If you are facing foreclosure and see that you are not going to be making your mortgage payment on time or have already missed one payment, then you are in the pre-foreclosure stages.  Meaning the bank hasn’t foreclosed on you yet, but it could possibly happen in the near future.  This is a time you must act quickly and decide how you are going to go about avoiding foreclosure.

You have several different options you can go with in the pre-foreclosure stage.  Today we are going to explore why you should sell your home in the pre-foreclosure period.  You will want to investigate as many options as possible, but remember that you are on a time crunch, racing against a bank foreclosure.

Often many homeowners wait until right before a foreclosure auction is to take place, before they decide to sell it as a pre-foreclosure sale.  Many times this is due to the homeowners waiting around looking for reprieve from the lender.  If you have poor financial standing your not likely to get reprieve, so you should familiarize yourself with the pre-foreclosure sale process.

If you are not in a great financial situation and know you not going to receive assistance from your lender, doing a pre-foreclosure sale is one way to save your credit standing.  This is important if you plan on buying another home in the future.  If you are officially foreclosed on your credit can be negatively impacted for years.

So if you make the decision to sell your home, it is best to tell your lender, they may possibly give you more time before the foreclosure auction happens.  This is important so you don’t have to sell your home at bottom dollar value.  Speaking with your lender is a good idea, to let them know where you stand. If they have any last minute solution for you this is the time they can let you know.  Otherwise the lender can realize you’re selling your home and you can feel confident that, it’s the right decision.

You can either try to sell it on your own or with a Realtor.  The Realtor can most likely sell it faster than you.  Being that they already know people in the market looking for a good home.  It can also be good if you are emotionally attached to your home and are upset about selling it.  This can come across to the buyer if you are showing the home and may discourage their purchase.

If you do end up using the services of a Realtor to help sell your home, you may receive some extra money.  This is because retailers tend to sell homes at or around their assessment value.  The bad side is, not much of that money is going to be left over after paying your mortgage and the Realtor.  The most you can hope for is enough to make other living arrangements.  For instance if you going to rent an apartment you’re going to need enough for first, last and security deposit.  If you have bad credit, they may even ask for a higher security deposit or possibly you may have to find a co-signer.

The biggest downside to selling your home is loosing your home.  This is why most homeowners wait to the last minute.  But remember there are other places out there and this is a chance for you to come out from under the stresses of foreclosure and start again.  This is a chance to get out from under all your bills and get in a place that is more affordable.



Real Estate Professionals

Ok folks, here it is, the down and dirty on how to sell your PA house yourself quickly and keep thousands in your pocket (by not paying real estate commissions!)

First and foremost, you’re probably wondering how the heck do I know what I’m talking about, right?

I’ve been investing in Pennsylvania real estate for 9 years now and I’ve invested in all different facets of real estate from buying and financing mobile homes to buying bank-owned properties and fixing them up and renting them out to just helping folks get rid of an ugly, fixer-upper house that they didn’t want. I’ve been a landlord (still am,) I’ve fixed and flipped properties (still do,) I’ve fixed and kept properties (still do,) and I’ve wholesaled properties (still do.)

Also, I’m a licensed real estate agent with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and I’ve been licensed for 5 years plus now with Keller Williams Realty Group (now located in Limerick, PA.) And I’m also a member of the National Association of Realtors, the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors and the Surban West Realtors Association. Sooooo that makes me, yep you guessed it, a Realtor as well (Didn’t know there was a difference between being a real estate agent and a Realtor, huh?)

Ok so now that all of that is out of the way, let me tell you how you can sell your Pennsylvania house yourself quickly and keep thousands of money in your pocket. I’m going to give you an outline to follow and if you follow it to the T, you should be alright!

Do Your Research About Your Homes Value

You need to find out what your house is worth so you can put a price tag on it. How can you find this out?

-Interview a handful of real estate agents (at least 3) and get Comps (Comparables of houses that have sold like yours) from them. Do not tell them what YOU think your house is worth, just let them do their thing and present you with their evidence of what they feel your house is worth.

-Check public records if you have online access or if you know how to do this at the courthouse yourself (or if you have a real estate agent friend that will allow you to look over their shoulder as they access their public records on the MLS.)

-Drive around your neighborhood and call on ALL of the for sale signs that you see. If they are having open houses too then GO TO THEM.

-Research your local papers classified section for houses for sale in your area. Call the numbers and get the facts on the house (remember, you’re comparing all of these houses to yours.)

-Hop on craigslist.org and reseach the real estate for sale ads there that are in your area. Alot of times folks will have pictures and even videos in here, so you can actually see the houses. If there isn’t much info then email or call the person who is selling their house.

-Go to Realtor.com and research houses that are for sale in your area. Again, if there isn’t much info, then call the agent up and ask for some info about the house.

-Check out zillow and cyberhomes and see what they come up with as values for your house. Also, the comps that they list, drive past the houses to compare at least the outside of your house and the sold house. (I wouldn’t put as much weight on these 2 sites, but there is definitely more information here for you.)

 Now, you should have a good idea of what you could sell your house for. By the way, when looking at public records, comps from agents and places like zillow and cyberhomes you only really want to look at sold houses within the past 6 months. Some folks will tell you to go back a year, but I think that’s even too far. Honestly, in this market, I’d say look at them in the past 3 months!

Ok so you have a value in mind. Well I need you to be honest with yourself about the value and how you came up with it, ok? Does the value indicate a house that is in pristine condition and your house isn’t that pristine? Does the value indicate a fixer-upper price and your house doesn’t need any work? Those are the things you have to think about when getting the comps from all of your resources above.

Make note of the condition and location of all of the comps that you get from your resources above then you have to HONESTLY compare it to your house. Honestly being the keyword here. If your house smells like dog, well admit that to yourself and know that it’s going to lower the price of your house. If your house is right next to an active railroad track, well don’t ignore the obvious and know that it will lower the price of your house as well. If your house is totally trashed and needs a lot of work, please, please, please don’t think that you are going to get maybe a couple thousand less than what a pristine house sold for. That is UNREALISTIC!

And always keep in mind the type of real estate market we are in. Right now at the writing of this blog posting, here in Pennsylvania we are in a BUYERS MARKET. Please recognize that and adjust your gameplan (and more importantly) your thinking accordingly. If you don’t adjust your gameplan and thinking accordingly, believe me your house will sit there and it will NOT sell (until you come to your senses.)

Market Your House Like Crazy

Your house being for sale at the prefect price doesn’t mean anything if nobody in the world knows that it’s for sale, does it?

So here’s what you need to do to market your house and to tell the entire world (or at least folks in the Pennsylvania area) that it’s for sale.

- Break out your digital camera, cell phone, disposable camera or what you have and take pics of your house. Outside front, back, side, yard, living room, dining room, kitchen, etc. you get the picture. If you have a video camera, you can do a walk-thru of your place with a video camera too. The pictures are a NECESSITY but the video is not. Upload them to your computer and resize them because you’re going to need them in future steps.

 - Place a for sale sign in your front yard and rear and side yards if you have them.  I get mine from banditsigns.com  Make sure you get the 18 x 24’s and make sure you pick up some metal stakes (get extra to use in the next step) so you can stick them into the ground. By the way, please do not under any circumstances forget to put your phone number on your signs when you get them home. (Sounds silly to say that doesn’t it? But some folks have done it.)

- Now here is a tactic that will get your phone to ring off the hook of potential buyers. You need to buy anywhere from 10 to 50 blank corrugated plastic signs (you can get these from banditsigns.com too.) They should be 18 x 12 in size and they can be any color you want, but white probably works the best and is the cheapest. After you get them home you’ll need to get a thick, black, permanent marker. When you have that you want to write in your own handwriting with the marker on the signs the following:

 3 bed/2 bath House Must Sell! Pottstown Area, $150k 610-555-1212

Of course, you’re going to change out the information above with your appropriate information for your home. If you house is a fixer upper try something like this:

3 bed/2 bath Needs Work! Must Sell Quickly. Area, Price, Phone Number

You can use any combination of wording, but make it seem URGENT that you need to sell. Now you need to place these signs all around your neighborhood. Put them at popular intersections, at popular stores (like Walmart, WaWa, etc.) and just put them in heavy traffic locations. You want extras because some of these will get taken down, some will blow away and some will just become dirty and ugly so you’ll want to replace them with fresh ones. I promise you that you will get calls.

 - Next you’re going to want to create what’s called a Postlet. Go to Postlets.com and create an account. It is free. You’ll want to create a postlet about your house. Post your pictures, list all of the features, write up a nice description. People want to know about square footage, school districts, beds and baths, taxes, etc. You can upgrade to Postlets Plus and this will allow you to post more pictures on your postlet and also allow you to post a video, but honestly, I don’t think it’s necessary. But it can only help you market your house.

- Now, you want to go to craigslist.org and post your house for sale there too. This is free also. You’re going to want to post in the portion of Craigslist that’s for your area. Most of you will be either posting in the Philadelphia section or the Reading section of craigslist. You then go to housing and real estate for sale. Follow the steps, it’s pretty easy. Also, there is a craigslist section in your Postlets, so you can merely click that link and copy and paste the code they give you into your craigslist post and a nice little ad will appear. Don’t forget that you’re craigslist ad is NOT posted until you get the email from them and publish it. That is the final step.

 Those few things should get your phone ringing, but since you are saving thousands by not using a real estate agent you should really market even more. So here are some extra things you can do that will cost some money.

 - Place a classified ad in your local paper. There are all kinds of papers that will work. You can place an ad in a daily paper, weekly paper, monthly paper, throw away papers like the Penny Pincher, etc. You can even try them all if you like. The smaller papers will be more cost effective. And keep in mind that you do not want to just run the ad for a day. That’s a waste of time and money. I suggest running it at least from Thursday to Monday for a month. See what kind of action you get and go from there. If you are under major budget constraints then you can work out a game plan that works with your pocket book. Generally, your ad will look something like this:

Downingtown, 3 bd/2 ba twin for sale by owner. New roof, central air. Must sell. 610-555-1212

Of course, insert the info that is appropriate to your home. You can even use the same type of ad that you handwrote on your blank corrugated plastic signs. Remember that with classified ads you are pretty much paying per word. One word of caution: don’t try to create crazy abbreviations for your ad so you can fit more words in. A lot of folks may not know what your abbreviation means so it may confuse them and keep them from calling. The classified ad rep from the paper will sometimes suggest abbreviations for words to make things fit, just be cautious that it is a standard abbreviation that most folks know what it means like br for bedrooms or ba for bathrooms. Don’t get fancy with abbreviations, trust me. 

- Post an ad on ForSaleByOwner.com (or any other type of FSBO site) They have all different pricing levels starting at $89.95 (which I don’t like because it’s a monthly fee) all the way up to an $899 one time fee. The basic plan is pretty decent, it gets you an unlimited listing on their site until it’s sold and an awesome thing about their ads is that you get a private voicemail system (so you don’t have to give out your home phone number!) Just so you know, the Gold package for a $699 one time fee is definitely worth checking out. It’s the cheapest of the packages that gets you listed on the MLS (multiple listing service, which is what all real estate agents use to list properties and find properties for their buyers) and on realtor.com Please keep in mind though, if you got with an MLS option, you are going to have to pay a commission to the agent that brings you a buyer (typically between 2 to 3%, but commissions are negotiable and you state when you pick your package the commission you are willing to pay.) Keep in mind, if you make the commission for the agent with a potential buyer they may not even show your house. So, personally, I’d stay within the 2 to 3% mark.

If you’re wondering do you have to list your property on the MLS for sale, the answer is no. I just want to make you aware that the MLS is what over 32,000 real estate professionals in this area use to view properties for sale. That’s a HUGE market that you’d be missing. But it’s ok, the basic package will at least get you in front of folks who are searching for a house to buy for themselves.

- This marketing method may be a little more than most of you want to get in to, but you can send out postcards to either folks in your area or to renters in your area.  At vistaprint.com you can get some free postcards and more for relatively cheap.

You’re going to most likely want to purchase a list of renters or homeowners in your area from a list broker (you can search on google or look in your phone book.) For homeowners in your area you can get their names and addresses from public records and that is free, especially if you go to the courthouse. Just get a simple House For Sale postcard or Why Rent When You Can Own Postcard? And send them out.

- A free alternative to use is the same kind of House for Sale or Why Rent When You Can Own ad for the postcard above but print it out and make flyers at home. (Btw, if you are savvy with your computer you can even print out postcards.) A flyer that I like to put together to hand out to the neighbors on the same block as a house I have for sale is the “Pick Your Own Neighbor” flyer. Folks love that and you never know? They could have a friend or family member that is looking to move into the neigborhood. Your general flyers you can post in laundromats, grocery stores, around rental apartments, etc.

- One last free marketing tip that I forgot to mention is word of mouth. Don’t forget to tell everyone you know that your house is for sale. You never know who knows someone that is looking to buy.

When You Get The Calls Coming In

A lot of folks are just gonna wanna know the price at first if you don’t have it listed already. Then they may want to set up an appointment to check the house out. If you’re not careful you could be wasting ALOT of time. Here’s what I do:

- First I tell interested folks to do a drive-by of the house. If they like it after driving by I tell them to call me back to set up an appointment.

- If they call me back to set up an appointment I ask them if they are pre-approved for a mortgage. If they say yes, I inform them that they must send me their pre-approval letter before I will set up an appointment to show them the inside of the home (be nice about this, not rude.) If they say no, then I tell them that they must be pre-approved before I will set up an appointment to show the inside of the home. I generally will refer them to a mortgage person or a small, local bank that I use. (You should do the same. Hook yourself up with a small, local bank in your area that will get people pre-approved to buy your house. You can do this with a mortgage person too, if you have one in mind.)

- If they pass all of the above then I will set up an appointment. PLEASE BE CAUTIOUS. These are strangers that you are letting into your home. Always have more than one adult home when having showings and it’s a good idea to have a sign-in sheet for folks to sign and you should make them even show their driver’s license or some form of i.d. I know that you may feel uneasy asking this stuff, but it’s for your own protection.

Word of Caution: If you ever, ever feel uneasy about someone that you are talking to on the phone, do not, under any circumstances let them into your home, especially when you are alone. Women..use that women’s intuition that you have. Fellas, use that gut feeling that you can get.

(This is probably the scariest part about selling your house yourself, in my opinion.)

- If folks are interested in your house then write up an agreement with them! (we’ll get into that in a few.)

- If they aren’t interested, ask them if they could give you some feedback so that you can improve your chances of selling your home. Tell them to be honest as you won’t be upset or take anything personally (and hold true to that!)

 When You Find A Qualified Buyer

After you find a qualified buyer you want to write up an agreement of sale. I’m going to assume that you don’t know anything about an agreement of sale or about how to fill one out. With that in mind, my advice is to then NOT DO IT.

- You should have a competent real estate attorney that you use to help you draw up an agreement of sale and that helps you with all of the rules and laws associated with selling your house (like fair housing laws, seller disclosure forms, etc.) The real estate attorney can even do the closing for you and your buyer (they will take care of EVERYTHING associated with getting your transaction done and getting you your check in your hand.)

- If you know how to fill out an agreement of sale then you should have a title company that you want to work with to get your transaction to the closing table and get your check in your hand. They can help you with any questions that you may have, but they may not be permitted to give you legal advice in regards to rules and laws regarding selling your house, but ask, because a lot of them have real estate lawyers within their company that will be happy to help.

 Now take you big check to the bank baby and you can now say “I can save tons of money on commissions because I can sell my house myself in Pennsylvania!”



Sell House Quick

You keep hearing that the real estate market is slow, and sure enough, the houses for sale in your community just seem to be sitting. But you still need to sell your house and you can’t wait around forever. So what do you do?

While there are many factors to consider if you need to sell your home right way, the asking price of your property is probably one of the most important.

Some background information is needed at this point. In a balanced real estate market where the supply of homes is relatively equivalent to the demand for homes, the sales price of a property is usually determined by evaluating the sales price of similar homes in the same community (known as comparables or “comps” method). In this method, a seller would typically price their home at, or slightly above, the price of similar homes that recently sold in the same community. However, in a slowing market, the supply of homes exceeds the demand, which produces a situation where buyers have many choices.

The “comps” approach is a useful method in a balanced market or in a market that favors sellers, but is less useful in a market that favors buyers. The reason for this is that in a buyer’s market (where supply exceeds demand), homebuyers have many choice and sellers must compete to attract their attention.

In a market that favors buyers, prices tend to drop as sellers under bid one another to get their house sold. If you need to sell your property and can’t wait, then ask your Real Estate agent to re-evaluate the asking price of your home and to make a recommendation about changing the asking price below your competitors. In this type of market, homebuyers demand a bargain and the price is a top consideration.

Although price is a top consideration, there are many other things you can do to improve the probability of selling your house in a slow market. If your house is just sitting and you’re not getting visitors or offers, ask your Realtor to come up with a list of ideas that will improve your chances. Encourage them to be through and creative in their proposed solutions.

You should also keep in mind that the real estate market can be very different from one community to the next, even between communities that are just a few miles apart. Even in a slow market, some communities will continue to demand a premium price, while price reductions will be evident in a neighboring community. Your Real Estate Agent can provide you information about which communities are “hot” or “cold” in your region of the country, which will help you price your home to sell quickly.



Rent Back

“When most people think about searching for an apartment, they do not even consider enlisting in the services of a broker or realtor. Rather, they look through newspapers, rely upon word of mouth, or use an online apartment locator to assist them in the search. This is unfortunate because a realtor can be of great help when it comes to finding an apartment.

Many do not realize that a realtor does so much more than sell real estate. In fact, a real estate agent can be a key source in finding a great apartment at a cost you can afford.

Putting Realtor Knowledge to Work for You

One of the best parts about using a real estate agent as your personal apartment locator is the fact that a realtor is quite knowledgeable about different neighborhoods. In fact, a competent realtor should be able to answer any questions that you might have about the different neighborhoods you are considering moving into. The realtor should also know quite a bit about the apartment complexes in those areas and whether or not any apartments are available. In this way, you can better determine if the neighborhood is a good fit for you.

Some factors you might want to consider when searching for an apartment include:

• Is the apartment conveniently located near to public transportation and other conveniences, such as stores?

• Is the neighborhood and the apartment complex family-friendly?

• How bad is crime in the neighborhood?

• How long of a commute will you have to take to get to work?

• Are there parks or other attractions nearby?

If any of these are important to you, your realtor should be able to quickly determine the neighborhood in which your should concentrate your search.

Save Time With a Realtor as Your Personal Apartment Locator

Most of us lead very busy lives and, as such, we don’t have time to call about every available apartment or to visit every one that is available. After you tell your realtor what you are looking for, he or she can narrow down the choices and take you to see only the apartments that are most likely to suit your needs.

If you are getting ready to move into the state or city, this time saving element can be a necessity. After all, you don’t have time to travel back and forth to look at many different apartments. Rather, you can higher a realtor to narrow down your choices and arrange for you to see all of the potential apartments in just one day. That way, you only have to take one day out of your busy schedule to see what is available.

Having a realtor work as your own personal apartment locator can save you a great deal of time and inconvenience. If you are moving into the area, contacting a real estate agent ahead of time can make the move much easier and create for a far smoother transition. Even if you already live in the area, however, getting help from a qualified real estate agent will still save precious time and will simplify the entire process.”



Quick Property Sale

Maryland is one of the U.S. home markets that is seeing a lot of action. Perhaps this is due to its proximity to the nation’s capital or perhaps it is due to the fact that Maryland is a great place to live. Either way, the Maryland market is jumping and it is becoming more and more important to set your home for sale apart from the masses. Now, some homes are simply possessed of an amazing style and atmosphere right from the start and there is little that can be done to improve and already impressive offering. However, for the vast majority of homes, the responsibility falls to the seller to ensure that their home is properly staged and ready for sale.

The process of preparing a home for sale is as complicated as the seller wants it to be. There are any number of things that can be changed in a home to increase its value. From new floors to new appliances, from something as minute as new towel racks to something as major as a whole new bathroom, the possibilities are endless. The trick is to be able to look at the home and discern what is necessary and what is not. Many home owners have found out the hard way that the changed they made were good but did not properly address the needs of the average home buyer. extravagant design changes may make the home look better but what about the functionality of the existing rooms? The home must be livable; no matter how good it looks it will be hard to sell if the basic necessities of life are ignored. For instance: putting in new appliances is always a good idea. Home buyers like to see shiny new appliances in the kitchen. Let them know that they are all warrantied and in proper working order.

Try to look at your home with a detached and independent viewpoint. Think about the negative things that a buyer will notice if they view your home. Buyers are picky and rightfully so as they will be spending a big chunk of money on a home. You would likely be just as picky when purchasing your new home right? so, what would you replace? Make a list and work them off before listing your home and don’t hesitate to ask your realtor for advice during this process. Their expertise in home selling is a huge asset.



Sell and Rent Back

Many aspects of Russian buildings, in particular Moscow apartments for rent still not regulated. In particular, this concerns the classification of houses. “Despite the fact that we have the specialized organizations, any document, which determines the signs of the apartment in Moscow of different level, we do not have, counts the leader of the department of the new constructions of bureau of real estate “agent 002” Dmitriy Ivanov. - It will not appear within the next few years, because it is profitable to the house-builders , on the basis of the market behavior, to move classification first into one, then to other side. The simple craftiness, which makes it possible to play with the positioning”.

Realtors themselves determine how “clubby” the house is. Someone indicates that there must be not more than 40 apartments, others adhere to previous standards. In the opinion of the director of sales of the agency of elite real estate Penny Lane Realty, in recent years appeared the tendency of increasing the size of the club-house objects. Experts concur only in one - the less, the better. The categories “exclusive”, “prestigious” and “status”, “private” still not alien to the audience, to which attention are presented the apartments of the class “premium”.

“First of all, apartment in the club house must have maximally convenient planning, which makes it possible freely to approach the design of internal accommodations, says the director of the department of elite real estate in Penny Lane Realty Alexander Ziminskiy. - The height of ceilings must be not less than three meters”. Specific characteristics from the windows are very important. According to Dmitriy Ivanov, a good form is capable to increase the cost of apartment by 30%. Moreover it is necessary that the aprtment’swindows would have a view minimum of two, better - to three sides. Very important also that the houses of the same class would be located all around: this creates the sensation of social uniformity.

Very important that each apartment will have minimum of two parking places reserved for cars. There are also little-known, but very key points, which strongly influence status of house. Experienced buyers never forget to inquire, where in the house garbage access is located. If it is located near the staircase it is a minus. The Apartment of the class “premium” implies the presence of concierge and maid services, who will be responsible for the removal of accumulated garbage into the packets and carry out to the rear garbage can, from where special machines will take away it.

The area of contemporary apartment in the club house - not less than 100 square meters (maximum - 500). There was a proposal to sell smaller apartments - from 60 meters, but this exactly was an example of the very case of game with the positioning: the owners of apartments of class “premium” must not feel restricted with space.

But the basic sign of club house - is an arrangement in the center of city. “The first club houses appeared in the middle of the 90’s on Ostozhenke and in other regions of Moscow, where there are limitations on the height of the apartment houses, says the leader of the division of urban real estate of Penny Lane Realty agency, an elite Russian real estate company. - First these were houses in the center of the capital, but tendency did not pass the test of time: indeed it is necessary that all communications would correspond to contemporary technical level, and in the buildings XIX century to reach this without the reconstruction is impossible”. A question with parking here arose: there was no place for tenants to park their cars. All this led to was the fact that the old buildings located in the center of Moscow were reconstructed, and became new elite houses.

Modern clients, who rent apartments in the club houses, interested in objects with the uniqueness, “pearl in the rough”. Houses with the winter gardens, the French windows (from the floor to the ceiling) are in great demand, the beautiful and well-organized territory is required. “Furthermore, clients interested in the presence of the conference rooms, where it is possible to discuss working questions, adds Andrey Ufimtsev. – Rooms for rest and guest rooms (with the leather sofas, the lively colors and the aquariums), daycare centers for children, where it is possible to leave a child, in case of emergency.

Of course in the houses of this level services must be managed by the property management company, with high credentials and for the reasonable price rich people as everyone knows, know how to count the money. The presence of the fitness center in the house, club or beauty salon is no longer necessary according to the expert’s opinion. It is no longer so urgent: people find their own beauticians and trainers, they prefer to use their services. Protection is extremely important. “Safety system must be set to the professional basis and include several levels.

Important role plays the face control of the future tenants”. According to the chief administrator of sales for the company “[Gras]” Damir Ayzatulin - to acquire apartment in the club house a person must be recommended by other tenants or founders. “The high level of fortune - significant, but not unique component of the social uniformity of club house” - It is not possible to create the situation of absolute maximum comfort in the house, where live completely unknown people. In our houses the client control is very strict, it is not always exactly known why and what in the client’s form caused the failure to accept application by house-builder. They can ask potential buyers about anything they desire to know before making a decision to sell an apartment, but to professional even half a phrase is sufficient in order to compose impression about the man”.

Mean price in club house $18 of thousand for the square meter. It can reach also to $35 thousand - in the most claimed complexes. However, such expensive apartments rarely left for the free market: previous owners prefer to sell to their relatives and friends. According to the forecasts of analysts, an increase in the prices of the club apartment in Moscow will in 2007 compose 20-25%, moreover in the spring- years the cost of bonus meters will grow by 10%.

There are not too many club houses on the market today. But experts foretell although not too rapidly, but noticeably development of the market for the apartments of the class “premium”. It is possible to build houses with small number of apartments, even in the center of Moscow. For now traditional locations of club real estate - [Ostozhenka] and Arbat alleys - However the potential of these regions is limited; therefore house-builders begin to turn their attention to other regions - Zamoskvorech’ye, Plyushchikhu, clean ponds: they within the next few years can comprise competition to traditional elite houses in the center of Moscow.

If you like my article please visit my website at

www.eng.realtor.ru/rent to read more about russian real estate



Rent Back

Sellers are facing a tough decision in today’s market. “Do I sell now or do I keep my home for the next 5-7 years?” Most sellers are choosing to stay in their homes and not sell.

That’s a good thing for those sellers who are forced to sell for one reason or another and don’t have time to sit back and wait. For the seller who has to sell their home in the next 90 -180 days, a lot of decisions need to be made and a lot of effort needs to be put

into the sale.

There are 11 of the most common mistakes made by sellers:

1. Lack of Curb Appeal – The first thing that a buyer sees is the front of a property. They will see a picture online on a web site, or they will drive by the property. Either way, the curb appeal of the property is extremely important if the seller is going to maximize their sales price. Even though the old adage goes, “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” most buyers do. Clean up the front of the house, trim bushes and trees, plant new flowers and make sure the grass is green.

2.Cluttered and personalized interior – Once you’ve attracted that potential buyer, caught their eye, and got them to look at the property further, make sure the inside is in tip-top condition. Imagine that the property is a brand new, model home, and your job is to stage it for sale. That is the goal you need to set for the interior of the property. De-clutter the entry and living room. Remove personal pictures from the walls and shelves. Take out the oversized recliner that is blocking the walkway. Open up the walkways, take out large furniture, remove the ‘wall of fame’ in the hallway and minimize the personal pictures. The goal is to show that each room has more than enough space for its furniture and the buyer needs to be able to imagine their own furnishings in each room. It’s OK to pack the garage with all of the extra stuff, but it preferable to move it all off of the property to a separate storage area.

3.Walls in need of freshening up – Once you have removed all of the clutter, you will see that the walls are dinged up and have hand prints all over them. You’ll see that the vacuum has marred up the base boards and the cord has made black lines along the edges of the walls. Spruce up the paint; repaint the entire interior if needed. Add some color to the walls too; don’t just paint them Antique White. Don’t be bold and paint the room’s red or purple, but pick a soft color that compliments the current furnishings while it is neutral enough that the buyer can imagine their own furniture in the rooms.

4.Stained & old flooring – Now that you’ve removed half of the furniture from the property, you will see where the sun has faded the carpet, walkways that have been created around the old furniture and stains had been hidden under the sofa! The cheapest way to fix things is to have the flooring professionally cleaned. In many cases, if the carpet is less than 5 years old, this will work. But if you still have that orange shag carpet from when you bought the place…its time to replace it! Again, don’t go out and find apartment grade, tan carpet. Find a carpet that compliments the current décor but will still be neutral for the next owner. Talk to the local carpet store about what’s in style in the area for a reasonable price.

There is the option of offering a carpet allowance to the buyer, but if a potential buyer walks in to the property and is hit with a 20-year-old carpet, or a stained and worn carpet, you will have lost all ‘first impressions.’ Don’t be cheap when it comes to selling your biggest single investment.

5.Shredded and faded curtains – Don’t forget about those window coverings and curtains. The sun is harsh and eats curtains. Dust collects and sticks to mini-blinds. Update the window coverings throughout the property. If you still have the matching bedspread and valance, be sure it’s not from the 1950’s! If you love it so much, then pack it with the rest of the furniture in your storage unit and put up some new, clean mini-blinds with a shear around the window. Make sure the window openings are clear and let in a lot of light. Nothing makes a room feel small like having no natural light. Bright and airy is key here.

6.Pet/smoke odors and stains – Once you have replaced the flooring & repainted the walls, most pet and smoke odors will be gone, but how do you keep them from coming back? Don’t let the pet back into the property! Don’t smoke inside anymore! Seriously! Find a friend or family member to watch the dog while your property is on the market. Not only will it keep the property from smelling it will also make showings easier because the buyers won’t have to worry about getting bit! As for smoking…do it outside! You can handle smoking outside while you are on the market. A little suffering now will save thousands later!

7.Boring Bathrooms – Clean them and keep them clean. Add some colorful hand towels to the counter, maybe a fragrance candle & potpourri. Make sure the bathroom smells clean & fresh and has a little color.

8.Kitchen Clutter – Clear off the counter tops. Nothings says “small kitchen” like having every small appliance there is neatly staged on the countertop. What this says is “The kitchen has NO cupboard space and everything has to be kept on the counters.” Find room for everything but the coffee maker and the toaster. If there is room for those, then put them away when not in use! If you’ve still got a 1970’s microwave the size of an oven, get rid of it. It’s probably leaking radiation anyway. Go out and buy a small microwave to get you through the sale of the house, or just don’t replace it until you move to a new property. You don’t need popcorn at night anyway.

9.In the Backyard – If you’ve got a large yard, make sure it is de-cluttered and seems easy to maintain. Make sure the grass is green, the shrubs and trees are trimmed and the clutter is removed. If the yard is small, make sure it is all but empty. Stage a small table & chairs so the buyer can imagine sitting outside, drinking coffee and reading the morning newspaper. Make the backyard an extension of the property but not a nuisance and something that is too much to take care of.

10.Wrong Price – Pricing the property correctly is going to be the toughest of all for most owners. Everyone has lived through the past 7 years of appreciating prices and nobody wants to think that they left money on the table when they sell. Unfortunately, the lack of buyers is affecting the market value of property. There are simply not enough buyers out there for the number of sellers that need to sell. Price will be 90% of the reason a buyer takes a closer look at your property. Talk to your Realtor® about the market value and price it right. Talk to three different Realtors® and get their opinions on value.

11.Choose the Right Realtor® - Once you have the property properly staged, cleaned up, curb appeal in place and have spoken to at least three Realtors® then you need to choose the right one. Make sure that the Realtor® has experience in a Buyer’s market. He/she must know how to properly market a property for sale when there are more buyers than sellers. You need to have maximum Internet exposure. The Realtor® must be experienced with a full-spectrum of marketing, not just putting a sign in the yard and hoping someone will drive by and see it. Recent studies say 100% of today’s buyers will search the Internet before buying their new home. Ask for at least 3 references from the agents. Ask how many homes they have sold in the past 90-180 days. Don’t rely on what they sold a year ago, that was a different market. Ask them how close to the original asking price was the final sales prices. You don’t need to list at a high price and then get beat up by the agent for price reductions. Price it right in the beginning and you will net more money than being on the market for 6 months and reducing the price several times.If you follow these easy steps, you will have a much better chance of selling your property quickly, and for top dollar. While there are no ‘magic pills’ to get a property sold, these tips will go a long way toward getting you to your goal.

Richard Daskam is a top producer in the Southern California area. He is a Broker-Associate with Keller Williams Realty and has been selling real estate since 1990. Richard experienced the last Buyer’s Market in the 1990’s and uses what he learned then to help his clients today. Richard can be reached at 562-857-1965 or on the Internet at www.FindRichardOnline.com.



Rent Back

Earlier this year we sold our family home. Not only that we did it within nine days with two families battling it out for our property. What a pleasant surprise it was to sell it so quickly! It was a surprising sale because our property, although extensively renovated, was quite old, on a very busy road, pretty small, and a high asking price.

So how did we do it? Well my husband, who is a very busy man, happened to be away with work therefore it was up to me to interview three realtors. I did some research and chose high profile real estate agencies that had consistent and high sales averages. (You’ll probably notice that I only interviewed males - this wasn’t intentional - they were the names given to me and available at the time).

I staggered the three interviews over two days and with each one, an appraisal was done of the property taking into account renovations and special features.

Realtor One when asked how much he thought the property was worth couldn’t give me a figure, not even a wild guestimate! Not only that, he sounded unsure and unmotivated about anything to do with our property (or anything else for that matter). I showed him around our house and pointed out special features, and all our renovations - still no response. When I mentioned what our asking price was the response was head nodding and not much else. I uttered a silent “You’re fired…next!”

Realtor Two said all the right words. He was a real go-getter, smartly dressed, clean shaven, innovative and energetic. He assured me that if I wanted the house sold and we had a firm asking and reserve price, then he would be the man to do it. Then he continued to talk - a lot - for a long time, using the latest buzzwords. It was difficult getting a word in. However, once the asking price was mentioned there was a pregnant pause. He slowly replied that my asking price was at the very top end of the market, and implied we’d be very lucky to reach it. Still, he’d sounded convincing…sort of…

Realtor Three listened attentively and nodded every now and again and paraphrased me, ensuring we were singing to the same hymn sheet. As before he asked what our asking and reserve price were. Just as before the asking price appeared to be surprising. I watched his face and could see he was mentally calculating and assessing the property’s worth. I showed him around the property as I did with the others, and he was genuinely impressed what we were offering. He became very motivated and made suggestions that made sense.

For several months we did nothing, still unsure of when we were actually going to put our home on the market.

The first and second realtors never made contact again. They’d left it up to us to contact them when we were ready. Realtor No 3 kept in regular contact with generic updates of the area and never pushed us to do anything. He simply signed off on each letter that when we’re ready, he’d be ready.

The first realtor was totally disinterested in anything from the property to us as people, and the other, although innovative and motivated didn’t exhibit empathy and curiosity about us - the owner’s, and no follow up. Connection is so important and although the first two were very nice individuals, it was something that was sadly lacking.

No 3 definitely got the job.

So why did he get the contract? Simply put, apart from keeping in regular contact, his knowledge and experience, and never aggressively trying to get our contract:

 He treated me (by this stage he was dealing directly with me) respectfully.

 He was always available to speak via telephone.

 He listened and understood what I wanted - nothing was ever a problem.

 He showed genuine interest in us as people. Conversations often turned to unrelated matters and we spoke of family and our travels.

 The one that clinched the deal was that he totally connected with us in the nicest way. We knew he had our best interests at heart.

There are many factors involved when selling property and choosing the right realtor. The main points I’d pass on are:

 Do your research - get to know your suburb if you don’t already, start reading the latest real estate material; speak to people in the industry - particularly the realtor’s you’re interviewing - you’ll get a feel of their knowledge and level of interest.

 Keep interviewing until you come up with someone that has strong people skills - not only are you looking for a connection, you’re also looking for someone who’ll connect strongly with prospective buyers.

Last but not least:

 Love the home you’re selling and others will love it also.

 Intuition is a great tool to have so when the time comes, use it.



Sell and Rent Back

The other day I watched a report on the national news (ABC News) that the real estate market was beginning to slow down across the country. Today the National Association of Realtors announced that across the nation the sales of existing homes in May fell for the third time in the past five months.

However, here in north Texas the housing market still appears to be strong and the sale of existing homes did not decline in May. In spite of this, you never know when our market may take a turn for the worse and begin to reflect what is happening in the rest of our nation.

My research of today’s local real estate market indicates that buyers are far more discriminating these days, and a large percentage of the homes currently listed for sale do not sell the first time.

It’s now more critical than ever to learn what you need to know to avoid potentially costly mistakes in order to sell your home fast and for the most amount of money.

1. Know why you’re selling, and keep it to yourself.

The reasons behind your decision to sell affect everything from setting a price to deciding how much time and money to invest in getting your home ready for sale. What’s more important to you: the money you walk away with, or the length of time your property is on the market? Different goals will dictate different strategies.

However, don’t reveal your motivation to anyone else or they may use it against you at the negotiating table. When asked, simply say that your housing needs have changed.

Remember, the reason you are selling is only for you to know.

2. Find a good real estate agent to represent your needs.

All real estate agents are not the same! A professional real estate agent knows the market and has information on past sales, current listings, a marketing plan, and will provide their background and references. Evaluate candidates carefully on the basis of their experience, qualifications, enthusiasm, and personality.

Be sure you choose someone that has a proven track record of selling homes and that you trust and feel confident that they will do a good job on your behalf.

Nearly three-quarters of homeowners claim that they wouldn’t use the same real estate agent who sold their last home. Most relationships with an agent break down because of poor communication. While it is the professional’s responsibility to manage your expectations and regularly communicate with you, you can help by telling them what you expect and regularly talking with your real estate agent.

Be sure to communicate with your real estate agent upfront and let them know what you expect.

3. Do your homework before setting a price.

(In fact, your real estate agent should do this for you). Find out what homes in your neighborhood have sold for in the past 6-12 months, and research what current homes are listed for sale and for much. This is how prospective buyers will assess the worth of your home.

Settling on an offering price shouldn’t be done lightly. Once you’ve set your price, you’ve told buyers the absolute maximum they have to pay for your home, but pricing too high is as dangerous as pricing too low. Remember that the average buyer is looking at 15-20 homes at the same time they are considering yours.

This means that the buyer has a basis of comparison, and if your home doesn’t compare favorably with others in the price range you’ve set, prospective buyers or real estate agents won’t take you seriously.

As a result, your home will sit on the market for a long period of time and, knowing that your house has been on the market for an extended period, new buyers in the market will think there must be something wrong with your home.

4. Maximize your home’s sales potential to get top dollar.

Each year, corporate America spends billions on product and packaging design. Appearance is critical, and it would be foolish to ignore this when selling your home.

You may not be able to change your home’s location or floor plan, but you can do a lot to improve its appearance. The look and feel of your home generates a greater emotional response than any other factor.

Clean like you’ve never cleaned before. Pick up, straighten, unclutter, scrub, scour and dust. Fix everything, no matter how insignificant it may appear.

Often the single best investment you can make when selling your house is a fresh coat of paint, buyers will notice the smell of fresh paint and it gives them the sense that your home has been well taken care of even if you just painted it for the first time in years.

Overall, you want your home to get a “wow” response from prospective buyers.

Allow the buyers to imagine themselves living in your home. The decision to buy a home is based on emotion, not logic. Prospective buy­ers want to try on your home just like they would a nice new set of clothes.

If you follow the buyers around pointing out improvements, or if your decorations are so different that it’s difficult for a buyer to wipe it from his or her mind, you make it very difficult for the buyers to feel comfortable enough to imagine themselves as the new owner.

5. Make it easy for prospects to get information on your home.

You may be surprised to know that some mar­keting tools that most agents use to sell homes (ex. traditional open houses) are actually not very effective. In fact less than 1% of homes are sold at an open house.

Furthermore, the prospects wanting more infor­mation on your home probably value their time as much as you do. The last thing they want to be subjected to is either a game of telephone tag with your real estate agent, or an unwanted sales pitch.

Make sure the ads your agent places for your home are attached to a 24 hour prerecorded hotline with a specific ID# for your home which gives buyers access to detailed information about your property day or night 7 days a week without having to talk to anyone. It’s been proven that 3 times as many buyers call for information on your home under this system. And remember, the more buyers you have competing for your home the better, because it sets up an auction-like atmosphere that puts you control.

6. Know your buyer.

In the negotiation process, your objective is to control the pace and set the duration of the process. What is your buyer’s motivation? Does he or she need to move quickly? Do they have enough money to pay you your asking price? Knowing this information gives you the upper hand in the negotiation because you know how far you can push to get what you want.

The better you know your buyers, the better you can use the negotiation process to your advantage.

7. Make sure the contract is complete.

For your part as a seller, make sure you disclose everything. Smart sellers proactively go above and beyond the laws to disclose all known defects to their buyers in writing. If the buyer knows about a problem, they can’t come back with a lawsuit later on.

Make sure all terms, costs and responsibilities are spelled out in the contract of sale, and resist the temptation to diverge from the contract. For example, if the buyer requests a move-in prior to closing, just say no. Now is not the time to take any chances of the deal falling through and not closing as scheduled.

8. Don’t move out before you sell.

Studies have shown that it is more difficult to sell a home that is vacant because it looks abandoned, forgotten, and simply not appealing. It could even cost you thousands. If you move, you’re also telling buyers that you have a new home and are probably highly motivated to sell fast. This, of course, will give the buyer the advantage at the negotiating table.

9. Have a friend who is not afraid come over and “tell you like it is”.

A good friend will be able to point out all of things they see that need fixing, painting, updating, etc… A “fresh look” from someone else will catch more things than you can see for yourself. Don’t be shy about seeking the honest opinions of others. You need to be objective about your home’s good points as well as bad.

First impressions are critical. Make sure your home makes a positive statement by carefully inspecting all the little details and viewing it through the eyes of a buyer. Don’t gloss over needed repairs and fix-ups, because the buyer will not. Your job is to make sure that your home stands out better than the competition.

10. Remain objective during a showing of your home.

Keep emotion out of the sale of your home, and the best way to do this during a showing is to not be there.

You want the prospective buyer to feel as comfortable as possible when they are viewing your house and when your are there the buyer often feels uneasy about being in someone else’s home. So go for a walk, go to the store, just do anything but be at the house.

Make sure when you leave the house to turn the lights on even during the day, have the temperature set where it is comfortable for the buyer, be certain there are no unpleasant odors, the house is clean, and leave some light background music playing. These items will help set you apart from your competition and make it more likely your home will sell fast and for top dollar.



Quick Property Sale

Fewer than 10 years ago, Charlotte, NC, was a medium-size city with a strong banking industry. It quickly grew into one of the southeast’s most prosperous cities, drawing revenue from Wachovia, Bank of American and smaller, funds management businesses. This growth spurred more growth. People arrived and the population grew. Residential and commercial property was built and the real estate market boomed.

Then the recession hit and Charlotte’s quick rise stumbled. Too many project developments, too many residential properties on the market, and not enough buyers, or not enough capital to sustain the gigantic real estate bubble.

Now Charlotte is in a precarious situation. It is working hard to pull itself up from the recession. It is using its vital economic muscle to make the coming years prosperous and healthy. It is leaning on its cultural attractions, its high quality of living and successful population to attract commercial investors and realtors with the future in mind.

Make no mistake, though, that real estate is a hot topic in Charlotte. Many downtown buildings and office spaces are for sale. Bank of America and Wachovia are in transition, Project developments need to be sold and homeowners are waiting for the economy to recovery before they think about selling or moving into another home. For some, if you have the capital, good credit and job security, now is a good time to consider buying a home. One local development firm is happy that some people are in this category. The Royal Court Condos, slated to open in February, are selling and prepared for occupancy.

The building – 11 residential floors atop 21/2 of parking – has 35 units left for sale, but competition is getting scarce.

Fewer than 1,000 high-rise units are still under construction in the center city. Three towers have been postponed, and two have been halted by legal disputes.

“We feel good about Royal Court,” Hollidge said. “The financing market on future construction will limit the projects coming out of the ground for the foreseeable future.”

The market should tighten and could work in Royal Court’s favor as fewer units are built in and around the city, said housing analyst Emma Littlejohn of The Littlejohn Group.

This is good news for some. For others, the trick now is to wait out the economy, to raise capital and plan for the future. If that sounds like the most reasonable thing for your and your family, a smart option is to rent in Charlotte. Plenty of attractive, affordable apartments are on the market.



Quick House Sale