Archive for the ‘For Sale By Owner (FSBO)’ Category
What Happens when Apartment Co-op Owner Dies?
Dear InfoTube,
My Uncle, who owned a unit in a co-op apartment building, passed away recently. If the heirs decide they do not want to sell the unit, will they be allowed to stay there part time? Or, can they chose to live in the apartment if they wanted to?
Dear Niece,
Unfortunately, the answer to both of your questions is No. Under all proprietary leases, occupancy is limited to the shareholder, only. If a shareholder is deceased, no other person can live in the apartment without the consent of the co-op. When your Uncle was alive, he could ask family members and guests to stay in the apartment, but only if he was there, too.
If you decide to keep the apartment, the new shareholder of record will need approval from the co-op board before they occupy the unit. Even for a week or two.
Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net FREE homes for sale and lease website. We have been in the business of connecting buyer’s and seller’s since 1989. We can help you, too.
Latest Home Sales Data and Predictions for 2010
Case Shiller just released its latest report on the state of the residential estate market. The good news is that home prices are falling more slowly. The bad news is that that we have a little ways to go.
What the Numbers Show:
- Through August, 2009, the price of an average home sold in the US fell approximately 13 percent, year over year, from 2008 levels.
- Home prices have now dropped to 2003 valuation levels, wiping out 6 years of home appreciation.
- Since the peak in 2006, average home prices are down 33 percent.
What Do the Numbers Say About the Future??
- Prediction: The “average” home price will likely fall more than 13 percent by year end. Reason: Home prices are always at their highest in the spring and summer. Families move during this time of year and they buy the largest, most expensive properties. As a result, Summer home sales skew the “average” price upward in the fall, but only temporarily.
- Prediction: Home Sales will suffer a downturn due to the expiration of the $8000 First Time Buyer’s Credit. So far this year, 350,000 buyers have been persuaded to purchase because of this incentive. To read more about the success of the 1st Time Home Buyers Tax Credit, CLICK HERE.
Our Crystal Ball: The pace of the fall is slowing, but the expiration of the tax credit and the ”shadow inventory” of another 1.5 Million foreclosures will continue to put downward pressure on the market in 2010. As a result, we predict that 2010 home prices will decline 6-7 percent. The upside is that nearly all buying risk is out of the market. Interest rates are at historical lows. Any increase in rates would erase the possible gain a buyer would achieve from correctly timing the exact bottom…even if the timing were perfect.
Bottom Line: If you plan to buy a home within the next year, now is a great time. Chose the best home, in the best location and the one that you can easily afford. Live and enjoy the home for at least 5 years and you will likely be patting yourself on the back for a job well done.
Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net homes for sale and lease FREE website. We have been in the business of connection Sellers and Buyers for 20 Years. Chances are that we can Help You, too!!
Did First Time Buyer Tax Credit Help Sellers?
The $8000 Tax Credit for first time home buyer’s (people who have not owned a home in the last 3 years) expires on November 30, 2009. With the expiration date drawing near, the Realtor and builder lobby groups are pushing lawmakers to extend the program for another 6 months. If they are successful, it will cost taxpayers of nearly $15 BILLION.
“Yea” or “Nay”??? Before we cast our vote, we decided to find out whether the tax incentive successful or not? Specifically, did it persuade people to jump into the market? Would it be a good investment for taxpayers going forward?
According to a poll conducted by Zillow, the tax credit was persuasive.
- 18 percent of home buyers said the tax credit was the main reason they pushed to buy a home before November 30, 2010.
- Based on the number of first time buyer’s in the marketplace, a 6 month extension could persuade another 335,000 (18 percent) buyers to buy a home of their own.
- If the first time buyer credit is extended, home sales would likely increase 5 percent. Without it, sales would be down as much as 2 percent.
- Only 31 percent of first time buyers said the credit had no influence on their decision to purchase.
- 69 percent of buyers said the tax credit was important in motivating them to buy a home this year.
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Virtually Stage Your Home to Sell
Marketing a vacant home can be difficult challenge, because empty rooms are hard to size up and they don’t stand out in a buyer’s mind. This leaves every vacant home looking like the one next door, with the only difference in a buyer’s mind being, which home has the lowest price.
This problem may have been solved by Krisztina Bell, a smart Atlanta Realtor, who invented and patented a software program that will “virtually” stage any vacant property for around $250. Her company has been heralded by the Chicago Tribune, San Francisco Chronical and other publications as the answer to giving the effect of a professionally staged home at a fraction of the cost.
With 90 percent of home buyers doing their shopping online, and thousands of vacant homes on the market, Ms Bell’s idea is smart and timely. Her technique transforms listing photo’s of vacant homes into homes with professionally designed interiors, using a library of attractive furnishings, accessories and artwork. The resulting “after” photo’s are realistic, authentic and hard to distinguish from a home that has been actually staged with furnishings.
To view the Photo Gallery of some impressive Before and After Pictures, please visit her website VirtuallyStagingProperties.com, by clicking this link. You will be amazed. And, if you have a vacant home to sell, you should seriously consider this inexpensive option and make your home pop.
Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net homes for sale and rent website. If you virtually stage your home, be sure to upload the slideshow to InfoTube.net. Thousands of buyer’s search our site daily for new information on properties.
Just Say No To Wallpaper
One of the things that can turn off buyer’s, stop a sale or detract from a properties resale value is Wallpaper. Why don’t buyer’s like wallpaper?? First, it is usually a real pain to take down. Secondly, it is very taste specific. There is obviously no “standard” or ”popular type” of wallpaper, because there seems to be endless supply and I have never seen the exact same wallpaper, twice. Meaning, the odds of being hit by lightning are probably greater than 2 people liking the same paper.
If you plan to stay in your home a while and you want some wallpaper in your house, well, it is your house. But, please, go sparingly. Avoid busy, colorful and loud types. And, please don’t forget to “size” the wall before you apply it, or you won’t get it off without destroying the wall surface underneath.
Tip for HomeSeller’s: But, if you are trying to sell your home, without success, and it has a lot of wallpaper or busy, dated wallpaper, you can do yourself a big favor by pulling it down and applying a fresh coat of neutral paint. A crisp, freshly painted room never turns off buyers.
The same can never be said about wallpaper. 
Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net FREE homes for sale and rent website. We have been helping seller’s and buyer’s connect since 1988. We can help you, too.
New Wave of Foreclosures Coming
Bank of America, along with other lenders, report that a huge wave of new foreclosures will flood the market, once again. The second wave in foreclosures is due to the slowing of the loan modification program and the new release of properties that the banks have been holding.
Currently, 1.5 million homes are in foreclosure. More Worrisome…an additional 3.5 – 4 Million home loans are “Seriously” delinquent or are in default. Many of these loans are newer, high quality loans that have fallen into trouble due to job losses. Job losses mean no income, so modifying or saving the loan is not an option for these homeowners.
Buyer Alert: The $8000 Tax Credit for Buying a Home Expires in Only 90 Days. If your loan does not close on or before November 30, 2009, you lose $8000 Grand. Period. With loans currently taking 90 or more days to close, you must buy a home now, in order to qualify.
Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net. We have been in the business of helping buyers and sellers for 20 years. We can help you, too.
25 Worst Housing Markets.
Although there is no place like home, 2009 has been a rough year for homeowners. We have all suffered in this market, but our deepest sympathies go out to those living in the 25 worst markets.
Worst 25 Housing Markets 2009
Rank Real Estate Market 2009 Forecast
1. Detroit, MI − 36.8%
2. Manhattan, NY − 32.8%
3. Grand Rapids, MI − 28.4%
4. Phoenix, AZ − 25.9%
5. Miami , FL − 24.2%
6. Long Island, NY − 22.7%
7. Las Vegas, NV − 21.7%
8. Fresno, CA − 20.2%
9. Bakersfield, CA − 19.3%
10. Riverside, CA − 19.1%
11. Lansing, MI − 18.8%
12. San Jose, CA − 18.5%
13. Anaheim, CA − 18.3%
14. Los Angeles, CA − 18.2%
15. Oakland, CA − 18.2%
16. Scottsdale, AZ − 17.8%
17. San Francisco, CA − 17.6%
18. Seattle, WA − 17.4%
19. Reno, NV − 17.2%
20. Glen Falls, NY − 16.9%
21. Boston, MA − 16.8%
22. Providence, RI − 16.4%
23. San Diego, CA − 16.1%
24. Atlanta, GA − 16.1%
25. Sacramento, CA − 15.7%
Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net. We invite you to place a FREE property listing on our site to reach more buyer’. Have a great Monday.
How to Handle a Low Appraisal
Low Appraisals and Appraisal problems are causing a lot of headaches for sellers, buyers and agents. For a look at one customer’s problem with an appraisal and some practical solutions to solve the matter, CLICK HERE.
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Tip for Faster Closings
If you are selling a home that qualifies for FHA financing, you are required to complete a Transfer Disclosure Statement (TDS), before the buyer’s loan can close. With closings taking up to 90 days to happen, it is imperitive that you don’t hold up your sale. See the criteria below to determine if you need to complete this form.
- If the home qualifies for FHA financing, and you occupy the home, you MUST complete this form in order to sell your property.
- If you are advertising your home as a “short sell” and live in the home, you MUST complete this form in order to sell your property.
- For those homes listed by an agent or broker, the agent only has to request the form from the seller 3 times and they are off the hook.
- This form is not required for non-owner occupied housing (ie: foreclosures and bank owned).
With the first time buyer tax credit expiring in a couple of months, you don’t want to lose a sale because you have not completed this simple form. Make sure you complete it and provide it to all buyer’s.
Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net. We are here to help you buy and sell real estate. Post a Free Ad on our website or Search our database, in complete privacy, for some great deals on houses. Home sales are definitely picking up, don’t let the end of the selling season pass you by. Have a great weekend and happy selling!!
Check out HGTV’s Real Estate Intervention
I have been watching HGTV’s “Real Estate Intervention” for a few weeks now. As a real estate professional for the last 25 years, I give this program a Big 2 Thumbs up!! If you are buying or selling real estate, this program is a must see. Check it out on Thursday nights at 10:30E/9:30C on HGTV.
The HGTV Synoposis of the Show is: In this current real estate market, pricing is everything. And the best way to really find out how much your house is worth is to check out the competition. Real Estate Intervention takes motivated sellers on a tour of other listings in the same area and same price range. They’ll get to see firsthand who their competition is and whether they’ve priced their house right. Does the competition have better closets? Granite counters? A bigger backyard? Which home is the best value for the dollar? We’ll help them determine the best way to get top dollar — and in the end we’ll see which home sells first!
Bonus: Do you want to be on TV??? If you are confused about how to price or market your home and want objective advise, can contact HGTV and be on the show. Click this link to contact HGTV. and tell them InfoTube.net sent you.
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What Location Really Means to Homebuyers
We’ve all heard the sage advise “Location, Location, Location” when it comes to successfully selecting a good piece of property. But, what is truly important to buyers as they search for their ideal Location?
Seller’s, the answer may surprise you! It isn’t being near fancy restaurants, parks, churches or friends and family.
The Top 5 Things Buyers Look for in a Great Location are:
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#1 - Being Close to Work. By far, the most popular choice among homebuyers when selecting a home to buy.
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#2 – Splitting the Distance to Work between Spouses. Runner up for most important factor in buying a home– an ideal location must be about half way between your job and mine.
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#3 – Good Schools. No Surprise Here, other than we thought it would be #1. It’s Not. Could it be that a lot of buyer’s don’t have kids?
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#4 - Entertainment. Convenience and having fun things to do nearby the home is still important to buyers.
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#5 – Friends and Family. It made the list, but certainly isn’t a major factor for buyer’s looking for a good location.
(In case you’re wondering, Safety wasn’t apart of the location poll, because staying alive and robbery free is important to all of us. It is assumed that if you don’t feel safe, the commute time really doesn’t matter to you.)
Why does this information matter to home sellers??? This insight gets to the heart of what people will sacrifice for and what they will not. It seems that the true hunt for location is not based on prestige or having nearby boutiques, its one that allows for a balance between life and work.
Home Seller’s can profit from this knowledge by knowing their town, and by asking the buyers where they work and how they live. Smart seller’s learn where nearby large employment area’s are. They know the easiest, fastest or least traveled routes to major job centers and area’s of interest. They know about the neighborhood school district and the drive time to school, if the buyer has children. And, most importantly, they convey this information to the buyer, in the order of importance.
The Bottom Line is: If you find a home that is in a good neighborhood and close to your job, you will usually end up finding all the other things that are important to you, too. Now, show and sell.
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Today’s Article of Interest for Real Estate Lovers: 3 Reasons that Interest Rates will Stay Low.
Home Appraisals. Something is Wrong.
InfoTube has been blogging that Something is Wrong with real estate appraisals for quite some time now. A new rule, called “Home Valuation Code of Conduct”, which went into effect on May 1st, has derailed sales and wrecked havoc on homeowners and buyers, with the worst possible timing.
The intent of the new rule for loan funding was to eliminate inflated appraisals. Lawmakers found that lenders, such as Washington Mutual, pressured appraisers to inflate values in order to make more money on higher priced loans. Although accurate appraisals are necessary to prevent fraud, the policy has had unintended, devastating effects on the entire real estate industry.
Take the case of the Mann family from San Jose, CA. David and Penny Mann decided to sell their downtown Victorian home in order to move to a retirement community closer to their children and grandchildren. They knew the market was tough, but they priced the home to sell and they were rewarded with back to back offers. They accepted an offer for $560,000 from an excited young couple, buying their first home.
The Mann’s home appraised for full value, but it was deemed to be invalid, because it was done before the new rule took effect. The second appraiser, sent by an appraisal management company, came in $100,000 below the contract price, resulting in the buyer being turned down for their loan. After the initial tears and panic, both parties did some frantic research. They discovered that the appraiser didn’t live in San Jose and had never worked there. Both buyer and seller decided to take action versus lying down and rolling over.
The buyer’s, a lawyer and student, toured at least 40 homes before buying the Mann’s house, and had lived in San Jose their entire lives. They knew that the 100 year old home was perfect for them and they insisted that the management company send an appraiser, from the 408 area code to value the property. The 33 year old lawyer said, “I am an educated person.” …”I’ve lived in the Bay Area my whole life”. “I had no question it was worth $560,000, plus. Neither did my agent or the mortgage broker or the first appraiser. “Nor, as it turned out, did a third appraiser”,… who valued the property at the full sales price.
After all the drama, buyer and seller recently celebrated their victory at the Mann house. The first time buyer’s brought the wine. The Mann’s provided fresh peaches from the tree in the backyard. Finally, a happy ending.
Unfortunately, not all victims of the new appraisal law are as fortunate as these couples. 75 percent of Industry professionals said they have had at least one low appraisal problem since May 1st, with the average loss being around $13,000. In addition, 90 percent of real estate professionals site that at least one transaction had fallen apart because of the new law.
Something is definitely wrong, but you can take action:
To read more about what you can do if you are the victim of a low ball appraisal, Click Here.
To sign a petition to repeal the law, Click Here. Gary Miller, Rep from California is co-sponsoring legislation.
Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net homes for sale and lease website. If you have experienced a financial loss due to the new law, please leave a comment in the space below. Your identity is completely confidential.
Homeowners can always place a Free Property Listing on InfoTube.net. Thousands of home buyers search our site for their dream home.
Should You Use List Prices or Sales Data when Pricing Your Home?
A frequent question we receive about correctly pricing a home is “Should we use Comparable Listing Prices or Comparable Sales Data to correctly price our home?”
The answer is overwhelming, Comparable Sales Data.
Looking at the prices of listed property is a big mistake, when determining the correct asking price for a home. Take a moment and think about it. If the neighbors list price was motivating, the property would be Sold, not Still for Sale.
Always use accurate a Comparable Market Analysis (CMA) to correctly price your home. A CMA features only properties that have sold for all cash or a funded loan. This is important because many properities aren’t appraising or closing for anything near their “under contract” price. In our declining market, a home that is worth $250,000 today, may only be worth $220,000, 60 days later when it closes. Appraisers are aware of this fact and generally appraise very conservatively these days.
Click here To Read more about Appraisal Problems and What you Can do About it.
To obtain accurate Sales data about competing properties in your neighborhood, visit your local county tax assessor website. Or, research MLS data which can be viewed at sites like zillow.com.
Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net. We are here to help you sell your home. Feel free to place a free property listing on our site or search for a great value on your dream home.
Bad Strategy for Home Sales
Question: What is the worst home selling strategy ever???
Answer: ”Let’s test the market”. “Let’s throw it up for sale at a high, unrealistic price and just see what happens…”
Testing the market…whatever that really means is the worst idea, ever. Buyer’s don’t live in a fantasy world. And, if they did, their home buying fantasy is finding a mansion for $100.
“Testing the market” by overpricing a property means that the listing loses its ”honeymoon” period. As a rule, properties receive more interest and more showings in the first 30 days, than they will ever see again. Why? Buyer’s who haven’t found the right home, rush to see new listings as soon as they appear on the market. And, new buyer’s coming into the market always look at new listings first.
If you overprice your home during the honeymoon, chances are high that it will sit on the market for a long time, eventually becoming a “stale” listing. It is possible to stir up more interest later by substantially dropping the price, but seller’s can never again recreate the attention the property would have received, had it been priced right when it made its debut.
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Pricing Your Home. What you paid doesn’t matter.
Big Mistake. A big mistake that home seller’s make is that they often set their asking price, based on what they paid for the property. For example, I hear frustrated, unsuccessful sellers justify overpricing their homes by rationalizing that ”We are asking $265,000 because we paid $250,000 and want to break even.”
The truth is, what you paid for your home doesn’t matter to anyone except you. While it is painful to admit a financial loss, don’t dig yourself in even deeper by thinking that someone else will pay for your mistake. They won’t. And, their lender and appraiser won’t, either
Real estate is just like the stock market. The Buyer determines the price they will pay, not the seller. For example, if you bought Citibank at $120 per share and its now trading at $3.00, then $3.00 is what the asset is worth. The fact you paid $120 a share is irrelevant to buyers in the marketplace. The situation is exactly the same for real estate.
If you want or need to sell a piece of real estate, forget about what you paid for the asset. The only thing that determines today’s value is what a buyer would be willing to pay today. To determine the realistic, current value of your home, research what other homes like yours have actually SOLD for by searching on your local, county property tax database or websites like Realtor.com or Zillow.com.
Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net. House are selling, but only the homes in the best location, condition and price. The summer selling season is rapidly passing by and its time to get serious. If not, you may find that home values are even lower next year. To reach 10 million home buyer’s each month, call us for an MLS and search engine listing for your property. You won’t find a better way to let the world know your home is for sale and time is passing you by.