Posts from November, 2009
A short sale may be a good alternative for Plano homeowners who can no longer make their mortgage payments and want to try to avoid a foreclosure. However, navigating these long and confusing transactions can be challenging for even the most seasoned real estate professional. A Plano Realtor can add value to a real estate transaction and can help home buyers and sellers and effectively negotiate short sale transaction. A short sale is a real estate transaction where the homeowner’s mortgage company agrees to let the owner sell the house for less than is owed on the mortgage and then the bank forgives the borrower the difference. The benefit of a short sale is that the lender often receives a higher amount of the remaining loan balance than if the home went through the foreclosure process. Short sales also help homeowners reduce the damage to their credit. Foreclosures are much more expensive for lenders than short sales.With Plano Real Estate a common short sale challenge is in obtaining an accurate value of the short sale properties. Furthermore, streamlining the short sale process can help increase the speed and success of each short sale transaction. Here are many of the steps necessary for an effective short sale.
- Find out the true value of your property. A professional Plano Realtor can provide you with a market analysis, via the Plano MLS, and give you a good idea of what your home might sell for.
- You also need to calculate your estimated closing costs. Items such as a title report, escrow, appraisal, attorney fees, agent commissions, unpaid property taxes etc.
- You will need to know how much you owe on your mortgage(s). Include all loans on the property in your calculations.
- You will need to contact your lender and explain your financial situation. Make sure you talk to someone who has the authority to make the necessary decisions. Most lenders have a loss mitigation department that you can contact. Lenders are under no obligation to accept a short sale but many times it is in their best interests to do so. Some lenders will not commit to a short sale until you have missed a payment or two. Some will not accept short sales at all.
- Consider your tax obligations! Many times there can be a substantial tax obligation after a short sale has occurred. Be sure to talk with an accountant or tax attorney to figure out how much money you may owe the IRS if you proceed with a short sale.
- Find a buyer and write a contract spelling out all the details. The lender will have to approve the buyers offer.
When putting your Dallas home on the market for sale it is of utmost importance to get as much information as you can about your local market conditions. Buyers are interested in more than the features of your home they also want to know about the community you live in and what it has to offer. This is a useful selling tool you can provide them about your community, shopping, school, churches etc. Landscape is most important for that first impression. The outside of your Dallas house is just as important as its inside as far as first impressions go. To get top dollar for your house you need to sell more than the house itself. Clean the house, the yard, trim shrubs, water, plant flowers whatever you think you can do to make it look its best. The goal is to get buyers through the front door.
Get rid of clutter, pack it away and put it in storage, or in an unfinished basement, not in the garage. You want your home to look as spacious and open as possible. . Give your home a clean, organized, clutter free look. Hide or get rid of torn/broken furniture and try to get everything cleaned. Add color and a fresh sent to your home with freshly cut flowers. These steps are simple but taking these steps can go a long way in getting sell your home for most amount of money. Little changes can make a huge difference when it comes to selling Dallas Real Estate.You have to set the right price for your home by studying the local housing market. A Dallas Realtor can help you do this by accessing the Dallas MLS. Easy step is to compare similar homes that are for sale and that have sold. Each home has something different to offer so take into account what yours has to offer and what it doesn’t. Buyers these days are well informed and if your home is priced too high then you may not get the traffic you expected and your home will sit on the market for months, many months. A few Dallas Foreclosures on your street may bring you value down a little.Home staging is another critical step for selling your Dallas home. Taking great photos for internet advertising is a must. You need to get people to drive out and look at your house. The other homes that you are competing with might not be as nice, but if they look great on the Internet people are going to tour them before they tour yours. Most Dallas home buyers shop for homes on the Internet. Many real estate listings on the Internet have poor quality photos and poor descriptions. When people are buying a new home can become an obsession to them. They spend most of their free time in front of their computer looking for the perfect home. You need to have good Internet exposure and include your professional photos and information about your home. Sellers want to get the most money out of the sale of their home as possible. Don’t miss out on thousands of dollars simply because your home was not prepared in advance. .
Get rid of clutter, pack it away and put it in storage, or in an unfinished basement, not in the garage. You want your home to look as spacious and open as possible. . Give your home a clean, organized, clutter free look. Hide or get rid of torn/broken furniture and try to get everything cleaned. Add color and a fresh sent to your home with freshly cut flowers. These steps are simple but taking these steps can go a long way in getting sell your home for most amount of money. Little changes can make a huge difference when it comes to selling Dallas Real Estate.You have to set the right price for your home by studying the local housing market. A Dallas Realtor can help you do this by accessing the Dallas MLS. Easy step is to compare similar homes that are for sale and that have sold. Each home has something different to offer so take into account what yours has to offer and what it doesn’t. Buyers these days are well informed and if your home is priced too high then you may not get the traffic you expected and your home will sit on the market for months, many months. A few Dallas Foreclosures on your street may bring you value down a little.Home staging is another critical step for selling your Dallas home. Taking great photos for internet advertising is a must. You need to get people to drive out and look at your house. The other homes that you are competing with might not be as nice, but if they look great on the Internet people are going to tour them before they tour yours. Most Dallas home buyers shop for homes on the Internet. Many real estate listings on the Internet have poor quality photos and poor descriptions. When people are buying a new home can become an obsession to them. They spend most of their free time in front of their computer looking for the perfect home. You need to have good Internet exposure and include your professional photos and information about your home. Sellers want to get the most money out of the sale of their home as possible. Don’t miss out on thousands of dollars simply because your home was not prepared in advance. .
Is President Obama’s mortgage modification program helping Plano homeowners and is he doing enough to help people save their homes? Obama let congress take the bankruptcy modification bill out of the stimulus package. The $75 billion loan modification mortgage plan lacks teeth and is not very direct. The wording in the plan asks the banks to try and work with the home owners and try to give them some mortgage modification help or refinance them but there is no requirement to do so. From a financial institution’s point of view they don’t want to do any mortgage modifications. They are in business to make money and they may lose money if they give modify home owners mortgages. This is where the plan makes little sense. These lenders need to be forced to help home owners. Our politicians just gave them the money and said to them please do the right thing. The government needs to stop giving these lenders money without telling them what to do with it. We are going into debt way beyond our generation, and the next generation for that matter, only to the benefit of the lenders. If we can get the money to the people that really need it then we have a chance of getting this mess turned around. If we put more money in the hands of the Plano home owners by lowering their mortgages and therefore giving them more disposable income they may have a chance. Even in this challenging market there is an opportunity to buy Plano Real Estate. To get a better value you may want to consider looking into buying a Plano Foreclosure. Most of the Plano Foreclosures can be found by a Plano Realtor in the MLS. Due diligence, careful thought and a little faith will go a long way in finding that perfect Plano home that you will enjoy for many years to come. You may find out that it will turn out to be a great investment as well.As with all major decisions you want to make sure you get all the information you can about a specific home and the community in which it is located and get the best advice possible. You will want to consider using the services of an experienced Plano Realtor who can help you with your due diligence, negotiations, and Handel all the details through closing. Depending on your personal circumstances may also want to consult an attorney and/or a tax advisor.
You have probably seen the infomercials that portray investing in foreclosed houses as a sure money making thing. Talking to people actually buying foreclosures they are saying that buying a foreclosed home to flip or rent out isn't an easy undertaking. As foreclosure inventory continues to rise it seem the purchase of a foreclosed home is timely but the typical deal comes with more problems than the average do it yourselfer can handle. With that said investing in a foreclosure can be rewarding if you're willing to do your homework. Range of DiscountsHow much of a discount you need to make a deal work depends on your goals for that property. The shorter the time you intend to hold a property the greater discount you will need. You should buy homes for 30% off market value if you plan to flip the property, and 10% if you intend to rent it out long term, it must cash flow though. Buying OpportunitiesForeclosure Auctions: At a foreclosure auction, you buy the house "as is" and you might not be able to do more than look through the windows prior to the auction. There are no inspection periods for these types of properties. You could be bidding on a home that has been vandalized or that has severe deterred maintenance. Vacant homes may have water or mold damage. And the property may have legal challenges: liens, difficult-to-evict tenants or, in some states, a mandatory "redemption period" that gives the former owner time to try to get the home back.REO: REO’s (Real Estate Owned) that lenders have bought back at auction, generally offer the easiest route for foreclosure purchases. With an REO, you won't become involved with a stressed homeowner facing foreclosure. Although an REO is likely to be sold "as is," you will have the right to an inspection, a title search and contingencies. Another advantage: You can finance the purchase with a conventional loan, assuming the home is habitable. However, the buyer of an REO is generally not likely to get as deep a discount as an investor in other kinds of foreclosures. Due Diligence It is a great time to by DFW real estate. You may want to consider purchasing a DFW Foreclosure. It is a good idea to get a professional DFW Realtor on your side to represent your interest. Although they represent you the seller, in most cases, pays their commission, giving you more money to work with. Your DFW Realtor can help make sure you do not pay too much for your foreclosed property. They have access to the DFW MLS and can give you the sales prices of compare sales of similar properties. Some careful thought and a little faith and you will be on your way to owning a foreclosed home.
Choose a Plano Home for Your LifestyleThere’s a variety of homes for a variety of lifestyles. You will probably have different needs if you are retired than if you are raising a family of four. Single-family homes: Single Family Homes are free-standing structures that don’t share walls with any other homes.
- Duplexes: Duplexes are residential complexes consisting of two separate residential units that are attached.
- Condominiums: Also known as condos are typically apartment-style properties within a building or complex. The units are owned individually and the common parts of the property, such as the grounds and building structure, which are owned jointly by the unit owners.
- Housing co-operatives: Co-op owners own shares in a legal entity, typically a corporation that owns a group of homes, usually one or more apartment buildings. Each shareholder usually has a lease agreement with the co-op, and the co-op's rules provide tenure for its residents.
- Price: Research comparable home sales to insure that you are not over paying for your Plano home. Access to the Plano MLS is the best way to do this research.
- Title: Have a local Title Company research the title to make sure it is clear; that is, free of liens, easements, and other encumbrances?
- CCRs: Are there any covenants, codes, and restrictions on the property? Is the property fall under a Home Owners Association?
- Insurance: Can I get the proper insurance at an affordable rate? Is the property located in a designated flood zone?
- Deed: What type of deed will I be getting? This item is often overlook but is of the utmost importance. Check with the title company for your options.
Plano Home Seller TipsMany Plano home sellers have unrealistic expectations about their property value. Many Plano home owners think they set the selling price when in fact it’s the buyers and the market who set the price. Some sellers get the idea in their head that their house should sell for say $225,000 because they bought it a few years ago for $180,000. They may have bought the house when the market was stronger, and in a softer market, their house may not be worth what they expect. If you don't price your home correctly to the market condition, you simply won't sell it.How do you set the price of your home?
There are three tools you should use, an appraiser, a Plano Realtor, and a list of recent home selling prices in your neighborhood commonly referred to a home market analysis. If you wisely chose your Plano Realtor and they have experience in your neighborhood, they can guide you to a probable selling price and you can use a list of recent selling prices from the Plano MLS as a guide.
Nice it up before you list.
Before you turn your put your home on the market, make sure it’s in its best condition. First impressions count and the first thing buyers see is your front lawn and garden. Make sure that your lawn is in good shape, and the edging is perfect edge along the perimeter. Repair any cosmetic damage to the house that can be seen from the outside. All of this makes a world of difference. You don’t want any disappointments when the buyers drive up to look at the house. Put yourself in the buyers shoes and list the items that make a house undesirable. Think curb appeal. Spending a few dollars on some flowers can go a long way. How To Interview And Hire A Real Estate Agent
Ask to see the Real Estate Agent’s marketing plan. By using popular Plano Real Estate web sites you are pitting local real estate agents against one another to compete for your business. You should ask your seller's agent specifically to outline their Internet strategy so that the largest number of potential buyers sees your house. Increasingly savvy home buyers are using online real estate web sites to search for houses and real estate agents. The big name Real estate agents tend to draw more buyers than independent agencies, although you can still get excellent service from an independent real estate agent. Have a good Internet marketing plan to sell your home
Many people don't realize that just by adding your home listing to a regional online classifieds, it could get picked up by the major real estate portals sites like Realtor.com. Many real estate portals are constantly signing deals with MLSs and regional home listings to display their listings when users of the portals search for a house. If your house is not on any of these internet sites, you'll lose out. This is why it's very crucial to see your Plano real estate agent's internet marketing plan, and to know what sites your listing will appear on. Internet listings are crucial to get your house sold, especially to out of town buyers who are unfamiliar with your area, and your listing is the only one they know.
There are three tools you should use, an appraiser, a Plano Realtor, and a list of recent home selling prices in your neighborhood commonly referred to a home market analysis. If you wisely chose your Plano Realtor and they have experience in your neighborhood, they can guide you to a probable selling price and you can use a list of recent selling prices from the Plano MLS as a guide.
Nice it up before you list.
Before you turn your put your home on the market, make sure it’s in its best condition. First impressions count and the first thing buyers see is your front lawn and garden. Make sure that your lawn is in good shape, and the edging is perfect edge along the perimeter. Repair any cosmetic damage to the house that can be seen from the outside. All of this makes a world of difference. You don’t want any disappointments when the buyers drive up to look at the house. Put yourself in the buyers shoes and list the items that make a house undesirable. Think curb appeal. Spending a few dollars on some flowers can go a long way. How To Interview And Hire A Real Estate Agent
Ask to see the Real Estate Agent’s marketing plan. By using popular Plano Real Estate web sites you are pitting local real estate agents against one another to compete for your business. You should ask your seller's agent specifically to outline their Internet strategy so that the largest number of potential buyers sees your house. Increasingly savvy home buyers are using online real estate web sites to search for houses and real estate agents. The big name Real estate agents tend to draw more buyers than independent agencies, although you can still get excellent service from an independent real estate agent. Have a good Internet marketing plan to sell your home
Many people don't realize that just by adding your home listing to a regional online classifieds, it could get picked up by the major real estate portals sites like Realtor.com. Many real estate portals are constantly signing deals with MLSs and regional home listings to display their listings when users of the portals search for a house. If your house is not on any of these internet sites, you'll lose out. This is why it's very crucial to see your Plano real estate agent's internet marketing plan, and to know what sites your listing will appear on. Internet listings are crucial to get your house sold, especially to out of town buyers who are unfamiliar with your area, and your listing is the only one they know.
For a long time now we have been hearing about a real estate bubble and the burst of that bubble. This bursting of the bubble theory is in reaction to the substantial increases in home values in many areas of the county, has recently grown into almost a full-blown paranoia, largely fed by the media and talking heads news reporters. This thought of the “bursting” of the real estate bubble seems to be based on not much more than the collective fear that real estate values throughout the country may, at any time “fall off the cliff”. However, there seems to be no rationale reasoning that supports this fear; just that prices are too high and can’t go any higher. Was there ever a bubble in the DFW real estate market? As we know now there actually was a national real estate bubble but was there a bubble in the DFW Real Estate Market? There is no indication that there ever was a DFW Real Estate bubble. That’s why we are not experiencing a “bust” in the DFW Real Estate Market. Why? Because of a number of factual, economic-based realities about the DFW Real Estate market keeps the Metroplex as one of the strongest and most sought after metropolitan areas to live in the country. Take a look at any web site that gives you access to the DFW MLS. In the DFW MLS you can see that there are now more houses on the market and these houses are staying on the market a little longer but the reality is that the prices of DFW homes has held relatively steady and have actually increased in some areas. If these DFW homes are in good condition and price correctly they will still sell in a relatively short amount of time. The DFW Metroplex consistently ranks high among the best places to live in the Western United States. DFW Real Estate has maintained its value over the past several years, while many other markets around the country have struggled. Ask any DFW Realtor and they will describe the DFW Real Estate market as Calm and Steady, “Steady as She Goes”. Calmer heads have always prevailed in the DFW area and we should expect the same in the future. For a long time now we have been hearing about a real estate bubble and the burst of that bubble. This bursting of the bubble theory is in reaction to the substantial increases in home values in many areas of the county, has recently grown into almost a full-blown paranoia, largely fed by the media and talking heads news reporters. This thought of the “bursting” of the real estate bubble seems to be based on not much more than the collective fear that real estate values throughout the country may, at any time “fall off the cliff”. However, there seems to be no rationale reasoning that supports this fear; just that prices are too high and can’t go any higher. Was there ever a bubble in the DFW real estate market? As we know now there actually was a national real estate bubble but was there a bubble in the <a href="http://www.viprealtyplatinum.com/">DFW Real Estate</a> Market? There is no indication that there ever was a DFW Real Estate bubble. That’s why we are not experiencing a “bust” in the DFW Real Estate Market. Why? Because of a number of factual, economic-based realities about the DFW Real Estate market keeps the Metroplex as one of the strongest and most sought after metropolitan areas to live in the country. Take a look at any web site that gives you access to the <a href="http://www.viprealtyplatinum.com/idx/?select_county=Collin">DFW MLS</a>. In the DFW MLS you can see that there are now more houses on the market and these houses are staying on the market a little longer but the reality is that the prices of DFW homes has held relatively steady and have actually increased in some areas. If these DFW homes are in good condition and price correctly they will still sell in a relatively short amount of time. The DFW Metroplex consistently ranks high among the best places to live in the Western United States. DFW Real Estate has maintained its value over the past several years, while many other markets around the country have struggled. Ask any <a href="http://www.viprealtyplatinum.com/aboutus.php">DFW Realtor</a> and they will describe the DFW Real Estate market as Calm and Steady, “Steady as She Goes”. Calmer heads have always prevailed in the DFW area and we should expect the same in the future.


