Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Buying Unfinished Homes

Unfinished homes present a great way to save a lot of money and get you a new home in the process. If you buy an unfinished home, you can keep your monthly mortgage payment low and also lower your initial investment. You may also be able to buy a larger foundation size as well, which you can easily add on to and save money in the process.

Normally, unfinished starter homes leave the upstairs area unfinished. The question here is just how much equity you want to put into an unfinished area. Sometimes though, an unfinished home may leave the roofing, framing, plumbing, or electrical aspects unfinished. Before you make a purchase, you should always decide how much money you have to finish what needs to be finished.

If the home you are looking at has plans for a garage, you can save thousands if you decide not to go with the garage. On the other hand, if there is another attached room that is planned to go onto the house, you can save just as much if you decide to forgo it. There are always ways that you can save money just by looking at the plans. Unfinished homes may have other planned on additions as well, in which you can save a lot of money just by leaving them out.

There is something that you should always keep in mind. When builders acquire a piece of property that they plan to build a home on, they will do everything they can do make as much money as possible on their homes. You might be able to get them to agree to some of these ideas, although they probably won’t agree to all of them. Building homes can be a very profitable business - which is why most companies like to build their homes exactly as the plans call for.

When looking at unfinished homes, you also need to look at what banks are willing to accept. If you are planning to get a mortgage, most banks will need to ensure that the home is up to local codes and in living condition. What this means, is that there will need to be a living room, bedroom, and other rooms finished. If the home is lacking quite a bit in terms of being unfinished, most banks won’t give you a mortgage.

Most banks are also known to turn down unfinished home mortgages that they feel will have trouble selling in the event that you default. Normally, the entire downstairs area will need to be finished, along with most of the landscaping. You might be able to do some of it yourself and save money, although in most cases the homebuilder will need to do a majority of the topsoil and grass just to satisfy the bank. Banks have strict requirements when it comes to unfinished homes, which is why you should always check with your bank before you invest in an unfinished home.

As most of us already know, buying an unfinished home provides an excellent way to get into the housing market and get your very own home. Unfinished homes also allow potential buyers the chance to grow into their home along with their family. If you are interested in saving money, you should be sure to talk to the builder. This way, you can go over the plans and decide what doesn’t need to be there. In most cases you can save a lot of money and still get a home that will provide years and years of memories for yourself and your entire family.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

203k Home Improvement Loans Part 2 of 2

Here is the 2nd video explaining the 203k Home Improvement Loans. Again, this is a great product designed to help you improve the property you are purchasing.

203k Home Improvement Loans Part 2 of 2

203k Home Improvement Loan Part 1 of 2

For those of you out looking for a new home but are seeing more and more properties that still need home improvements to meet your standards, this is the product you need. It allows you to get money to do the improvements you want to the home.

203k Home Improvement Loan Part 1 of 2

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Boost Your Home's Sales Price By Spring: 10 Cheap Ways

MSN Real Estate has a good article today that fits right in with my earlier blog and wanted to link it over for you to have access to read it also.

http://realestate.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=23360384&GT1=35006

It goes over the 10 things you can do to help boost the listing price of your home. In today's market you need to use all the tools at your disposal to get your property sold.

Tips For Selling Your Home

Unlike other things that you may own, you can never take selling your home lightly. A house is a big commodity, one that is worth a lot of money. Before you even think about selling your home, you should put a lot of thought and consideration into it. Although you may want to sell your home - you should make sure that you do it the right way.

The first thing you should do when you are thinking of selling your home is to hire yourself a qualified real estate agent who knows the neighborhood. An agent who knows your neighborhood will known the ideal price for your home, and help you sell it at the ideal price. If your home is priced right for the neighborhood, chances are it will sell. If it is priced too high, you might not get any offers or anyone interested in buying the home.

Once you have a real estate agent, you and your agent will need to develop a strategy. You’ll need to decide on the price and how long you will leave it on the market before you think about a reduction. You’ll also need to discuss his commission as well, which will help to avoid any misunderstandings in the future. If you talk about these types of things when you first start out selling your home, you’ll find the entire process to go much smoother.

In some cases, you may run out of time before you are able to sell your home. In this situation, you may want to rent out your home. When you rent out your home, you may also be able to strike a deal with renters that your home is available for showing. To make the house accessible to potential buyers, you may want to offer your renters a lower price. This way, they will be more inclined to make the house available for potential buyers.

Keep in mind that selling your home will take you some time. You can also sell it yourself if you prefer, without a real estate agent. This can save you quite a bit of money as well, as you won’t have to pay a real estate agent. If you are planning to go this route, you should make sure that you know the value of your home and you know the neighborhood. You can put a “for sale by owner” sign in the yard, and list your home in local newspapers, and on the Internet as well. This way, you’ll get your home out to the market of potential buyers. Homes that are for sale by the owner are always great for buyers - as they can deal with the owner directly and not have to worry about dealing with any real estate agents.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Determine The Listing Price

When it comes to buying a home, most potential buyers will use the listing price to as the number one factor to determine the homes that they look at. Even though you and a realtor may determine the asking price, the buyer will determine the selling price. If the price is too high, most buyers won’t give it a second thought - which is why you want to determine the listing price carefully.

If you set the correct price, you’ll notice a much faster sale. Setting the right listing price will also attract more potential buyers to your property as well. You’ll also notice an increase in response from realtors, and receive more calls about the property. The listing price is very important - and it can ultimately determine whether or not you sale your property.

A home can be overpriced due to several reasons. Overpricing is something you want to avoid, as buyers tend to steer clear of homes that have been overpriced. Normally, this happens when a buyer asks a lot more than the home is worth or valued at. Some buyers ask a lot more than the value of the home due to location. Although the location is very important, most potential buyers won’t give the home a second look if they think the price is too high - and more importantly out of their price range.

When you put your home up for sale, most activity will happen within the first couple of weeks. If you put the right price on your home, you’ll notice immediate interest. There are always buyers looking for homes in their price range, waiting for new homes to be listed or homes to be reduced in price. Buyers who are waiting to purchase may miss seeing your home completely if the price is too high.

To determine the listing price of your home, you should always have it appraised before you put it on the market. This way, you’ll know the full value of your home. You can sell it for market value or go a little under, although you should never attempt to go way over the value. In doing so, you’ll miss out on a lot of potential buyers. The home market is very competitive these days, which is why you want your home to draw as much interest as possible. Let me know if you need a referral for a certified appraiser in your area. This may be the best investment you can make prior to listing your home if you are unsure what price to list for your property.

Keep in mind that realtors really have no control at all over the real estate market, only the plan behind marketing. Realtors don’t determine the asking price - the seller does. You can ask a realtor for advice, although you are the decider of your listing price. If you do things right and take each thing step by step, you’ll set the listing price in the right area and have no problems selling your property.