelines for the minimum and maximum figures you will consider and stick to them. You must write your financial rules down and compare every house you look at according to the ratios you have calculated to give you the profit you feel is worth pursuing.

Remember it is no good at all to be completing lots of deals but making little or no money. Even though you will feel like you are missing deals because they do not fit your criteria you will make more money with less effort by finding as many potential deals as possible but only doing the deals which match your written rules and which provide you with enough profit.

Although you will be trading on someone's adversity this does not mean they need to feel bad about the deal.

You should always try to find ways to make the seller feel good about finding a solution to their problem. Try to find a deal whereby each party has some goodwill to the other and both feel that they have received the best value under the circumstances.

About the Author

Hi My name is Carl Henry, I have been involved in Real Estate & Property trading for 28 years. If this subject is of interest to you you may find my ebook "21 Golden Rules For Success in the UK Property Industry" helpful, available at http://www.com1com.com/060917succeed/

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Top 7 Mistakes Rookie Real Estates Agent Make

2006-11-20T14:15:00.001-05:00

Every time I talk to someone about my business and career, it always comes up that "they've thought about getting into real estate" or know someone who has. With so many people thinking about getting into real estate, and getting into real estate - why aren't there more successful Realtors in the world? Well, there's only so much business to go around, so there can only be so many Real Estate Agents in the world. I feel, however, that the inherent nature of the business, and how different it is from traditional careers, makes it difficult for the average person to successfully make the transition into the Real Estate Business. As a Broker, I see many new agents make their way into my office - for an interview, and sometimes to begin their careers. New Real Estate Agents bring a lot of great qualities to the table - lots of energy and ambition - but they also make a lot of common mistakes. Here are the 7 top mistakes rookie Real Estate Agents Make.

1) No Business Plan or Business Strategy So many new agents put all their emphasis on which Real Estate Brokerage they will join when their shiny new license comes in the mail. Why? Because most new Real Estate Agents have never been in business for themselves - they've only worked as employees. They, mistakenly, believe that getting into the Real Estate business is "getting a new job." What they're missing is that they're about to go into business for themselves. If you've ever opened the doors to ANY business, you know that one of the key ingredients is your business plan. Your business plan helps you define where you're going, how you're getting there, and what it's going to take for you to make your real estate business a success. Here are the essentials of any good business plan:

A) Goals - What do you want? Make them clear, concise, measurable, and achievable.

B) Services You Provide - you don't want to be the "jack of all trades & master of none" - choose residential or commercial, buyers/sellers/renters, and what area(s) you want to specialize in. New residential real estate agents tend to have the most success with buyers/renters and then move on to listing homes after they've completed a few transactions.

C) Market - who are you marketing yourself to?

D) Budget - consider yourself "new real estate agent, inc." and write down EVERY expense that you have - gas, groceries, cell phone, etc... Then write down the new expenses you're taking on - board dues, increased gas, increased cell usage, marketing (very important), etc...

E) Funding - how are you going to pay for your budget w/ no income for the first (at least) 60 days? With the goals you've set for yourself, when will you break even?

F) Marketing Plan - how are you going to get the word out about your services? The MOST effective way to market yourself is to your own sphere of influence (people you know). Make sure you do so effectively and systematically.

2) Not Using the Best Possible Closing Team They say the greatest businesspeople surround themselves with people that are smarter than themselves. It takes a pretty big team to close a transaction - Buyer's Agent, Listing Agent, Lender, Insurance Agent, Title Officer, Inspector, Appraiser, and sometimes more! As a Real Estate Agent, you are in the position to refer your client to whoever you choose, and you should make sure that anyone you refer in will be an asset to the transaction, not someone who will bring you more headache. And the closing team you refer in, or "put your name to," are there to make you shine! When they perform well, you get to take part of the credit because you referred them into the transaction.

The deadliest duo out there is the New Real Estate Agent & New Mortgage Broker. They get together and decide that, through their combined marketing efforts, they can take over the world! They're both focusing on the right part of their business - marketing - but they're doing each other no favors by choosing to give each other business. If you refer in a bad insurance agent, it might cause a minor hiccup in the transaction - you make a simple phone call and a new agent can bind the property in less than an hour. However, because it typically takes at least two weeks to close a loan, if you use an inexperienced lender, the result can be disastrous! You may find yourself in a position of "begging for a contract extension," or worse, being denied a contract extension.

A good closing team will typically know more than their role in the transaction. Due to this, you can turn to them with questions, and they will step in (quietly) when they see a potential mistake - because they want to help you, and in return receive more of your business. Using good, experienced players for your closing team will help you infinitely in conducting business worthy of MORE business...and best of all, it's free!

3) Not Arming Themselves with the Necessary Tools Getting started as a Real Estate Agent is expensive. In Texas, the license alone is an investment that will cost between $700 and $900 (not taking into account the amount of time you'll invest.) However, you'll run into even more expenses when you go to arm yourself with the necessary tools of the trade. And don't fool yourself - they are necessary - because your competitors are definitely using every tool to help THEM.

A) MLS Access is probably the most expensive necessity you're going to run into. Joining your local (and state & national, by default) Board of Realtors will allow you to pay for MLS access, and in Austin, Texas, will run around $1000. However, don't skimp in this area. Getting MLS access is one of the most important things you can do. It's what differentiates us from your average salesman - we don't sell homes, we present any of the homes that we have available. With MLS Access, you will have 99% of the homes for sale in your area available to present to your clients.

B) Mobile Phone w/ a Beefy Plan - These days, everyone has a cell phone. But not everyone has a plan that will facilitate the level of use that Real Estate Agents need. Plan on getting at least 2000 minutes per month. You want, and need, to be available to your clients 24/7 - not just nights and weekends.

C) Computer (Preferably a Laptop) - There's no way around it, you have to have a computer & be savvy enough to use email. You would be wise to invest in some business management software, as well. If you'd like to save some money (and who wouldn't) then you can get the client & email management software Thunderbird from www.mozilla.com and you can get a free office suite from www.openoffice.org The only downside to these programs is that they do not sync with your PDA or Smart Phone. A Laptop is a BIG plus because you'll be able to work from home or on the go. New Real Estate Agents are often surprised by just how much time they spend AWAY from the office, and a laptop helps you stay on top of your work while on the go.

D) Real Estate Friendly Car - You don't have to have a Lexus, but your Miata won't do the trick. Make sure that you have a 4 door car or SUV that is comfortable and presentable. Keep it clean, and for God's sake, don't smoke in it! You're going to spend a LOT of time in your car, and put a lot of miles on it, so if it's fuel efficient, it's a BIG plus. If you're driving a sporty convertible, or still have your KILLER Jeep from college, it's time to trade it in.

4) Lack of Proper Funding If you've taken the time to create your business plan, than you should definitely have your budget, but I can't stress enough the importance of having and following your budget. However, the budget alone doesn't address the important aspect of funding. 90% of all small businesses fail due to lack of funding. Typically, new agents will want to have 3 months of reserves in savings before taking the leap into full time agency. However, money in the bank isn't the only way to answer the question of funding. Maybe your partner can support you for a certain period of time. You can keep a part-time job that won't interfere with your business as a Real Estate Agent. Many successful waiters make the transition to successful real estate agents with no money in the bank. When you start your new business, don't expect to earn any income for, at the least, 60 days.

5) Refusing to Spend Money on Marketing Most new Real Estate Agents don't realize that the hardest part of the business is finding the business. Furthermore, they've just shelled out around $2000 for their license and board dues, so the LAST thing they want to do is to spend more money! Again, the problem lies in the lack of understanding that you've just jumped into the Real Estate Business, you haven't taken a new job. And any good businessperson will tell you that how much business you GET is directly correlative to how much you SPEND on marketing. If you choose the right brokerage, then you will get some good inbound leads. However, don't neglect a good, personal marketing campaign from the beginning to get your own name out as the Real Estate Agent to go to.

6) Not Focusing Their Marketing Efforts in the Most Effective Areas One reason why many new Real Estate Agents who do begin spending money on personal marketing stop is because they spend it in the wrong place. The easiest place, and where conventional Real Estate tells you to spend your money, is in conventional print marketing - the newspaper, real estate magazines, etc... This is the most visible place to see real estate advertising, it's where large offices spend a good part of their money, and so many new agents mistakenly spend their money here. This becomes very frustrating to new agents because of its low return. Large brokerages can afford to spend their money here because they're filling two needs - they're marketing their own properties for sale while creating new buyer traffic for their buyer's agents. New Real Estate Agents should look to their own sphere of influence and referral marketing to see the most effective return on their investment. An agent can spend as little as $100/month marketing to their family, friends, and colleagues and see an incredible return. There are many great referral systems around that all focus on the same premise - that if you consistently market yourself to your sphere of influence as the Real Estate Agent to go to - then you will get more business. The key is to pick a system and to follow that system. You will see results.

7) Choosing the Wrong Brokerage for the Wrong Reasons New Real Estate Agents choose their new broker for a variety of reasons - they have a good reputation, they offer the most competitive split, the office is close to their house, etc... While these alone aren't bad reasons to choose a broker, they aren't going to do a lot to help you in your success. The #1 reason to choose a broker, and the question to ask is, "What do you offer your new agents." If the answer is, "The most competitive split in town" you should definitely keep looking. Remember, 100% of $0 is still $0. If you're leaning towards the largest broker in town, who has a great reputation, remember this: You're starting a BUSINESS not a JOB. While it might be fantastic to brag to your friends about landing a job at a prestigious company, it's no accomplishment to hang your license on the same wall in the same office as other successful agents.

Your #1 concern when interviewing new Brokers is what they offer you as a new agent. Do they have incoming leads? What does their training program consist of? What's their retention level? What's their average sales price? Do they encourage their agents to promote themselves? A Broker's purpose is to help new agents start successful careers and to help established Agents progress their careers to the next level. As a new agent, concern yourself less with commission split or agency name and more with specific programs and agency standards.

A new career in Real Estate is very exciting. Starting a Real Estate business provides the new Agent with opportunities for limitless potential and freedom. New Agents have a notoriously high failure rate, however, so a new Real Estate career can also be a very scary prospect. However, if you avoid the 7 Top Mistakes Rookie Real Estate Agents Make, then you'll be far ahead of the competition!

About the Author

Eric Bramlett Austin Texas Real Estate is Broker/Owner of One Source Realty in Austin, Texas. He has seen considerable success in real estate, and looks forward to many more years in the business.

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Trouble Meeting Your Mortgage Payments?

2006-11-20T14:15:00.000-05:00

As the housing market loses value and interest rates go up, many people are getting a nasty surprise. Simply put, they are having trouble meeting their mortgage payments.

Trouble Meeting Your Mortgage Payments?

In the recent smoking hot real estate market, the conditions were perfect for buyers and sellers alike. Buyers were presented with unbelievably low interest rates. This, of course, meant they could borrow large amounts of money at incredibly low costs. For sellers, this abundance of cash created a tremendous sellers' market with even unremarkable homes flying off the shelf as fast as they were listed.

The question for many during this period was whether the low interest rates and high home prices were creating the seeds of disaster for many. While times were great, what would happen when the market returned to normal parameters? Well, we are starting to find out.

If you are involved in the real estate market, you already know that home prices are pulling back and interest rates are rising. For people that purchased a home in the last year or so, this is not a good situation. They bought at the top of the market and have little equity in their property. At the same time, they borrowed money on low teaser interest rates that are now increasing to the point they can't afford the monthly payment. Unfortunately, the pull back in home values means they often don't have equity they can access to pay the bills.

If you are having problems meeting your mortgage obligations, the first step is not to stick your head in the ground. You need to deal with the situation or your lender will deal with you. In this case, we are talking foreclosure and booting you out of the house. If you sit on your butt and hope, you are not going to be saved. You must act.

The obvious step to take if you are in a bad situation is to sell the house. Is this an ideal choice? Probably not, but do you really have any other option? If you can price the house and pull at least some equity out of it, this option definitely beats defaulting on your loan. If you default, your credit will be a nightmare and it will be a very long time before you can qualify for a loan again.

If you have little equity in your house, you may be surprised you are actually in a better position when it comes to dealing with your lender. First and foremost, the lender does not want the house so it is very unlikely to proceed with foreclosure. Instead, the lender is going to grumble, but should agree to a forbearance agreement. This agreement cuts your mortgage payments in half or eliminates them entirely for a period of time. If you took out student loans to go to college, they were in forbearance while you were actually in school since you could not repay them. The same thing works with real estate. Taking this step can help buy your time to sell the house or come up with some alternative plan for making the payments.

The heyday of the recent hot real estate market is over. Many people are finding themselves in deep trouble when it comes to meeting mortgage obligations. If this is your situation, do not procrastinate. Take action to avoid a nightmare.

About the Author

Raynor James is with FSBOAmerica.org - providing information on mortgage loans for buyers.

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Home Owners and House Signs

2006-11-20T14:14:00.000-05:00

As a maker of house signs it never ceases to amaze me at how few home owners consider the importance of having a decent house sign on their homes. We are told that first impressions are the most important, well consider this, the first thing a new visitor to your home will probably see will be your house sign.

Take a walk down any street and you will see a remarkable variety of house signs and what I can only describe as non house signs. I recently wandered through my village taking note of the house signs adorning the various properties. It is a small fairly prosperous place, the houses for the most part reflect this. They are on average well maintained and most have well cared for gardens showing every sign of having reasonably house proud owners.

However, the number of homes with frankly, tatty house signs is astonishing! I saw house signs made of plywood and written with felt tip, old wooden signs so worn and sad they were unreadable, a house name painted on a concrete building block in a very shaky hand! One cast resin sign had some of its letters missing and one, with the name of a farm written on cardboard! Fully half of the houses in the village have signs that in no way reflects the quality of the properties.

Our village is not unusual. The sad fact is that many home owners just don't consider a house sign as being important. This is poor thinking for many reasons. Let us for the moment put aside the aesthetic reasons and consider the practical downside.

We are all doing more of our shopping on the internet, these goods have to be delivered, your local postman knows his route and will usually deliver to the right address no matter what the state of the house sign but drivers for private delivery firms and even Parcelforce often spend hours every day trying to find badly signed houses in long roads.

This is not only inconvenient, its harming the environment! The extra fuel burned driving up and down and the hot air generated by all the foul language must be punching great holes in the ozone layer!

Also if ever you have the misfortune to call for one of the emergency services you will be less than pleased if the paramedics can't find you with the defibrillator, or the burglar escapes before the police can find your house!

The aesthetic reasons are also pretty compelling, you may have spent thousands on improving and decorating your home, you have maintained the exterior of your property and paid that landscape gardener a small fortune to remodel your estate. Now look at your house sign, does it really reflect the love and hard work you have put into your home? If not it may be time to consider a new house sign.

You do not have to pay vast fortunes for a suitable house sign.The main thing is to choose a design of the house sign that suits the quality and the style of your home.

There are plenty of sites on the internet selling house signs.Try to focus in on the style or material you would prefer for your house sign and narrow the field by doing a focused search on a search engine.

Browsing these sites and taking the time to choose a house sign that will enhance the selling of your house will be time well spent.

About the Author

Steve Walker has been a stone and marble mason for 40 years, working in almost every type of stone marble and granite. He is now the sole owner, craftsman and teaboy of StoneEngravings House signs - www.stoneengravings.co.uk

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Home Buyers Back Out Of Deals in Record Numbers

2006-11-09T15:06:00.000-05:00

A little over a year ago, buyers couldn't wait to sign contracts to purchase homes. Now, many can't wait to get out of them.

With real-estate prices falling around the country and even pro-industry trade groups predicting further declines over the next year, buyers are backing away from deals in droves. At a semiannual housing forecast conference last week in Washington, D.C., economists reported that contract-cancellation rates for big builders were running around 40% -- about twice as high as last year's levels. Anecdotally, real-estate professionals say they are seeing a similar dynamic in existing-home sales.

Some of the cancellations are by people who signed new-home contracts at one price months ago, haven't yet closed, and are now stunned to see the builder drastically cutting prices on identical properties. Some are by speculators caught short by other investments they can't unload. And some are by people trapped in a chain reaction: They can't sell their old home -- or the buyer has canceled the contract -- so they are being forced to cancel the deal on a new house they are buying somewhere else.

"There are a whole lot of people running from contracts," says Alexandria, Va., real-estate attorney Beau Brincefield. He is currently representing more than 50 buyers who are seeking to get out of contracts on single-family homes, townhouses and condos, compared with none a year ago.

Even though it may mean losing a deposit that could run tens of thousands of dollars -- deposits typically range from 1% to 5% of the purchase price -- many buyers are deciding that is less onerous than the alternative. With median new-home prices already 9.7% below last year's levels, according to the U.S. Commerce Department, bailing out now may be less painful than committing to an expensive, and possibly depreciating, investment.

It's a far cry from the home-flipping exuberance of the past few years, when rising home values fueled a buy-and-sell mentality among millions of homeowners, and trading up became a staple of reality TV and home-improvement shows.

New-home builders are taking a big hit from record numbers of contract cancellations, or "kickouts." Fort Worth, Texas-based D.R. Horton Inc., the nation's biggest developer, says its cancellation rate is currently 40%, compared with 29% a year ago. Meritage Homes Corp., in Scottsdale, Ariz., is reporting a 37% kickout rate, compared with 21% a year ago. And Standard Pacific Corp. says that 50% of its contracts fell through in the third quarter of this year, compared with 18% for the same period last year. The Irvine, Calif.-based developer built 11,400 homes across the country last year. Among its current projects: Glenmeadow, a gated community in Simi Valley, Calif., where three- and four-bedroom homes range from $1.1 million to $1.3 million.

Caught Between Two Mortgages

Cancellations by buyers of existing homes are up as well. Although no formal measures exist, historically they have been in the 2% range, according to the National Association of Realtors. In September, however, nearly half of the 454 agents responding to an online NAR survey said they had recently experienced cancellation rates higher than that.

Sean Shallis, senior real-estate strategist for the Shallis Team of Re/Max Villa Realtors in Jersey City, N.J., says that roughly 22% of his sales have fallen apart before closing this year because the buyers backed out, up from 10% last year. With the market cooling, buyers have decided they can buy a similar property for less. For others, adjustable-rate mortgages have gotten more expensive, making a home purchase too costly, Mr. Shallis says. To reduce the chances of cancellation, he is advising his clients to close their deals as quickly as possible after the offer is accepted, and to put fewer contingencies in the contract. "The longer your property is under contract, the longer the buyer has to talk and think about it and watch the market change."

Mr. Shallis himself is among the would-be buyers with cold feet. Late last year, he agreed to pay $595,000 for a new two-bedroom condominium in Jersey City for his in-laws. He pulled the plug on the deal this summer after his father-in-law's illness scotched the planned move. "My exit strategy was if they didn't move into it, we could sell it or rent it," Mr. Shallis says. But that plan made less sense after the price of similar properties dropped to as low as $529,000. At the same time, higher short-term interest rates made it unlikely that he would be able to cover his mortgage payments and other costs if he found a renter. Instead, Mr. Shallis walked away from the contract and lost his $30,000 deposit.

A sinking home appraisal quashed the deal for retirees Denis and Michael Budge. The couple put their two-bedroom house in Carson City, Nev., on the market a little more than a year ago at $495,000, so they could move to another home they had already bought in Waldport, Ore. After some nail-biting months with few showings and no offers, they finally landed a buyer, who signed a contract in June for $425,000.

Rising Interest Rates

But during the escrow period, as prices in their area continued to slide, the appraisal came in -- at $395,000. The Budges were still willing to sell, even at that greatly reduced price, but the buyer backed out the day before the closing. (Through his agent, he declined to comment.) The Budges pocketed the $1,000 deposit, of course, but now they are stuck with two mortgages -- a hardship on their fixed incomes. "We thought we were going to relax and enjoy our retirement," says Ms. Budge. "Not any more."

Kickouts were high nationwide in the late '80s, and in California and New England in the early '90s, spurred by massive job losses. But until now there's never been a period where cancellations have spiked in the absence of a recession, according to Amy Crews Cutts, deputy chief economist at Freddie Mac. Ms. Cutts says the current jitters are largely a result of investors fleeing the housing market in the last few months, which "slammed [it] into reverse," and consumers' fears that the bubble had burst. Rising interest rates earlier this year also gave buyers who hadn't yet closed on their homes cold feet. The result: a huge backlog of unsold homes, which could further depress prices.

But mortgage rates have fallen recently, and if they stay below 6.5%, Ms. Cutts expects that buyers will regain their confidence by late spring, causing cancellations to ease up. Vienna, Va., housing economist Thomas Lawler agrees, but says builders must continue to cut their production and sell off their inventory so supply and demand can get back in balance. "Builders need to take a bullet," he says.

Buyer's remorse does have legal consequences, but the laws vary from state to state and depend on how the purchase contract was written. Usually, a buyer who defaults will have to give up the "good faith" or "earnest money" deposit that was made when the contract was accepted. But typically there is also some wiggle room written into contracts that allows buyers to cancel without penalty -- for instance, if they can't get financing, if the home inspection uncovers defects that the seller won't correct, or if the seller doesn't make certain disclosures. Just changing your mind, however, isn't a valid excuse to cancel. A court could find that a buyer who got cold feet is in breach of contract and liable for the seller's expenses, plus damages -- or could even force the sale.

Of course, it is better not to wind up in court. To keep deals from falling apart, builders are offering everything from free vacations and cars to help with closing costs and mortgage-rate buy-downs -- and they are cutting prices, too. "They're hungry," says Gopal Ahluwalia, director of research at the National Association of Home Builders, the organization that sponsored last week's forecast conference.

Upgrades Required

Most of these incentives are dangled to attract new customers. But as the market has cooled and kickout rates have risen, nervous builders have also been quietly sweetening the pot for buyers they have already snagged but whose contracts haven't yet closed -- just to keep them from bailing out of the deal. Some are even offering to drop the selling price after contracts have been signed.

Two years ago, Rosemary and Paul Owen, both federal employees, signed a $350,000 contract on a three-bedroom condo in Cape Canaveral, Fla., that was yet to be built. Since they knew it would take a long time for the building to be completed -- and the housing market was rapidly rising -- they took their time getting their old house in West Melbourne, Fla., ready for sale. By the time they were ready to sell their three-bedroom home this January, buyers weren't biting. Though they lowered their asking price to $359,000 from $439,000, only 18 people looked at their home over a 10-month period, and no one made an offer.

So they went to the builder in Cape Canaveral to get out of the deal and to get back the $22,000 they had paid for a deposit and upgrades. He wouldn't allow that, but he did offer to lower the price of the condo by $21,000 to $329,000 -- the amount he was asking new buyers to pay for a unit that was identical to the one the Owens had purchased two years ago. He also extended the deadline for closing until the end of November. The Owens haven't decided whether they will walk away from their deposit if they can't sell their old home by then. "We don't need two places," says Ms. Owen.

Meanwhile, builders' willingness to lard up their incentives is putting added pressure on sellers of existing homes to do the same. Many are finding it necessary to add thousands of dollars in upgrades to compete with what builders are giving away. Jim Parker, an exclusive buyer's agent in Atlanta, says that in the last quarter, three out of the five buyers he's been working with have bailed out of a contract, while no one canceled during the same period a year ago. "Before, if something was not perfect, they'd buy it anyway. Now they won't," Mr. Parker says. Buyers are also demanding more upgrades. "They're asking for everything, right down to the flat-screen television," he says. "They're comparing houses to a brand-new house, and they expect the house to be updated with new paint and carpeting."

Since most people who are buying are also selling -- seven out of 10 households already own homes -- some are finding themselves of two minds when it comes to kickouts. Glenn Nudell, a shipping executive, recently got $115,000 in concessions, including help with closing costs and fix-up money, when he bought a 12-year-old five-bedroom home in Skillman, N.J., for almost $1.1 million. If the seller hadn't agreed, he says, "I'd have backed away." But then he had to sell his eight-year-old, four-bedroom home in Princeton, N.J. He made sure it was as polished as a builder's model, with new wood floors and carpeting, new cabinets and even a newly finished basement -- but he couldn't sell it until he had knocked $70,000 off of his original $630,000 asking price. Is he concerned that the buyer of his house might back away from the deal before it closes next month? "Of course," he says.

By June Fletcher and Ruth Simon
From The Wall Street Journal Online

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ERA Othello Realty can help you buy or sell your home. 732-364-2015. We offer relocation packages for corporate accounts, government accounts or for individuals. Whether you are moving from out of state to New Jersey, or you are within NJ and are moving north, south or lateral. We are your NJ Relocation specialists and we look forward to being challenged by your needs. From finding a house to selling your house, from moving companies to utility changes, and from school assistance to job assistance we are here for you every step of the way. We are the realtors NJ!

Generation X May Boost

2006-11-09T15:04:00.001-05:00

The housing market may be in a slump, but the industry's long-term trends look promising as younger generations begin to buy and trade up. That was the consensus among a group of consultants, analysts and developers speaking at the recent annual meeting of the Urban Land Institute in Denver.

Rising affordability concerns in some home and rental markets remain a challenge, but the generations coming up behind the baby boomers are giving home builders a run for their money, experts said. With more immigration and people living alone, demographic shifts are pressing developers to reconsider what's worked in the past.

Generation X, typically defined as those born between 1965 and 1979, comprise a little more than half of the market for newly constructed homes, said James Chung, president of Reach Advisors, a Boston-based marketing strategy and research firm.

But that doesn't mean the homes that lured baby boomers, born between 1946 and 1964, are meeting the needs of the 30-somethings shopping now.

"Generation X is in the heart of their entry-level home-buying years and are just now entering their peak trade-up years," Chung said. "They haven't yet stolen the thunder of the boomers when it comes to trade-up homes. It's a big shift coming up for home builders and developers."

Partly because many Gen-Xers are buying into the market after the run-up in housing prices began about a decade ago, they tend not to be as moved by deluxe kitchens, huge square footage and "prestige addresses" as their older counterparts are, he said.

"It's the trade-off generation. It's no longer sort of the live-large mindset," Chung said. "They're living under different economic realities than their predecessors. They carry 70% more debt than the baby boomers did at that point in their lives because of the cost of housing.... Almost all of that is housing debt."

Many are forgoing master suites and separate wings for kids and adults and instead seeking smaller footprints with space designed for family usage rather than individual usage, Chung said.

The market has yet to catch up with their particular demands, he said. "What we're seeing is a fundamental mismatch between what these buyers are wanting and what the market is offering. They're settling for what's available vs. finding what they really want."

As for Generation Y, also know as the echo boomers who were born after 1980, it's premature to draw conclusions, Gadi Kaufmann, chief executive of Robert Charles Lesser and Co., a real estate advisory firm, said during a ULI panel discussion on what young consumers want.

"Gen Y is going to be in student housing and rentals for the next six years," he said. See how student housing has changed today.

More solo dwellers

Also affecting home builders and developers is the rise of nontraditional households, Kaufmann said.

The portion of people living without a spouse or roommate ballooned 23% since 1980, he said. Only 22% of households were made up of a single person living alone 26 years ago compared with 27% in 2005.

A 57% rise in single-parent households and a 26% decline in the percentage of married couples with kids -- 23% last year compared with 31% in 1980 -- has further changed the housing landscape, Kaufmann said.

There's also more migration from expensive cities to less costly areas, as well as people moving away from their hometowns, he said.

Southern states and those bordering pricey ones, such as Arizona and Nevada, are the beneficiaries of home buyers who can't afford or become disenchanted with higher-priced areas such as California and the Northeast, he said.

So-called second- and third-tier cities with populations of 300,000 to 1 million are attractive to the youth market and poised for growth, Kaufmann told the audience. "Some of the most exciting towns in America are those second-tier cities."

Young people also tend not to mind close living, he said. As more people live alone and wait longer to marry and start families, many in their 20s and 30s are drawn to compact apartment and condo units in urban areas where they can interact with their neighbors.

The growth of the Hispanic population also portends shifts, though what kind remains unclear, Chung said. Latinos currently have a homeownership rate in the high 40% range compared with about 72% for whites. "If they move up in homeownership at a faster rate, that's going to be very positive for the home market."

Love affair continues

Whether the housing market has hit a bottom or not remains controversial.

Last week, the U.S. Commerce Department reported that the nation's economy grew at a preliminary annual rate of 1.6% from July through September, its slowest pace since early 2003 due to cooling in the housing market.

In a survey done in October by Reach Advisors, 41% of 500 consumers looking to buy a house in the last 12 months or planning to look in the next year said their plans to move were affected by market conditions, compared with 27% of consumers who said so in July 2005, Chung told ULI attendees at a panel discussion on the risks and benefits of homeownership.

The portion anticipating a drop in home prices was 32% last month compared with 13% in July of last year, meaning that two-thirds still don't expect price drops, he said. What's more, 93% said owning a home remains a strong or acceptable long-term investment.

Though the housing market may be in the doldrums, Chung said he's confident Americans' love affair with homeownership will endure even after this recent extreme swing in demand. "From 2003 to 2005 it wasn't just a love affair with your primary home. It was a torrid affair with real estate. It was your home plus your home on the side."

Still, a balance of owners and renters is desirable because homeownership isn't for everyone, Ron Terwilliger, chief executive of Trammell Crow Residential, a builder and manager of multifamily housing based in Atlanta, said during the same ULI panel discussion.

"You're better off renting unless you're going to be in a home for at least five years because of the costs of getting in and out," he told attendees.

"The reason this cycle went up so high and flattened so quickly is more speculative buying than I've seen in my 35 years in the business," Terwilliger said. "It's unfortunate so many people bought intending to flip."

It will take time to regain equilibrium, he said. "There's a lot of pain going on in the investment community."

By Kristen Gerencher
From MarketWatch

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Work, play on water keep area economy flowing

2006-11-09T15:04:00.000-05:00

Even after 300 years, the creeks and channels that connect Tuckerton and its surrounding neighborhoods to the sea are still a foundation of the local economy.

"I was in a boat ever since I was 5 years old," says charter fishing captain Robert Fricke, who takes his customers from the Maritime Marina dock on Tuckerton Creek. "My grandfather was a fisherman, and he used to peddle fish around town."

In much of New Jersey, the boating season largely coincides with the beaches and boardwalks, and that part of the fleet tends to tie up after Labor Day. But the southern end of the Barnegat Bay estuary and neighboring Great Bay and the Mullica River are home to the hard core, an amphibious population who are still comfortable in boats on a cool day.

"This is going to continue right until Mother Nature permits. Thanksgiving weekend is the key," says Scott Albertson of Scott's Bait and Tackle on Radio Road. "After Thanksgiving until Christmas, a lot of people are too busy to fish. But if the weather permits, they'll be out there right into December."

In the mixing of fresh water from Pine Barrens streams and salt tides from Little Egg Inlet, shellfish beds thrived and nourished prehistoric Indian bands, who left empty shells and stone tools in mounds near the creeks. Historians say Little Egg Harbor's peculiar name comes from another menu item; it was named by Captain Corneiius Mey, the explorer who charted Cape May and stopped here in 1614 to supplement his crews' food pantry with shorebird eggs.

By 1704, freshwater flowing out of Tuckerton Creek had led English settler Edward Andrews to build a gristmill there, around where the Tuckerton Emporium stands on Route 9.

Street signs point to Sloop Landing and Scow Landing, names that go back to when Tuckerton was something like a modern interchange on the New Jersey Turnpike. Instead of trucks, small sailing vessels carted lumber, charcoal, iron goods and other products from rural towns to growing East Coast cities.

The port was variously called Fishtown, Quakertown or Clamtown until 1789, when tradition holds that local businessman and political patriarch Ebenezer Tucker decided the community needed a more dignified name. During a public meeting and picnic hosted by Tucker, the local denizens renamed their town by acclamation, the story goes.

Today Tuckerton is still strongly identified with the baymen's lifestyle, but clams are harder to come by. Wild clam stocks in Little Egg Harbor declined by two-thirds during the 1990s, and commercial fishermen have turned increasingly to aquaculture, buying seed clams and raising them on special underwater lots.

"I'm afraid we won't see this bay come back in my lifetime," says clammer Walter Johnson, who serves on the state Shellfish Council. Baymen now must commute, between working more productive waters in northern Monmouth County and tending their beds close to home here, he says.

But striped bass have come back in a big way.

"The striper fishing here has big fish to be caught. There's a lot of big fish and trophies to be had. A 22-pound fish is going to put a lot of fillets in your freezer," Albertson says. "The striped bass recovery has extended out our season, without a doubt."

Fricke is gearing up for the fall striper season. He takes parties of up to six people on his twin-diesel Henriques 35-footer, a big, comfortable boat for cruising the autumn ocean.

"We generally fish for them three different ways. We anchor along the (sand) bars, troll off the beach, and when we find them in a school, we jig for them," Fricke said. "I supply the bait, everything you need, except for lunch and a cooler to hold your fish. I try to take people out to have a good time."

Even when winter's blast chases the last hardy souls to the dock, the water still makes money for people.

"Then you've got boats being pulled and powerwashed, the engine mechanics are busy, the handymen get to work on their own boats. There's so much that happens," Albertson says. "Then, in February or March, they'll start getting that first customer's boat ready, because he's a big mackerel fisherman."

Asbury Park Press on 11/9/06

BY KIRK MOORE
STAFF WRITER

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Profile: Developer paves way for business

2006-11-09T15:02:00.001-05:00

Asbury Park Press 06/09/05

Jack Krupnick has made the cultivation of Howell land his life's work.

A former Rutgers University agricultural student, Krupnick in the 1950s saw potential in the chicken farms that lined Route 9 near the Lakewood boundary.

But instead of maintaining crops and livestock as he did growing up on a farm in Woodbine, Cape May County, Krupnick focused on acquiring and cultivating land for commercial development.

The result is the commercial hub that the state highway is today.

"It was a lot of work," Krupnick says. "It's been quite a job. I've made my work in the area my life's work."

Krupnick, 78, has been brokering land deals along the Route 9 corridor for more than 40 years. He's also been influential in several commercial and charitable organizations in the area.

He co-founded the Howell Chamber of Commerce in the 1970s, and remains active in the organization. He's also been active in the chambers of commerce in Lakewood and Jackson. He co-founded the Howell State Bank, now called Independence Bank. He's a former chairman of the annual Howell Day celebration and is involved with the township's Optimist Club and the Municipal Alliance.

Krupnick came to Howell after graduating with an agricultural degree from Rutgers — studies that were briefly interrupted when he was drafted during World War II. He spent time in Italy with the Army Signal Corps, returning to school after his discharge.

Krupnick was instrumental in pushing for sewer lines along the Route 9 South corridor. The sewer lines were a requisite for the deal Krupnick brokered to get the Wal-Mart store built at Lanes Mill Road and, later, the Home Depot at West Farm Road.

"That was the beginning of the big box stores," Krupnick says. "It took us a long time into getting (the) sewer, but it was the only way to get development."

Other deals have followed. But while commercial development has turned into his specialty, Krupnick said he never turned down others.

"Commercial, residential, whatever came along, we'd take care of them," he says.

By KEITH BROWN
STAFF WRITER

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Fixer-Upper Investment: Fix It or Dump It?

2006-11-09T15:02:00.000-05:00

Here are several steps to take in order to properly determine whether the fixer-upper house that has caught your attention deserves a seal of approval or a thumbs-down sign: “Location, Location, Location” is Still the Mantra

It doesn’t matter if you’re investing in an apartment, a condominium unit or in this case, a fixer-upper home. When it comes to real estate property, the mantra you still have to recite to yourself is “location, location, location”. Continue to base your decision on location factors: Is it a corner lot? Is it near important establishments? Is it in a well-ordered or peaceful neighborhood?

Make a Thorough Search

Not all fixer-uppers are advertised as such. It’s important for you to make the most extensive search possible. Besides encircling properties listed in the classifieds that fit your budget, drive around the city as well and be alert for “For Sale” signs stuck on posts. Let your friends and acquaintances know about your interest in buying a house as they may be able to point you to the rightdirection. Be sure to consider foreclosed properties as well.

Make a Thorough Search

Not all fixer-uppers are advertised as such. It’s important for you to make the most extensive search possible. Besides encircling properties listed in the classifieds that fit your budget, drive around the city as well and be alert for “For Sale” signs stuck on posts. Let your friends and acquaintances know about your interest in buying a house as they may be able to point you to the right direction. Be sure to consider foreclosed properties as well. Hire an Inspector for a Day

If you’ve found a fixer-upper that makes your wallet feel it has found its soul mate, hire an inspector to accompany you for a tour of the house. Make sure that you give him sufficient time to explore every inch of the house; this will enable him to give you a full evaluation and a thorough appraisal of the property later on.

How Much Do You Plan Buying It For?

The great thing about fixer-uppers is that their presently distressed conditions enable investors to buy them for a lower price than what’s usual. Experts advise investors however to purchase fixer-uppers only up to 20% below its future market value (once everything has been renovated) and no more than that.

How Much Do You Plan on Spending?

Now that you’ve bought your dream investment, you can start making changes around the house. But first, plan each change thoroughly. Browse online for contractor listings and have several contractors provide you with their estimates on the house. Check with the appropriate agencies about zoning requirements and other laws that may affect your plans for the house.

How Much Do You Plan Selling It For?

Now that all repairs and remodeling have been completed, you can finally compute the probable selling price of the fixer-upper once everything that needs repairing has been fixed. Again, keep in mind that fixer-upper homes are usually priced at affordable rates.

Lastly, be ready to negotiate. Only billionaires tend to accept the initial purchasing price of any item.

Article Source: http://www.kokkada.com

The above article was written by Sarah Miller on behalf of a buzzing online Home Improvement community where homeowners easily and painlessly find the right contractor for their home improvement projects and in turn, contractors can find the right Home Improvement Leads! Also check out the QuoteCity.com Blog for more related Home Improvement Articles and Ideas.

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How to Estimate Current Market Value

2006-10-30T14:37:00.000-05:00

Real estate investing is a lot like buying stocks; ideally you want to buy low and sell high. While you do not make any money until both sides of the transaction are complete (i.e. buy and sell), there are things that you can do to make sure that you are getting in at a great price before you purchase. In other words, the experienced investor would first determine if he/she is getting a property at a great price before purchasing it. This is where most beginners in real estate investing fail. Beginners are usually paying too much in their initial investment project due to the lack of knowledge in estimating the current market value of a property. Then, most of these beginning investors do not have much capital to finance their overpriced investments. Overpaying discourages them and makes them fail to be profitable in real estate investing. You get the picture.

You can see the importance for all real estate investors to know how to estimate the correct current market value (CMV) of a property. This way, agents or developers will not take advantage and sell you the property at a price way over its current value. As an investor, you would want to get a property with built-in equity without overpaying. You will be able to know if a property offers the best deal when you know how to estimate its current market value.

Unfortunately, there is no single site on the web or any other source to know the current market value, especially for investment properties. You will not find a standard value for a real estate property, unlike cars or other personal property items that can you can buy online. Each real estate property or project is unique in itself. There are several factors that determine a property’s or a project’s current market value which include location, view, size, and income potential. This lack of a single, fixed-value for an investment property would require at least a standardized or unified method in accurately estimating its current market value. The good news is that there are different techniques that can be used by a real estate investor to estimate the current value. Let us first define the different terms you may encounter when estimating the current value of a property.

Market Value Defined

Market Value is defined by the National Residential Appraisers Institute as: “the most probable price which a property should bring a competitive and open market under all conditions requisite to a fair sale, the buyer and seller, each acting prudently, knowledgeably and assuming the price is not affected by undue stimulus.” In layman’s terms, the market value of a property is the price most people would pay for in its current condition.

Assessed Value Vs. Appraised Value

Home buyers and sellers often use the terms appraised value and assessed value interchangeably. But what do these terms really mean?

Appraised value is the amount used by lenders to base upon the amount they will lend to the buyer. It is determined by, for example, the sales of comparable homes in the area, the property’s location, its construction type, number of rooms and total size. This value is decided upon by a licensed appraiser with the use of the right method of appraisal for the property.

Michael C. Zari is a founder of http://www.GetPreconstructionDeals.com , a real estate investor and entrepreneur. His works have been referenced in many venues including the New York Times and USA Today. To continue to get weekly thought-provoking articles, go to http://www.GetPreconstructionDeals.com and sign up today!

Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com

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The Lucrative Advantages of Real Estate Investing

2006-10-30T14:34:00.000-05:00

Did you know that the majority of millionaires today made their millions through real estate? The real estate industry has always been a money maker even when the market was perceived to be down. Real estate is amazingly resilient in that if you stay in the real estate market long enough, the market will always increase. The key is to make real estate investing work for you, enabling you to say goodbye to your stifling day job and hello to financial freedom.

In general, there are two types of real estate investments which include Speculative and Certainty. A speculative real estate investment has profits that are reliant on appreciation. Therefore, this type of real estate investing is vulnerable to market conditions and makes it a long term option.

An example of a successful speculative real estate investment would be if you bought real estate in California in the 1980’s. At that time the real estate market was sluggish. However, the 1990’s and beyond brought Silicon Valley and the real estate market shot through the roof. This was a long term investment that yielded amazing profits. One drawback to speculative real estate investing is that you have to go to the geographic locations where the best real estate deals exist, which may often not be in your back yard.

The second type of real estate investment involves certainty. A certainty type of real estate investment occurs when you buy real estate well below the market value. You buy this real estate at a rock bottom price from stressed out sellers. This type of real estate investment is not affected by the market. You will earn the profit up front by selling the real estate quickly. This is a valuable real estate investing plan for most because you can work in your own area and is a short term option that provides quick profits.

Let’s take a closer look at a certainty real estate investment. You can create your own certainty real estate investing business with little overhead and you don’t even need an office. You can finance 100% of your project costs using other people’s money and credit. Your project cost is the purchase price + rehab price + holding costs. So if your financial situation is grim then you don’t need to worry.

Specifically, you can start earning upwards of $10,000/month within the first 6-10 months. This is welcome news because most businesses take three years to earn a profit. Remember, though, that this is not a get rich quick scheme. You need to put in the effort and build a legitimate thriving real estate investing business. You can earn $10,000/month by making only one real estate deal per month yielding $120,000/year. If you choose to work part time then you can make 1 real estate deal per two months yielding $60,000/year. These numbers are attainable if you follow a proven, predictable real estate investing system.

Learning how to succeed in the real estate investing business from a proven system is not only important for financial reasons, but will also educate you about legal issues. You need to know the current real estate laws. These laws and standards can change and you will be held accountable if you make a mistake. Plus, you need to know how to protect yourself against corrupt business people that may take advantage of you.

Real estate investing is a business that anyone can succeed in. Victorious real estate investors are informed, dedicated, and confident. Why don’t you join their crowd?

By Matt Bacak

Lou has developed proven systems that create massive wealth through real estate investing. He has authored more than 7 books and courses on the subject focusing on the implementation of his techniques. His latest development 'The Investor Riches System' has been helping investor’s world wide achieve financial freedom through real estate. For more information, go to http://www.freerealestatestrategies.com If you wish to talk to Lou you can e-mail him at Lou@InvestorRiches.com

Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com

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Before Viewing Homes for Sale, Know What You Can Afford to Pay

2006-10-30T14:32:00.000-05:00

Before contacting a realtor and begin looking at homes for sale, there are a few things you need to do. Your realtor will assist you in discovering how much home price you can afford, but he/she needs information from you to do it. So, go prepared with your financial data to your first appointment with your realtor in order to begin looking at homes for sale immediately.

To determine a homes for sale price that you can afford, you need to review your financial situation to determine how much down payment you can afford and how large of a monthly payment you can comfortably handle.

Net Worth So, before looking at homes for sale, put together a statement of your net worth. Begin by doing an inventory of all your assets (what you own that may be sold for cash). This includes all investments, savings accounts, household furnishings, your current home and any other real estate, vehicles, recreational vehicles and equipment, furs and jewelry, guns, electronic equipment, loans owed to you, any vested equity you own, cash and surrender values of insurance policies, collectibles, and precious metals and gems.

Now, list the value of each item. This is the amount you believe you could sell the item for cash within a reasonable timeframe. Deduct any money owed on the item from the sell price. For example, you might be able to sell your current home for $150,000, but you owe the mortgage company $75,000 (pay-off amount) and another $3,000 in property taxes that would come due before it could be sold.

Now, list all of your liabilities. They are anyone to whom you owe money for whatever reason. They include mortgages, loans and credit lines of any types (including credit cards), and even your Uncle Bob that loaned you $2,000 last summer.

Total your assets and liabilities. Then, subtract the liabilities from your assets to determine your net worth.

Down Payment To determine your possible down payment for a homes for sale, take your net worth and subtract out the following: Savings for emergencies, education and retirement; settlement and moving costs of buying the homes for sale; and cash you will need to improve, decorate and furnish the new homes for sale. The remaining is your possible down payment.

Monthly Payment Next, calculate the possible monthly payment you can afford for your homes for sale. List all of your actual and projected monthly expenses. Include all the monthly costs of your liabilities listed above, adding the following items: Insurance premiums, all household expenses (including cell phones and DSL costs), any taxes owed but not already withheld by your employer, all transportation costs (include maintenance, fuel, and licensing), clothing costs (new and maintenance), pocket money for family members, groceries, personal care, recreation and entertainment, medical and dental costs, charity, special expenses (such as tuition), and miscellaneous costs. Divide into monthly costs any expenses paid quarterly or annually.

Now, total your monthly expenses. Subtract out your monthly mortgage or rent. Subtract the remaining expenses from your total monthly household income. This is the amount you can comfortably pay for a monthly mortgage payment on a homes for sale.

If the monthly payment for a homes for sale seems a bit low, review all of your monthly expenses. Where can you decrease or eliminate expenditures? For example, paying off your high-interest credit cards to eliminate the high monthly payments.

Once you have this information in hand, your realtor can determine just what you can afford to pay for a homes for sale.

John Harris is an expert researcher and writer on real estate topics such as economics, credit improvement tips, home selling advice and home buying preparations.

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Real Estate Timing Buying And Selling

2006-10-30T14:28:00.000-05:00

In recent years, many economists have recognized that the lack of effective real estate laws can be a significant barrier to investment in many developing countries. In most societies, rich or poor, a significant fraction of the total wealth is in the form of land and buildings. In most advanced economies, the main source of capital used by individuals and small companies to purchase and improve land and buildings is mortgages -- bank loans for which the real property itself constitutes collateral. Banks are willing to make such loans at favorable rates in large part because if the borrower does not make payments the lender can foreclose, that is, file a court action that lets them take the property and sell it to get their money back. But in many developing countries there is no effective means by which a lender could foreclose, so the mortgage loan industry as such either does not exist at all or is only available to members of privileged social classes.

1. Buying and selling real estate

There are differences between buying and selling real estate and dealing with things such as stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. For example Most investments can be bought or sold within minutes at the market price. Buying or selling real estate takes months. That difference introduces interesting wrinkles in timing when to buy or sell. Like other investments, selling at a high point, with the intention of buying back in at a lower price, is one way to make a profit. The difference in the time required is intriguing.

2. Stocks

Stock selling can be easy. When the stock continues to rise, there are often others that have declined but can now be predicted to rise again. The real estate market rarely offers those kinds of opportunities.

3. The other difference

The other difference is that companies differ but most stocks are alike. Real property is always unique.

4. Lower prices

If selling a person needs to get a new home, buy back in at a lower price or wait for a new opportunity. The costs of doing things can be very high.

About the Author

Paul Graham

For more great real estate related articles and resources check out http://123leasing.info

Submitted at: http://www.Content-Articles.com - The Premier Web Site Content Article Directory

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Real Estate Info For Successful Deals

2006-10-30T14:17:00.000-05:00

There is very wide variety of options when it comes to investments in real estate, and having all the required real estate information is vital to improve your business and to, ultimately, be successful in it. Investments within this area are quite numerous, from buying a property in which to spend your vacations, to a small place in which to live once you retire, every single piece of real estate information you gather may allow you to encounter the perfect client and the proper means to satisfy his or her needs.

First of all it is very important that you get acquainted with the current status of the marketplace. If you do so, you will be capable of providing your clients with not only great prices, but also you will be providing them with something every single client is looking for in a real estate agent, expertise and professionalism. Try telling your clients about different statistics of the market, be honest with them and observe their positive reactions.

Another very important piece of real estate info is to be aware of what surrounds the property you are trying to sell, most time people are more interested in the places they can find around the property than on the property itself. Places such as schools, restaurants, hotels, and social gathering places, are often key elements for closing a successful deal. So remember to keep your clients updated on the different places available for them around their new potential property.

But there is also an important part about real estate info that you should know about, always keep your clients happy. Now, I know it sounds obvious, but you would be amazed to know how many real estate agents do not follow this easy procedure, and it basically happens because some real estate agents try very hard to make a great first impression when they should actually be focusing on creating an everlasting impression. How to do it? Well, always remember that your clients do not want to feel as yet another client, they want to feel as if your life is only about them, so try to personalize every presentation you give, try to keep close contact with your clients, make them believe that they are the only thing in your life. Elements such as photos of their potential property included in the presentation along with their name in the title really helps them to visualize themselves living in the property and it also helps the agent to establish a closer relationship with every client.

Now, probably the most effective real estate info is to remember to be always, ALWAYS available. Many real estate deals are closed when the client is overexcited about the property, but if he can't find you it may be the factor that triggers a "cool-off", so try to be mobile all the time and keep contact with every single client. A great way to do this is to provide your clients with your mobile number and to acquire a device that allows you to connect to Internet and check your emails constantly, such as a Blackberry. With this real estate info I can guarantee you will see an improvement in your real state deals very soon.

About the Author

Sachin Gupta is a very successful real estate agent who is in charge of maintaining people informed on the latest real estate informations available in the market. You can check his website at: www.real-estate-guide.all-the-info.net and learn more about closing successful real estate deals.

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