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If there’s almost nobody home because all your children have flown from the coop so to speak, the house suddenly seems too big for just the two of you. This is how “empty nesters” usually feel. This is the time when you think of buying and moving into something smaller so you don’t prattle around the house. Transferring from a house to a condo is a big change. If you buy a condo, it means that you own your unit and a certain portion of the common areas. It is a good idea to have your lawyer review condominium documents before buying your condo. These documents are the rules and regulations, bylaws, financial statements, master deed and master insurance policy.
Green building is one of the buzzwords in the construction industry today. With the rising costs of fuel and gas prices, and the incredible advances made in building materials derived from renewable materials, green building is not only an environmental initiative, but a smart economic move as well. In fact, as early as 2003, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has required that all new federal buildings under its authority be constructed using green building practices.
Green building means a lot of things: building with materials that incorporate sustainable resources or utilize recycled materials, low energy consumption, minimal site disturbance, water conservation, solar orientation, water and energy efficiency, and healthful indoor-air quality.
Although green building practices tend to increase up-front construction costs, they often provide long-term benefits that may offset these increases. In fact, energy efficiency improvements can provide approximately 30 percent less energy than standard homes and can save homeowners approximately $200 to $400 per year.
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You see a lot of articles and books about how to make money “real estate flipping.” Perhaps you’re heard radio or television news reports about the illegalities of flipping real estate. Maybe you’ve seen the late-night infomercials promising you easy overnight fortunes.
What’s the truth about making money flipping real estate?
First, real estate flipping isn’t illegal. Because some dishonest real estate investors conspired with deceitful mortgage brokers and property appraisers, their stories made “good news” for newscasters who love to grab attention with “Investors Scam Banks and Bilk Buyers out of Millions!” sound bites. True, some investors defraud mortgage lenders and/or desperate home buyers. Cheating investors hyped up property values, helped home buyers tell untruths on mortgage applications, and conned banks and buyers.
On the other hand, ethical real estate investors make a lot of money real estate flipping. There are many ways to make money flipping real estate:
1. You can help home sellers in foreclosure save their credit by arranging a sale of the property and never even take title. In other words, buy the property and double-escrow the property to a home buyer who wants to live in the home.
2. Find a seller under stress with a bargain property, secure a sales contract, and sell your contract for roughly $500 to $5,000 to a seasoned real estate investor without financing or taking title.
The yellow pages are usually the first thing people turn to when they search for a moving company. Check out the larger ads if you are moving a long distance, since they probably cover more locations nationwide. Call different moving companies, get a quote from each, and compare before deciding which to hire. Searching for them on the internet is also one way to find a moving company. Like with the yellow pages, start by looking at the bigger companies or the ones that you’ve heard before. Word of mouth is also a great way to find a moving company, and your family and friends would be more than happy to let you know about their experiences with a moving company.
The biggest advantage to buying a condominium is that you no longer have to worry about upkeep and maintenance. The association dues you pay every month covers all of that. It might seem expensive at first, but compare it to the cost of replacing a furnace or roof and you’ll realize that the fees are fairly reasonable. Also, you don’t need to have to shovel snow to reach your front door or rake the leaves – the condominium’s staff does all of that for you. Condominiums are also great starter homes, especially for single yuppies or young families. Many people who moved into condos claim that they enjoy the close-knit community. Finally, it’s an investment property that goes up in value especially when renovations are done. A simple renovation in the kitchen or bathroom increases the unit’s value by thousands.
While you can always benefit from the expert knowledge of a real estate agent, there are some advantages to selling your property by yourself. For one, you get to keep all the profit from the sale because you don’t need to pay any commissions. You also get to set your own price without the influence of an agent – but this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t do the research to come up with a reasonable price. You can also work on your own time instead of working around an agent’s schedule. Remember, you’re not your agent’s only client. When you work with an agent, there’s a compromise on viewing schedules. Finally, you perform the selling process yourself. While you can get an expert valuation, you control the actual sale all by yourself.
Today, sellers can’t expect to put their properties in the market and expect them to be sold in a matter of days. Sellers need to remember to stick to the fundamental rule of making a property attractive to buyers: get it in top condition. Buying a house will require a lot of money, and you need to show your potential buyers that it’s worth their money. First impression is important to sell a home quickly and successfully. Once you’ve made your property presentable, you can now take photographs of focal points like the living room, garden, and bedrooms. Then create a listing on the Internet or with your real estate agent.
On the surface level, it seems as though you might be getting a good deal when you buy short sale but there are times when you’re better off not doing that. Here are a few reasons why you might not want to buy short sale.
The seller borrowed too much. Some banks allow borrowers to overmortgage their home, especially for appreciating markets. This means that the loan balance of the borrower exceeds the property’s value.
The house is not qualified to be a short sale. Some unethical real estate agents might convince sellers to do a short sale when he or she does not even qualify for a short sale.
Lenders change the condition. There are lenders who have the right to renegotiate the short sale’s terms at the last minute, especially when new laws have been passed or if the market changes. They’ll have a lawyer at their disposal while you, the ordinary buyer, won’t.
There are many websites with experts who claim to be able to protect you from foreclosure, but all they are after is to get the title away from you. Here are some ways you can recognize a foreclosure rescue scam.
The company offers to pay your back payments to your lender for you. There is no such thing as a company who will bail out home owners form their foreclosure by giving money to the lender.
The company lets you take out a mortgage to pay off your lender. If your current lender won’t give you money to refinance your mortgage, other reputable lenders won’t do so either.
The company says that you can remain in the property as a tenant then reclaim the title later on. No other company will let you buy your property back after you deed away your interest.
Paying an upfront fee will make the company stop the foreclosure for you. No matter how much money you pay, there are no guarantees that anyone can stop your foreclosure.
According to statistics from the Joint Center for Housing Studies, there are more single women buying homes today. More than one out of five home buyers are single women, and there are twice the number of single women buying homes than single men. Single women also make up over one third of the growth in real estate since 1994. Women of all ages, sizes, and shapes buy homes because they have the strong desire to own something that’s entirely hers. They also need to be closer to their work, school, or family, or they want more space or a smaller home. So if you’re a single woman who’s looking to buy a house, don’t hesitate because the market is open for you.