Tips for home buyers: potential for natural disasters
The Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) offers advice on how to keep the American dream of homeownership from becoming a nightmare.
Read more on The Photo News

If It Causes Stress, Is It Really a Vacation Home?
For many people, owning a vacation home is part of the American dream. But ask yourself some tough questions before you buy.
Read more on New York Times

Slower Sales After Home Buyer Tax Credit Ends
Sales for lower-priced homes in New Jersey have slowed after the expiration of the federal tax-credit program for buyers on April 30.
Read more on New York Times

While the exact dates for categorizing each generation are often in debate, Stefan Swanepoel, author of the 2007 Swanepoel Trends Report, says there is no debate about their existence and the fact that each has very different characteristics, resulting from the events that shaped them.

According to Swanepoel as the Boomers make way for Generations X and Y, the world is gradually dealing with the change – real estate is no exception. Each new generation reacts and seeks to change what the previous generations have done, leaving their own footprint on society and business. Although there is no agreement on the exact dates, the following is the generally accepted rule of thumb.

G.I. Generation (1901 – 1924)
Silent Generation (1925 – 1945)
Baby Boomers (1946 – 1964)
Gen X or Baby Busters (1965 – 1976)
Gen Y/Millenials/Echo Boomers (1977 – 1994)

The first Echo Boomers (Generation Y) are turning 30 next year, which puts the majority of them in their twenties today. They are a determined, daring and smart group that grew up in a period in which the Internet already existed. As a result, they are very comfortable with every aspect of the medium. They have surfed, watched, recorded, listened and downloaded just about everything they can and are now beginning to effect significant change in the real estate industry.

Even as homeowners Echo Boomers approach matters very differently. They are more likely to buy a home at a younger age than previous generations. They are also not like their Boomer parents that waited for marriage or even a long-term relationship before becoming homeowners. Their thoughts, desires and perspectives are going to change the way the industry conducts itself – like it or not.

The real estate industry is facing a large, escalating change in customer demographics. The Internet is maturing and the door is opening for entry into the industry by newer business models that are heavily focused on fulfilling consumer needs rather than just completing a sales transaction. In 2005, 40% of homebuyers were first time buyers and 50% of them were between the ages of 25 and 34 (Gen X and Echo Boomers). Even more telling – 38% of all homebuyers in that period were under the age of 35.

According to numerous studies undertaken by NAR and the California Association of Realtors® (CAR), approximately 70% of all homebuyers start their search on the Internet. In 2003 the percentage of Internet Buyers and Traditional Buyers was equal. In 2000 Internet buyers represented only 30%.

These new savvy online consumers are looking to the Internet as a tool to fulfill their home buying experience. What they use the Internet for and the extent and quality of service available are starting to shape the real estate process. “Home buyers and sellers are a generational melting pot and understanding each generation will soon become paramount for all brokers and agents,” Swanepoel says. “It is quickly becoming a necessity for agents to become a generational expert in order to effectively serve all their home buying and selling customers.”

Learning to work effectively with each different generation is as much about improving one’s personal skill set as it is re-engineering the real estate professional. That said, according to Tom Stevens, immediate past president of NAR, the next generation of homeowners is already beginning to exert its influence on the housing market so there is no time to lose.

Between 2001 and 2005, NAR reported that the number of first time homebuyers under the age of 25 increased from 11% to14%. When you increase that age to 35 the percentage jumps to 64%. Add to that the fact that the median age of buyers who used the Internet to search for homes in 2005 was 38 and the picture becomes very clear. In 2005, 40% were Generation X and 39% were Echo Boomers … that’s 8 out of every 10 new homebuyers.

Gen X and the Echo Boomers represent the push for newer approaches and processes that are integrated into the “technology” platforms they are not only familiar with but the very ones they helped develop. Companies like Edina and others that are re-engineering their businesses to understand, market to and focus on this growing younger market are smart and wise.

For the others, don’t wait too long or you may find your business eclipsed as fast as new concepts like MySpace, YouTube and Facebook became mainstream. If you are looking for more information on how to restructure your company, look no further than the 159-page Swanepoel TRENDS Report.

Second home sales have been increasing over the last few years with more people becoming second home owners. In 2005 alone, 40 percent of the homes sold were second homes. Demographics, all time low mortgage rates, and healthy rise in home prices have contributed to this development in the second home market. Besides these, a major factor that has helped augment the buying and selling of second homes is the real estate professional.

The National Association of Realtors conducted research on the profile of second-home owners in 2006. According to the NAR report entitled ‘2006 Profile of Second-Home Owners’, a majority of second home sales transactions are conducted using the services of real estate agents.

The statistics are remarkable; 64 % of vacation home buyers purchased their home using the services of a real estate agent by the end of 2005 – a marked increase from less than 50 % of vacation-home buyers in 2003. Also, 65 % of investment-home buyers purchased their home with the help of a real estate agent – an increase from 53 % of pre-2003. In comparison, only 14 % of vacation-home buyers and 7 % of investment-home buyers purchased directly from builders from 2003 to 2005.

The growing role of the real estate professional is evident from the following figures:

1. Of vacation home sales made, 71 % of them were second homes and 74 % of the sales were made using the services of a real estate agent.

2. Of the investment properties sold, 85 % of them were previously owned and 62 % of the sales were made using the services of a real estate agent.

The use of real estate agents in second home sales transactions varied according to the home’ location.

1. Buyers used a real estate agent more frequently while purchasing a vacation home located in a suburb/subdivision (56 %) or a rural area (57 %) than for homes in other locations.

2. About 66 % of buyers who purchased an investment property in an urban/central city area or in a suburb/subdivision, used the services of a real estate agent more frequently than those who purchased a home in other locations.

Real estate professionals continue to be the first source of information to second-home buyers (38 % of vacation-home buyers and 34 % of investment-home buyers). The real estate professional also plays a major role when second-home owners plan to buy additional properties. If you are thinking of buying a second home or vacation home, seek out the services of a real estate agent to guide you through your next home purchase.

1. The percentage of second home owners who are more likely to use a real estate agent in their next home purchase is quite high. Among vacation-home owners it is 79 % and investment-home owners 73 %.

2. Among second home owners, 65 % of vacation-home owners and 64% of investment-property owners are more likely to use a real estate agent in their next home sales.

Given these statistics, it is no wonder that the real estate agent plays a pivotal role in helping people buy and sell second homes. So whether you are a second-home buyer or seller, enlist the services of an agent for a smooth, hassle free real estate transaction.

If you?ve been thinking of selling your investment house or your home, you should make sure that you take full advantage of home staging trends. There are several advantages to home staging trends, which we will take a look at below.

One of the best things about staged homes is that they sell in less time. This is great news for sellers, as these types of homes will sell really fast. In most cases, you won?t have to worry about your home staying on the market for a long period of time. Research has shown that staged homes sell nearly 40% faster than other homes on the market.

Staged homes also sell for more money. Homes that have sat on the market for a long period of time will normally get lower offers due to the fact that home buyers will begin to think there is something wrong with the home. Staged homes on the other hand, don?t sit on the market for long at all. Once they are listed, they pretty much draw attention to themselves – resulting in a fast sale.

A staged exterior will also draw viewers. When home buyers first arrive at a home that is up for sale, they instantly make up their mind whether they should get out and look around, or drive off. If the yard is staged with flowers and the yard is manicured and properly taken care of, chances are that buyers will want to see more. If you entice your buyers by showing them how nice the home is outside, they will surely want to know what the home is like on the inside as well.

Once a buyer has stepped inside of the home, he will know within a matter of seconds whether or not he likes the home. To get the buyer?s attention, you?ll need to stage your home to the buyer?s liking. You don?t want the buyer to feel rushed or get the wrong impression, which is why you should always set the stage and entice the buyer to take his time and get a good look at the home.

Staging the living rooms and kitchens will also help to sell the home. Buyers love living rooms, which is why you should always make sure that the living room is the center piece of your home, and decorate it accordingly. Kitchens on the other hand, is where you should really go all out, decorating with fruit and such. You should always make sure that everything is in place as well. Buyers love to see homes that are ready to move into – and not ready to be worked on.

Staged homes will also attract more real estate agents and get more advertising as well. If a real estate agent loves your home, he will want to show it off. If you stage your home, chances are that real estate agents will eat it up. When they do, they will advertise your home more than others, just to get you some deserved attention. This way, you can benefit from a lot of exposure at absolutely no extra cost.

There?s no other way to look at it, other than staged homes sell. They attract more buyers, more real estate agents, and they give people the feeling of home. When you go out of your way to make the buyer feel that your home is his dream home, he will know it. Homes that aren?t staged may sell, although staged homes sell much faster and for more money. If you?ve been looking to sell your home, you should look into staging it and get the ball rolling in the right direction.

PPPPP

(word count 609)

If you have ever wondered how to buy foreclosure homes, you might be surprised at how easy and how much fun it is. Most people who are in the market to buy a home don’t know how to do it, so they don’t even look any further into it. Their loss is your gain. When you learn how to acquire them you will be a step ahead of all of the other home buyers in your area who don’t know how and therefore won’t be bidding on them against you.

There are books in the library on how to buy it that you can check out and read up on all of the tips and tricks of buying foreclosure homes. You can also search the internet for tips that can be very helpful. Most importantly, find out who is auctioning the foreclosure homes that you might be interested in bidding on and ask for the details and rules of the auction. These may be slightly different from the general rules you will find in a how to book or on the internet.

Once you have learned how to buy foreclosure homes and have made your first purchase, you will be able to help your friends and family through the process. Eventually you will feel like somewhat of an expert and you may decide to help others who are in the same situation that you are right now and build your own “how to buy foreclosure homes” web site. Foreclosure homes are usually sold at auction. There are online auctions and there are local auctions. You may have seen signs posted every so often in your town about a “sheriff’s auction”. This is likely an auction for a foreclosure home. There are also realtors and brokers who specialize in conduction foreclosure home auctions. Many of these brokers and realtors will put some of their foreclosure homes online for auction, too.

The basics of how to buy foreclosure homes is simply to find the home and to bid on it. If you place the winning bid, you pay for the home and it becomes yours. But there is a little more to it, and some of the details might be a little tricky to sort out. Make sure that you talk to someone who has experience in how to buy foreclosure homes before you place your first bid. If you will be the first person you know learning it, then you will need to learn the ins and outs of how to buy foreclosure homes on your own.

You’ve stacked up bills and late payments for months, unable to pay anything. You’re facing the repossession of your home. You’re so worried about where money will come from that you have trouble sleeping. Pretty soon you won’t even have a house to call your own. What can you do to escape this financial nightmare?

Does this sound familiar to you? If so, you are not alone. The current housing crisis in the UK has many people facing this same dilemma. Where can they turn? The traditional option of a long, expensive wait while an estate agent sells your home won’t work for you. Fortunately, there is a better option.

A home buyer service can help people out of this mess and give them cash for their home within a week. They specialize in rescuing people from repossession and other financial messes. From Belfast to Colchester, a home buyer is ready and willing to take your burden away and give you a fresh start.

With a simple phone call, you can set up an appointment with a house buyer. They will get basic information from you and send their agent to your home. Usually within a day the agent will arrive to examine the home and valuate it.

After a thorough analysis, they will send you their estimate. You can take some time to decide if you want to accept the offer or reject it. By accepting their offer, you can have the money in your bank account by the week’s end.

If you choose to decline the offer, there are always other home buyers willing to send their appraisal agent to make another offer. Make sure that you are satisfied with the price, even though you’re going for a quick sale.

Most home buyers will give you the option to rent from them once you sell your home. You’ll need some time to find a permanent place to stay, and home buyer services understand this. You’ll save cash with a lower rental payment and be able to put some away at the same time.

The advantages of using a home buyer service are numerous. Homes can sit on the market for months on end, losing value in the process. With a house buyer, you’ll have a guaranteed sale before you cash your next paycheck.

Home buyers also let you avoid hidden fees. The costs of estate agents are rising, and you’ll want to avoid dealing with them. Home buyers provide free services from appraisal agents to make selling property easier. Home buyer services are simple, quick, and effective at selling your home.

You may not even be in financial trouble, but you still need to sell your house. Maybe you have a few properties and you need to get one of them of your hands? UK home buyers will prove that their services are superior to those of estate agents. They guarantee to get that sale in front of you and cash in your bank in seven days.

According to ABC news, more than 2.3 million American homeowners faced foreclosure proceedings last year, which was an 81 percent increase from 2007. And as of March 2009, about 5 million are currently in default, or at least one month behind, on their mortgage.

So does it have to be all “Doom and Gloom” or are there REAL solutions for homeowners facing this stress? The truth of the matter is there are several solutions to this problem, but it is very common for homeowners to not be aware of all their options. Foreclosure is NOT the only possible outcome. Neither is listing with a Realtor to try to sell fast. Neither is trying to get refinanced.

So if payments are behind on your Austin Texas home, what are your options?

In times like these, most homeowners believe they only have 4 options:

List with a realtor (But do you have time to wait for it to sell? What if it doesn’t sell? No Equity?) Refinance (Thousands of homeowners try only to be turned down because they are behind in payments, have less-than-perfect credit, or have little-to-no equity! And it would cost at least $4,000-5,000 to refinance the average Austin Texas home.) Reinstate your loan (Do you have the amount of $$$ your lender is asking for?) Do nothing and just let the bank foreclose on it (There are many better options, and they can be EASY, too! Plus, if the foreclosure sale is not enough to pay off the mortgage in full, the lender can still come after the borrower for the difference. Yikes!)

But WAIT! There’s a 5th option! = Sell your Austin Texas house to us! We are THE fast Austin Texas Home-Buyers, RedBuysHouses.com. We’re a local, professional real estate investment group that buy houses all over Austin, TX in any area, condition or price range (even no equity) and in virtually any situation.

We can pay all cash and close fast! We don’t care if the house needs repairs because we buy houses in “as-is” condition (so we won’t beat you up about making repairs before closing like other buyers do!). We buy houses in Austin, Texas and the surrounding areas such as Cedar Park, Pflugerville, Round Rock, Lakeway, Buda, Kyle and more. We specialize in finding several CREATIVE solutions to real estate problems that others won’t touch. The fastest way to see if your Austin Texas house qualifies for our “Quick House Purchase Program” is to complete our confidential “Seller Questionnaire” and we will contact you within 24-28 hours.

So, if your payments are behind, the last thing you’d want to do is NOTHING!…Sadly, when times are tough, many homeowners don’t know what to do. Many, many houses have been foreclosed on in recent months because homeowners are not aware of the many alternatives to foreclosure or because:

they expect some money will be found/earned/won/inherited/borrowed to make up back payments in time (Since this isn’t likely, why not at least learn what the other, readily available options are to have a Plan B ready?) they’re embarrassed by the situation. (PLEASE…Don’t let this be the reason you don’t do anything. Things happen in life that can make payments late, and RedBuysHouses.com understands that and wants to help!) they’re afraid and unsure of who to trust (Again, there are trustworthy people out there who want to help…RedBuysHouses.com is an Accredited business with the Better Business Bureau and works with an experienced team of house-buyers who have helped THOUSANDS of homeowners during tough times!) their lenders don’t return any of their phone calls. If they send in any partial payments, it is very common for the lender to send it back. (Dealing with lenders can be very frustrating and confusing!) they didn’t think the bank would “really” foreclose on their house. (Remember, if you get behind on payments and do not do anything, your lender WILL foreclose on your house, even if you have a good relationship with them.) they were not aware that there was help available. (If you remember anything from this article, know that there is help available for you.)

So, if your payments are behind, the last thing you’d want to do is NOTHING! Call us today for a free, risk-free consultation to learn what your options are: Local 512-945-6006, and please leave message if a representative cannot be reached. We may even be able to help you find a solution to stay in your home at a payment you can afford!

We Buy Austin Texas Houses Fast (and we want to buy yours)! If you have an unwanted house you need to sell quickly for any reason whatsoever, call locally 512-945-6006 or visit Red Buys Houses for more information, to receive a free consultation, or to get an offer on your house fast.

While many predicted the current collapse of the real estate market, others were taken by surprise when the market that had left plenty of opportunity in the last few years for profit began to tumble.

Certainly, one of the leading events that eventually resulted in the crash of the real estate market was the crumble of the subprime market. As a result an unfathomable amount of companies suddenly were suddenly facing foreclosure. Even those companies that were not forced to declare foreclosure found they had suddenly lost billions of dollars.

The news has been filled with reports regarding the subprime market crash; however, while it has affected most property owners to some degree there remain many of remain uncertain exactly how this came to be.

Just a few years ago subprime mortgages were a great advantage to many property buyers. Buyers who were interested in taking advantage of the hot real estate market but who lacked good credit histories were able to take advantage of subprime mortgages in order to obtain loans. The underwriting guidelines for these loans were generally more lax than traditional mortgages. This allowed even buyers with poor credit to obtain a loan. In exchange for making a loan to buyer with less than stellar credit, lenders were able to charge a higher rate of interest. In addition, so the theory went, lenders relied on the belief that they would be able to foreclose on property and sell it for a profit in the event the borrower defaulted on the loan.

The money which funded these loans came from a variety of sources. Low interest rates made it possible in many instances for lenders to actually borrow money and then loan out those funds to home buyers. In other cases, the money was obtained from more complicated sources. As you may or may not be aware, it is not uncommon for governments to borrow money from central banks. This practice is particularly common in the United States.

At the time the housing market was stable. In fact, the housing market was experiencing a high that had not been seen in quite some time. Beyond the fact that many homebuyers were taking on massive amounts of debt there also existed another problem. Due to the health of the real estate market at the time, in many cases there were expectations regarding future growth that in hindsight now appear to have been unrealistic.

The last two years of the real estate boom occurred in 2005 and 2006. During that time period lenders did not hesitate in the least to lend money to borrowers regardless of their credit profile. These loans represented a tremendous money-making opportunity for lenders. Problems really began to occur; however, when interest rates began to rise from their previous lows. Historically, rising interest rates have always had a negative effect on the real estate market. When rates are low they help to produce demand; however, when they are high they ultimately cause prices to fall. Until mid-2006 home builders could not build new homes fast enough to meet the growing demand. During mid-year; however, the demand began to slow. It was also about this time that the rate of defaults on loans began to increase.

Before long many mortgage lenders began to find it difficult to obtain money from their previous sources of funding. As a result, would-be buyers discovered that loans were no longer as easy to obtain due to the fact that money was no longer as widely available. Additionally, investors suddenly became wary of taking on risk and underwriting guidelines grew stricter. Homeowners who had taken out loans with adjustable rates began to find it difficult to meet their mortgage payments as interest rates continued to rise. More stringent underwriting guidelines meant they were unable to refinance to fixed rate mortgages in some cases. As a result, defaults continued to rise; fueling the massive rash of foreclosures.

Word Count 665

PPPPP

Are you thinking of hiring a real estate agent to sell your Duluth home quickly?

Selling a house is usually a expensive and complicated process. That’s why real estate agents make such big commissions (often thousands and sometimes tens of thousands of dollars) on a single home sale. And most successful agents in Duluth, Georgia usually have 5, 20 or 20 houses listed at any given time knowing that these houses will probably sell within the next 3 to 6 months or longer. Since most of the good agents have so many listings, it’s rare that they will spend the time, money and personal attention needed to sell your house quickly. If you don’t have much equity in your home, your home selling options are even more limited. You may have to write a big check at closing in order to sell your Duluth house and cover any negative equity, closing costs, taxes, etc in addition to your agent’s large commission check.

There is a better way to sell your Duluth house faster, easier and more conveniently than ever before!

If you don’t want to sell your Duluth house for sale by owner or through a real estate agent, there is a much better solution… Sell your home to us in 7 days or less! We buy houses in Duluth Georgia in 7 days or less and we want to buy your house! We are not real estate agents who want to list and sell your house for a commission. We are local professional home buyers who want to buy your Duluth house and can do so quickly, often in 7 days or less with no commissions to pay. We buy houses from people just like you, in neighborhoods just like yours, in any area, condition or price range in Duluth, Georgia and the surrounding areas such as Sugar Hill, Buford, Cumming and Dacula, Georgia. We buy houses in other towns and cities across Georgia such as Atlanta, Augusta, Macon, Savannah, Valdosta, Gainesville and Athens. We buy newer houses, older houses, pretty houses and even ugly houses that need major repairs. We specialize in finding creative solutions to ugly real estate problems and situations that real estate agents and other traditional and professional home buyers just won’t touch. We can pay you all cash, take over your monthly mortgage payments or lease-option your house immediately! We’ll handle all of the paperwork, make all the arrangements and can close within a few days if necessary. You’ll get a quick sale with no hassles so you can put your home selling worries behind you once and for all.

Do you want to sell your Duluth, Georgia home in 7 days or less?

We buy houses in Duluth Georgia in 7 days or less and we want to buy your house fast! To find out if your Duluth home qualifies for one of our fast home purchase programs, please take a moment to complete our Online Seller Questionnaire at www.we-buy-houses-atlanta-georgia.com. Tell us all about your Duluth house for sale and we will get back to you about buying your house ASAP. If your Duluth home qualifies for one of our fast home purchase programs, one of our local professional home buyers will schedule an appointment to come out and inspect your property, take some photos and make you one or more offers to purchase your home on the spot! Selling your Duluth, Georgia home has never been faster, easier or more convenient!

To sell your house fast in Atlanta Georgia please complete our Home Seller Questionnaire.

Today the Real Estate market has taken a turn for the worse. The market is poor and rates are at an all time high making it very difficult to buy or invest comfortably into a home. Buying a foreclosure home may be the right route for you.

Buying foreclosure homes have many benefits including buying foreclosure homes that are twenty, thirty, or maybe forty percent below market value. Saving thousands of dollars is a benefit that is highly appreciated by both home buyers and investors.

Though buying foreclosure homes can be a worthy investment, it may not be for everyone. A Buyer or Investor of foreclosure homes should be educated about the market or ready to conduct the research necessary. To aid in your success there are a few known steps to consider:

The first step to buying foreclosure homes is to learn the foreclosure process for your state and become educated on the different types of foreclosure. There are a few different types of foreclosure utilized within the United States. The two that are most commonly used are referred to as: foreclosure by judicial sale and foreclosure by power of sale. Foreclosure by judicial sale is the preferred and most important method of foreclosure. Foreclosure by judicial sale is used in every state and required in most.

Second, is being prepared to make the purchase. As a home buyer or investor your financing options should be clear. Before discussing purchasing options with the home owner or bank it is important to already be pre qualified for a loan or have profits to purchase the home.

The third step to buying foreclosure homes is to know your comfort level with speaking with representatives and agent, as well as knowing your negotiating skills. If you are a first time home buyer or investor it may be wise to hire an agent as your representative. Most home owners use agents to sell their home. If you are not comfortable with the idea of speaking with agents and other representatives it may be easier and most adequate to hire an agent to represent you.

Fourth, is research and doing your homework on any home you are considering. Buying foreclosure homes carry a higher risk than a traditional home for sale. Investigate each home you are considering. By carefully examining each home you can reduce your risk significantly.

The fifth step is realizing that buying foreclosure homes is not a get rich quick scam. Do not believe the hype and think that you are going to buy a foreclosure home for sixty percent below market value. Though you may be able to find some homes extremely below market value, this is not true for all homes. In most cases, home buyers and investors save 20-30% off home market value. With that said be prepared to make realistic offers on pre foreclosed homes and decent biddings on foreclosed homes.  Research each home’s market value and review your financial ability.

When your financial future is at stake you want to make the best decisions you can with your money.  One of the best ways to ensure a good return on your investment is by investing in foreclosures. You can find these properties for pennies on the dollar.  There are so many repossessions on the market right now it is the perfect time to consider this option.

You can find many good deals just by watching the sheriff sales in the local paper.  Sometimes there is a list each week which tells what the appraisal value is of the property.  The sale generally asks for two thirds of the appraisal.  This means a $90,000 house can be bought for only $60,000.  This is great for an investor.  You would already have equity in the home.  Financing is not hard to get when you have been preapproved by the lender.  This is the only way to go when you want to buy a home from the sheriff’s auction.  

Investing in foreclosures can be very profitable if you do your homework first. This means making sure the property is worth the investment.  You need to know if the neighborhood is up and coming or deteriorating.  If the property values are falling, you should avoid the sale unless you plan on using the property as a rental unit.  This means you can buy it at way below market value, rent is for a few years, and sell it for a profit when you decide to liquidate.

You must never buy properties which are offered for the same price as the appraisal.  You do not want to find yourself in a position where the property can not give you a return on your investment.  Most investors who have been buying and selling properties claim that buying a property for a price 50% or less of the appraised value is the only way investing in foreclosures will work.

In many cases you can find foreclosures listed with many financial companies.  They are not in the business of real estate and having these properties on the books looks bad for them. The lenders need to sell the properties and are usually willing to make a deal with qualified buyers.