Making the decision to move is the easy part, the preparation, stress and worry which goes with the whole selling and buying process is the hard bit. All of which starts now!

When most people come to sell their home, they always consider the real \ estate agent to be the quickest and easiest route to selling their home. Before you even think about appointing an agent it is essential you present your home in its best light to prepare for all those viewings. Today’s buyers want their new home to be in perfect condition. They don’t want to spend time decorating or refurbishing a property. So here’s what to do before inviting the agents round:

1.It’s time to get all those cleaning products out from under the kitchen sink and give your home a thorough clean from top to bottom. Don’t forget to clean the windows (inside and out), the floors, walls, paint work, light switches etc, etc.

2.Your home must be de-cluttered to create as much space as possible. It takes a lot of effort, but you must put away the kids toys, tidy up shoes and put away all laundry. Your home must stay clutter free ready for all those viewings.

3.Put away as many personal belongings as possible, such as family pictures or trophies as it helps the potential buyer to imagine themselves living there.

4.Ensure all the decor is in good condition and if necessary paint all your rooms a neutral colour. Neutral colours have been proven to statistically increase the chances of a sale as these appeal to the majority of home buyers.

5.The flooring is also very important in a home as buyers like wood, laminate or a lighter colour carpet like beige. These will also increase the chances of a sale, although they may not be practical for everyone, especially if there are children or pets in the house.

6.A lot of buyers will be put off by the smell of any pet odours. It is best if all your pets are kept out of the house while viewings are taking place. If you have a dog, give it a regular shampoo and make sure there are no pet hairs on the carpets and sofa. This alone can be very off putting to potential buyers.

7.The garden is a space where buyers love to entertain during summer with barbecues and parties. Make sure your garden is presentable and practical at all times, even if the weather is bad. Keep the lawns mown and free from leaves and weeds. Jet wash the patio, clip back overgrown plants and bushes. Setting up some garden furniture will help your potential buyers imagine themselves sitting in the garden on a hot summer’s day with a glass of wine.

8.Finish off any of those DIY projects you have started but not completed as buyers are put off when they see unfinished jobs. They start to worry that there may be many other unfinished jobs around your home which they cannot see. Those uncompleted DIY jobs all give the potential buyer cause for concern and can cost you money.


9.Your kitchen and bathroom are two rooms which can make or break the deal. It is important to repair or replace any broken floor or wall tiles. If your bathroom suite is any other colour than white, it’s time to call a plumber! Coloured suites are now considered out dated and buyers will knock the cost of replacing them of the purchase price of your home.

10.Keep your bathroom looking clean and fresh at all times, which can be difficult with a family. Remove lime scale around taps and the shower head. To give your bathroom the luxury hotel feel, buy some fluffy towels

Once you’ve completed these tasks, you will have a home to be proud of and one which stands a far greater chance of selling, especially at a great price!!!

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Located on the southern coast of Persian or Arabian Gulf, Dubai is the 2nd largest of the seven emirates that constitute United Arab Emirates. Dubai has a population of 1.35 million inhabitants of which majority consist of expatriates. Dubai has the biggest population among other cities of UAE. Major parts of Dubai consist of rolling sand dunes. During the last few decades, Dubai has experienced a hasty development in every field of life. Twenty years back and you would find Dubai, a city inhabited by itinerant Bedouin roving across with their flocks and herds. Today, Dubai has become one of the most modern cities in the world. With the continued boom in industry sectors such as tourism industry and Dubai Property industry, Dubai has fast become the center of attraction for millions of people and businessman around the globe.

To some extent, Dubai is little different from rest of six Emirates of UAE. Unlike other Emirates, revenues from oil products contribute only 6% of the Gross Domestic Products of Dubai. The major contributors in its GDP are the tourism sector and the real estate sector. Later has gain a significant importance in the economical growth of Dubai. Today Dubai proudly holds some of the tallest skyscrapers in the world.

With nonpareil facilities and lifestyle on offer in Dubai, many people are planning to make Dubai as their second home. Some are even planning to relocate their. This has resulted in an increase in the property demand in Dubai. The increase in the demand of Dubai property for sale has forced the hike in price for properties in Dubai. With the announcement of new laws for property in Dubai, Dubai has able to magnetize many property investors around the globe. According to AME Info (leading press release website about Middle East), a massive investment of USD 4 billion has been committed in the Dubai property market since the passing of new laws for property in Dubai.

Dubai Investment Fund has planned to broaden the horizons of property investment across the following three branches of Dubai property market.

•Commercial Property in Dubai
•Industrial Property in Dubai
•Residential Property in Dubai

DIF has aimed about 15 to 20% annual growth in the investment funds for Dubai property sector. One of the major developments in Dubai real estate market has been the announcement of new Dubai Freehold Property Zones. Expatriates can own property in Dubai in these zones either on permanent basis or on the basis of 99 years lease. This factor has significantly intensified the Dubai property market. All of a sudden, Dubai property market converted from an average local market into a full of activity international market. With matchless lifestyle Dubai has now become the heaven for millions of people in quest of a trendy and out of this world lifestyle.

The Dubai property prices have shown a significant upward trend during the last few years. Dubai property market has seen a 40% increase in the rental price against the property for rent in Dubai during the first six months of 2005. The price of property for sale in Dubai has also seen an increase between 20 to 50% during 2006. According to many real estate experts, this is the best time to invest in Dubai property market as prices are set to see more heights during the upcoming years with ever increasing property demands. Many investors are turning to invest in Dubai property market to take home their share of benefits that Dubai property market has on offer for its investors. There is a lot of profit on offer in Dubai property market if you can play your cards well. All one needs is the careful survey of property in Dubai market.

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Ever felt that your real estate agent or broker wasn't doing his job and you wanted to "fire" him? Usually firing him is often as simple as paying a penalty of $250 or less, but you have to carefully read the "termination clause" in his Listing Agreement. Have your attorney review it and, if necessary, go directly to the Board of Realtors® in your state if he is uncooperative.

Firing your realtor® usually requires a certified letter to the realtor® and/or his broker (boss) and may have additional requirements in some states to be legally binding on both parties. If you don't get a "Signed Release" you might have to pay double commissions at your closing. A simple "It hasn't worked, you didn't perform as expected" should be enough when he asks why he is being fired. We have seen realtors® file liens against properties for unearned commissions even before a sale was made just to keep the homeowner from firing him.

Should you find a buyer during the Listing Period and you fire your realtor® to save the commission, you can expect to get sued and may lose in court. This is the same as telling a perspective buyer to come back after the expiration of the Listing Agreement to get a better price. Are you sure that buyer isn't another realtor®? It may be costly to find out. Treat other people as you would like to be treated.

You may have had a misunderstanding of how a realtor® works when you signed the Listing Agreement, especially if an unscrupulous realtor® wants a listing badly enough, he may overstate the value of the property so the homeowner signs with him. This practice is called "buying the listing" and can be very hurtful to homeowners because their property doesn't sell and stays on the market too long without offers.

Realtors® do not sell houses, they sell listings to homeowners, and the realtor® with the most listings, gets the most houses sold by other realtors®. It is industry knowledge that realtors® personally sell about 5% of what they list, but get paid on almost 65% of what they list because of other realtors selling their listings. Successful listing agents are often fired because they aren't selling properties as such, just listings.

Generally, if you change realtors®, your MLS® listing will be pulled because you are no longer represented by a seller's broker. An alternative to paying a full service agent, is to use a "flat-fee" MLS® listing agent and save ½ or more of the commission. A real benefit of this new MLS® listing is that your DOM (days on the market) counter starts over at zero and your listing appears on the "Just Listed" wire flash.

How could this unpleasantness been avoided? First, a homeowner should take it upon himself to determine the fair market value of his home. The key here is to not get an appraisal where the appraiser simply does a "drive by" and doesn't see the interior of your property. With this limited information, he will evaluate your home based solely on the information he finds in the public record. The information in the public record does not take into account any internal improvements to your home or its condition, so ask for a "full appraisal". Determining the fair market value of your home is critically important in selling your home whether you use a realtor® or if you do your own sale as a For Sale By Owner or "FSBO" to save the commissions.

Secondly, if you choose to use a realtor®, you should interview at least five to see what they offer. Look at their advertising package, its frequency, their experience, and their personal sales of their own listings. Just listing in the MLS®, on Realtor.com®, a yard sign, an occasional open house, and a listing in free magazines, is not enough. You can do all these forms of advertising yourself at much less than one-half percent (½ %) of your home's value. If you are told by a realtor® that he has a buyer for your property, but won't show your property unless you list with him, offer to sign a "single listing" agreement for his specific client only.

Thirdly, read the cancellation clause and have your attorney review it before you sign any Listing Agreement. A little time spent here can save you thousands of dollars later. Serious reasons for termination can include misrepresentation, acting in bad faith, or even fraud.

In summary, be in continuing contact with your realtor® and if you are unsatisfied with his performance, tell him so. If he is unresponsive to your requests, especially for an "Open House", fire him immediately. If you do fire your realtor®, always get a Cancellation Letter or Signed Release so you know you are free to sell your home without paying a double commission.

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How do you hire a full-service realtor and only pay half a commission? It is always surprising when a homeowner is going to hire a realtor® to sell his property, especially when he next complains bitterly about paying 5% or 6% to someone who he believes does little or no work. Usually the seller marks up the property to cover the commission which over-prices the property and the result is it doesn't sell.

Usually, the commission paid to a realtor® is split equally between himself and his "broker", who is the licensed agent in charge of a particular firm. If the commission on a sale is $20,000, the realtor® and the broker each get $10,000. Newer methods of payouts to agents include paying "desk fees" to the broker in exchange for higher payouts. For example, if the agent pays $135/month as a "desk fee" he may be entitled to a 95% commission while an agent paying $60/month may only entitled to a 70% payout.

If the agent doesn't sell the property he listed, but another agent does, the buying and selling brokers each get half of the commission and the 3% commissions are again split with the agent so he gets 1 1/2 % net. So for a $20,000 commission the split looks like - $5,000 each to the two brokers and $5,000 each to the two agents. This is a simplified summary of the process but illustrates the payout procedure. If the agents are on a higher payout because of their monthly desk fees, their portion of the commission is increased and their broker's portion is reduced proportionally. Industry statistics show that 95%+ of the time the listing agent does not sell the property! So the real money for a realtor is in getting the listing and having another realtor® sell it. The largest commission producers in the industry sell listings and not properties.

The way to save at least half of the realtor's commission is to list with a flat-fee broker who will list the property on the MLS® (Multiple Listing Service) and Realtor.com® but who does not show the property. The buyer for your property will come from a "buyer's agent" who brings a client to see your home and make an offer. He is interested in receiving his usual 50% of the full commission or 3% of the sales price. If you offer a 3% commission to the buyer's agent, you have saved 3% by not having to pay the seller's agent (listing agent)! In the above example of a $20,000 commission, the agent who brings the buyer still gets $10,000 but you are saving $10,000.

What if you are unfamiliar with the sales and contracting process and you need help? For the $10,000 commission savings you can hire an attorney to review any contract and give you advice usually for less than $500 so you are still ahead $9,500. But better yet, the attorney can give legal advice that your realtor® can not, and you have recourse against your lawyer if something goes wrong.

So to save at least 50% of your commission, should you decide to have a realtor® sell your house, use a buyer's agent only and offer him a 2.5% or 3% commission. Another unique benefit of only paying a buyer's agent is that if desperation sets in and you need to sell quickly, you can increase your payout to the buyer's agent and attract many more buyers than using a seller's agent. The highest commission seen in the past year is a 12% commission to buyer's agents for condo units. In the depressed condo market these days, it is not uncommon to see 10% commissions to buyer's agents. So if you have decided to sell your home on the MLS using a realtor®, you can save substantial money and sell your home faster by focusing on paying only a buyer's agent to sell your home.

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Selling a house is a very complex procedure that takes lots of preparation, research, patience in order to do it the right way. The first thing every home owner who wants to sell a house is to see it no longer as a home but as a product which needs to be marketed in order to get a fair price from property buyers which are on the look for a good house if possible at the lowest price available.

The next thing to do is consider having a professional whole sale inspection so that all major flaws will be uncovered before they can cause troubles to potential clients. Also, by doing this it will prove that you are a responsible seller which will greatly improve the overall perspective of the house. After doing this it is advisable to literally prepare the house for the upcoming sale. In other words, what you need to do is stand back and look at the house objectively and think if you would buy such a house. Asking friends, relatives, neighbors what they think of the house is a wise thing to do as you will get an objective opinion about the house. All this because overlooking flaws can cost you money and nobody wants to lose money for no reason. Detecting flaws and repairing them will improve the value of the house.

Make sure your house is fresher, cleaner, better maintained so that it will stand out from the competition which will convince property buyers that if they purchase your home they will make a wise decision. After you have done this try removing all the “imprints” that you have made to the house. You should still keep a few photos of your family but don’t exaggerate because if your house is full of personal pictures, property buyers can’t envision themselves in the house so there are slim chances that they will buy it.

A wise choice when selling a house is to benefit from the services of a quick house sale company which are becoming more and more popular due to the fact that real estate agents aren’t a reliable solution anymore because their fees are enormous. Among major advantages provided by this kind of companies are: no valuation fees, no estate agent’s fees, there is no waiting, no mounting debts and also no uncertainty.

Another reason why people should use this method relies on the fact that we live in a uncertain property market with unrealistic estate agent’s valuations so if stability is what sellers are looking for, this is the thing to do as this companies offers what everybody is looking for : hassle-free transactions. These companies can buy your property for cash in a week which is almost incredible, also after they buy it you have the possibility to rent it if you don’t have where to stay after the selling. Also, unlike estate agent’s, their evaluations are real so they won’t betray and deceive you.

Although these companies offer less money ( between 15%-20% ) for your home in comparison with a real estate agent, this still remains a great solution as it is way more faster and reliable because you get your money right away, in cash, so there are no complications during the transaction.

With ever increasing needs for full services when it comes down to selling a house, U.K.’s quick house sale companies offer the best alternative ( with no estate agent’s fees ), for making the entire selling process if not enjoyable at least, satisfactory.

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Most people will sell their home with a real \ estate agent. But how do you know who is or isn’t a good agent? It is best to find an agent by getting a recommendation from a friend or neighbour who has recently purchased or sold a property. Using the internet is a great way to find agents in your area, as is looking in the local newspapers.

It is recommended that you invite at least two or three local agents to value your home. Find out how they will market your property, what guarantees they will give and how much commission they will charge.

Don’t select an agent purely on the basis that they valued your home the highest, as this may be a ploy to get your business. A few weeks after you have agreed to sell your home with them, they may then suggest a lower price.

Ask the agent about any contracts they may insist you sign, as some will lock you into a sole agency agreement lasting for a set period. During this time you can’t change agent, even if you are unhappy with the service that you are receiving.

A good agent will take digital photos of your home, market them on their website and in all the local papers. They should also phone all the potential buyers on their books to let them all know about your home.

It is important you contact your agent on a regular basis to get feedback from viewings which may have taken place as this will give you an opportunity to address any potential problems as they arise.

With the rise of the internet has also come new methods of selling your home. Just type something like ‘sell my home’ into a search engine and you will see a multitude of companies listed who will be offering to either buy or sell your property.

The first type are internet based agents who will advertise your home for a set fee. Their fees are far lower than the 1000’s charged by the local agents, but then again, they don’t offer the same level of service.

The usual method of selling with a web based company will be for you to write up and send them a description of your property in a similar format to an agent, along with some photographs and of course their fee. They will then advertise your home on their site and many of the other general property sites. When a potential buyer contacts them, they will pass their details you. It is then down to you to arrange & conduct all the viewings. You will also negotiate the selling price directly with the buyer.

If you are comfortable with showing people around your home and negotiating directly with them, then this method may save you a lot of money.

Although selling your home using these two methods is very successful, what if you can’t wait the months it will take to find a buyer and for all the legal processes to complete? Maybe you need to sell your home quickly?

There can be many reasons why people have to sell their home quickly, for example a bereavement, break-up of a relationship or divorce, a new job, financial problems or even a pending bankruptcy.

Whenever you need to sell quickly there is another type of company who may be able to help. These companies are able to purchase your home and complete all the legalities in a very short time, sometimes within a few weeks. Type something like ‘home cash buyers’ into a search engine and you will see numerous companies listed.

How can they buy property so quickly? Well, they usually purchase your home using their own cash or a bridging loan, which allows them to move the whole process along very fast.

Before you get too excited about the thought of being able to have the cash in your hand within a few weeks, there are some things to consider. These companies will not pay you the full asking price for your home, instead it will be somewhere between 80-90%.

Now, no one wants to sell their home on the cheap, so you will need to work out the sums. If you sell for say 80% of the asking prices, how much are you actually ‘losing’?

When selling with an agent, you may find a buyer who is prepared to pay the asking price, or even more! You may even be able to complete the purchase within a very short timescale, like the ‘home cash buyer’ type companies.

It all depends on what is best for your family, your current situation, how much time you have and the amount of work that you are prepared to do in selling your home.

Ask yourself a few questions:

How quickly do you really need to move?

Do you want the reassurance of having an agent who will deal with any problems as they arise and all the negotiations?

Are you prepared to show potential buyers around your home and negotiate directly with them?

Do your current financial circumstances dictate that you must sell quickly?

The answer to these questions will help you to decide the best method for selling your home. There are many companies who can help you, no matter which method you chose to sell your home.

Good luck!!

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You probably have lots of emotion "built in" to your house. Maybe you fixed it up, or you raised your children there. Your home is your "special" place. However, when it's time to sell, don't let emotion play a roll in your pricing decision!

Many sellers don't understand that overpricing can actually result in your getting LESS for your house than if you had priced it correctly in the first place. Knowledgeable agents and buyers often won't bid on an overpriced home. By the time you "wise up" and reduce the price to where it should have been priced in the first place, many of your best prospects will have bought other houses. This decreases demand for your now properly priced home! The problem is exacerbated if you placed your home on the market in the spring, it sat on the market "overpriced" throughout the summer, and now that you've reduced your price, the market has slowed.

Also, consider that agents tend to steer buyers away from homes that have been in the Multiple Listing Service for long periods of time. Agents and buyers become suspicious that something is wrong with your property if it didn't sell relatively soon after it went on the market. It's important to price it right the day you put it on the market!

Also, consider what you could have done with the profits from the sale of your home if you had priced it right. Suppose you priced it right and sold relatively quickly, and invested that money in a rising stock or bond market. On the other hand, suppose you overpriced your home, and after several months, had to reduce it to where it should have been priced in the first place. Even worse, the house still isn't sold! You get the picture.

The Dangers of a Lack of Exposure

It's a fact that most real estate transactions occur between buyer's and seller's agents. Buyer's agents typically find properties for their clients through the Multiple Listing Service. Not being in the MLS makes it extremely difficult to get buyers through your door. If your home is not in the MLS, you're off the radar! Hire a good real estate agent, and get into the MLS!

Also, make sure your real estate agent uses aggressive marketing strategies to make sure your home sells. In a red-hot market, the MLS is probably the only exposure your home will need. However, if the market is anything less than red-hot, your agent will need to print flyers and introduce your home to other agents in his or her office, as well as other local sales offices. Also, exposure in home magazine ads, classified ads, and the Internet will help generate demand for your home. Make sure your agent uses a powerful marketing program!

The Dangers of not "packaging your home" for sale!

Curb appeal is everything! You can take two identical homes next door to each other, both for sale. The first home has a cluttered yard with tall grass and weeds. The shutters on the house are chipping. There are toys in the yard. When you open the screen door, it's half way off the hinges. The inside is fairly cluttered as well, and the wall could use a coat of paint. On the other hand, the owners of the home next door paid $300 for a landscaper to mow the lawn, trim the shrubs and clear the gutters. Inside, they added a fresh coat of paint and cleared up all the clutter. Again, the two homes are identical. Both owners paid the same amount for the same model. Guess which home is going to fetch more money?

Don't be lazy. A few days of labor and minimal investment can make the difference between your house sitting on the market and selling the day you put it on the market. Cosmetic appeal is essential!

Finally, don't negotiate foolishly!

Don't appear overly eager when you negotiate with buyers. If you appear too eager or too anxious to make a deal, buyers may become suspicious. Worse, they may lower the offer because they think you're desperate to sell your home. Stay cool! Also, don't appear too tough. A good deal can fall apart if buyers find you too rigid to work with.

You probably have a lot of emotion invested in the house, which can certainly get in the way of effective negotiations. The best thing you can do is let your real estate agent handle your negotiations. She or he is emotionally detached from the home and has strong negotiation skills.

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For Sale by Owner is money saving alternative to selling a house with an agent, and it is not so intimidating and difficult as it looks to many.



Property owners are motivated to take selling into own hands by three main reasons :

- Saving money on commission seems to be the most important factor, and independent sellers can save more the more expensive their house is. For example, $200,000 house sells for $10,000 commission of 5%. Commission from selling $600,000 house jumps to $30,000 - 3 times as much.

- Others may have even more compelling reason to sell privately if they accumulated little equity in their home. Let's assume you sell a house priced at $200,000 in which you have 20% equity of $40,000. Commission of 5% charged by an agent would be $10,000. That is 25% of what you actually own in the house.

- A house is likely to sell for about the same whether sold privately or through an agent, since it is the market which determines value. Private sale becomes more tempting in seller's market where many people search for homes and finding a qualified buyer is much easier.



Think ahead of your FSBO strategy. Decide what you can do yourself and in what areas you need professional help. You should also have a contingency plan in case your house does not sell within reasonable time.



There are number of issues you should consider of when selling on your own :

1. Price

Adequate pricing is critical to smooth sale. Have your house appraised, so you know the right market price you can ask for.

2. Renovation

- Light renovations like painting or floor upgrades will pay you off well. They are inexpensive and effective ways to entice buyers. Other good investments (but more expensive though) are renovations of kitchens and bathrooms. These areas attract a lot of attention and can influence buyer's decision. When you renew them
you will improve your chance of selling well and can get a decent return.

- It is important not to increase the value of your home beyond that of other homes in your area. Otherwise, you may price yourself out of the market. Big ticket improvements may be necessary if the home could not sell without them. When small living room or lack of extra bathroom discourage potential buyers you may have no other choice but to undertake major renovation.

3. Advertising

- ‘For Sale by Owner' sign placed in front of a house can be very effective provided it looks professional. Avoid pre-printed signs sold in hardware stores since they look cheap and amateurish. Order or make your own sign looking similar to those used by agents. Provide basic information - for sale by owner, number of bedrooms
and bathrooms, special features, by appointment, phone number. Make the sign double sided so that people driving by in both directions can easily notice it.

- Local newspaper ad can attract many buyers. You can refrain from large size expensive advertisements. Small ads containing a photo and listing basic features can be very effective.

- Do not forget traditional word of mouth either. Inform your family members, co-workers, friends and neighbours that you want to sell.

- For better exposure (to reach people who want to relocate) you can turn to the internet FSBO websites. They offer variety of packages at different prices. Some of them will take house photos, prepare sale signs and provide professional support. Visit a number of FSBO sites to compare prices and services before you sign up.

4. Lawyer's Assistance

Legalities of real estate transaction and paperwork pose the biggest challenge for most people. Hire a lawyer to have a professional who will see to all documents and protect your interest. A lawyer will also increase your credibility since a buyer will feel more confident to make a deposit into your lawyer's trust account. Search for a good lawyer ahead of time and budget for this expense.

5. House Presentation

Show your home by appointment only. Scheduling visitors will give you time to get prepared. Receive a reasonable number of buyers at the same time to induce competition of offers. Schedule additional presentation dates if you have to accommodate more buyers. Remove all valuable items and let your buyers roam freely around the house. Once they take a look make sure to show them anything special about your property they might have missed, and answer all questions they may have.

6. Buyer's Agent

Private sale does not guarantee that you can sell your house without paying commission. Actually, your odds of not paying any commission at all are low. Most buyers have an agent because it is convenient and efficient, and it does not cost them anything. Since commission is usually split 50/50 between buyer's and seller's agent you can claim a half of commission rate for yourself, or even more if you are tough negotiator and market conditions are in your favour.

7. Real Estate Broker

Remember that selling a house is your top priority. If you cannot sell within reasonable time, consider hiring a discount broker who delivers selected services for reduced commission or flat fee. Discount broker can market your property on Multiple Listing Service (MLS). This database, which other agents are using to find homes for sale, is the most powerful selling tool in the real estate market.



FSBO can save you money, but you will have to work for it. Therefore, it is not for everyone. When you decide to sell by yourself you will have to become your own agent. That means you will have to learn the basics of real estate and devote your time to marketing the house. If you cannot make a commitment required by FSBO you may be better off by finding a good agent and selling your house the old-fashioned way.


Visit www.housepages.ca to find more information about property buying and selling, and learn what a smart consumer should know.

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The real estate market is one of the most complex markets in the entire world due to the fact that it is in a continuous change, thus making it a very dynamic market. The internet has a lot to offer consumers regarding real estate and as a result it is a great place to start shopping. Some of these advantages are:

- It is inexpensive, if not free to list your home in an online property listing service.

- It is a quick and easy method to advertise your property that is for sale/lease or if you would like to buy a property.

- The buyer and seller have direct access to information about the property in question. This makes other forms of communication between the buyer and the seller obsolete. The internet is easy in comparison to the old-fashioned method of answering dozens phones calls or setting up numerous meetings.

- Many websites that deal with real estate allow you to include up to 5 photos of your property. This is a lot more in comparison to a regular newspaper and you have complete control over the photos’ quality. In addition you can highlight specific features about your property with the potential buyers. This can be very helpful if you are working to attract buyers from outside your local geographic area whom potentially need more explanation of certain elements.

- Once listed, your home is available until you will sell the property. This is a big advantage if you consider that for a newspaper ad you will systematically have to pay a fee week after week.

- These online real estate listing services have a nation-wide audience which will make your ad visible to the entire country;

- Searching for the right house is very easy as these websites have filters which will allow you to only see the houses that meet your specific requirements. Therefore you can spend time looking only out houses that meet your needs without having to waste time looking at houses you aren’t interested in.

Using the Internet for real estate will make you your own real estate agent without having to pay a great sum of money to an agent and also you will have full-control of the entire activity. Whether you are a home buyer or seller, it is very easy to search for the perfect house as the online offers are endless. Or, if you would like to sell a piece of real estate, there is no safer and quicker way to do it.

Online real estate has become popular and is consuming are looking to the internet more each day as an easy place to get good information. As a matter of fact, more than 5 million people use the internet for real estate issues every month. With numbers like this it is easy to see how the internet can improve your chances for selling or buying a home.

Another major advantage of real estate moving to the internet is that you won’t need a real estate agent to start your search. This is very important because we all know that real estate agents are of value but sometimes you just want to look.

All in all, there is no better, safer and easier way to search for a home or to sell one than online as the internet has a lot to offer in the real estate market and it is rapidly developing, gaining more and more consumers everyday and thus improving your chances for a profitable buy/sell.

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We know the gut wrenching feeling when a home sells down the street from you for well below Fair Market Value (FMV). You may only find out when a perspective buyer says your home is too high priced because of that distressed home sale! Distressed home sales happen in any and every neighborhood from ghettos to multi-million dollar estate neighborhoods.

What is considered a distressed home? We usually think of distressed property as one with plywood over the windows and doors, perhaps inhabited by vagrants or drug dealers. In fact, most distressed sales are generally in no worse shape than the other homes in the neighborhood. So, a distressed home sale should be considered any property that sells enough below Fair Market Value (FMV) that it impacts the value of the surrounding houses.

From our experience, we believe that any property that trades at 20% or more below the “Median Home Value” will affect appraisal values throughout the neighborhood. This is especially true if there has been a second distressed sale within six months. What begins to happen is these distressed sales become new comparable sales and start impacting local homes on the market. These distressed sales force homeowners to reduce their prices and a domino effect of declining prices can begin to take place. Many other aspects of a home sell it besides price alone, but many sellers don't realize this.

One of the most common causes of a distressed sale is neglect of the property, especially where residents may be physically or financially unable to care for their property. The only chance for change for these homeowners may be to wait until they move, or sell your house before theirs comes on the market where it will be sold as a distressed property. This distressed sale again causes a decline in your home's value and neighborhood values in general.

Other common causes of distressed sales are foreclosure and divorce. In foreclosure, the property may be sold well below fair market value because the homeowner no longer cares what happens to the property and the lender gets it back through the foreclosure system. To avoid losing his home and having the foreclosure on his credit report, he may sell his home for what is owed, which can be 80% or less of last year's market value. In divorce situations, common sense can go out the window when one or both spouses wants out of the relationship, without caring about selling their home for the best possible price.

Not as common are special inter-family sales that take place below fair market value for of personal reasons. Probate or estate sales often take place below FMV because the beneficiaries only want to get out of the property and into cash as quickly as possible. We detail these problems and other reasons for distressed home sales with specific solutions in our Home Study Course for home sellers.

There is some consolation is the fact that the distressed sale is only looked at by appraisers for about six months after it becomes public record. This time period was previously as much as one year but has recently been shortened by lenders because of the declining real estate market.

If you are selling your home, you want your appraiser to do a “full appraisal” which includes coming inside your property and giving you credit for the condition of your home and any improvements you made. Otherwise, if he simply does what is called a “drive-by appraisal” he must use only the information that is in the public record. With a “full appraisal” you will more importantly have the opportunity to talk with him about the reason for the distressed sale in your neighborhood so he can discount it entirely. A distressed home sale in your neighborhood can decrease the FMV of your property by as much as 10% to 15%.

In summary, your best option to overcome distressed home sales in your neighborhood is to be alert to their potentially happening and see if you can get involved with your neighbors to help the homeowners before the sale. If this is not an option, and you sell your home and get an appraisal below what you feel is FMV, look at the appraisal specifically for the home or homes that brought down your property value, and challenge the appraisal. If you see a comparable sale or two that are way out of line with others in your neighborhood, talk to neighbors about what happened and relate this information to the appraiser so he can redo his report. Being proactive like this could save you tens of thousands of dollars by not having to reduce your selling price or having to give unnecessary seller concessions.

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As the old saying goes, the three most important facts for selecting the right neighborhood are location, location, location. So, what about location? It is indeed a very important fact in the selection of your new home because a really nice, attractive, affordable home in the wrong neighborhood can be an expensive formula for disaster for you. The selection process is a critical key step for success. Use your real estate agent and their resources. They can provide you a lot of very useful information as you evaluate your needs and match those needs with the various sections of the city and the homes available within these neighborhoods.

So, how do you evaluate your needs? Begin by asking yourself some important questions about your current lifestyle and your future, desired living conditions. A summary of the answers to these questions will help you determine where you might want to live in this community and why. Remember, this is the time to decide what your criteria will be for evaluating and shopping for the right Neighborhood for you. Make a list, prioritize, and discuss this with your real estate agent.

The following are some questions you may want to consider as you look at the neighborhood in general: Are schools important? Do you need to be near shopping centers? How close do you need to be to your place of work? Is public transit necessary? How much are the school and property taxes? What about resale value? What is the history of home values for this section of town? What are some of the projections for growth or new developments in the area? What kind of neighbors do you want to live near? What are the things that are most important for you? Once you have defined the criteria for selecting a neighborhood take the next step and look at the homes within the pre-selected areas. How do they fit with the home you want?

To answer this question, you may first have to determine what style home will you enjoy? Is land important? Do you want a large lot or a very small yard? Is a pool important? What about landscaping? Do you want a single floor or multistory house? Are you only interested in a home or would you consider a condo? Once you determine the answer to this question set, then you must decide if the houses in the selected neighborhood match your preference for a home.

As you can see, the selection of the right neighborhood involves a lot of careful thought and consideration of a wide variety of questions. Since good realtors are familiar with the different areas in the community, your real estate agent can be very helpful. They can supply you with information about taxes, values, future developments, history of home sales, school systems, and many other important data sets and facts. As we have discussed, there are many factors to consider when finding the right neighborhood. Careful consideration and planning will reap satisfaction and success in the selection of your future neighborhood.

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France has now become a very popular destination for expats from around the world for both second and permanent homes. With a stable economy and a very relaxed way of life it is continuing to see a rise in foreign property ownership however, as always, it should be a case of buyer beware.

French property sales to foreign nationals is now seriously big business and as with all industries that see a substantial growth in a short period of time, more players are tempted in to that market place to try get a "slice of the action".

Unfortunately for the opportunist player, getting established in France as an estate agent (Agent Immobilier) is a long and complicated process, as the industry is heavily regulated. Not just anyone is allowed to rent a shop, stick pictures of houses in the window and call themselves an estate agent. So for these players it is much easier to be based in the UK, away from the beady eyes of the French tax, social security and regulatory authorities and try and make it work for them that way.

After four years of substantial growth in the French property market we now see many British based businesses in the market place. Some claim to be French estate agents (Illegal unless they are a French business registered at the Prefecture as an immobilier); some want to charge you a huge consultancy fee (Not illegal, unless they ask for it after the seven days cooling off period has finished), and some even charge you to show you properties - which is completely illegal in France - but all the these players have one thing in common - they have some or all of their business based in the UK. And why is this? Because if they were based in France they would more than likely be closed down.

So what can you, the French property hunter do to protect yourself from a lot of sharp practises within the industry?

The following occurrences should set off alarm bells:-

Being asked to pay to register to receive property details
Being asked to pay to view properties
Being asked to pay any money to anyone before the 7 day cooling off period has finished
Being asked to meet an "agent" anywhere other than their office, e.g. in a car park
Being asked to pay a second fee on top of the normal French estate agency fee for services that a registered agent or Notaire would provide you as part of their normal service

In short the only real way to protect yourself is to deal directly with a French registered Immobilier and best of all one who is a member of one of the two main trade bodies in France for estate agents, either FNAIM or SNPI. Only by dealing with a local registered immobilier are guaranteed to get a professional service for a fair fee.

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There are many misconceptions about foreclosure. The people that lose their homes by foreclosure don't want the public to know about their personal tragedy, so the misinformation usually comes from those who hear second-hand information. The following are a couple or examples that stand out.

"Banks want to steal your home by foreclosure" is the most common belief of foreclosure victims. People involved in the banking industry will explain that this is simply not true and go on to say that banks are in the business to lend money, not own real estate. They will further explain that the Federal Reserve has strict cash reserve requirements for foreclosure properties that can be crippling to a bank's financial statement. All of this is true to an extent. The reality is that banks are happy to get your property from foreclosure if they can make a profit reselling it. This is painfully obvious when a person in foreclosure asks their lender to take back their deed "in lieu of foreclosure". If the bank feels they can make a profit, they will happily take the home. However, if they get an appraisal for less than is owed, they will seldom take the deed from the homeowner.

"I have to pay off my mortgage to keep my home" is what most homeowners believe initially because the default notice says it! When the lender "accelerates" the mortgage or deed of trust because the homeowner stopped making payments they call for the entire balance "due and payable". This does not mean that the default can't be cured by other means such as reinstatement but the language of the default notice doesn't stipulate other solutions. In certain types of foreclosures this time period to cure the default can be as much as 90 days and in other types, as little as a week. The "grace period" to cure a default is clearly outlined in the actual clauses in the loan agreement.

So banks may or may not want your home depending on the equity in your home and the financial decision of whether they can make a profit. The banks have a legal obligation to their shareholders to foreclose on delinquent loans and the bank's officers can be prosecuted if action isn't taken timely. The acceleration or default notice could include language in a separate document about the actual requirements to reinstate or cure the delinquent loan. But that is not the case currently. As a homeowner in default, your best course of initial action is to read your loan agreement and call you lender's representative for options to fix your situation.

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When people call me, typically one of the first requests they make is for a house in a "nice" neighborhood. And this makes sense to want a neighborhood that is safe and enjoyable. But there are some benefits to buying real estate in the rough part of town or on the wrong side of the tracks. This article highlights some of them.

- There is less worry of your neighborhood going downhill because it is already downhill. Good neighborhoods can get bad and bad neighborhoods can get better. Since the price usually reflects the current condition, buying in a neighborhood that has room for improvement might be a good idea.

- If you are buying a rental, you usually get better cash flow in rough neighborhoods. If you are renting your property, there are more renters and they are more long term. It's difficult to rent in good neighborhoods because fewer people are looking to rent and those who do are generally there short term while they look for a house to buy.

- You can look better in comparison to other landlords. Landlords in rough areas frequently don't maintain their properties as well as people in nice areas. Therefore, if you maintain your properties, you can blow away your competition, and charge more for it.

- If you are in a rough neighborhood, you can propose that your property change will improve the neighborhood and you have a better chance of getting a different zoning. Conversely, if you are in a good neighborhood, it's hard to make the same argument.

- You can buy more property. If you want to spend 500k, you can either buy one house in an upscale neighborhood or six or seven houses in a rougher neighborhood.

- They're more recession proof. When the economy goes south, real estate in rough neighborhoods is less affected.

In summary, I am not saying you have to buy in a bad neighborhood. But simply that if you are looking for long term investments sometimes its a good idea to wander over the tracks and look around a bit.

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Rather than lowering the numbers cautiously and gradually, which is the Fed’s normal policy when tinkering with interest rates, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke adopted a chainsaw approach during the first month of 2008. Wall Street and other world markets have reacted with mixed emotions so far, but American consumers wanting to buy a home or refinance an existing mortgage are completely ecstatic.

In an ongoing effort to avoid an imminent economic recession the Federal Reserve Bank slashed interest rates in mid-January, during an unscheduled meeting, citing continued concerns about a weakening economy. The Fed lowered its federal funds rate, which influences consumer loans such as retail credit card debt and auto loans. The discount rate – which calculates the interest banks pay to borrow money from the Central Bank – was also cut. Both rates were lowered by three-quarters of a point, the biggest single-day rate cut since October 1984. The historic decision to dramatically drop rates was the first to happen between regularly scheduled meetings since a half-point cut that occurred September 12, 2001, the morning after the terrorist attacks.

Although mortgage interest rates are not directly tied to the fed funds or discount rate, they typically follow the direction of those rates in a rather predictable fashion. Kicking off 2008 with cheap rates naturally gave borrowers plenty of reasons to cheer – and to lock-in the newer rates while there was still time to grab them. But one surprise followed another, and consumers who rushed to confirm their mortgage rates may have experienced some degree of remorse nine days later. When the Fed met then – for its official monthly session – the panel voted to lop off another half of a point. Interest rates for some 30-year fixed mortgages have subsequently slipped under 5 ½ percent, while 15-year fixed rate mortgages can be found for less than 5 percent.

To illustrate the quickness and severity of these cuts, consider that the federal funds rate was at 5.25 percent just four months ago. Now it is at three percent, and many economists expect to see it go even lower within the next few months. Not only does this bode well for those who want to buy houses, but it may also save hundreds of thousands of homeowners from imminent foreclosure.

For example, millions of adjustable rate mortgages are scheduled to reset within the next 12-18 months. When those payments go up, so will the corresponding monthly payments – and many will not just rise but will actually double in price overnight. But homeowners who refinance away from ARM loans and into inexpensive and easily manageable fixed rates loans will be spared. For that reason alone the Fed may continue to lower rates, and millions of homeowners across the USA are already flocking to their lenders to convert existing adjustable mortgages to fixed rates.

Congress has asked lenders to aggressively pursue creative strategies for helping homeowners “rework” subprime loans by showing leniency and flexibility. Some mortgage companies have adopted voluntary measures like rate hike moratoriums to give homeowners time to get back on their feet. Meanwhile, the government’s deadline for mortgage lenders to rework adjustable rate loans scheduled to reset is fast approaching. Unless lenders independently come up with plans to resolve the crisis, officials in Washington say they will intervene with mandatory guidelines.

But there are other homeowners – many of whom have excellent credit histories – who are not covered by plans which exclusively target subprime mortgage holders. For example, the market for jumbo loans – those for amounts above $417,000 – is also in turmoil. Many consumers who have adjustable rate jumbos are unable to refinance because the investors who normally fund those high dollar mortgages are afraid to participate in the current volatile jumbo arena. But the new economic stimulus package being crafted by Congress may bring relief to those homeowners. Many in Congress are hopeful that the stimulus package will include a proposal to let Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac temporarily finance jumbo loans, since the two agencies are currently prohibited from dealing in any loans of that magnitude. According the National Association of Realtors, getting Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac into the jumbo lending game will not only provide much-needed loan liquidity but could actually prevent as many as 140,000 foreclosures.

In order to keep the looming recession at bay, the Fed could continue to make cuts, as it did in 2001, when rates were whittled all the way down to one percentage point. Of course if prevailing rates go to one percent, that leaves little wiggle room for the Fed to operate within if the economy continues to sink. But in the meantime those who are interested in more affordable monthly payments have a rare opportunity to buy, refinance, or take out a home equity loan or line of credit at fire sale prices.

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Are you despairing of the UK property market and looking for an overseas property for sale? Greece could be the answer for you. In recent years Greece has become more than a popular location for tourists: it is a popular destination for conventions, international exhibitions and major sporting events. There has been a large investment in the infrastructure sine the Olympic Games were held in Greece in 2004, and Greece has one of the lowest crime rates in Europe – in many villages people still leave their houses and cars unlocked.

Property Investments

Greece is a popular tourist and investor destination and there is plenty of potential in the property market. Greece offers a wealth of different properties, from tiny holiday apartments to large stone mansions set in acres of land, with just about everything else in between. Each region has a typical type of property, for example, stone mansions in the Peloponnese and Pelion peninsula, windmill properties in the Cyclades, or Venetian townhouses in the harbour towns. Most British house hunters tend to head straight for the traditional coastal areas of the Peloponnese peninsular.

Prices remain very affordable in Greece and homebuyers get much more for their money than in other popular European holiday destinations. Properties for sale in Greece are almost all freehold. Once you’ve found the property you want to buy, you normally pay a 10% deposit to secure the purchase and the price. If a seller backs out of the sale they have to pay back your 10% deposit and an extra 10% as a penalty. All in all it takes about six weeks for the searches to be made and the legal documents to be prepared before you complete on your purchase.

Greece has a foreign policy that is geared towards the acceptance of outside investors, however, Greece is aware of it status as an underdeveloped haven for those looking for a quieter life style. For this reason, there are very detailed rules about what can and cannot be built on any given plot of land.

Tourism

In a recent announcement, the Greek government underlined the importance of tourism for the economic development for the country, and every year Greece plays host to 1000’s of holiday-makers who come to enjoy the stunning landscape: there are miles of gorgeous coastline dotted with busy resorts and quaint fishing villages, and some breathtakingly rugged mountainous regions; clean water, and sandy beaches.

Greece has a great culinary heritage and there are lots of mouth watering dishes to be savoured. In most resorts there are a plenty of restaurants offering typical local fare, and don’t forget the bars for the famous Ouzo, an aniseed flavoured liquor that is enjoyed throughout Greece.

Geography

Greece is a republic with a population of 10 million, and is situated in the south east of Europe on the Balkan Peninsula. To the north is Bulgaria and Macedonia, to the north west Albania and on the east lies Turkey.
Greece is a country comprised of over 3,000 islands, and has the richest flora in Europe with over 6000 species and 600 unique species. Greek countryside is diverse and varies dramatically throughout the country. There are over 300 days of sun a year, and the summers are hot and dry, often with a cooling breeze, while the winters are short and mild.

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Irving truly is in the center of it all. Tucked between the major, metropolitan areas of Dallas and Fort Worth, Irving offers efficient transportation systems, affordable housing for virtually any budget or lifestyle, abundant employment opportunities, an excellent system of schools and an impressive sense of community.

One of the first things you will notice immediately about Irving is its fine array of living opportunities. Irving boasts family homes in quiet, master planned communities, luxurious estates in golf-course communities and apartment, condo and town home living.

Many residents feel right at home in one of Irving’s many, suburban neighborhoods, while others may want to experience a more urban setting and be closer to the heart of the city. Still others may be searching for a more upscale residence in one of Irving’s many, gated and golf course communities. One thing’s for sure, though. Whatever your age, budget and lifestyle choice may be, you’ll surely find something in Irving that will fit the bill.

Easy Commuting

Irving’s 190,000 residents can reach Dallas in 15 minutes and Fort Worth in 20 minutes via Highway 183 and Highway 114. These highways also offer an easy commute to the Dallas/Forth Worth International Airport. Residents may also find that the Dallas Area Rapid Transit system can provide them with convenient transportation in and out of Irving.

The Perks of Irving Living

Part of Irving’s appeal is that residents can enjoy small town living, with all the perks and opportunities of a big city. Because Irving is, essentially, smack dab in the middle of two, thriving metropolitan areas, business, industry, education and entertainment opportunities are all top-notch and readily available.

If sporting is your pleasure, then Irving is the city for you! Catch the NFL Cowboys, the NHL Stars, The NBA Mavericks and the MLB Rangers in action. Take note of the many other sporting events this city has to offer, as well, including outdoor soccer, horse racing, equestrian events, amateur hockey and collegiate competitions, just to name a few.

Irving is a shopper’s paradise, with boutiques, malls, outdoor shopping centers, antique shops and bargain outlets dotting the landscape. Museums, sculptures and attractions, such as the Irving Symphony Orchestra and the Irving Arts Center, provide this community with a fine variety of culture.

Irving is a golfer’s paradise, with excellent, award-winning golf courses. Prestigious golf tournaments, such as the EDS Byron Nelson Golf Classic at the Four Seasons Resort and Club, bring invaluable exposure to Irving.

Other local points of interest in Irving include the Mustangs at Las Colinas, the Dr. Pepper Star Center and the Carpenter Performance Hall.

Exceptional Business Opportunities

Irving offers outstanding business opportunities which further fuel the growth of this progressive city. The nearby Dallas/Forth Worth International Airport provides easy access to regional, domestic and global markets. Irving has also become a popular destination for corporate meeting and special events. Its more than 7,000 hotel rooms and conference sites make this the ideal area in which to hold a corporate event or trade show.

Las Colinas, Irving’s prestigious, master planned community, is the driving force for Irving’s local economy and is home to more than 2,000 corporations and four, Fortune 500 companies. Other highlights of Las Colinas include luxury hotels, an old-world style canal the world-famous Mustangs of Colinas sculpture.

Irving by the Numbers

The median household income in Irving is $44,956 and the median family income is $50,172. The median value of a home in Irving is $94,200.

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After many urban centers in the United States fell into decline for the last five decades, a new revitalization movement has successfully swept the nation. From the West Coast to the East Coast, urban areas are seeing a rebirth, economically and culturally. America’s re-focus on the local economy, as well as independent businesses, has led to the growth in appeal of urban centers.

In addition, the lure of city centers continues to grow stronger with large segments of the population, including younger professionals, empty-nest couples, and individuals without children. The convenience of living downtown, with work and entertainment options, along with the excitement of enjoying the city, has prompted many urban deaths to be re-born.

With that said, the question remains: Will Detroit real estate enjoy the rebirth of urban renaissance?

San Diego: From slums to luxury

From the 1950s to the mid-1980s, Downtown San Diego experienced significant decline. Not only did residents leave, but they were followed by the retail, entertainment, and restaurant establishments that opted to conduct business elsewhere. With the fleeing of both residents and businesses, Downtown turned into an essentially abandoned area, filled with vagrants, drugs, and crime.

Due to city initiatives, Downtown San Diego has experienced a significant revitalization, now becoming one of the most valued property locations in the county. With the opening of the prestigious San Diego Convention Center, San Diego Padres’ Petco Park, along with the tremendous growth in popularity of the luxurious Gaslamp District, thousands of residential condos were developed to meet the demand. In fact, when the Hard Rock Hotel San Diego offered suites for sale, they sold out in the very first day.

Today, Downtown San Diego, especially in the Gaslamp District, hold very high rent values, as restaurants, retail stores, and entertainment venues vie to open their doors in the highly popular area. The revitalization of Downtown San Diego has been incredibly successful, turning the abandoned area into a luxurious destination filled with waterfront properties, popular live-work buildings, and five-star hotels.

Revitalization of city centers around the country

San Diego is by far not the only example of a highly successful downtown revitalization. From Los Angeles to New York, and Philadelphia and Baltimore in between, many downtowns – and their savvy investors – have enjoyed the benefits of a city rebirth.

There are several elements that are impacting the revitalization of our nation’s downtowns:

• Rising cost of transportation: The continuously rising oil prices, along with the consumer’s greater awareness of eco-friendly choices, have prompted both people and businesses to choose downtown areas. The ability to walk or bike to work and entertainment destinations is quite attractive.

• Changing demographics: The growth of the population, as well as professionals’ desire to reduce commute times, has the areas surrounding centers to undergo gentrification. Understandably, this shifts the demographics of the region, and the once-shunned downtown becomes more attractive for living, especially because of the lower values in comparison to the already gentrified areas.

• Diversified industries: One of the reasons many downtowns fell from grace stems from the struggle of the region’s main industry. However, with the diversification of industries, city centers are enjoying a rebirth. Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Baltimore are all great examples of a former failing industrial region converted into a diversified economy – and a subsequently reborn urban center.

The future of Detroit’s real estate revitalization

The successful revitalization around the nation – from abandoned industrial slums into luxurious renaissance city centers – bodes well for the future of downtown Detroit. With its deep history, ranging from Motor City to Motown and the Red Wings, the cultural lure of Detroit is undeniable.

Detroit shares many of the same pre-requites for successful revitalization. “Motor City” is indeed growing more diversified, including industries in human resources, finance, and the health sciences. Although the McMansions will always be prevalent at 30 Mile Road, the younger generation of professionals – who care about the environment and enjoying cultural entertainment – will be apt to move downtown.

The signs of revitalization are already clear in Detroit, including the popularity of the RiverWalk development, which connects the Joe Louis Arena to Gabriel Richard Park. The brownfield redevelopments throughout Detroit have also been met with success, such as the FD Lofts in Eastern Market, which homes many creative businesses as a mixed-use building.

For the savvy investor who is willing to overcome certain hurdles, the opportunities are lucrative in downtown Detroit investment properties. Although Detroit MI real estate is still on the cusp between death and rebirth, the probability is high that the future of Detroit is akin to its other successfully revitalized urban counterparts. Thus, the investor who sees the future of Detroit real estate can purchase great properties at incredibly discounted pricing – building in significant profit for the subsequent full revitalization boom.

As a Detroit real estate investor, you enjoy the foresight of the revitalization success seen in other urban areas. By seeing the future of Detroit’s rebirth, you can build your long-term portfolio of profitable equity from the demand that flows in from those seeking a culturally rich and convenient lifestyle downtown.

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Investing in real estate provides ample benefits, ranging from passive income from rental properties to long-term value appreciation. However, another significant benefit of investing in Detroit real estate is the tax benefits, especially for those earners who fall into the high-income tax bracket.

Investing in Detroit Michigan real estate saves you extensively on your taxes – giving you the opportunity to use the saved taxes on more fruitful investments, or simply as an addition to your savings account.

The value of depreciation

For many investors in Detroit real estate, the most powerful tax incentive stems from depreciation. In fact, the IRS requires that all investors depreciate the value their investment properties, thus giving you a strong tax benefit.

Depreciation is a capital loss that you take on paper, which accounts for the wear and tear of the home, as well as any built-in obsolesce. However, keep in mind that the value of the land itself cannot be depreciated. Only the building structure on the property itself can be depreciable. Subsequently, as condominiums and town homes do not have any land value, the entire value of the Detroit investment property can be depreciated.

For a residential Detroit real estate investment, you can depreciate the value of the property over 27.5 years. For commercial Detroit real estate, the depreciation is calculated over 39 years.

Categorization as a “real estate professional”

If the IRS categorizes you as a “real estate professional,” which means that you invest 750 hours annually towards your Detroit investment properties, you have even greater tax benefits. In fact, if you invest this type of time, along with full participation in the management of your Detroit investment properties, then you have almost limitless tax deductions from your income taxes.

However, if you are not a “real estate professional” for your Detroit real estate, then the maximum you can deduct is $25,000 from your ordinary taxable income. However, keep in mind that this includes the depreciation value as well. In addition, should your annual income surpass $100,000, and you are not a “real estate professional,” then the $25,000 deduction begins to phase out, and after $150,000 in income, you are not subject to any deduction.

Nonetheless, you can still qualify as a “real estate professional” simply by hiring a property manager. You just need to make the major decisions, such as setting rents, interviewing tenants, and managing major expenses. However, you do not need to manage the day-to-day operating details. For the nearly unlimited tax expense deduction, this small effort may prove to be significantly worthwhile.

Value of a 1031 Exchange

Detroit real estate investments provide interesting tax benefits that are not matched by any other type of investment instrument. The 1031 Exchange allows any investor to sell a property, and then invest those proceeds into another similar asset. When this occurs, you can defer your capital gains tax.

As long as you invest your sales funds into another similar asset, you do not incur any capital gains or losses – and no other type of investment instrument can provide you with that type of tax benefit.

Deductions in Interest Expense

Another tax benefit to Detroit investment properties stems from your deduction of tax expenses. If you take on a mortgage for your Detroit real estate, then you can deduct the taxes you paid for this investment – saving you potentially tens of thousands a year in tax deductions.

Purchasing Detroit MI real estate provides ample opportunities, not only in passive rental income, “free equity” from renters, and long-term appreciation, but also significant tax benefits that can save you tens of thousands annually. No other type of investment can live up to those benefits.

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Although the credit marks have tightened their belts in lending, savvy investors still have options when it comes to profiting from Detroit real estate. Indeed, there are many investment opportunities of deep value, providing an investor with ample room to create rental properties, flipped homes, or long-term equity holds.

Low cost of foreclosures create ample profits

In today’s market, homeowners facing foreclosure are double in numbers in comparison to a year ago, according to industry data analyzer Realty Trac. Indeed, many economic and historical factors play into the national decline of housing pricing, conspiring against value like a perfect storm.

Consumers were buying into their piece of the American Dream in record numbers, thanks to easy mortgage money from lenders with liberal guidelines. One hundred percent financing, with seller concessions encouraged, meant that nearly anyone could get their name on a deed without any “skin in the game.”

Detroit Real Estate has not been spared its share of the pain. In 2007, Michigan was ranked in third place among the states for failing mortgages and impending foreclosure. Almost two percent of Detroit Michigan properties were vulnerable to foreclosure due to mortgage default.

Taking advantage of hard money for investment properties

In Detroit Michigan real estate markets, hard money can be a useful tool in the purchase of Detroit foreclosures, intended flips or rehabs. Traditionally, this would require significant down payment from the investor because of the low loan to value given. However, for an opportunity to buy valuable properties at a distressed price, hard money may be useful.

With hard money, investors have the power of leverage, which multiplies the return on your Detroit investment properties. You only need to invest a small percentage of the house’s value, such as 10%, yet you earn your returns on the entire value of the home.

For example, you want to purchase a $100,000 Detroit investment property, and you have the option of putting 10% or 20% down on the home. If the value of the home grows to $110,000, then only placing $10,000 down on the home will give you a 100% return on equity. Had you placed 20% down on the home, your ROE would only have been 50%. As long as the profit you reap is larger than your interest costs, then in the long-term, using leverage is always more advantageous.

The supply of Detroit real estate, available at less than half of its appraised value just a few years ago, creates the ideal opportunity to accumulate Detroit investment property or flip a fast rehab.

While declining markets can be tricky, a knowledgeable contractor or handyman can renovate a Detroit rehab into a suburban residential viable rental property or flip sale. For would-be buyers of Detroit Michigan real estate, hard money loans may be the fastest kind of loan transaction to closing, since there is usually no verification of income, employment and credit.

Types of Hard Money Loans

There are several different types of hard money loans available for Detroit foreclosures and Detroit investment properties:

Acquisition Loan

This type of hard money loan is used to specifically buy Detroit real estate. It is ideal for short term holdings, such as a flip, as interest is generally in the teens, typically 11% to 18%. Ideally, the loan would be paid off within a few years from a lower cost source of funds.

Mezzanine Loan

A mezzanine loan is subordinate (in second lien position) to another bank or lender who holds first lien position. It is repaid at the same time that the primary lender is paid off. Sometimes equity is given to the lender, in addition to loan repayment. Debt and equity are blended in the terms of this type of loan.

Development Loan

This hard money loan is used for acquisition plus improvement of a property. The total loan amount is based on the fully improved value, and interest-only payments are made to the lender.

Bridge Loan

A hard money bridge loan is an immediate solution for a resolute buyer who must act quickly. For Detroit MI real estate, a plethora of buy opportunities would present the need for such a loan. These might include acquisitions of commercial buildings, including apartment houses, and commercial businesses and properties. Bridge loans are short term by nature, and are usually paid within two years.

Other forms of hard money can be used wherever equity secures the loan, including construction of new improvements on raw land.

In today’s market, it is important that savvy investors of Detroit investment propertie sand Detroit real estate act decisively. To hesitate on a great acquisition opportunity is to lose the deal and likely future capital growth. Therefore, hard money can be the right leverage for Detroit Michigan real estate investors, even those who may have flawed credit.

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Dubai's skyline has grown in the recent years by an amount, which took over a century for the developed nations to achieve in their own backyard. In Dubai's case, it was the oil exploration at first, and then the commerce of free trade zones, which made it be counted at par with the developed nations. The desire to see its tourism sector flourish and the gains of a thriving economy, were the two major reasons why Dubai's skyline grew so frantically in the last two decades. In the course of events, the city also became the new residing place for world class hotels. Gone were the heydays of Sydney, London, New York and Tokyo. Dubai hotels were also standing at par, shoulder-to-shoulder, eyeball-to-eyeball with them. Today's Dubai offers several dozen of world class hotels to make your stay comfortable. Apart from Dubai hotels (United Arab Emirates) one can choose from many other options, like furnished villas and beach side apartments, to make one's stay at ease.

Let us examine the following data to learn more about Dubai hotels. Until the early 90s, they were not to be found in so many numbers out there. By the start of 2000 however, this ground reality had dramatically transformed. One s gets awed by looking at their numbers these days. This author counted on just one site and found more than three dozen entries for the five-star facility alone. The count for the four, three and two star hotels will be even more awesome, one reckons. There were a total of 414 hotels in Dubai in the year 2006. They were the mainstay for accommodating the 6.5 million visitors who visited the city that year. The revenues earned by these hotels stood at Dh10.8b in the same period. This however grew by 15.74 percent to be at Dh12.5b in the year 2007. This also discloses the stress on Dubai hotels (United Arab Emirates), furnished villas and Dubai hotel apartments in their attempts to cope with the level of demand they face from the industry.

This is why Dubai's government has nodded to too many new plans that promised to construct newer furnished villas, furnished apartments and Dubai hotels (United Arab Emirates) on its territory. The total number of rooms stood at 40,862 in all these segments, in the year 2006. This will have to be further raised by a handsome margin to meet with the set official target of receiving 15 million visitors by the year 2010. Two key events, one of which was recently held, and the other still on, are expected to help Dubai in meeting out with its 2010 target. The first was Dubai's 1st Tourism Development Projects and Investment Market (TDIM) exhibition, which was to be held from January 20-22, 2008. Major real estate companies from all over the world were expected to showcase projects worth over 0 billion. The idea behind it was to get various components of Dubai's urban growth together, namely real estate firms, private companies, investors and government bodies, and frame out the future course of action.

The other event, which is taking place across Dubai right now, is the 13th Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF). This will coincide with many recreational programs at places like shopping malls, Dubai hotels and elsewhere, apart from the shopping mania that the festival was all about. The show to be held from January 24 to February 24 (2008), is expected to attract 3.5 million visitors from all over the globe.

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It didn't surprise observers, when Dubai announced its plan to make eco-friendly buildings. First of all, Dubai's own roots were dug deep inside a vast barren land. Aided by the latest building science, they went on to erect a modern-day giant right in the midst of sand dunes. To have an eco-friendly approach was but a necessity for their growth oriented policies now. That is why many ongoing constructions involving Dubai hotels (United Arab Emirates), furnished apartments, villas and office blocks are being asked now to be eco-friendly. Dubai's skyline has grown by an alarming rate in the last few years, which raises the possibility of a resource crunch taking place in the future. To cope with any such eventuality, one requires adopting eco-friendly methods for constructing newer shopping malls, villas, and Dubai hotels.

One may ask here what exactly are the eco-friendly or green buildings that we are speaking about. Do they have farming and gardening going inside them alongside with the usual way of living? This author paused for a moment to look around for the answer, and found this explanation. Buildings that were friendly to the eco system, including the humans residing inside them, were supposed to be called by the name ecologically-friendly or green buildings. In other words, they were to be made from the recycled, eco-friendly and locally supplied construction material. This ensures two key eco-aware measures. The first, the least amount of raw material and fuel consumption taking place while the building was being developed, and the second, the least amount of green house emissions taking place once it was handed over to buyers. Keeping in mind Dubai's size and growth, it was but necessary to ask for eco-friendly Dubai hotels (United Arab Emirates), furnished apartments and villas to continue having a sustained growth.

In the case of non-eco buildings, the impact on environment is profound. For example, the buildings of the United States consume 25% of total water, 70% of total electricity, 49 % of total energy and discharge and about 38% of total CO2. Sustainable structures, in that sense, directly improve the public health and productivity on one hand, and reduce the environmental degradation and operating costs on the other. Practitioners of the green buildings, in some cases, even go beyond the main structure and try to incorporate the vicinity as well, into their original designs. Accordingly, most upcoming Dubai hotels, hotel apartments and furnished villas can be envisaged submerging into the landscape they were made to be part of.

Some popular misconceptions about the eco-friendly and non-eco-friendly buildings both, dog the real estate market world over. For example, the damage to environment by the non-eco-friendly buildings is often underestimated. On the other hand, the construction costs of the eco-friendly ones are overestimated by 300%. This tells why there are so few green buildings to be seen around in the whole world, in the present era. Dubai, the number one city in many areas, might as well prove out to be the leader in introducing the green concept in a major style. One will have to wait and watch to see the impact of such proposals on Dubai hotels (United Arab Emirates), furnished villas and similar other initiatives.

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Dubai's buyers can finally decide to have a sigh of relief, since they can buy now properties insured against any structural damages. The buyers used to be left in lurch until today whenever any structural damage came to light after the properties were handover. They couldn't ask for any legal proceeding or compensation due to the lack of proper laws they had. But, the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) has finally decided to change this scenario, and introduced a new law which makes developers responsible for damages that might get noticed after the property had been handed over. The buyers will be free to approach the regulatory body whenever there seemed to be any breach of law taking place. Scores of Dubai apartments, furnished villas, hotels and Dubai hotel apartments will come under the purview of this new legislation.

Investors used to withdraw from projects earlier, citing the lack of insurance cover as a reason. Under the new law, however, the developer will be made answerable to courts for any sub-standard construction. For example, any serious wall cracks taking place within the first ten years of property handover, can amount to be a case for compensation. Additionally, any electrical, mechanical or plumbing related irregularities can also be challenged during the first year. Any irregularities in the construction of Dubai apartments, hotels, furnished villas or Dubai hotel apartments could not be challenged in the courts earlier, since there was no clear framework to do it.

In addition, this law adds more clarity about the issue of maintenance of buildings. Under the new directive, a Home Owner's Association (HOA) will be established for each jointly owned property and asked to look after the common areas, such as gyms, swimming pools, parking spaces, entrances etc. They will have to play the role of watch-dogs and see that the buyer's money was properly made use of. It is surprising that, only five percent of Dubai's households carry home insurance coverage, which is too few in numbers compared to what we may get to see from the countries like the USA, the UK, Australia or Japan.

The formation of HOA is key ingredient of this whole exercise. It will be required to maintain and be the beneficiary of the insurance cover in each case, while the constituent members, each having the ownership of one unit, will have to pay up the premium. Dubai may be a late entrant into this exercise, but it is expected to pursue it seriously now, and the buyers and promoters should be getting used to it now. The city needed to have it anyway, with so many high-end Dubai apartments, hotels, furnished villas and Dubai hotel apartments dotting its skyline.

Although, insurance cover is a basic necessity for any real estate buyer, people of Dubai did not shown any keenness about it in the past, may be, since most of them happened to be short term buyers. However, the introduction of the new law by RERA will change this scenario fundamentally, one hopes, and the awareness about property insurance will grow further. Dubai is as much known for its successful commerce, as for its shining real estate, which comprises of lavish hotels, shopping malls, Dubai apartments, villas and Dubai hotel apartments. The new property law by RERA will add more value to its real estate.

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While Dubai may have grown amazingly in the last few years, some of its gray areas still remain unresolved. For example, its roads speak of congestion and indiscipline, which remain critical despite of so many measures being undertaken by the government. Similarly, the issue of poor working conditions and scarce accommodation for laborers can also be mentioned here. The lack of accommodation for the bachelors is yet another area that we can speak about. Surprisingly, the city, which boasts about its dreams and landmarks, does not have enough space to shelter those very same who made those dreams and landmarks a reality. So many Dubai apartments, furnished villas and Dubai hotel apartments to speak of, yet no permanent respite from not having even a decent place to spend nights at.

First of all, most bachelors in the Islamic UAE are regarded as a taboo. They are seen as intruders and spoilsports, and are prevented from mixing up with females. Some governments, including the one in Dubai, plan to further tighten the noose by making legislations in this regard. A new draft law in Abu Dhabi proposes to heftily fine those, who might partially rent their properties to bachelors. This may further worsen the situation, unless of course, the government had more housing plans ready with them. Since, Dubai apartments are short in supply and the rents very high, bachelors had no other option but to share space with landlords. It may not be possible to share properties in the future, however. Many Dubai realtors renting furnished villas and Dubai hotel apartments may also suffer, if an Abu Dhabi like legislation was to be enacted ever.

An obvious solution to this issue can be found by creating more apartments that were meant only for accommodating bachelors. The government in the UAE has already taken several steps in this regard. However, the singles are not too hopeful about their possible outcome. Right now, many singles daily travel up to three hours to make it into Dubai from their homes elsewhere. The traffic congestion only makes this task more herculean. Realtors making Dubai apartments, hotels, villas and Dubai hotel apartments are not concerned about accommodating bachelors. They mainly deal in high-end shopping malls, lavish hotels, apartments and commercial establishments. This obviously leaves the singles of Dubai stranded between the ethics and the market forces.

From a bachelor's view point, the administration and ethnic Arabs need to be more lenient towards the whole issue. While it may be necessary to respect the local way of life, the issue should not be taken to extreme levels. There is a large expatriate segment living in Dubai right now. They come from all over the world and play a key role in the emirate's growth. Hoards of city's landmarks, hotels, Dubai apartments, villas and Dubai hotel apartments story-tell how the two, ethnic Arabs and expatriates, have grown into a modern-day folklore. To strengthen this tie-up even more, both sides will require listening to each other, and resolve the issue carefully. Dubai's cosmopolitan society needs opening up more and not be an orthodox one like many other countries in the area.

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We can help if you need to sell properties fast for cash. If you are in financial difficulty and think that selling your home is the answer, then let us help you. There are times when it takes too long to sell a property on the open market. At St Genix Fast House Buyers, we specialise in advising you on how to sell a property fast for cash. There's no worry and no stress. It could take less time than you imagine to free up the equity in your property and get the cash you need to stage a financial recovery.

We can help with quick property sale. Our service is fast and reliable. With a fast house sale, you can escape the problems of increasing debt. If your loans and store cards are getting our of hand, then it's time to act now so that your credit rating remains intact. Otherwise, you could find it difficult to get a loan. If you sell properties fast for cash, you can get back on track.

Advantages Of A Fast House Sale

We guarantee to sell properties fast for cash, so that you can avoid having to wait for months while an estate agent tries to get a deal. If you want to get back on track and get the cash you need, then you need our fast house sale service. When we arrange a quick property sale, no one else is involved. We are direct buyers and can offer you a good price for your property. When we arrange a quick property sale:

Legal costs are low
The money you spend on bills and mortgages is reduced
You save on paying an estate agent
You get a hassle free, guaranteed sale in four weeks or less

If you have a problem with debt, then you may need to sell properties fast for cash. You can count on St Genix Fast House Buyers to organise a fast house sale so that you can use the equity that's locked up in your property. When you sell properties fast for cash, we'll even talk to your creditors. It can be painful and embarrassing to deal with debt, and we want to help you.

When we talk to your creditors, we can say that you have arranged a quick property sale. They will know when the completion date is, and if necessary we will attend repossession hearings to inform the court of your actions to solve the debt problem. When the sale goes through, you don't even have to move out. Just ask about our rent back deals.

If you are ready to sell properties fast for cash, phone St Genix Fast House Buyers. We are experts in this field and you can sell your property to us in less than a month. Call us free on 0800 316 7600 to arrange a valuation.

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