10 Real Estate Tips For Buyers

1. Before venturing out to look at the first house it is wise to be pre-qualified to determine how much you can afford. A pre-qualified letter also puts you in a good position to have your bid taken seriously by a seller.

2.Don't get caught up in the aesthetics of a house. Instead, look at the soundness of the structure.

3.Resist buying the first house you look at because you think you absolutely must have it.

4.Make a list of non-negotiable amenities you must have in your home and don't compromise.

5.Don't assume that a house is priced accurately. Do your homework and investigate how much similar homes in the area sold for in the last six months.

6.Check to see if there are back taxes due on the property you are interested in. This could give you invaluable bargaining power with the seller.

7.Find out how long the house has been on the market. The longer a house has been listed, the more motivated a seller may be.

8.Remember the golden rule of real estate is location, location, location. Make sure the house of your dreams isn't in a location you are not prepared to live in. Visit the home at different times of the week and at different times of the day and night.

9.Find out what construction is planned for the area that surrounds the house you are thinking of buying.

10.Make sure the house is inspected from top to bottom by a professional home inspector.

By: sichermove

Tips to Sell Your House Quickly

Every individual looks for distinct ways to sell house quickly and fast. It probably may occur due to number of reasons like Relocation, Financial Difficulties, Negative Equity, Divorce or Separation, Repossessions. In such a situation one wishes the process of selling a house to be hassle free. Here are some of the tips that may help to achieve a quick house sale in Berkshire.

Once selling a house is decided, you must see what you want to include in its sale. Generally, the fittings and fixtures are included in basic price but movables can be negotiated. To sell property fast and to avoid clutter later, dispose of any items that you do not need any longer before you start with the sale process.

You have to give certain useful documents connected with your property to your agent like gas & electrical certificate checks, building regulations certificates, council tax, insurance bills, etc. Such documents are required to present to your potential buyers and if you have these at hand then it will allow for you to sell your house fast.

To calculate the correct value of your house, a survey is the most accurate means as it is carried out by a qualified individual namely a RICS survey. Speaking to some local estate agents can be a good idea to get an idea but do bear in mind that an agent will only ever be able to give their opinion and they do tend to inflate the price in order to generate business.

Selling the property through an estate agent involves many significant risks. In fact it could be expensive and time consuming as well. If you decide to involve an estate agent, they will ask you for information regarding the property before requesting for viewings should there be interest. Any potential buyer will want to see the house in a prestige and tidy condition to help them visualize a property that they could see themselves living in. If you decide to go with an agent then do bear this in mind and if you can get things tidied up and neat then this will help a great deal.

Many people do not realise just how long it can even take for a house to be sold. According to www.house.co.uk the average time for a property to sell is 207 days, that is over 6.5 months. Can you afford to wait that long? With the residential market at record lows, selling your house on the open market is more difficult than ever, and with lenders changing lending criteria many people are simply finding it difficult to get a mortgage which has resulted in many broken chains; Is this happening to you?

There are many things to consider when looking at selling your property. If you need to sell quickly then maybe an estate agent is not the best means. If you can afford to wait then great, you can give it a try however if you feel you do not want to risk the uncertainty of not selling and want a guaranteed solution then maybe a cash buyer would be a suitable solution for you. A cash buyer typically is able to raise cash finance quickly resulting in a quick sale of usually 28 days. They also agree to pay all your fees and are happy to complete within a time to suit you.

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Home Buying Tips for the First Time Home Buyer

If you're a first time home buyer and your wallet is not overflowing, the first thing you need to do is get yourself pre-approved by a lender. Assuming they decide you're of good character and there's a pretty good chance you'll choose to pay their monthly stipend, they'll tell you what the maximum is that they will lend you, so now you have a figure with which to work.

The easy part is to figure how many bedrooms and bathrooms you want. Find out the amount of square footage you're living in now. Decide if that's less than or more than you need to feel comfortable and then begin your search.

Feed your search engine with these facts, i.e. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, minimum 1200 square feet and your maximum listing price and see what pops up. Don't forget to add to your monthly expenses the estimated property tax - take the annual amount of property tax, divide by 12 and that's your monthly addition to your budget.

If the property you're considering has an association - condo or HOA - there are also going to be common charges. See what they are and how often they're assessed - usually monthly or quarterly. If it's quarterly, divide by 3 and that's your monthly amount. You're probably going to need homeowner's insurance. Usually the lender insists on it, to protect their investment in your property.

Make a couple of calls to find out what the approximate charge will be and divide that into a monthly amount. Then there are your utilities - electric, telephone, cable, water, sewer. If there's a homeowner's association, some of these are probably included. Find out.

Once you're armed with these figures and you've decided how much of your earnings you want to give away in order to move from under that bridge or out of Mom and Dad's or from that rental apartment that you thought was so terrific when you first moved into it, it's time to start house hunting. And that's the fun part!

If you haven't done your homework, you'll be wasting your time and your realtor's time looking at properties that will not work for you. Give your realtor the maximum amount of information that you can. Talk about communities that appeal to you. Talk about driving time to work.

Talk about pets, your vehicles, child friendly communities or not, how important security is to you, i.e. gated communities, your need to be near public transportation or close to beaches. There's a long list that belongs exclusively to you that makes up your wish list. Communicate well and save time. Be prepared to compromise on some of those wishes. Decide if you want a renovated property or a fixer upper or anywhere in between.

It's my opinion that unless you have experience renovating, whatever the budget you create, it's probably going to cost around double that number. It's also my experience that if you're inexperienced, it will be cheaper and easier in the long run to pay more for that renovated property instead of doing it yourself. It's also my experience that most people don't listen to advice and do what they want. And then live to regret their decisions.

Once you've seen 3 properties, it's time to have a talk with your realtor. Is the space too small? Are you changing your mind about your needs? Or are you on the right track and just need to find the right one. Most people walk in the front door and know immediately if this is the one. Something talks to them, first saying no, no, no and then yes, I love it!

If you're moving because you require more space, i.e. another bedroom, a larger home, a bigger kitchen, then you know what you're looking for. And a lot of people like to stay in the same community and just move up one level. But you need to do your homework with a Lender and calculate your expenses so you'll have that listing/selling price figured out.

Unless you have nerves of steel and can afford to carry two properties at the same time, I advise you to sell your home first and then start looking. No sense shopping for the new home till the old one is sold. That's not to say that you can't shop Open Houses and check out model homes. That'

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