How to Find a Land Agent

Land Agent

Are you looking to buy or invest in land or property? If so, one of the best ways to get information on the subject is to work with a land agent, sometimes also called a land broker. Of course, before you can work with a land agent, you need to know how to find one. 

Search by State

One easy way to find a land broker near you is to search state records. These can easily be found online just by searching for "land brokers" with your state's name or initials next to it. Once you do this, you may get a list of land brokers in the area. 

From there, you can click on a specific land broker to see their holdings or entities they work for/with or own. For example, one land broker that comes up if you search in Flordia is CEO Aubrey Ferrao.

Check Out News Stories

Another way to find your perfect land agent is to read up on news stories about land brokers in your area. These news stories often double as reviews. Going back to the Aubrey Ferrao example, you can easily find a Wall Street Journal article about her work to get a good idea of what she has accomplished in her field.

If you aren't sure where to look for news stories, the best thing to do is to check out some popular newspapers and websites that focus on giving advice to potential investors. Some of the most popular sources for information like this include Morningstar, MarketWatch, and Bloomberg. Keeping up to date with these sources and more can help to keep you up to date and educated on the topic.

If you want to learn more about land brokers, you need to make sure to do your research! These two source types are a good place to start. So, what are you waiting for? Find your perfect land agent today!

How to Find Low Cost High Value Investment Properties in Real Estate

The basic goal of a real estate investor is simply to buy on the low end and resell on the high end. This way, there are no huge losses in such an investor’s portfolio; rather, there are only profitable investments. Yet, while this is a simple strategy to comprehend, what is not so simple to initially grasp is where to find basement bottom prices on higher valued investment properties. 

The following are four tips that should help a real estate investor find some of these lucrative deals.

Follow the Market

As with most markets, the real estate market has cycles and trends. It is rarely a good idea to purchase real estate in a seller’s market. Knowing when it is a buyer’s market is the first key to finding low-cost real estate investments because the prices of even higher-end homes are always depressed in a buyer’s market.

Grabbing Low Lying Fruit

Often the easiest way to pick up low cost, higher valued real estate is by learning how to buy homes in probate. A person who is deceased will often leave a home, a property that turns into a tax burden, to relatives. 

To avoid this tax burden, often people will unload probate properties quickly at a lower than market assessed price point. This is an investor’s opportunity to purchase the house and sometimes everything left behind that may or may not retain value: furniture, jewelry, the car in the garage, and so on.

The Foreclosure Game

Sometimes a person simply has to unload a property, because they have fallen behind in their mortgage payments. In special cases, an investor will simply talk the home-owner into putting them on the title for a nominal fee and the promise that the investor will keep up the payments on the home to preserve the original owner's credit. 

In essence, this can help a home-owner out of a bad financial situation while helping the investor obtain high valued property for little or even no significant money changing hands.

Becoming a Good Negotiator

When browsing through properties for sale, it is often easy to find that one higher valued diamond in the rough that needs some work. Listings will sometimes even call these properties a handyman special. The good news is that the more work that needs to be done to bring the home up to a livable condition, the more points that a good negotiator can bring up when making an offer on such a property. 

By learning how to leverage the negatives of a property during negotiations, a savvy investor can often knock thousands of dollars off of the original asking price of the upper end, expensive homes.

As with investing in any asset class, there are always strategies for finding low-cost properties. The real estate investors' best strategy is to continue educating themselves in the methods that help them discover where the under market valued properties reside. 

Alternatively, a smart investor will learn to make their own opportunities—especially when considering the best way to go about negotiating for a lower price on more expensive homes.

4 Elements to Check for in a Home Listing For Greatest Buy Value

When you plan to make one large purchase for the foreseeable future, then you want to make sure it is the best investment possible. Many people choose to purchase a house. Here are four things to look for to help you get the most for your money below.

Age of the property

Typically, the newer the house, the less work you will have to put in to keep it up. Older homes often have code issues and structural problems you must address. Unless you are in the business of rehabbing homes, then it may not be advisable to purchase a fixer-upper. If you have someone with the tools and experience to get more money in the end, then yes, this is a great option. Otherwise, stick with a new house to retain the most value.

Location

Every agent will tell you that the site of the home or building is the most important thing. Whether you are close to shopping, walking paths, grocery stores, parks, entertainment, or diners is important. 



When you want a property that will keep the most value, then you need to be in a thriving neighborhood. A look at the comparison homes will help you see what range your home should be in.

Technical features

What amenities and characteristics are in the home? What things set the property apart from the rest? These items are important to the value of the building. Maybe there are stained glass windows or beautiful built-in shelves in the den. The most unique items are often the ones that add value. Carefully pouring over the home listings will help you find these features.

Upgrades

Old homes with the right updates and maintenance routines can be worthwhile. For example, a house with French doors and marble tile is going to be worth more than old doors and linoleum. 

When previous owners fix problems and add new features, then a home with age can be of value. The key is to make sure to get a property appraisal and inspection to make sure the home basics are solid. Things like electric, plumbing, and the foundation should be in good condition to make a sound purchase.

Picking the right property can provide you with a sense of security. When you have a home with good construction and the right location, you can build a portfolio that will provide income for years. Any agent will tell buyers to get a home inspection and appraisal before signing a contract.

6 Most Valuable Elements Of A Top Realtor Website

Finding a reputable designer that can Develop Web Sites For Realtors is your key to reaching out to a broader audience. And that is made possible by several factors.

Before getting to the benefits of working with reputable real estate website designers or their qualities, it is imperative to understand the trends. 

Today, major cities are witnessing substantial growth, which is forcing potential homeowners to settle on second-tier towns where they can readily afford.

The second most crucial factor you will need to think about is your target market. You must, and by all means, concentrate on the market with the most potential. 

For example, today, the millennials have surpassed the baby boomers as the enormous potential homeowners. As much as you are eyeing on other markets, it would be imperative working with a flexible developer.

You will also need to invest in information heavily, and this means you should know your competitors and be aware of what is happening in the economy. 

These, among other factors, are what will define your website as result-oriented. With that at your fingertips, your focus now shifts to a great professional who can develop web sites for realtors. Their qualities include;

• Time consciousness
• The highest degree of professionalism
• Knowledge of multiple programming languages
• Some degree of artistry
• A team player
• Vast experience in creating real estate websites
• Exceptional creativity
• Understanding the real estate market
• A developer with the qualities mentioned above will help you with:

1. Targeted SEO

Having a great website places you at per with your competitors, but what sets you ahead of the pack is the SEO friendly content. Today, 90% of potential home buyers use the internet to find their ideal property, and the best web developers understand that. A vast majority of these internet users only click on the top-ranking websites.

A well-constructed website with SEO content has the power of turning your website's visitors into clients. It begins with understanding your target market and incorporating content that your market can relate to. 



One of the ways your developer can help you actualize that is through incorporating a blog page where you can publish informative and SEO friendly content.

2. Automation for marginal tasks

Then there is that critical information that needs to be known or passed to the client. Failure to pass them this information through the website and on time might have adverse effects on your website and profession. 

Again, that is where the knowledge of multiple programming languages and understanding the real estate market prove beneficial.

These two qualities can make communication to clients or prospects automated. Chatbots are pre-programmed communication tools that assist with the response to urgent queries. 

This feature proves useful to clients who want quick answers. On the other hand, information about the newer property can be sent to clients through automated email updates.

3. Social media integration

The social media boasts of billions of users worldwide, with the average user spending at least six hours online on a given day. Social media is among the most excellent ways of building your brand awareness, partly because it reaches a more broad audience and allows easy or better interaction with your clients.

Working closely with your developer will help in integrating your website with various social media. They will also help you create prominent social media links that are exhibited all over your website. Doing so helps the web user to explore the features easily.

4. IDX features

Before they start to Develop Web Sites For Realtors, great web developers understand that looking for homes is the number one motivator of the traffic to your website. 

Incorporating IDX features to your website plays a vital role in keeping turning your web visitors into your clients. This feature works hand in hand with the CTA button; in that, if they find a property they like, they can click and talk to you.



The terms might sound technical, but your developer must understand them and how to manipulate them to get the best possible results. They will start by collecting images and information about your best property and incorporating somewhere on the homepage or anywhere easily accessible.

5. Backend databases

In any business, data is more than collecting pieces of valuable information. A great and result oriented website might be what you need, but with time, you will grow, and that means more data. A great developer will integrate capable backend databases with effective customer relationship management (CRM) tools.

6. Multiple calls to action

In real estate websites, call to action (CTA) is among the best features. If a potential client gets impressed by a particular property, then it must be made easy for them to know what to do.

Final take

Survival in the real estate world needs the highest level of professionalism, and one of the ways of achieving that is through working with a reputable developer. The listed above are some of the essential features they will incorporate to your website.

4 Ways Real Estate Investors Can Protect Their Assets

If you have recently decided to invest in real estate, then you need to start thinking about some ways that you can protect your personal assets. Even though this type of venture can be lucrative, there are potential pitfalls around every corner, and a minor mistake could wreak havoc on your finances if you aren’t diligent.

Find the Right Insurance

Your insurance is going to be incredibly important in the coming years, and you need to make sure that you invest in the right policies. Even if you don’t plan on having any tenants on your property, you must still have a solid insurance policy. 

Without the correct insurance policy, a natural disaster or personal injury case could end up costing you huge sums of money.

Work with an Investment Group

There are quite a few reasons why many real estate entrepreneurs join larger investment groups. In addition to giving you access to more resources, an investment group could also limit your risks. Most investment groups are LLCs, and that means the individual shareholders won’t be responsible for any major issues with the properties. 



You can also find a group that has an attorney on retainer, and that legal professional is going to be invaluable if a lawsuit takes place.

Create a Land Trust

Also known as a title holding trust, a land trust is a legal entity that could protect you and your assets from a wide variety of risks. When you use a land trust to purchase a piece of property, the title of that land won’t actually be in your name. 

While you can still manage that property, other parties won’t be able to go after your personal assets if any liability issues occur. As an added bonus, land trusts can also be paired with LLCs to further protect your assets.

Limit Your Spouse’s Liability

Even if your spouse is going to help you manage the property, you should still separate your family’s assets from your business enterprise as much as possible. In most states, lenders can’t go after a spouse’s assets unless they co-signed for the credit cards or loans. 

The homestead exemption should keep your primary residence safe as well, but you might want to speak with a tax adviser about that particular exemption.

In addition to these few tips, you should also make sure that you remain patient and never overextend yourself. It might be tempting to jump at the first piece of real estate that you find, but you need to consider all of the variables before you invest any money.

Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most of her time hiking, biking, and gardening. For more information, contact Brooke via Facebook at facebook.com/brooke.chaplan or Twitter @BrookeChaplan

3 Ways to Put Money Away for Your Retirement

Image via Flickr by KMR Photography 

It's wise to plan on your retirement. Planning will ensure that your golden years are free of hardships, stress, and worry. You should also consider looking for financial planning services and professional investment assistance.

With small investments, you can enjoy great rewards when you are old and possibly ready to take a break from work-related stress. You do not need lots of money to plan for retirement. Then again, it is never too late or too early to get started.

Here are the top three proven ways of setting aside money for your retirement.

1. Invest In Penny Stocks

Any stock that trades for $5 a share or less can be a worthy penny stock. Even though penny stocks are high-risk investments, they also have the potential of bringing forth high rewards. 

Understanding the market history and diligently doing your research is the surest way to ensure your investment is profitable.

To mitigate risks, you must not make blind investments. Consider enlisting a broker to educate you on the market trends and equip you with the tips and tricks to thrive. 

When traded right, penny stock investments only require small capital, and the returns can be glorious.

2. Venture into Real Estate

Did you know that you don't need to be financially endowed to invest in real estate? You have the crowdfunding option, and although it may sound intimidating, it is something worth a look. 

This option works by allowing many people to invest small amounts into a specific project. Credible companies will enable you to choose the kinds of properties that are in line with your investment objectives. 




Again, the surest way to gain financial security through real estate investments is by making educated decisions. Keep in mind that even with crowdfunding, you face the same investment risk as any other real estate investor. On the bright side, the lower capital requirements can leave you enjoying consistent income with each passing month.

3. Make a Small Business Investment

Another proven way to ensure financial security upon retirement is to invest in small businesses. You have the option of venturing into entrepreneurship or investing in an established enterprise as a silent partner. 

What makes this option enticing is that the anticipated return on investment is potentially higher.

Just like other forms of significant investments, this one too poses some level of risk. Doing your research ahead of time will help you find opportunities with higher chances of generating substantial returns. 

Some ventures can provide unlimited income that the generations after you will enjoy.

There are many ways of investing for a comfortable retirement. With more professionals getting familiar with what works and what doesn't, it is easier than ever to find a venture that matches your needs and goals. 

With proper guidance, you'll easily have nothing but blissful moments as you flip through the chapters of life after retirement. If you get stuck, you can also inquire from professionals to help you invest in the right venture.

Build Retirement Income with Condo Investing

As people near or reach retirement, many consider how to cut expenses while maintaining their current quality of life. Some get pensions, though most rely on Social Security and retirement investments to fuel their life after the paychecks stop. One of the first considerations is housing, and condo living is quite a popular draw for people over 50. 

It's less expensive, more compact, and has fewer yard work and maintenance requirements. Instead of just saving money, consider the fact that it makes financial sense to invest in condos, as well.

Choosing one or more condos as investment properties as you near retirement age might seem like too much risk to take on at that time of life. Yes, careful research is needed to maximize your returns, but condo investing is also less risky than other types of real estate opportunities for various reasons. 

If you need to get a home loan to purchase a new condo, make sure you understand the financial impact before you proceed.

The Benefits of Investing in Condos

Condos usually cost less than single-family homes in the same area, which allows people over 50 to risk less of their nest egg. Buying a condo in an existing community gives you detailed information about its track record for resale prices, property value overall, and tenant payments. 

Unlike separate homes, all the maintenance is taken care of by the property owner or management company. From a financial standpoint, condos in popular areas sell quickly and with possibly less marketing than a single home. 

The community often sells itself due to the shared amenities available. Holding them as rental properties gives you an ongoing, nearly passive income that can last throughout retirement.

Questions to Ask Before You Choose a Condo for Investing

Is this the right location to invest in? Location remains one of the most important factors when buying real estate either to flip or rent out. Look for community growth, employment opportunities nearby, quality of the schools, and other benefits that will make people move into the area. 

Also, check out the condominium complex itself to make sure residents and renters are satisfied with living there.

Should I invest in existing or pre-construction communities? If you purchase an existing condo property, you know exactly what you are getting, how much rent is currently paid, and the expectations of future raises. 

The track record of a particular property and, if occupied, the tenants, can help you make the decision more easily. On the other hand, it makes financial sense to invest in condos before they are built as this lets you get in on a potentially lucrative deal that can only grow over time. However, more risk is involved, and you will have to wait until construction is complete to begin making returns.

Do I want to flip condos or become a landlord? These two methods of investing in condos as you near or reach retirement age both come with pros and cons. Buying to resell requires organizing some repairs or renovations and then marketing the property to a new buyer. 

Buying to rent the condos out will bring ongoing income, but potential headaches you may not want to have during your senior years. In the end, the decision is up to you and your financial situation.

Investing Insight: Pros And Cons Of Condos Vs Homes

If you're thinking about purchasing a condominium unit or a home then there are a number of differences that you should be aware of before making your decision. 

You need to understand what a condominium actually is and how it differs from an apartment or home for starters. There are a number of personal and financial considerations that can tip the scale in favor (and against) condo ownership, so let's get started.

Condo Pros And Cons

The first upside that a lot of consumers appreciate about owning a condo is that their mortgage payments are far more manageable. 

Even with a 30-year home mortgage you could be talking about monthly mortgage payments in the thousands, which would seldom be the case with a condo in most areas.

With a condo you also don't have to worry about landscaping and trash collection as you normally would with a home. Those kinds of services are usually covered by the condo association and taken care of with your monthly condo assessments. 





With both condos and homes you may pay property taxes. A lot of people might also have a problem with all of the condo association's rules - like what you're allowed to renovate in your unit or the kinds of pets that you're allowed to have in your condo unit.

On the plus side condo ownership can mean an attractive urban unit in the heart of the city at relatively little monthly expense in terms of mortgage payments and biannual property taxes.

Pros Of Home Ownership

The first pro with a home is that there's usually much more space for you to entertain your guests and do what you like. 

You can have as many pets as you want without worrying about condo association rules, and you can have guests stay into the wee hours of the early morning. You'll have more indoor space too with most homes. Any upgrades you make will increase your curb appeal and likely home re-sale value as well.

Cons Of Home Ownership

The downside is that, although you'll have fewer rules to negotiate, you'll have to maintain your own lawn unless you go with a lawn service. 

You might also pay more on a monthly basis as far as mortgage payments or taxes go. It's possible your home could depreciate in value over the lifetime of your investment.

The amount that you're willing to pay towards your mortgage and property taxes, the amount of independence that you need, and the kinds of opportunities in your area will likely determine whether you become a condo or home owner. 

Checking in with real estate professionals, like those at RE/MAX Associates San Antonio, can make the decision easier. If you're still struggling, though, remember that a condo comes with rules and monthly assessments. 

Home ownership, on the other hand, likely means more maintenance but the chance to make a healthier profit at closing when you go to sell and independence until you go to do so.

Buying a Home and Acquainting Yourself with Finance and Real Estate

Choosing the right way to finance your real estate purchase is as important as finding the right property. 

It is easier to find a suitable home loan when you have the information you need to navigate the loan process. Real estate is an important investment that requires you to be financially prepared.

Down Payments

The down payments that you are required to make will depend on the lender and loan. Down payments range in percentages of the value of the home you want to buy. A budget will make it possible for you to set aside money each month for the down payment. 

After determining what your budget will accommodate, you can arrange for automated deposits to your savings account to ease the process of saving money every month. If you are unable to make a substantial down payment, you can consider a loan that will help you if you are limited to a smaller down payment. 

Credit Report and Financial Documents

Good credit scores attract better deals for home loans. Before you start the process of purchasing a home, you need to get your credit report to find out how it will be perceived by prospective lenders and improve it of you need to. 

When you make a home loan application, your lender will need various financial documents. Preparing these documents in advance will speed up the loan application process. 

Investing Successfully in Real Estate

Investment property is among the top options for investors. It helps you increase your wealth and secure your future financial situation. 

While investing in residential properties can deliver positive returns, managing your investment effectively will determine the ability of your investment to help you achieve your financial objectives.

Getting the Best Price for the Right Property

• Owning property can be a low-cost undertaking when you consider tax benefits and rental income. Capital growth is a fundamental aspect of real estate investments. One of the most important decisions you can make is to choose property whose value is likely to increase. This is where you need to ensure that the price is right. 
• Information and patience are essential components of getting the best deals when acquiring assets. Work out the value of property by researching on what property sells for within the area. When you know the value of property, you will be able to recognize bargains. 
• Avoid buying real estate in locations that you are not familiar with as you become a victim of highly inflated prices. If you identify property that you want to buy but are unaware of its worth, independent valuations can be carried out. Different types of residential property showcase varying levels of performance in terms of aspects such as rental yields and capital growth.

Cash Flow

Real estate investments have proven to be a good way to build wealth on a long-term basis. Ensure that you have the financial capacity to keep up with the mortgage repayments to avoid selling your investment property before you are ready. 

Owning property is relatively inexpensive along with servicing the loan because of rental income and tax deductions. Rent is also likely to increase over time, subsequently increasing your income and making it easier to manage your investment.

Bio

David Wicks is a consultant in the real estate sector and previously worked as a broadcast journalist. When he is not busy helping his clients make the right investment decisions, he enjoys spending time with his family and dogs. View Matunga residential projects here.

Why You Absolutely Must Perform a Land Title Search When Buying Property

If you’ve ever bought a new property, you’re familiar with all of the paperwork involved. In days past, closing on a property could seem like it takes forever. If you have to close on one property that you’re selling before closing on another that you’re buying, the whole process can turn out to be an all-day affair. Technology is changing some of this, and closing on a property is becoming much easier.

But that doesn’t mean that the need for the information behind the paperwork has gone away, the process of gathering it is just becoming more efficient.

If you talk to a real estate professional, they would assure you that they’re not interested in wasting anybody’s time, but that the paperwork behind real estate transactions is very important and protects you as a buyer. One such important piece of paperwork is a land title search that must be done before buying a property.

A land title search will tell you if anyone else has any claims against the property before you buy it. When you perform a land title search before purchasing a property, you will uncover any liens against the property will become your responsibility once you take ownership of it. You don’t want the purchase of your dream home to become a nightmare because a previous owner had a judgment against them for unpaid back taxes.

It’s not necessarily that rare that things like this are uncovered during a land title search, either. In fact, almost one-third of land title searches uncover some type of problem with the property. What might be discovered? Any item that hasn’t been paid by the previous property owner could be a potential problem for the new owners.

Things like unpaid contractor bills, back taxes, fees from the local government and other types of civil judgments against the property will be revealed. Even something as seemingly inconsequential as an error or typo in a previous deed can mean problems for the new owners. 

It’s not always the case that the current owner is being deliberately deceitful, either. In fact, the current owner might not have any idea that there are current liens on the property. If a complete title search wasn’t performed when that person bought the property, something might have slipped through. By doing a complete and proper title search this time around, you can make sure that all issues are resolved before you buy the property.

A real estate practitioner can help do this search for you and make sure that all of your bases are covered. They will search through public records, court records, plans and dealings directories as well as many other places. The entire process is automated and takes only a couple of clicks for the real estate practitioner to search many places at once.

A land title search is simple to do and can save you headaches and frustration later on. Be sure to have one done when buying a property.

First Time Financing: Real Estate Tips for Finding a Home

Very few purchases are as large and important as that of a home, and the first time you go through the financing process you'll be introduced to a variety of essential lending concepts. Gaining equity through home ownership is an essential way of building a healthy financial portfolio, and home ownership is also an emotionally rewarding experience. Consider the following tips when starting your search for your new home.

Search Tips for Your First Home

Finding a house to buy is quite a different search from finding apartments to rent, and you'll need to consider a wide array of amenities when searching for your first home. One of the most important differences is calculating how much of a mortgage payment you could handle with a home versus how much rent you could pay for an apartment.
You'll need to list your debts and income to determine the maximum payment you could afford while paying a mortgage. Most financial experts suggest paying no more than one-third of your income on rent, but that number may change for a mortgage. Remember that home ownership comes with costs that include:

• Home owner's association (HOA) fees
• Landscaping costs 
• Mortgage insurance 
• Property taxes 
• Utilities 
• Yearly maintenance

You'll need to add these additional costs into your estimated mortgage payment to get the most accurate picture of how much mortgage you can afford. Home ownership comes with some distinct benefits, but it's also a significant financial commitment.

Getting Financing Early in the Search

Getting a feel for the different types of homes available in the area you'd like to live takes time, and it's fine to perform some early searches before you're absolutely ready to start the search. However, once you're serious about buying a new home, your number one priority is obtaining financing.

Two terms you'll need to learn include "prequalified" and "preapproved". Each is useful, but only one will help you when it comes to making an offer on a new home. Getting prequalified is pretty simple, and all it takes is giving a bank your basic financial information to get an idea of how much mortgage you can afford. It's a helpful number, but it won't help you land the home of your dreams.

Preapproval, on the other hand, is a process that requires much more information be given to the bank in order to see if you have the creditworthiness to get mortgage approval. The reason getting preapproved is so important is because sellers like to see that you're serious about buying a home. Preapproval tells then that you're looking to buy and aren't just window shopping for a new home.

Preparing Financially and Domestically

Saving the down payment and making sure you have enough income to sustain a mortgage payment is important for buying a home. However, it's also important that you have savings above and beyond your down payment. Wall2Wall Media suggests you might want to have some domestic tasks taken care of like buying furniture and appliances for your new home first.

The reason you need some savings above and beyond what you'll spend to obtain your mortgage, is because there are always little things that go wrong or unexpected purchases that come along with buying a home. As long as you have a modest amount of savings to cover those costs, you won't have to deal with costly credit cards or loans to cover those last-minute expenses.

Additionally, purchasing essential appliances like a washer and dryer and the refrigerator in advance of your move-in date should help you avoid having to shop for these items at the last minute when it might be tempting to buy them with a credit card or make a hasty purchase without shopping around first.

The name of the game in getting financing for a home is preparing well in advance for each step. Don't rush into the process, and you'll be sure to get the home of your dreams, or that Apartment for rent in Liberty Village before you know it.

So You Want to Flip a House? 5 Must-Know Tips

House-flipping is one of those hobbies or occupations that a lot of people are drawn to by the lure of big dollars for comparatively little work. After all, the concept is pretty simple. You find a house that is priced low that needs some work, buy it, complete the work and sell it for a huge profit. The perfect house flip.

Of course, it doesn’t always work out this way. In fact, anyone who has been through it a time or two knows that it rarely works out this way. It’s even more challenging now that real estate prices seem to be forever climbing and the house-flipping competition is at an all time high. Still, if you are intent on giving it a try, it’s important to learn a few things before you begin and not when you’re already half-way through.

Here are five must-know tips to take with you:

Research, Research, Research!

Research is never very exciting, but it’s always necessary and if you don’t do it you’ll be left out in the cold in the house-flipping game. Take the time to compare the home you want to flip with others in the area. Also, look a little closer at the renos that were done on the other homes that have sold.

Just because a house in the area sold for a great price doesn’t meant the profit margin was also great. It also doesn’t mean that you will get the same price by doing some minor renovation and repair work. Keep an eye on what upgrades people have been doing in the neighbourhood before you get too excited.

Buying Low Isn’t Always the Answer

It’s easy to get the “buy low and sell high” mantra stuck in your head with house-flipping, but buying low isn’t always the answer to big profits. Finding a house that’s priced way below the average for the area may mean that it is falling apart and requires that much more in repairs to bring it back up to where it needs to be.

You never want to overpay, because you’ll never make decent money flipping houses, but too low isn’t good, either. Here’s a scenario: House A sells for $200,000 and needs $75,000 worth of work done and House B, which is similar, costs $250,000 but only needs $25,000 worth of work. House A looks like the better deal, but in the end they each work out the same, only you’ve done a lot more work with the cheaper house.

Gotta Have Some Savings

When you make the decision to try and flip a house, keep in mind that you need to have adequate savings to use while the process is taking place. This is especially true if you are working on the house flip full time and don’t have another full time source of income. You need money for living expenses, all the renovations and any incidentals that may come up, which isn’t uncommon.

Also, if that house doesn’t sell on the schedule you’ve created in your mind, you will have to wait longer for your profits. Sometimes, houses sit on the market for weeks or longer, even with all the wonderful upgrades you’ve made.

Be Realistic

Remaining realistic throughout the process is also a tip that many house-flippers lose sight of along the way. The goal is to make money, so creating visions of selling seven-figure homes in areas where houses have never been above the mid six-figures, is not realistic. It is imperative to stay grounded in reality and remember where you are trying to sell the home. It’s nice to upgrade with the best possible fixtures and having a “vision” is great too, but making money is the main objective.

Realism and even a little conservatism in your math is also a good idea when flipping a house.Once you figure out how much the project will cost, add several thousand dollars to that because costs have a way of adding up fast. No one ever complained about having too much.

The House As a Whole

Looking at the house you want to flip as a whole entity or property will help you choose the home purchased loan, appropriate upgrades and delegate funds where they will provide the greatest benefit. You want balance in your repairs and upgrades, so it’s important to look at the landscaping over the property, exterior of the house, the kitchen, bathrooms, bedrooms, flooring, paint, ceilings, lighting, even the molding and smaller features like outlets or switch plates. Plumbing, electrical and similar elements that are hidden from view are also very important.

You’ll always hear about certain rooms or certain aspects that can’t be ignored, but unless you look at the property as a whole, it won’t be as good as it should be.

Venetia Rose has been a freelance writer and blogger. She loves to share and keep herself updated with the latest tips in mortgage and financial consulting. Her interests are cooking, photography, craft and painting. Follow her on Face book https://www.facebook.com/laksh.venetia

How to Finalize a Stress-Free Mortgage Deal?

There are a lot of words that people have used when describing mortgages, but “stress-free” isn’t one of the more common ones. Much of the time, every aspect of getting a mortgage is loaded with stress and causes a good deal of anxiety for the borrower.

Not only do you have to go through the approval process, which can be stressful all on its own; you also have to finalize the deal and close everything so its all legal and ready to go. There’s no magic formula that’s designed to take all the stress or unforeseen obstacles out of getting a mortgage, but if you know some of the potential issues ahead of time, you may be able to move through the process with little or no stress.

Make a List

One of the more annoying things about a process like this, is that it’s easy to think of a ton of pertinent questions when you are sitting in traffic or out grocery shopping, but you draw a blank when it’s time to ask. Make it easy on yourself and carry around a small notebook and pen, or use your mobile device to type questions as they pop into your head.

Whether the question is for the real estate agent or your lender, you’ll have it there in front of you so you can ask when you speak with them. Sometimes, the questions you ask ahead of time will provide information that will make finalizing the mortgage deal easier than if you’d kept the question to yourself.

Take One Last Look

You may have gone through the new house multiple times and had a home inspector do his thing, but it’s not a bad idea to walk through the house one last time a couple days before the closing date. This is more of a “better safe than sorry” kind of approach, but it’s not completely unheard of for people to change things that were supposed to remain the same or take things they were supposed to leave before the deal closes.

It’s also a good time to see if any new damage has occurred, especially if there has been bad weather since the last time you were there. Check to ensure the electricity is working well and the plumbing seems good. If the present homeowner was supposed to make any fixes or do renovations before you moved in, you should check for those improvements too. If things aren’t as they should be in any part of the property, contact your real estate agent right away to have the issue rectified before the deal is closed.

Check the Document Preparation

All of the documents prepared as part of your real estate deal were drawn up by professionals, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t look them over a handful of times before closing. In all likelihood the information will be just as it should be, but no one is perfect and you certainly won’t have a stress-free closing if something is wrong.

Check over the wording, all the names for spelling and all the digits for accuracy. The interest rate is also important to check. Don’t just assume that any mistakes will be fixed later and everything will be fine. That may well be the case, but give your lender a call immediately if you notice any issues or even if certain information doesn’t make sense to you. Also, keep a copy of every page of every document you sign.

Call the Utilities

If you want to move into your new home right after the mortgage closes, or even within a few days you should call the utilities ahead of time. If you’re moving to a new area and aren’t sure about which utility companies are used, ask the seller for the names and then get them transferred into your name so there’s a smooth, stress-free transition when you move in. This way, if there will be any delays or issues they can be dealt with before you get there.

Keeping Up with Costs

If you have ever purchased a home before, you know there can be a laundry list of closing costs that the buyer never saw coming. Inspection fees, attorney fees, deposits, etc, they all add up and they can be quite stressful when you think you’re home free and the deal is done. Make a point of finding out what the closing costs will be ahead of time, so you’re ready when they spring them on you. The number you get might not be 100 percent accurate, but it will be close and you’ll be prepared.

Author Bio:
Jonathan Baker is an active blogger who writes about business and finance. He lives in Toronto with his family and also works as a financial adviser to The Butler Mortgage team. He keeps himself about the latest trends in finance and business world and passes on these information to others through his blogs. He can be followed on twitter @Jonatha97039368Image 

Source: www.shutterstock.com

Eminent Tips To Be Noted Before Renting The Apartment

English: Rental Apartment Towers in Newport, Hudson Waterfront, Jersey City, NJ with Newport Marina in foreground. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The need of a new place is taking a serious change as the population is growing to an all new level. It is an inevitable truth that buying a new flat need a lot of investment and it becomes quite difficult for middle-class people to get such services. However, during such instances only rented apartments can be your one stop solution. With the help of this service, you can enjoy the comfort of your own home, by paying a stipulated amount of money to the landlord every month, just like the renting fees. This is surely going to help you save some extra money, without any hassle.

Know more about tenants

It is a known fact that maximum tenants do not want to spend more than 30% of their annual income behind house renting services. Thus, you should focus on the renting value accordingly. However, there are some major points to be noted down while selecting the renting value of your place. Look for the location of your apartment and the nearest spots available. This will help you to make a realistic budget plan for your apartment. If you place is located near any hospital or shopping mall, then the price of your rented apartment will surely increase. On the other hand, to get an idea about the latest renting value of your surrounded area, you can visit the official websites and research well.

Rental services can be of two types. At one, place, you can only ask for the rental fees of the house, and in other cases, you will ask for a complete rental package fee, which include electricity bills, water bills and more. However, nowadays, people mainly ask for the rental fees without electricity services. There are separate electricity corners for the tenants, where they have to pay their own bills for electricity usages. However, if you plan to include the electricity bills with the rental fees, then the monthly salary value will increase incredibly. 

Points to check

· It is ideal to check the background of the tenants before giving them the keys of your house.

· Moreover, you might have to focus on the ID proof and criminal background of the tenants, before making any final decision.

· You must follow the legal norms and regulations of your place to avoid any sort of negatives later.

· Check for the neighborhood areas of your place before finalizing the rental fees. People will not like any lousy neighborhood, and that might hamper the reputation of your apartment.

· In case you have a parking lot or garage, attached with your apartment then your rental salary will get hiked to an all new level. Tenants can take the help of your garage service, which will add more income to your monthly budget plan.

Register with an online site

Always remember that you need to have a good reputation as people will judge your credibility, as well. They will ask for your identify proof and your credibility before renting your place. However, you can register your name and apartment details with any reliable and official site, which is known for providing best rental places to the navigators. This will help you to come in direct contact with the prospective buyers, without problem. They might even ask for your credentials by checking the nearby police stations. Only a good reputation can help, in this regard.

However, you can take the help of online rental professionals who can offer some of the best tips and advices, which you must follow before renting your apartment. Follow their steps religiously for gaining maximum profit. This can be a serious helping hand for all.

Author Bio: Mark Benson will provide the best possible solutions when it comes to Dallas apartment locators, with years of experience under his sleeves.