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Did you know that over 88% of all house buyers search for their house by looking on the internet? The internet has become the primary medium for potential buyers to search for a house. Using the internet to market your house is a comprehensive mass marketing approach to selling a house. And when selling your house on your own you need to take an all out approach so you can distribute the message that your house is for sale to the masses. You also need the message to be loud, clear and appealing. There are many websites that can assist you in selling your house, though some are more effective than others, and these websites will get you as much exposure as any real estate agent will get you. Regardless of what website you do choose to use, make sure you have great pictures and a great virtual tour to upload to the website. Great photos and virtual tours sell houses.

Since 88% or more of potential buyers will use the internet to search for their next house, it is clear you need to focus your attention to internet marketing and make sure you are marketing in all the right places. So where do you market on the internet? Don’t waste your time marketing in places where your house listing will get mediocre or zero exposure. Based on years of experience we recommend you only market on effective internet websites that have been proven to get mass exposure and successfully sell houses. We have many websites to recommend, but there are a few that stand out. Most of which are FREE.

The first place to market your house is Craigslist, which has become an excellent online classified resource used to sell real estate. Make sure your headlines and ads sparkle and the content of the classified is clear and detailed. Make sure you respond quickly to inquiries since internet prospects will continue to look for houses to see what else is around the bend.

The second website is Facebook, which now has over 140 million unique visitors in the U.S. and can give you incredible trustworthy exposure. You can share your listing with your friends or create a separate new page specifically for your house.

The third effective internet resource to market your house is Postlets, which is a website service that automatically posts your house listing on many other online websites. It’s easy to use and gives you great exposure to the masses.

The fourth are for sale by owner websites, also known as „FSBO“ websites. FSBO Websites are the Do-It-Yourself option that allows you to market your house listing through the Multiple Listing Service („MLS“) system, which was once a place exclusive to real estate agents alone. Marketing through a FSBO website will give you the same exposure 99% of real estate agents have. And if you combine that exposure with the other places we’ve touched upon, you will outshine most real estate agents‘ marketing efforts.

Now of course there are other great places to market your house, but the ones listed will get you pointed in the right direction.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

I’ve done it myself; taken what I thought were great listing pictures and used them for my online MLS listing. My clients thought they were fine and I thought they were just fine, until I started working as a buyer’s agent in Seattle a few years back.

I worked with over 40 different buyers a week and everyday I’d hear, „Did you see those listing pictures? There’s no way we want to see that house, it’s a dump! Does the listing agent know how bad they are?“ Obviously, the listing agent didn’t spend anything on real estate photography.

My buyers would also see some great listing photos and want to get in to see the home that afternoon. We’d step inside and they’d wonder if it was the same home they saw online. They felt cheated because the pictures were nothing like the real home. (but at least the listing agent got buyers walking through the house).

It all came down to the listing pictures they saw online. That’s essential marketing for listings! Give buyers a great picture and they’ll jump inside the house that day. Give them a „do-it-yourself“ picture and they’ll move onto the next home. The listing pictures make the difference, especially when you spend a few bucks on professional real estate photography!

Even when the listing pictures were better than the actual house, guess what? It still got the buyers inside! That’s your goal as a listing agent; get as many showings as possible. Professional real estate photography makes that happen.

With upwards of 80%+ of buyers looking online now, the listing photos are the first thing they’re looking at and basing their initial impressions on.

How much money in lost commissions do you think you’re missing because you won’t spend a couple hundred bucks for professional real estate photography?

If you did spend the well invested marketing dollars on some professional real estate photography…….

1. You could have more satisfied clients because the home sold faster.
2. You could have made more cash because you didn’t have to drop the sales price when the listing became stale on the market.
3. You could look like a top producer in the area because of the quicker sales, better looking listings and more satisfied clients. Your overall image is enhanced, big time!

Isn’t it funny how such a small aspect of your business can affect the whole thing? Anytime you realize how one issue affects your net profits, that’ll make you perk up, right?

Now don’t give me the excuse that it’s too expensive because it’s not. Look at it as a marketing and advertising expense because that’s exactly what it is. And real estate photography is one of the best things you can spend your marketing dollars on.

You have a couple options……..

You could grab a professional in real estate photography in your local area and offer them $50-$200 to come to your listing and take some fabulous photos. Make sure they’re top notch, have all the right equipment and understand the goal of these photos. You don’t want to pay for real estate photography that’s no better than your own.

Your other option is to go with a company like Vicaso.com who does real estate photography exclusively. Their business is listing photos for real estate agents!

You can schedule your photo shoot on their website, pay about $200 or so and get the most captivating listing photos you’ll ever see. Even if you have a crack house listed for sale, their real estate photography will make it look like a palace.

I’m telling you; don’t skimp on your real estate photography. Look at the cost as an investment. If you spent $200 on professional real estate photography and got back another $20,000 in commissions that year from faster sales, more clients, and higher listing prices, wouldn’t that be worth it? You betcha!

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

MLS searches (or Multiple Listings Service) are based off the principle; „Help me sell my inventory and I’ll help you sell yours.“ It is a unique concept, though one not many other industries use. Real estate brokers acknowledge the advancements in technology once MLS searches became popular, and are willing to present the advantages and disadvantages of MLS queries to interested parties. The decision of utilizing this service is ultimately up to the potential buyer.

No For Sale By Owner (FSBO) Options

One of the big disadvantages to MLS searches is they do not include homes sold by the owner, unless the seller has negotiated a certain percentage of the commission to the realtors. If interested in FSBO’s, the buyer must search potential neighborhoods for FSBO signs and negotiate a price within their range. If the buyer does not know much about negotiating prices, or how much homes are worth, MLS queries still provide some contribution for comparison purposes. If excessive research is undesirable to the buyer, then MLS queries provide another benefit.

Less Research for the Buyer

Buying a home might already be considered a stressful process for some. MLS searches can cut down on some of that stress because it reduces the research the buyer must conduct. There are already so many other aspects a buyer must remember to look into, including the community, crime rate, demographics, school districts, job outlooks, among others. MLS queries place hundreds of homes from the participating brokers into one database, with hundreds of fields with which to search the properties. Knowledgeable brokers with years of experience determine these popular search fields; whereas if the buyer conducts the research by himself or herself, he or she may question whether the information they find is accurate.

The Internet Outdates MLS Queries

The younger generation might claim the Internet is called the „Information Highway“ for a reason. While it is true certain states have their MLS queries readily available on the Internet, not all states have this accessibility. It is also important to consider that information researched on one’s own time might not be as accurate as the MLS searches provided by real estate brokers.

A Trusting Community

As mentioned earlier, all MLS queries are based off the „You scratch my back, and I’ll scratch yours“ premise. In other words, there are no hidden agendas. All brokers participating in MLS queries are trying to provide the buyer with the greatest number of options. They keep the buyer’s requirements in mind and try to create satisfactory customers.

Ultimately, the decision to use MLS searches or to conduct the research on one’s own is up to the potential buyer.

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Makler Heidelberg

The public mls system is the official site of the Canadian Real Estate Association. It is the gateway to all the listings across Canada. As stated at their website the public mls website is a medium provided by REALTORS® across Canada to help market properties that are listed on the mls.

Ths definition of mls is multiple listing service.

Almost all local board mls systems provide data to the public mls system to facilitate the public’s search of mls listings in their particular areas and across Canada.

All people who have access to a computer have access to the public mls system in Canada. It is similar to the public mls system in the United States.

Most real estate boards in Canada (the Toronto Real Estate Board – TREB – being one of them), upload partial listing information to the public mls system on a regular basis.

It is important to know that the public mls system is for the public and only provides limited information about the particular listings. Realtors utilize their local mls system to search and find mls listings and they have access to far more details and information about a particular listing than what is available on the public mls system. The privacy act in Canada is the main reason for this.

Conclusion

The public mls system is available to everyone to use to search and see mls listed properties across Canada.

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Makler Heidelberg

The home mortgage loans guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs have been a popular way for veterans and active duty service members to afford their first homes for over 70 years. Because the home loans are guaranteed, many lenders are eager to offer these low-cost home loans for veterans. Though not difficult, the application process is somewhat different than the one for conventional loans, and many lending institutions have departments or specially trained personnel to help with the required documentation.

Eligibility

If you are a member of the military on active duty for at least 90 days, you are eligible for a VA guaranteed mortgage loan. Similarly, veterans who have served between 90 and 181 days of continuous service, depending on the time period, are eligible to apply for these loans. National Guard service members are also eligible for a home loan if they are currently serving or have served for six years, have been discharged or on the retired or stand-by list. Under certain circumstances, the spouses of military members may also be eligible for a VA loan.

Certificate of Eligibility

Applicants are required to document their service in the military with a Certificate of Eligibility. The certificate is issued with a number of different types of evidence:

• A DD Form 214 for veterans that indicates the character of the service and the reason for separation from service
• For current service members, a current statement of service signed by a commander of the unit, adjutant or personnel office
• For current National Guard members, a statement of service signed by a commander of the unit, adjutant or personnel office
• For discharged National Guard members who were never activated, an NGB Form 22, Report of Separation and Record of Service
• Surviving Spouse not receiving benefits must submit a VA Form 21-534
• Surviving Spouse receiving benefits must submit a VA Form 26-1817

Additional Requirements

In addition to the Certificate of Eligibility, applicants for a VA guaranteed mortgage loan must provide:

• Documentation of sufficient income to afford payments on the loan
• A good credit record – VA lenders set their own minimum credit record requirements for a loan
• Proof that the property can be occupied – VA loan benefits must go to properties that are suitable for occupation, such as single-family homes, condominiums, townhomes and multi-family residences.
• Intention to occupy the property – First time home loan applicants must assure their intention to occupy the property.
• A property appraisal to ensure that the property is valued sufficiently for the loan amount.

Closing the Sale

Applicants are encouraged to compare the loans of a number of lenders to ensure the best terms. After the applicant has been approved for the VA guaranteed mortgage loan, he or she must close on the sale of the property, provide proof of homeowners insurance for the property and pay closing costs. These closing costs are regulated by the VA. The title is then issued and insured by a title insurance company to prevent any other claims on the property.

Although the process may seem daunting to first-time borrowers, lending institutions have created protocols for VA loans that facilitate the application process so that veterans and active duty service members can take advantage of this valuable benefit.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Instagram’s simple platform and focus on photos makes it the perfect app for real estate agents to share their listings. However, agents who aren’t familiar with the platform may not know what kinds of pictures to post. Simply posting a photo of your listing with the address and a description isn’t going to get much attention. You need to create a story around the listing and share multiple photos to tell that story.

The easiest way to start „Instagramming“ your listings is to use Instagram during an open house. Below are 7 different pictures you can take to create and share your open house story.

Start with a selfie

A „selfie“ is a photo that you take of yourself. Take a selfie in your car, in front of the sign or by the front door. Caption it with something like „Excited to host an open house at 12345 Main Street.“

Your favorite room

Take a photo of your favorite room in the house. In the caption, get your followers to imagine life in that room. For example, if your favorite room is the bathroom with the huge soaking tub, say something like „Can you imagine coming home from a hard day’s work and getting to soak in this tub? Glorious!“

Your favorite outdoor feature

Photograph your favorite outside space. Again, get your followers to imagine themselves living there. „Check out this built in BBQ. Would you love to host summer BBQs at this home?“

Give a shoutout to other agents

A shoutout is a social media referral. If a real estate agent you know comes by the house with clients, snap a picture with them and give them a shoutout in the caption (be sure to use their Instagram handle if they have one.) Your caption could read something like this „Look who stopped by my open house today! Thanks for bringing your buyers @realestateagent.“

Share your „to-do list.“

Write or type a list of things you need to do to prepare for the open house then post a picture. This gives people an idea of the services you provide when hosting an open house. You can also share the owners to do list to educate people on how they should prepare for an open house.

Tools of the Trade

Do you always bring a specific water bottle to open houses? Do you often bake cookies or bring a vase of flowers? Lay out your items and snap a photo. The caption can read something like „Here’s my open house survival kit!“

Get the owners in on the fun

If the homeowners are around, take a photo with them. Tag them and ask them to share the photo on their Instagram and to tag you!

Instagram is easy to use and the perfect platform for real estate agents who are unfamiliar with social media but want to use it to market their listings. With a few clicks of your smartphone camera and some witty captions, you’re next buyer could be one of your Instagram followers.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

When, a homeowner, decides, it is time, for him, to sell his existing home, it may be, for any number, of possible reasons! Some are obvious, such as financial challenges, job relocation, changing personal needs, priorities, etc, while, other motivations, may be, more – personal, etc! Regardless, however, in my, over 15 years, as a Real Estate Licensed Salesperson, in the State of New York, I have learned, and strongly, believe, a primary, initial decision, which, often, has significant impacts, is the initial, listing price, when the house, originally, is, put – on – the – market, to sell. Basically, there are 5 basic strategies, for pricing, your home, for – sale. With, that in mind, this article will attempt to, briefly, consider, examine, review, and discuss, what these are, and, why, it matters.

1. High – end of range: Especially, in these times, where, we see, a combination of limited, available inventory, near – record – low mortgage interest rates, and a sellers – market, many homeowners, seem, to prefer, pricing their houses, at the higher end, of the range! In, some cases, this strategy, achieves its objectives, but, often, risks, houses, which don’t end – up, selling, Using this strategy, should, only, be considered, when the seller, is willing to take some risks (hoping for greater rewards), and isn’t under, time – pressure!

2. Middle, of the range: In most cases, the smartest approach, is, to price a house, in the middle of the range, suggested, by preparing, a professionally, designed/ created, Competitive Market Analysis (usually, referred to, as a, CMA). This, usually, creates, a strong – demand, by, qualified, potential buyers!

3. Lower third of range: There may be, several reasons, for this approach, to listing price! Usually, it creates, a significant demand, from qualified buyers, and, helping, to sell the house, for the best – price, in the shortest – period, with a minimum of hassle!

4. Pricing above the high point: During certain, real estate markets, such as the one, we have witnessed, for several months, currently, we often, witness, listing prices, set, above the higher – end, of the indicated range! When, prices, are rising, quickly, this may help getting more money, for one’s house, but, since most buyers, use a mortgage loan, to help finance/ pay – for, the home, doing this, risks, home appraisals, which don’t, perhaps, justify, the size of the desired loan!

5. Below lowest point: Setting an initial, listing price, below, market – levels, may be indicated, under certain circumstances/ conditions. This approach may be effective, when a seller wishes for a speedier sale, and, believes, creating, a so – called, bidding – war, may, make sense! It may also be a good approach, for marketing houses, with some, unusual circumstances, needs, goals, and priorities!

Whichever strategy/ approach, used, it is important to realize, there is a significant different, between, listing, and selling, prices! Will you be an educated, informed, smarter home – seller?

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

If you have fallen behind on your mortgage payments, your lender could choose to foreclose on the loan. This means that you will lose your house and suffer a large reduction in your credit score. However, you maybe able to sell your home to stop foreclosure and avoid the 4 to 7 years of dealing with bad credit. How does selling your home potentially put an end to your foreclose dilemma?

The Lien Goes Away When the Loan Is Repaid

As long as the price that you sell your home for is larger than what you owe the back including back payments and interest, the lien on the property goes away and the lender has no reason to foreclose. This means that there is no foreclosure and no potential damage to your credit score. If you owe more one your mortgage than what you can sell your home for you may be able to negotiate a short sale with your lender to avoid foreclosure.

What’s a Short Sale?

A short sale occurs when you sell your home for less than the outstanding loan balance. The bank then accepts the sale price and lets you walk away from the property with no further action required. While it may still cause damage to your credit score, it does stop the foreclosure and allows you to move on with your life with no further obligation to pay the lender. If you do decide to complete a short sale with your bank it is important to get a signed agreement from your lender that binds them to not hold you accountable for the remainder of the loan balance. This may take a little negotiating but it happens with more than 50 percent of the short sales.

Does the Bank Need to Agree to the Sale?

In a short sale situation, the lender will have to agree to let the you sell your home for less than the loan amount. However, the property owner is free to sell the home at any time prior to a foreclosure taking effect. This is because the property has yet to be repossessed and the homeowner is free to sell their property. The only thing that may make a sale harder is the existence of a prepayment penalty. While rare, some mortgages contain clauses that force the mortgage holder to pay a fee if the mortgage is paid off early for any reason. Ask your lender if you have a prepayment requirement on your mortgage.

A foreclosure is not something that an individual wants to go through but some times it may be the best option. The good news is that it can be avoided by simply selling the property and walking away. As long as you have a mortgage that is not upside down, it may be easier than you think to find a willing buyer long before the foreclosure process is complete. This will allow you to pay for back payments, interest and your overall loan balance.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

The tourism industry in Belize is undergoing a huge metamorphosis. The boom is evident everywhere. So it is hardly surprising to find international property investors making a beeline to invest in Belize real estate.

From its pristine Caribbean shores to its lush jungle, Belize is abundant in amazing natural beauty. As the tourism industry in Belize is awakening to its potential, the property market is struggling to cope with the surge in demand for a piece of Belize real estate from foreign property investors. If recent statistics are any indicator, then Belize is well and on its way to becoming the next hot destination for international property investors.

One of the hottest expatriate destinations in Latin America, Belize offers real advantages, including a lower cost of living, a better quality of life, amazing real property opportunities, lower taxes and prolific business potential. Belize real estate listings are a great source of information for those looking to invest in property here. Prime residential properties, commercial land and business places like hotels and resorts are listed at these sites, so investors can have access to all the information that they need in one place.

Belize real estate offers excellent investment potential in the current market scenario because of several factors that are specific to this Central American country. It is a tax-shelter haven where investors do not have to pay any capital gains or inheritance tax. Property taxes are abysmally low at just one percent of the market value of the undeveloped land. Land titles can be easily transferred without going through complicated legal processes like other countries.

There are countless reasons why property investors are finding investing here as an attractive option. Foreign property investors can buy property without any prequalification or restrictions. Government rules are very flexible and do not act as a deterrent to investors. Belize, the only Central American country with English as its first language, has a stable government and a growing economy. The cost of living is inexpensive and there are retirement advantages. In fact, there is no place in Central America where property is available at such incredible rates.

The best of Belize real estate for sale can be sourced from the well-managed property portals. Property companies help investors go through the buying process with little to no hassle. They work closely with their client right from the point of initial contact until the time of title transfer. All listed Belize real estate properties are researched to ensure that the titles are clear.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

The first step to shopping for real estate in Nicaragua is to forget everything you know about the process back home… no matter where home may be.

Let me make one thing clear from the start. There are incredible bargains to be had buying property in Nicaragua. In fact, there is no other market in the Americas where insisting upon a 40% return on investment or better is reasonable. However, there are few similarities between the rules and regulations governing the real estate industries in North America or Europe, and Nicaragua. It’s because of this lack of similarities that foreign investors often get into trouble. There is a preconceived notion on the part of foreigners that the Nicaragua real estate industry is as carefully regulated as it is elsewhere, and it is this incorrect assumption that sets foreign investors up to be cheated. The only universal real estate investing rule that applies as equally in Nicaragua as it does anyway else is Caveat emptor, buyer beware.

Real Estate Brokers

Basically there’s no such thing in Nicaragua as a real estate brokerage that a Canadian, American or European would assume the term represents. There are real estate brokerage offices. Some even have familiar franchise names, but that’s where the similarity ends.

There is no mandated, formal training of real estate sales people, nor are there specific licensing requirements. Anyone can become a „realtor“ by paying for a merchant license or incorporating a Nicaraguan company. I’m not suggesting this means „all“ real estate sales people are incompetent or untrained… many are. In fact, there are a number of retired realtors who relocated to Nicaragua and maintain successful, upstanding businesses. However, there are many more who are not at all competent, and operate on the razor edge between honest business and outright fraud. Caveat emptor again!

There are no district or federal regulatory boards governing the real estate industry in place. Real estate sales are no more regulated than a vehicle sale transacted by a street vendor. Outright criminality is not ignored by authorities, but having the perpetrator jailed is unlikely to result in recovery of any money lost. The revenge should make a fleeced buyer feel better though. Nicaraguan jails exist to punish criminals, not rehabilitate, and they are Hell on Earth. Unfortunately though, most issues that can arise in a real estate transaction are considered civil matters by law enforcement and have to be treated as such. In short, whatever money you think you were cheated out of… consider it lost. Even with a judgement in the plaintiff’s favor, collecting money owed in a judgement rarely happens. So again, caveat emptor.

A serious shortcoming in the Nicaragua real estate market is that there is nothing similar to a Multi Listing Service (MLS). The lack of any form of MLS means there is no central registry of properties for sale, nor any information as to what a property sold for. The result is that it’s very difficult to decide what a house or commercial building in a particular neighbourhood is worth since there are no comparable property transactions to use as a guide. Appraisers base their appraisals on replacement cost mostly, and whatever else they provide is pure guess work. Ironically, banks require appraisals created by licensed Nicaraguan appraisers if mortgage funding is being requested.

There’s no such thing in Nicaragua as a listing similar to what most foreigners would understand the term to mean. Real estate shoppers will hear a realtor say that he or she has a listing, but it’s common to see two or more real estate signs on a single property. Likewise, the same property may appear on multiple real estate company websites and be advertised online by numerous different people. More confusing, the prices advertised may vary for the same house, sometimes by tens of thousands of dollars. Nicaraguans selling their homes rarely lock themselves into an agreement with one party wanting to sell their land, house or commercial building. If you want to sell something, the assumption is the more people trying to sell it the better. And by more people that can be realtors, the owner themselves, their family and friends, a neighbor, or a horse drawn carriage driver. This seems chaotic to a foreigner shopping for a retirement or vacation home, but it makes perfect sense to Nicaraguans. Without an MLS service that allows numerous realtors to show prospective buyers a listed property, letting everyone try to sell a property seems to be the best way to get exposure.

Another misconception foreign purchasers have when buying real estate in Nicaragua is that the seller is paying the real estate agent. This is sometimes the case, but even when it is the buyer may be asked to pay the commission. Yes, this is legal in Nicaragua. In fact, not only could there be a commission paid by the seller and buyer, but the real estate agent may have added an amount to what the seller actually wants in his or her hand. This too is legal. The worst case scenario is that the seller wants US$50,000 for his or her home. The sellers offers anyone selling the home US$1000 or a percentage. The real estate selling agent advertises the home for US$59,900, allowing for negotiating room. A buyer settles on US$55,000 but is told that in Nicaraguan the buyer pays the commission. Not actually the truth, but common enough that people think it’s a rule. The requested commission can be anything up to as much as 10%, or it can be a flat fee. Once all is said and done and the buyer agrees to purchase the property for US$55,000. In a case such as this, the ‚agent‘ will insist on a nonrefundable US$5000 down payment. At closing the seller receives the US$50,000 that he or she wanted and the selling agent pockets the rest.

I know of a purchasers who handed a ‚realtor‘ US$65.000 to purchase a 3 acre farm with a small house on the property. The ‚realtor‘ then went to the owner of the property and paid him US$20,000 to buy the land. It gets worse… the ‚realtor‘ never bothered to make the title transfer until the buyer discovered he was not the owner when he tried to pay long overdue taxes. In the end the property was purchased by a developer for little more than the original US$65,000, but 8 years of appreciation later. In another case Europeans purchase a home and overpaid US$85,000. Of course basing their offer on the European real estate values they knew, it was assumed they were getting a bargain. The ‚realtor‘ pocketed the US$85,000 and a commission he charged the buy as well. Again, perfectly legal in Nicaragua… so caveat emptor.

The way to navigate through what foreigners view as market chaos is to use a knowledgeable real estate consultant to find a property you want, negotiate the price, terms and conditions, conduct the necessary due diligence, validate the title and survey, and so on. This is a fee based service but far less expensive than a percentage sales commission, and far, far less than a costly mistake would be. One such service is Nica Investments, a real estate consultancy that assists foreign investors purchasing real estate or businesses in Nicaragua.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg