YOUR PLACE TO CALL HOME: We received an offer, but is it any good?
You’re sitting at home relaxing with your family when the call finally comes in. Your Realtor is on the phone with the exciting news that someone made an offer on your house.
Read more on Suburban Journals

Bamboula in Kutztown pushes the go green button
Kutztown’s one-of-a-kind shop, Bamboula Limited, sells a stock of African hand-crafted fair trade home accessories and gifts, many of which are sustainably made in the vein of the now go green era.
Read more on Kutztown Area Patriot

Home sales up for 3rd consecutive quarter
According to the Texas Quarterly Housing Report released Monday, the volume of real estate sales in Texas increased for the third quarter in a row.
Read more on Wichita Falls Times Record News

Question by ready: How do I choose a good first time home buyers program?
I will be buying my first home in september I live in atlanta, ga. My credit score right now is about a 720. What is a good first time home buyers program. I hear there is some with 0 down and closing cost paid…please give me your insight.

Best answer:

Answer by teran_realtor
One that you qualify for.

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!

A Real Estate Formula

Word Count:
439

Summary:
A great real estate formula? There are many. This one is for when you already have some capital and want a great return.

Keywords:
real estate formula, real estate, real estate investing

Article Body:
It was a simple real estate formula. The ads ran in our small-town newspaper for years before I realized exactly what was going on. They were always the same: A house for sale with 5% down and payments of 1% of the purchase price. Maybe a three bedroom home for $90,000, for example, with $4,500 down and $900 per month payments.

When a friend started doing the same thing he explained the process to me. It was a way to get a great return on capital, and it was the opposite of buying with no money down. There is no down payment at all when you buy, because you buy for cash.

The Simple Real Estate Formula

You probably know that when you buy for cash, you can often get a much better price. With no financing contingencies in the offer, and the promise of a faster closing, sellers are willing to sell for less. You can offer $95,000, for example, on a house that might be worth $108,000. If you can’t get it for less than, say, $99,000, you walk away – there are always other opportunities.

Once you buy the house, you put few thousand into high-return repairs and improvements. These might include paint, carpet, and maybe asphalt for a dirt driveway. For our example, we’ll say you spend $5,000. Let’s suppose the house is worth $116,000 now. You’re ready for the next important step in this real estate formula.

You put it up for sale, targeting buyers who can’t get financing easily. You provide the financing. Because you are making it easy for the buyer, you can get more than the $116,000 value for the home – and do it without paying a realtor’s commission. Let’s say you sell it for 123,000. The buyer needs a down payment of just 5%, or $6,150, and makes monthly payments of $1230 per month. You charge higher interest than the going rates at the banks, of course.

This is a win-win situation. Your buyer is able to buy a home instead of renting, and you get a capital gain of perhaps $16,000 after expenses, plus good interest. Your total rate of return will often be over 20%!

In our town, the first to do this consistently were a father and son team of lawyers. They saved money by doing their own foreclosures when necessary. Once they foreclosed, they raised the price and sold the home all over again.

They made millions. Did you know that if you can get an average return of 18% on your money, you’ll turn $75,000 into more than one million dollars in about fifteen years? That’s the power of a good real estate formula.

There are many ways in which you can find a great property for your real estate investment. The problem lies in the fact that many would be investors aren’t exactly certain what specific types of investment they wish to make. Unfortunately, the type of investing will greatly affect the type of property that will best suit your real estate needs. This article focuses on finding a great property for the purpose of flipping or rehabbing a property.

Seek Bargains

This is absolutely a necessary step when it comes to finding properties with excellent potential as flipped properties. Bargains are often sold at bargain prices for a reason. The good news is that many of these reasons are purely cosmetic and quite simple to fix. Finding a realtor that is willing to work with you for lower prices, bargain properties offer an excellent place to begin. If he or she is a knowledgeable professional you should have access to properties that would have been unavailable to you had you continued the search without the assistance of a professional.

Another great place to find bargains of this nature is to search through foreclosures, auctions, and homes that are preparing to enter into foreclosure. While not always the case, there are many in these situations that are willing to be a bit more flexible with the price. Never offer full asking price first. Start low and negotiate up. This may lose some properties but in the end it will be a much more profitable venture if you can get the properties you want for a smaller investment.

Know the Neighborhood

Before placing a bid on a potential property for flipping you need to learn as much about the neighborhood as possible. You do not want to place a family home in the middle of a retirement neighborhood, nor do you want to place a potential bachelor pad in that type of area. You also want to avoid areas that are entering a state of decline, as the rehab efforts are unlikely to achieve the profits you are hoping to receive. Instead, look for bargains in areas that are approaching some sort of renewal or have very low crime and excellent growth potential.

If you are rehabbing a home that is meant to appeal to families make sure the neighborhood is safe, has a relatively low crime rate, access to good schools, and entertainment opportunities that may appeal to families. These things will affect the price you are likely to be able to expect once the rehab efforts have been completed as well as the type of renovations you will need to perform on the property. Buying a property in an area that you know nothing about is like buying a property without an inspection-which brings me to my next point.

Get a Thorough Inspection

This is one of the most important steps in the process of selecting the perfect property for your real estate investment needs. A qualified inspection will prepare you for any problems that may arise during the course of your work on the home. These are things that will affect the amount of money you should offer on the home, the amount of money you will need to invest in repairs, and the amount of money you can expect once all is said and done.

Failing to have a complete and proper inspection can lead to disaster when the renovations begin costing extra money and time as efforts are undone in order to get to the root of the problems as you go. There are very few things that can save you the time or money that having a decent inspection can manage to save. Inspections can also make you aware of any structural problems, code problems, and other problems that may mean the difference between this property offering a possible profit or a probable loss. It is much better to be armed with this knowledge before ever making an offer on the property in question.

Realize That You do not Need to Buy the First Property You See

This is an important thing to remember. If the first property doesn’t speak to you, move on until you find one that does. This process is part science and part inspiration. If you are uninspired by a property it is unlikely that this property will suddenly take on a life of its own in order to suit your real estate investment needs. Keep searching until you find the property that meets all of your needs in order to find the perfect property for your first or your fiftieth flip.

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When it comes to buying a home, most potential buyers will use the listing price to as the number one factor to determine the homes that they look at. Even though you and a realtor may determine the asking price, the buyer will determine the selling price. If the price is too high, most buyers won?t give it a second thought – which is why you want to determine the listing price carefully.

If you set the correct price, you?ll notice a much faster sale. Setting the right listing price will also attract more potential buyers to your property as well. You?ll also notice an increase in response from realtors, and receive more calls about the property. The listing price is very important – and it can ultimately determine whether or not you sale your property.

A home can be overpriced due to several reasons. Overpricing is something you want to avoid, as buyers tend to steer clear of homes that have been overpriced. Normally, this happens when a buyer asks a lot more than the home is worth or valued at. Some buyers ask a lot more than the value of the home due to location. Although the location is very important, most potential buyers won?t give the home a second look if they think the price is too high – and more importantly out of their price range.

When you put your home up for sale, most activity will happen within the first couple of weeks. If you put the right price on your home, you?ll notice immediate interest. There are always buyers looking for homes in their price range, waiting for new homes to be listed or homes to be reduced in price. Buyers who are waiting to purchase may miss seeing your home completely if the price is too high.

To determine the listing price of your home, you should always have it appraised before you put it on the market. This way, you?ll know the full value of your home. You can sell it for market value or go a little under, although you should never attempt to go way over the value. In doing so, you?ll miss out on a lot of potential buyers. The home market is very competitive these days, which is why you want your home to draw as much interest as possible.

Keep in mind that realtors really have no control at all over the real estate market, only the plan behind marketing. Realtors don?t determine the asking price – the seller does. You can ask a realtor for advice, although you are the decider of your listing price. If you do things right and take each thing step by step, you?ll set the listing price in the right area and have no problems selling your property.

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There are some myths about real estate agents, many of which are not so flattering. But when it comes down to it, real estate agents are not too out there, and there is a logical explanation to each misconception. Let’s straighten out a couple myths and facts.

Myth #1: They have big hair.

Fact: Though occasionally real estate agents do have big hair, most are regular people who get up in the morning just like you do, and go to work just like you do. Many real estate agents, in fact, are going bald due to stress related hair loss. Same with the fancy dagger-shaped manicures; in actuality, many real estate agents have bitten their nails down to nubs.

Myth #2: Real Estate Agents drive luxury cars while talking on their cell phones.

Fact: Itâ??s true that real estate agents are often trying to do too many things at once, but they like to be careful about it. And though real estate agents would like to make a good impression on you, more often than not they drive Hondas and Toyotas and hope that their hard work will sell you, not their Lexus.

Myth #3: Real Estate Agents know your area.

Fact: Just like normal people, real estate agents canâ??t know everything. Though they do spend a lot of time driving around town, they canâ??t be in all places at once, and they themselves probably have preferences for one neighborhood versus another. Make it clear to your realtor what kind of area you want to live in, and they can help you look within that section of town.

Myth #4: Real Estate Agents live outside of time.

Fact: Real estate agents have lives too, and those lives happen to take place in the same physical realm as yours does. While it might seem like they spend a strangely disproportionate chunk of time speaking with you, they are actually trying to be as time-conscious as possible, so that you can move more quickly into your home and they can move more quickly to helping their next client.

Myth #5: Real Estate Agents just want your money.

Fact: What real estate agents actually want is an easy life. They want to help you find a home you love, and they want to make their (often small) bit of commission off of it (and thatâ??s off the sale, not out of your pocket). They do not want your soul or your firstborn, just some patience, consideration, and a positive home-buying experience for all.

The very best and most enjoyable reason to purchase real estate by far is in buying a property in which your family will live and grow together. There is a lot of fun involved in finding the perfect place for you and your family to call home. There is also a great deal of stress involved as well and that should not be overlooked.

Some things to keep in mind when searching for the perfect property for your family are the following:

1) Make your first step the step of finding a realtor or buyer’s agent that you are confident has your needs, desires, and best interests at heart. Your realtor can prove to be a lifesaver when you’ve reached the final hours before closing and the sky looks as though it’s going to fall. Far more than that though, your realtor can help you find the home that you simply cannot see your family living without.
2) Once you’ve found a real estate that you trust to help you find a home for your family it is time to identify the things that are absolute necessities in your search and those things you can live without. The most important thing to decide upon is a budget that you are comfortable living with.
3) Once you’ve established a budget you need to decide the features that are important to meet the needs of your family. The number of bedrooms, bathrooms, square footage, and yard space. Do you need a fenced in yard or a basement? These things are important as they do affect the comfort and in some cases safety of your family.
4) Another important thing that must be considered when purchasing a home for your family is the neighborhood. This is more important than many people may realize. It is well worth having a smaller home in a neighborhood that is poised for growth rather than a larger home in a neighborhood that is in the state of decline or on the verge of the state of decline. Crime rates in the neighborhood and the school district are other things that need to be considered as well before deciding to view a potential home.
5) You should also take the time to look at several properties before deciding on one property over another. The more properties you see, the better the chances are that you will actually find the one perfect property for the needs of your family home. The more homes you see the more you will learn about your likes and dislikes. You will also get ideas about possibilities and things that can be added on to the home you eventually select. Regardless, the more homes you see, the more choices you have when the time comes to make a decision.
6) Never offer the asking price right away. Even if you are willing to pay the full asking price, offer something a little lower and allow some negotiating room. Be sure, if you truly want the house in question not to be insulting with your offer but make the offer just the same. Some things you may want to consider when you make your offer is how quickly you are likely to need a new roof, new flooring, new heating or air conditioning, and countless other improvements that may need to be made on the property. Each of these things costs money and they add up over time. If everything is fairly recent and in good working order you may want to consider that when making your offer as well.

You will find many houses along the way but few will reach out and impress themselves upon you as home. Those are the ones you should consider long and hard. Weigh the options, the prices, and your likes and dislikes. If you do all of this you should be well on your way to the home of your dreams.

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Think listing your home with a Realtor is the only way to sell?

Think again! With today’s glut of underpriced foreclosures on the market and house values dropping steadily, there is not only a lot of competition out there, but houses must be priced right to compete! In reality, in Austin Texas it can take many months to sell a house through a Realtor. After all, it is a “Buyer’s Market” right now.

But what if you don’t HAVE months to wait to sell your home?

What if your Austin Texas house needs repairs or updating to attract buyers your Realtor brings over?

What if, like many Americans, the mortgage is a little behind and you want to see if you can “get out from under it”…and fast!

What if the property was 100% financed and you owe more than it’s worth?

What if the house is in foreclosure, an auction date has been set, and time is running out?

The good news is that there ARE ways to sell your Austin Texas home fast, and it may be even easier than you thought!

Yes, even in today’s market it is possible to sell your home fast, though it may not be through a Realtor.

There are alternatives that many folks are just not aware of. Believe it or not, there are ways to sell your Austin house fast, without having to use a Realtor, while paying ZERO fees, commissions, buyers’ concessions, or repair costs!

When you sell your Austin Texas house to us, you’re offered at least FIVE programs to ensure your house is sold FAST, and the anxiety is gone!

We can pay all cash to you. If you need us to, we can pay you all cash for your property and close quickly! How can we do this? Unlike a traditional buyer who is at the mercy of the banks trying to qualify for a loan, we’re a professional house-buying (investment) company, which means we have the ready funds to quickly buy your Austin Texas house ALL CASH. There is no waiting and wondering like there would be with a traditional buyer who needs to get qualified for a loan, cancel their existing lease, etc, etc.

Plus, we buy properties AS-IS, meaning even if it needs repairs (big or small) or updating, we don’t care! We buy houses in any condition, and we won’t try to make you pay us extra at closing toward repair costs, like you would with a traditional sale of a less-than-perfect home. What a hassle!

And we buy Austin houses FAST! If you simply can’t, or don’t want to, make another mortgage payment, we can close in as little as 24 hours! No more waiting and worrying when, or if, your house will sell! We can make you an offer immediately, and we close when we say we’re going to close, which is often lightning fast!

We can take over your payments. We can buy your house in Austin Texas by making the payments going forward and give you cash to move into a new place. We pay for any fix-up costs if needed and if payments are behind, we are responsible for catching up the payments to save your credit and relieve your anxiety.

We can buy your house for less than you owe (if you have little to no equity)! We do this by negotiating the mortgage balance with your lender on your behalf. If you wouldn’t be able to sell your house with a real estate agent without having to write a big, fat check at the closing, then this is likely your solution. We have an experienced team of negotiators who KNOW how to deal with tough banks! We know exactly what lenders are looking for!

We can help you with a house swap! If you want to buy another house, but you can’t until you’ve sold your house, we can help you with a “house swap.” Not only can we buy your house, but we’ll help move you into a new one that you like.

We can repair or update your Austin Texas house to sell it fast! And you get the satisfaction of knowing your house sold in great condition at a higher price.

We buy houses from people in every situation imaginable and we make the process fast, fair, and friendly. RedBuysHouses.com is a team of local Austin Texas home-buyers that purchase properties as investments. We can relieve you of your mortgage payments and give you money to move on and be free. RedBuysHouses.com – The fastest way to see if your house qualifies for our “Quick House Purchase Program” is to complete our confidential, risk-free “Seller Questionnaire” and we will contact you within 24-28 hours.

So remember, even if you owe more than (or almost as much as your house is worth), we are your best chance at getting you out from underneath your home and freeing you to get on with your life…We work with an experienced team that has helped over 900 homeowners sell their no-equity houses, and if that’s your position, we can do the same for you! Call us locally at 512-945-6006 so we can research the value of your property and tell you honestly what your options are. Call today – You have nothing to lose and everything to gain!

A Realtor?s Personal Safety Guideline

Word Count:
643

Summary:
A major concern for realtors is personal safety. Many times the realtor is working alone in showing a property, having an open house, or manning the model house in a new subdivision.

Keywords:
realtor, client, property, office, car, sure, safety, house, information, escape, means, personal, personal safety, open house, don?t, license, phone,

Article Body:
A major concern for realtors is personal safety. Many times the realtor is working alone in showing a property, having an open house, or manning the model house in a new subdivision. Some personal safety issues should include:

On the first meeting of a client, have them meet you at the office. Get as much personal information as possible. A copy of the driver?s license is a good start not only for safety, but also for the client database.

If you have a strange feeling about the client, don?t show property by yourself. Ask a co-worker to go with you; at worst you might have to split the commission. If you are manning an open house and you feel that you might be in danger, leave the property and call for help.

Always drive your own car to the property as this might be the only means of escape. On the way make notes on the type of car, color, and license plate number and call the office with this information. Once at the property make sure your car is not blocked and you have an easy escape (no backing-up).

As you are showing the property, always have the client lead you; this allows the property to present itself and keeps the client where you can see them. Make sure they sign-in on the registry and if the office does not have the information on the client, get the information to them. Your office will know you are with a client at this time.

Keep your keys and cell phone close and easy to access. If need be, keys can be effective weapon of surprise. If you have a handbag, keep it with you at all times or locked in the trunk of your car. Know the property, not only do you look more professional, but safer; your client does not know all of the exits as well as you should.

Take a few self defense classes, as a few minutes head start out of the property means the difference in a safe escape and being trapped. Take the first chance for escape and don?t try to talk your way out; keep your advantage. The more time you spend in a dangerous situation means a diminished chance of a safe exit.

Let the client see that you have contacted your office and the office knows who you are with. It is also a good idea to have a secret code for trouble such as ?Pick up dog food? when you don?t have a dog. It is also a good idea to set your phone to vibrate as your client will not know if you are calling or if you are receiving a phone call.

If there is an emergency your office can play a vital role. Make sure they have the make of your car, its color, and license plate. If you are using a different car that day, make sure they have its description as well.

Make sure your office has your schedule for the day and that you check in on each appointment. If you are hosting an open house, make sure you have a registry book for clients to sign in. See if you can also include the client?s car description. Tell the client it is just in case they get a parking ticket and you want to document the reason for parking there or some other reason.

Many of these points may already in practice for the profession. Look to these procedures as also a safety concern. These safety tips should become second nature with little thought to be truly effective. Being an agent means sometimes you will work alone. With today?s cell phones and e-mail capabilities and some careful thought, you will be safer and will be in contact with help quicker.

A Realtor?s Guide To Personal Safety

Word Count:
643

Summary:
A major concern for realtors is personal safety. Many times the realtor is working alone in showing a property, having an open house, or manning the model house in a new subdivision.

Keywords:
client, property, office, car, sure, safety, house, information, escape, means, personal, personal safety, open house, don?t, license, phone, open, color license plate, license plate, office information,

Article Body:
A major concern for realtors is personal safety. Many times the realtor is working alone in showing a property, having an open house, or manning the model house in a new subdivision. Some personal safety issues should include:

On the first meeting of a client, have them meet you at the office. Get as much personal information as possible. A copy of the driver?s license is a good start not only for safety, but also for the client database.

If you have a strange feeling about the client, don?t show property by yourself. Ask a co-worker to go with you; at worst you might have to split the commission. If you are manning an open house and you feel that you might be in danger, leave the property and call for help.

Always drive your own car to the property as this might be the only means of escape. On the way make notes on the type of car, color, and license plate number and call the office with this information. Once at the property make sure your car is not blocked and you have an easy escape (no backing-up).

As you are showing the property, always have the client lead you; this allows the property to present itself and keeps the client where you can see them. Make sure they sign-in on the registry and if the office does not have the information on the client, get the information to them. Your office will know you are with a client at this time.

Keep your keys and cell phone close and easy to access. If need be, keys can be effective weapon of surprise. If you have a handbag, keep it with you at all times or locked in the trunk of your car. Know the property, not only do you look more professional, but safer; your client does not know all of the exits as well as you should.

Take a few self defense classes, as a few minutes head start out of the property means the difference in a safe escape and being trapped. Take the first chance for escape and don?t try to talk your way out; keep your advantage. The more time you spend in a dangerous situation means a diminished chance of a safe exit.

Let the client see that you have contacted your office and the office knows who you are with. It is also a good idea to have a secret code for trouble such as ?Pick up dog food? when you don?t have a dog. It is also a good idea to set your phone to vibrate as your client will not know if you are calling or if you are receiving a phone call.

If there is an emergency your office can play a vital role. Make sure they have the make of your car, its color, and license plate. If you are using a different car that day, make sure they have its description as well.

Make sure your office has your schedule for the day and that you check in on each appointment. If you are hosting an open house, make sure you have a registry book for clients to sign in. See if you can also include the client?s car description. Tell the client it is just in case they get a parking ticket and you want to document the reason for parking there or some other reason.

Many of these points may already in practice for the profession. Look to these procedures as also a safety concern. These safety tips should become second nature with little thought to be truly effective. Being an agent means sometimes you will work alone. With today?s cell phones and e-mail capabilities and some careful thought, you will be safer and will be in contact with help quicker.