Real Estate Tips

Overpriced!

In the real estate world, a large group of people are looking to buy homes at any given time. These are the seller’s best prospects. This ready group of buyers is wasted, however, if your house is overpriced.

People who have been shopping around and are accustomed to comparing properties will probably refuse to look at your home with an unrealistic price tag. You and your real estate agent may know that you would sell for $10,000 less, but the buyers do not know this. As a result, your overpriced property receives little attention.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that your house is worth more than someone is willing to pay for it, or that it’s just a matter of waiting for the “right” buyer to show up. Surveys show that the longer a house is on the market before being sold, the greater the drop in price from the listing price when it does sell. The buying public eventually sets an accurate price. An overpriced house just sits on the market, waiting for a price adjustment before it will attract a buyer.

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Locking in Loan Rates

It is important for both new homebuyers and homeowners who want to refinance to understand how to lock in an interest rate when applying for a mortgage loan. Understanding how rate locks work prepares you to evaluate your options.

While you are in the process of applying for your mortgage loan, interest rates will most likely fluctuate from day to day and week to week. If you want assurance that the wonderfully low interest rate on your loan will not increase while you are waiting for loan approval, ask for a rate lock. A conventional rate lock is a guarantee from the lender that your mortgage will carry a particular interest rate, with specific, predetermined points and fees.

The interest rate is “locked in” for a specified period of time, usually thirty days. When you call a lender for a rate quote, ask how long that rate will last for. If you think you might need more than thirty days to complete your home purchase or refinance, tell your lender how many days you will require, and they will give you an adjusted rate quote.

Rate locks are especially useful if interest rates are on the upswing, and you are concerned about ending up with higher monthly payments. If you cannot afford the risk of a further interest rate increase, lock in your loan rate now.

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Comparables

To take much of the guesswork out of your consideration about whether a particular property is a good investment, you can check on the actual selling price of similar homes in the neighborhood.

Some sales information, such as the selling price, the financing terms, and the transaction dates, is public information. Your real estate agent will have record of all recent sales. You can find out how properties have been appreciating, based on actual sales, rather than from the neighbors (they could be wrong!). Driving by comparable homes can give you an idea about how they compare with the property you are considering. Your real estate agent may have seen these homes and can give you additional information to help you make a decision.

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Multiple Listing Service

When you list your house with a real estate agent who participates in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), you get a lot of service for your money. Depending upon the MLS region, there may be hundreds of participating members.

The real estate agent who lists your home works to get it sold. This is done by marketing directly to home buyers, but an even more powerful tool is marketing your home to other agents who have buyers. Your real estate agent makes all the crucial information about your home available to the other members through the MLS. Information such as your home’s location, size, the number of rooms, the style of architecture, what personal property is included, and any other special features is posted. The MLS description will also contain information about any special financing that might be available, showing instructions, and special needs you may have with respect to closing. The MLS is a powerful tool for real estate matchmakers.

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Hybrids Offer Low Rates

In the field of home financing, “hybrid” mortgages have grown in popularity with homebuyers. With interest rates gradually rising in today’s market, the hybrid mortgage product saves money, provides a period of fixed-rate security and helps buyers qualify for financing.

Hybrid mortgage loans offer a very low fixed-rate for a period of time, usually from 5 to 7 years, then revert to an adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) for the remainder of the term of the loan. The interest rate is typically lower than with a 30-year fixed-rate loan, and the borrower has the assurance that the rate will not change for a period of years. Such a loan works well for buyers who plan on reselling the home within a finite period.

Other specialty mortgages now available include an ARM loan with a provision allowing it to be converted to a fixed-rate loan when that is a practical step for the borrower. Still others offer an interest-only loan that requires payments to be made on the interest only for a specified number of years, then reverts to an amortized loan with interest and principal payments each month. Consult with an experienced mortgage professional to determine whether one of these loan products will meet your needs.

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Buying in a Hot Market

In a super-active real estate market where the inventory of homes is limited and multiple offers are common, buyers should enlist the aid of a real estate agent to draft an offer that will be highly attractive to home sellers. Here are some tips for coming up with an offer they can’t refuse.

Understanding the seller is paramount. The most important factor to all home sellers is the amount of money they will receive for their property. Every homeowner wants to get top dollar for his or her home. If you are buying in a hot market and want to make a competitive offer, you should match the seller’s asking price as closely as possible. This tells the homeowner you are serious, and that you place as high a value on their home as they do.

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Choosing A Lender

When you are buying a new home or refinancing your present one, it is wise to do some comparison shopping among lenders. A low interest rate isn’t the only criterion by which to evaluate a loan. You should also consider the terms of the mortgage, what your closing costs will be and the reputation of the lender.

Real estate agents are a good source of information about loans and lenders, whether you are buying a home or just refinancing your present home. We routinely assist buyers when they need a mortgage in order to purchase a home. We know what loan packages are available and the qualifying requirements. The companies with the lowest rates sometimes have very conservative underwriting guidelines, and may not be willing to make loans on certain types of property or to buyers who are marginally qualified. We can tell you which companies and loan officers will go the extra mile to provide excellent service to make sure that the transaction closes.

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Affordable Home Loans

A whole new crop of homebuyers emerges every year. With interest rates remaining relatively low, more interested buyers than ever before are applying for home mortgage loans. Affordable loan packages are creating more investment possibilities for second homes. Trade-up or scale-down buyers are free to move into an exciting new home or condo, making more starter homes available for first-time buyers.

The advantage goes to the seller when there are more buyers than homes for sale. But in a market where the inventory of homes is growing, the competition between sellers increases and gives buyers more options. More competition is not a problem if the local market is moving at a lively pace.

Affordable loans and a wide variety of financing options make it an excellent time to buy or sell real estate.

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Maximum Profit

Everyone wants to get the maximum amount possible when they sell their home, but many homes sit on the market because they are overpriced. One real estate axiom states that “the true monetary value of real estate is what someone is actually willing to pay for it”. A professional real estate agent determines the asking price of a property by examining the selling price of comparable homes in the area which have closed.

A seller might occasionally be heard to complain that a sales professional “lowballed” their home for a quick, easy sale. However, real estate agents always work to maximize their seller’s profit. They price your home based on a careful calculation of the maximum amount you should be able to get (with a little room to negotiate).

If you are really serious about selling your home, work with your sales professional to make sure that it is priced right.

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A Market Analysis

Setting the right price is an important first step in the process of selling a home. Is it necessary to spend $200 to $400 for a professional appraisal of your property before placing your home on the market?

A professional appraiser’s opinion of a property’s market value is based on the recent sales of similar homes in the neighborhood, and on the square footage and condition of the property. Different appraisers might come up with different figures. Even if all of them agreed on a value, there is no guarantee that you would receive that amount for your property.

An alternative to a professional appraisal is to ask a professional real estate agent for a written market analysis of your property. This analysis will include information about recent home sales in your neighborhood, as well as how those homes compare to yours. Real estate agents may provide this service with no charge or obligation. If you are still unsure of the value of your home, you may wish to pay for an appraisal.

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