What is Real Estate

Writen by Brandon Bruce

San Diego is home to millions of beautiful apartments, condominiums, and single-family homes. Depending on the type of living arrangement you're looking for, and how much space you'll need, you should look at the appropriate San Diego real estate listings that fit your preferences and budget. Here are some of the San Diego real estate listing options you'll find:

Condo listings. The majority of the condos for in San Diego are for sale rather than for rent. Buying a condo could be a good financial move for you; condos are more affordable than homes but they still allow you to build equity and build credit. Condos in the San Diego area range in price from about $200,000 to $800,000. Although this may sound pricey, it is much more affordable than most of the area's real estate. Additionally, many of the condominiums in San Diego real estate are in gated communities, and you can find condos in just about every area of San Diego, from North County Inland and North County Coastal, to Central San Diego and South Bay. And if you have a family, you can still consider a condo—some of them have just as much space as a single-family home, if not more. There are also at least 5 schools in close proximity to each condominium complex, and some neighborhoods even have a community center that will keep you posted on the types of activities that are going on close to the neighborhood, including concerts, fine restaurants, and theater events. Some of the most well-known condo neighborhoods in San Diego include Mission Valley Condos, Cortez Hill, Nestor, and Lemon Grove.

Apartment Listings. When you're looking for apartment listings, set up a price range for yourself, and decide how many bedrooms you want. Be prepared to pay more if you want more space. Prices usually range from about $795-$2300 per month, and you can find studio, one, two, and three bedroom apartments within these price ranges. Of course, there are plenty of apartments to choose from in San Diego real estate listings, but surrounding cities such as Chula Vista, Oceanside, and Solana Beach can provide you with affordable luxury apartments that are outside the hustle and bustle of the big city, but close enough for you to get to any major sports or arts events you may want to attend.

Home Listings. You'll most likely have to go through similar procedures to search through San Diego real estate home listings as you would in any other area. However, after you have searched for some San Diego real estate listings online and via snail mail, you should contact a few real estate agents in the area to ask general questions about the area's real estate options for single family homes, neighborhood demographics, and local school district information. San Diego real estate gives you plenty to choose from, since it's a big city with lots of options for living arrangements. Be sure to work with a trustworthy local real estate agent that has sufficient experience, and schedule a visit to San Diego before finalizing anything—nothing can tell you for sure whether you really want to live somewhere besides seeing it.

With all the options that San Diego real estate has to offer, you'll be sure to find a home—or condo or apartment—that you'll enjoy. Good luck!

Inside Real Estate in a network entirely devoted to real estate information. Our staff of nationwide writers has provided a library of over 25,000 real estate articles. Inside-Real-Estate covers several topics from the basic "how to's" of real estate to city specific real estate information.

Writen by Carmen Natschke

When you are selling your home the phrase "You will never get a second chance to make a good first impression" should be first and foremost on your mind. That's why it's important to thoroughly plan and prepare your home for sell. The tips below will help you make the best first impression.

Clean House
Sounds like common sense but I've seen enough homes that fail that first test. The smell of a closed up or dirty house will instantly make your potential buyer make a U-turn and find his way out the door quickly. If your home isn't in tip top shape consider hiring a cleaning service to create a clean and fresh image that buyers will appreciate.

Floor Planning and Traffic Flow
Study your current furniture & room layout and determine if that is the best configuration. Take into account traffic flow patterns. Homeowners grow accustomed to their surroundings and may not even realize they have a floor plan issue or that they don't have enough space to comfortably walk between the sofa and the entertainment center. Fixing a floor plan and/or traffic flow issue can be as simple as re-arranging furniture to better show off features of a room. You don't want potential buyers tripping over the sofa or having to suck in their stomachs to get by some ill placed chairs and tables. They will remember that feeling of discomfort and associate it with the house. They may also leave thinking that your home is much smaller than it actually is because of the poor layout.

Be Brutally Honest about your Home's Cosmetic Shortcomings
Take note of all cosmetic defects and set out to fix them before your potential buyer ever has a chance to see them. It's easier to fix a cosmetic defect before a buyer see's it than later. The impression has been made and the sale may have been lost.

Leave the 60's, 70's, 80's
Updates may be necessary if your home resembles the set of "I Dream Of Jeannie" , "The Brady Bunch" or "Miami Vice". Outdated decor, furnishings and colors are a turn-off to many buyers. This is probably one of the hardest things to do because you probably aren't aware of your home decor or style. Speak to your realtor or a close friend and ask them to give you their honest opinion. Let them know that you don't want it sugar-coated just the facts so you can get started on fixing the issue at home thereby getting you closer to the sale of your home.

Room By Room
Bedroom should always feel bright and airy. If it's not be prepared to make it so. Neutral color schemes that evoke a serene feeling are the best. Look at photos of luxury hotel rooms for inspiration.

Bathroom should be well-lit, clean and smell fresh. Toilet seat should be in the down position. Mirrors should be streak free and shiny. Put your personal care items away. Again think of creating a bathroom like one you would find in a luxury hotel. There should be very little traces of you - that makes it easier for the potential buyer to see herself in "her" bathroom not yours. If you need to go out and buy new bath linens in neutral colors. Ratty towels send the wrong message and the same goes for dirty bath mats and moldy shower curtains. Investing a few dollars into updating and upgrading decorative items, bath accessories and bath linens will pay handsomely later.

Closets and storage spaces should look organized and not over-stuffed. Potential buyers are interested in closet space that appears like it can hold all their belongings, wardrobe etc. You need to remove the bulk and create a sense of airiness and space. Even if you have a huge walk in closet, if it is stuffed to the top it will send the wrong message.

Kitchen should obviously be clean and uncluttered. Potential home-buyers are not interested in your vast array of cookbooks precariously piled on a counter. They need to visualize themselves cooking and living in that area. If one-third of your counter space is filled with books, knick-knacks and other items a potential buyer will immediately think that there isn't enough room for her stuff. You need to create the impression that space abounds and that everything she has will fit quite nicely. Kitchens are a major selling feature and you need to highlight that fact by:

• displaying sufficient counter space
• highlighting storage that is well-utilized and not over-stuffed and cramped
• providing bright illumination / lighting from both artificial and natural light sources
• removing all magnets, photos, list, etc from the refrigerator door

Green, Green and more Green
Think of green as the new beige. It is a neutral and can be used to your advantage. Add fresh plants and flowers to the rooms in your homes. Remember to care for live plants - dead leaves or worse dead plants send the wrong message to potential buyers. They will wonder what else you failed to care for. Beautiful silk or poly-silk botanicals can be substituted for live plants in your home. They will give you the same fresh visual image as live plants without the hassle of caring for them.

What about Fido and Kitty?
Remember that we may love our pets and consider them part of the family but not everyone feels that way. Therefore do the best you can to minimize their presence. Also keep in mind that some individuals may have pet allergies so you may want to send your pet to a Pet Resort - specially if you are holding an Open House. Remove their toys, kitty condos, food /water dishes and litter box. It may be a slight inconvenience for you and your pet but again it's one of those little things that pay back handsomely. You don't want to lose a potential buyer because they are terrified of, are allergic to or just hate animals. On a side-note to those with large dogs in the back-yard. Your potential buyer may and probably will want to venture out into what they some day hope will be their backyard. Don't ruin it by having them accidently step in a "little surprise". Clean your pet's outside areas and again minimize any chance of "suprises" that can dampen your sales prospects.

Just Say No
It may feel that you are supressing your personality a bit in order to sell your home and that is true. However it is necessary in order to appeal to the greatest number of potential buyers. So here goes some more personality suppression:

• Get rid of the flamingos, gnomes or any statues that may be deemed offensive. This speaks for itself - leave your lawn for flowers and graceful landscaping.
• Political signs are a major no-no. This is the fastest way to lose a sale. If your potential buyer differs from you politically they may not even bother getting out of their car to go see your home.
• Dirty clothes strewn throughout the house. You may feel like a free spirit and just want to drop your clothes any where but you potential home-owner may not appreciate your sense of free spirit
• Strong wall colors : Gothic Black, Lime Green... Most buyers prefer neutral tones - give them what they want.

Carmen Natschke is an award winning designer and co-founder of roominakit.com an online home decor shop and decorating resource. Carmen is passionate about decorating and has shared that passion with hundreds of women through her Decorating Divas workshops and seminars. She is currently working on her book "Decorate Like A Pro" which is based on the innovative approach to decorating taught in her workshops and seminars. Read other decorating articles by Carmen or visit her decorating blog for daily decorating advice and articles.

Writen by Andrew T. Johnson

- Your Buyer's Agent will suggest an offering price or give you an opinion about whether a particular Wisconsin property is priced correctly.

- Your Buyer's Agent will offer a critique of a seller's property beyond disclosing defects and will look for adverse material defects for your benefit.

- Your Buyer's Agent will help you write the offer with your best interests in mind.

- Your Buyer's Agent will help find information about the property's history and liens so you can make an informed decision.

- Your Buyer's Agent will give you advice within the scope of expertise as a licensed Wisconsin Real Estate Professional.

- Your Buyer's Agent will help you in obtaining financing.

- Your Buyer's Agent will inform you of local real estate market conditions.

- Your Wisconsin Buyer's Agent will help you negotiate the purchase and assist you in the transaction to help you get the best possible price.

- Your Wisconsin Buyer's Agent will provide honest treatment, loyalty, confidentiality, and financial accountability.

- Your Buyer's Agent will structure the offer with your best interests in mind.

A Buyer's Agent is almost always a free service, this is because the Buyer's Agent is paid from the Listing Agents commission. In the end a Wisconsin Buyer's Agent will save you time and money.

http://www.wisconsinrealtysolutions.com

Andrew T. Johnson
Wisconsin Realty Solutions
http://www.wisconsinrealtysolutions.com

Writen by Timothy Wright

It's always wise to have an idea of what type of property you're looking for when considering an investment and this article outlines 8 of the different factors to consider when researching specific locations.

1. Infrastructure

It's important to consider a town's infrastructure when looking for an investment property, especially in terms of what future investment is to be made in that area.

Local Authorities and Councils will have an annual budget for both the maintenance of current infrastructure and also for the construction of new infrastructure projects. Finding out how much the annual budget is and future investment will give you an idea of how proactive the authority is in attracting new residents, extra funding and business opportunities.

Most councils will be happy to provide most of the information and a lot of it will appear on their websites. Also look at the websites of local big businesses to get information on their future plans which will attract investment and create new jobs in the area.

2. Proximity to Amenities

In most cases, the main purpose in buying an investment property is to attract tenants who will pay a weekly or monthly rent.

It's important to know what type of tenants you are looking to attract and so any potential investment property will need to be close to the amenities required by the tenants. A city worker will want to rent a property close to shops and transport whereas a farmer will have different requirements.

Most properties in close proximity to the town will rent fairly easily compared to those which are a 15 minute drive outside of the town. Properties close to the town will also attract tenants who don't have their own transport.

So it's best to know what your tenants requirements will be before you purchase.

3. Local Employers

It will always be easier to find tenants in towns where there are large employers in the vicinity. These include factories, large shopping malls, hospitals and universities.

With hospitals, many of the employees may be employed on a temporary basis and so owning or buying their own property in the area may not be a choice for them and renting is the easier option. Also, in the case of universities, a lot of the students will come from out of town and so renting is again the best option. This offers them more flexibility however it also means that your investment property could be vacant during certain months of the year and may switch tenants on a regular basis.

Again, be sure to research the future plans of these employers. If a major employer is due to shutdown or relocate in the near future then there will be a glut of empty properties with landlords doing whatever they can to fill them including drastically reducing the rent.

4. Geographic Location

This will determine both the type of tenant you get and also how easy your investment property will be to rent out.

Holiday properties near the ski fields will command a higher rent than a property in the city however it may only rent out for a few weeks per year. A beach house will also be in the same position. Again, it's important to understand the type of tenants in the area, what they are looking for, how much they are willing to spend, etc.

A beach house may command a high rent but may only attract retirees who are willing to pay top dollar and so this narrows the number of potential tenants. Properties closer to cities and amenities will likely attract a higher number of tenants willing to pay a lower weekly rent.

5. Demographics

Spend time understanding the demographics of the areas population and you will have a better idea of the type of tenant you can expect.

Find out the populations' average salary, the different age brackets, percentage of those married and single and the percentage of the population that rent.

The demographic information will show if the town's population has been growing or declining over the past number of years and therefore if an investment is a safe bet. It will give you an idea of the earning capacity of tenants and how much rent you can expect.

It may also show movements of parts of the population to new parts of the same area due to factory closures, increase in crime etc.

6. Property Median Prices

Historical property prices will be a good indicator to the fluctuations in property values in the area over time.

A property may look like a bargain at first glance but with a little research you may discover that the same or similar properties changed hands previously for a lot more money. There may be a simple explanation for this such as a vendor wanting a quick sale but it may also reflect a dive in the local property market for various reasons.

Median prices will give an indication of what you can expect to pay for the different types of properties (no. of beds, land size, etc) in the area and the figures may also show the number of recent sales. The historical figures will also give a pattern of historical growth or decline in the area over time and this could be used to indicate a property's future value.

7. Occupancy/Vacancy Rates

Each area will have a certain percentage of rental properties tenanted (occupied) and the remainder without tenants (vacant). Towns with a high vacancy rate (normally deemed to be more than 4%) will make it possibly harder to find tenants to fill your rental property as it shows a lot of competition for too few renters.

Too few renters will also mean that landlords will have to be more creative in attracting tenants and may need to reduce the rent and offer other incentives to entice renters.

Areas with high employment and a strong outlook for the future are likely to have a higher occupancy rate and this may even cause competition amongst renters, allowing landlords to set higher rents.

8. Property Managers

Finding a trustworthy property manager is important if you will not be looking after the property yourself in terms of finding tenants and collecting the weekly or monthly rent.

Good property managers will communicate regularly, carry out periodic property inspections, arrange repairs and, most importantly, regularly deposit the rent (minus expenses) to your bank account.

There are also many other duties a property manager can carry out and it's important to question those managers in the potential area to find one or more likely candidates that are going to take care of your investment.

Find out how many rental properties they manage, how long they've been in business and ay other questions you deem necessary until you find one you are happy with.

In closing, the above points are only guides for you to learn more about an area before you make an investment. There may be more factors you'll need to consider depending on your situation but if you research the above you naturally increase the amount of knowledge you have about the area. And the more knowledge you have will reduce the risk of a potentially poor investment.

Tim Wright is an international property investor and regular article contributor. He is the author of "Bulgarian Property - The Overseas Buyers' Kit available at http://www.bulgarianpropertybuyer.co.uk

Writen by Bill Brynelsen

Ask just about any traditional real estate agent what he / she thinks about giving back part of their commission to their home buying clients in the form of a real estate rebate and you just put a stick in a hornet's nest. Most Big Brand Name Real Estate companies continue to do business the traditional way and get away with out offering real estate rebates to their home-buying clients.

One of the biggest reasons traditional agents get away with not offering rebates is because most homebuyers are not very well informed about buyer rebates. How they work, where the money comes from, will a rebate affect the price they may pay for that next home or are they even legal in the first place? While there is no law on the books in any state that says real estate agents must offer a rebate. Homebuyers should at least know they exist and have some basic knowledge about how rebates work so they may make an informed decision when it comes to using an agent that offers a rebate or one that does not.

To be honest, just the word rebate sounds cheap. For me it congers up images of my dad mailing in a rebate form so he can get two bucks back on a case of Pennzoil. And, there is nothing wrong with that. A penny saved is a penny earned.

But, rebates provide homebuyers with far more than just a couple of bucks back. A good homebuyers rebate can add up to thousands of dollars off the price of your next home purchase. Rebates to homebuyers can range from one half of one percent to as much as two percent of the homes purchase price. The rebate my company offers (New Market Realty, Inc.) is 1.5%. So, on the purchase of a $300,000 home my buyer clients will receive a check and lower the price of their new home by $4,500. Now that's money any homebuyer should want to get back!

But, it's been very slow going for real estate companies offering rebates. Even with Nontraditional real estate companies advertising heavily online they still represent just a fraction of the $61 billion in commissions that were paid out last year in the U.S. real estate market. Discounting transactions totaled just 2 percent of home sales, according to results of a study issued this summer (2005) by the U.S. Government Accountability Office.

The controversy surrounding rebates has The National Association Of Realtors taking a buyer-beware attitude. Mr. Stevens, current president of the NAR has been quoted as saying "In some senses, you get what you pay for." Mr. Stevens has also been quoted, as saying home buying is "too big a transaction not to work with an expert." Well, Mr. Stevens I personally don't feel we, as Realtors should be trying to scare homebuyers back into the dark ages of traditional real estate. I also would like my readers to note that I am a dues paying, member in good standing, licensed Realtor® I also consider myself an expert on the home selling and buying process.

Just for the record. All real estate agents under the rules of the NAR and state law are required to take and pass a state test in order to receive a real estate license. And, all real estate agents must take state required continuing education classes in order to keep their real estate license and to stay current with real estate practices in their state.

For Mr. Stevens or any traditional real estate agent for that matter, to imply or suggest that a real estate agent offering buyer rebates or listing homes for a flat fee is some how less of an expert than a traditional real estate agent is nothing but a cheap shot and a pitiful attempt to scare home buyers and sellers into believing they will be receiving inferior service and poor real estate market knowledge.

Traditional real estate agents love to use the word discounters. It's their way of cheapening the innovative ways we so called discounters have come up with to save real estate consumers (buyers and sellers) thousands of dollars on a single real estate transaction.

The rebate process is very simple. In any real estate transaction there is a buyer and a seller. A listing agent works with the seller and a buyer's agent works with the buyer. The party / person who pays all the commission in a real estate transaction is the home seller. Buyers never pay a commission. Now that we have that covered how about we walk through some basics of buying a home.

When working as a buyer's agent I am never concerned about the amount of commission a listing agent has charged a home seller to list their home. It just doesn't matter. 3%, 4% or 6% I don't care. The only thing I am concerned with when it comes to commissions is how much that listing agent is going to pay me out of that 3%, 4% or 6% they have charged the home seller.

In my local real estate market in the state of Illinois I can expect to be paid on average 2.5% of the homes selling price from the listing agent.

If you were to purchase a home using me as your buyers agent for a selling price of $300,000. I would be paid a commission of $7,500. 2.5% buyers side commission x $300,000 homes selling price = $7,500. Now, lets give you back some money in the form of a buyers rebate.

But, before we do lets just do a little review. I don't want you to miss anything. First, we don't care what the listing agent charged the home seller. Second, all we care about is how much that listing agent is going to pay me working as your buyer's agent. Third, we now know that I will be paid 2.5% of the homes selling price from the listing agent. Forth, the amount I will be paid is $7,500, which is funded from the total commission charged to the home seller.

Ok, now for your share of all this money. It doesn't matter what your rebate amount is. The math stays the same. The only thing that will change is the amount of cash you get back from your buyers agent and that depends on the amount of rebate being offered. As I have mentioned earlier in this article I give my home buying clients a 1.5% rebate.

So, pick up your trusty calculator and take your new homes selling price of $300,000 multiply that by 1.5% and you should come up with $4,500.

Now subtract the $4,500 from my buyer's agent commission of $7,500 and you should come up with $3,000.

Your buyer's rebate is $4,500. Your welcome. And, my buyer's agent commission is $3,000. That's all there is to it. Now you know how buyer rebates work. Where the rebate money comes from and that a rebate will not increase the price of your new home because it comes out of the commission the home seller agreed to pay before you even looked at the home.

It even works for brand new construction. Because most homebuilders will pay a commission to a buyer's agent of from 2% to 3% depending on what area of the country you're in. Because of fair housing laws the Builder's published price list guarantees that everyone pays the same price. With or with out a Realtor. And, no, the builder will not reduce the price of your new home if they don't pay a real estate commission.

If you are wondering if rebates are legal in your state you may want to refer to Money Magazine's 2005 Real Estate Guide. Which reported that rebates were banned in Alaska, New Jersey, Kansas, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Louisiana, South Carolina, Mississippi, West Virginia and Missouri. Rebates were reported as restricted to credits at closing in Alabama, South Dakota, Oregon and Tennessee.

In my home state of Illinois the web site I direct people to is the Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation. www.idfpr.com./

Once on this official state site I tell folks to look in the navigation bar on the left and click on the link that reads General FAQs. On the next page that opens click on the link that says Real Estate FAQs. The next page that opens is titled Division of Banks and Real Estate Real Estate Frequently Asked Questions INTRODUCTION. Scroll down to GENERAL PRACTICES. On line / question number six. That question will read as follows.

May compensation be paid to a principal to a transaction, even if the principal does not have a real estate license?

The Answer: Yes. Section 10-15(c) of the Act authorizes the offer or payment of compensation ("prizes, merchandise, services, rebates, discounts or other consideration") to an unlicensed person who is a party to a contract or lease. Of course, such compensation is not required. The payment of such compensation should be pursuant to the negotiations on the transactions. The payment of such compensation is not limited to payment by a licensee to the licensee's client - in other words, a seller's agent may pay compensation to an unlicensed buyer.

But I just don't stop there. On the very next line / Question number seven. That question will read as follows: May a licensee offer compensation to solicit clients?

The Answer: Yes. Section 10-15(d) of the Act authorizes the offer or payment of compensation ("cash, gifts, prizes, awards, coupons, merchandise, rebates or chances to win a game of chance") to a consumer as an inducement to that consumer to use the services of a licensee, even if the consumer and licensee ultimately do not enter into a client relationship. Any advertisement under this Section must also comply with all requirements regarding real estate advertisements. Also, care should be taken not to offer compensation to unlicensed persons for referrals of clients - this is prohibited.

This seems to clear up any question as to real estate rebates being legal or not in my home state of Illinois.

Some words of caution if you decide to use an agent offering any type of buyers

Bill Brynelsen is a real estate agent in Spring Grove Illinois. His forth coming book "The Truth Behind The For Sale Sign"©. Gives readers valuable insight into the tricks real estate agents will use to get your listing/money. Visit Bills real estate web site at http://www.mypadd.com or email him your real estate questions at info@mypadd.com You just may save yourself thousands on your next real estate transaction.

Writen by Nicholas Marr

The Florida housing market has attracted many foreigners to invest their hard earned money in the sunshine state. The British have for a long time favoured Florida for buying a second home. Many use their Florida home as a holiday home for friends and family. Some may rent it out on a casual business basis, renting out their Florida home from adverts they have put up at work or in the local shops. Most British buyers dream of owning the home outright and eventually using the house for their retirement.

Fragile Buyers. Despite the attraction of buying in Florida i.e. cheaper prices and a wonderful climate it does not take too much for a British buyer to get cold feet. Real estate agents in 2004 reported a rush of British buyers cancelling their sales owing to the hurricanes that hit the region. Reports in 2005 concerning fatalities concerning shark attacks again spark similiar worries and may affect the fragile buyer's attitude towards the region.

Why so fragile? It is all about choice available to the European Buyer. The British for example have cheap air fares and short journeys to the most popular places to buy a second home such as France and Spain. Now emerging markets in Turkey, Egypt,Croatia and Bulgaria not only offer cheaper property prices and cheap air fares but sound short term investments. Recent house price rises in Florida are now making the region a long term investment area not one for short term gains.

Bad News Travels Fast. Negative reports about a region will always affect the perspective of those who do not live there. So when bad news hits the sunshine state its no surprise that it affects the minds of those looking to buy overseas.

Nicholas Marr
Director
Marr International Ltd
Floor 6
456 – 458 Strand
London.UK
WC2R 0DZ

+44 0845 458 1413

http://www.homesgofast.com

Selling property on behalf of agents and private sellers worldwide.

Writen by Mark Nash

The rise in home prices in the last four years have required homebuyers that are coupled to have two incomes and singles to work harder than ever to meet mortgage payments. These buyers are as choosy as never before when paying top-dollar for the American dream. Home sellers should be prepared to offer home features that appeal to these educated and savvy buyers.

2006 has been predicted as a housing year when prices will correct slightly. Increasing inventories of available homes will make competition stiff for home sellers. Take a good look at your home and take the time and if necessary the money to make your home appealing to buyers that no longer have the time or interest to update a home. Don't wait for feedback from prospective buyers about a lack of must-have features in your home before you deliver to buyers what they're looking and willing to pay extra for in their next home.

-Updated baths. Double-bowl vanities, separate showers and tubs, and ceramic tile are the must-have features. Keep finishes and fixtures neutral toned for visual durability. Having only one bath is a major deal-killer. Wallpaper, inexpensively re-surfaced tubs and wall tile are turn-offs.

-Updated kitchens. 1980's euro style and Formica cabinets are passe. Quality furniture style cabinets with rollout shelves and deep, wide drawers for pots and pans attract buyers. Include a breakfast bar for early morning coffee and for a built in look install a 24-inch deep refrigerator. Stainless steel appliances aren't for everyone because of increased maintenance, as options choose white, ivory or black. Don't skimp on counter-tops and inexpensive stainless steel sinks.

-A home office. They're not a trend; they're required for homebuyers in 2006. Many homebuyers today work from home part or full-time or want a space where they can organize their life and park a computer. Find an extra bedroom, walk-in closet or an unused corner and convert into a home office. Make sure there are convenient electric, telephone and cable supplies.

-Hardwood floors. Buyers love the durability and look of real wood floors. Install in living spaces at a minimum, some buyers prefer carpet in bedrooms. Spend the extra money for solid wood and by-pass wood veneers and wood-look flooring.

-Ample and organized closets. Female and male buyers demand organized and abundant closet space, and if theirs not enough they'll move on. Install organizer systems in every closet. Solid shelves are preferable over wire ones and make sure you have a good mix of hanging and shelving. Paint the closet and install easy-to-reach lighting. Don't forget the built-in clothes hampers.

-Home laundry centers. Convert a closet or other space into a home for a washer and dryer. Install plumbing, electrical and a floor pan for overflows. If you don't offer the ability for buyers to do their laundry at home, you will loose them. Laundry tubs are not required and considered a throwback to earlier times.

-Off-street parking. Garages, carports and at a minimum off-street parking are usually near the top of homebuyers must haves. If you don't have a parking option consider including one years rental of a nearby space.

-Window blinds and shutters. Functional blinds and shutters are preferred over curtains and drapes. Buyers are attracted to streamlined window fashions that allow in the maximum amount of natural light.

-No dated paint colors, wallpaper or mirrored walls. Many sellers like to experiment with decorating and occasionally some wall tests miss the mark or aren't undone. Invite a designer or real estate agent to give you some constructive ideas on what needs to be done to make your home more buyer-friendly decorating wise. Dark colors and one-off trend looks give a home a tired and dated look. Wallpaper should come down and be replaced with neutral colors that are easy for buyers to overlay their style onto. Mirrors as back splashes, on dining room walls and anywhere else should go. Buyers think it costs major dollars to undo these fashion leftovers.

-Newer furnaces and central-air conditioning. Replacing older furnaces and air-conditioning condensers equate into major expenses for buyers. If your heating and cooling systems or hot water heater are more than ten years old consider replacing them.

-Operational and energy-efficient windows. With recent hikes in home energy costs, buyers are looking for newer windows and doors. In addition to not opening to allow the outside in, functioning windows and doors are drafty in winter months. Many buyers will walk from their perceived cost and inconvenience of replacing these major home systems.

-New roofs. Buyers, especially first-timers pay a lot of attention to roofs. They're at the top of the list for buyer's remorse. If your roof is old and has missing or curled shingles, replace it. Don't let your roof become a cancelled transaction statistic.

-Cable, electric and Internet functionality. The ability to use a flat-screen TV's, and high-speed Internet on move-in day are non-negotiable with homebuyers in 2006. Make sure that you have these features in a minimum of two rooms. Every room is the preference. And you need adjacent power receptacles as icing n the technology cake.

Mark Nash's fourth real estate book, "1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home" (2005), and working as a real estate broker in Chicago are the foundation for his consumer-centric real estate perspective which has been featured on ABC-TV, CBS The Early Show, Bloomberg TV, CNN-TV, Chicago Sun Times & Tribune, Fidelity Investor's Weekly, Dow Jones Market Watch, MSNBC.com, The New York Times, Realty Times, Universal Press Syndicate and USA Today.

Writen by Brandon Cornett

Each year, more and more consumers go online to look for homes and search for real estate agents. Smart real estate marketers know this, so they venture online themselves, with a personal marketing website.

But simply having a website is not enough. You must have an effective website -- one that moves the visitor toward that all-important goal of contacting you.

The First (and Only) Law of Web Marketing:
Seems everyone these days has an unsupported opinion about what does or doesn't work in web marketing. But the only thing these people can say for certain is what has or hasn't worked for them.

A tactic that fails miserably on one website could succeed wildly on another site. There is testing, and then there's conjecture ... the key is to know the difference.

You never know if something will work until you try it.

Marketing to the Info Savvy
To understand real estate marketing online, you first have to understand how consumers have evolved over recent years. Consumers have become increasingly skilled at using the Internet as a research tool. The glut of information we face on a daily basis has led to a nation of "info savvy" individuals.

In short, the problem of information overload has yielded the solution of information savvy. As a result, new skill sets have emerged.

Skills of the "Info Savvy" Web User:

• Able to quickly judge the value of a website



• Able to recognize and assess the information "hot spots" of a website



• Able to skim and scan web pages with brutal efficiency



• Able to read selectively while ignoring suspected advertising spots

Don't Underestimate Your Readers
Read enough articles on web writing and you'll hear the phrase "short attention span" used to describe web readers. Nothing could be further from the truth. A short attention span implies some kind of mental deficiency, a handicap of sorts.

On the contrary, the average web reader is anything but handicapped. They don't suffer from short attention spans -- they enjoy heightened powers of selectiveness.

They don't scan pages because they're averse to reading -- they scan pages because they know there's a lot of bad websites out there, and they've developed the tools to screen them with great efficiency.

So if you want your website to engage the reader, and ideally evoke a response, you must first get the reader to stop. You must use words, images or a combination of the two to tell the reader, "Hey, you've found something worth your while. Slow down for a minute!"

If your website fails in this regard, it fails entirely.

On a personal marketing website, the obvious goal is to motivate or persuade the reader. To channel them toward the desired goal. And speaking of "channels," it's about time for an acronym.

SECTO: Stop ... Engage ... Channel ... Tell ... Offer.

Keep SECTO in mind when building (or having built) your personal marketing website, especially on those pages where you're trying to evoke a response.

SECTO:

• Stop the reader (perhaps with your headline, imagery, or a combination of the two).



• Engage the reader with relevant content that delivers on the headline's promise.



• Channel the reader toward the specific action you want them to take.



• Tell the reader how to take that action.



• Offer the reader an incentive or reward for taking that action.

Statistics show that 77 percent of buyers use the Internet at some point during their home search. With numbers like that, your mission is clear -- you must have a website to stay competitive.

The question is, what have you done to make your website more effective than the websites of all your competitors?

Brandon Cornett has worked as a writer and advertising manager within the direct mail industry. He now dedicates his time to helping agents and brokers improve their real estate marketing programs. His website guide and his free newsletter are both available at: http://www.ArmingYourFarming.com.

Writen by Raynor James

You've sold your home and are getting ready for the appraisal. Here's how contracts and comparable home sales impact the appraisal.

Your Contract

One of the indications of value an appraiser takes into consideration is the contract that exists between unrelated parties for the sale and purchase of the home. As odd as this may sound, sales between relatives often downgrade an appraisal amount. So if you're not selling your home to a relative, make a nice clean copy of your contract, and give it to the appraiser who appraises your home.

Comparable Sales

In general, when you are selling your primary residence, the person buying it is going to make it his primary residence, too. An appraisal done in that situation usually gives the most value to what similar houses have sold for in the same neighborhood (or nearby) recently, and doesn't pay much attention to the ability of the property to generate rental income or to what it would cost to replace it.

Therefore, the appraiser is going to be looking for homes which have sold in your area in the past few months. If you know of a sale of a similar home at a good price, tell the appraiser about it. Make sure your information is accurate first, however. Don't just share neighborhood gossip. Check the sales price at the courthouse.

Be careful how you handle these last two suggestions. You want to come across as quietly helpful and factual. You do not want to convey to the appraiser that you question his ability to do his job well.

Raynor James is with the FSBO site - http://www.fsboamerica.org - FSBO homes for sale by owner. Visit our "sell my home" page -http://www.fsboamerica.org/seller.cfm - to sell your house yourself with a free 1 month listing.

Writen by Marcus Peterson

Remember that buying or selling commercial real estate is significantly different from buying residential real estate. That is why you need the help of licensed commercial real estate brokers to get the best deals.

What commercial real estate brokers can do for you

Licensed commercial real estate brokers are trained to assist you to market your commercial real estate property to the right audience. Your retail, office, industrial or multi-family property will receive publicity that will attract only the best buyers and investors.

Most commercial real estate brokers make use of multiple listing service and extensive multimedia networks to make sure that your property reaches interested buyers. When you leave everything in the hands of commercial real estate brokers, your property will find it is way to newspapers and relevant Internet sites in no time.

What to look for in commercial real estate brokers

More often than not, experience differentiates a good commercial real estate broker from a mediocre one. Choose brokers that have at least 5 years experience successfully selling commercial real estate properties. Such experienced professionals can bring a lot to the table – market intuition, thorough knowledge in research and development of real estate pitches and marketing ideas. Good commercial real estate brokers will not only help you sell your commercial real estate property, they will help you maximize the value of your asset before the sale, so that you can increase profit.

You should look for commercial real estate brokers who are available to assist you anytime, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Some brokerage companies have very efficient web-based project management technologies that let you access your project whenever you want. Some also have round-the-clock phone support.

Commercial Real Estate provides detailed information on Commercial Real Estate, Commercial Real Estate Loans, Commercial Real Estate Agents, Commercial Real Estate Brokers and more. Commercial Real Estate is affiliated with National Association Of Realtors.

Writen by Richard Romando

Portable metal buildings are portable buildings that are made of metals without using any wood. Even though steel is not a metal, portable buildings made from steel are considered part of the category of portable metal buildings.

Most of the portable metal buildings are made from a thick gauge of steel or aluminum. Typically, there would be no exterior wood to these structures. These metal buildings are built to be extremely strong, and they do not shake or rock when one walks inside them.

While seasonal needs are a major reason for preference of portable buildings over permanent buildings, the general cost effectiveness of such structures has contributed to their growing use and popularity. Installing portable metal buildings is an effective way to avoid spending money on setting up expensive permanent buildings. Since there is no need for a concrete base, construction costs are significantly lower with portable metal buildings than with permanent buildings. Moreover, these buildings have almost a zero-maintenance feature, and there is no need to be concerned about permanently losing yard space.

Portable metal buildings are made for both domestic and commercial applications. They are commonly used for storage purposes, though other uses are not uncommon. For example, a portable metal building can be used in houses for storing electrical and communications equipment, while commercially, these buildings can be used for storing construction equipment. Their construction helps them handle the fury of nature, particularly hurricane-force winds, heavy rains, and blizzards.

An industry that makes major use of portable metal buildings is the construction industry. These strong and sturdy buildings provide protection from burglary while offering flexibility in moving them from one construction site to another. Based on the size, these portable metal buildings can be moved using a forklift or a crane, even when they are packed with materials inside.

Portable Buildings provides detailed information on Portable Buildings, Portable Storage Buildings, Portable Metal Buildings, Portable Office Buildings and more. Portable Buildings is affiliated with New Home in Colorado Springs.