Real Estate And Professional Development Courses
Those who have decided to take on a career in real estate will no doubt benefit by taking up professional courses and classes. Since this is a highly specialized profession with its own set of rules, protocol and etiquette it is highly advisable to do so. Real estate has many legal trimmings also and these have to be mastered by the aspiring real estate agent. And there are classes on going throughout out Canada and the territories such as Manitoba and Quebec for example.
When you have decided to take up these classes it is advisable that you do a bit of research first on what kinds of real estate course are available. There are quite a few to choose from depending on how you want to map out your career in this field. Of course no doubt you will start out with a starter class.
Later on you may decide to take on appraisal courses, upgrading courses and the like. Many of these courses are offered in the local chapters of your association for real estate. It is just a matter of asking the right people.
In the mind of the ordinary person the classes are relegated to a class that prepares you to get your license so that you can start selling, but actually there are professional courses that deal with other kinds of skills and knowledge in the industry. These professional courses can take the shape of reviewing for a renewal of your license, legal matters, up and coming developments in the profession amongst many others. These classes and courses can also serve as a venue to meet and collaborate with your peers.
The advantage of taking classes to prepare you for your examination cannot be stressed any stronger since most people wanting to enter the field have a very small inkling of the many quirks and subtleties that are involved in the profession. Therefore your very first class is probably the most important.
And schools do exist to provide these classes and courses, so there is quite a selection to choose from once you decide to look for one. Most importantly however in choosing the school for these classes is the faculty complement of the school in terms of ability, and professionalism. The school that you choose should have a track record and should be adequately priced in terms of its offerings.
Most of us do not want to go to school, but this is a repeated reality in the world of property markets where the classes can last for a few weeks on end. Other high return industries like direct selling organizations also provide training that will not last for more than a few days, and you do not need a license to sell their products. This is quite an attractive option for some also.
Thus perhaps you can weigh the options between direct selling and real estate, both give considerable returns but definitely quite different paths in achieving them. Both require a lot of personal dedication and rapport with customers and a lot of a go get them attitude.
6 Reasons to Avoid Short Sales When Buying a Home
A short sale is an agreed upon sales transaction that occurs when the value of a home falls below the amount outstanding on the mortgage loan. For example, suppose a property was purchased for $400,000 and the buyer secured financing for $350,000. If the value of the property drops to $320,000, the buyer is "upside down." He owes more than the home is worth.
In such cases, the current buyer can approach the lender and negotiate the sale of the property for an amount less than the outstanding loan. If the lender consents as an alternative to foreclosing, the property is prepared for a short sale.
New buyers are attracted to these properties because they initially seem like a bargain. In reality, there are many reasons to avoid them.
Tip 1 - Long Wait With An Uncertain Outcome
As the housing market began to crumble a few years ago, lenders' portfolios of short sale candidates started to grow. As a result, a backlog formed and quickly grew worse; lenders found themselves overwhelmed with the number of "troubled" properties on their books. Few deals received adequate attention.
For this reason, it's not uncommon to move forward with a potential purchase only to watch the transaction languish for months. Many realtors refuse to pursue these properties.
Tip 2 - Phantom Equity
A common mistake on the part of short sale buyers is to presume a home that has declined in value has built-in equity. This is a fallacy based on a misunderstanding of market values.
Using our earlier example, it would be a mistake - a costly one at that - to presume the home has $80,000 ($400,000 less $320,000) in built-in equity. The equity evaporated with the decline in market price.
Tip 3 - Additional Expenses Before Purchase
Most of these homes for sale are listed on an "as is" basis. The lender, in agreeing to accept a lower offer than the amount outstanding on the loan, is rarely willing to pay for repairs, inspections, and certifications. That means you will need to pay for termite inspections, roofing repairs, a home warranty, and other costs typically handled by the seller.
Tip 4 - Lack Of Seller Urgency
During a conventional transaction, the seller is usually eager to move forward. He or she is anxious to cover costs associated with buying and moving into a new home.
With a short sale, the dynamic is completely different. The seller is merely trying to avoid a foreclosure. However, when he or she discovers the impact of a short sale and a foreclosure on a credit report are similar, their urgency disappears. This can needlessly prolong the transaction.
Tip 5 - Lender Savvy Eliminates Bargains
Those who are looking for short sales often think they'll stumble upon astounding bargains (for example, houses with built-in phantom equity). Lenders are informed about property values. They are unlikely to offer distressed homes for sale at a price that is significantly below its market value.
Tip 6 - Last-Minute Changes
Short sale transactions are unpredictable because the lender can make last-minute changes to accommodate their interests. Making matters worse, the lender may not be particularly motivated to sell the distressed property in the first place. For buyers, this can be endlessly frustrating, especially given the already longer-than-normal sales process.
Is it possible to uncover a bargain in short sale properties? Yes, but doing so is rare. The market is more efficient than many buyers suspect. If a short sale home is priced at $320,000, it is because that is the market value for that property, not because of an inefficiency in the market. If you are still interested in pursuing troubled homes for sale, work with a realtor who has experience with this type of transaction.
Bad Credit Score Mortgage Loan Tips
Throughout these time of down economic periods, poor credit home loan re-finance mortgages tend to be more popular. These financing options will be particularly important for those who have got poor credit scores. Nevertheless, if you find yourself in this situation and need to refinance your mortgage then you have to be mindful and watch out for un-scrupulous loan companies around that are prepared to victimize anyone. Proceed through this content in order to obtain a few rules and guidelines in finding the correct loan company to obtain a refinance mortgage at the best terms.
Have patience whenever you are searching for a poor credit rating mortgage refinance mortgage that will help you during this difficult time. Any time you might have a poor credit rating, it's normal that mortgage loan companies you deal with are usually cautious whenever providing this kind of mortgage refinance. They're in operation of course in order to earn profits. Their profits are directly related to the success of their clients repaying the loan. You should not really feel intimidated whenever your application form is actually declined by them. Pace yourself because there are a large number of various other loan companies available who're even now are prepared to assist you. It is merely that you might require a longer period than those individuals with a good credit score to find one that's prepared to provide the mortgage with terms and conditions ideal for you.
Staying patient is one thing but you also need to complete the correct research prior to agreeing to any loan terms and conditions. Because there are a large number of loan companies available in the market focusing on mortgage refinance loans for those with bad credit, you have to discover who has the best terms for your situation and is also a reputable lender.
A great loan provider ought to deal with you correctly although you may possess a bad credit score as well as perhaps a bit distressed financially. If you discover some that tend to be rude or obnoxious to you personally, watch out for these because these loan companies tend to be unlikely prepared to assist you and could be actually attempt to cheat you and also bring you in to a lot more debts. In the event that one particular loan company will not really work with you on your terms you should search for other loan companies or banks that will.
Be cautious using loan companies that might be in the market to take advantage of your current financial hardship. In some instances, a person's personal finances are actually so poor that his/her house might be on the actual edge of foreclosure. Be cautious if you're in this kind of scenario. A few scrupulous loan providers might take full advantage of your circumstances and could provide you with choices that have undesirable conditions. Don't be taken in by these people and don't accept the actual terms and conditions when they are not whatsoever capable to be of assistance. Keep in mind that your new re-financed mortgage loan should really enable you to reduce your own fiscal load rather than contributing to your current financial difficulties and just add to your pile of bad debts. If you discover the financial institution is not really financially to you and your current situation you should not accept the terms and continue your search for a suitable lender.
If you are planning on selling your home yourself, or just want to know the places to list your house online, then it only makes sense to follow the trends. If you list your house on 100 websites, but none of them get a lot of exposure or traffic, then your odds of actually selling your house is low. On the other hand, if you choose the websites wisely, then listing your house on only a few of them can prove to be very effective. Here is a look at some of the websites that get the most visitors as well as the websites that Realtors use themselves.
List Your Home For Sale on These Sites
1.Realtor.com. Realtor.com is considered by many to the best or the best, and for good reason. Realtor.com is known for having millions of listings that buyers can browse through, from regions across the entire country. The home span all 50 states, thousands of cities and towns, and represent more than 800 MLS's. In a recent survey Realtor.com was the top choice of Realtors in regards to the most effective websites to list properties on. Additionally, it is consistently the real estate website that receives the most visitors every month. For example, in January of 2010, Realtor.com captured 6.73% of the US Market Share for total website visits. The next closest real estate website had only 3.73% (Yahoo! Real Estate) of the US Market Share for total website visits. If you are only going to list your house on one website, then Realtor.com should definitely be considered the front runner.
2.Craigslist. It seems like Craigslist has listings for everything these days, and listing homes for sale is no exception. Craigslist was the second most popular website among Realtors, a recent survey reported. Craigslist can provide a number of advantages over websites that are specifically designed for home listings. The first is that everyone knows about Craigslist, so it attracts a lot of people. The second advantage is that Craigslist allows listings to specifically target a certain region, or even a certain part of town. This means that only people considering making a purchase in that specific geographic area will see your listings. Finally, Craigslist can get your house seen by a lot of people, who may not have considered purchasing a home. It is highly used by people searching for rental properties, and may discover that purchasing your home is a better option than renting somewhere else.
3.Yahoo! Real Estate. After Realtor.com, Yahoo! Real Estate gets more traffic than any other US real estate website. In fact, after Yahoo! Real Estate there is a big drop off. Yahoo! is well-known for providing various listings, including job listings, rental listings, product listings, and of course real estate listings. Leveraging Yahoo!'s popularity as a research resource will get your home in front of thousands of people.
If you plan on using the internet when listing your home for sell, then Realtor.com, Craigslist, and Yahoo! Real Estate is definitely what you want to use first. Realtors consistently report them as being the most effective, and they all capture a giant share of US Market Share Visits on a monthly basis. This means that these 3 websites will ensure maximum online exposure for your listing.
Get to Know Your Letting Agent
A letting agent is a facilitator for an agreement between the owner and the tenant who will rent a place. It is important to know a letting agent’s experience and qualifications to make sure you are dealing with a reputable one. One has to understand what letting agents do to be able to find the perfect one for the job.
What Letting Agents Do
Introduction. A letting agent looks for a possible tenant to introduce to the owner. In other times, the owner doesn’t want to meet a tenant personally for privacy reasons.
Collection. An owner gives the letting agent a commission. The rate ranges from 1-3% of the total rental fee. The agent is responsible for collecting the fee from tenants.
Management. The agent takes care of communicating with the tenant, arranges schedule for maintenance and checkup as well as looking after the contract. Commission rate usually ranges from 5 to 10% of the annual rent.
Importance of Letting Agents
Market knowledge. An agent is more knowledgeable about the real estate market than any other person. A good agent can advise you of the right moves that concern your property.
Convenience. The agent takes care of all the hassles in renting. He is the one who fronts with the buyer and takes care of the demands and concerns of the buyer.
How To Choose
Look for organisations and get a list of their qualified agents. When searching for organisations, go for the one that has been in the industry for a long time. You may also pick someone who has a list of reputable clients.
Ask other landlords about their experiences. Do not be shy to ask if they have referrals.
Research on an agent’s or an organisation’s background before closing the deal.
What To Ask
Ask the agent how frequent is their scheduled inspection for the unit. Together with this, verify if there’s an extra charge for unit inspection.
Do ask how soon does the rent money can be transferred to your account. Ask if the commission will be deducted already before depositing the money.
Probe from agent what they will be looking for once they visit the unit to be rented.
In terms of maintenance, ask if the agent has his own group of people or they hire someone only when the need arises.
If they do have their own work team, ask the agent if the work team is part of a qualified organisation of builders. Confirm with them if you prefer affiliated workers.
Do ask the letting agent how soon he can respond if there is an emergency or something that needs immediate attention. It is advisable that an agent can attend to the unit and tenant’s needs.
If there are cases wherein a repair is needed, confirm with your agent the usual procedure. There are owners who prefer to receive a copy of the quotation before they allow changes in the unit.
When it comes to choosing a letting agent, it is also important to look for someone who you can get along with. Do not just zero in on the experience. Trust your gut-feel when it comes to picking the agent who you will entrust your property with.
Looking For Homes For Sale When Deciding to Downsize
For years, it was common for people to buy homes that offered far more space than they would realistically need - even with kids. Young couples would buy 2,500 sq. ft. houses; Small families with two children would only consider homes for sale that offered 3,000 square feet or more. The bigger, the better.
This trend has finally begun to recede as homeowners are now considering the benefits of downsizing. The sluggish economy has definitely played a role. Those who are struggling to make their mortgage payments have been forced to ponder the advantages of slashing those payments. But there are plenty of other reasons to consider moving into a smaller house.
In this article, we'll explore both sides of the issue. We'll first describe some of the reasons other homeowners have decided to downsize. We'll then take a look at the potential disadvantages. The following will provide a good foundation from which you can decide if downsizing makes sense for your lifestyle.
Reasons To Economize
As noted, one of the advantages to buying a smaller house is that your mortgage payments will be smaller. That means you'll have more money left over at the end of each month. This money can be used to build your investment portfolio, enjoy more frequent vacations, or pay a child's tuition.
Second, it's less expensive to keep a smaller home running than a larger one. For example, it's less costly to keep the inside warm during the winter, cool during the summer, and well-lit year-round.
A third benefit to downsizing is that a small house is far easier to keep clean than a large one. Those who purchased large homes years ago were often surprised by the time and effort required to clean them.
Together, the smaller mortgage payments, lower energy costs, and less effort required for cleaning make owning an economy-sized house less stressful. Many homeowners are shocked by the differences once they make the transition.
Are There Drawbacks To A Smaller House?
Buying a smaller house can pose a few potential drawbacks, depending on your priorities. For example, you'll have less room for hosting get togethers with friends and family. Letting visitors stay overnight may also prove challenging.
Second, a lot of homeowners prioritize outward appearances. A smaller house seems less impressive than a larger one. It may convey the idea that the homeowner is less wealthy or influential than he or she would like to be perceived.
Another drawback of downsizing is that doing so requires throwing away a sizable portion of the homeowner's belongings. There's seldom enough room in the new, smaller home to accommodate everything. The only alternative is to place extra couches, tables, and other furniture into storage.
There are many economy-sized homes for sale that can satisfy the needs of most homeowners. But migrating from a larger home to a smaller poses significant changes. It takes time to adapt.
The Market Means Little
When making the transition, a lot of homeowners are focused on selling and buying at the right time. That is, they prefer to sell their larger house at the top of the market - thereby, reaping maximum appreciation - and buy their smaller house when prices drop.
Timing the real estate market is a dangerous goal. It rarely, if ever, produces the expected outcome. Moreover, the prices of both the old (i.e. large) and new (i.e. small) houses follow the same path. A 7% rise or drop in broad market values will be reflected in both properties.
Downsizing represents an ideal solution for homeowners who find owning larger properties overwhelming. In fact, as the public begins to retire their debt and prioritize their savings, we'll likely see more people begin looking for smaller homes for sale.
