Now What?
You worked hard on your house so it could show well for your first open house. The rooms are freshly painted, everything is neat and tidy, the yard is free of clutter, the grass is green, everything is perfect. People are coming in and out, and raving about your home. Finally, someone gives you an offer for your home. This is what you've been waiting for, but what do you do with an offer? Here are some tips to keep in mind when the time comes to deal with an offer.
After an affer
Buyers who are willing to put in an offer for your house should have some type of lender letter with them. If they do not, but are still interested in putting in an offer for your house, there is another route you can go through in order to not allow them out of the house before making an offer. Set up with some willing lenders if they can send someone to your house to be there for the open house to assist potential homebuyers with their lender letters, and to help them figure out if they can afford it or not. You can greet your potential buyers at the door and introduce them to the lender willing to help out, and they can direct all financial questions to them. This way, that burden is taken off of you and put somewhere else so you can concentrate on the task at hand, which is showing off your lovely home.You also want to discuss with a homebuyer who gives you an offer how you want to handle the contract after the fact. If you have an attorney, or if they want to use their own attorney, you need to settle on this in order to draw up the contract to both parties' liking. Figure out how you want to handle it before the offer is even made, especially if the buyer is confused with the whole situation.
This is just one piece of the extra large pie that is selling your home leading up to the open house. But by doing this piece of very important homework, you will be prepared to take the step from open house to being under contract for the home, and then completing the transaction.
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- kjhjjh kjhjjh Sep 28, 2007 @ 9:25 am
- Hi Nina_S , Great Lens. I have also created a lens in same niche . Hope u like it? Here's a brief intro:
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New Link List
- FSBO forum
- Rather interesting forum about FSBO. As I see new posts appear every hour. Good way to be updated in real estate topic!
- Homes For-Sale-By-Owner
- It is a really good web-site that which may help you to make a good penny-worth.
- Trulia
- There you may ask anything you interested in or share your own experience about FSBO.
- FSBO&Pets
- This page may help you to sell your house in case you have a pet. Find out what the problem is and read about solution.
- Bathroom - FSBO impact.
- There are a lot of different ways to increase the attraction to your home. One of this ways is to remodeling and updating your bathrooms. At this page you may find some advices of cheap and easy remodeling.
- Preparing for sale
- Here are some tips that will help you know just what to change and modify in your home to make it more appealing for sale.
- Reasons of FSBO
- In case you are just thinking of selling the house you should visit this page. There is some information that explains why so many people choose FSBO today.
- Home appraisal
- Do you think that potential homebuyers are only people you should create an impression on? In that case you are absolutely wrong! Why? Read this article to get an answer.
- Home taxes
- Is paying taxes on a home a great problem for you? In real today people pay more taxes than ever before. Do you want to now more?
- FSBO_seller
- FSBO has a lot of advantages. First of all you will save the 6% commission and have full control over the sale of your house. But it isn't as easy as you may think after prima facie. Do you want to now what complexity you may be confronted by?
- Real_estate_boom
- What is the real estate boom and why it became true.
- Deal_arranging
- House preparing and showing are only a half of problem. Do you really know what you should do after taken an offer? There are some tips that may help you to put the axe in this helve.
- Tidy home
- Do you want to be shore that potential buyers see the things you want them to see? And how to create a positive first impression of your house? All this information you may find on this page.
- FSBO_marketing
- Here you may find a lot of interesting information that consist of FSBO marketing strategy.
- Sell reanson
- Do you know that there are some special sure sign that you should sell your house? When to sell the house and what way should you choose? You may find answers to this and other questions at this page.
- Selling tips
- One of the most important questions that every home seller asks is: «How to prepare you house for selling». In case you want to find an answer you should visit this page.
- FSBO difficulties
- It is not a secret that in case you start anything you have never done before; you will have a deal with a lot of different difficulties. What are they in FSBO?
- FSBO checklist
- In case we have decided to buy a house we have a lot of different questions. Some of them are tiny, other huge. But any way we have to be prepared for all this difficulties. One of the tips that may help us with this is checklist. Do you want how to make it? This is the reason to sit this page.
- Price analisys
- Do you interested in selling price comparative analysis? You may find this information here.
- Auction
- Have you already thin about selling your home by auction? Really? Visit this page to find more information about Real Estate Auction Fundamentals.
- View
- Do you think that view of the house is the most important thing? Yes, it may be lovely, nice, but not main%u2026
- Real_estate_market
- A good article in case you interested in getting more information about Real Estate Market.
- Rent or buy
- It is really difficult to decide what the best way is. A lot of people ask themselves: "Should I rent or buy the house?" In case you have the same problem you should visit this page?
- Offering Benefits
- There you may find some tips that would help you to make homebuyers offering
- FSBO&Internet
- There you may find some tips that help you sell you house%u2026 but only in reason you selling it in internet.
- Refinance
- Do you interest when should you refinance your house? At this page you may find some scenario which would give you an answer.
- Know FSBO
- There are some secrets and interesting tips which you should know before you FSBO.
- Internet_buyers
- Do you want more about your potential house buyers and what are the reasons of using Internet? In this case you should visit this page. There you may find rather interesting info and statistics.
- Without an agent
- Do you really think that the agent may sell your house better then you? Or that you can't do it by yourself only because the market begins to change. At this page you may find some tips which would prove you that you were wrong.
- Own a house
- Before you decide to buy a house you should be completely shore that you are ready to an owner and what are you really want to have. Do you already know what would your first steps and what should you do to not make a mistakes.
- Speed up your sale
- One of the point of your choosing FSBO is quickens the sale of your home. Do you want Know more? Visit this page.
- Pictures for sale.
- It is very important for potential homebuyers to see you house, to imagine how they would live there. And the first step you may do to help them is to make a good pictures of you house. Do you want to now how to make it better? In this way you may visit this page.
- Help your house to stand out against a background of others'.
- After a person decides to buy a house, he has to look through a lot of different advertisements. And it is not as is easy for him to see your one. So you should help him with it. How? Visit this page and you will know it.
- Some things you may need to consider valuing your house.
- It's really nice site! Here u can find all the information required for figuring out the value of your home! They will also recommend how much do u need to loan. And it's really nice that they layed out the information how to state the value of your home yourself.
- How to sell your real estate at the time of (during) hypothecary crisis
- Do you wanna sell a house? Do you need some usefull tips?This site is what you need! They'll give you some really usefull tips how to show to the best advantage of your home! And all this for FREE! Don't lose an opportunity to sell your real estate for a higher price!
- House clean
- ...cleaning of your home becomes mandatory for every FSBO seller
- Mentality of House Buyer
- An interesting page which would help you to understand a mentality of house buyer.
- Price is the key to successful sale
- Price is the key to selling house by owner. So you should know exactly how to do pricing right. This page may help you with this.
- BelHard Group
- BelHard Group is one of the leading IT holdings in Belarus, and BelHard Outsourcing is its software development division.
- FSBO Prerequisites
- What should you know before entering any FBO deal? How to make a right choice and what is really important? You may find answers at this page.
- FSBO in Condo
- Selling your condo for sale by owner or FSBO can save you thousands and even tens of thousands of dollars. On a $300,000 sale of a condo, typically a seller pays a 6% commission which would be $18,000. Now sometimes in tough markets you need an experienced real estate agent to help you sell your condo, but sometimes you don't! Give it a shot and list your condo online for free and try and put those savings right in your pocket!
- What Do I Save if I Sell FSBO?
- A lot of people choose FSBO only because of saving money. How much money they could save and what is the right way for it.
- Steps of FSBO selling process
- FSBO is not so terrible process as you may think. You are really may do it by yourself. But of course you should know the main steps, which may help you to make successful deal.
- FSBO on Internet
- Internet - one of the transformations of real estate market. J Directions for use.
- FSBO Is Untapped Market For Realtors
- Few tips in communicating effectively with FSBO sellers!!!
- Real estate Appraisal
- At this page you may find a lot of interesting information about real estate appraisal. What is a Appraisal? How is Value Established? What is Poor Location? This and many other questions wouldn't make you to be nonplused any more.
- Choosing a house
- This page may help you to make the right steps on the way of choosing a house. You would be able to say what kind of house is right for you and determine the specifics you want or need in a home.
Vacation Condo Vs. Hotel Room
Is it more economical to stay in a hotel or a condo when you travel? How to save money on places to stay on your next vacation.
Dollar for dollar, condos beat hotel rooms by a long shot. Why? Even if you spend 30 percent more staying in a beach-front condo, you'll save more than that on food alone.Why Condo Vacations Make Sense:
* Eating in is a lot cheaper than dining out. Take Miami for example. Standard hotel rooms on the beach run $99 and up per night. While a one-bedroom condo with a separate living, dining and kitchen area starts at $134 per night, you'll save money by loading up on groceries and cooking at least two meals a day. When searching for condos, look for a full kitchen; one that has a regular size refrigerator, stove/oven and microwave. A kitchenette will suffice as long as the only thing that's missing is the oven. A microwave and sink do not count as a kitchenette. If you're not sure, ask the reservationist to tell you exactly what's in the kitchen, down to cooking utensils and silverware.
* Book directly from the owner. Although travel web sites like hotels.com do offer condos and suites, you'll get a better price if you deal directly with the proprietor. There are plenty of rent-by-owner web sites. But don't agree to send a personal check. Even single unit landlords are able to take credit cards through Pay Pal. Find out whether there are any extra charges like cleaning fees or a security deposit. How do you pick up the key? Is there a lock box on the door or a rental agency that is open 24/7? Who do you call if the unit is not clean when you arrive or needs repairs? These are questions you should ask before you make a reservation.
* Count on a one week minimum. Many condominium communities operate under bylaws that require owners to rent for one week, two week or one month minimums. So if you are planning on just a weekend getaway, you might be better off staying in a hotel room.
* Condos aren't just for families. Even if you are travelling by yourself or as a couple, condos make a lot of sense. You get two to three times more space than a hotel room, and eating out at every meal gets pricey and boring. Visit a local farmers' market or a specialty grocery store and whip up a meal with some local flavor.
Don't be afraid to negotiate. If you are travelling during the off season especially, ask for a better price. With the state of the real estate market there are a lot of empty condos out there. And if owners can't sell, at least they can make some rental income. So don't be shy. Make an offer. If that person turns you down, there are plenty of other condos on the beach.
Noise is Americans%u2019 No. 1 Complaint About Their Neighborhoods
The U.S. Census Bureau notes that noise is Americans' No. 1 complaint about their neighborhoods. Noise levels have risen sixfold in major U.S. cities in the past 15 years, and automobiles are the largest source of noise and not just in the cities, but can also be found in the countrysides, as well as forests. The noise pollution from the cities is carried over via people bringing their noise with them and has become virtually inescapable.Countries that have expressed concern and outrage over these types of noise pollution include Germany and some of it's other European Union's members, such as Great Britain, Italy. The United States, New Zealand, Australia and many others that have no clearly defined national solutions for this problem.
Today's global village can be found discussing such topics in forums both on and off the Internet with all asking the same underlying question. "What can be done?" The only organization on this planet that is capable of addressing this health issue is the World Health Organization. In addition to boom cars are "vroom cars", vehicles with loud exhaust systems, (unnecessary and in some cases illegal and very bad for our health and the enviroment) that are often found in boom cars; the two combined contribute to a most excruciating experience! They drive up one's blood pressure and are a significant hazard to emergency vehicles as well as a major threat to the public's safety by way of road rage.
Racing motorcycles have no good reason for being on public streets and highways, noise levels are as intolerable, as the aforementioned boom and vroom cars. Factor in a few hundred thousand car alarms and honking horns and you have a soundscape that is far from harmonious and supportive of one's health; in fact just the opposite. If we could measure the planet's overall decibel level it would truly be shocking!
Source: Fizber.com
Don't Be a Noisy Neighbor!
Tips for keeping the peace.Music & TV's
A good test is if you can hear your music/tv outside then it is too loud and should be turned down, or consider maybe you should be using headphones. Set your music base control at a low level - the base beat can be particularly irritating.
Parties
Neighbours are much more likely to understand if they are warned or even invited. If possible, keep any amplified equipment inside. If the equipment must be outside then the volume should be turned down as low as possible and after midnight should be taken inside. Keep your entertaining to special occasions. Regular gets together are more likely to offend than one off events. When your guests leave ask them to leave quietly.
Household chores
Don't do doing washing or vacuuming in the middle of the night. Remember just because you are awake doesn't mean everyone is. It may also help the to reduce the noise if you site household equipment such as washing machines, dish washers away from partition walls or place them on a carpet or rubber mat to reduce vibration. Consider mowing the lawn and using garden power tools at a reasonable time - not early morning or late evening when the noise could be most annoying.
D.I.Y.
When doing DIY, try and make sure you carry out the noisiest jobs during the day. Keep the evening for quieter work such as painting and decorating. Warn your neighbours if you are going to make unavoidable noise such as doing DIY .
Dogs
Dont Be a Noisy Neighbor!
If you own a dog, train it not to bark unnecessarily. Never leave your dog alone for long periods - ask a friend to exercise it during your absence. In law a barking dog can be a noise nuisance and you could be prosecuted if you do nothing to stop it.
Fireworks
Dont Be a Noisy Neighbor!Consider your neighbours and their pets when letting off your fireworks. Do not let them off late at night and inform your neighbours. Why not attend an organised firework display instead. They are always safer than a firework display in your back garden.
Cars
Always drive quietly in built up areas and avoid revving your engine unnecessarily. Keep the silencer in good condition and only use your horn in an emergency. It is illegal to sound the horn between the hours of 11.30pm and 07.00am and anytime when the vehicle is stationary unless it is an emergency. Don't play your car stereo for the whole world to hear especially when you are parked and the windows are open.
Household Alarms
A household alarm is great for disturbing potential intruders however in a residential area they can cause great disturbance for a large number of residents.
Source: Fizber.com
When You%u2019re The Noisy Neighbor
Thanks to home offices, computer/game rooms and improved entertainment centers, Americans are spending more and more time enveloped in home activities. While having access to all that we need under our own roof is convenient, it can also be noisy.
If you live in an apartment or condominium community, you share most of your walls with neighbors. Because of this, you should be extra careful about the amount of noise you make. If neighbors have made complaints about the noise coming from your apartment, there are certain things you can do to avoid that eviction notice.
Place vibration mounts under major appliances: You can find these at your local hardware or appliance store. This will absorb some of the sound normally caused by the vibrations of your washing machine/refrigerator/washer/dryer etc.
Place foam pads under small appliances: These work in the same way that the vibration mounts do - just on a smaller level.
Use window drapes: fabric absorbs sound, so the more of it you use, the less noisy your home will be. Most leases have a clause stating that the floors must have 90% carpet coverage for this reason.
Seal holes or cracks in doors and windows: For doors, you can purchase regular weather stripping from a hardware store. You can use this stripping indoors as well as on doors leading outside. This is a great solution to a noisy laundry room or bathroom. To seal windows, you can use inexpensive clear caulking.
Replace metal garbage cans with plastic cans: This is pretty obvious. The smaller the area, the more concentrated the noise becomes. If you have metal or aluminum garbage cans banging around, the sound will be much more intense than a plastic container.
Purchase quiet appliances: Some home appliances will claim to be quiet or low sound appliances right on the box. If you're going to buy new appliances anyway, you may as well look for ones that are quiet.
If you want to go the extra mile (and your landlord is okay with it): Install padded carpeting to absorb sound: It might not cost as much as you would think. Many carpeting companies hold on to what they call "remnants" which are basically leftovers from big jobs. Maybe 5' x 5' is a scrap to a big homeowner, but could cover your entire living room. You can get lush, thick carpeting for a fraction of the original cost this way. Installing good carpeting will not only reduce the noise within your apartment, it will block outside noise and will provide insulation. Good insulation helps to reduce electric bills - so even if the cost of carpeting seems steep, you'll probably see that money again in savings.
Install vinyl tile or thick linoleum to absorb sound: Again, you might think this is a little much%u2026 but if you were planning on re-doing your bathroom anyway, you might want to invest in material that will look good AND absorb sound.
If you have received any complaints about the noise coming from your apartment, and you follow any of these suggestions, it is a good idea to document the change(s) made. This way, if you are confronted about the noise coming from your apartment again, and are threatened with eviction, you can prove that you have attempted to reduce the noise level.
source: Fizber.com
If you live in an apartment or condominium community, you share most of your walls with neighbors. Because of this, you should be extra careful about the amount of noise you make. If neighbors have made complaints about the noise coming from your apartment, there are certain things you can do to avoid that eviction notice.
Place vibration mounts under major appliances: You can find these at your local hardware or appliance store. This will absorb some of the sound normally caused by the vibrations of your washing machine/refrigerator/washer/dryer etc.
Place foam pads under small appliances: These work in the same way that the vibration mounts do - just on a smaller level.
Use window drapes: fabric absorbs sound, so the more of it you use, the less noisy your home will be. Most leases have a clause stating that the floors must have 90% carpet coverage for this reason.
Seal holes or cracks in doors and windows: For doors, you can purchase regular weather stripping from a hardware store. You can use this stripping indoors as well as on doors leading outside. This is a great solution to a noisy laundry room or bathroom. To seal windows, you can use inexpensive clear caulking.
Replace metal garbage cans with plastic cans: This is pretty obvious. The smaller the area, the more concentrated the noise becomes. If you have metal or aluminum garbage cans banging around, the sound will be much more intense than a plastic container.
Purchase quiet appliances: Some home appliances will claim to be quiet or low sound appliances right on the box. If you're going to buy new appliances anyway, you may as well look for ones that are quiet.
If you want to go the extra mile (and your landlord is okay with it): Install padded carpeting to absorb sound: It might not cost as much as you would think. Many carpeting companies hold on to what they call "remnants" which are basically leftovers from big jobs. Maybe 5' x 5' is a scrap to a big homeowner, but could cover your entire living room. You can get lush, thick carpeting for a fraction of the original cost this way. Installing good carpeting will not only reduce the noise within your apartment, it will block outside noise and will provide insulation. Good insulation helps to reduce electric bills - so even if the cost of carpeting seems steep, you'll probably see that money again in savings.
Install vinyl tile or thick linoleum to absorb sound: Again, you might think this is a little much%u2026 but if you were planning on re-doing your bathroom anyway, you might want to invest in material that will look good AND absorb sound.
If you have received any complaints about the noise coming from your apartment, and you follow any of these suggestions, it is a good idea to document the change(s) made. This way, if you are confronted about the noise coming from your apartment again, and are threatened with eviction, you can prove that you have attempted to reduce the noise level.
source: Fizber.com
5 Real Estate Marketing Tips
1. Build a Quality WebsiteThink of your website as "Web Marketing Central." It's the all-important centerpiece to your online marketing strategy. Build as much value into your website as possible. Load it up with helpful content, articles, listings, real estate news, mortgage calculators, etc.
In web marketing circles, this is known as making your website "sticky." The more valuable content you offer, the more likely people will be to stick around.
Just keep in mind that the more content you add, the neater things must be. Organize your web content so people can find things easily. Keep things clean and uncluttered. Within ten seconds, people should be able to identify the correct path to the information they seek.
You should also incorporate some kind of response-generating mechanism. Offer high-value reports with information about local schools, the current real estate marketing, or future development in the area %u2026 something that people would want to get their hands on. Strive to create something so irresistible that people can't help but email you for it. On the web, this is how business relationships begin.
2. Submit Press Releases Online
Public Relations, or PR, is often the forgotten tool of real estate marketing online. That's unfortunate, because an online PR program can generate a wealth of exposure for a minimal cost.
For instance, most agents don't realize they can submit press releases online for free - and possibly have that release distributed to hundreds of relevant websites. PRWeb.com is one of several resources you can use for this purpose.
Publishing releases helps your online marketing program in two ways - PR visibility and search engine visibility. By having your press releases appear on real estate-related websites, you can get the attention of humans and search engines alike.
3. Publish Articles Online
Article marketing is the act of publishing articles online for marketing purposes. It can do wonders for your real estate marketing program. By publishing articles over the web, you extend your communication reach and increase your search engine ranking (by way of relevant backlinks to your website).
With a little online research, you can find dozens of websites that seek articles from real estate authorities. EzineArticles.com is a multi-topic article directory, but it also allows submission of real estate articles.
HomeBuyingInstitue.com (a real estate-specific website) welcomes articles from real estate and mortgage professionals. A link from HBI could help your search engine visibility a great deal, because the site is real estare-related and well-established.
4. Start a Blog
Blogs do many things well that search engines like. A blog is easier to publish than a regular website, so you can add content to it more often. Search engines like websites with original content that's updated frequently, and blogs fill that role perfectly. From a search engine perspective, Blogger and WordPress are two of the most popular blogging tools.
5. Publish an RSS Feed
RSS (or really simple syndication) is a way to syndicate content from one website to another, or from a website to an RSS reader. The "big three" search engine sites offer personalized home pages that people can customize (My Yahoo, My MSN and Google Personalized). These pages allow users to add RSS feeds at the click of a button.
Source: Fizber.com
5 Tips and 1 Important Warning for First-Time Home Buyers
Buying a house is a complicated and frightening process, and it is important to be prepared. Knowledge is power when it comes to negotiating the difficult world of home prices, interest rates and mortgage loans. For a first time home buyer, there are many factors to consider before you buy. The more information you can gather before you start shopping, the better off you will be.1: Ask yourself if you're ready.
You need to decide whether you're financially ready to buy a home, says Connie Barbosa, vice president and branch manager of Slade's Ferry Bank in Somerset, Mass. She suggests first-time buyers ask themselves some simple questions:
Do you have a steady job and income?
Do you plan on remaining in the same area for a few years?
Do you have enough money set aside for your down payment and closing costs?
Do you have an emergency fund?
Do you live within your means, avoiding credit card debt?
2: Find out what you can afford.
When you're sure you have the right mind set to be a homeowner, it's time to determine how much house you can afford. Web sites such as Fizber.com, Zillow.com and Homegain.com can give you a general idea of what you should expect to pay. You can also do a quick search of actual MLS listings in your area on a number of Web sites, including the site of the National Association of Realtors.
3: Find out what's available.
Now it's time to decide where you want to live and research what types of housing are available - one-story single family, condos, town homes, etc. You can get an idea by looking at ads and driving around the community before you ever call a real estate agent. In searching for an agent, find one who makes you feel comfortable and, more importantly, one who listens to you.
4: Choose a neighborhood.
Once you know the housing stock, you can look at specific neighborhoods. Cruise by at night time to see whether you get a "vibe" that it's a safe neighborhood. If you have children, you'll want to check out the quality of the schools. You may want to check out what types of large-scale facilities (airports, highways, chemical plants, etc.) are nearby, and whether you're convenient to shopping, work and schools. You can do much of this independently, but you can also ask your agent to help you find sources of information about such things. Moreover, you can do it yourself using a broad-purposed neighborhood estimating tool Fizber Drive Score.
5: Negotiate.
Once you've found the house you want, you should make an offer that's lower than the seller's asking price. The seller expects this and will likely make a counter-offer. You have to decide before you start negotiating what your make or break point is, and stick to it. Just be reasonable. Don't expect the seller to give you a 50 percent discount on a good property.
WARNING! The "Red Shoes" Experience
Women will relate to this. Say, you need a new pair of red shoes. You go to the mall. At the first shoe store, you find a fabulous pair of red shoes. You try them on. They fit perfectly. They are glamorous. Priced right, too. Do you buy them? Of course not! You go to every other store in the mall trying on red shoes until you are ready to drop from exhaustion. Then you return to the first store and buy those red shoes. Do not shop for a home this way. When you find the perfect home, buy it.
Source: Fizber.com
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