Posted by bobnone | Posted in Home Buying & Real Estate | Posted on 07-02-2010
Home Selling Lawyer ~~ Home & Real Estate Matters ~~
Real estate markets have always been cyclical…subject to ups and downs. A plant closing in a small town means a lot of people are leaving and selling homes for whatever they can get. It’s tough because more people are leaving than moving in to small places. Farming towns all over the US have shrinking populations. Midwestern cities like Cleveland, Dayton and Detroit are losing population every day because there is no work for residents.
But it is possible to sell a home in this situation. I’ve done it and you can, too.
The first thing you need to do is to start cleaning, painting and polishing your house to make it look as good as possible. This is very important. You want your house to look inviting, light, pleasant and uncluttered.
You also want to make your house look as good as possible from the street. Curb appeal is more important than anything in a competitive real estate market.
But, do NOT remodel! Do NOT invest in granite counter tops or stainless steel appliances. Most people who sell houses take their washer and dryer and refrigerator with them when they leave. In a competitive real estate market every penny will count. It’s more important for you to price your house competitively than for you to try to remodel your way to a sale. Some things will never pay out. They will just cost you money you can’t afford.
Ask an appraiser what a good competitive price would be for your neighborhood. An appraiser can check recent sales in your area and give you an actual average market price for homes near you that have sold and closed. Every homeowner needs these facts, especially if they have lived in a house for many years. You want to set your price near market. Real Estate agents will often estimate a home value higher than it really is to get a listing. But the first days a house is for sale are the days it will get the most attention. Don’t waste that time by overpricing your house.
Have your house inspected and fix whatever the inspector suggests. Have copies of the cleared inspection report available for lookers to see.
Get the word out that your house is for sale. Tell everyone you know. Tell everyone at work, at church and in your neighborhood. Advertise everywhere you can afford to place an advertisement. Real estate companies have really cut back on their advertising budgets. There are about 100 houses currently for sale in my neighborhood, but only about 30 of them are advertised anywhere each month by the pros.
Then let people start looking at your house. Do this very carefully. You want to be safe. When you talk with someone who wants to look at your house ask a lot of snoopy questions. You want qualified buyers not recreational lookers. Ask them if they would have to sell a house to buy yours. Ask them if they have been pre-approved for a loan. Ask them where they work and even how much money they make. This is not the time to be reticent. Ask them if they have a family. Ask them if the wife likes the neighborhood. Get their contact information: name, address, phone, work and E-Mail.
Have an open house and have several friends help you with it. You can station someone in every room to answer questions and watch over things for you. But tell them to let the lookers do the talking. It will give you data on problems you may need to fix or what shoppers like about your property. You want that data.
But what may happen, and often happens in desirable neighborhoods is that one of YOUR neighbors will sell your house for you to one of their friends. They have the real incentive to find themselves a good neighbor. That’s what happened to us in Dayton. Word of mouth sold our house in less than a month. We only had to fix our house for a few showings.
Our neighbor across the street had his filthy house for sale for the entire 18 months we lived there. It was a great neighborhood but his house was the dirtiest house you have ever seen. Houses need to be clean to sell or REALLY CHEAP compared to market.
In Atlanta a newspaper ad (1) sold our house. The one couple we showed it to bought it for the asking price.
Ask a lawyer to help you with contracts and closings. All lawyers may do these things and they will charge less than a combo of real estate agents, closing attorneys and title companies, etc.
Notice that this process is a considerable amount of work. But it is DIY work you would have to do anyway, whether or not you hired and had to pay a pro. Real estate agents charge for people they have cleaning and staging your home. It’s not free. Selling a home your self is a lot of work, but it’s all doable and relatively cheap so you walk away with much more cash in your pocket.
One final note, if you can offer owner financing you will dramatically increase the number of prospects and get top dollar for your home. Don’t dismiss this possibility because you want all cash. You can sell the private mortgage note to a note buyer. While they will purchase the note at a discount, you should be able to offset most of this discount by 1) Selling much faster thus saving interest, taxes, insurance, etc., 2) Get top dollar for the home, 3) Not have to give concessions such as a credit for closing costs as there will be very little, and 4) Incur no real estate sales commissions.
Paula works with her husband Ron in his note buying business. Learn more about mortgage note buying and selling at their websites at Mortgage Buyer and Note Buyer
Law Matters – Valensi Rose PLC – #2 Selling Your Home
|
|
VINTAGE THOMAS D MURPHY COMPLETE M.A. LARSEN REAL ESTATE CALENDAR-1962-NM $12.95 |
|
|
VINTAGE THOMAS D MURPHY COMPLETE M.A. LARSEN REAL ESTATE CALENDAR-1964-NM $12.95 |
|
|
Rich Dad Guide to Real Estate Investing $49.95 |
|
|
New & Sealed Real Estate Master Finance & Mortgage Calculator – Amortization $12.99 |
|
|
VINTAGE THOMAS D MURPHY COMPLETE M.A. LARSEN REAL ESTATE CALENDAR-1956-NM $12.95 |
|
|
Churches, Jails, and Gold Mines: Mega-Deals from a Real Estate Maverick By Stev $1.99 |
|
|
REAL ESTATE T&C FLOATY PEN House Key For Sale Sold ESKESEN FLOATING ACTION $4.50 |
|
|
REAL ESTATE FLOATY PEN Realtor Sold House Keyring ESKESEN FLOATING ACTION $4.50 |
|
|
2 CARAT ROUND REAL DIAMOND ESTATE BRIDAL RING SET 14K WHITE GOLD SZ 5 6 7 8 9 SI $2,957.00 |
|
|
2 CT REAL DIAMOND ENGAGEMENT ESTATE RING 14K Y GOLD SI $1,857.00 |
|
|
HUGE Lot of Real Estate investing books, dvd’s and cd’s $199.99 |
|
|
Real Estate – Renovate – Remodel – Do-It-Yourself $0.99 |
|
|
Brand New! Real Estate Principles $58.09 |
|
|
NEW The E-Myth Real Estate Brokerage – Gerber, Michael $21.46 |
|
|
ESTATE VINTAGE LOT OF 5 GENUINE COLORS REAL FUR PELTS- RABBIT, SQUIRREL, ETC. $19.99 |
|
|
How To Buy Foreclosed Real Estate Theodore J. Dallow $4.99 |
|
|
Real Estate Debt Can Make You Rich: What You Owe T $1.99 |
|
|
BUYING REAL ESTATE FORECLOSURES 3/E $1.99 |
|
|
Qualifier Plus IIIx Real Estate/Business Calculator, Mod 3415, Professional Mod. $55.00 |
|
|
2 CARAT ROUND REAL DIAMOND ENGAGEMENT RING 18K YELLOW GOLD ESTATE $5,285.00 |
|
|
Common Sense Guide to Successful Real Estate Negotiation: How Buyers, 0060914645 $4.97 |
|
|
New York Real Estate Practices by William Allen 0915799529 $9.43 |
|
|
California Real Estate Finance by B. E. Tsagris, John P. Wiedemer 0131114026 $4.97 |
|
|
Real Estate Development Manual by 0791305503 $19.94 |
|
|
Real estate appraisal in a nutshell;: A restatement and simplificatio 0802018610 $37.02 |
|
|
AUCTIONEER Street Sign novelty auction gavel gag antique real estate house $6.99 |
|
|
Real Estate Finance by J. Keith Baker and John P. Wiedemer (2012, Paperback,… $40.00 |
|
|
Vault Guide to Real Estate Careers (Vault Career Guide to Real Estate) $25.19 |
|
|
How to Buy and Manage Rental Properties: The Milin Method of Real Estate… $4.00 |
|
|
Tips & Traps for Getting Started as a Real Estate Agent (Tips and Traps), Robert $10.99 |
|
|
How to Invest in Real Estate With Your IRA and 401K & Pay Little or No Taxes, Hu $10.99 |
|
|
THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO INVESTING IN REAL ESTATE – JAMAINE BURRELL (PAPERBACK) NEW $18.97 |
|
|
Blank Flat Postcard Mailers, Brochures Invitations or Cards! House Real Estate $89.99 |
|
|
Blank Flat Postcard Mailers, Brochures Invitations or Cards! House Real Estate $189.99 |
|
|
Blank Flat Postcard Mailers, Brochures Invitations or Cards! House Real Estate $289.99 |
|
|
Blank Flat Postcard Mailers, Brochures Invitations or Cards! House Real Estate $1,289.99 |
|
|
Blank Flat Postcard Mailers, Brochures Invitations or Cards! House Real Estate $99.99 |
|
|
Blank Flat Postcard Mailers, Brochures Invitations or Cards! House Real Estate $199.99 |
|
|
Blank Flat Postcard Mailers, Brochures Invitations or Cards! House Real Estate $299.99 |
|
|
Blank Flat Postcard Mailers, Brochures Invitations or Cards! House Real Estate $1,299.99 |
|
|
Blank Flat Postcard Mailers, Brochures Invitations or Cards! House Real Estate $109.99 |
|
|
Blank Flat Postcard Mailers, Brochures Invitations or Cards! House Real Estate $209.99 |
|
|
Blank Flat Postcard Mailers, Brochures Invitations or Cards! House Real Estate $309.99 |
|
|
Blank Flat Postcard Mailers, Brochures Invitations or Cards! House Real Estate $1,309.99 |
|
|
Blank Flat Postcard Mailers, Brochures Invitations or Cards! House Real Estate $129.99 |
|
|
Blank Flat Postcard Mailers, Brochures Invitations or Cards! House Real Estate $229.99 |
|
|
Blank Flat Postcard Mailers, Brochures Invitations or Cards! House Real Estate $329.99 |
|
|
Blank Flat Postcard Mailers, Brochures Invitations or Cards! House Real Estate $1,329.99 |
|
|
Blank Flat Postcard Mailers, Brochures Invitations or Cards! House Real Estate $69.99 |
|
|
Blank Flat Postcard Mailers, Brochures Invitations or Cards! House Real Estate $169.99 |
|
|
Blank Flat Postcard Mailers, Brochures Invitations or Cards! House Real Estate $269.99 |
|
|
Blank Flat Postcard Mailers, Brochures Invitations or Cards! House Real Estate $1,269.99 |
|
|
Blank Flat Postcard Mailers, Brochures Invitations or Cards! House Real Estate $79.99 |
|
|
Blank Flat Postcard Mailers, Brochures Invitations or Cards! House Real Estate $179.99 |
|
|
Blank Flat Postcard Mailers, Brochures Invitations or Cards! House Real Estate $279.99 |
|
|
Blank Flat Postcard Mailers, Brochures Invitations or Cards! House Real Estate $1,279.99 |
|
|
Blank Flat Postcard Mailers, Brochures Invitations or Cards! House Real Estate $89.99 |
|
|
Blank Flat Postcard Mailers, Brochures Invitations or Cards! House Real Estate $189.99 |
|
|
Blank Flat Postcard Mailers, Brochures Invitations or Cards! House Real Estate $289.99 |
|
|
Blank Flat Postcard Mailers, Brochures Invitations or Cards! House Real Estate $1,289.99 |
|
|
Blank Flat Postcard Mailers, Brochures Invitations or Cards! House Real Estate $99.99 |
|
|
Blank Flat Postcard Mailers, Brochures Invitations or Cards! House Real Estate $199.99 |
|
|
Blank Flat Postcard Mailers, Brochures Invitations or Cards! House Real Estate $299.99 |
|
|
Blank Flat Postcard Mailers, Brochures Invitations or Cards! House Real Estate $1,299.99 |
|
|
USA Real Estate Agent Business Website For Sale. List Homes Apartments Property $19.95 |
|
|
Sunny Day Real Estate – Diary CD $7.88 |
|
|
NEW Real Estate and Globalisation – Barkham, Richard $88.65 |
|
|
Some Assembly Required A Networking Guide for Real Estate, Thom Singer, Book $26.48 |
|
|
SD, Madison, South Dakota, RPPC, Egan Ave, Lake Park Livery, Holdege Real Estate $39.99 |
|
|
MI, Hartford, Michigan, RPPC, Main Street, Grocery,Real Estate Storefronts,No 15 $44.99 |
|
|
MI, Royal Oak, Michigan, BF Chamberlain Real Estate, 60s Cars,O’Neill No 19569-C $7.99 |
|
|
SD, Castlewood, South Dakota, RPPC, WN Skinner Law & Real Estate, Storefronts $44.99 |
|
|
CA, Antioch, California, Real Estate Office $7.99 |
|
|
Basic Real Estate and Property Law for Paralegals by Jeffrey A. Helewitz… $89.72 |
|
|
60043 Led Real Estate Motel House Rental Sign 24″x12″ $39.99 |
|
|
How to Make Money With Real Estate Options: Low-Cost, Low-Risk, High-Profit Stra $53.96 |
|
|
REAL ESTATE WEBSITE WITH GOOGLE ADSENSE $9.99 |
|
|
One of a kind spoon with real ruby marked 90 estate sale rare collectable gift $9.00 |
|
|
ESTATE – PAIR ROYAL DOULTON REAL OLD WILLOW PATTERN CUPS & SAUCERS DESIGN IN $28.00 |
|
|
Ron Legrand Paper Power for Real Estate Entrepreneurs Investing $49.99 |
|
|
Alan Cowgill Real Estate Private Lending 1, 2 & 3 Complete System $90.00 |
|
|
Alan Cowgill Real Estate Private Lending Complete Bootcamp $60.00 |
|
|
Than Merrill Fortunebuilders Real Estate Wholesaling Flipping Quick Big Profits $125.00 |
|
|
Than Merrill Fortunebuilders Real Estate Rehabbing Rehabbers Reference Manual $125.00 |
|
|
Rent To Own House.info REAL ESTATE/HOME/HOUSES/FORECLOSURE/BANK OWNED WEB DOMAIN $250.00 |
|
|
Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer $5.25 A perfect murder, a faceless witness, a lone courtroom champion knows the whole truth… and he’s only thirteen years old. Meet Theodore Boone – kid lawyer! Bestselling author John Grisham delivers high intensity legal drama for a new generation of readers…. |
|
|
Finding the Uncommon Deal: A Top New York Lawyer Explains How to Buy a Home For the Lowest Possible Price $10.00 #1 on the New York Times Bestsellers List!Take advantage of today’s real estate market to find great properties at incredible prices.Our recent economic meltdown transformed real estate from a popular investment to financial kryptonite. Too many people purchased homes with mortgages they simply could never afford. The good news: Great deals are out there for the taking. Finding the Uncommon Deal g… |
|
|
Lower Your Taxes – Big Time! : Wealth-Building, Tax Reduction Secrets from an IRS Insider $4.35 Strategies from an IRS insider for slashing taxes, maximizing legal deductions, avoiding audits, and more Completely updated for all of the new 2005 and 2006 Tax Laws! Through his years as an IRS tax attorney, Sandy Botkin discovered that most Americans could legally and dramatically cut their tax bills by establishing themselves as independent contractors or businesspersons. In Lower Y… |