What is Real Estate

Writen by Jeanette Joy Fisher

When you're just starting out as a real estate investor, you'll want to look for ugly houses that are in need of mostly cosmetic work to turn them from doghouses to dollhouses. You'll be looking for entry-level houses that only need some TLC, including clean-up, interior and exterior paint, and perhaps some new carpet.

It helps if you're somewhat handy yourself so you can do as much of the fix-up as possible, but whenever you're considering the purchase of a fixer, make sure to make an honest assessment of your limitations and to use caution when a home looks as if it will require structural repair. If you don't feel comfortable tackling certain types of repairs yourself, it will be worthwhile to form an alliance with one or more subcontractors who'll either do the work for a reasonable price or will work for a share of the proceeds once the house has been resold.

If you encounter a house with structural problems, never make any assumptions before you get estimates from reliable contractors. As time goes by, you'll gain more experience in how to do some of the less critical repairs but especially at first, put your trust in the expertise of experienced professionals. Once all of their estimates are in, you can take them into account before making an offer on a property that has structural problems.

Once you get your team together and have successfully renovated and resold several investment houses, you'll begin to feel more confident when bidding on houses that will require more repairs than the average real estate investor feels comfortable doing. That can be a real advantage when looking for homes to turn over, because not only will there be less competition but you'll also be able to negotiate a lower price by using the cost of repairs as a bargaining chip.

Being able to tackle some structural problems will open a greater market and will allow you to buy homes other investors would ignore. This can be especially profitable if the problem house happens to be in a very desirable neighborhood, because you'll have the potential to get back a greater amount for each dollar you spend when fixing the house up for resale.

When you're first beginning to look for investment houses to fix and sell, it will be wise to be one of those timid investors we've just been talking about. After all, you won't have the time, money, expertise, or support network to be able to tackle the more difficult houses at first, and you won't be able to afford to make a big mistake. However, after having fixed a few properties, your confidence level will grow, along with your support network, and then you can move up to the next level of fix-up.

Until then, remember that bad can be good when it comes to real estate investing, as long as it's not too bad!

Copyright © 2006 Jeanette J. Fisher

Jeanette Fisher invites you to stop by DoghousetoDollhouse.com for a Real Estate Investing Business Plan for beginners. Free Real Estate Investing Information (free teleseminars and ebooks)

Writen by Dr.Phil Speer

Real estate investing usually begins with the purchase of a house, rather than raw land or commercial property. The purchase of a relatively inexpensive house for rental or fix-up purpose is usually lower risk than any other type of real estate investment. And the return on investment can be quicker than from any other type of real estate investment.

Even with the previous acquisition of one or more personal residences spread over past years, the thought of buying a house as a real estate investment can be intimidating. Even though a personal residence acquisition is usually identical with a real estate investing acquisition, the two are seldom envisioned as similar. True, the ramifications of real estate investing property is different. Investing in houses must involve different considerations, such as improvements, usage, and re-sale. But the actual purchase does not differ from the closing procedures for a personal residence.

The first house in a real estate investing career can be scary because it is the beginning of a new business venture. The would-be real estate investor usually recognizes that mistaken judgment can have disastrous consequences. The lack of experience prompts misgivings about the unknown. Genuine confidence is necessary to make the decision to follow through after the preliminary analysis is completed. In fact, it seems to me that real confidence – in contrast to egotistical bravado – is a personality ingredient prerequisite to entry into a real estate investing career.

I was admittedly fearful as I bought my first investment house 25 years ago. I had little valid instruction in making that first purchase. But I was driven by an intense drive to actualize a career I had envisioned for some time. I was like so many would-be investors I have encountered during the intervening years. They keep walking around the pool, dipping their toe into the icy waters, afraid to suck up and take that mighty leap out into the pool's cold water. But after I bought that first investment house, I bought another and another. Each acquisition got easier and easier. I bought $1 million in properties the first year, and another $1 million in properties the second year. By that time, I knew I was on the way to success. Acting on my fears led to faith in my abilities. And faith and fear cannot remain in the same mind at the same time.

The greatest challenge in my real estate investing career was the purchase of my first house. It might be your greatest challenge, too. But know-how can displace the intimidation, and lead to positive satisfaction in real estate investing.

Phil Speer, Ph.D., started his real estate investing career without the availability of credit or cash. Using only a $10 bill, he purchased $1 million in properties in his first year, and had accumulated $10 million in properties by his fourth year. His net worth was $2 million in only his third year of investing. He was featured in a Wall St.Journal editorial as most successful investor in the Nothing Down Real Estate Movement, and was honored with a Caribbean cruise as top investor of the year. In his hometown of Nashville, Tennessee, he has been a businessman and Human Resources Consultant for 30 years. He is an author, speaker and seminar director. To learn how to profit in real estate investing, even without cash or credit, read his report at http://www.CashinHouses.com/. Subscription is free to his Fix-up Ezine - http://www.AAREIT.com/.

Writen by B Shelton

Getting a place of your own gives you an opportunity to save a lot each year compared to renting. Paying rent does not give back any benefits because when you pay rent in cash or thru checks, that money is gone forever. Investment-wise, the value of your home has a more likely chance of going up over time, increasing your net worth. Most of all, you will enjoy having a place of your own wherein you can showcase your own personal style or raise a family.

Owning your own place is not as hard as it used to be. Trivial concerns toward getting a place of your own are now facilitated and made much easier for prospective property purchasers like yourself. As a first step, do some research on how to begin and gain knowledge about home-buying. This would open new doors of awareness for you. As a first-time home-buyer, you need to have the basic knowledge at your fingertips to help you decide whether it is more advantageous to buy a place of your own or to just keep on renting; it will help you find out for yourself whether you are ready to make that first step in getting the keys to a place of your own or just continue to let go of your hard-earned money on fruitless, senseless rentals. If you can afford to get a place of your own, you can be sure that it will be a home where you can plan a future and enjoy the benefits of owning a financial asset whose value will not diminish over the years.

Choosing to have a place of your own is always a wise decision move; but to be able to get a good deal you must be able to choose a reputable real estate broker. A good real estate broker will help you get that dream home you have always liked; he would make sure it would be well within your price range and help you pre-qualify for it. Finding the best qualified real estate broker will guide you expertly through the entire process and take care of the necessary paperwork to buy a place of your own; paying particular attention to minute financial details that can be mind-boggling to first-time home-buyers.

You have to consider also a number of factors in choosing an honest and sympathetic broker. Tell him the price range you can afford and the type of mortgage you would want to avail of. Have enough money on hand to pay for three important costs: earnest money (the deposit you have to make when making an offer), down payment (partial cost of the property you must pay for during settlement) and the closing costs (all pertinent costs of processing all the necessary paperwork).

Don't forget to inquire with your broker if you could avail of the facility called "owner-financed loans" with the seller. As opposed to borrowing money from more institutionalized lending outfits like the bank, for example, dealing directly with the seller using the owner-financed type of loan would help get rid of having to pay upfront for processing fees and other hidden fees, thereby bringing the cost down. More importantly, you could also more easily reach a more amicable mode of payment with the owner/seller of the property you intend to purchase, as opposed to the more rigid schedule of payment and high interest rates imposed by banks and other lending institutions.

Brian Shelton makes home buying in the Dallas easy! Visit http://www.StopRentingDFW.com/

Writen by Don Suter

With so many estate agencies vying for your business, choosing the right agency can be difficult. We have put together the following top ten tips to help you find and use the most appropriate estate agent to sell your house.

1 - Shop around

Shopping around different agents is a must and will allow you to get a good idea of the different prices and service you can expect. If the agent knows that you are talking to their competitors, you are more likely to get the deal you want on their fees.

2 - Local presence

Opt for agents with a good local presence. Good indicators of a local presence are plenty of boards, reading 'sold', a prominent office on the local high street and listings in the local papers. Speak to friends, family and colleagues about agents they have used in the past as personal recommendations are often invaluable.

3 - Valuations

Always get more than one valuation and don't always accept the highest. Quoting a high figure is one thing, actually achieving the sale is another. Try to find out from the estate agent if the figure is a result of knowledge and experience in the area or are they just trying to win your business.

Do your own research, using the internet and local papers to compare the valuation against other similar properties in the area.

4 - Sales and marketing package

Find out how the agent is planning to market your property and what the marketing collateral, i.e. brochures, adverts, website, will look like.

When it comes to selling, try to find out how good the agents will be at negotiating on your behalf. Do they appear organised, focussed and professional? Would you buy a house from them?

5 - Website

The Internet is now a very popular tool amongst people looking for new homes and it is vital that your agent has a good website to market your property with. Can the site be found on search engines, does it provide clear navigation to the property listings and are properties presented appropriately?

A number of agents also list their properties in the large national property search engines like RightMove and Fish4Homes, extending their reach to a further national audience.

6 - Trade association

Try to use agents that are members of associations, such as The National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) or The Ombudsman of Estate Agents Scheme (OEA). You are more likely to get a professional service and if anything goes wrong the associations will often help you and the agent resolve the dispute.

7 - Fees

Negotiating a lower fee with the agent may prove to be a false economy. Remember the agent is working for you and by cutting their money, you will be reducing their incentive to work as hard on your sale.

Instead, try to create an incentive to benefit both parties. If the agent can get the full asking price, then let them have the full fee, but maybe you can negotiate a reduction in the fee, if they are not able to achieve the full asking price.

8 - Contracts

Read the contract thoroughly, ask questions and never sign up to anything that you do not understand. Check the period of time for which you will be legally bound. There is nothing worse than being locked in with an agent providing poor service. Insist on a time period that will allow you to change agents easily, such as monthly or even weekly.

9 - Multiple agents

To achieve a quick sale, you may want to use more than one agent to market your property. If so, another point to check on the contract is whether the agent insists on 'sole agency'. This means that they will still be able to charge you a commission fee, even if you sell your home privately or through another agent.

10 - Transparency

Estate agents are required by law to not make false or misleading statements about the features of a property.

They must also declare both promptly and in writing if either they, a business partner or relative would like to buy your property or if the agent will benefit in any way (above and beyond the agreed commission) from the sale of your property.

Don Suter is Managing Editor of the UK Property Portal (http://www.ukpropertyportal.co.uk), an online directory and magazine for UK property sales, rental, surveyors, mortgages, conveyancing, property insurance, removals, news, investment and development.

For more information on selling your home and finding estate agents, browse through our property search pages

Writen by Michelle Shelton

My husband and I were eating breakfast at the Good Egg the other morning and couldn't help but over hear a fellow talking to his elderly parents about their home. It was fairly obvious that his father had a hard time hearing and the louder he talked the more I was tuning in to what he was saying.

"Dad, the real estate market in Arizona is going crazy right now!" He said.

"Huh?" His father grunted

"THE HOMES ARE SELLING IN A MATTER OF HOURS." He said louder.

"HOURS?" His father yelled almost in half a question, half disbelief.

"Yes," He continued, "What you need to do is look for the signs in your neighborhood with the same real estate agent's name on them. These agents are the neighborhood specialists. They sell all the homes in the neighborhood and they know what is going on in that particular neighborhood. That is what you should do. That is how you find the best agents."

I nearly choked on my toast! I sort of heavy sighed and my ears were getting hot by this time. It was all I could do to compose myself. I continued listening, all the time in disagreement with much of what the well intentioned son said to his parents.

My husband leaned over and said, "Yeah right. Just because someone gets a bunch of listings in a neighborhood makes them a specialist. That poor guy is giving his parents the worst advice I have ever heard!"

"I know but it is probably what a lot of people think." I said.

"I think it is a hit and miss method of finding the best agent. Those attorneys that are ambulance chasers have their signs all over the TV and on bus benches, just because they have a sign out doesn't mean they are a specialist! Those guys are snakes…just like some real estate agents! You know, you have seen it. One crummy agent gets a listing and the next thing you know bam…they are listing homes all over the neighborhood. Doesn't mean they are good…a lot of them hang a sign and walk away. Anyone can call themselves a neighborhood specialist. What he is telling his father is ridiculous!" He sneered at me.

I couldn't believe this had hit a nerve with my quiet and well mannered husband. He was mad!

"Why are you so upset by this?" I asked.

"Its not a good way to select a professional. People should spend more time finding out what the agent does after the sale. I see you making deals happen. A lot of them would never close if you weren't on the phone naggin lenders, title companies and other agents!" He nearly shouted at me.

"Nag? I don't nag!" I said as I smiled at him.

"Well, you know what I mean." He said in a calmer voice.

He continued. "With the market the way it is, you know there are more agents going through real estate school now than ever before. Think about it. What if the agent can't negotiate strongly or they don't get the paperwork in and follow timelines? Not everyone is as obsessive / compulsive as you are! A lot of them are discount agents because they have nothing else to offer a client. The homeowner wants to save money and they think all agents are the same so they go with the discount agents. You know some of those agents are either not the sharpest tool in the shed or they are simply greedy and list a bunch of homes and have no marketing skills at all. Some of them lie and are crummy at life, how could they specialize in anything?" He snorted in disgust.

"You are right, you don't have to convince me." I agreed. "But you know there are a lot of professionals out there too. I work with them every day. Our office is filled with them." I repeated. "Filled with them."

"Yeah, yeah, but your office gives extensive training and you fully train the agents you bring in under your wing. I don't see a lot of brokerages doing that. Most of them show you the phone and say good luck. That is why so many people fail in the first 6 months." He said. "You know most companies aren't like that at all. Most of the agents I have seen don't have a clue."

"I know, I know. You are right. There ARE a lot of unprofessional agents that really don't care how they treat their clients, they are just in it to collect a check. More people should shop around and find the right agent to sell their home. I agree with you so lighten up." I said to him.

Of course I slipped over discreetly and passed this fellow and his parents my business card and introduced myself.

His mother quickly asked, "What neighborhoods do you work?"

I just smiled and said, "A lot of different neighborhoods, all in the East Valley."

"Oh." She responded coolly.

After what her son had just told her, suspected they wouldn't call. The unfortunate thing is they have about a 50/50 chance of getting someone skillful. And in my opinion, skill is only a small piece of the pie. I think it really takes five key ingredients to find a truly successful person in any industry, especially real estate because it is most people's largest asset and they are paying you a lot of money to use great care and skill in selling their home.

Skill is only the first key ingredient.

Skill is completing all the necessary documents in a timely manner and providing the sellers with an education on the process of selling their home. Also, skill is very important in pricing a home correctly and marketing is huge. Getting maximum exposure is honestly what most of it is about. Are you wondering what the other four are?

Number two is character. Character is a person's internal compass that guides their decisions. It is a guide to treating people honestly, respectfully and fairly.

Number three is philosophy. Philosophy is how deeply they ponder character, situations and people. Philosophy is sort of the purpose behind the character. How they see life in general I guess. My favorite philosophy is a simple one that most of us learned as a child. It is called the ant philosophy and defines the character qualities of work ethic, purpose and diligence.

Number four would be attitude. Attitude is how they respond to people and situations. When something goes wrong, are they negative or do they have an attitude of getting things done without anger, procrastination, and pettiness. Do they know how to motivate others to work with them or do they tick people off wherever they go?

Lastly, number five is goals. Goals are important because you have to have a plan in selling your home. How quickly do you need to sell? How much will you make on the sell of your home, what fees are you looking at? Without a goal or target, how do you know where to aim? Goals stem from both needs and wants. Strong goals push you toward results.

To make the picture a little clearer in your mind, let me ask you, have you ever worked with someone that had a high level of skill, character, goals, and philosophy about their job, yet displayed a crummy, negative attitude? Or perhaps their attitude was good, yet they just didn't have any direction or goals in life and you suspected they would never get very far in their career, let alone their life. Or worse still is maybe they had a great attitude, strong skills, strong philosophies, and they achieved their goals but they stole, lied and cheated to get what they wanted.

When selecting an agent to help you with buying or selling a home, it is in your best interest to find someone that works on all five key ingredients that will make them a success, isn't it? Of course it is! When they are truly a success in every sense of the definition, you will enjoy success too, right?

Michelle Shelton lives in Gilbert, Arizona on horse property with her husband Paul and their five children. Michelle is an author, educator, recruiter and licensed Arizona REALTORÒ. If you would like Michelle to assist you in purchasing or listing a property in Arizona, please visit her website: http://www.askmichelleshelton.com or contact her directly at michelleshelton@yahoo.com

Writen by Raynor James

If you are buying or selling a home, the chances are good you struggle with the meaning of descriptive real estate terms. Here are explanations and definitions for more terms.

"Plantation Shutters"

Refers to interior shutters with large, moveable louvers that can be used much like Venetian blinds. Often they're used only on the bottom half of the window.

"Palladian Window"

A tall window that is rectangular except for an arched top and has wooden muntins separating the panes of glass. It is based on a revived classic style of architecture and the work of Andrea Palladio. Builders often use them as the window over the front door in homes with two story entrance foyers.

"Pocket Doors"

Doors that open by sliding into a slot in the wall much as a serving tray fits into a vertical slot built into a kitchen cabinet. It leaves wall space unaffected by opening and closing doors. I've seen them on bathrooms in modern houses. I've also seen them used in pairs that meet in the middle when closed as they were in older houses. Between a living room and dining room might be a good place. My grandmother had one between the front and back parlors in her home in Richmond, Virginia. Now that was a neat old house. It could always expand to accommodate one more family member or friend.

"Fireplace," "Wood Stove," "Wood Stove Insert"

A fireplace can burn wood, coal, or gas (natural or propane). If gas, it may or may not be vented to the outdoors. It is generally thought to be dangerous to have a non-vented gas fireplace in a bedroom and is against "code" in many areas. A wood stove burns wood, is free standing (on a non-flammable surface), and is vented to the outside. A wood stove insert is generally fitted into an existing fireplace designed to burn wood or coal. Preferences have to do with perceived beauty, convenience, heat production, and safety.

Well, those are some of the terms frequently seen in real estate listings and advertisements and their usual meanings at this writing. I hope you find it useful.

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 Richard Chapo

Building a home for yourself is the American Dream. For some people, it is important to build something unique.

Alternative Home Designs

You've worked your rear end off and reached a financial status where you can do some dreaming. One dream is to buy some land and build a home on it. You've found the perfect plot, and now you're wondering about different styles of homes. Here are some alternative designs to get the creative thoughts flowing.

A very unique home design is the atrium home. An atrium home is designed to emphasize an open middle area, not an exterior appearance. If you've been to Europe, you've seen this design in larger cities. You'll be walking down a street lined with bland looking windows. You pop into one of the buildings to find a bathroom and it is like entering another world. The exterior of the building is no great shakes, but the interior is a slice of atrium heaven with an open area covered in a lattice or left wide open. The interior is a collection of sitting areas, plants and perhaps small pools for fish. Not a bad idea, eh?

Taking the design to its full scope, the home is designed…underground. The design can be done in a variety of ways, but it is built below ground to take advantage of geothermal concepts. The primary idea is to use the constant temperature of the ground to regulate the climate in the home. The top of the roof is flush with the level of the ground and everything else is below level. For practically purposes, picture an oasis in the desert, but dug into the ground.

In these modern times, the below ground design has some excellent energy options. You can put solar panels across the top of the roof to generate power and most people will be none the wiser. By being out of the wind, you also cut down on wasted energy.

Going below ground with your atrium home is a pool of creative opportunity. As long as you take care of drainage issues, the design parameters are pretty much wide open.

When space is at a premium or privacy is vital, atrium homes are often the answer. In a large city, an atrium design can help you create an oasis from the noise and madness of daily life.

Rick Chapo is with SolarCompanies.com, a directory of solar energy companies. Visit our page on building your own home to read more articles on underground homes.

Writen by Raynor James

Even in this hot real estate market, selling your home requires a bit of marketing effort. Ads and brochures are important and powerful tools. So, what do you put in you're marketing materials?

Content

To the degree possible include key information in you're ad or brochure. A classified ad will contain less than a poster, which will contain less than a brochure, which may contain less than an Internet listing, etc. The key, however, is to make sure each medium contains maximum information and minimum fluff.

In general, people want to know what type home is being offered (single family house, townhouse, condo, etc.), how many bedrooms and baths it has, its general location, and the price. Obviously, you also need to include contact information so potential buyers know how to reach you.

If you have the space, a good tactic is to describe the characteristics of the house that lead you to originally purchase it.

1. Was it the location?

2. A beautiful view?

3. Neighborhood charm?

4. A school district you were seeking out?

5. Lots of storage?

6. Garage spaces for 3 cars?

7. High ceilings?

8. The style of architecture?

9. Large entertainment areas?

10. A beautiful garden?

Don't be shy. Mention the best features to set your home apart from others for sale.

A note of caution is called for here. When you mention your home's best features, don't overstate them. If your potential buyer's first emotion on actually seeing your property is disappointment, there really isn't much potential for a sale to that person. With that in mind, I wouldn't refer to a house with a garden that backed to a small farm pond as "waterfront property," nor would I call a small, city apartment with windows on an air shaft a "spacious city abode with sunny views."

Photos

Include color photos of your home whenever possible. When selling real estate, a picture really can be worth a thousand words.

When taking your photos, take lots of them. Take them from typical angles and from unusual ones, too. Cameras often like odd angles. Photos that show three walls very often seem to reduce the size of the room visually. It is often better to show only two walls with the corner slightly, or very, off center. You may want to show the same room from more than one angle. One photo may include a wall of windows and another show a fireplace in the same room. Regardless of your approach, keep in mind the photographs will give a potential buyer the first impression of your home.

Obviously, marketing is one of the key factors in selling a home. If you are creative with yours, buyers will come.

Raynor James is with http://www.fsboamerica.org - providing FSBO homes for sale by owner. Visit our "sell my home" page at http://www.fsboamerica.org/seller.cfm to list and sell your home for free for one month. Visit http://www.fsboamerica.org/buyer.cfm to see homes for sale by owner.

Writen by Mel Goodwin

That is your best bet, do not consult with a third-party including so-called investors or foreclosure services until you actually spoke to your banker or lender first.

Just let them know of your foreclosure situation and allow them to give rise to any possible options you may have going forward. At minimum, they will probably give you an extension while perhaps adding other provisions in the process to ensure both sides get the maximum benefit of the doubt

In general you will find that they are very responsive and empathize with your situation. If you find them very rude or someone who seems very impatient or flighty, just do the next best thing, and get in touch with another representative within your lending institution.

By all means do not trust any of those investors claim to want to help you. Do not sign any contract without having a lawyer at hand to help you to be the fine print.

Avoid your own horror story as many people can attest to situations where they assign their home over to a charlatan - resulting ultimately not only in STILL falling into foreclosure, but in losing your home completely at the same time. Work with a real estate lawyer or you may assign over the lease of your home unwittingly to these fake investors.

Foreclosure bailout related products and services are available at our web site at http://www.stopforeclosureline.com