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Friday, July 31, 2009

Investing In Real Estate, Contracts Used

When investing in real estate there are a lot of contracts you will have to use. Some of these contracts are used when buying or selling real estate the conventional way; others are used when buying or selling unconventionally. One contract you can use when you’re investing in real estate is a land contract. A land contract is a contract that lets a buyer have temporary control of a property. Usually the seller will get a small monthly payment and set benchmarks that the buyer will have to accomplish. The buyer will also usually put up something as collateral. If the benchmarks are not accomplish on time or if the monthly payments are not made the seller can terminate the contract. At the end of the contract it is up to the buyer to decide if to buy the property or not.

Another contract you can use when investing in real estate is a promissory note. A promissory note is a contract a seller and a buyer use when they are using the option of seller finance. Seller finance is when the buyer pays the seller directly instead of going to a bank for the money. In most cases there is a balloon payment. A balloon payment is when the buyer after paying the seller directly for a certain amount of time, pays off the promissory note in one lump sum. The buyer usually goes to the bank and gets a mortgage to pay off the seller. Some things a promissory note should have on it are the monthly payments, interest rates, penalties, and when is the balloon payment due if any.

One last contract you can use when investing in real estate is a lease. A lease is used when renting out properties. The things a lease should have on it are rules, penalties, rent amount, when rent is due and when rent is late. When investing in real estate contracts are a way of life. If you use the information you read here you will have some idea what these contracts are and what information they should have on them.

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Consolidating Debt With Real Estate

One good thing about owning real estate is with real estate you have the option to consolidate debt. When you consolidate debt you take the bills you have and use the equity in your home to pay them off. Equity is the money you built up in your house over the years. Before consolidating debt you must refinance your house. When you refinance most of the time it changes the monthly payment and the interest on your mortgage. This is one draw back when you refinance and consolidate debt.

When consolidating debt it is important to know if it is to your benefit. If you consolidate your debt you should be paying less in a monthly basis. It is recommended to do your homework. One thing you should know before consolidating your debt is what the interest rates will be. If the interest rates are too high it will be better not to refinance. Another thing you should know before consolidating your debt is what the monthly payments will be. If the monthly payments are more than the bills you are going to consolidate, it is recommended that you do not refinance.

One last thing you should know before consolidating your debt is the new terms of the mortgage when you refinance. If it is not a fixed rate you can end up paying more monthly over time. Consolidating debt can be a difficult thing to do but if you use some of the information you read here it can become a bit easier.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Assuming A Mortgage, Things You Should Take Into Consideration

A good way to buy property with less money is to assume a mortgage. When you assume a mortgage the mortgage is transferred from the seller's name to the buyer’s name. When you do this there are some things you should take into consideration. One thing you should take into consideration before you assume a mortgage, is can you afford to make the monthly payments. If you assume a mortgage and you can't afford the payments you can end up losing the house and damaging your credit. It is recommended that you make an assessment and see if you can afford the monthly payments.

Another thing you should take into consideration before assuming a mortgage is the value of the property. If you assume a mortgage and the seller overpaid for the house, you can lose money if you decide to resell the property. One way to avoid this is to know the prices of the houses in the area in which the house is located in. You can find the prices of the houses in the area by researching the local newspaper. Most local newspapers will have a real estate section with a list of houses for sale.

One last thing you should take into consideration before assuming a mortgage is the terms and the interest rates. It is recommended that the mortgage is a fix rate mortgage. This is a mortgage that the monthly payments stay the same throughout the life of the loan. If the mortgage is an adjustable rate mortgage your monthly payments can go up and you can lose the house. Assuming a mortgage can save you a lot of money if done right. If you use the information you read here you will have an idea on some of the things to look out for when assuming a mortgage.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Selling A House, The Common Mistakes

When selling a house there are many common mistakes that the seller might make. One common mistake a seller might make when selling a house is pricing the house too high. If the house is too high in price it will take longer to sell or it might not sell at all. It is recommended that you know the property value of the area. One way of finding out the property value of the area in which the house is located in is researching. Some places you can research are in a local newspaper and on the internet. When researching in the local newspaper and on the internet, look for what similar houses in the area in which the house is located in sell for. This will give you a clue on the property value of the area.

Another common mistake a seller might make when selling a house is spending too much money fixing up the property to sell. Fixing up your home can get you a higher price and make more buyers interested in your home, but the improvements you do should be cost affective. The improvements you do on the house should add more value than the cost of the improvements. By keeping this in mind all the improvements should pay for it self when it is time to sell the house.

One last common mistake a seller might make when selling a house is not advertising that the house is for sale. If you have a real estate agent you might think it is his or her job to do this, but if you manage to sell the house without his or her help you can save a lot of money in commission fees. Some places you can advertise are the local newspaper and the internet. Advertising does not have to be expensive; most local newspapers are inexpensive to advertise on. When it comes to online advertising it has some sites where you can sell your house and it doesn’t cost a thing. There are many common mistakes a seller can make when selling a house, with the right knowledge and the right actions these mistakes can be avoided.

Monday, July 27, 2009

What Amount To Charge For Rent

If you have a property and you don’t know how much to rent it out for, there are some factors that can help you determine how much to charge for rent. One factor that can help you determine how much to charge for rent is the rental rates of the area in witch the property is located. One way to determine the rental rate is to look and see what similar properties rent out for in the area.

Another factor that can help you determine how much to charge for rent is the operational cost. The operational cost is how much money you will have to pay in bills in a monthly basis if you rent the property out. Some of these bills can be taxes, water, mortgage, and more. The rent you get from the property should pay for all of these expenses and give you a small profit at the end of every month.

One last factor that can help you determine how much to charge for rent is how much rooms and the size of the rooms a property has. The more rooms a property has usually the higher the rent will be. The size of the rooms is important also, a large three bedroom property can bring in more money than a property with four small bedrooms. Determining how much to charge for rent can be a hard thing to come up with. If you use the tips you read here it can make this decision a bit easier.

Friday, July 24, 2009

Can’t Afford The Mortgage, Actions To Take

Something that you will never want to face as a home owner is losing the ability to pay the mortgage. Some ways this can happen is if you lose your job, you can’t work because of medical reasons or you took out a bad long term loan like an adjustable rate mortgage also known as an ARM. If you took out an adjustable rate mortgage, and the adjustment period has past, and now your mortgage is too high for you to pay. The recommended thing for you to do is refinance to get a fix rate mortgage. If you can’t find a bank willing to work with you, the best thing you can do is get a mortgage broker or mortgage brokers to find a bank for you. The reason you can get more than one is a mortgage broker is not paid directly by you.

A mortgage broker compensation for his or her service is taken out by the bank and giving to them when you refinance. If you use one or more mortgage brokers it is important that you do your homework and pick them well. The reason for this is you will be giving them some sensitive information that you will never want to fall into the wrong hands. Also if you do use one or more mortgage brokers it is wise to still look for banks for yourself. If you lose the ability to pay the mortgage not because of a bad loan but because you lost your job or you can’t work because of medical reasons, there are some things you can do.

One thing you can do is rent out some of the rooms in your house. If you do this it is important to let the person you are renting out to sign a contract showing the rules of the house; how much is the rent and letting them know that the lease is in a month to month basis. One other thing you can do is cut back on your spending until you find a job or until you get well. The last thing you can do is sell your house which is always the last option. If you ever get into a situation where you can’t pay the mortgage hopefully some of the information you read here will help you get through this tough situation.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Buying REO Properties The Advantages And Disadvantages

There are advantages and disadvantages when it comes to buying REO properties. One advantage of buying a REO property is most REO properties are below market value. The reason for this is REO properties are properties that are owned by the bank. Since the bank is liable for the taxes on the property they will be more than happy to sell it to you at below market value. Another advantage of buying REO properties is there is less competition. Not all real estate investors know about REO properties.

One last advantage of REO properties is that REO properties are easy to find. Most banks have a number of them and will love to sell them. One disadvantage of buying REO properties is when you buy REO properties, you buy them as is. Usually you will have to call the electric, the gas and the water companies to get them turned on. A next disadvantage of buying REO properties is you will have to pay for all the repairs yourself if the property needs any. It is important to know what in the property that needs to be fixed before you buy the property.

One last disadvantage of buying REO properties is that you will not know about the past of the property. One way to overcome this is to do some research on the property. A good place to look is the public records. When it comes to buying REO properties there are advantages and disadvantages. With the information you read here you will have an idea on what some of the advantages and disadvantages are.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Buying Property Out Of State

Buying real estate that is out of state can be a difficult thing to do. The difficult thing is not buying the real estate but managing it when you are not even in the same state. One reason an investor will want to buy real estate out of state might be that the properties in the state they are in are too expensive. There are many places where the real estate is so expensive an investor will have to put down thirty five to forty percent to see a profit if they want to rent the property out.

Another reason an investor will want to buy real estate out of state might be they can make a larger profit with out of state properties. If properties in the state in which the investor is in are going down in value, there is a good chance rent rates will be going down also. If you do decide to buy properties out of state the most important thing you need is a real estate management company. The best thing to do is do your home work. The management company you pick will ultimately determine if you will make or lose money.

One thing to look for in a management company is its ability to fill vacancies. If you have a property vacant for too long it can cost you a lot of money and eat up your profits. One last thing to look for in a management company is how the company handles when a person or family does not pay the rent. You don't want a company that is too aggressive to make a person or a family feel unwanted if they are one day late. On the other hand you don't want a company that is too passive to encourage people not to pay. The best thing to do is find out how they go about late pays and evictions. Buying property out of state can be a bit more complicated than owning property close to you, but if you have the right information it can be worth your while.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Buying Your First House

Buying your first house can be a stressful time. There are some things you should remember when buying your first house. One thing you should keep in mind when buying your first house is how much you can afford in a monthly basis. If you get a house that is too expensive for your budget you can lower your standard of living. One other thing when it comes to getting a house that is to expensive for your budget is if you can't afford the monthly payments you can end up losing the house. It is recommended that you do an assessment of your monthly earnings to see how much you can afford in a monthly basis when it comes to the mortgage.

Another thing you should keep in mind when buying your first home is what kind of mortgage to get. It is recommended that you get a fix rate mortgage. The reason is if you get an adjustable rate mortgage the monthly payments can go up over time. If the monthly payments go up and you can't afford it you can end up losing the house.

One last thing you should keep in mind when buying your first house is what the most important thing to you is. If you are looking to buy a house to have more living space or to be closer to work, you should never compromise your main goal. If you are looking to buy a house to have more living space or to be closer to work, you should never compromise your main goal. The last thing you want is to buy a house and not be happy afterwards. Buying your first house can be a stressful thing. If you use the information that you read here the process of buying your first house can become a bit easier and less stressful.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Buying or Renting A Home, The Advantages Of Both

Buying or renting is one of the biggest decisions you will ever have to make. One of the advantages of renting is you will not have to take on a big debt. If you buy a house and you can’t pay the mortgage you will lose the house and all the money you put into it. Another advantage of renting is less responsibility. If something breaks or something needs to be replaced there is no money coming out of your pocket. One last advantage of renting is less liability. If someone gets hurt on the property if it’s no fault of your own, you don't have to worry about being sued.

When it comes to buying it also has its advantages. One of the advantages of buying is ownership of the Property. You can do certain things to a property you own that you can’t do if you’re renting. If you own a property you can paint the walls add tiles and change anything you want. This is not always the case if you’re renting. Another advantage of buying is the building up of equity. The money you pay towards the mortgage can be use if necessary to pay off other expenses by using some of the equity.

One last advantage of buying is paying off the mortgage. When you pay off the mortgage usually the largest expense you have will be gone. If you don't have to pay mortgage any more it can free up a lot of money to do other things. Buying and renting both have their advantages, ultimately it’s which advantages you find more desirable that will determine your decision in the end.

Friday, July 17, 2009

Investing In Real Estate, Some Of The Benefits

Investing in real estate has a lot of benefits that other investments may not have. One of the benefits of investing in real estate is the ability to see profits quickly; whether you are buying to rent out or you are buying to resell. When you resell or get someone to rent out the property, the next month you should see some money coming in. If you choose to rent a property out it can give you income for the rest of your life.

Another benefit of investing in real estate is the more properties you own the more easily it is to acquire more properties. When you have properties you can use them as collateral to help you get a new loan. Also if you have properties you can pull out some of the equity in them for a down payment or to buy a new property. One last benefit of investing in real estate is it does not take a lot of money to start. If you have the knowledge it is possible to acquire real estate without using any of your own money.

One way you can do this is if someone has equity in there home you can get a loan for the amount or a little more than the equity, assume the mortgage and pay the owner the equity or more. That’s one of many ways you can buy real estate with out using your own money. Investing in real estate does have a lot of benefits that other investments don't have, and if you use the right knowledge those benefits can make you a lot of money over time.

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Buying A Home, What You Should Know

When buying a home there are some things you should know. One thing you should know when buying a home is the prices of the homes in the area. By doing this it will help you to know if you are getting a good deal or not. One other thing when it comes to knowing the prices of the homes in the area is it can save you from over paying for a house. The last thing you want is to over pay for a house. If you over pay and you can’t afford the mortgage you can end up losing the house and damaging your credit.

Another thing you should know when buying a home is what kind of mortgage to get. It is recommended that you get a fix rate mortgage. With a fix rate mortgage the monthly payments stay the same for the life of the loan. One other thing when it comes to mortgages is; it’s not recommended to get any mortgages where the interest rate changes over the life of the loan. The reason for this is the interest rates can move higher.

One last thing you should know before buying a home is what in the house needs to be fixed and what other things come with the purchase of the home. By knowing this you will know exactly what you’re paying for. If the seller agrees to throw in some other things with the sale of the home, make sure you get it in writing. Buying a house may not always be a simple thing but if you use the tips that you read here, it can become just a bit easier.

Monday, July 13, 2009

Buying Real Estate, The Things You Should Avoid

When investing in real estate or buying properties there are some things you should avoid. One thing you should avoid when buying real estate is properties that the taxes are not up to date on. The reason for this is if the taxes are not paid the government can take a way the property. The last thing you want is to invest some time and money and end up not being able to buy or even worst lose a property. It is recommended that you get the information about the taxes before you buy a property.

Another thing you should avoid when buying real estate is properties that have over due bills like water and sewage. The reason for this is if the water and sewage are not paid the government can take away the property. If you do buy property that the bills or the taxes need to be paid, it is important that you do have the money to pay them off.

One last thing you should avoid when buying real estate is properties that are overpriced. If a property is over priced and the housing market goes down, if you do sell the property you can end up losing money. It is recommended that you buy property at or below market value. If you do buy property at or below market value you will usually make more money if you decide to resell it. Buying real estate can be very profitable if done right. If you use the information you read here you will have a better idea on some of the things to avoid when investing in real estate.

Friday, July 10, 2009

Buying Real Estate, What Questions To Ask Over The Phone

When interested in investing in real estate one important thing is getting information over the phone. If you ask the right questions you will save a lot of time. The reason this will save a lot of time is if you ask the right questions you will know if the property is what you are looking for. One question to ask is how much equity is in the home. If the house is paid off in full the seller might do an unconventional deal with you, like seller finance. This is when you write a promissory note and pay the seller over time.

The time does not have to be a long time; you can pay the seller over five years and after the five years the seller will get a balloon payment for the rest. For the five years you will pay the seller the rate you will pay if you are going to pay off the promissory note in thirty years. After five years you get a mortgage and pay the rest of the promissory note off. Another thing you can ask over the phone is if the mortgage is assumable. If the mortgage is assumable and the seller has a little equity you can take out a loan for a little more than the equity and pay that to the seller and assume the mortgage. When you do this make sure you can pay for the loan and the mortgage.

One last thing you can ask over the phone is the size of the property and if the property has any special qualities. By asking this you will find out how much bedrooms the property has, you will also find out if any thing comes with the property. Talking to a seller over the phone can make you nervous the first few times. One thing you can do is have a list of things to ask. Getting the right information over the phone from a seller may not be an easy thing but if done right it can save you time and money. If you use the information you read here it can make the process of getting the right information over the phone a bit easier.

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Will Real Estate Go Up Or Down

There are many ways to determine if real estate will appreciate or depreciate. Appreciate means that the value of the property will go up over time. Depreciate means that the value of the property will go down over time. One good way to determine if a property will appreciate is how far the property is from the business area. When a property is close to a business area, and once the job market is good the property will most likely appreciate over time.

Another thing to look for is other properties in the neighborhood. If other properties are being built or fix up, this is a good indicator to show that the properties in that neighborhood are most likely to appreciate in value over time. When it comes to depreciation, there are also many ways to determine if a property will depreciate over time. One way to indicate if a property is likely to depreciate is if jobs are moving away from the neighborhood. Another way to determine if a property will depreciate over time is if it is far away from the business area. With gas prices going up the farther a property is away from the business area the more it is likely to depreciate over time.

One thing that can change this factor is if the nature of business changes and more and more people start working at home. Another thing that can change this factor is if there are technological advances that make access to energy more inexpensive. Unless these changes happen, these methods will continue to be good indicators of the direction a property is likely to go in the aspects of appreciation and depreciation. There is no one hundred percent fool proof way to indicate what a property will do in the future, but if you use some of these indicators you read about here; It will help you to become a better real estate investor in the long run.

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Real Estate Agents, Things To Know Before Using One

When selling a home some sellers will use the services of a real estate agent. Using a real estate agent has its advantages and its disadvantages. One of the advantages of using a real estate agent when selling a home is a good real estate agent can sell your home faster than you can. A seasoned real estate agent will usually have a large contact of people who are interested in buying a home. Another advantage of using a real estate agent when selling a home is using the real estate agent’s past knowledge of selling a home. A real estate agent will usually give you tips to make your home more desirable to buyers.

One last advantage of using a real estate agent when selling a home is, if you trust the real estate agent he or she can tell you approximately how much you can get for your home. One disadvantage of using a real estate agent when selling a home is if a real estate agent has a lot of homes to sell he or she may not give your home the time it deserves to get the top price for it. It is not unlikely for a real estate agent to have to show more than one home in a small period of time. Another disadvantage of using a real estate agent when selling a home is the commission that has to be paid to them when the house sells. It can come out of your pocket or the pocket of the buyer but if you are using a real estate agent the commission must be paid.

One last disadvantage of using a real estate agent when selling a home is the real estate agent may not have your best interest in mind. Some real estate agents get the seller to lower the price of the home so they can sell it faster. When using a real estate agent it is recommended not to tell them what is the lowest you are willing to sell your house for, some real estate agents won't hesitate to tell this to the buyer in order to get a faster sale. Using a real estate agent does have its advantages and its disadvantages when selling a home, but with this information you read here you will know some of the things to look out for.

Buying An Apartment Building

There are many things to look for when buying an apartment building. One thing to look for when buying an apartment building is the utilities. To rent out each apartment you must have electric meters for each apartment. If each apartment does not have its own electric meter you will have to pay for everyone’s electric bill. To get around this you can charge a higher rent and include electricity with the rent. The down side of doing this is if the people or families you’re renting the apartments out to know they don't have to pay for electricity they won’t be shy about using it.

In some cases the electric bill can be so high that you can lose money every month. Another thing to look for when buying an apartment building is the apartments. If the apartments are small it will be harder to rent out. One other thing to look for when it comes to the apartments is how much individual rooms each apartment has. When it comes to rooms usually the more rooms an apartment has, the easier it will be to rent out.

One last thing to look for when buying an apartment building is the location of the apartment building. If the apartment building is close to public transportation, schools, and businesses this will make it a more desirable place to live. Buying an apartment building is a big step when investing in real estate, but with the information you read here you will have an idea on some of the things to look for.
Investing In Real Estate, Contracts UsedConsolidating Debt With Real EstateAssuming A Mortgage, Things You Should Take Into ConsiderationSelling A House, The Common MistakesWhat Amount To Charge For RentCan’t Afford The Mortgage, Actions To TakeBuying REO Properties The Advantages And DisadvantagesBuying Property Out Of StateBuying Your First HouseBuying or Renting A Home, The Advantages Of BothInvesting In Real Estate, Some Of The BenefitsBuying A Home, What You Should KnowBuying Real Estate, The Things You Should AvoidBuying Real Estate, What Questions To Ask Over The PhoneWill Real Estate Go Up Or DownReal Estate Agents, Things To Know Before Using OneBuying An Apartment Building ~ Real Estate Facts