10 Best Cities for Real Estate in 2006

Buy, sell or hold seem to be the biggest worries of home buyers and real estate investors in the 2006 residential real estate market. After solid double-digit appreciation in many major markets the last five years, investors and home buyers alike see the brakes on growth in 2006. Where to go? Mark Nash real estate author of 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home lays out where investors and home buyers can make a go it in 2006.

-Atlanta, Georgia. Below average appreciation rates that have not matched other major markets.

-Austin, Texas. Good news here, affordable housing prices attracting employers. Rising appreciation.

-Boise, Idaho. New on real estate investors radar, attracting scores of out-of-state buyers. Good profit prospects.

-Dallas, Texas. Prices creeping upward, fueling investor interest. Many tired of northern winters put this on their must-move-to destination list.

-Houston, Texas. Demand from Katrina transplants driving a strong market, plus attractive pricing is making this a popular relocation market.

-Las Vegas, Nevada. Market returning to normal appreciation rates, demand stays steady. One of the fastest growing areas in the country.

-Phoenix, Arizona. Ignored in the boom, now being discovered by investors. Most cities here are bargain-priced.

-San Antonio, Texas. Waking from a stagnant appreciation period. Good returns projected here for the next several years.

-Seattle, Washington. Good economy and low inventories offer attractive appreciation gains in 2006.

-Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Solid Midwestern values speculate-proof this burgeoning market.

Mark Nash is the author of "Fundamentals of Marketing for the Real Estate Professional", "Starting & Succeeding in Real Estate", "Reaching Out: The Financial Power of Niche Marketing", and "1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home". Mark is a contributing writer for: Realtor (R) Magazine Online, Broker Agent News, Real Estate Executive Magazine, Principal Broker, and Realty Times. His tried and true real estate tips has been featured on Business Week, CBS The Early Show, CNN, HGTVpro.com, The New York Times, and USA Today
Purchase his books at http://www.1001RealEstateTips.com.

Selling your Home using Online Real Estate Forms

Despite increasing interest rates and seemingly unfavorable market conditions, there is still visible movement in real estate transactions as more people engage in the business of selling and buying properties. It seems that the much feared collapse of the real estate industry is not likely to happen in the near future.

Statistics show that baby boomers and senior citizens are selling their homes to move into smaller residences. Their properties are still being gobbled up by the market although admittedly, some properties stay on the market for much longer periods of time. Realtors attribute this occurrence to houses being priced more than what it’s worth. Krasi Henkel of The Henkel Group (an affiliate of Re/Max Distinctive) has this advice to home owners: "If you want to sell your house at top dollar, don’t list above [value] and think you have room to negotiate." Being unable to sell an overpriced house promptly is not because of adverse market conditions, it’s because of greed.

One other cause of delay in selling properties is the amount of time to secure all the necessary papers to formalize the real estate transaction. To further facilitate or expedite real estate sales, the website, www.legalhomeforms.com was developed, and the site has more than 60 authorized real estate forms and legal contracts in their database. Because it also has state specific forms for the states such as Alabama, California, and Hawaii, www.legalhomeforms.com is the most dependable and most comprehensive on-line source of real estate documents on the internet. All the forms are easily downloadable and these can be downloaded by bulk or by piece.
For details and additional information, log on to www.legalhomeforms.com

FSBO Trend

As I drive down the street I see numerous homeowners attempting to sell their homes by owner. Several companies are now offering flat fee listings and marketing packages to assist "for sale by owners". Sellers are attracted to the low fees and compare them to the fees of a Realtor. There are advantages to the "for sale by owner" companies but only if you have the expertise and time to perform literally hundreds of tasks to complete the real estate process. I believe the benefits of listing with a Realtor far outweigh the benefits of using a "for sale by owner" company.

Let us compare the upfront cost associated with both options. To sign a listing contract with a Realtor it will cost you nothing. The only way a Realtor earns a commission is if and when the home sells. When signing a contract with a "for sale by owner" company the seller must pay the company a predetermined fee which is not refunded regardless of whether your home is sold. Remember that this predetermined fee typically doesn't last until the home is sold so you may need to pay fees several times depending on how long it takes your home to sell.

Now keep in mind that once you have negotiated and settled on a commission with a Realtor that price is set and there aren't any extra features that you need to purchase. "For sale by owner" companies typically require you pay extra for features including signs, photos, ads in magazines, internet advertising, and more. In addition, a Realtor's commission includes payment to a buyers agent with no extra cost to you. Most "For sale by owner" companies require you pay buyers agents commission on top of their fees.

While at first glance a "For sale by owner" may seem like the answer, this simply isn't true. If you are selling your home, I say give a Realtor a chance. Let them do the work so you can sit back and relax. The choice is now up to you: Hire a "For sale by owner" company, pay upfront, and take the risk of losing the upfront money or hire a Realtor with no upfront cost, pay Realtor commission once you have sold your home and lose nothing!

Heather Yocum
Nevins Realtors
www.LynnandHeathersHomes.com

I have three years of experience as a licensed Realtor. I offer overwhelming dedication as well as creativity. Some specific accomplishments include: In the past 2 years I have leased and/or sold over 60 homes for a locally owned real estate company. Through drive and determination I managed thousands of buyer/tenant leads and always obtained an overwhelming response of buyer/tenant loyalty due to my attention to detail, outgoing personality, and dedication. I have developed and implemented various marketing strategies that accounted for low vacancy rates, average 7-14 days on market before occupied. In addition, these strategies reduced holding costs for the seller. Does this sound like the person you need? If it is, I am eager to speak with you. Call me Now! 502-235-5164
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Heather_Yocum

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12 Rules of the Home Staging Road - Or How To Sell Your Home RIGHT NOW

So how do you quickly and easily prepare a home to sell without breaking the bank? There are 12 rules to follow……

1. Remember the Masses - Rule # 1 and # 2, I consider the Golden Rules of home staging because this is what separates “home staging” from interior decorating. Interior decorating takes into consideration the personal tastes, personality and preferences of the home owner whereas “home staging” focuses on creating a valuable marketing commodity so that it appeals to the general home buyer who is trying to visualize themselves in the home. Unlike the home seller who is emotionally invested in the home, a Professional Home Stager is trained to see the home is an objective and critical buyer would so that they can position it to the best of it’s ability by focusing on rule #2

2. Keep to the Cosmetic - Only improving those things in the home that will add to the bottom line. Stagers keep to the cosmetic so that it makes financial sense in the sale price of the home. By focusing on the most dramatic transformations on the cheap a professional home stager gets equally dramatic results in the resale of the home. Home Staging in essence is an investment in future home sales earnings by the home seller and sometimes even the Realtor involved.

3. Consider the homes integrity when you prepare it to sell - In other words, it is what it is, what it is. Don’t try and make a Tuscan style home into a craftsman…it just won’t feel right to buyers or anyone else for that matter. A successful home staging works with the personality of the home rather than against it in order to get best results.

4. Create Warm Lived In Spaces..Yet No One Lives There - When you walk into a home, you can usually tell exactly what age, style and personality individual lives there? If there are baby toys in the family room, a dog bed in the corner and a dozen family pictures on the mantle that gives you a clue as to who lives there which is as it should be for a home NOT for sale. In order to create broad appeal to buyers however we need to strip the home of the seller’s specific personality and quirks while still giving it warmth and style. There is a definite “fine line” between “lived in” and sterile looking. Shoot for the model home look and if you don’t know what that looks like visit some in your area.

5. Find the Focal Point and Make It Fabulous! - The basis for any good design lies in finding the focal point of a room and making sure it really shines. The focal point is the first place someone looks when they walk into a room. In the home staging sense we want to make sure the eyes are drawn to the best part of the room while conversely playing down any negative aspects of the room. Walk into a room and take note of what you notice immediately…is it positive or negative? Remember, buyers are looking for reason NOT to buy the house…make sure those focal points don’t give them any.

6. Clean is Critical! - This really goes without saying but unfortunately needs to be said and emphasized because many times home sellers cannot objectively clean their own home. Their noses have adjusted to any strange odors that buyer’s notice and that rusty sink drain goes completely unnoticed by the seller who has lived there for ten years now while the buyers are repulsed. How do you combat this lack of objectivity by the sellers without offending them? Quick tip, cleaning windows, walls and reflective surfaces helps to add light and space to a room. I’m dating myself when I say, “be a Felix not an Oscar”.

7. Create the Illusion of Space - This is a standard maxim of home staging. It states that by removing extraneous furnishings you can create the illusion of space within a room. Everything in a room must earn it’s place so it’s usually safe to say that 50% of what’s in a room can be packed away now in order to stage the room effectively and create space WITHOUT stripping it of it’s personality.

8. “Up Down” to Update - The best thing a home seller can usually do to update their home is to remove those purchases over 10 years old. I call this “updown” to update. Take down the old flowery prints, old pink swag drapes and brass chandeliers. It’s usually cheaper and easier just to remove or camouflage those distracting out dated furnishings rather than buy new ones. Every accessories sole purpose should be to update or modernize the existing space so given today’s trends the accessory left out should be large and less of them.

9. Let There Be Light! - Brainstorm lighting of all types within every room. Whenever you show a home make sure every light is on in the house…no exceptions. Buyers respond to “light and bright” so make sure your rooms have lots of natural light (trim plants and shrubs around windows) as well as artificial in the form of general, task and accent lighting. Kitchens especially need to be sunny and bright so use inexpensive under cabinet light as well as hanging lights over your islands and bars. Make sure every corner of your rooms are well lit by using simple uplights behind trees and tables. Use candles liberally as an emotional connection as well as form of lighting.

Rule 10, 11, and 12 are particularly why using a professional home stager makes such a difference in the end result…successful staging is not easy, natural or automatic.

10. Remember It’s Calling, Balance Like A Rowboat, Scale Like a Dinner Plate and Be a Traffic Cop - Make sure each room has a clear purpose by remembering its original true calling. Most Buyers cannot use their imagination so don’t confuse them by having an office dining area or pool table in the front living room. Balance your rooms by evenly placing each piece on the sides of the room (like a rowboat). If you have a large entertainment center in one corner with nothing in the opposite corner to balance it, your room will feel tipped or off balanced and turn buyers away. Your professional home stager knows how to create equilibrium in a room. Make sure each piece in the room is in scale with one another. Like a properly balanced meal, don’t have a gigantic sofa with a tiny coffee table…it doesn’t work. A home stager borrows from other rooms to scale each one effectively. Finally, organize the traffic and flow in a room by making sure your furniture is not placed like wall flowers. It’s uncomfortable for anyone to have to walk through a conversation area to get to another room so make the traffic go around the conversation by pulling your furniture in. Believe it or not it makes the room appear larger rather than smaller as so many believe.

11. Color is Always King and Beige is Boring - I think we’ve all made some color mistakes in the past but Rule #11 can be a particularly fatal mistake many Realtors will make trying to play it safe with the home sellers by telling them to paint the house a neutral color. What you get is a bunch of black holes (furniture) in a white or vanilla setting…not good for those Internet photos. The reason why a Realtor would do this is very sound…most people cannot pick out color very well and use it to their advantage. If you don’t feel comfortable with this tricky skill then play it safe but remember, paint is the easiest and least expensive way to drastically improve interiors. If nothing else, have an experienced professional home stager give you a simple consultation and suggest colors. Decorators and Stagers will have the tools and rules to know when to play it safe and when to use color to highlight or downplay a particular feature.

12. Create “Emotional Connection Points” - Well you made it, point number 12 is like icing on a cake (and what would a cake be like without icing!?). Like any great marketer, strive for “buyers envy” when they view your home by creating points throughout each room that speak to buyers emotionally about a lifestyle they can aspire to. This subconscious conversation gives buyers fuel for their imagination and multiple reasons to purchase this “emotionally” staged home. You want a buyer to walk into a house and say, “this is it, this is the one, this is where we FEEL HOME”. There are simple ways to do this: set out a tray on your master bed with a newspaper and cup of coffee, drape a throw and soft pillow over your favorite chair, set out plates, napkins, wine goblets and wine on an outside patio set and stack fluffy towels on your bathroom counter as well as several pillars of lit candles.

I hope these 12 rules has helped you in your efforts to prepare you home to sell. It takes a bit of work but is a small investment in a much bigger reward of selling your home fast and for more money. Good luck!

For a FREE six email course follow up detailing the "12 Rules of Home Staging" sign up at http://www.homestagingresource.com/12stepslogin.asp. Audra Hagen is President of the Home Staging Resource (http://www.homestagingresource.com) a website designed to provide business solutions and training to people involved in preparing homes for sale. Audra has 10 years of Internet research and marketing experience as well as is an international speaker and published author. Her passion for decorating and real estate flipping expertise has led her to the Home Staging Resource where her mission is empowering Professional Home Stagers to be successful in their field so that "every home may be staged to sell...

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Guide to Buying Real Estate For Sale By Owner

Some people think that they need to use a real estate agent when buying property in the same way that you need to use a stockbroker to buy and sell shares. This is not true. In Australia there is no legal requirement for property to be sold through a real estate agent.

Other buyers think that the process of buying property will be quicker and easier using a real estate agent. Wrong again. Many buyers find that by cutting out the middleman the process is faster and far less stressful than purchases made through an agent.

Owners are more knowledgeable about their own property

Who better to tell you about a property’s features than an owner that has more than likely lived in their home for many years? The owner is likely to know what schools are in the area, the location of amenities such as parks and where the closest shops are. Real estate agents on the other hand are often woefully under-informed about the property that they are showing. A typical agent will often have several properties on their books at anyone time and will only remember the basic details of each property. Some agents don’t even know the basic details! At one open house that I attended the agent didn’t even know if there was secure parking on title. Can you imagine an owner forgetting where they parked their car at night?

Real Estate agents offer no guarantee

Some agents will claim that by using their services buyers are protected from any misrepresentation as any disputes can be taken to a real estate tribunal. Unfortunately this is not the case. Agents found to be making false claims about a property will often claim that they are acting in good faith on the instructions of the owner therefore they are not guilty of misrepresentation. Members of these real estate tribunals are often chosen by the real estate industry and unsurprisingly dismiss many complaints brought before them. I wonder how many convictions you would get for armed robbery if bank robbers were allowed to select the jury?

For Sale By Owner sellers have room to negotiate

One of the main reasons that buyers chose to buy properties for sale by owner (or private sale as it is known in Australia) is that they know the owner can be more flexible on the price and both the buyer and the seller can still end up better off. As the owner is saving on the real estate agent’s commission (sometimes this can be as much as 3%) they can sell the property for a lower price and still end up with more money in their pocket than they would have had they used an agent.

Buyers should not however expect the owner to discount their property by the full value of the commission saved. Although selling your own home is not nearly as difficult as real estate agents would have you believe there are costs involved both in terms of time and money. It is only fair to expect that the owner will want to keep some of this saved commission as a reward for their endeavours.

Faster going direct

Real estate agents may claim that buyers can find a home more quickly by using their services as they have many properties on their books for the buyer to choose from. While this may have been true ten or twenty years ago like many other aspects of our lives the internet has changed this by offering a cheap way to bring buyers and sellers together. There are now dedicated private sale real estate websites such as www.smartvendor.com.au that allow buyers to compare hundreds of properties online, all for sale direct from the owner.

Real estate agents will often ignore a buyer’s stated preferences and even lie about a property’s features in order to get buyers to attend an inspection. Do agent’s really believe that they are so good at extolling a property’s virtues that the buyer is going to forget that they wanted a fourth bedroom? Some agents may take buyers on ‘The Run’ where they are driven to a number of cheaper but totally unsuitable properties in the hope that when they are shown the final property they’ll jump a the chance to buy it. Showing the buyers the property that suited them first could have saved this wasted time.

Even when real estate agents do not indulge in time wasting games the buying process is slowed down by the presence of a middleman. A call to the agent to request a viewing will be followed by a call to the owner to confirm that the time is suitable before the agent can call the buyer back with the final details. One call could replace these three phone calls when the buyer and seller deal direct.

Real estate agents are often reluctant to show homes at times other than their scheduled open house inspections. This is understandable as they may have many properties on their books and need to have some control over the viewings. An owner seller on the other hand only has the one property to sell and will often try to be as flexible as possible to be able to show the property at a time convenient for the buyer.

Speed up the process

Buyers can speed up the process still further by taking matters into their own hands and seeking out sellers with a letterbox drop in areas that interest them. For a fee your post office may even agree to distribute the letters for you. Alternatively buyers can get a feel for a neighbourhood by walking around posting letters through the letterboxes of properties that look like they may be suitable. Some buyers may even choose to leave a message on the back of their business card to show that they are not real estate agents trying to drum up business.

Get organised

Before you start to look for a property you should take the time to work out exactly what it is that you want, as this will speed things up in the long run. Make a list of all the features that a property must have and those features that it would be nice to have. Don’t waste time going to view a property that does not have all the features on the must have list. If after a couple of months you are still looking re-evaluate your must have list.

It is advisable to obtain pre-approval for a loan before you start looking. This way you will know how much you can afford from the start and you wont waste time viewing properties that you can’t afford and will avoid disappointment for all involved.

Viewing a property

Always be respectful when you are viewing a property for sale by owner and remember that it is their home. The interior decoration may not be to your taste but you can be tactful in how you express this. Antagonising the owner is not likely to result in them accepting a lower price for the property; in fact the opposite is true.

Closing the deal

Buyers should seek a professional home inspection before finalising the deal (this is the case whether buying through an agent or direct from the owner). This report will alert you to any problems such as termites, damp or structural irregularities. Any problems present at the time of purchase may become the buyer’s responsibility to rectify as insurance policies will not pay out for a pre-existing condition.

If the owner agrees to make any alterations to the property such as removing junk from the backyard, make sure that this is agreed in writing before signing the contract. Likewise if you have negotiated for any fittings such as a refrigerator to be included in the sale price this should also be included in the contract.

Unless both the buyer and the seller have legal knowledge it is advisable for the contract to be handled by a legal professional or licensed conveyancer. As real estate agents have no legal training this would also be the case if buying through an agent.

Increase the chance of finding your dream home

Many homeowners have had previous bad encounters with real estate agents so that when they come to sell they will only deal direct with buyers. By including private sale properties in your search you cast a wider net increasing the chances of finding your dream home. If you have never bought without real estate agents being involved you may be surprised at how easy the process is.

Nicholas Butler is part of the smartvendor.com.au team
smartvendor.com.au is an Australian For Sale By Owner (FSBO) Site committed to providing Australian homeowners a value for money alternative to traditional real estate agents.

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Land for Sale by Owner

If you have a piece of land to sell, why not sell it without the help of a broker? Both you and your buyer can save a lot of money by eliminating the real estate agent who acts on your behalf.

But before you put up that “Land for Sale by Owner” sign, there are plenty of things you need to know first. Real estate can be tricky, and without the proper knowledge, you may be unable equitably to sell your property. Below are the steps to follow so you can make sure that you are selling your land based on its real worth.

Study how the market in your area operates. Find out the latest real estate price range in your area and the area surrounding it. You can do this by observing other properties that are for sale. Be particularly attentive to properties that have been sold. You may consider approaching the former owner and asking him or her how much the property was sold for.

You can also visit your city hall and ask for the prevailing market values of land in your area. This will help you intelligently achieve an independent evaluation that is not determined by an agent. Seek the help of specialists and have them determine the good qualities or selling points of your land. Though such services may cost you some money, they will definitely save you from undervaluing your property.

Get the contract ready. Before you can proceed with the sale, you first have to seek professional help when it comes to the drafting of the contract of sale. A solicitor of conveyance can help you get through all the pertinent details in the contract.

Lay down an information-rich advertising package. Include all major points such as your land’s rate, location, accessibility, dimension, and other details that you deem necessary for the buyers to know.

Advertise the land. The most common way of marketing your land is by using a “land for sale by owner” signboard. But you can also spread the word through friends, relatives, announcements in newspapers, radio broadcasts, flyers, and via the Internet.

Finally, be ready for negotiation. Before finally selling, determine the rock bottom amount for which you will allow the purchase of your land. Buyers will obviously seek lower prices. Be prepared with your settlement terms.

For Sale By Owner provides detailed information on For Sale By Owner, Homes for Sale by Owner, Land for Sale by Owner, Used Cars For Sale By Owner and more. For Sale By Owner is affiliated with Home Selling Prices.

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Homes for Sale by Owner

Homes sold by owners are advantageous for both the seller and buyer. If the house that is put up for sale sells for $200,000, for example, and the common commission rate ranges up to six percent of the selling price, then both the buyer and seller can save $12,000 – money that would have been used for an agent’s commission. And if the property owner dedicates a lot of time in finding the prospective buyer of his home instead of spending weeks or months finding an agent, then he will most likely dispose of his property in a shorter span of time.

There are various reasons why a person may sell his home. The homeowner may want to gain financing for a new home, obtain an ample amount to finance the mortgage of the property that is up for sale, or just want to move to another place.

Homeowners who adopt the “For Sale by Owner” method of selling assume the role that is conventionally played by the bank or the mortgage firm. Such a process, when adhered to, is advantageous both to the seller and the buyer. Naturally, homeowners contact real estate agents who will handle the transaction for them. But when the homeowners administer the selling by themselves, they are able to save on commission costs and also provide a good package for buyers needing to purchase new homes but facing difficulties getting bank loans.

For innumerable reasons, many individuals find it hard to obtain bank loans due to the strict requirements imposed by these money-making lenders. They may have the funds ready in their pockets and have stable jobs to sustain the monthly payments, but they just find it hard to settle for a bank loan. With the sale of a home by the owner, the process gets much easier.

It is, therefore, not surprising why homes for sale by owners are highly coveted. If you are a seller, you save yourself a great deal of money because you never have to pay commission costs. If you are a buyer, you can buy a house and lot without the terrible burdens of tremendous bank interests.

For Sale By Owner provides detailed information on For Sale By Owner, Homes for Sale by Owner, Land for Sale by Owner, Used Cars For Sale By Owner and more. For Sale By Owner is affiliated with Home Selling Prices.

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Selling Your Home Yourself in Six Steps: You Can Do It!

Contrary to what 99 out of 100 agents will tell you, it IS possible to sell your home yourself. When you undertake that task, you'll become a FSBO (pronounced "fisbo," and short for "for sale by owner"), and though it can be a challenge, it's one that thousands of home sellers tackle every day. And you can do it, too! In a nutshell, here are the things to do to become a successful FSBO.


Clean your home (inside and out) and get the yard looking spic-and-span.
Set a sales price based on selling prices of homes nearby of similar size and amenities.
Put a FSBO sign in your front yard with your phone number and/or email address.
Place an ad in the real estate classified section of your local paper.
Pass out flyers to your neighbors and put at your local shopping mall, stores, libraries, and apartment complexes.
Hold an open house.

Now let's look at them individually. Cleaning up and doing whatever maintenance seems self-explanatory, but be aware that you get used to certain things (especially odors) when you live in a home everyday. So it's worthwhile to ask someone to walk through your house and give you an honest appraisal of things that need to be fixed or smells that need to be addressed, such as sticky doors, squeaky hinges, and the cat box in the utility room.

Setting a price can be a bit tricky, but you can find out what other homes are on the market by calling the agents listed on signs in your neighborhood and asking the prices of their houses. If the homes have been on the market a long time, you can assume they're over priced.

Putting a sign in your yard is easy. They're available in most hardware or department store, and they're cheap. Yet most agents will tell you that signs are the best advertising mediums, since people who see yard signs are cruising the neighborhood. That means they're in the market for a home in that area, so if you put a sign out, you'll get calls.

Now a word for those who are squeamish about putting your phone number on a sign. You can substitute an email address to protect yourself from unwanted calls. It will limit your number of prospects, but it will give you a greater degree of privacy. Since you're moving anyway, it might be best to list your phone number. If you know how to put pictures on the Internet, you can list you website address on the sign.

Placing a newspaper ad is easy, but make sure to give accurate information and make it enticing. Be brief, but tell buyers what's special about your home. Even with the advent of the Internet, a majority of homebuyers still cruise neighborhoods and religiously peruse real estate ads, especially on Sundays.

Putting up flyers in the area will also let people know your home is available. This can be especially effective for apartment dwellers longing to own a home of their own.

Open Houses

Handing out flyers to neighbors and inviting them to an open house can be your most effective selling tool. After all, your neighbors are happy living in your area and often have friends or family they'd love to have closer to them.

You'll notice I didn't suggest holding an open house and inviting the world. The type of open houses you see agents promoting are for the agents to get leads on home buyers. Few houses sell at open houses.

There are other factors to consider after you've found a buyer, but you can generally find help through a lawyer or an escrow company. The bottom line is: you CAN sell your home yourself. It just takes time, diligence, and attention to detail.

Copyright © 2006 Jeanette J. Fisher

Jeanette Fisher helps home sellers with five ways to make more money. Free Home Staging Information and reports, teleseminars, and ebooks.
For expert home selling advice please visit http://sellfast.info

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Contracts When Selling Your Home Without An Agent

A recent survey revealed that approximately 30 percent of homeowners intend to sell without a real estate agent. I bet more would if they didn’t fear the contract side of the process.

It is undisputed that you can save tens of thousands of dollars by selling your home without an agent. Typical commission fees charged by an agent equal six percent of the sales price. On a $300,000 home, the fee of the real estate agent equates to $18,000 dollars. That is a lot of money you are leaving on the table.

If a seller can save so much money by foregoing an agent, why don’t more people do it? Simply put, they are scared of the process. In particular, real estate contracts can be a scary issue for most homebuyers. How do you know if you are doing it correctly? What if you don’t? Will you lose the home? Will there be lawsuits? Frankly, most people have nightmares about the idea of dealing with these issues. This need not be.

First off, most real estate agents do not know anything more than you do about contracts. They are in the business of selling real estate, not being legal experts. Moreover, most real estate contracts are of the pre-printed form variety. All and all, you need not be overly concerned with this issue. Of course, it isn’t my property.

There is a very simple way to get around the stress associated with dealing with real estate contracts and documents. The answer is found in the legal field. Specifically, you can hire a real estate lawyer to handle everything. You will get a legal professional that is one your side and who knows the details of the real estate process inside out. Frankly, they are a heck of a lot more competent than real estate agents when it comes to the transaction.

Ah, but isn’t it true that attorneys are incredibly expensive? Well, yes. In this case, however, they are much less expensive than paying a six percent commission to a real estate agent. Keep in mind our example above where we are paying a realtor $18,000 in commissions. Most attorneys charge in the $200 an hour range. If it takes 20 hours to handle the transaction, which is probably on the high end, you are looking at $4,000 in legal fees. In practical terms, you get much better advice and save $14,000 on commissions. In such a scenario, hiring legal counsel absolutely makes sense. Frankly, I am surprised more people do not do so.

The biggest barrier to selling a home by owner is often the fear of contract documents. Follow the above advice and you should have no problems.

Raynor James is with the site - FSBOAmerica.org - FSBO homes for sale by owner

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How Much Will You Make on The Sale of Your Property?

Most people look to comps in their area to come up with the listing price for their property. This is logical, but you also have to focus on the bottom line.

How Much Will You Make on The Sale of Your Property?

It happens more often than you might imagine. A homeowner decides to sell and goes about figuring the best price to sell. They may set a price off of the cuff or do research to ascertain the best price that will result in a sale within a specific time period. What many do not take into account, however, is the ultimate amount the will get from the property. This can lead to brutal surprises when the ultimate amount is much less than expected – a concept known as seller’s remorse.

In reality, the decision to sell your property should only be made after determining what you can objectively get out of it. Most people, however, tend to eyeball this amount. If you have a lot of equity in the property, it really is not an issue. If you don’t, you better start calculating or you could be in for a bad shock.

The first place to start is the estimated price you will sell for minus the outstanding balance on your mortgage. This gives you a rough estimate of your equity, but should not be relied upon as the final cash out figure. Instead, you have to sit down and start calculating the other costs such as:

1. Mortgage pre-payment penalties,

2. Property taxes for the portion of the relevant year in which you are selling.

3. Any costs associated with repairs to the property to get it in shape to sell.

4. Attorney’s fees if a lawyer is required to be part of the process in your state.

5. Incidental costs associated with the sale as agreed to in the purchase agreement with the buyer. Items can include title insurance premiums, recording fees, inspection fees, warranty insurance, escrow fees and so on.

One area people completely forget to factor in is, ironically, the biggest expense. If you use a real estate agent, you are going to pay a significant commission. A typical 6 percent commission on the sale of a $300,000 home is $18,000. More and more sellers are bypassing this by selling their properties without agents, which makes sense given the money involved. Regardless, you need to ascertain how you will sell the home and the relevant cost of doing so as part of your overall calculation.

Making the decision to sell is an emotional one. It should, however, also include a hard, cold look at the financials involved and whether doing so makes sense.

Raynor James is with the site - FSBOAmerica.org - FSBO homes for sale by owner.

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Listing Your Property With Too High of a Price

The biggest issue many homeowners face when listing their house for sale is the price. You want to get the most you can, but be careful when it comes to pricing it to high.

Listing Your Property With To High of a Price

For no particular reason, you have picked up the itch to sell your house. Maybe there are developments in your area that have caused massive appreciation and you simply want to cash out while the going is good. Maybe you just are interested to see what someone will pay.

In making the decision to sell, you do the research to find out what comparable homes in the area are selling for and how long it takes them to sell. You decide to list your property at the top of the market because you have serious upgrades and the research shows comparable homes are moving pretty quickly. While you may be willing to wait a bit for an offer, you run a risk of sabotaging yourself.

Time is a two way street in the real estate industry. While you are probably not particularly interested in waiting a long time to move the property, buyers are considering time as well. Specifically, they are wondering why so much time has passed since your home was first listed. Is it an indication that there is something wrong with the property? Many potential buyers will start to think so. If you price the property at the top of the comparable market, you run this risk and selling becomes very difficult.

One justification many sellers make for picking a high price are upgrades done to the property. In many scenarios, this is logical and makes practical sense. That being said, you may be in for a nasty surprise. Most buyers prefer to make the upgrades themselves, not pay a premium for what you have done. Ultimately, this means the higher price may find little interest because the value of the upgrades is ignored by the potential buyers. This can also lead to the frustrating situation wherein you realize you spent more money on upgrades than you will ever get out of the property. Ouch.

The final risk associated with pricing your property at the top of the market is the potential it will be ignored. The general rule in real estate for buyers is to purchase the lowest priced home in an area and then fix it up. With minor changes, appreciation gains can be significant. If your home is already at the top of the market, a buyer really cannot do this and will actually have to wait for other properties in the area to appreciate. Savvy or even moderately knowledgeable buyers will not take the bait.

Pricing your property for sale is a trick issue. Figure out your market and make your own conclusions. To maximize profit, it is best to be in the middle of the market, but always below other homes that are superior to your property.

Raynor James is with the site - FSBOAmerica.org - FSBO homes for sale by owner

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How to Sell Your Home Lightning Fast

Once you decide to sell your home, the most important question will probably be “how do I sell my home fast”? One house selling fact is that homes placed on the market and sold within the first two weeks usually get their asking price.

This is due to the interest from both buyers and realtors because the listings are new on the market. After a few weeks, if the house remains unsold, buyers and realtors start to wonder if there is a problem and often the ‘problem’ is the house is priced too high for the neighborhood.

Hiring a great realtor will help you avoid mistakes, as they know all the techniques and tricks to answer the question of how to sell your home fast. They can advise you on the steps you can take to make this happen. Here are some tips that will help you plan how to sell your home fast:

- The price of your house should be comparable to similar, recently sold homes in your area.

- The very first thing a prospective buyer notices is curb appeal. If the outside of your home and landscaping need work, often a buyer will pass by that house for one that needs less work. Finish any projects you started outside, repair or replace necessary items and make sure the entranceway is inviting. Have the lawn freshly cut, flowerbeds weeded and shrubs trimmed if it is spring or summer. Remember that curb appeal is what gets a prospective buyer to want to see the inside of your house.

- Get rid of all the clutter and put away many personal items such as family pictures and knickknacks. A perspective buyer should be able to imagine they live there. Clutter along with too much furniture makes a place look smaller and more cramped. Repair anything that needs fixing. Fresh flowers and plants make a house feel cozy and help sell it.

- Get more house exposure by holding open houses preferable on weekend afternoons. Multiple listing services, newspapers and real estate magazines all with how help to sell your home fast.

Remember that price and market conditions should be considered in your plan on how to sell your home fast.

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How To Sell Your Home By Owner With Success

Approximately twenty-percent of US home owners are interested in selling their home without the help of a traditional listing agent. These people are interested in saving money or pocketing the would be listing agents commission.

Selling By Owner is not easy. New FSBO websites are popping up all over the Internet on a daily basis making the FSBO website market fragmented. You also don't get the visibility you need by listing on a For Sale by Owner site. Pick the most popular FSBO website and you will see that you will not get the exposure needed to sell your house for the highest amount.

Traditionally, sellers have had two options to explore when selling their property: Seller's could market their property on there own, limiting exposure and usually resulting in a longer time on market, or Seller's could list their property with a local real estate agency; paying upwards of 5-6% of the purchase price for listing and selling.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andrew_Hillman


Now, there is a third option. This option is called MLS Entry Only, also known as a Flat Fee MLS listing. By selling via Flat Fee MLS listing service seller's now have the opportunity to market their home without having to pay outrageous listing fees. Pay a flat fee and get your home listed in your local MLS.

By selling your home in this manner your home will receive the same amount of exposure as if you were selling with a traditional listing agent. MLS is the most reliable marketing machine for real estate. This is how agents sell properties. Your home will be viewed by thousands of buyers.

If an agent brings you a buyer you only need to compensate them half of what you would normally would pay a listing agent to market your home. If a buyer finds you without the help of an agent you pay nothing.

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The First Impression a Buyer Gets

Your home may be a great place to raise a family or just live. The problem, of course, is a buyer does not know that and instead forms an immediate opinion on what they see first.

The First Impression a Buyer Gets

Love at first sight is a cliché, but it has an underlying truth to it as do most clichés. The simple fact is we are an emotional species. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, we always form a first impression of everything we come in contact with. That impression may be conscious or subconscious. The undisputed fact, however, is our first impression determines any subsequent decisions a majority of the time. If you are selling a property, you must accept and focus on this fact.

As a seller, it is vital that you understand a buyer’s first impression of your home is everything. If the first impression is not good, the buyer will move on. It is as simple as that. There are two areas where you are going to make a first impression, so let’s take a closer look at them.

Obviously, one area is when a buyer first comes to see the property. The minute they drive up your street, they are evaluating. They are looking at all the homes, not just yours. As a result, it is important that you home looks as good as it can compared to those around you. This means you need to have the landscaping in excellent shape. Remove dead plants, edge the lawn, fertilize everything, rake up leaves and so on. If you have a driveway, you should have it cleaned before showing the property. Keep garage doors closed. The list is endless, so just make sure the first impression is impeccable.

A less obvious area where a first impression is created deals with photographs of a home. Over 70 percent of homebuyers now do their initial shopping on the Internet. If you are not listed on a site, you need to be. Regardless, the key to your web listing will be the photographs. Upload as many as you can, but make sure they look great. Avoid dark, unappealing pictures at all costs. The process is like a dating site. The buyer will be pointing and clicking through a lot of properties, so take some time with your photographs. You may even want to incur the expense of a professional photographer.

One of the best ways to evaluate your property is to ask others to look at it and offer suggestions. Friends can be a good choice, but you must make clear to them that you want only critical comments. To this end, you need to brace yourself for such comments. Don’t ask for their help and then get angry when they give it.

Raynor James is with the site - FSBOAmerica.org - FSBO homes for sale by owner.

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Checklist for Preparing Your Home to Be Listed

Once you decide to sell your property, you need to realize it evolves from your residence into a product. Before listing it, here are some tips on sprucing up your product.

Property Checklist for Preparing Your Home to Be Listed

Most sellers make the mistake of assuming the way they live in a home is a good atmosphere in which to conduct a sale. It is not. Homebuyers are not looking for a property in which you, the seller, seem comfortable. They are looking for a property in which THEY will feel comfortable and can envision themselves settling down in. This may sound like a minor distinction, but it is actually very large. If you can wrap your mind around this fact, you will have a much better selling experience.

First and foremost, you must understand that people have different tastes. The particular chandelier or aspect of your home, which is unique, may seem appealing to you, but not to buyers. Emotionally, you must be prepared for buyers to make rude comments regarding aspects you might cherish. Remember, it is a product to be sold and nothing else. If they don’t have taste, that is their problem. On the other hand, they could be the buyers of the property you are trying to sell, which is your problem. Remember that when you are about to make a snide remark.

Before listing your property, it makes sense to address a few issues to avoid any problems.

1. Clean up closets – sellers look.

2. Clean up garages – sellers consider it a sign of how you took care of the home.

3. Clean the refrigerator – make it spotless. We are talking surgical room spotless.

4. Same goes for the oven.

5. If you have an attic, clean and organize it. Buyers will look everywhere.

6. Make sure all light bulbs work.

7. Fertilize the yard a few weeks before listing the home.

8. Repair leaky faucets.

9. Consider replacing worn or old fixtures.

10. Clean the windows.

Again, the goal is not to show a home you enjoy living in. The goal is to show a home they buyer could be comfortable living in. You are shooting, as much as possible, for that new home look.

Raynor James is with the site - FSBOAmerica.org - FSBO homes for sale by owner

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Taking Photos of Your Home for Listings

If you are considering selling your property, you will need photographs for your marketing efforts. If you are going to take the photographs yourself, here are some tips.

Taking Photos of Your Home for Listings

I love reading National Geographic to see the amazing photographs of far off places I will probably never visit. I consistently play the lotto, but one has to be realistic. Regardless, the photographs are works of art and I often find myself wishing I could go to the location in the photograph. This is true even though I had no knowledge of the place until I saw the photograph and probably would have blanched had anyone suggested such a trip. This is the power of a good photograph.

Photographs of properties in marketing materials should inspire the same type of response from homebuyers. Make no mistake about it, your photographs represent the first impression, known a curb appeal, the buyer will have of your property. Given this fact, it is vital that your photographs present the best aspects of your property. Simply walking out to the curb and firing off a couple snapshots is a mistake of the highest order. Don’t do it!

At this point, you should consider using a professional photographer. They understand issues such as lighting, bordering, spacing and angles. Trust me, they are worth every penny.

Assuming you are going to shoot the pictures yourself, consider the following tips:

1. Lighting is critical. First, make sure there is enough light to detail what you are shooting. On the other hand, try to avoid situations where the entire picture is to bright. Strategic shadows in a corner can add definition and the impression of uniqueness.

2. If you have a view, make sure to take a picture of it. If the view can be seen from inside the home, make sure the photograph shows as much by taking it from the interior. You want the photograph to contain some evidence that the view can be seen from inside.

3. When it comes to the front of your home, don’t take a flat picture. A flat picture is when you shoot the home dead on. Stand off to one side or the other to give it some definition.

4. On interior shoots, add props to the room such as flowers. Make sure drapes and so on are positioned in an attractive manner. Hide all cords. Really hide all pets!

5. Experiment with angles. Taking pictures of your home is not a task to be done as quickly as possible. Take as many photographs as possible and then pick out the best. This is what professional photographers do.

Taking photographs of your property is hardly a difficult task. That being said, if you put a bit of thought and effort into it, you can make your listing stand out from the others on the market.

Raynor James is with the site - FSBOAmerica.org - FSBO homes for sale by owner.

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Why Photographs For Your Listing Are Important

To market your property, you are going to need to have some choice photographs. Before whipping out the camera, however, you need to give some thought to the process.

Why Photographs for Your Listing Are Important

One of the most important things that will set your property out from others is photographs. When a buyer is looking in MLS, on the internet or in some other location, photographs draw their attention. Is this shallow? Well, yes and no.

Unless you are talking to a lawyer or psychiatrist, words are cheap. Indeed, the real estate world has its own lexicon of terms that don’t really mean what they say and are the basis for some snide remarks. For instance, a “cozy” home is a real estate methodology for saying a property is SMALL! The question, of course, is how small are we talking? This is why photographs are key to your marketing efforts.

In the view of most buyers, the initial proof in the pudding is in photographs. Almost nobody really believes any of the adjectives used in real estate advertisements. Frankly, they words could mean anything. Much like a dating site, however, photographs tend to shed a more objective light on the subject. Unlike a dating site, a property doesn’t tend to dramatically age over five years, change hair color, go bald or gain some unwanted pounds. Put in practical terms, buyers don’t believe your words, but do believe your photographs.

If you give some thought to what I just said, you will realize that I am suggesting that most buyers assume you will lie about your property in advertisements. Don’t take it personally. They don’t know you, so why should they trust you? Frankly, they should not. That being said, you can use this distrust to your advantage.

You would be shocked how many people put little or no effort into the photographs of their property. As an old commercial slogan stated – Image is everything. A shallow statement, but true. Your photographs represent the first curb appeal impression buyers will get of your property.

This means you need to strongly consider hiring a professional photographer to take the photographs. They understand lighting, angles and so on. It may sound like an unnecessary expense, but it can be the difference between a sale and sitting on the market for month after month.


Raynor James is with the site - FSBOAmerica.org - FSBO homes for sale by owner.

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Marketing Materials You Must Have to Sell Your Home

People have the attention span of a gnat, a fact that is true for homebuyers as well. To overcome this, you must have marketing materials to give them when they view your home.

Marketing Materials You Must Have to Sell Your Home

Buying a property involves a lot of looking, which can be tiring and confusing. It is the rare day indeed when a homebuyer snatches up the first property they see. Instead, they tend to look at dozens or more if for no other reason than to assure themselves that they have not missed out on that one, golden opportunity.

This Easter egg hunt mentality can result in buyers passing by a home that is actually perfect for their needs. After three or four weeks, they will start thinking about the home and realize as much. As a seller of the home in question, this doesn’t really help you unless they can recall the specifics of the location or contact information for your property, a dubious assumption.

One of the best ways to circumvent this problem is to make sure every potential buyer leaves your property with marketing materials in hand. In the real estate business, said marketing materials usually consist of either a brochure, a folder of information or some type of flyer. Regardless of the specific format, the important thing is to make sure they have something in hand.

Your marketing materials absolutely must contain some basic items. First and foremost, you need to include pictures of your property. Images are the key to memory when it comes to real estate. A buyer may forget about the home, but see the flier under a pile of paperwork a few weeks later and realize it was the best listing of the bunch. Whatever you do, include photographs.

From a practical side, you need to also include some basic information. This includes information such as the address, listed price, number of rooms and bathrooms, special features, square footage, and information on the positive aspects of the area if relevant.

Ironically, many people fail to include contact information. Don’t be one of them! Include a phone number and email address if you can.

Homebuyers tend to get overwhelmed when it comes to the sheer volume of properties they look at. Make sure to stick your marketing materials in their hands and they may just realize what a prize your property is compared to other listings.

Raynor James is with the site - FSBOAmerica.org - FSBO homes for sale by owner.

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When The Tenant Has To Go

You’re in a bind. The tenant of your house has just broken every clause you have stipulated in your lease agreement, and about half a dozen more infractions that should be reported to the police … well, maybe not that bad, but he is already becoming a nuisance, not just to you but to your neighbours as well.

When the seemingly perfect tenant you accepted turns out to be a tenant from hell, you don’t have to suffer in silence. You have the right to evict him from your property and, depending on the gravity of his misdemeanours; you can make him leave within just five days upon receipt of his notice.

In rare occasions such as this, you can prepare what is called a 5-day notice. This is a legal document which states that the tenant must leave the property within 5 days upon receipt of the notice. Because of the very short notice you are giving your tenant, you have to indicate the reason or reasons why you are constrained to terminate his existing lease contract.

If you have extra money to spend, you can request a real estate lawyer to prepare a 5-day notice for your problem tenant. But why go through that hassle when you can simply purchase and download the form from the internet. There are various on-line sources for standard real estate related forms, such as this.

You don’t have to be worried about the accuracy and content of these downloadable real estate forms, as these conform to the standards set by local, state and federal institutions. If you are dissatisfied with the form you have on hand, you are at liberty to make modifications, as you see fit.

Knowing that you have the power to dismiss your problem tenant, what are you waiting for then? Download the 5-day notice and serve it to him on a silver platter. Just make sure that you do have a valid reason to boot him out. You don’t want to be embroiled in a legal battle, do you?

This is article is brought to you by Gloria Smith at LegalHomeForms.com Created by a former, licensed Real Estate Agent, LegalHomeForms.com was designed to offer instant access to the most sought after type of real estate forms.

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30 Days to Move Out

What do you do when you, as a landlord, must inform your tenant that the duration of his tenancy as stipulated in the rental agreement you both signed, must be pre-terminated for reasons beyond your control? Unfortunately, there’s no easy way to do it. You must inform him about this and give him ample time to vacate the premises. In this instance, it’s not enough that you verbally inform your tenant about the contract termination. To make the arrangement more formal, it is best that you present your tenant with a 30-day notice.

30-day notices are standard forms which landlords present to tenants when the lease is up for termination. The grace period starts not on the date the notice was written, but on the day the document is received by the tenant.

The law does not require private landlords to state the reasons why the lease contract is being terminated, but it would still be a good idea to discuss it with your tenant (especially true if your tenant has not given you any sort of problem).

30-day notices may be composed by professionals (lawyers / real estate agents) but you can make one yourself. If you don’t want to spend unnecessarily on professional fees, yet would want to present a professional looking 30-day notice, you can simply search the internet for real estate websites offering downloadable real estate forms. These real estate forms can be purchased and downloaded per piece or as a set and, if you’re not satisfied with the layout or the contents, you can easily modify these to conform to your standards.

It makes sense to copies of keep a hard copy of an unedited 30-day notice on file. In case you have another tenant and, due to circumstances beyond your control need to pre-terminate another lease contract, you can simply use the hard copy as a basis for future 30-day notices which you may have to make.

This is article is brought to you by Gloria Smith at LegalHomeForms.com Created by a former, licensed Real Estate Agent, LegalHomeForms.com was designed to offer instant access to the most sought after type of real estate forms. For the cost of what others charge for one 30 day notice form, you can have instant access to over 60 downloadable real estate forms.

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The Checklist every Landlord Needs

One of the most taxing activities tenants and landlords must do is to conduct the moving in and moving out inspection of the property. The moving in “grand tour” of the property is done primarily so both parties would be aware of the present condition of the unit. This way, the new tenant would know how he should leave the unit at the end of his lease period.

This same grand tour is conducted just before the tenant hands in his keys and moves out permanently. If the moving in tour was done for the benefit of the tenant, the moving out round is more for the landlord. This activity is done to show the landlord that unit’s condition is the same as when the tenant moved in (save probably for a few minor damages due to regular wear and tear).

When this moving in and moving out tour is done, the tenant and the landlord both hold a document which itemizes all the important parts and fixtures of the unit or house. As they go through each and every nook and cranny of the house, they both tick what condition these items are in. This document is called the move in / move out form.

A move in / move out form is something that anyone can make. There is no need to consult with a real estate agent or with a lawyer because this is simply a checklist of all the fixtures in the house. You also only need one set of these, as the form you used during the move in inspection, is the same one that will be used when the move out inspection is done.

If you don’t want to prepare a move in / move out form or would want to just follow a standard format, you can purchase and download this form from the internet. There are several real-estate related sites that provide users with various real estate forms and these can be downloaded by piece or by bulk or set, depending on the needs of the user.

If you opt to download a move in / move out form from the internet, you are still at liberty to modify the contents and format as you see fit as most of these documents can be opened using regular word processing programs.

This is article is brought to you by Gloria Smith at LegalHomeForms.com Created by a former, licensed Real Estate Agent, LegalHomeForms.com was designed to offer instant access to the most sought after type of real estate forms. For the cost of what others charge for one move in move out form, you can have instant access to over 60 downloadable real estate forms.

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Selling your Home - Disclosing The Truth

Everyone has in one way or another, stated a little white lie in order to get something they want or get a little something extra. You may have told the waiter at your favorite restaurant that it’s your birthday just so you could get a free cake (and song number too) even if your birthday is not until next weekend. You may have lied a little about your weight or your age, or the salary you’re making. Saying white lies is normal, but there is a time and place for it. When you’re selling your house, you know that that is not the right time to be “slightly dishonest”.

When you’re selling your house, you have to be painfully honest, from the very start. You have to disclose a lot of things about your house, things which you may not even be aware of. For these things, you would need the help of professional surveyors or inspectors. They can help you figure out what items you need to make known to the public.

One of the most important aspects of your home which you must be totally honest about is the lead content of paint that was used on your property. This is especially necessary for homes that were built prior to the 1970’s. Researches have proven that lead content in paint can cause irreversible neurological damage to people who are constantly exposed to it. Since you don’t want to have that on your conscience, you must fill up the lead-based paint disclosure form and present it to all your prospective buyers. If your home was built after the 70’s, you are safe from lead based paint but you would still need to fill up the paint disclosure form, just to verify that your house is free from lead-saturated paint.

Lead Based Paint Disclosure forms are part of the standard package of forms needed when undergoing any real estate transaction. You can get a copy of this form from real estate agents or simply purchase and download the file from the internet. If the inspector requests that you note down information that is not included in the standard format, don’t think that it’s an excuse for you to not declare anything. These downloadable forms can easily be modified or edited to suit the requirements of the inspector or any legal entity.

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Rent Money An Easy Way to Collect

People think that if you’re a landlord, you’ve got it made! You just stay at home, make sure that the rooms or houses that you’ve leased out are well maintained and, at the end of the month (or at the end of the week, depending on your arrangement with your tenant), you will receive a check amounting to the rent that’s due.

If you live in an ideal world, that would be great. But you live in the real world – a place where tenants are remiss with their responsibilities; where the cost of maintenance may be more than what you earn in rent; where rent is not always paid on time.

As a landlord, you would have to deal with all these issues, and of all the problems a landlord can face, the most difficult task would be collecting or reminding tenants of late rent. Not all landlords are like the nasty ones shown on TV, where they would knock endlessly on your door until you cough up the rent money. A lot actually find this task disconcerting because it seems like an invasion of privacy. However, landlords cannot, not collect rent. It’s their source of income and their livelihood. So to make this daunting task much easier for non-confrontational landlords, a form called, Notice of Overdue Rent can be used instead of actually coming up to the tenant and asking them to pay.

The Notice of Overdue Rent is simply a letter reminding the tenant that the due date has passed. The format of standard Notice of Overdue Rent forms are fairly simple: It should contain the date the notice was penned, the names and addresses of both the landlord and the tenant, a short text reminding the tenant when rent (how much) was due and finally, it should also indicate how the late rent should be paid (bank transfer, deposit, by check, etc).

Since the contents of Notice of Overdue Rent reminders are basic, you don’t need to ask a real estate lawyer or a real estate agent to draft one for you. You have the option of either composing one yourself (just make sure that all the pertinent details are included) or just purchase and download a form from the internet and modify this to suit your needs.

Through the Notice of Overdue Rent form, collecting money from delinquent tenants will definitely be easier.

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Using a Real Estate Sales Agreement

Selling or purchasing a piece of real estate, be it a house, condominium, or an apartment, is probably one of the most important financial transactions a person will conduct in his lifetime. This single purchase is bound to affect the lifestyles of several people for years to come.

Due to the long-term effect a single real estate transaction may have on the buyer and the seller, it is important that all the details pertaining to this transaction be formalized. It is not enough that the dimensions of the land, the purchase price and equipment included in the sale are listed down; the individual obligations of both the seller and the buyer should be itemized as well. All these details should be found in just one document, the Real Estate Sales Agreement.

Legally, a real estate sales agreement is a contract between both the buyer and the seller. This document stipulates all the conditions of the sale, from the technical details of the property, to the chattels that will be thrown in. The agreed upon purchase price should be stated (in words and numerical figures), as well the deposit (earnest money) given, down payment and final remittance. Exact details on how and when the monies will change hands should also be indicated in this document. The real estate sales agreement is considered valid once both parties affix their respective signatures and, should there be a need to include any changes, these should be attached to the main document, as an addendum.

Normally, real estate sales agreements are formulated by real estate agents and / or lawyers. However, a lot of home sellers and home buyers nowadays opt to compose the sales agreements on their own. There are various real estate related websites where one can view, download and even customize all kinds of forms, including the immensely important real estate sales agreement, needed to complete and legalize any real estate transaction.

Online real estate forms can be purchased and downloaded by piece (as needed) or by bulk, the option really depends on the user and payment is also done online, as these sites accept most major credit cards. Once the forms have been downloaded, the contents can be modified and edited to suit and conform to the specific requirements of the user.

In terms of content and format, all the forms found on these real estate websites, most especially the real estate sales agreement, are considered legal and are recognized by local, state and federal agencies. However, even though the developers took great pains to verify the accuracy of their forms, it is still recommended that before the final copy is signed, a rough draft be sent to a lawyer or a real estate agent for their review. Since, the real estate sales agreement is probably the most important of all real estate documents; it is of utmost importance that all the technical information stated is accurate, and that all the necessary conditions and clauses, particularly the terms of payment and possible penalties for non-payment are also clearly outlined.

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Using a Quit Claim Deed

Normally, when you put your property up for sale, you have to present a document, called a warranty deed, which states that you are the legal owner of the property and that the title you have on hand is the original copy. But what if you don’t have the title of the property yet you have the legal rights to it? What document can you, then, present to prospective buyers? For situations such as these, the appropriate form to use is the called the Quitclaim Deed form.

A Quitclaim Deed is a document which states that, although you may not own the property in question, nor have its title in your possession, you do have the legal right to use it and are authorized to dispose of it (through sales). Quitclaim deeds are used you acquired the property in question through other means such as receiving it as an inheritance or when you became a co-owner by virtue of marriage. Quitclaim deeds are also for properties owned by the state but you are authorized to use through leasehold.
Quitclaim deeds are fairly straightforward. A quitclaim deed should include the names of both the buyer and the seller, the amount the buyer and seller agreed the property is worth, the location of the property, and of course, a notation wherein the seller waives or releases all his rights, interests and claims on the property. In addition to these basic information, for a quitclaim deed to be considered legal, it should bear the signatures of the parties involved, those of the witnesses and, must also carry a notarial seal and signature.
In the past, home sellers had to request lawyers or real estate agents to prepare quitclaim deeds for properties they want to put up on sale, but this has all changed now. In recent years, several real-estate related sites have been established and these sites assist those involved in real estate transactions by providing not only great tips on selling or buying a property; but also the necessary documents that will be needed to formalize any real estate arrangement.
Most real estate websites carry all sorts of real estate related documents and these can easily be purchased and downloaded by web users. The format and content of these forms have been well researched to ensure that these will be recognized by local, state and federal agencies. In each site, there is a listing of standard / generic forms but there are also forms that follow the requirements and content of specific states.
If you need real estate documents, real estate websites usually give you the option to either download forms by bulk or set, or you can purchase forms on a per piece basis, buying and downloading as the need arises. In addition, these downloadable forms, although these conform to a certain format, can easily be modified to suit your requirements. Should you wish to include more or limit the information on your Quitclaim Deed, for example, you can easily do so.