Dealing with Negative Home Inspection Reports as a FSBO Seller

If you are selling your own home without a real estate agent, you can run into situations that can be a bit complex. One such situation is a negative home inspection report.

Dealing with Negative Home Inspection Reports as a FSBO Seller

When the purchase of a home is made, one of the first steps during the escrow period is for the buyer to order a professional home inspect. A certified home inspector will come out to the property and spend a few hours investigating it. The inspection will cover everything from the condition of the roof to water leakage to drainage issues to…well, just about everything.

Once the inspection is done, the home inspector will kick out a report noting problems areas and needed fixes. In many cases, there will be a lot of recommended fixes. Most of these, however, are going to be very small and inexpensive in nature. Your best bet as the seller is typically to agree to fix them or provide money at the closing for the buyer to do the job. The money typically comes in the form of a discount from the actual amount the buyer pays you at settlement.

While this all sounds straightforward, things can occasionally go bad. Assume you receive and accept an offer on your home. Now assume a home inspection is done and a repair report kicked out. While there are a bunch of small items, the report also contains language indicating the roof needs to be replaced. This is not a small item! What do you do?

At this point, you have a few options. The first is to repair the roof. The second is to discount money out of the closing for the buyer to do it. The third is to walk away from the deal using the argument that the roof does not need to be replaced. Unless you are absolutely sure the roof is fine, your best option is to try to negotiate a compromise with the buyer. Your negotiating position should make it clear that you are willing to address the roof issues, but not pay for an upgrade to the current roof.

In many instances, this type of a problem will lead to the home falling out of escrow, to wit, the deal dies. If this occurs, you may think the first move is to put the home back on the market. This is false. The first move is to deal with the roof issue. If you run out and put the house back on the market, most states require you to provide the negative home inspection report to any subsequent buyers. Obviously, that is a problem.

If you are selling your own property, it is important to understand that the home inspection report is going to require some repairs. Just watch out for those major ones.

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

Advantages of a For Sale By Owner Website Listing

When a homeowner sells real estate in Hawaii without the help of a realtor the process is known as for sale by owner. Many homeowners choose to go this route for selling their homes because they want to avoid the fees charged by real estate brokers. Along with the cost avoidance, homeowners take on the responsibility of marketing the home as well as other tasks associated with selling the home.

There are many ways to advertise a home for sale by owner. Some of the most popular include classified ads in the newspaper, signs in the neighborhood, word of mouth and website listings. Of all the methods to use for advertising a home for sale by owner, a website listing is perhaps the easiest and most beneficial method.

Using a website listing gives your advertisement exposure that it would not otherwise receive. Consider the number of people that would be exposed to a listing in the newspaper. That number is only a fraction of what it will be if you use a website listing.

The fee you pay to list your home in the newspaper is a one time only fee. Once that newspaper has been printed, your ad will never be listed again, unless you pay another fee. When you use a for sale by owner website listing, your ad will remain on the website for a lot more than just one day. The increased period of time gives more buyers time to see your ad.

Other methods of advertising for sale by owner property have physical limits on how far they can reach. For example, the newspaper is only offered in a certain area. People all over the world have internet access thereby giving them the ability to see your website listing. This, too, improves the odds of your home selling.

Using a website listing to sell your home has many benefits above other methods.
LaToya Irby is the editor of Real Estate in Hawaii. You can find more information at http://www.alohafsbo.com

Selling Homes For Sale By Owner

Why go through a realtor to sell your home when you can sell it yourself and save thousands of dollars? When you use a realtor to sell your home, you must pay real estate brokerage fees. Instead of paying these fees to someone else you can sell for sale by owner and put these thousands of dollars into your pocket instead of someone else’s.

The major reason that people don’t sell their homes themselves is because they do not have the time and patience it takes to sell the home. Home sellers find themselves racing for the phone every time it rings because they don’t want to miss out on a deal. Selling real estate in Florida can be made easier through use of a for sale by owner, FSBO, website.

How many people do you think will see the for sale by owner ad in your local newspaper? Your ad might reach a hundred possibly a thousand readers, some of which may not be interested in purchasing a home. By posting your home on a FBSO site, your ad reaches thousands of people that ordinarily it wouldn’t reach. The extra exposure increases your chances of selling your home.

Too often for sale by owner homes stay on the market for weeks and even months without a single offer. Perhaps the biggest cause of this is a lack of visibility. If people don’t know your home is for sale, they won’t know to make an offer on it.

Home buyers are increasingly using the internet as their means for purchasing real estate. This creates the perfect opportunity for home buyers to take advantage of the internet for selling their homes. Listing your home on a FSBO site enables you to sell your home quicker than other kinds of real estate listings.

LaToya Irby is the editor of FSBO listings in Florida. You can find more information at http://www.firstfloridafsbo.com.

Selling Homes For Sale By Owner

Why go through a realtor to sell your home when you can sell it yourself and save thousands of dollars? When you use a realtor to sell your home, you must pay real estate brokerage fees. Instead of paying these fees to someone else you can sell for sale by owner and put these thousands of dollars into your pocket instead of someone else’s.

The major reason that people don’t sell their homes themselves is because they do not have the time and patience it takes to sell the home. Home sellers find themselves racing for the phone every time it rings because they don’t want to miss out on a deal. Selling real estate in Florida can be made easier through use of a for sale by owner, FSBO, website.

How many people do you think will see the for sale by owner ad in your local newspaper? Your ad might reach a hundred possibly a thousand readers, some of which may not be interested in purchasing a home. By posting your home on a FBSO site, your ad reaches thousands of people that ordinarily it wouldn’t reach. The extra exposure increases your chances of selling your home.

Too often for sale by owner homes stay on the market for weeks and even months without a single offer. Perhaps the biggest cause of this is a lack of visibility. If people don’t know your home is for sale, they won’t know to make an offer on it.

Home buyers are increasingly using the internet as their means for purchasing real estate. This creates the perfect opportunity for home buyers to take advantage of the internet for selling their homes. Listing your home on a FSBO site enables you to sell your home quicker than other kinds of real estate listings.

LaToya Irby is the editor of FSBO listings in Florida. You can find more information at http://www.firstfloridafsbo.com.

Tips on Preparing Your Home for Sale - Paint

As the real estate market cools off, selling your home requires that you return to the basic fundamentals. Here are some tips for preparing your home to sell as applied to painting.

Tips on Preparing Your Home for Sale - Painting

We have just come out of one of the all time glorious seller’s markets. The demand was so rabid, you could practically close a transaction before you the property appeared in the multiple listing services. I actually went to look at models in a new development where there was a line to get into the properties! Talk about a seller’s market. With demand cooling off and prices pulling back, you actually have to put some effort into selling your home today. Here are some tips to make it happen when it comes to paint.

Buying a property is very much an emotional act. Yes, issues such as schools, location, size and so on come into play, but a buyer is primarily motivated by what they see. To this end, one of the biggest issues to consider when preparing your home to go on the market is the paint.

You may need a major paint job on your home or just some minor tweaks. Only you can decide, but painting should be approached in a systematic manner. If you have rooms that are on the small side, you should paint them with a lighter color. Lighter colors make a room look larger. Conversely, an overly large room should be painted with darker colors, which will make it look smaller.

The second issue to consider with painting is the odd nature of colors. When considering colors, you will look at patches to find a selection. For some odd reason, what you see in samples rarely translates to the appearance on your home. To save money, time and frustration, do not pick a color and then paint the area in question. Instead, you should buy a small amount of the paint and apply it to a small part of the wall in question. Let it dry and then consider if it meets your expectations. Often, the color will not appear as you thought it would. Take note of the problem and then buy another small pint of paint that has the correction, to wit, slightly lighter or darker. Now paint another small part of the wall and see what it looks like. Repeat this process until you find the color you want.

At the end of the day, a buyer that falls in love with the physical appearance of your home is the one that is going to make an offer. Painting all or part of your home is one way to make sure that happens.

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

The Basics of Contracts for FSBO Sellers

If you are selling your home for sale by owner, the contractual issues that arise with offers and counter offers may confuse you. Here is a basic guide to contracts.

The Basics of Contracts for FSBO Sellers

A contract is an agreement between two or more parties to do something. In the contract, each party agrees to do something, known as “consideration”, in exchange for the other party also taking some action.

If we consider a home loan, the nature of a contract becomes pretty clear. If I apply for a home loan from a bank and am approved, a written contract is issued that both parties sign. Two things happen with that thick contract. The bank agrees to lend me money. In consideration of this money, I agree to make monthly payments to pay back the loan. Obviously, other items such as maintaining homeowners insurance are included, but this is the basic idea.

As a FSBO seller, you will get offers on your home at some point from potential buyers. The offer is not a binding contract, but can become one. The offer is simply a statement of what the buyer is promising to do if you accept the offer, to wit, the buyer is promising to pay $300,000 or whatever for you home. You can make the offer binding on both parties by accepting the offer as evidenced by your signature. Alternatively, you can reject the offer and counter-offer with alternative terms that are usually price-oriented. In such a situation, your counter-offer is binding on you if the potential buyer accepts it.

There are two key points to keep in mind with this process. First, the offers must be in writing. Courts hate to deal with “oral” contracts and will rarely enforce them. Any offer for you home must be in writing or the potential buyer is just screwing around. Always keep in mind that everything should be in writing when dealing with real estate transactions. If it is not, then the subject covered by the oral offers is going to be very hard to enforce on the other party.

The second issue that will arise is the “good till” clause. Neither you nor the buyer wants the offer process to hang over your head for weeks or months. As such, each offer/counter-offer should contain a good till clause. This clause says here is what I am offering, but you must accept it by this date and time. If you do not, this offer will expire and no longer be binding on the party making it. Always include this language in any offer you make. It is customarily contained within offer/counter-offer forms.

As a FSBO seller, you should understand the basics of the contract process. If you are uncomfortable with it, a real estate lawyer can help you and for much less than paying a real estate commission.

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

FSBO Tips & Tactics For Selling Your Own Home By Owner

If over 30% of all homes sold are by owner, then why is it your "friendly real estate agent" says he is the only way to get the job done? I really don't believe real estate agents anyways as I have witnessed many retired brokers with for sale by owner signs on their lawns. The main thing a FSBO needs is time on their side. If you do NOT need to sell your home in a month and can afford a 4-6 month time frame, this would be an ideal situation. Here are the other factors you will need to consider if you are going to sell your own home.

Price is king. Don't shoot yourself in the foot, make sure you price your home realistically. Nobody really cares if you have a new fence and it cost you $10,000. What matters most is what your home is worth in today's market based on comparable sales. As a for sale by owner you want to price your home slightly less than what a comparable home is listed for with XYZ realty. It is a mistake to try and earn the commission rather than save it. The best way to set the price is to get an independent appraisal. An appraisal is based on comparable sales and is usually a more reliable source without all the fanfare of a real estate firm. You can show this to buyers and deal from a strong position.

Get a home inspection done by a licensed independent professional. Not from your brother in law who has a pickup truck and a hammer. Take care of any repairs that turn up from the inspection. This way a buyer can't nickle and dime you from your asking price. Same goes for a survey. If you can get your hands on one this will take away any of the guess work as to your properties dimensions.

You would be shocked at how people present their homes when selling privately. Take care of the obvious things like, cut the grass, new coat of paint, clean the carpets, wash the stinky dog and remove all clutter from your closets and the garage. People like bright and open living areas. So if you need to move out some of your extra furniture to storage or a friends house this will pay dividends. Also open all the drapes and window coverings.

If your home is priced right then a moderate marketing campaign is all you need, your buyers will find you, especially if a real estate agent has a comparable home listed in your neighborhood. An ad in the newspaper, some brochures, a for sale by owner sign are the basics. If you have the ability you could make a small web site about your home. Also, each city has a FSBO related company which will give you a paper listing, web site exposure and some of the forms. Of course you can hold open houses but be a little careful. Always have at least 2 adults available, do not let too many people in at once and hide your valuables.

Real estate agents will argue that private home sellers are at a disadvantage because of the complex nature of real estate transactions. They are right! Easiest way to solve this is when a buyer wants to make you an offer have a lawyer or notary look at it beforehand, to make sure you are on the right track. A LOT cheaper than a real estate broker! Agents will say you need to strike when the iron is hot but I think it's not out of the question for a buyer to wait 24 hours so your lawyer can look at the deal.

Don't take 72 hours clauses. This simply means that a buyer wants your house but must sell their home first. It is a waste of time, money and energy. Buyers will want to tie up your home and a 72 hour clause gives them the first right of refusal. I always say come to me when you have your money unemcumbered and lets make a deal at that time.

Qualify your buyers. This is not an easy task but many people are professional time wasters. If you get calls on your advertisement or at your open house, you need to ask questions like: Do you currently own or rent? Have you looked at many homes? What kind of work do you do? Do you need to sell a home before you can purchase? You can ask these tactfully and judge the responses. Really, if they do not want to answer them likely they were just out to waste your time.

These are the most important things you can do when selling your own home. Everything listed above is geared to give you an advantage and deal with your buyers from a position of strength, hopefully you can save a few dollars. After all you own the home, you pay the taxes, you pay the mortgage, why should you not get the highest net dollars in your pocket!

This article may be reproduced with full credit to the author Fsbohomz.com and a live link to the authors web site, http://www.fsbohomz.com You can also join the FSBO FACTS newsletter for free and be kept up to date on all the latest private selling information.

Are FSBO Home Sales Gaining Popularity?

It's not easy to sell a home yourself, but it can be done. There are many things to know when trying to sell a home without the benefit of a real estate agent, but many people across the country do, and the trend may actually be on the increase, according to statistics from a number of sources.

Of course, there's considerably more involved in selling a home than the average homeowner realizes, which goes a long way toward explaining why so many homes are sold by real estate professionals. In fact, last year, only some 13 percent of all American home sales were by FSBOs. That figure is actually down somewhat from the nationwide peak, which occurred in 1987, when some 20 percent of all homes in the U.S. were sold by their owners.

Not obvious in those figures is the fact that almost half (40 percent) of the FSBO transactions took place between people who already knew each other and in many cases were related, according to figures published by the National Association of Realtors.

FSBO Market Gaining Momentum

There are some signs that perhaps the FSBO market is gaining some momentum in recent months, however. For instance, the number of FSBO home sales increased by a stagger 71 percent in 2005, according to statistics on the www.ForSaleByOwner.com website. According to that site, the strongest FSBO area is in the Atlanta, Georgia, region, which accounted for 3.8 percent of all FSBO transactions in the country.

Part of that strength undoubtedly stems from the fact that Atlanta's real estate market is still relatively strong. Such market strength makes it easier for homeowners to attract potential buyers to take a look at their homes. Home prices are continuing to rise, and jobs are relatively plentiful, which makes Atlanta somewhat of an anomaly in today's real estate world.

Another strong FSBO market, boasting a whopping 166 percent increase in FSBO listings last year, is Denver, Colorado. Other fast-rising FSBO markets include Dallas, Texas (119 percent); Cleveland, Ohio (96 percent); Indianapolis, Indiana (96 percent); Cincinnati, Ohio (93 percent); New York, New York (84 percent); Houston, Texas (24 percent); and Chicago (16 percent).

With prices rising across the country, it's no surprise that the main reason listed by FSBOs for going it alone is to save on real estate commissions. Nationally, those commissions average about $14,000, which is a sizable enough amount to get nearly anyone's attention. Those figures are based on a 6 percent commission on the sale of a $231,000 home, which was the national median price for existing American homes in June 2006. As the housing market continues to soften, the money that can be saved by selling a home yourself can become increasingly more attractive.

Find out how to sell your home for more, faster with the Home Staging advantage at Staging Home for Sale.
Free home selling help at http://www.sellfast.info
Copyright © 2006 Jeanette Fisher

Truth In Advertising for FSBO Sellers

When selling your home for sale by owner, you will be handling your own marketing. This leads us to the issue of what you put in your marketing materials in relation to your home.

The real estate industry is somewhat like the used car industry when it comes to certain areas. Each is known for using terminology that could be considered to perhaps stretch the boundaries a bit. “New paint job” in a car add can often be translated to “new paint job because the car was damaged in an accident.” When it comes to real estate, a unique set of terminology also applies. “Cozy” is often a term interpreted as meaning small. “Very cozy”, of course, means a home that is basically two closets hammered together!

As a FSBO seller, you need to give some thought to the terminology you will use when marketing your property. I am not so much referring to legalities as I am to common sense truth in advertising. It is tempting to list the possibilities of a home despite the fact the property offers no such basis for doing so. Such phrases I often see are things like “potential for view” without mentioning the buyer will need to add two stories to the property to get a sliver of a view! In my opinion, such advertising is a bad approach.

When marketing your property for sale, it is important that you be accurate. Yes, you can use terms that promote the strengths of the property. You should not use terms that are not based on how you use the home. If you have a two bedroom property in which you sleep in one bedroom and your child in the other, language regarding a home office, game room and such is probably misleading unless you have other rooms that specifically are being used for that purpose.

The problem with stretching the boundaries with your marketing has to do with expectations. If a potential buyer reads your ad and thinks it matches what they are after, they expect to see the attributes when they arrive. If they do not, they certainly will not be making an offer. This will lead to negative commentary among buyers regarding you and your home. You should never require a buyer to have a vision of the far reaching possibilities of a home.

As a FSBO seller, being accurate in your marketing materials is critical. Yes, you may get fewer buyers visiting your property, but you will get a better quality of buyer, to wit, a buyer more like to make an offer. At the end of the day, that is the point after all.

Raynor James is with FSBOAmerica.org - real estate articles on selling your own home.

The Pitfalls of Selling Your Home without a Realtor

For those individuals who use realtors to buy or sell a home, the transaction looks fairly seamless. It goes something like this:

• Buyers:


o Contact a realtor, who elicits from them what type of property they wish to purchase.

o The realtor shows them several properties, until they make an offer on one and it is accepted.

o They go with the realtor to the mortgage lender, that the realtor may have lined up for them and set the appointment. The buyers provide any information the lender needs and signs the appropriate paperwork.

o The buyers and realtor meet at the closing to sign all the papers, get the keys, and go to their new home.


• Sellers:


o Contact a realtor, who discuss with them their pricing preferences and timelines for the sale.

o Realtor does a walk-through of the property, suggesting things that should be done before listing the property.

o Sellers make the repairs or renovations.

o The realtor lists the property.

o The realtor, as well as other realtors, shows the property to potential buyers until an offer is made and accepted.

o Inspectors and appraisers show up, then leave to make their reports, and the realtor gives the results to the sellers and buyers’ agent.

o Once the realtor tells them everything is complete, the sellers move out before the closing.

o Sellers and realtor meet at the closing to sign all the papers, sellers and realtor receive their checks, and they hand over the keys to the property.


This is very simplistic; yet when a realtor is handling your buying or selling needs, this is pretty much how it appears.

Of the homes sold across the nation, 20 percent are sold by the owners, without a realtor. Surveys show that the primary reason is money; the sellers wish to save the cost of a realtor’s commission, which usually ranges between five and seven percent of the purchase price of the home. Unfortunately, many of these owners end up regretting their decisions, because it costs them that five-to-seven percent or more due to unexpected pitfalls in the sale.

First, there is a lot involved in the sale of a home. Realtors assist with the before-listing preparation; help you set a starting and deal-killer selling price (the price level you will not accept); setup and hold open houses; set up and coordinate all home inspections and appraisals; and set up and coordinate a real estate attorney and the closing. Realtors market your home to a broad base of interested buyers and other realtors, show your home or coordinate with you for other realtors to show it, negotiate offers, and close the sale. They even coordinate the timing of the sale, when you are buying other property that is dependent upon the sale of your home.

For buyers, realtors first help you to determine just how much you can afford to pay for a home — it is generally more than most people believe. They then weed through the myriad of homes that are on the market, matching potential homes to your purchase specifications. They arrange to show the homes to you, assisting in what to look for, what questions to ask, and after-showing discussions with you on possible problems or good points of the home. Realtors assist you in making an appropriate offer. They do all of the negotiations for you, representing your best interests — especially important when a seller has a professional representing them. Once your offer is accepted, the realtor may even suggest mortgage lenders and accompany you to your first meeting. Your realtor then works with the seller’s representative to ensure all inspections, appraisals, title searches, and permitting is properly completed, negotiating for you resolutions to any bad inspections. Again, working with the seller’s representative, the realtor coordinates a real estate attorney for you, as well as the closing.

Realtors know the right questions to ask — it is their job as professionals to keep abreast of the real estate market for their area. They handle any problems that arise, protect you as the buyer or seller, know what to avoid in real estate and during negotiations, and know what is/is not covered by the home warranty of the sale. They also ensure that all compliance and disclosure issues are dealt with properly, making sure that nothing is overlooked that could cause you a legal problem in the future.

Most importantly, a realtor maintains objectivity during an event that can be emotional for both buyers and sellers. Your realtor remains objective during negotiations, executing the best deal possible for you.

To avoid the pitfalls of selling or buying property, use a realtor, who may save you a lot of money in the long run.

John Harris is an expert researcher and writer on real estate topics such as economics, credit improvement tips, home selling advice and home buying preparations. For more on San Diego Homes for Sale visit http://www.twtrealestate.com

For Sale by Owner Help- Website Review

FsboHelp.com is a website that offers a guide to help people who are selling their own homes. The guide will teach you:

• How to get Free & Low Cost Advertising
• How to negotiate with potential buyers
• How to "stage" your home before showing
• And More

You can also download the first chapter for Free. (Click Here) Free Bonuses are also included. The site also offers an 30 day money back guarantee.

For more information visit the FsboHelp.com

When It’s All Yours: The Quit Claim Deed Form

In real estate, there are times when the property being “sold off” does not rightfully belong to the “owner”. This occurs when the property in question either belongs to the government (and the owner is holding a lease hold right), or when the property was not transferred properly (by death or other factors) from the previous owner to the end user. When you are involved in a transaction such as this, you have to make sure that when you indeed, decide to sell the property, the next owner will be assured that everything will be theirs. They have to be confident in knowing that three or four months down the line, no one will come knocking at their door claiming the property to be theirs. Verbally reassuring them is not enough, in situations such as this, the best form of reassurance you can give the new owners is a statement formalized via a Quit Claim Deed.

A Quit Claim Deed (otherwise called Quick Claim) is one that is used when you are releasing all your claims on the property. This document also serves as proof that you are the sole person who had the right to use the property no one else will lay claim to it later on.

When preparing a Quit Claim Deed, you have to make sure that all the important information concerning the transaction is noted down. The usual data include the names of the parties involved in the sale, a short description of the property (including the address or location), the agreed upon purchase price, and most importantly, a statement affirming that you are releasing all rights, interests and claims to the said property. To make the document legal and binding, you and the buyers (in front of third party witnesses) are obliged to affix your signature on this piece of paper. Later on, this document should be sent to a legal office where it should be notarized.

Quit Claim Deeds are fairly easy to prepare. You don’t need to go to a realtor or a lawyer just to have them draft you a copy. You can make one yourself. If you are unsure about the layout or the contents, you can research about it or just look for ready made forms that you can use or base your Quit Claim Deed on.

Finding a standard Quit Claim Deed layout is quite easy. There are libraries you can go to and real estate offices you can visit. However, if you don’t have time to make these out of the way trips just to get a Quit Claim Deed, you can just log on to the internet and simply download one. Real Estate forms, such as the Quit Claim Deed, are available from real estate related websites.

Downloadable forms, such as the Quit Claim Deed, though these follow a generic format, can easily be opened using any word processing program. Once purchased, you are at liberty to reproduce these forms as often as you like; and these can be modified to suit your individual requirements.

Like The House? Get The Offer To Purchase Real Estate Form

After going around the city, inspecting home after home after home, you finally come across a house that not only meet your stringent domestic requirements, but also resembles the house of your dreams. You’re on seventh heaven as it is, then you find out that it’s also within your budget!

When you’ve fallen in love with a specific property and would want to make it your own, you don’t just tell the owner that you’re taking it the way you’d tell a salesperson that you’re buying a pair of shoes. Though you can do that, it just seems somewhat impolite. If you’re really dead serious about purchasing a piece of property, inform the property owners (or their real estate agent) immediately. Then, formalize your intention by making an offer to purchase and present this to them for their evaluation.

The “Offer to Purchase Real Estate” is one of the most important documents in any real estate transaction. This document will contain all the pertinent details concerning the sale. Normally, in addition to the address and technical specifications of the property, and the names of the purchaser and the owner, an offer to purchase would include information such as the price you are willing to pay for the property, the deposit you are prepared to give, how the balance will be paid, schedule of payment, and inspections that you would want to conduct. You are free to include other data which would be of interest to the owners.

Since the contents of an Offer to Purchase Real Estate are very sensitive, you should really discuss the details with your banker, your lawyer and your family. You have to ensure that all the information that you will plug in is correct and that you can abide by the conditions you yourself will set. The Offer to Purchase, if accepted by the owner, will be the basis of further negotiations and the foundation of the actual purchase. It’s a serious document that deserves serious consideration.

You have the option of having professionals (real estate agents or lawyers) prepare the Offer to Purchase Real Estate form for you, but this may take time, and several meetings. If you want to cut the process short, you can make a draft copy of the Offer to Purchase and when you’re reasonably satisfied with the contents, that’s when you schedule a meeting with these individuals. If you’re keen to do this, you can simply download a generic Offer to Purchase Real Estate form from the internet and use this as a footprint.

Downloadable real estate forms, though these follow a standard format, can still be modified to suit your requirements. Despite being easily obtainable through the internet, these are still considered legal documents, and they will be honoured and recognized by local, state and federal offices. What’s good about real estate forms found on the internet is that these real estate websites give you, the user, the option to download just the form you need, or the whole bulk. You can also download the forms on Word, PDF or text format.

So what are you waiting for? Get on the internet and download the Offer to Purchase Real Estate Form. The quicker you complete all the requirements, the sooner you can move into the home of your dreams.

Top 10 Tips For Selling Your Home In A Buyers Market

If you have been watching the news lately you have probably heard the real estate bubble has burst. Properties around the country are sitting on the market much longer than in the past. Bad news for sellers, good news for buyers. With the downturn in the real estate market, what should you do if you need to sell your home?

If you are realistic in your asking price and properly prepare you home for sale, there is no reason you house shouldn’t sell. Set a timeline of when you need to sell by and start preparing today. The top 10 things you should do include:

1. Have a professional home inspection. Usually this is done on the back end, after someone has made an offer. By having it done yourself you can find out ahead of time all the little problems that need to be taken care of. Often it is these little things that can be a deal breaker at closing time and delay the sale of the house. You can also now offer your house with a pre inspection, letting prospective buyers know what items have been fixed.

2. Clutter. Get rid of it! The number one turn off for a buyer is walking into a house and seeing lots of clutter. Clean out your office. Pack away the kids toys. Clean out the basement and garage. Throw it out, pack it away, and get it out of the house. Empty out the closets. Buyers want to see lots of closet space. No matter how big your closets are, buyers won’t be able to tell if it is jammed full.

3. De-Personalize. A buyer has a vision of how their things are going to fit in. That vision can get distracted if all they see is family photos and all your collectibles. Pack it away and make your house neutral.

4. Clean! No one wants to buy a dirty house. A double spring cleaning is in order. Clean the grease and grime out of the kitchen. Get rid of the mold in the bathroom. Clean the dirt and cobwebs out of the basement. Dust in places you haven’t dusted in 10 years. Clean all the windows. Air out your house. A stale and musty smell is a real turn off. Keep it fresh and make it sparkle.

5. Paint. One of the cheapest ways to freshen up the inside of a house is with a fresh coat of paint. A good neutral color will do wonders. Patch the holes in the wall while you are at it. Don’t forget “ceiling white”. Another fairly inexpensive item that can make a room standout is by adding crown molding.

6. Landscape. Start with picking up the yard and any clutter. Trim up overgrown bushes and trees. Repair or replace any broken steps, retaining walls, gutters, concrete, fences or decks. Power wash your deck and give it a new coat of sealer or stain. Same with a wooded fence if it needs it.

7. Carpets and floors. Buyers love wood floors! If you have original wood floors covered by carpet, consider taking out the carpet and having the wood floors refinished. Replace old, worn or outdated carpet. Newer carpet should be professionally cleaned. New wood floors or vinyl floors can be an inexpensive upgrade.

8. Kitchens and bathrooms. Kitchens can make or break a sale. A total remodel usually is not necessary. Depending on your budget, you can paint the cabinets, have them refaced or simply add new hardware. New laminate countertops are inexpensive. Replace appliances that are old and outdated. Make use of the space if you have room for an eat-in kitchen. Replace the sink and faucet if it is old. Update the lighting. Smelly dingy bathrooms are a turn off. New paint, lighting and an updated vanity will impress buyers. Regrouting old tile will make it look like new.

9. Staging. There are professionals that will come in and arrange your furniture to maximize your space. Old ratty sofas should be move out. Clear out all unnecessary furniture. You want your home to flow and look comfortable, inviting and clutter free.

10. Set a realistic price. Pricing your home 1-2 percent less than similar homes in your area will help close the sale. The higher your price over comparable homes the longer it will sit on the market.

Start preparing your home for sale today and you will have a buyer in no time. Not only will you sell your home quicker but by following these 10 steps you will probably get more money than you would if you did nothing.

These tips are brought to you by EZ Realtor Finder. Search for local real estate agents and local property listings. Receive newest property listings by email. View property slide shows. Realtors add your real estate business and propery listings for free. http://www.ezrealtorfinder.com

Make Money From Home Improvements

Increasing the value of your home with home improvement remodeling

When most people set about selling home they forget that their property is worth exactly what someone thinks that it's worth. No more and no less. If a prospective buyer thinks that it's worth more then you will make more money when you sell it. The location of your property and the size of it sets the base worth of the home but at the end of the day it won't sell at the price you think it's worth unless someone likes it when they view it.

So to increase the value of your home and make money when you sell it you need to make it look nice. That's all you need to do, make it look great. By making your property look amazing instead of dull and tired you can increase the value of your home by as much as 20% in some cases and you can go a long way to achieving that goal without spending huge amounts of money.

Home improvement tip

So what makes someone like your property when they come to view? It isn't the location or the size of the buildings because they new all that before they came to visit. Most people either fall in love with a place or hate it depending on what they see when they walk around. At the end of the day that comes down to the interior decorating and general impressions they get when walking around. Even clutter in rooms can put people off even though it has nothing to do with the property at all.

Concentrate on what your property looks like rather than trying to increase value with building work because that is what will give you the most increase in value for the least outlay of money.

Bathroom home improvement

The bathroom is a room that can really turn a visitor into a buyer if it looks good and there is a lot you can do to it without needing to spend a lot of cash on it.

Make sure that everything in the bathroom is spotlessly clean. Treat and eradicate any black mould that might be growing in places like the grout between tiles and the sealer around fixtures. The sight of black mould alone can be enough to put off a prospective buyer altogether. Always dry up any condensation as it forms as this encourages the mould to grow. Make cleaning a regular chore.

Lighting can play a big part in your bathroom experience so investigate soft soothing lighting arrangements. Small lights placed around the edges of a very small bathroom can make it look bigger than it really is which will immediately increase its perceived value.

Paint the walls and ceiling or better still, tile the walls. Light coloured tiles with simple designs are best for a bathroom and can be inexpensive. If you have the budget, tile the whole bathroom from floor to ceiling to give the biggest 'oooh' factor. This is very effective in a small bathroom.

You might decide to get a professional tile setter to tile your bathroom but you can save a lot of money by doing it yourself. It's also a very satisfying job to do because it will look great and you can say that you did it all yourself. For tips on tiling your own bathroom read the article Setting Ceramic Tile With Ease

Repair and maintenance

Fix anything that doesn't work properly and make sure that everything is well maintained. You don't want your buyers to see the shower dripping because it won't turn off.

Home improvement - remodeling and restoration

If you want to make a big impression on your buyers then you can think about more drastic measures like bathroom remodeling. Rip out all the old stuff, design a new layout that makes good use of space and add features that you didn't have before like a separate shower cubicle. Provide subtle lighting, floor to ceiling ceramic tiles and your homebuyers won't be able to resist.

By making improvements to make your home look better, no matter what they are, you can increase the value of your home by substantial amounts so don't neglect it when you're selling. Make money from home improvements.

Small bathroom remodeling ideas Save Space with a Small Bathroom Shower at http://www.bathroomsremodeling.this-info.com

Curb Appeal Can Add Thousands to Your Home’s Selling Price

If you are selling your home, you can ensure that you receive top dollar by taking several steps to enhance its curb appeal. Curb appeal is “the look” that your home gets when someone drives by: the more impressive the first glance, the more likely they’ll want to step into your home instead of simply driving by. Does your home have curb appeal? Can its curb appeal be enhanced? Read on and we’ll discuss some tips to help you get the most out of your home.

Fill those cracks – Cracks in your driveway can take away from your home. If you have tar covered driveway, then reseal your driveway before you put your home on the market. If you have a concrete driveway, fill in the cracks or even consider replacing the driveway if it is that much of drag on your property.

Remove bushes – If you home is overcrowded by shrubbery, trim wherever you can and consider removing bushes that block your home’s visual appeal or pose a safety hazard.

Trim Trees – Likely you won’t have to remove an entire tree unless it is dead. However, if there are too many branches hanging too close or just over the home, call your tree guy up and get him out there to remedy the problem.

Touch up Painting -- Short of repainting your entire home, perhaps the front door or the garage door plus some trim could use a little paint. Broken caulk around the windows needs to be replaced and wash the windows if they are dirty for heaven’s sake!

Say it with Flowers – Seasonal flowers evoke warmth and nostalgia. Spring pansies, summer gladiolas, and autumn mums are each a delight to behold. If it is winter and the grounds are snow covered, consider trimming a tree with lights to give your home a festive look. No, it doesn’t have to be Christmas but a small tree or a light pole with lights and garland festooned can be pleasing to the eye.

Ask a neighbor for their objective view of your property. If they are the helpful type, they can point out something that you missed, such as a broken mailbox, missing house number, or the like. You want to give your home the best possible look it can get and in doing so you could receive thousands more at closing than you originally thought was possible!

Joseph is the proud owner of Money Matters, a website that will explain everything you need to know about Real Estate Finance. We invite you to visit our site today and see what we have to offer.

FSBO Sellers and Pre-Inspection Reports

If you are selling your property on your own, one of the issues you need to be aware of upfront is how to deal with home inspection reports. Here is one possible way to get around the problem.

Property Sellers and Pre-Inspection Reports

As a FSBO seller, the key to successfully moving your property and saving money on real estate agent commissions is knowledge. The more you know, the smoother you sales effort will be. One area where this is particularly important is home inspections.

A home inspection is exactly what it sounds like. A certified home inspector will be asked and paid by the buyer to come give your property the once over. Items that are covered include things such as water damage, termites, foundations, roofs, and parts of the home that are not in compliance with the local building codes. For a seller, a home inspection is the time to tap your foot nervously while you wait for the report. The report, of course, becomes the foundation for the buyer to demand that you spend money on repairs to fix the problems. This can be particularly problematic if one or more of the repairs requires significant expenditures, to wit, a lot of money.

Importantly, the home inspection need not be a cause for concern. You can take a definitive step to remove all of the stress. Yes, you can get a pre-inspection.

A pre-inspection report on your property is the same thing as a home inspection undertaken by a buyer once the deal is in escrow. The only difference is you order the inspection before putting the property on the market. Why would you do this? As mentioned above, knowledge is the key. By having an inspection of your home before putting it on the market, you will know if there are any major problems. If there are, you can deal with them in a relaxed manner instead of during the heat of 30 or 60 day escrow when time is of the essence.

A few people will tell you that getting a pre-inspection of your property is a bad move. They argue that it is a waste of money to make repairs to problems that a home inspector retained by a buyer might miss. While this sounds logical at first, it simply is not in this day and age. In the current real estate market, nearly all home inspectors are competent. Yes, they may miss small items from time to time, but it is a rare day when they will miss some major problem on the property.

At the end of the day, selling your property on your own can save you a bundle in commissions. A pre-inspection of your home is one way to simplify the process.

Raynor James is with the site - FSBOAmerica.org - sell your own home and save money on real estate agent commissions.

Getting a Really Low Offer on Your FSBO Home

Most people derive a lot of pride in the ownership of their home. This emotional aspect is put to the test when they got sell and receive a really low offer for the property.

Getting a Really Low Offer on Your FSBO Home

When you buy and live in a property, it becomes part of your life. Inevitably, you will strive to make the property better through improvements and many of your life experiences will occur in it. When it comes time to sell, receiving a very low offer for this slice of your life can really set you off. Unconsciously, many homeowners interpret such low offers as a valuation of their time and experiences in the property. This is a mistake.

You list your property for $400,000, but don’t receive a sniff for a month. Eventually, a buyer comes along who expresses serious interest in the property. In fact, they tell you an offer will be made. Your spirits rise and it is time to break out the champagne. Then you receive a written offer for $365,000. So much for the champagne.

In such a scenario, the first reaction of most sellers is to consider the offer as an insult. What nerve this idiot buyer must have! Who does he think he is! Normally, a few cusswords are also included. As you can tell, this is an emotional reaction. Alas, the purchase or sale of a property is a BUSINESS transaction, not an emotional event. Should you be insulted by really low offers? NO! Divorce yourself from the emotion. Stick to the facts and try to enjoy the nature of the process.

If you are a FSBO seller, there are two reasons you may get a really low offer. The first applies to all sellers, and is simply the fact the potential buyer is trying to ascertain how desperate you are to move the property. The potential buyer doesn’t really think you will sell for $365,000, but you might come back with a counter offer for $385,000 which is still a great deal for the buyer. Simply put, the buyer is trying to identify your bottom line.

There is a second reason a FSBO seller will occasionally get a really lower offer. It is because you are a FSBO seller! A potential buyer may think you will panic or be a dolt and come way down on the price. The offer price is purely a reflection of a hope by the buyer that you are ignorant to the value of your home. Of course, you are not!

If you get a miserably low offer on your property, take a couple of deep breathes and then smile. Make a counter offer for the exact asking price of your home or just above it. When the potential buyer expresses shock, just show them their original offer. That will put a stop to the games and tell the buyer you know what is what.

Raynor James is with the site - FSBOAmerica.org - sell your own home and save money on real estate agent commissions.

Dealing with Negative Home Inspection Reports as a FSBO Seller

If you are selling your own home without a real estate agent, you can run into situations that can be a bit complex. One such situation is a negative home inspection report.

Dealing with Negative Home Inspection Reports as a FSBO Seller

When the purchase of a home is made, one of the first steps during the escrow period is for the buyer to order a professional home inspect. A certified home inspector will come out to the property and spend a few hours investigating it. The inspection will cover everything from the condition of the roof to water leakage to drainage issues to…well, just about everything.

Once the inspection is done, the home inspector will kick out a report noting problems areas and needed fixes. In many cases, there will be a lot of recommended fixes. Most of these, however, are going to be very small and inexpensive in nature. Your best bet as the seller is typically to agree to fix them or provide money at the closing for the buyer to do the job. The money typically comes in the form of a discount from the actual amount the buyer pays you at settlement.

While this all sounds straightforward, things can occasionally go bad. Assume you receive and accept an offer on your home. Now assume a home inspection is done and a repair report kicked out. While there are a bunch of small items, the report also contains language indicating the roof needs to be replaced. This is not a small item! What do you do?

At this point, you have a few options. The first is to repair the roof. The second is to discount money out of the closing for the buyer to do it. The third is to walk away from the deal using the argument that the roof does not need to be replaced. Unless you are absolutely sure the roof is fine, your best option is to try to negotiate a compromise with the buyer. Your negotiating position should make it clear that you are willing to address the roof issues, but not pay for an upgrade to the current roof.

In many instances, this type of a problem will lead to the home falling out of escrow, to wit, the deal dies. If this occurs, you may think the first move is to put the home back on the market. This is false. The first move is to deal with the roof issue. If you run out and put the house back on the market, most states require you to provide the negative home inspection report to any subsequent buyers. Obviously, that is a problem.

If you are selling your own property, it is important to understand that the home inspection report is going to require some repairs. Just watch out for those major ones.

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

Statistics on FSBO vs. Agent Selling

Mention that you’re planning to sell your home and you will, immediately be given unsolicited advice as to whether you should go at it on your own or not. There are staunch believers in selling FSBO, and those who will swear by the securing the assistance of real estate agents. It would be difficult to make a decision based on the information gleaned from hear-say and “personal experiences”. In 2003, in an attempt to provide home sellers with more factual data comparing the benefits of FSBO and Agent Selling, an independent research group conducted a random online survey on over 3,500 home sellers.

The results of the research tackled three aspects namely profit margin; speed of sale; and price retention; all of which were deemed to be of utmost importance to home sellers.

The research showed that, given an “average selling price average purchase price” (to make all things equal) home owners who sold their properties without the help of agents had 6% more gross profit than those who relied on agents. Factor in the 6% agent fees then the profit of those who worked with agents would be reduced even further. Generally, the gross profit earned by FSBOs is 59% compared to about 42% from those with agents.

In terms of selling faster, many believe that homes that are handled by real estate agents sell quicker since they have access to a huge database of buyers, sellers and the like. This belief, however, was debunked as the research showed that the average length of time home sellers had their properties on the market was 8.1 weeks, compared to 11.5 weeks for those handled by real estate agents. FSBOs sell their homes 3 weeks sooner than those who sell through real estate agents.

As to being to hold firm on your desired selling price, the research revealed that owners who opt to sell homes on their own were more likely to hold on to their asking price (81%) than those who worked with sales agents.

The results of this research show that in general, selling a property without the aid of agents is more practical and cost efficient. It can be used as a guide but, the final decision is still yours to make. You are not obliged to go with what majority says is right. Since this is your property - go with what you feel most comfortable with.

Taking Real Estate Agent Calls When Selling Your Home FSBO

The FSBO (pronounced as “fizbo”) style of selling real estate is quickly gaining ground. Many home owners opt to sell without the assistance of real estate agents primarily because they want to avoid giving up at least 6% of the sale price as commission, which may be considered as an unnecessary expense.

The minute after you put up the big “For Sale by Owner” sign on your lawn and release all your posters, brochures and newspaper advertisements, expect to be swamped by calls. No, unfortunately the initial barrage of phone calls will not be from prospective buyers but from real estate agents – most of which with only one goal in mind: to sweet-talk or convince you to secure their professional services. ARGH!

When you are caught in this predicament, you should never, even if you have reached the end of your patience, be rude to the agents. Turn down their offer to handle to sell your property politely and, if pressed by them, cite the reasons why you and your family have decided to sell the property without professional assistance. Take down their contact details (their name, the company they represent) and reassure them that, if you do decide to seek the help of real estate professionals, you would consider their services. There is another underlying purpose as to why you should get their contact details, and that is to inform succeeding real estate agents that one of their colleagues has already contacted you about their services. By doing this, the time of the real estate agent is not wasted, and you will be able to free the phone line for much awaited calls from potential buyers.

Don’t feel frustrated that during the first few weeks or months, you will receive more calls from real estate agents than from possible buyers. In time, real estate agents will know that you are not keen on seeking professional assistance; more people will be aware that your house is out on the market; and you will be receiving less real-estate-related calls and more serious inquiries on your property

For Sale By Owner – Do You Know All The Costs?

After much thought and deliberation, you and your family have decided to go against the grain and sell your property by yourself. How hard could it be? You have lawyer friends to help you with the documentation, you had all the legal forms downloaded from reputable websites, plus you know how to use the computer so you can handle creating the “for sale” brochures and flyers. Not only will you be able to advertise, market and sell it “your way”, you will also cut down on costs. But what exactly are you cutting down on? Are you really saving more money by doing everything on your own?

If you are only after cold hard cash, you can deduct mortgages owed (first and second, if any) from the total sale price. Since you don’t have to worry about handing over commissions, you only need to deduct all the incidental costs (advertising, professional services fees, taxes etc) and you will come up with the total net dollar value of your property. But if you really are finicky about everything, then you have to include the monetary value of your time and effort.

Generally, costs are incurred at every stage of home selling – even during the preparatory stage. At this point, you are trying to find out how much the property costs. You may have to get an independent surveyor or appraiser to give you a fair value for your property, and you will also need to secure disclosure forms and other legal real estate forms. Take note of the professional fees, and then try to calculate how much you have invested (in terms of man-hours).

The next and probably most expensive step is advertising and marketing. Costs incurred here would be fairly easy to calculate as ads in newspapers have a definite value; and the cost of raw materials (wood, paper, markers, paint, etc) can be quantified as well. You may have to however, put a price on the time and effort you will be putting in when you distribute the flyers, answer and screen inquiries; and the costs involved during open house events.

Once you have a serious buyer, your expenses will not be as much as you may only need to allocate an amount to pay for legal fees (which can be waived if you have friends who are willing to work on a pro-bono basis – just for you). Again, you will just need to put in a figure for the time you have invested.

If you don’t mind doing extra leg-work to save a few hundred dollars, then by all means, go ahead and put that “FSBO” sign on your lawn. But if you value your time, or cannot afford to run around town securing documents; or screen calls, then giving a realtor a percentage of your sale as payment for doing all the dirty work for you, may be your best alternative.

The 3 Options When Selling Your Home

It you have decided to sell your home, you can go about the entire process two ways. You can sell it by yourself or have other people, in the form of real estate agents or brokers, assist you. If you have bought or sold a house in the past, you are well aware of how these options work. However, if you’re new to the “real estate business”, you may need to understand each option more.

The first option home owners can consider is to sell the property themselves. In this option (also called For Sale By Owner or FSBO), everything, from property evaluation to preparation of all legal documents needed to effect transfer, is done by the owners. A lot of home owners prefer this option because they can conduct the sale according to their desires. In addition, the full cost of the property, less taxes and other necessary expenditure, remain intact. They don’t have to allocate a percentage of the total sale as commissions to brokers or agents.

The second option is to secure the services of real estate agents or brokers. When you decide to go by this route, you are relegating some of the tasks, from securing the necessary forms and documents, to marketing and contacting potential buyers to others. In real estate, there are two kinds of agents or brokers: the discount broker and the traditional broker.

A discount broker (of Flat Fee broker), as the term implies, will charge you a flat fee (between $500 - $1000) and will provide you with a few basic services which may include (but are not limited to) listing your property on MLS sites, preparing marketing collaterals, providing you with a “FOR SALE” sign for your yard, and will also refer buyers to your property. Being brokers, they are entitled to receive a commission from the home owner, but since they only provided partial service, the commission they receive is usually smaller (about 3% of the total sale price).

A full service or traditional real estate broker, on the other hand, are usually members of real estate agents association and/or are affiliated with a real estate company. These individuals will assist you in all possible aspects of your real estate sale. They will advertise your property for you, give you tips as to how to properly stage your home during open house events, they will take calls and answer queries – name it and they will probably do it for you. Naturally, being professionals (and being their business), they will have professional fees. If a real estate agent is successful in securing a buyer for your home, the standard commission due them is 6% of the total sale price.

It would be best if you sat down with several real estate agents (from different companies) and discuss their services as well as their professional fees. You are not obliged to commit to anything and you should not allow yourself to be pressured into agreeing into a contract you do not understand. Take your time and evaluate your options – after all, it is your property that’s on the line.