Zillow

Zillow does a good job on how well they use public record information that you could have found in other websites, but would have had to make the relationships yourself. Since public records are not always accurate, some refinements may be needed to correct any mistakes carried over from the records they used. Using the "refine" tool by Zillow will help you get a get close to the expected value of the property. The refine tools can be used to update the number of bedrooms or update on the amount of square feet.

Although Zillow is not perfect, it is a useful tool since it simplifies the process of real estate estimates. Zillow estimates vary from 10% to 20%. With refinements you can get it down to about 10%.

Zillow performs similar tasks as Real Estate Appraisers to do property comparison. This will save money for both buyer and seller.

As you know flipping houses is becoming big business in the world of real estate investment and Zillow can help in real estate valuation. Unfortunately it takes all kinds of 'flippers' to make the world go around and some of them aren't nearly as conscientious as others. If you are going to get into the business of flipping houses and want to make a living, and build a good reputation, for producing quality results you need to see to a few details throughout the process.

1) Do what needs to be done. Don't cut corners and create situations that will put the family that purchases your home in personal or financial risk. You want to create a safe home for the family or person that ultimately makes the purchase. You do not accomplish this by taking shortcuts and using shoddy workmanship.

You can use Zillow to help you consider the above factors when you make your investment decisions.

2) Avoid spending money that doesn't need to be spent. By this I mean don't spend money creating more work. Many people do this by deciding to tackle additions, rip out walls, or changing floor plans. These kinds of changes are best left to the buyer unless they will significantly improve the asking price you can bring in on the house. Otherwise spend the bulk of your money in kitchens and baths where they are best known for bringing in bigger profits.

3) If it ain't broke don't fix it. There is a lot of wisdom in this age-old saying. There is no reason to go in and fix something that doesn't need to be fixed unless doing so will improve the value of the house to its buyers.

Again, Zillow can be use to compare houses with home improvements and determine if its worth consideration.

4) Always work within a budget. Most people set a budget when planning to flip houses but very few manage to work within that budget. This is the difference in making the profits you anticipated and putting the entire project at risk.

Zillow may be used to help you with historical trends in a particular area so you can focus which areas are profitable.

5) Create a home that the buyer will want to live in not the home that you will want to live in. You should never flip a house or design a flip according to your tastes; it is a recipe for disasters in more ways than one. First of all, it is unlikely that buyers will be able to afford it. Second, it sets you up for hurt feelings if a potential buyer rejects any small details. Third, it often raises the price you must seek for the property in order to cover the increased costs of decorating and designing according to your taste. Finally, it often leads to unnecessary expenses, which defeats the purpose of a quick flip type of project.

6) Time is money. Remember this in all things. The more time it takes to do the flip the more money it's going to cost and the less money you are going to make. Plan small changes that have a big impact and can be done quickly to get the most out of your flip.

7) Never attempt a champagne flip unless you have a champagne budget to back it up. Just as flipping above the market is an unwise move it is equally unwise to flip a property beneath your target market as well. Do not attempt to flip a house in an upscale neighborhood if you can't manage the upscale building supplies and appliances that will be needed in order to make it a success.

While the use of Zillow and these aren't guarantees for success they are solid advice that will minimize the risks you face when flipping properties.

Technorati Tags:
zillow real estate home buyer real estate investor
Add to: | Technorati | Digg | del.icio.us | Yahoo | BlinkList | Spurl | reddit | Furl |

If you haven't seen the many shows on television advertising and explaining how to flip a house this should help you find yourself well on your way to real estate investing riches through the process of flipping houses. While there are some negative connotations attached to flipping houses because of shoddy deals and shoddy workmanship in the past, you can create a positive reputation by doing things the right way if you follow the advice mentioned below.

1) With the help of Zillow, you need to find a suitable house in a suitable location. This is probably the most important aspect of flipping a house. There is no way a flip could be successful if you do not get an absolutely great deal on a house that is in good shape, needing only cosmetic repairs and touches, that also happens to be in a neighborhood where houses move and will get the price you are setting as your goal. While it seems like a little more than a mouthful each of these things is important to the success of your flip.

2) Have an inspection. This is also essential because your inspection should clue you in to any unforeseen problems that may arise. You can either adjust your bid in order to cover the costs of those repairs or you can pull out of the project all together if discovered and unanticipated repairs would eliminate the profit you potential you need in order to make the house flip worth your time.

3) Decide what must be done. It is best to salvage as much of the original structure as possible and make mostly cosmetic repairs to the house. The goal of a flip is to spend little and make a lot. Plan projects that can be completed quickly (carrying costs are the bane of the house flipper) and with little expense. Flooring, paint, and fixtures are a great way to make a large impact without spending too much money.

4) Get the work done. Whether you are doing the work yourself or hiring experts you need to get the work done as quickly as possible in order to maximize your profits. Plan projects to move quickly and avoid projects that rely on the entire property being useless while they are being performed as they risk putting other projects behind if they are delayed for some reason.

5) Be flexible with the price. If you stick to your budget you should be able to go with your original target asking price. Use Zillow to help you price the home market in the neighborhood of interest. You do not want to price the property more than the neighborhood will be able to support and you definitely want to avoid turning off potential buyers by turning down a fair offer too quickly. It is better to take a lower offer and sell the house quickly than hold out for a larger offer that never comes (all the while paying costly carrying costs).

Flipping a house is a trying ordeal and during the middle it is likely you will decide that you aren't asking for nearly enough money out of the deal. The hours are long and the work is difficult but if you stick to it and don't get greedy you will find that the profits can be quite attractive by real estate investing standards and fairly quick to come. While the work is difficult the payoff is wonderful.

If you've dreamed of real estate riches along with dreaming of being in the position to help out those who have hit a few bumps in the road along the way but are generally good people fallen on hard times then you may want to consider a type of real estate investing in which you purchase properties and then work out a lease to own agreement with people who, for one reason or another, cannot get the financing to purchase their own properties right now.

This type of real estate investing is a great way to make money while helping out your fellow man and there are many other benefits to this type of arrangement as well. First of all, renters have no stake in a property. For this reason you will often find that renters have little regard for damage done to the property beyond how it affects their security deposit. Those who have hopes of someday owning the property however are much more inclined to take great care of the interior and exterior of the home they are renting. This means that chances are good that the value of the property will actually improve during their tenure whether they ultimately decide to purchase or not.

This also benefits you because these properties are often in high demand and will fill up more quickly then the average rental property should the sale of the house fall through for whatever reason. Common reasons for sales falling through are work related transfers, divorces, and an inability to get financing even with the money escrowed to go towards a down payment. The good news is that even if the sale falls through you can try again and the house isn't likely to sit empty for very long.
The benefits to those leasing from you are many.

First of all, you will be putting a predetermined and agreed upon sum of each months rent towards their down payment at the end of the (again) previously agreed upon amount of time. This allows them to save the money for the down payment without really consciously thinking about it each month. This agreement also allows them a little more leeway for making improvements, painting to taste, and decorating than your typical rental home.
Another big benefit to those leasing to own is that it gives them a certain amount of time, typically two years, to get their affairs in order and work on improving credit, saving money, and taking other positive steps towards their dreams of home ownership. They also get the opportunity to see how they like living in the home in question. Many homeowners would love to have had a two-year trial on their homes before making the final commitment.

In addition to using Zillow about property trends in a neigborhood, they have an opportunity to learn about many of their neighbors, the local schools, the local commute, shopping, and entertainment among other things. These things are all great knowledge for those leasing to see and enjoy first hand before making the absolute commitment to purchase the property. It also happens to keep money filling your pockets month after month with excess paid to go to the down payment reverting to you if after two years (or the agreed upon time frame) they decide not to make the purchase.

Some have a difficult time making the decision to go the lease to own route when it comes to real estate investing. They feel, for whatever reason that it is taking advantage of some people and that is something you'll have to wrestle with on your own. Truthfully speaking it is a service that many people wish was offered much more often than it is and can be a huge help to those who are experiencing a bit of a rough patch but otherwise have always been on time with payments and are, at the core, good people who deserve a break. Using Zillow as a resource, you can quell the feelings of taking advantage by offering a fair price on an arrangement that has the potential to be mutually beneficial.

Technorati Tags:
zillow real estate home buyer real estate investor
Add to: | Technorati | Digg | del.icio.us | Yahoo | BlinkList | Spurl | reddit | Furl |

Technorati Tags:
Zillow, Web 2.0
Add to: | Technorati | Digg | del.icio.us | Yahoo | BlinkList | Spurl | reddit | Furl |