Real Estate Marketing For Professionals

Writen by Christine Hancock

When marketing a home, most Realtor's do the 3 P's, Put it in the MLS, Put up a sign & pray. You do not need to re-invent the wheel,, just be 5% better than most Realtors to be in top 10% of all the realtors in your market . You need to develop strong marketing skills, both online as well as offline. You need to constantly market your listings. Consider investing some money in Search Engine Optimization and/or placement. It is now known that 75% of consumers start their home search on the internet. A strong Web presence is no longer a novelty it is a necessity to anyone who wants to be a successful realtor. If you are serious about being a successful realtor, you owe it to yourself to look to become a marketing professional Here are some suggestions for marketing your listings.

Create a marketing proposal, customize your proposal to each client. The Multiple Listing Service (MLS) As soon as you receive a signed listing agreement, enter it into the your Multiple Listing Service service, making it instantly available to other real estate professionals.

Virtual Tour
Have a professional photographer photograph the home and create a Virtual Tour. When marketing your homes, pictures speak a thousand words!

The Sign—Your Personal Billboard
Since exposure is the key to selling a home, use signage whenever possible. As people pass by, day or night, they see from the sign that the home is for sale, and see immediately who to call to get more information or to view the property.

Custom Property Brochures
Use the photographs that the professional photographer took to create an eye catching custom property brochure. Many people look at 10 or more homes in a day, you want your home to stand out at the end of the day.

Newspaper Advertising
Newspaper advertising enables you to introduce the property to more than 1,000,000 interested, prospective buyers each Friday and Sunday. Feature your property in these publications, and continue to have a presence in your local newspaper until the property is sold.

Custom Mailers
Distribute mailers to over all local brokers and everyone in your farming area. Again using the professional photos that you took. Website

By accessing a website, potential buyers from all over your local area will see information and photographs of the property, and will be able to receive a fast response to their inquiries regarding it. This is where you need to do some research and possibly spend some money on Search Engine Optimization/Placement.

RELO
No marketing plan would be complete without considering the rich potential for relocation sales. Each year thousands of people relocate. Membership in a Relocation company, gives you immediate access to ready homebuyers.

Open Houses
Some home sellers want them, some do not. Your can discuss the possible advantages of an open house, and the best way to conduct one with the least inconvenience to your client.

Remember 17% of Real Estate agents make 80% of the money. Use these suggestions consistently and you will soon be in the 17%!

Christine Hancock
http://www.realestate.pn

Christine began her real estate career proving herself a top producer on a new high rise development. This experience gave her valuable knowledge of construction as well as the buying process and resulted in 4-million dollars in sales during her first year.

Four Real Estate Investment Tips That You Can Learn From Warren Buffet And Other Stock Investors

Writen by Tony John

Some of the most successful stock investors ever have based their investing principals on value investing. Investors such as Benjamin Graham, Irving Kahn, and Warren Buffet, have used value investing to build vast empires of wealth.

Value investing was conceived by Benjamin Graham, and David Dodd, in their classic book, "Security Analysis", written in 1934. Although they were talking about stocks, there is still a lot to be learnt from value investing that can be applied to other investment vehicles. This article will show four things that real-estate investors can learn from value investing...

1: ***** Investing vs Speculating *****

In value investing, it's important to make the distinction between being an investor, and being a speculator. In "Security Analysis", it is defined as this:

"An investment operation is one which, upon thorough analysis promises safety of principal and an adequate return. Operations not meeting these requirements are speculative".

So, there are 3 things needed for something to be an investment:
- You need to have done thorough analysis.
- You need to be reasonably sure that you won't lose your money.
- You need to be reasonably sure that you will make some money.

In terms of real-estate, this means that just buying and selling real-estate, does NOT make you an investor. If you're buying properties at random, just because there is a boom and all property is going up in value, you are not investing. You are speculating.

There is nothing wrong with speculating, you just need to be aware when you are speculating, versus when you are investing.

2: ***** Value vs Quality *****

Value Investing doesn't really have any formulas, or rules. It is more of a theory, with some general principals. Because of this, there are many ways to do value investing, and different ways to apply it.

Benjamin Graham focused on buying stocks significantly below value, with little emphasis in the quality of the stock, in regards to their long term prospects.

This can be a useful strategy for a real estate investor, particularly when they are first starting out, and need to build up equity fast.

Warren Buffet still looks at the value of a stock, but puts a lot more emphasis on the quality of the stock. He only buys stocks that he thinks have good long term prospects, with a bright future in front of them.

This is generally a good strategy for real-estate investors to move to later on, when they have built up their portfolio. Long term, well chosen property will make significantly more capital growth than poorly chosen property, and may be worth buying even if it can only be bought at market value.

And with commercial real estate investment, it may be worth getting a lower rental yield, if this means you can have a high quality tennant, who will pay the rent reliably. This is a strategy that famous New Zealand commercial real estate investor Bob Jones has applied, with great success.

3: ***** Margin Of Safety ***** One of the most important principals in value investing is "margin of safety".

Margin of Safety is the idea of making sure that you only invest if your calculations show that there is a significant profit to be made. There is no way your analysis can be 100% accurate, so the margin of safety gives you a buffer, to use when your calculations are slightly off, or you get worse than average luck, or any number of unexpected problems occur.

So when estimating the value of a stock, you use

conservative estimates for earnings etc, to come up with the value. If your estimated value comes in at $10, then you don't buy the stock if its currently selling for $9.75, because it's too risky, and if your calculations are off, you wont be buying a bargain. If the price is currently $6 though, you might buy it, because you have a $4 margin of safety to use if you estimated incorrectly.

The same principal applies to real-estate.

Suppose you are looking at a deal, and you find you can buy some land for $100,000 and you can build a 4-bedroom house on it for $150,000.

If new 4-bedroom houses in the area are selling for $270,000 then should you do the deal? Theoretically, it will only cost you $250,000 to buy/build with a sale at $270,000 so you should make $20,000 profit.

But that isn't much margin of safety. What if building costs blow out, and it cost more than $150,000 to build? What if you can't sell it straight away so you have some holding costs? What if the other 4-bedroom houses in the area have much better kitchens than you realized, and you can actually only sell for $245,000?

There are a lot of unknowns here, and because your margin of safety is so small, unless everything goes right, you can quickly find yourself making a loss.

If on the other hand, 4-bedroom houses in the area are selling for $350,000 then you have a projected profit of $100,000. You can afford for a lot of things to go wrong, and you can still make a profit.

In the first case, if building costs go up by $50,000, the deal will cost you $30,000.

In the second case, because you have a much larger margin of safety, if building costs go up by $50,000 then you will still make a profit of $50,000.

Margin of Safety is a very important concept to all investors, and all real estate investors should think about it if they want to be around for the long term.

4: ***** The myth of Risk vs reward *****

Conventional wisdom says that to increase your reward in investing, you must increase your risk. This is often true, but the Margin of Safety principal can turn this around.

When margin of safety is used, a higher reward actually means a lower risk!

You can see this is the example above. The deal that is projected to make $20,000 is quite risky, whereas the deal with a projected profit of $100,000 is much safer, because a lot more can go wrong before a loss is made.

This doesn't mean than high reward always means lower risk though. The conventional Risk vs Reward wisdom is still correct in general. So if you borrow more to buy a property, your risk and reward have increased. If you buy in a small town to get a higher rental yield, your risk and reward have increased.

This Risk vs Reward theory is only incorrect when directly applied to the Margin Of Safety concept. So if you buy something for $100,000 that all your analysis shows is worth $200,000, then your reward has gone up, while your risk has gone down.

Tony John is an experienced investor, who specialises in Commercial real estate investment. Get his free email course now, and find out how easy it is for YOU to get your first real estate investment. http://www.freeinvestmentcourse.com

Questions To Ask Before Buying A Condo In Mission Viejo Ca

Writen by Vincent Bindi

Mission Viejo Real Estate prices have climbed considerably over the past 15 years. As a result of the escalating land prices, developers have built many Condos to try to the keep the cost of housing affordable. Mission Viejo Condos have been a popular choice and in fact, Condos have appreciated at a higher percentage rate than detached homes in Mission Viejo in the past 3 years. But before you buy a Condo, make sure you do your research of the property and the Home Owners Associations (HOA), for HOA's add another layer of complexity to the decision process. Here are the list of the most common questions that you should ask before you buy:

How do I know if there are any pending issues regarding the Condo Association ? One of the better ways to address this issue, is to review a copy of the Minutes of the Board of Directors meetings. The Home Owners Association is run by the homeowners who elect a Board of Directors (ie: President, Treasurer, Secretary) about once per year. The Board will hire a Property Manager to manage the day to day services that a Condo association will require. The Board usually meets once per month and they discuss any issues involving the Association. These issues, if any, and documented in the Minutes of the Meeting, and should be disclosed to you by the Seller during the Escrow process. Make sure you insist that you get a copy of these documents.

Are there any Pet restrictions? Years ago, a Condo association could have rules and regulations (CC&R's) that prohibited pets. A law was passed in California that made such prohibition illegal, but the association can still have pet size and quantity restrictions. Today, a Mission Viejo Condo association can limit the number and size of a pet (ie; no dogs larger than 180 lbs, no more than 4 cats, etc.)

What are the Condo association Dues and what do they cover? Condominium association dues in Mission Viejo will typically run from a low of about $130/mos to a high of $300/mos. Dues will be higher due the following factors; age of the buildings, extensive use of wood exteriors versus stucco, large landscaped areas, lots of amenities such as pool, spa, tennis courts, gym etc., and mismanagement. The dues typically pay for the maintenance of all of the above, plus the basic fire insurance policy.

Are there any pending Lawsuits? An attorney who specialized in Condo association litigation in California stated some years ago, that 50% of all Condo associations have been in some sort of lawsuit. These lawsuits are usually with the original developer, or a contractor hired to make repairs, or even with some of the homeowners in rare circumstance. The good news is that most lawsuits between the Condo association and the developer come down on the side of the Condo association. Make sure the Home Owners Association gives you a disclosure declaring if there are any pending lawsuits before you buy. If there are this may affect your ability to get some forms of low down payment purchase financing.

Is the Condo Association responsible for repairs to my Home? Yes and No. A Condo association will make some repairs to your home, but not others. Which ones they are responsible for are usually listed in the CC&R's. Typically, the Condo association is responsible for all exterior landscaping, roofing, exterior walls, exterior doors and windows if repairs are due to normal wear and tear. The home owner is usually responsible for all interior walls, flooring and ceilings. Some Condo associations are responsible for water leaks in interior walls, but you will need to do some research to get these answers. You can read the CC&Rs' but a much faster way is to call the Property Manager and ask them.

Mr. Bindi is a licensed Real Estate Broker in Orange County CA. He's sold over 700 homes, and holds Bachelors and Masters degrees. For more information about Mission Viejo Homes for Sale, visit his website: http://www.Search-OCHomes.com

Finding The Best Motor Homes For Sale

Writen by Jo Williams

There are some things you need to know before buying motor homes. Motor homes or motorized recreational vehicles (RVs) come in different classes. Two of those classes are usually confused with each other, those being class A and class C motor homes. It's essential to look at the physical appearance of the motor home in order to determine whether it is class A or class C. Class A motor homes resemble a bus design with a flat or vertical front end and large windows while hand class C motor homes have a truck cab with an over-cab bed, in some ways resembling a camper.

Considered to be top of the line, Class A motor homes measure at about 24 feet or 7.3 meters and can be as long as 40 feet or 12 meters. Their weight can range between 15,000 to 30,000 pounds or 6,804 to 13, 608 kg; the undercarriage may be custom or a 3 to 10 ton truck chassis. Class A motor homes come with each of the luxury amenities you can fathom like a kitchen, a bathroom with shower and a tub, and sometimes a separate bedroom at the back depending o the floor plan of the truck. They also have heating and air conditioning, hot and cold running water, 100-125 volt electrical system, a dinette or living room area complete with couch and recliners, closets and an entertainment center. This is just the tip of the iceberg. In fact, some of these motor homes can be more elaborate than homes themselves.

Class A motor homes are usually utilized by famous bands especially when they are in tour. There are also some rich families that own Class A motor homes for vacation and travel. A Class A motor home is perfect for those who can afford its high cost. Most Class A motor homes have all leather interior, a wet bar, big screen TVs, an advanced sound system and other high technology that may not be available to lower income families.

Depending on the model and the floor plan a class A RV can accommodate up to 8 people. But all of this luxury comes at a price. New, lower-end models are sold at up to $50,000 US dollars while larger and much nicer class A RVs can even cost more than any house in many states coming in at about $300,000+. Class A RVs are really very expensive; in fact even used class A RV can still be sold for $30,000-$40,000. If you prefer luxury lines, you may start saving about $325,000 up to over $1 million if you prefer the crème de la crème of all RVs.

Last but not least are Class C motor homes. Class C motor homes can also come in very luxurious models or more economical ones depending on your budget. They are much lighter in weight, ranging only from 10,000 to 15,000 pounds and generally run from just under 20 to 44 feet in length. They are constructed on cutaway chassis depending on the model. The cab is usually similar to that of the truck with a bunk above plus a rear bedroom. Just like the class A, Class C motor homes have all the amenities of home including kitchen, bathroom, dinette, heating and air conditioning system, and an entertainment center for additional cost.

Dinettes are not always present in class C motor homes and if ever there is one included, it usually converts into a double bed. If a dinette is not present, two captain chairs are available instead. Sometimes, the motor homes contain a couch and chairs instead of captain chairs. The couch may also be turned into a sleeper couch.

Because of the overcab bed, a Class C motor home can sleep more than a comparable Class A motor home, accommodating up to 10 people are accommodated. The cost of class C motor homes ranges from $50,000 to $170,000.

The common features of Class A and Class C motor homes are their slide-out wherein with a simple touch of a button the wall of the living room expands outwards to extend the living space by several inches.

Another type of motor home is the Class B which is usually referred to as van conversion. Class B motor homes look like pop-top camper vans and are self contained but cramped compared to their big motor home counterparts. The advantage of purchasing a Class B motor home is in terms of handling and size that is if you don't want spacious motor home. They are usually promoted as a place to sleep more than what is deemed comfortable by most people. The class B motor home can also be used as a second car. Its price ranges from $38,000 to $75,000.

Motor homes are great for camping, road trips, or just simply living in style. If you are interested in purchasing a motor home, it is definitely wise to take time to do some comparison shopping and research as these motor homes can prove to be very expensive.

Jo Williams has an interest in Home & Garden related topics. To access more information on motor home or on used motor home, please click on the links.

3 Tips To Staging The Outside Of Your Home Like A Pro

Writen by Kathleen Yamauchi

Are you considering putting your house up for sale, but not sure where to start? Afraid it will take too long to sell, or that you won't get the price you want? Think about "staging" your home, or in other words, setting the scene for immediate buyer interest in your property.

To be really effective, you need to look at both the outside and the inside of your home. Here are 3 tips to get you started with the outside of your home:

1. Go stand on the street to see what clients see when driving up to the house. Be aware that any negative impressions they get outside the house (landscaping not maintained or non-existent, peeling paint, etc.) is just going to make them think that the house itself has not been well taken care of. So even if you have spent the time and money to fix up the interior, it would all be wasted if the clients get a bad first impression as they drive up to the house.

2. Next, step outside your front door and close the door; then stand on the stoop and look around for 5 minutes. While the realtor fumbles for keys and tries to figure out how to open the door, the clients are standing behind and looking around. So what are they seeing? Dead plants, old Halloween decorations in the middle of January, cobwebs? Again, not a good first impression!

It's definitely worth it to take some time and clean it up. Want to go a step further? Try a new coat of paint or some new furniture or accessories.

3. Don't forget the backyard. While that might not be part of the potential buyers' first impression experience, you still should make sure it's in the best condition possible. Pull up weeds, water plants, do some sweeping (if that's applicable in your case) and maybe even purchase new furniture or accessories (plant pots, bird houses, etc.)

And the biggest tip of all? Imagine yourself as a potential buyer looking at your property for the very first time. What impressions are you getting? Would YOU buy your house? What would you like to see changed before you put an offer on your house?

And don't worry about spending several thousand dollars to get your house ready to sell – you'll get it all back when your house sells. Proper staging helps you sell your house in a shorter time and at the price you want.

~~~
Kathleen Yamauchi is a long-time realtor located in Prescott, Arizona. For more free tips and resources on buying and selling your home and other real estate advice, visit her web site at http://www.kathleeny.com.

Wheres The Money Funding Your Real Estate Deals

Writen by Jordan Taylor

Note: One of the biggest challenges real estate investors face is finding the money to fund those first few deals—even when they have some cash themselves. I sat down and talked with Russ Whitney, internationally known and respected leader in the real estate investment and financial training field, and here is his advice:

Jordan Taylor: I recently heard from a new investor who was buying a property at below-market value and had a 5 percent down payment, but the bank said because it was an investment, the down payment needed to be 20 percent. What would you suggest that she do?

Russ Whitney: She needs to shop around for a different lender. She probably went to a branch of a mega-bank that has very strict rules and the people in the branches do not have the authority to operate outside those rules. Another lender may look at the deal far more favorably.

What's very important to always keep in mind is that when you take out a loan, the lender is not doing you a favor. The lender is going to make money on the deal through the interest on the loan and various other fees, such as points and closing costs. You're the customer, and you should be treated that way.

JT: If the bank is going to make money on the deal, why do they turn down loans?

RW: Because they have to be sure they will make money on the deal. Banks make money on loans that are paid back on schedule, so they have rules and policies that are supposed to help assure that they make good loans. Unfortunately, sometimes strict rules don't allow a bank the flexibility to work with a creative real estate investor. But just because one bank turns you down doesn't mean you can't get the deal funded. That's why you need to look at other lending options.

JT: That's easy for you to say--your name is Russ Whitney and people are probably lining up to give you money. What's the best way for an ordinary person to do that?

RW: I recommend dealing with a good mortgage broker. Their job is to bring borrowers and lenders together, and they only get paid when the loan closes. They are a tremendous resource for real estate investors because they do all of the loan shopping for you, and the lender pays their commission. A sharp mortgage broker will help you structure the deal and then take it to the right lender.

JT: What do you mean by "the right lender"?

RW: Not all lenders are the same. They have different requirements, they like different types of deals. Traditional banks, for example, are very concerned with how much cash you're putting into the deal and your credit rating. A hard money lender focuses on the value of the property and the loan-to-value ratio. Also, different lenders offer a range of terms. Some want the loan paid back quickly, perhaps within a year, others will go for much longer terms. The broker is also going to consider the lender's fees and other policies, and make sure it's all consistent with your goals.

JT: How do you find a good mortgage broker?

RW: Start by checking the yellow pages of your local telephone directory. Many brokers will advertise in the real estate classified section of the daily paper or in the weekly shoppers and real estate publications. If you're active in your local real estate investors club--and you should be!--you'll probably meet brokers there, or you can network with other investors to find out who they use.

Sit down with the broker and explain your investment strategy and goals. Ask if he works with lenders who want to fund the kind of deals you want to do. The broker should be enthusiastic and positive about what you're doing--if you sense that he's being negative, find another broker.

JT: Any other advice?

RW: Don't give up. There is plenty of money out there to fund real estate deals. If you've put together a good package the way we teach, you can get it funded.

Jordan Taylor is the editor of Millionaire Mentor™ Newsletter, which is published by Whitney Education Group, Inc.™ To sign up for a free subscription, visit http://www.russwhitney.com

Finding Your Maximum House Price

Writen by Ki Gray

When someone decides to buy a house, one of the first tasks is to talk to a lender and determine the maximum loan they can get. The max loan will determine the cap on house prices for that the buyer. There's lots of calculators out there that will help determine this.

But what if you want to have a certain payment per month and you want to know what the max house price would be for that payment? For example, you are renting at $800 per month right now, and you could deal with a couple hundred more per month to be able to have ownership. So, you want to know what house price would be equal to paying $1000 per month.

Well, you still take into consideration a lot of familiar items: 1) Your down payment, which is how much cash you will put down on the property up front. The rest of the sales price will be the loan amount. 2) The number of years the loan will be amortized over. 3) The interest rate for the loan. 4) The tax rate of the area where your property is located. 5) And the insurance rate.

The difference is that you take into account the $1000 monthly payment you want to make and go towards figuring out the house price, rather than the vice versa. This calculator ( http://www.escapesomewhere.com/cgi-bin/real_estate_calculator_html.pl?view=house_payment ) helps you figure out where your ideal house price would be.

Setting your monthly limit first rather than your price maximum puts your home purchase in perspective with your daily life. You know you spend a certain amount on rent, so it's a good starting point to figure out what price of house you could own by investing the rent you are paying someone else.

If houses in your area are more expensive than what your rent allows, you can work your way up figuring out how much more you can spare per month to raise your house price. There are of course benefits to home ownership like mortgage interest deductions and possible appreciation, but that is a topic for another article... For now, get started thinking about what payments you can comfortably pay per month.

Ki Gray http://www.escapesomewhere.com House Price Calculator Link

Mortgage Broker Training How To Secure Loyalty From Realtors

Writen by Jeffrey Nelson

So you've just returned to your office after delivering an Oscar worthy presentation to a real estate agent. They're impressed and ready to do business with you. In fact, they promised to refer their next buyer to you. Good job, now you can kick your feet up on your desk and wait and wait and wait….

Does this sound familiar? Have you had agents promise you deals that never appear? So what happens after the first meeting? Why do Agents have such short -lived memories of promises they've made to you? Has it reached the boiling point – the point of giving up on Agents altogether? If so, keep reading because you'll find the mistake you've been making that by correcting it could dramatically turn things around.

Practice Like a Trial Attorney

If you consider it for a moment, trial attorneys are one of the great persuaders among professions. They spend their careers in courtrooms convincing juries if someone should be deemed guilty or not. So why not take a few cues from them and adapt as part of your strategy for building loyalty with agents.

Like an attorney's opening argument expresses his point of view, in your first meeting with an Agent, you share compelling reasons for doing business together.

After your opening argument is often the place loan officers make their mistake. Once they've heard the Agent remark, "I'll send you my next piece of business," they think their job is done, when in actuality, it's just begun. What the Agent has really said is, "I like you and you're a swell person." Not exactly the sound of commitment, is it? Solidifying a relationship with an Agent comes from building your case, just like an attorney convinces the jury, it happens over the course of the trial.

To Build Your Case, Document Your Performance

Too often, loan officers have a tendency to make lots of promises, like:

• Closing loans on time
• Being available 24/7
• Returning calls promptly
• Having doc's early to Title
• Providing leads to Agents

Instead of making promises, learn how to document your performance. Documenting your performance means that you've specifically accounted for your actions and quantified results you've helped achieve with the Agent – your client. It communicates how you've solved a problem for them. Nothing ever speaks louder to a prospect than your track record.

Look at the two examples to demonstrate the point:

Example A: "I can close your loans on time."

Example B: "Over the past 2 years, 99.3% of loan doc's have arrived to Title 5 days prior to close of escrow."

Example B uses the S.M.A.R.T. method. The results are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-phased. This method will help shape your documentation so it's powerful in the written form.

By reviewing your performance regularly with Agents to document results, not only do you uncover quantifiable intangibles, but also it helps to positively remind the Agent why they chose you instead of your competitor. So the next time your competitor solicits your client, they'll be confronted with some tough-to-answer questions on how they've solved problems for other Agents.

With a track record in tow, you can use it to build your case by dripping it to your prospects after the first meeting. As long as you document, you'll always have fresh and continuous results to build your case with a prospect.

To Build Your Case, Use Variety of Packaging

Why do people believe what they see in writing before they believe what they hear? Because words published in black and white text are considered trustworthy compared to the spoken word.

Once you've documented your track record, package it in varieties. This includes, but isn't limited to:

• Articles
• Case Studies
• Audio CD's
• Newsletters
• Flyers
• Postcards

Gift wrap your documentation in varieties because people gather information differently. Some prospects want information in small doses. Sending postcards with pint size content can be easily digested. Then there are prospects that need to know everything. They'll appreciate reading a newsletter or lengthy article.

Having variety gives you the chance to build your case by dripping over time. Just because you send a prospect a flyer after a first meeting is no guarantee that they'll read it.

It's like a Grammy Award Winner. A musician doesn't win an award after someone has heard his or her song one time. They win because listeners hear the song repeatedly.

Send the same information repeatedly, just change the packaging. If your first piece is an article, let your second piece be an audio CD of the article. Or send information at different lengths. A postcard communicates a different message than a newsletter, yet both can include the same message.

To Build Your Case, Communicate Single Messages

My last trip to the grocery store turned out poorly. My wife called and asked me to pick up some things, she gave me the dreaded grocery list. Upon returning, she graciously informed me that I didn't get half the things she requested. It wasn't my fault – but that's another story.

When you communicate a list of things, nothing gets communicated. Agents are more likely to read or listen to information that communicates a single message. Remember, you're competing in a communications jungle that's overcrowded and most messages get lost in the noise. It's easier to get noticed by sending one message than by sending too much information that ends up diluting your case.

Besides if you tell the prospect everything there is to know, there's nothing left to anticipate. That's like getting the same prize every time in the Cracker Jack box. After a while, it becomes anti-climatic.

As you drip one message at a time, you'll stay in sight and in mind! This establishes familiarity, which breeds attraction. After meeting with an Agent, building your case is the key to solidifying the relationship. A documented track record gives you persuasive material that can be packaged in varieties and dripped to your prospect. It becomes only a matter of time before they are convinced that you're their preferred loan officer.

Jeff Nelson helps mortgage companies and individual loan officers increase loan originations by attracting quality relationships with real estate agents from the development of customized relationship-building strategies.

Click here to get a free copy of the Marketing Planning Guide, a 20-page workbook designed to help you outline a strategy to becoming an Agent Magnet.

Visit us at http://www.loan-officer-marketing.com

Go On Stare Germany In The Face Overseas Property Investors

Writen by Nicholas Marr

Long term overseas property investments will benefit from buying into the German property market. This is even more so when buying German property in the areas with a good infrastructure.

Little competition from German house buyers

You will not be met by much competition in the housing market. The percentage of Germans owning their homes is surprisingly low compared with elsewhere. At about 42 percent, it is the lowest in the entire European Union. As in other countries, the ratio differs according to income levels. The more affluent the people are the more likely it is that they will own their homes. The housing market has to go up the market has been depressed for so long and has reflected the poor state of the economy since reunification in 1994. Foreign investors are beginning to see the prospects.

A UK finance company in 2005 bought 150,000 apartments for 7 billion Euros whilst in the same year a US finance house Fortresss bought 80,000 flats from the German government. There are no legal restrictions on non-Germans owning property, and many expats have significantly higher income levels and housing aspirations. The only bar to foreign ownership of property might lie in the financial institutions that offer mortgages.

So where to buy in Germany

It is popular in Germany to rent property. This accounts for over half of the population. Apartments in the cities and suburbs are popular where there can be a shortage of housing. 75 % of German homes were built since 1945 so as you can imagine prices for period properties are more expensive. Former East Germany house prices are some 30% cheaper so buying a period property in Honover, Berlin or Dusseldorf is going to be a good investment.

It's a good bet that house prices will rise

Once the German thinking goes toward mass home ownership individuals will push the German house prices up. It's only a matter of time that the German government will want to benefit from this and observers say that the mortgage market in Germany will soon be liberalised. This will push up demand and then houses prices in Germany. This coupled with expected extensive overseas buyer purchases make Germany a long term property investment candidate

Overseas property investors who are in it for the long term will benefit from investing in the German housing market.

Nicholas Marr is clearly an observer of life and front row spectator of the events in the overseas property market. His articles dare to challenge trend of thought in this industry which is besieged by the big boys. A lifetime property investor, his UK based company Marr International owns http://www.homesgofast.com, one of the fastest growing overseas property websites in Europe. His articles are informative and sometimes a bit uncomfortable for some in his industry to read. What ever the subject they will always be informative and will hold your interest. Bravo to freedom of speech...

Flipping Houses Deal Killers That Can Kill Your Profit

Writen by Donald Lawson

In my profession I get to see a lot of homes that were bought for investment purposes.

Many of these homes will bring a profit for the Owner. Some on the other hand, will be a huge liability for their Owners because the Owner did not do his/her research.

Many flippers only think about the cosmetics of a home when purchasing it. Failure to have a thorough inspection of the structure, electrical, mechanical and plumbing can lead to repairs equalling what they paid to rehab the home.

I had a buyer purchasing one of these homes from one of the large corporations that purchase "anyone's home for any reason". They'd done a pretty good job of fixing it up cosmetically, however there were serious issues concerning the framing and electrical.

I found undersized braces in the attic as well as cracked and broken rafters. The electrical system was outdated and looked like an amateur had wired the home, including the breaker box.

Long story short, my Client walked away and the Coroporation had about $10,000 more dollars to sink into the home to make it safe.

Sadly, it's usually the first time investor who get's stuck with these homes. For whatever reason they fail to have the home inspected by a Professional Inspector. Only when the Buyers inspector shows up are they aware that there are major issues with the home.

Even on smaller homes less than 2000 square feet, it doesn't take many structural repairs to eat through 10 to 20 grand.

Before deciding on purchasing a home for flipping, have a competent home inspector look it over. Expect to pay between $300 and $600 for a 2000 square foot home. Consider it money well spent. Beware of cheap inspectors. Like any profession, if a company is dirt cheap there is a reason. You get what you pay for!

Donald Lawson is a Professional Real Estate Inspector licensed in Texas (#5824) and Oklahoma (#454). He currently owns and operates V.I.P. Home Inspections, a multi-inspector firm in Houston Texas. To find out more about home inspections in Houston Texas or about Houston Real Estate, just click any link in this resource box.

Is Phoenix Real Estate Headed For Boom Or Bust

Writen by Reg Gustin

Phoenix has become one of the hottest real estate markets in the country for the last couple of years. This constant demand for real estate has resulted in almost unprecedented appreciation rates. But as interest rates begin to nudge up, many economists are suggesting the appreciation rates will level off, or even begin to fall.

You don't have to rely on the advice of experts entirely when evaluating real estate appreciation. Instead, you can look at some of the drives that affect appreciation and see if the market values will increase or fall.

Some of the factors that contribute to appreciation in real estate are:

Growing Population. Increased population rates create additional demand for real estate, that demand creates significant appreciation. In Phoenix, economic conditions are strong – there are a number of companies moving to the Phoenix area. In fact, Phoenix is known as a very strong job market with many corporations establishing new production facilities. Parts of Phoenix are becoming known as the new silicon valley, or silicon desert.

Income rates. While Phoenix isn't necessarily one of the highest paying job markets in relation to other markets, the steady economic growth has created a competitive job market and salaries. Higher wages provide buyers with more buying power for real estate, which keeps prices appreciating.

Vacation homes. Phoenix has always been a popular vacation destination and retirement center. But vacation homes aren't only for retirees. In fact, 40 percent of all homes sold in the United States last year were vacation or investment properties. Again, this simply accelerates the demand for real estate which keeps home prices appreciating.

Immigration. Arizona is known for its ever increasing population of immigrants. What most people don't realize is that this immigrant population also seeks out real estate. In fact, 40 percent of immigrants own their own home. With a constantly increasing immigrant base, it only follows that there will be a consistent and steady demand for real estate.

Echo Boomers. Lots of people know that the baby boomer generation has significant buying power in the United States. What most people don't realize is that the baby boomers are contributing to demand through their children. This generation of consumers are coming of age and seeking real estate. This generation is called the "Echo Boomer" generation – the expectation is that they will echo the demands of the previous baby boomers.

Real estate appreciation simply doesn't rely completely on economic trends or nation-wide inflation. There are a number of factors that contribute to the success of the real estate market and the appreciation of real estate. Look at the trends of the current population – it's a farm more accurate predictor of future real estate trends.

Reg Gustin is a senior loan officer with Sun American Mortgage and specializes in helping families and their financial lending needs.

Click here and get a free copy of The Greater Phoenix Area Housing Appreciation Report, as compiled by Arizona State University with your free subscription to his monthly ezine, Arizona Fun Facts.

Search the Phoenix MLS http://www.central-arizona-homes.com/phoenix-az-home-for-sale.html

Condo Hotel Orlando Why Purchase

Writen by Doug Lasley

Why purchase a condo hotel in Orlando?

Condo hotels have quickly become one of the hottest commodities in real estate. As more and more people realize the investment potential of these units, the demand for these properties continues to grow. While the majority of buyers are focused on the investment opportunity a condo hotel offers, many are quickly realizing the extra benefit of the hassle free ownership of a luxury unit in one of the top vacation destinations in the world. This ability to use a condo hotel as a vacation home is almost as important as the investment diversification that these properties offer.

With such a high demand for these properties, the condominium hotel market continues to see most new properties sell out in the pre-construction phase. In fact, because of the tremendous demand, a large percentage of these properties are taking reservations for the purchase of 100% of their units well before they have even broken ground on the new construction. It is the real estate investors that are getting in earlywho are able to purchase at a lower price point, secure many of the best units, and are realizing amazing initial appreciation on their condo hotel investments.

If you plan on utilizing a condo hotel unit as not only an investment opportunity, but also as a vacation home, you will not find a better type of property, or a better location then Orlando. A condo hotel provides a first class vacation accommodation in a high demand location. Plus, when you are not using your unit, someone else takes care of the renting, managing and maintenance. Truly the definition of a hassle free opportunity!

The Condo Hotel Advantage…

* Your own luxury vacation accommodation that you and your family can use at any time located in the vacation capital of the world.

* Generate rental income from your unit when you are not using it.

* Purchasing now allows you to get in at a lower price before the popularity of these units cause the influx of new investors to drive up prices.

* Acting now also provides an opportunity for higher gains with a real estate investment that will diversify your portfolio. Condo hotels historically offer better returns then traditional real estate investments(2nd homes, commercial buildings, etc.) while allowing the owner to actually use and enjoy the property for themselves.

* Hassle free opportunity! Someone else takes care of the renting, managing and maintenance of your unit.

The Orlando Advantage…

* Orlando is one of the hottest housing markets not only in Florida, but in the entire world. The demand for homes is so great that it currently has close to a zero inventory of newly built vacation condos/homes.

* Orlando property continues to be undervalued by 30% when compared to other major city markets in the United States.

* The average hotel occupancy rate for Orlando is 78.9% (March '03 thru March '04).

* The average real estate appreciation rate for 2004-05 was 27% (with the short term vacation rental market being higher).

* Orlando sees 40 to 55 million visitors each year.

…more advantages of why you should buy in Orlando!

Yet every condo hotel does not offer the same investment potential. As this new market continues to gain popularity, it takes a seasoned eye to identify which properties offer the best opportunity for financial gain. The Buy Vacation Condos team will combine their considerable experience in this new market with their knowledge of the Orlando area to help you locate a property that not only fits your price range, but also offers the amenities you desire. They will work closely with each client to help them achieve their financial goals, by searching for the best possible investment opportunities with the least amount of risk. At Buy Vacation Condos, we don't just sell property; we help our clients build a diversified real estate portfolio with the ultimate goal of financial independence.

We encourage you to take a moment to review some of the condo hotels investment opportunities currently available below, or contact us to personally discuss this exciting new real estate investment opportunity.

There has never been a better time to participate in the Orlando short-term vacation market. We are here to help you answer those questions and advise you along the way.

"Fortune Favors the Bold" Virgil Roman (70BC -19BC)

Doug Lasley (Real estate Broker-Associate) info@BuyVacationCondos.com http://www.BuyVacationCondos.com

How To Save Your Home From Foreclosure

Writen by Nef Cortez

The Great American Dream of homeownership is what many in our country diligently strive for. Homeownership brings many benefits, as well as responsibilities. Entrance into the status of homeowner may come with little or no cash investment for a down-payment. The loan that is obtained by a first time homebuyer is usually a special loan designed to assist those in the entry level, who have not yet accumulated a substantial sum for the down-payment. Banks will always prefer to lend to a borrower that has more to invest. Usually, the desired amount is at least ten or twenty percent of the purchase price in the form of cash. Almost without exception, the banks or mortgage lenders will make special loans with very little or no down-payment to a homebuyer because the loan is usually insured or guaranteed against loss of principal by a governmental or quasi-governmental agency.

First time homebuyer loans are usually the first loans that go into default in an economic downturn. Financial hardships caused by either loss of job, accident, injury, or relational problems begin to turn the American Dream into a nightmare. Although in a normal economy, there are very few people that actually end up losing their homes, those in the midst of the foreclosure suffer and many do not see themselves successfully out of the problem they get into. The following information is shared in the expectation that it will provide a path for those caught in that difficult situation, and assist in resolving their particular financial problem.

The Foreclosure Process in California

The California home-buying process usually involves the use of the deed of trust, which by its legal definition involves three parties; the trustor (borrower), the beneficiary (lender), and the trustee (neutral third party receiving the right to foreclose). The deed of trust usually includes a "power of sale" clause that gives the trustee the legal right to enforce collection of the debt. Collection of the debt is ultimately enforced by the right to sell the house when the borrower fails to make their mortgage payments. Defaulting on one's loan causes the start of foreclosure, the process by which the lender takes over the home in order to recover the their principal investment. Once the house is either sold at auctioned or "repossessed" by the lender, it is sold and the former owner must vacate at the discretion of the new owner. When there is a power of sale clause in the deed of trust the non-judicial process of foreclosure is used. In non-judicial foreclosure the trustee must meet a few requirements before he or she sells the property. In comparison to a judicial foreclosure, Non-judicial foreclosure is quick because the trustee does not have to obtain a court order to foreclose, nor is court supervision required in order to sell the house, as is required in the judicial foreclosure process. The judicial process of foreclosure is used when a power of sale clause is not in the deed of trust.

In California, the timeline of non-judicial foreclosure begins when the trustee files a notice of default. This is a letter which is sent to the owner/trustor notifying him or her of their default of the loan. This notifies the owner of the intent of the lender to follow through on their right to collect on the debt. The copy of the notice, which is recorded at the County Recorders Office of the appropriate county, is mailed to the address of notice as per the deed of trust. Recording of the notice of default can vary greatly depending on the beneficiary. In can occur anywhere between a week to many months after one misses their first mortgage payment. The step that follows next is that stage of the foreclosure process in which there is a filing of the Notice of Trustee's Sale. No sooner than ninety (90) days after the trustee records the notice of default, the Trustee must publish a notice of trustee's sale in the local paper and simultaneously file that notice with the county recorder's office. No sooner than twenty days (20) after the notice of trustee sale is filed, the home may be sold at public auction for the amount of the debt plus foreclosure costs. If no one bids at the auction, the lender assumes ownership of the property, and may dispose of that property to recover their cash investment.

What You Can Do to Avoid or Stop the Foreclosure Process

The first and most important step that one can take in preventing the loss of one's home through the foreclosure process is to "communicate, communicate, communicate"! This first step, along with a few others, is detailed below.

Negotiate with the lender. The lender will always work with a client of theirs if the client takes the initiative to communicate any financial hardships that may have caused the default. Negotiate with the lender for a payment adjustment in order to make up for the missed payment or payments. It is imperative that you act quickly in order to prevent the sale of your home, because once the foreclosure process begins you only have 120 to 140 days before your house is sold. Contact your lender to explain your situation and work out a way for you to keep your house. You have the most time and the best chance of being able to negotiate a solution before the trustee files the notice of default. If foreclosure has already begun you must contact the lender during the 90 day period before the notice of trustee sale is posted and filed.

One of the most common causes of failure to communicate is that many homeowners facing foreclosure avoid contacting their lenders because they are upset or embarrassed. Many times the homeowner mistakenly belie the lender will not help them because they feel that the lender prefers to foreclose. In reality, the opposite is true. Banks and other lenders are primarily in the business of earning money by collecting interest on loans that they have made. Their net income is derived by having a specific process in place in order to invest and receive the interest payments. They find it cumbersome to go through the foreclosure process, and usually are not well equipped to manage foreclosed properties. Because of this, most lenders are willing to work with homeowners because foreclosure is more costly for them. It forces them to allocate time and resources to an unprofitable activity. Contact your lender immediately! Do not ignore phone calls and letters from your lender. If you do not inform your lender of your situation, it will be will assumed that you do not intend to pay and the process will go forward.

It is important to prepare well before you contact your lender. You must gather all documents supporting your income and expenses, as well as all loan account information. When you call ask to speak to someone in the customer service department, be upfront about your circumstances and be prepared to discuss your financial situation in detail. Your lender needs to know clearly your financial situation in order to determine whether they are able to offer a solution. Your lender should be able to then offer you one of the following options:

Loan modification: this is when the lender agrees to modify the terms of the loan. As an example, the lender may agree to extend the term of the loan or lower the interest rate of the loan. This option helps you catch up on unpaid payments by making your monthly payments affordable. Loan modification may be appropriate if you have recovered from a financial problem and can afford to make your loan payments if they are adjusted. Repayment plan: This option allows you to catch up on unpaid payments by adding a portion of the late payments to your regular monthly payments. A repayment plan may be suited for you if you have recently recovered from a short- term financial problem and are now able to resume making your regular monthly payments but need time to catch up on the unpaid payments.

Reinstatement: This is when you are able to pay off the entire balance of the unpaid payments by a specific future date. Reinstatement may be appropriate if you know and can prove to your lender that you will soon be receiving a quantity of money that will allow you to bring your loan account current.

Forbearance: This is when the lender agrees to temporarily reduce or stop your loan payments with an agreement on another plan to bring the loan account current. This option stops the foreclosure process and is combined with other options, often reinstatement.

If you are uncomfortable with negotiating with your lender by your-self or if you want to better understand of what options you have, contact a reputable foreclosure assistance counseling agency. When selecting an agency to work with, choose one from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's list of approved housing counseling agencies. Beware of phony "counseling agencies" that approach you with the promise to advise you on your situation, provided that you pay a large fee!

Borrow money from family or friends. Many people tend to shy away from this as their first option. One would think that this option would be the most common-sense place to start. Many people completely eliminate this as a means to gather the funds necessary to bring the loan current simply because they are embarrassed to ask. They do not want family or friends to know that they have encountered financial difficulties, so they look elsewhere. Family or friends many times are te ones that are most committed to lending a helping hand. If they are able, they are very likely to be very willing to help out. Oftentimes because of embarrassment, they are not approached until it is too late in the foreclosure process, and are unable to obtain funds quickly enough to help out. Obviously, there are situations where the family

members or friends are not approached because there are already strained relations, or they want to avoid causing any discomfort to their inner circle of friends or family.

One of the best things that I can recommend to you is that you approach the request for assistance in a very businesslike manner. By that I mean, you should look to secure their interest just as you would expect if you were the one providing the funds to someone else in trouble. The greater degree of security that you can offer them in protecting their funds, the greater probability of successfully obtaining the funds necessary to stop the foreclosure.

Borrow from institutional lenders. A third option is to borrow from institutional lenders to bring up back payments. This can be done by refinancing, or simply by borrowing against the equity in the home. These lenders will primarily consider equity when determining approval of a loan. Equity is defined as the difference between the fair market value of the home and what is owed on the mortgage. Refinancing is when you take out another loan in order to pay off the existing mortgage. When refinancing to avoid foreclosure, you may be able to obtain a lower interest rate, a longer payment period, and/or a lower monthly payment which would make your mortgage payments more affordable. Usually lenders that become aware that you have fallen behind in the mortgage payments will shy away from lending to you, so if you expect to borrow from an institutional lender, you must act very quickly before your credit reflects any late payments. If the lender is aware that you are in default, they will probably refuse to lend, or offer an loan with much higher interest rate to account for the borrower's inability to meet their financial obligations.

Borrow from private party lenders. There are individuals that have funds to invest and are looking for a higher return on their investment than can be obtained by depositing their monies with savings institutions. These individuals are expecting a high rate of return on their cash investments, and understand that the loan that they are funding is a high-risk loan. Usually, once the homeowner falls behind in their mortgage payments, it is increasingly difficult to borrow money. These private lenders usually consider the equity in the property when making the loan. Because the borrower is behind in their payments, the lender cannot look upon the borrower's ability to repay in a timely manner as the primary basis for qualification. The lender looks for the security of their investment to the ability to recover it based on the property's market value and what is owed by the borrower on the property. Almost without exception, these loans carry a much higher interest rate than the normal home loans obtainable at banks or other lending institutions. They are, however, many times the only option left to a homeowner in foreclosure

File for Bankruptcy

There are two chapters dealing with personal bankruptcy; Chapter 13 and Chapter 7. The main difference between the two chapters is that Chapter 13 helps individual debtors pay off their debt with court supervision and protection while Chapter 7 eliminates, or in legal terms, liquidates, the debtor's debt. Based on this simplistic definition alone bankruptcy may seem like the simplest and best solution to your financial problems. However when considering filing bankruptcy be aware that it is not an action that simply frees you from your debt, it is a complex legal process that has weighty financial consequences. For most debtors it is not the best option and should be considered as a last resort after all other options have been investigated or attempted. Individual financial circumstances are so different that you should seek the counsel of a financial planner or accountant and a bankruptcy attorney in order to discuss your particular financial situation and the implications of a bankruptcy. If you do not have an established relationship with an attorney, I would recommend that you get two or three opinions.

6. Sell the Home. Many times, the best solution for someone that has fallen behind in their payments is to sell the home, and thereby recoup 100% of their equity minus selling costs. Unfortunately, many homeowners get caught up in the emotions of the hardship and overlook the realities of their financial circumstances. Almost as if with blinders on, they stagger about hoping for a magic solution, sometimes waiting until it is to late to come up with a rational plan. If a homeowner can reasonably assess their finances and determines that they cannot carry the financial load, they might be much better off selling the property and preserving the bulk of their equity until they are again able to become homeowners, if they so wish. They must act quickly so that their credit is not ruined by the failure to make their mortgage payments on time, or by using the bankruptcy process just to forestall the sale of the home. Don't let your equity be eaten up by the high costs inherent in loans made to those in distress. Sell the home and preserve the most important or valuable part, namely the Equity!

Unfortunate circumstances befall many of us as we go through life. Protect your financial health by being proactive when these problems occur. As long as you act quickly and take steps to preserve your assets, you should be able to avoid going into foreclosure. If you do go into foreclosure, following these guidelines should minimize the pain of the process. Seeking assistance promptly from professionals in taxation, law, and real estate will improve your chances of handling the process well.

For other real estate related articles or information, visit Diamond Bar Real Estate

Nef Cortez has been dealing in real estate and foreclosures for over 29 years. For free foreclosure lists please visit Diamond Bar Real Estate

Five Easy Steps To Making Home Buying Fun

Writen by Chris Zack

Having fun and purchasing a home are two phrases that are rarely used in the same sentence. Buying a home is a major investment, and the process of securing a mortgage and negotiating a price is complicated. Most buyers are unaware of the confusing steps that are involved, but don't worry.

We can make it less stressful!

Buyers are intimidated by the various dimensions that make purchasing a home troublesome – the legal aspects, the financial aspects, dealing with brokers, agents, insurance, and others purchase concerns.

But understanding these steps can make buying a home an enjoyable experience.

Step 1: Assess your finances

This step determines the buyer's ability to afford a home. The buyer may want to consult a financial adviser as to the strategy he or she may employ in paying for a home. This is important especially if the buyer has a troublesome credit history and other financial obligations. The buyer must also reach a compromise between payment capability and desired property.

Getting a letter of pre-approval shows the seller that you are serious about buying a home. This certificate gives the seller the assurance that you have enough money to buy their property. Securing a Pre-Approved certificate would range from a few days to a few weeks depending on the status if the request. It's worth the trouble of waiting, especially if it increases your ability to reach a fair compromise on price.

Step 2: Survey the Market

With the explosion of information, it becomes more exciting to search for possible properties. Newspapers, advertisements, referrals, brochures, and even the internet all give the buyer more choices and better options. Buyers should take full advantage of this information glut to facilitate his or her decision regarding a house. Remember, real estate agents search new homes on a daily basis. Use this knowledge to find your "dream home."

Consider the Multiple Listing Service. The MLS is a database - an extremely convenient way to know what properties are for sale at any given moment. This makes it very useful to real estate agents and brokers.

The MLS is like a huge property warehouse. When a property is available for sale, it enters the warehouse. When it is sold, it leaves the warehouse. The MLS allows the user to search by property type, asking prices, and amenities.

The MLS only contains information since real estate cannot actually be stored in a warehouse. This information comes from the various brokers that exist in the scope of an MLS.

First of all MLS is very convenient. Buyers can browse through the available properties listed on an MLS. Using the MLS also does not cost anything. It is a free service that is sponsored by the Realtors advertising their available properties.

Step 3: Learn from Others

If the buyer is a first-timer, he or she does not have to make the common mistakes first-timers commit. He or she should contact people who have been in the same circumstance and learn from their experience.

Many of the steps seem confusing at first, but become clear with experience. Information is widely available, in books, in the internet, and from your friends and family.

Step 4: Find a Suitable Agent

This is one of the most underestimated, yet important aspects of home buying. Most buyers end up with an agent by sheer accident. It would do well for the buyer to do research and contact an agent whose strategy and skills fit the buyer's needs. Buying or selling a house is a thrilling experience. But connected to this is a stressing and overwhelming job. This calls for a good real estate agent.

Verifying the real estate agent's license is very helpful. It pays to be very cautious because this involves the property! This includes their state license in selling a property. Ask for the previous homes sold for a client. Knowing the trainings and seminars they've attended would also give the client a grasp on the abilities of the agent he would be hiring. Trusting your agent is necessary, so take the time in selecting the right agent for you.

Develop a good chemistry with your agent. An agent needs to understand what is important to you when searching for a property, and when negotiating with the seller. The agent should be able to tell their client the true worth of the property. Meet with your agent frequently so they can keep you up to date about new properties.

In selling a house, the agent acts as the adviser. He gives the owner advices like the asking price of the property and acts as mediator between the buyer and the owner. In buying a house, the agent acts as the researcher. They also do the legwork and sort through which properties best suit the need of their client.

A skillful agent can save the buyer a great deal of trouble and is instrumental in a successful sale.

Ask friends and family who they have used in the past, and ask them if they would use the same agent again in future transactions. Trusting your agent will save the buyer from a great deal of grief later.

Step 5: Close the deal

A great deal of discussion and paperwork is in involved in closing a deal. However, if the preceding steps were accomplished well, this step will be taken care of. Here, the buyer and the seller come to terms with the financial details, paperwork, and other details vital to the sale. By properly planning and educating yourself, you will now be the proud owner of your dream home!

Christopher Zack makes the whole home buying experience fun and simple! If you would like to get great tips and tricks to buying a home visit Great Tips.

Euro Pounds Currency Exchange How This Affects Your Bulgaria Property Purchase

Writen by Toby Fisher

Currency markets update 26th April 2006

Sterling Falls Against Majors

Sterling hit a fresh two-week low against the euro and also lost ground against the dollar on Wednesday after UK growth data which came in line with expectations prompted some position adjustment.

Britain's economy grew 0.6 percent in the first quarter of 2006 with the annual rate of 2.2 percent, exactly in line with analysts' forecasts.

Service sector growth slowed to 0.6 percent, after growing 1 percent in the last three months of 2005, due to weaker retail and car sales.

"The data was bang in line with expectations," said Ian Stannard, currency strategist at BNP Paribas. "We are seeing cable coming under pressure in a corrective pullback after the gains we have seen in the past couple of weeks."

By 0845 GMT the pound fell to the day's low of $1.7806, down 0.3 percent on the day, off Tuesday's seven-month high of $1.7943.

Elsewhere, ECB executive board member Lorenzo Bini Smaghi said that if the European economic recovery strengthened, the central bank would adjust rates to avoid inflation, in comments published in an Italian newspaper.

Meanwhile, ECB governing council member Axel Weber told Bloomberg television that risks of second-round inflation effects had risen.

Most analysts expect the ECB to wait until June before raising rates from 2.5 percent after ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet earlier this month doused widespread expectations for a move as soon as the May 4 meeting. Even so these comments will serve to put further pressure on Sterling in the coming months.

Interbank rates
GBP/EURO – 1.4340
EUR/GBP – 1.4389
EUR/USD - 1.2379
GBP/USD – 1.7790
USD/GBP - 1.7850
GBP/AUD - 2.3880
GBP/NZD - 2.8370
GBP/CAD - 2.0140
GBP/CYP - 0.822
GBP/AED – 6.535
GBP/ZAR – 10.95
GBP/CHF – 2.2610
GBP/PLN – 5.5790
GBP/CZK – 40.767
GBP/THB – 67.17

Toby is a senior FX manager who writes daily articles concerning the Euro Pound currency exchange markets and how this affects theBulgaria property market.

How To Get Great Results In Real Estate By Knocking On Sellers Doors

Writen by Deb McMillan

Are you mailing direct mail pieces to people in pre-foreclosure but no one is calling about your ad?

You know how much you can help them if only they would call. Because you know how to make deals and get deep discounts from the bank. But all of that education is worthless if you don't have motivated sellers calling you.

My advice: forget the phone. Don't wait for them to come to you; YOU go to them!

You're mailing directly to their house, so you already have their address. Because the mail is not being returned, you can assume someone is still living there and collecting the mail. Go visit and knock on their door.

When You Approach the Defaulted Homeowners' Door Be careful. Remember, these people have debt collectors call them all day long, and some of those collectors are NOT very pleasant.

Also remember that these homeowners have no idea who you are. They may assume that you're a bill collector, so don't dress fancy, like a banker. And don't drive up in a big, expensive car. Match your homeowners. Dress like them, drive a car like them. Knock on the door in comfortable, casual clothes.

Don't intimidate the homeowner by standing too close to the door when they answer. Knock on the door and step back. Give them some space.

If they aren't home, create a special marketing piece to leave behind informing them you stopped by with some helpful ideas for their situation.

If they are home, they may look through a window first to see who is knocking on their door. When you see them, say something different than the bill collector would say. Open with, "Hi, my name is _______. I have some ways to help you with your house." Don't use the word foreclosure in ANY opening statements.

Always be friendly, smile and give your name. Wait for a clue from them before you attempt humor. The most important emphasis is on THEM, not you. Stress what you can do for them. Give the homeowner benefits relating to how you can help them.

What are these benefits that might convince them to open the door and sign your paperwork?

If they agree to let you help, you will in turn:

• Stop the bank from calling the homeowner

• Stop the bill collectors and the other investors from bugging them, too!

• Treat the homeowner with dignity throughout the whole process (the bank doesn't often do that)

• Stop the foreclosure

• Buy their house – or keep them in the house via Forbearance

• Give them MORE information than anyone else in the foreclosure process

• Charge NO FEE for negotiating with the bank to buy the house.

Show them this is the best deal they will find.

Many foreclosure solution companies don't buy the house or even offer to buy the house. So they promised to go to court for the home owner. Big deal. Most homeowners don't go to court or need to go to court unless they are going to catch up all the money owed and start paying on the loan again.

Foreclosure solution companies also get the homeowner "listed" with a realtor. But if there was enough equity to put the house on the market in the first place, wouldn't the homeowner already have done that?

When these houses are overleveraged, or just financially upside down, (owe more than the house is worth), no equity exists. Therefore, there is no room in the sales price to add on a realtor's commission. The realtor may list it for a higher price hoping that the house will sell for that amount, but usually no offers are made because the house is priced too high.

Those same "solution" companies make the homeowner pay around $1,000 before they do anything for them. And the results are often less than productive.

So although the sellers may not realize it, they need you to be bold and knock on their doors. You are their greatest hope and best solution. Make your presence known in a personal, friendly, helpful way. By knocking.

Deb McMillan, OPHP, CMI, is a real estate investor and writer, living in Hamilton, Ohio, and has written a home study course on Short Sale Success Systems detailing how to get deep discounts from the bank when buying pre-foreclosures. She has been investing in real estate since 1986 and buying, selling, and teaching short sale strategies since 2000. She teaches how to talk to sellers to get them to do what is necessary to save their credit and reveals strategies to negotiate with the banks to get deep discounts when you buy the real estate. She also teaches about bankruptcy and what you can and can't do once a homeowner files. Log on to http://www.shortsalesqueen.com for more information on how to make your deals close.

Real Estate Investor Business Plan For Beginners

Writen by Jeanette Joy Fisher

If you're brand new to real estate investing, here are a few things that you can do that will help put you on your way to financial success.

First, it's worthwhile to make yourself a real estate investor business plan. Just like any other business, you need a business plan.

Next, do your homework as to mortgage rates and the various terms that are available through lending institutions. Again, your real estate agent can be quite helpful, since part of their job description is to keep up on that sort of thing. A difference of even a couple percentage points on a mortgage or contract can add up to significant profits for you down the line.

Do your best to get yourself prequalified for financing before you begin your search. This can be very helpful if it's important to move quickly on a particular piece of property that may get snapped up by someone else if you don't act fast. It can also provide you with a psychological bargaining chip, to let the seller know that you're serious about buying the property.

It may seem to go without saying, but you need to have a clear idea of what type of property you want. If you're not comfortable being a landlord, for instance, you certainly don't want to start snapping up every rental house that comes your way. You might do better to buy fixer houses, do the repairs, and flip them.

With your goals clear in your mind, go look at properties--lots of them, so you'll become a knowledgeable consumer. It's like shopping for any other commodity. You have to know a great buy when you see one, and then be ready to act. Keep lots of notes while you're looking at properties, because you'll tend to get confused after you've seen a considerable number of possibilities. Work out a rating system, stay focused, take notes, and be ready to snap up a property that offers great income potential.

Make offers based on inspections. This is important, and gives you an easy out if something about the property isn't what you thought it was at first. You want to know every problem, so you can calculate how addressing that problem will affect your bottom line.

If you start out with a professional attitude, using a real estate investor business plan, you'll be well on your way to achieving success as a real estate investor.

Copyright © 2006 Jeanette J. Fisher

FREE Real Estate Investing Teleseminar. Get expert advice on how to set up your real estate investing business plan from college instructor Jeanette Fisher. More real estate investing information and FREE Ebook "The Truth about Making Money Flipping Houses" http://doghousetodollhousefordollars.com

The Real Estate Sales Agreement

Writen by Gloria Smith

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.

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 real estate sales agreement, you can have instant access to over 60 downloadable real estate forms.

Tax Assessmentappraisal How Do I Know What My Home Is Worth

Writen by Elaine VonCannon

If you are in the home buying or selling market, it's important to understand the difference between tax assessment and appraisal value. Concentrate on the appraisal value because this determines your asking price.

Understanding Tax Assessment

The tax assessment is a tool local governments use to exact a property tax rate on residents. The local government determines your home's worth by reassessing the homes in the area you live in periodically. Some areas reassess every 2-3 years. But with today's booming real estate market, the National Association of Realtors estimates 60-70% of U.S. tax assessments do not reflect the escalating market value on home sales. This is why the tax assessment is not always an accurate gauge of true home worth.

Tax assessment offers a general idea of home value. If you are curious about whether your tax assessment office is keeping up with the local market, telephone your local real estate board and local tax assessment office. Ask them about the local appreciation value on homes to determine if they are up-to-date.

Focus on the Appraisal Value

Home sellers should concentrate on the appraisal value, because a mortgage lender will write a loan on the home for this amount. Location is the prime factor in appraising a property. An appraiser will look at three homes that sold during the previous three-month period to determine what similar properties have sold for in the same neighborhood. If your home is in a rural area, or if the sales in your area have been sluggish, the appraiser can go within a five mile radius to locate similar homes for comparison. If there is home value inflation in the area, the appraiser will factor this in. A good appraiser will contact the realtor who sold the homes he or she is using as a comparison.

What Do Appraisers Look For?

An important rule of thumb of real estate is: location, location, location. Appraisers are mainly focused on the following to determine home worth:

• square footage

• condition and age of the home

• location

• lot size

• number of bedrooms

• number of bathrooms

• total number of rooms

• garage(s)

• decks

• screened porches

• fireplaces

Secondary Enhancements Help a Home Sell

There are other bells and whistles the appraisers may factor in, but their impact on home value is marginal. Although these improvements do help the home sell, they do not impact the appraisal significantly.

Here are some examples:

• ceramic tile

• hardwood floors

• crown molding

• chair railing

• specialty counter tops, cabinetry

• sprinkler system

• wainscoting

• upgrades in light fixtures

• upgrades in faucets, sinks, tubs and showers

• swimming pool

Sell Your Home Quickly

Do not be mistaken -- upgrades are worthwhile because they will help sell your home quickly. For example, eye-catching landscaping will lure people in to look at the home, because 80% of homebuyers decide if they like a house when they first drive up to the property.

When do I Need an Appraisal?

Home sellers may want to pay for a professional appraisal so they know the true value of their home, but they are not required to have an appraisal. Your realtor will determine an asking price with you. To determine a fair and marketable price for your home, expect your realtor to research comparable home sales on Multiple Listing Services (MLS). Homebuyers are required by the lender to have an appraisal done and they must pay an average of $300-500 for it. Payment is due at the time of the appraisal. The buyer does not have the right to choose the appraiser -- the lender does this. Loan officers keep an approved list of appraisers on hand.

Research on Home Value

While conducting research on home value consider this: Is the neighborhood you live in completely built out, or are you competing with new homes still being built? If you are putting your home on the market and would like to conduct some of your own research, you can do one of three things. Visit the courthouse in your county and see what has sold in your area that is similar to your home. Call your local realtor and ask for a comparative market analysis. Or, visit open houses in your neighborhood which are similar to your own, to see what they are selling for. All of these activities are a good education for homeowners interested in learning the value of their home before placing it on the market or refinancing.

About The Author

Elaine VonCannon is a REALTOR with RE/Max Capital in Williamsburg, Virginia, and she manages investment property as part of her business. Elaine is also an Accredited Buyer's Representative as well as a Senior Real Estate Specialist. She has helped numerous clients invest in and make money on property in Southeastern Virginia. Visit http://www.voncannonrealestate.com.

vonmor1@cox.net

Vancouver British Columbia The New Target Of International Real Estate Investors

Writen by Luigi Frascati

I am not going to deny it: after thirty-four years of living in this city I am still thoroughly in love with it. And mind you, I was born in and am coming from another beautiful city, renown throughout the world for its beauty and fine arts: Florence, Italy. And this is the thing with me. When you come from a pretty town like Florence, Italy it takes truly a lot to make you fall in love with another pretty town. In this respect, therefore, the judgment I render on Vancouver, BC is certainly more rigorous than the critiques other people might proffer.

There are indeed quite a few things that make Vancouver, BC one of a kind town. For starters, if you choose to make Canada your new home - or second home - this is the only one place where temperatures are 'civilized' pretty much all year round. Our 2 degrees Celsius (37 degrees Fahrenheit) minimum wintertime average does not sound that bad when you compare it to the minus XX for the rest of the country. Secondly, Vancouver is definitely not a working town. With a mean yearly income of CAD $84,000 per household, a fantastic scenery and the prettiest girls in Canada, Vancouverites are faithful followers of the West Coast lifestyle, originally imported from San Francisco – except that here we do it better. In fact, whereas in San Francisco people actually work for eight hours a day (or so they say), here we do absolutely nothing day and night – except pretending to go to work.

Like San Francisco, Vancouver is crowded with Chinese people (which include Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan in addition, of course, to Mainland China), except that ours are the wealthy Chinese – at least judging from the fact that they have snapped up all the real estate they could possibly buy, and then gotten into high-rises development and given the Vancouver skyline a much needed facelift. Which, by the way, brings up to mind the fact that when I bought my one bedroom plus den apartment here in Downtown – one of the five properties I own - where I am writing this Article right now, on the twenty-fourth floor of an ultra-modern skyscraper with all the facilities and amenities one could possibly imagine and a fabulous view, I paid CAD $155,000 for it in 2001 (about USD $124,000 back then), and now a good friend of mine has just sold her own apartment, which is pretty much like mine but on the twelfth floor of the same building for CAD $305,000 (I brought her an offer of CAD $295,000 and she did not even counter ...).

All of which brings me to the substance of this Article: what distinguishes Vancouver from the rest of North America is not the fact that property values have appreciated so much. In the past five years, real estate went through the roof just about anywhere. What does distinguish the Vancouver real estate market from all others is that in the wake of the 2010 Winter Olympics property values are forecasted to almost double within the next four years. And this is at a time when interest rates are on the rise and when north-american markets are poised to expand at an average rate of five to ten percent a year, depending on where you are.

To say that the economy of British Columbia is booming at this time already is probably an understatement. But if one is to believe the projections of the Urban Futures Institute, the British Columbia Economic Council, the City of Vancouver and, heck, even Statistics Canada, this is nothing compared to what it is going to happen to property values in this town. Here is why: the provincial and federal governments will be injecting CAD 1.7 billion (yeah, that's billion with a 'b' … like 'Bob') in the final four-year stretch of building, fundraising and planning for the monumental event. World-class facilities have been promised for the 2010 games, including a new Speed Skating Oval and Winter Sports Centre, improvements on the 120 Km Sea-to-Sky highway connecting Vancouver to Whistler, construction of the Vancouver Olympic Village, construction of the Whistler Sliding Centre - host of the bobsleigh, skeleton and luge events. There will be a new ice Hockey Arena at the University of British Columbia (UBC), a new Curling Centre, a separate Figure Skating Centre, a Short-Track Speed Skating Arena, retrofitting of the General Motors Centre and of the BC Stadium, construction of a brand new express subway connecting the Vancouver Downtown core to the airport and a myriad improvements all over town, so as to make Vancouver ready when the olympic torch enters BC Stadium on February 12, 2010. All in all, if one takes into account increased security, installation of all sort of paraphernalia and electronic gizmos to make us all feel more secure, and any and all other ancillary costs, the provincial and federal government will be handling a budget close to CAD $2 billions.

All of which, then, translates into the creation of 228,000 jobs in British Columbia over the next four years, directly or indirectly generated by the resulting estimated CAD $12-billion volley of economic activity. And all this frenzy is expected to promote an influx of approximately 100,000 people per year into the Metropolitan Vancouver area so that its population will reach 2.2 million by 2010 – and that does not even take into account tourists and visitors which will be flocking in from the four corners of the world, but mostly from Ol' Uncle Sam's country of residency. Which, besides creating a gargantuan traffic jam, will push prices of condos in Downtown from the present CAD $500 per square foot to about $1,000 per square foot, thus catapulting Vancouver, BC from the present fifteenth most expensive place in the world to live in, to the seventh. And, considering that in Downtown we have just run out of space entirely … I believe it!

So, if you are one of those investors who likes to purchase real estate away from home, before you consider Timbuktu as your next investment destination you may be better off to take a closer look at what's happening right here, in Vancouver B.C. And since I so happen to be involved, by grace of God, into real estate sales (boy, isn't this your lucky day ...) and know this market like the back of my hand, if there are any questions, clarifications or merely additional info requested or required, just go to my blog - the Real Estate Chronicle - and send me an e-mail, which I will be more than thrilled to answer.

Luigi Frascati

Luigi Frascati is a Real Estate Agent based in Vancouver, British Columbia. He holds a Bachelor Degree in Economics and maintains a weblog entitled the Real Estate Chronicle at http://wwwrealestatechronicle.blogspot.com where you can find the full collection of his articles. Luigi is associated with the Sutton Group, the largest real estate organization in Canada, and is based with Sutton-Centre Realty in Burnaby, BC.

Luigi is very proud to be an EzineArticles Platinum Expert Author. Your rating at the footer of this Article is very much appreciated. Thank you.

Buying A Vacation Home

Writen by Reid Colson

You'd like to buy a vacation home, but you're not sure where to begin. Perhaps the single most important point to determine up front is why you are buying a vacation home. Are you trying to generate income by renting the property? Would you like to have a place to take your family every year that will likely appreciate in value? Would you prefer some flexibility in location and like to vacation at a different spot each year?

Once you determine your needs in a vacation home, it is wise to understand some of the options available to you in buying a second home. Probably the most straight-forward is to consider purchasing a home outright. If you can't afford the full price of homes in the area you desire, there are still a couple of options available for you. One is to consider purchasing a home with friends or family, while another is to look into timesharing. All these options have nuances to consider in relation to your needs and means.

By purchasing the home yourself, you have the most control over the property and can capture all of the gains and benefits associated with owning real property. You may also be able to offset some of your expenses by renting out the home in peak seasons. Be sure to investigate federal income tax laws so you can make the most of any potential tax breaks. Also ask about zoning, covenants, land use in areas surrounding your property, and property management fees. In some areas these restrictions may prevent you to use your property as you wish. Additionally, be prepared to pay as much as 25% of your rental income in property management fees for weekly rentals.

If you decide to purchase a home with friends or family, make sure to put the agreement and all terms in writing. You may want to do most of this in advance as many homes go quickly and it will help target your search to the right kinds of homes. You may also want to consider homes with features that allow all the owners to be at the home at once (multiple masters, separate living spaces, etc). Again, the questions and concerns above should be considered.

If all this is too complicated, inflexible or expensive and you've come to the conclusion that timesharing is right for you, be aware that a timeshare purchase is not an investment. Most units depreciate over time and the resale market is tricky to navigate. If you are buying with a resort developer, make sure they are financially stable. Also be sure to find out what they offer for buying through them as opposed to the resale market. At times, the resale market will offer the same unit and season at a fraction of the price the developer is offering. You'd also be wise to arrange for your financing in advance, as developer financing is usually offered at above market rates.

Lastly, don't buy on a whim. You didn't buy your primary residence that way, and you shouldn't buy a second home without due diligence. Research the location. Make sure the area has the amenities and recreation you desire, allows you to use the property as you wish, and is within your budget.

Reid Colson is a Principal in Bridlewood, a custom home builder serving the Central Virginia market. Bridlewood builds custom homes and vacation getaways for discriminating buyers. They are committed to providing the highest levels of professional service and consistent communication throughout the design and building process.

Visit http://www.bridlewoodproperties.com for more information.