FSBO - You Can Sell Your Home Yourself

If it's time to buy a new home and you already decided to sell your house, wait a bit before you turn to a real estate agency.

Maybe this is your first time home selling, and you think it would be better to entrust the whole stuff to a professional. But what makes you think you can't do it on your own?

FSBO means 'For Sale By Owner' and it is used to describe home owners who sell their homes themselves and don't use a real estate company when they sell their homes and land.

Believe it or not, with the proper knowledge and the right help just about anyone can successfully sell (or buy) without using a real estate agency. Sometimes an owner can even do a better job than many real estate agents.

FSBO makes selling a home on your own easy. A growing percentage of homeowners are realizing how easy and economical it is to sell your own home without using real estate agents and agencies. You can save a lot on real estate commissions every time you sell your house. It is very important that your home's selling price is determined by you, not a real estate broker who takes a x% fee for selling your home.

It is recommended to get information about prices from as many sources as possible, for instance with the help of Real Estate Websites.

An agent may tell you that the main reason to use them rather than FSBO is that they can place your home in the Multiple Listing Service, and you can not. They may imply that your chances of selling without being in the MLS are next to nothing. Don't believe it. The truth is that up to one in 3 homes sell by owner and very few, if any, of those were MLS listed.

Usually buyers look at For Sale By Owners as well as listed homes. They don't only browse ads that are in the MLS, though realtors dreaming of that.

Honestly, you don't need a real estate agent to sell or purchase property - that's clear. Keep your money for something else and give a trial to rely on your own skills.

From Goarticles.com

Home Selling Tips On Real Estate Agents

There are some things in life that shouldn’t be taken easily. And for one reason or another, home selling is one of them.

Crucial to any home selling is the planning that occurs prior to it. It must start from building the structure. Even if you have no real intention, you must already preset in your mind the idea of selling your home. You must design it in such a way that your house would welcome buyers without prejudicing your own interests. Remember that to be able to do this you will need extra measures that would supply over all effects without disregarding your personal touches.

Apart from what has already been said, here are some of the tips in home selling:

Enlist the help of a real estate agent. He must be qualified enough that he could sell your house at the best possible price. However, the degree of qualification varies in your own judgment. For example, you want your agent to have a good background on your neighborhood. This component will help him give a more realistic price on your property.

And knowing the best price in your house is one good trick. Why? Because both you and the buyer will be justified in the price you have set. While it is your intention to get the highest pay for your property, you must also learn to protect the interest of your buyer through getting around the possibility of marketing your house in a much higher price.

Besides, quoting an unreasonably high price would inhibit your buyers from checking in your house. Offering a too low price, however, would put you on the down side. This will always be lose-lose situation since commission and tax payments would decrease your sale value.

Be informed on the structure of commission. After you have found an agent, you must start constructing the listing agreement. This is a form of contract that covers all specifics and other relevant information such as restrictions. Ensure to it that all dealings are transparent.

There are agents who request to have exclusive listing on the property. This only suggests that he is the sole broker and that you would not hire other brokers apart from him. To refrain yourself from being caught into bad situations, it is best that you limit your contract only in a span of 3 months so it would be easier for you to find other agents in case your initial choice didn’t turn out well.

The usual commission rate is 6% of the total price of the house. However, you can change the arrangement depending on what has been agreed upon.

Know the best timing for selling your house. Search for facts that would give you details regarding the length of time homes in your neighborhood stays in the market. This way, you can judge when is the best timing to put your property in the market.

It is important that your agent guides you in all dealings. Say fro the bids, he must give you knowledge on who to answer bids and the contingency clauses integrated in the bid.

You see, it all lies in your choice of real estate agent. You must find one that has the best caliber. It is not enough that he just know something, he must know everything. And when we say everything, it should run down even to the finest details the business has.

From Isnare.com

U.S. Commercial Real Estate

The United States of America is one of the largest countries in the whole world. It is made up of 50 states, which are semi-independent. There are a number of large cities in the U.S., including Washington D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York, to name a few.

There are numerous tourist attractions in the United States. These include The Statue of Liberty, The Grand Canyon, and Yosemite National Park, to name a few. There are also a wide variety of events occurring at different locations in the country all throughout the year, which attract numerous people worldwide. Some of the major events in the country include the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, and Labor Day, to name a few. Watching and playing sports are also much loved pastimes in the country. The U.S. has professional teams for most sports, including basketball, baseball, football, soccer and hockey.

The United States is home to one of the largest commercial real estate industries in the whole world. In the late 1980s up to the early 1990s, the real estate industry in the United States experienced a major collapse. Since then, various efforts have been made to re-build the industry to its present competitive state. The tax code was amended, and real estate investment trusts , or REITs, became public. Large private investors also became interested in the commercial real estate industry. Also, after the technology bubble popped in the 1990s, more and more people became interested in owning real property, and subsequently, investing in the commercial real estate industry.

The commercial real estate industry in the United States is stimulated by the country's economy, which is of a capitalist mixed type. The United States contributes approximately 20 percent of the gross products in the world. It is one of the largest importers and exporters of goods, and is one of the biggest industrial powers in the world.

Commercial real estate in the United States is now considered as a new asset class. In the past several years, the real estate industry has been flourishing, and has become more appealing than even the U.S. stock market. Currently, the values of office spaces and retail properties are still on the rise, while long-term interest rates remain at affordable levels. Several cities in the country have experienced the real estate boom, including New York, Los Angeles, Miami and Chicago. These characteristics make real estate a very attractive industry for investors to get into.

Although the recent subprime mortgage crisis has begun to affect even the commercial real estate industry, as seen in the decreasing prices of stocks of various mortgage companies, different analysts are still optimistic regarding the future of commercial real estate in the country. Various commercial real estate deals, involving hotels and business offices, are still getting finalized.

Moreover, a recent bill favoring the commercial real estate industry has recently been re-authorized by the U.S. Congress. The bill, known as the terrorism risk insurance program, provides adequate real estate coverage for different forms of terrorist attacks, such as nuclear, chemical, biologic or radiologic. This form of security is essential in the commercial real estate industry in the United States.

With all of these factors in play, the U.S. commercial real estate industry will surely continue growing in the years to come.

From Goarticles.com

Tips For Closing the For Sale By Owner Deal

Once the buyer signs the sales contract, you might feel the urge to relax. Don't sit back and kick your feet up just yet. Your work is not complete just yet. The buyer can still back out of the deal if certain things go wrong in these last steps of the for sale by owner process. Buyers tend to get cold feet at this point. They see other for sale by owner homes they like for a lower price. You have to take steps to make sure the buyer doesnt back out of the deal.

After the for sale by owner sales contract has been signed, the buyers lender will have an appraisal done to ensure that the borrower isnt asking for more money than your home is actually worth. The lender will not provide a loan if the home is appraised for less than the sale price. You can avoid this by having your own appraisal done when you are setting your price in the for sale by owner process. Alternatively, you can make sure that your price is comparable to that of similar homes sold in your neighborhood.

The lender might have your for sale by owner land surveyed to establish the property boundaries. In most cases, this doesnt present a problem. If your [for sale by owner property has not been surveyed in the last 50 years, has recently been subdivided between other people, or has a boundary that changes like a creek, then you should pay attention during this part of the process.

The buyer might have his own inspections done as allowed by the sales contract. These inspections are done at the buyers expense and include termite, roof, and general inspection. Be available during the inspection. Ask questions about anything you do not understand. If you so choose, you can have your own inspection completed. It could prove helpful if you need to dispute a report, but is not necessary. Your primary concern should be to fix problems and keep the buyer from backing out of the for sale by owner contract.

You should notify your lender that you will be paying off the balance of your mortgage and ask for a statement of your balance. Collect appliance instruction books and warranty information to give to the buyer. Finally, when you know the closing date, you should notify service providers like electricity, water, cable, and trash of your final billing date.

The for sale by owner closing date will be about 30 to 45 days from the date the sales contract is signed. Depending on your state, your real estate attorney might handle the closing. Alternatively, the lenders attorney might handle it and your attorney will act as your representative.

At the for sale by owner closing, the settlement statement is reviewed. This statement details the money received. This includes: the lenders check for the mortgage amount, buyers down payment, and the buyers earnest money deposit. The settlement statement also includes money that must be paid out: balance on the sellers current mortgage, real estate agent fees (if applicable), and closing costs. Finally, the statement will detail the amount you get to keep.

The title to the house is then transferred to the buyer and the process is complete. Your hard work has paid off.

From Goarticles.com

Investing In Dubai Real Estate

By: Groshan Fabiola


The Dubai real estate market has experienced tremendous growth over recent years, and this is all the more notable considering that the traditional real estate fundamentals are not what this particular market operates on. Many people are therefore wondering about the explanation for the bust that the Dubai real estate market is set for. Population growth may be a sound explanation, considering that Dubai’s population is about three or four times bigger than that of other developing countries all over the world. The capital appreciation in the Dubai real estate market could also be justified by the high yields that investors achieved, both for short-term and long-term rentals.

Many investors are attracted by the opportunities that the Dubai real estate market provides. Shortstay renting is probably the most profitable way of producing money from Dubai real estate, because the rather high average rates that Dubai hotels charge per night have determined tourists to start looking for other options, such as a Dubai apartment or villa.

Probably the best thing about the Dubai real estate market is that there is no tax on property transactions. In fact only the ones subjected to taxes are the oil industry, the banking sector, and the cigarette manufacturers. Under these circumstances, it’s only understandable why many investors want to have their own share of Dubai property.

Being the owner of Dubai property comes with a series of advantages, such as being able to apply for residency. Furthermore, foreigners who want to purchase Dubai property are not required to have a bank account in this emirate. The transaction itself is far from being complicated, but you should definitely consider seeking legal counsel before the transaction, and legal representation during it, given the vague nature of Dubai property transactions.

Dubai property prices have been increasing considerably over the past few years, since 2002, to be more precise, when foreigners were allowed to purchase properties in this emirate. The reason for this appreciable increase was the intense demand that the Dubai real estate market has been experiencing. However, Dubai real estate can still be profitable, provided that investors know exactly what to invest in and what to do with that piece of property. Different people are interested in different types of real estate, and understanding the market from this point of view is one sure step towards success. For instance, completed apartments and family villas are in high demand for long-term rental.

All in all, long-term profit form the Dubai real estate market is possible, but it comes with certain conditions. Although this market is hardly similar to traditional and more conventional real estate markets, there is one aspect that is true for all real estate markets alike, including the Dubai one: profit from property purchase requires thorough research prior to the actual investment. Those interested in purchasing Dubai property will definitely benefit from using the information available online about the Dubai real estate market.

The Real Estate Investment With The Features Of A Corporate Bond

By: Groshan Fabiola


Why are so many investors, foreign and domestic, placing their money in NNN properties?

Net-leased real estate provides a unique investment opportunity to individuals or institutions interested in owning real estate without the hassles of management and leasing typically found in conventional real estate investments. Net-leased projects are most commonly single-tenant, credit-driven investments on long-term leases which require minimal or no landlord responsibility.

As a result, investors are not bound to their geographic markets, whereas they would most likely be with a traditional real estate investment, not just closely watched “backyard” opportunities.

A net-leased (NNN) property is effectively a long-term bond of a corporation in the form of a lease document encompassed by real estate. The investment appears to be a bond-type investment due to the “coupon-clipper” type of returns, 6%-10%. However, they also provide the added benefits of tax reduction and property appreciation found in conventional real estate.

The net-leased investment can be categorized three ways:

1. Retail refers to big-box users (i.e. discount variety stores, department stores, or home improvement stores) as well as small-box users (i.e. restaurants or drug stores).
2. Industrial includes facilities used for either distribution, manufacturing, or research and development.
3. Office refers to any single user such as an oil company or pharmaceutical firm occupying a facility as the sole tenant.

Pricing on net-leased projects is based primarily on the tenant’s credit, the terms of the lease, and the location. Although each of these variables has an important role in the pricing of net-leased projects, it is the combination of all three that will determine a true purchase price.

Tenant’s Credit
* Many net-leased projects are based solely on a tenant’s credit.
* Tenants considered investment grade by a recognized rating agency usually trade at a premium (i.e. Walmart, Walgreens, General Motors).
* Tenants with junk bond (non-investment grade) ratings or minimal net worth typically trade for a higher return (i.e. UA Theaters, Dairy Mart convenience stores, Taco Cabana restaurants).

Lease
* Length of a lease is a another primary factor in determining the sales price on a net-leased investment. Primary terms of 15 or more years are preferred; 10 years is sufficient in 1031 tax-deferred exchanges and similar cases
* “Absolute” triple-net leases, where the tenant is responsible for roof, structure, and parking, trade at a premium.
* “Double-net (NN)” leases, where the landlord is responsible for roof and structure, trade at a higher yield and usually include a reserve taken for any potential repairs.
* Leases with “bumps”- rental increases or upside trade at a premium, with the exception of flat leases with investment grade credit.

Location
* NNN leases are credit-driven, causing location to be the least important factor.
* Investors often pay an added premium for the residual benefit of specifying a certain geographic location.

The combination of credit, lease and location can lead to paying a higher premium (i.e. Walgreen: 20 year NNN, flat) or receiving a higher yield (i.e. CSK Auto: 15 year NN).

The market for net-leased real estate investments is strong. The availability of attractive financing combined with minimal landlord responsibilities create highly desirable opportunities, especially for investors desiring a property for an IRS Section 1031 tax-deferred exchange.

Whether a risk-averse individual or institution is in need of a smart depreciation vehicle or a relatively safe “coupon-clipper,” net-leased properties provide great investments in both credit and real estate markets.