Michigan Real Estate

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 residential Real Estate UAE 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 UAE Economy 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 Dubai property market.

For many Americans, buying their home is an indication of being successful or already trying to start in that direction. It is one single largest purchase an individual could make in his or her entire life.
Ironically Property foreclosures can help you get there. When you purchase a house or a real estate property, it means that you have taken a loan to buy that property. Avoid property foreclosures to stay in the game- of being successful. A financial wellness is also good for your health.
The lender which normally a financial institution, will keep the title to the home as collateral for the mortgage loan. Whenever a homeowner cannot pay their monthly mortgage payments, the lender will take hold of ownership to the title of the property. This is what they called property foreclosure. In other words the ownership of the property is transferred to the lender. Buying foreclosed properties for investment is sometimes called like playing the Russian roulette. It has its own risk.
When the banks foreclosed properties, they have to determine if there is any other lien on the house. Once the bank has determined that the house is clean and no other liens and charges, they will go ahead and add all other fees and charges. The total cost when they resell the house would include the added fees and charges they have calculated. The reason the banks or lenders foreclosed and resell the property foreclosures is to recoup their money.
Buying property foreclosures has a lot of benefits and advantages. The one that stand out as benefit is the fact that these properties are already clear of any lien and charges. Thereby, the lenders have absolute title and ownership to the property. This will save you the hassle of doing a research on the house. The next benefit or advantage is that the bank is not out to make a bunch of profit by reselling it, they just want their money back. That is why these properties are well discounted-30 50 percent less.
When buying a foreclosed property, you must have done a thorough investigation of the home to avoid a lemon home. Collecting information on the property is a must. For a neophyte, buying property foreclosures is kind of a risky business. You will need the expertise of a seasoned broker or agent to guide you. One of the best ways to collect information on the real estate properties is to go online and search these property foreclosures.
The reason you have to collect information is for you to understand and know the specific laws and regulations in every state. Not all states have the same real estate laws. By doing this, you covering all the bases and thus avoid some of the pitfalls.
When collecting information, always check for title insurance, foreclosure laws in your state, bidding at auctions, the construction, septic systems, etc.
As in all type of investments, buying property foreclosures is not easy as you may think. Approach this type of investment with caution and care and avoid losing money and hurting yourself.

As a Home Party Consultant, I see and hear the stress and pressure to increase cash flow in your home party business. Many of you are questioning not only your skills, but also your decision to get involved with a party plan company. Other direct sales consultants who were really raking in the money are now feeling as though they lost the touch!What separates the struggling, frustrated, heartbroken, cash-poor Home Party Plan Business Owner and direct sales consultants…from the confident, pink Cadillac driving, white Mercedes Benz owning, obviously clued-in home party plans marketers pulling in huge numbers and results EVEN in this chaotic, soul-sucking economy?(No, wait ESPECIALLY in this chaotic, soul-sucking economy). While average home party business owners are cowering in bed with the covers pulled over their head the top home party sales representatives are still fearlessly bringing home the bacon, even as everyone else panics and freaks out.People are still buying, the only question is – are they buying from you?Here are 5 simple, yet powerful tips to help you and me to sell our way out of this ‘crisis’ and become a SIX-FIGURE home party success!1) Selling is About BehaviorSuccess in our home party business is not about being a certain type of personality. When I talk to other home party and direct selling consultants, their biggest concern is they do not want to be the pushy car salespersons. I am often told I do not want to sell. Problem is this is the direct sales industry. There is a reason it is called home party sales and direct selling. Because of this fear of selling, there is a common catch phrase we have been taught “you are not selling, you are sharing!” Might then suggest that with that approach you are not building a successful home bases business, rather you are operating a Non-Profit Organization. Is it any wonder you are frustrated? The BIGGEST myth in the sales is that you have to be a certain type of personality to succeed in sales. Sales is about behavior, ANYONE High Performance.2) Are You Pursuing Relevant Sales ActivityMany home party consultants are a lot like Alice In Wonderland when she meets the Red Queen. Let me share a little bit about their interactions your sales activity relevant? In Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking-Glass there is an incident involving the Red Queen, a representation of a Queen in chess, and Alice constantly running but remaining in the same spot. The scene is often referred to as The Red Queen’s Race.The Queen kept crying “Faster!” but Alice felt she could not go faster, though she had no breath to say so. The most curious part of the thing was, that the trees and the other things round them never changed their places at all: however fast they went, they never seemed to pass anything. “I wonder if all the things move along with us?” thought poor puzzled Alice. And the Queen seemed to guess her thoughts, for she cried, “Faster! Don’t try to talk!”Not that Alice had any idea of doing that. She felt as if she would never be able to talk again, she was getting so out of breath: and still the Queen cried, “Faster! Faster!” and dragged her along. “Are we nearly there?” Alice managed to pant out at last.”Nearly there!” the Queen repeated. “Why, we passed it ten minutes ago! Faster!” And they ran on for a time in silence, with the wind whistling in Alice’s ears, and almost blowing her hair off her head, she fancied.”Now! Now!” cried the Queen. “Faster! Faster!” And they went so fast that at last they seemed to skim through the air, hardly touching the ground with their feet, till suddenly, just as Alice was getting quite exhausted, they stopped, and she found herself sitting on the ground, breathless and giddy. The Queen propped her against a tree, and said kindly, “You may rest a little now.”Alice looked round her in great surprise. “Why, I do believe we’ve been under this tree all the time! Everything’s just as it was!”"Of course it is,” said the Queen: “what would you have it?”"Well, in our country,” said Alice, still panting a little, “you’d generally get to somewhere else — if you ran very fast for a long time, as we’ve been doing.”"A slow sort of country!” said the Queen. “Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that!”Does your daily activity produce desired results? If not, determine which activities (i.e. dials, presentations, networking, etc.) produce results. Develop a sales process that strings together the relevant sales activity.Being busy does not always mean real work. The object of all work is production or accomplishment and to either of these ends there must be forethought, system, planning, intelligence, and honest purpose, as well as perspiration. Seeming to do is not doing. Thomas A. EdisonIn Direct Sales Dials, Contacts, Presentations, Appointments are all relevant sales activities that lead to Sales Conversions.3) Focus on Action and The Results Will Take Care Of ItselfPareto’s Law (also known as the ice-berg theory of change) dictates that 80% of your results will come from 20% of your efforts. Your results will naturally continue to be evaluated on the amount of business you bring in. However, without the underlying data on sales activity, results will be inconsistent. Start tracking them and determine accordingly how one influences the other. When I talk to direct sales consultants the question will come up what is your closing ratio? The common pattern that emerges is inconsistency. Inconsistent action leads to inconsistent results. That there is a direct correlation exists between activity and results is not unknown to you.Home Party Plan Success Tip: An ounce of action, is worth a pound of theorizing – Emerson.4) Determine Your Biggest Return On Investment For Home Party Sales & Leverage ItIf you do not know where you came from, how can you possibly know proceed?Do you know which of these 6 types of sales approaches – Telephone, Trade fairs, Networking, Hostess training, Home Parties & Home Party Demonstrations and my personal favorite Referrals are giving you the biggest return for your time and money? If your answer is no, we have a problem. For the next six weeks it will be important for you to track your results based on these 6 sales approaches to see where your money and time will be best spent. Why you might ask do I need to do this?Research and common sense teach us that people enjoy doing what comes natural to them. Use the sales approach that works for YOU.Experts say it take 21 days for something become habit. For the next 21 days I encourage you to use the information and you will see results.See, Isn’t Sales is Simple!If you are tired of building your home party business with dead-beat leads, poorly attended home parties, while barely making any home party sales; Get your own personal copy of The Little Black Book Of Home Party Marketing Secrets TOADY! Now you too can stop struggling as a home party consultant and start on your path to 6-FIGURE home party success!

The Advantages Of Investing In CondominiumsCondominiums are often considered to be one of the good real estate investment options to build equity. You can buy a condominium either to live in or to rent it out. Another name for luxury and grandeur, condominiums are often leased for sale. These individual units of accommodation can also be renovated as apartments and town houses which are used for commercial purposes. Those who buy condominiums share rights inside the vicinity such as club houses, hallways and swimming pools. Maintenance of condominiums often lies with the condominium association. Due to its many advantages it is popular not only among the elderly people but also among young professionals and small families. Some of the advantages of condominiums which make it a good investment option are as follows: Buying condominiums is a good investment option particularly for those who are investing for the first time. Compared to standalone homes condominiums are cheaper. This makes condominiums a good option when investing for the first time. The reason for its lesser price may be that a condominium doesn’t have its own separate yard. Also, it is easier to get a loan for a condominium than for a traditional home. A condominium is considered to be an excellent option for those who travel a lot. If you leave your home and go away on business you may return to face a large number of problems in your home due to your long absence. Problems such as burglary or graffiti and so on may take place due to your absence from your home. But in a condominium it is difficult to commit a crime because of the presence of a large number of residents within a small area.

__________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus signature database 3328 (20080805) __________The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.http://www.eset.com

A condominium would also be the best option for you if your kids don’t stay much at home. It has been observed that the requirement for a big house disappears once your kids leave you and go away to start their own independent lives. Thus most of the parents prefer to downsize to a condominium and make use of their cash for an early retirement. This trend is increasing day by day. A standalone home calls for a lot of maintenance in order to keep it in a proper shape. On the contrary, condominiums need very little maintenance. Besides, with the constant care and attention offered by home owners association maintaining your condominium is much easier. It makes your stay quite hassle-free and relaxing. The above facts about condominiums are convincing enough to decide in favor of an investment in condominiums. Usually the condos are popular because it is considered to be one of the best choices for a beginner. Also, home owners associations (HOAs) maintains strict standards which may bother a few easy-going careless tenants but it is undoubtedly an added advantage for the owners. Maintenance of a suburban property is a huge task for its owner. It is not so in the case of a condominium. Usually the motive or the driving force behind investment in real estate is appreciation in the value of a property. With the increasing popularity of condominiums its value is also rising. Growing population and changing lifestyles are going to increase the demand for condominiums in years to come. Thus investment in condos is highly advantageous. Written by: GSDate Written: 17/07/08Reviewer Assigned by: DavidReviewed by: HSQuality Control: AGCopyscape Results: Nothing copiedWebmaster Results: Nothing copiedSubheadings: Not RequiredCommon Error Check: DoneSpelling and Grammar: DoneQuality Control Completed on: 07/08/2008

Cleveland, Ohio – March 18, 2007 – Ralph and Terry Kovel who have been hailed by Parade magazine as the “duke and duchess of the antiques Hi DiHi Dipworld,” will be at the antiques and art show sponsored by Milwaukee Public Television (MPTV) friends. They will be signing their latest book, Kovels’ Antiques and Collectibles Price List 2008, from noon to 1pm, when the Kovels will give an hour long chat about antiques and collectibles.

The talk is free for all who have admission to the show.

The Kovels are the authors of more than 95 books about collecting and antiques, including the best-selling annual price guide “Kovels’ Antiques and Collectibles Price List.” The Kovels also publish a monthly newsletter, Kovels on Antiques and Collectibles, and write a weekly syndicated newspaper column distributed to more than 150 newspapers. They hosted a weekly series on HGTV, “Flea Market Finds with the Kovels.”

This year, the MPTV friends art and antiques show is working in partnership with the 84th annual Home & Garden Show in Milwaukee Wisconsin. The show offers visitors a chance to meet the Kovels, shop booths featuring antiques and art from dealers from throughout the Midwest, get appraisals, and place advance bids on items featured in the Channel 10 Great TV Auction.

Show hours for the 84th Realtors Home & Garden Show are: Friday, March 28, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday, March 29, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday, March 30, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 2, and Thursday, April 3, 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday, April 4, 11a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday, April 5, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sunday, April 6, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Wisconsin Exposition Center at State Fair Park, 8200 W. Greenfield Ave in Milwaukee.

The show will be closed Monday, March 31 and Tuesday, April 1.

Regular admission is $8 for adults, and admission is free for children 12 and under. Senior days are Friday, March 28 and Friday, April 4, when the ticket price is $6. For more information on the show, please call 414-778-4929 or visit www.RealtorsHomeandGardenShow.com

http://www.RealtorsHomeandGardenShow.com

About the Kovels:

Their popular website with free price information is www.kovels.com http://www.kovels.com. The Kovels’ most recent books are the newly re-designed Kovels’ Antiques and Collectibles Price List 2008, with 2,500 photos and 42,000 actual prices and “Kovels’ American Collectibles, 1900 to 2000.” Both will be available at the show, and are available wherever books are sold and online at http://www.Kovels.com.

Where can you find cheap homes for sale? Add “that are also in a nice town” and that was the question we were trying to answer when my wife and I hit the road in 2002. Leaving Michigan early in April, we checked out towns from New Mexico and Arizona to California and Washington State, arriving in Montana in late May. It was a Sunday morning when we pulled into the town of Anaconda, with a real estate guide in hand that promised a beautiful little pink house for just $18,900.

In Anaconda you could fly fish downtown, go to a movie for four dollars in a beautiful old art-deco theater, drop some nickels in a slot machine in any of the dozen casinos, eat at a fine restaurant, find dollar-beer in several bars, and buy a house for under $30,000 – all within a few blocks of the center of town! The library had decent internet service, and there was wildlife (including bears) a few hundred yards from main street at times.

Mount Haggin, at 10,700 feet, provides a great backdrop to the town, even dressing up white with snow or hail several times during July. In the high meadows above the tree line flowers are abundant by mid summer, and worth the strenuous hike/climb. Anaconda itself is at 5,280 feet – Montana’s mile-high city, surrounded by mountains, lakes and streams.

First thing Monday morning we found a real estate agent and looked at several houses priced from $13,000 to $30,000 or so. The one in the guide was the one we wanted. It had two bedrooms, hardwood floors, a sunroom, and partially finished basement. Though it had been empty for a while, like many houses in town were, it was ready to live in, and the batteries in the garage door opener were still working.

We habitually try for less than the asking price, and our offer of $17,500 was accepted. The closing was set for June, and we headed back to Michigan to pack. We returned on a morning when the frost gave way to a 80-degree day (mountain weather is crazy that way). The home needed a few repairs, but when done we still had less than $20,000 total into it, and it was nice to be able to pay cash for the whole thing.

There are reasons why real estate is so cheap in some locales. In Anaconda it was because in 1980 the smelter closed without warning, eliminating most of the jobs in town. The prices of houses proceeded to drop for over 20 years from that point. In 2002 we didn’t have our business, and I didn’t like the two jobs I worked at while we lived there, so we sold the house five months later. We got $28,000 for it.

We returned for a visit in 2007. The town has been discovered, which is good news in many ways. With a ski resort fifteen miles away, a Jack Nicklaus golf course a few blocks off main street, Georgetown Lake and a beautiful setting in general, the population may be growing for the first time in many years. Houses are getting fixed up, there is a new brew pub and other new businesses.

And the bad news? You can no longer find a decent home for under $30,000 nor even under $60,000 in Anaconda. In fact, our little pink house would probably sell for $85,000 or more. Maybe we sold too soon…

One lesson here is that if you have a business that you can move with you (as we do now, and we live in a mountain town in Colorado), you can find cheap homes in great towns. Just find some beautiful little place that as had economic troubles for a while. These are great places to retire to as well, and $120,000 would still buy a very nice home in Anaconda and other such towns.

Lake Michigan Hotels

The sheer majesty of the Lake Michigan makes you realize that you are witnessing one of the five great lakes of the North America. Lake Michigan is located entirely within the United States and is bounded by Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. The most attractive part of the Lake Michigan apart from the clear waters is the beaches. The beaches of Lake Michigan in Michigan and Indiana are called as Third Coast of the United States after those of the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean. With all the natural dominance in this region Lake Michigan is one of the most exciting tourist destinations in the United States. The name Michigan is believed to be derived from the Indian word ‘mishigami’ which mean ‘great waters.’

With unlimited opportunities for the tourists, Lake Michigan is flooded with tourists from United States and across the globe for most time of the year. The beaches of the Lake Michigan, especially the western coast and the northernmost part of the east coast are rocky while the southern and eastern beaches are sandy and dune covered. This is partly because of the prevailing winds from the west that also cause thick layers of ice to build up on the eastern shore in winter.

Although you can visit Lake Michigan for most time of the year it is buzzing with tourists during summers. There are lot many activities of fun, adventure and relaxation which attract the tourists and keep them busy during their stay. It is pure fun when you are in Michigan. You can enjoy boating, fishing, camping, golfing, biking, hiking and touring in this great place called Michigan. Apart from these there are many activities and sights that will keep you engrossed once you have landed here. You can visit many museums in Michigan or see places of historical importance.

There are many events taking place in Michigan around the year, which attracts many tourists for the special events. With the developments due to the increasing number of tourists every year Michigan has transformed into an important tourist as well as economic destination in North America. This is evident from the high-rise buildings one can see dominating the sky. The infrastructure here offers quality entertainment centers like theaters, shopping malls, hotels, restaurants and other recreational areas like stadiums and parks. There is something for everyone in Lake Michigan, and that is why your trip to this place would be the memorable one.

Lake Michigan boasts of the finest hotels and restaurants in this region. It caters to the changing needs and moods of the travelers. Hotels here are both luxury and budget friendly to suit everyone and offer many facilities, which you can choose according to your pocket. There are many beach hotels and resorts that give you the most beautiful view from the window. With restaurants here offering the finest delicacies and seafood you can relish it with great comfort of the Lake Michigan Waters. But it is a recommendation to plan your trip ahead and make prior reservations before you reach Lake Michigan.

According to various sources there are big difference between the real estate head count of the National Association of Realtors and other credible sources. Recently,  RIS media stated total agents to be 291,000, Taro Systems stated  329,000 and NAR claims a whopping 1.1 million. A spread of over 700,000 real estate agents. There could be several motivates why NAR inflates their numbers and several Theories.

 Theory 1: NAR has long been the power to thwart off the IRS claim to exempt the Real Estate Agent as an independent contractor and not subject to employer withholding taxes. NAR has been the power behind the lobbying to have a special tax provision for the real estate agent in the IRS tax code. If it was not for this specific exemption, the Real Estate Company would be required to collect withholding taxes. Would the IRS maintain this exemption if NAR agent head count were significantly lower?

 Theory 2: In most sales organizations,  the rule of thumb is 80% of the business is done by only 20% of the sales agents. This rule has long been accepted in the individual real estate office. That being said,  if you take 20% of 1.1 million that equates to only 240,000 agents; certainly a  far cry from NAR’s claim of 1.1 million agents. So is NAR counting  agents that do little or no business or business to an occasional family member to receive commission discounts?

 Theory 3: NAR is about power and greed. High numbers bring credibility but often disconnected from the real world. NAR long fought to control the transaction between the buyer and seller. This practice held true until the internet let the cat out of the bag (control of homes for sale information). Through the internet the consumer can get free information from ViewMyListing.com, Realtor.com, Trulia.com, Zillow.com, Century21.com, Coldwellbanker.com, Remax.com and all 850 individual Board of Realtors. Let’s  face it,  NAR has long lost the battle of control of the information, but still have not recognized it yet.

 Theory 4: Most Sellers that employed the use a Real estate agent have many things in common. How little we actually saw our agent and when inquiring on the status, only to be told they were working on it. I know there is a  vast amount of labor that goes into selling a home but the agents all to often fail to communication their activity. So sellers  assume that their agent is lazy and only in it for the commission.   Large agent head count can make one think that a single bad experience was an exception and assume with the other 1,099,999 agents they don’t have the same problem of lack of communication.

Theory 5: A substantial revenue stream to NAR is affiliate memberships, sponsored partnerships and National Trade Show conference revenue. Inflating Head counts misleads advertisers to believe in a higher return on investment and therefore  spend more dollars in advertising, booth space and all the ala carte marketing material required from a single source. Is this much different from Bernard Madoff  pozie scheme?  In either case both are very misleading to all.

 So what theories support  NAR’s motive. How about all five! If NAR maintains such a strict code of ethics, then why did they not  rat out the irresponsible lending, appraisal and mortgage practices that has sent this country into turmoil.

Douglas Lee

CEO,  Taro System, Inc.

Grand Rapids MI

Flipping houses has become a very popular activity in the housing market, this can be very financially rewarding; however, if not done right, it could turn out in catastrophe and cost more on the property than you  make on it.  House flipping is not for everyone, it takes much more work than it may look. Choosing the right house is key; the house isn’t the most important factor, but the area that the house is located in. Find an uncared for home in a nice area, maybe it was a rental that wasn’t properly maintained, an older owner/s who weren’t capable of keeping up with the house, maybe it’s just an out-dated house, or it could be an eye sore, over-grown and “ugly” to look at. All of these things are repairable, but if the house is in a bad neighborhood, whether it be high crime rate, low income, or near a freeway or airport you can not hide or change these undesirable features.

Now that you’ve found the right house, it’s time for inspections; this is a very important step that you do not want to skip. The main areas to focus on would be:

1. the foundation, if you find any cracks make sure to get an estimate on them, this could turn out to be a very expensive repair.

2. The roof, you need to check for water damage and carpenter ants, especially in an older home.

3. Plumbing and electrical, check in and around the kitchen and bathrooms for uneven flooring and water marks, you may also want to check the water pressure by flushing toilets and turning on taps. If these three areas look good then you’re ready to plan your flip. 

There are many ways you can save yourself money, keep in mind painting or replacing kitchen cabinet fronts, rather than replacing the whole unit, If the yard needs work, don’t be afraid to get dirty, doing these tasks yourself can save you a lot of money. The biggest money saver; however, is to keep the job simple, keep the original floor plan as alike as possible, knocking down walls and other like jobs are very time consuming and can become quite costly.

Once you find the right house, now it’s time to set up a budget, making sure to put extra money in a reserve just in case of any unplanned disasters or mishaps. It’s very important to be reasonable when setting up a budget, don’t underestimate costs. 

Keep in mind the most important selling features of a home; see our “Top 10” list which tells the top ten upgrades needed for a successful flip and some tips on how to make it happen.  

Top 10 Focus Points for a Successful Flip

10. Fixtures – By fixtures we mean sinks, faucets, shower heads, toilet paper holders, towel holders, etc… the first choice for most home owners is chrome, or you may want to go a little different and a bit more elegant, maybe try brushed aluminum or antiqued materials.

9. Lighting – This covers the ambience that the lighting you’ve chosen is right and the lighting fixture itself is attractive. Too often a time when shopping for new lighting, people just choose whatever looks nice, but it’s important to keep in mind what room the lighting is for, and the purpose the lighting will serve.

8. Extras – This is product that has been added to the home that is above and beyond the necessary. These extras would include items such as: a Jacuzzi tub, stainless steel appliances, dimmer switches, a garborator, skylight, maybe even a theme wall somewhere, anything that adds extra flare to the home, if your budget allows, I would recommend putting extras in the home, for a small original cost it can make a huge difference on selling day.

7. Finishing’s – You would be surprised as to how many people do notice finishes, such as the baseboard in a house, the casing around doors, and the basic ensuring that closets and doors open and close properly, a lot of times in older homes, after it settles with time, door frames can become crooked making the doors close improperly.

6. Entrance – First impressions are often peoples deciding factors when buying a home, make sure it’s clean, effective, you don’t want too much furniture in the way, keep it simple and open.

5. Bedrooms – Bedrooms are easy rooms to upgrade, they only really require some carpet, paint, and sometimes new light fixtures, etc… if you’re planning on staging the home for a sale, you’ll want to really focus on this area, since they are such simple rooms make sure to furnish them nicely.

4. Flooring – New flooring is mandatory when flipping a home, tile is nice for kitchens, front entrance, bathrooms, and laundry rooms, keep the tiles simple with little or no pattern. Carpet is what you want in bedrooms to keep them cozy and warm, and think of using hardwood or laminate in your living area.

3. Kitchen – As we all know the kitchen is like a hub of our house, we spend much of our time in there, preparing meals, entertaining, and of course cleaning. You want to ensure there are plenty of cupboards, as well as counter space. Make it look new, bright, and spacious. If your budget allows room for those extras, this is where you’ll want to use them.

2. Bathrooms – Some of you may be surprised to see bathrooms ahead of kitchens on our top ten list, but studies have shown that bathrooms can make or break a flip, or a sale of any kind. This is a room where people go to perform many personal tasks and often to unwind in a bath, you need to put lots of proper planning into the bathrooms, and they need to feel inviting and comfortable.

1. Curb Appeal – You may have guessed it, or not but curb appeal has made it to number one on our list, reason for this is that not everyone, but many people won’t even enter a home if it doesn’t look maintained from the outside. You can’t sell a house if you can’t get people into it.

For more Information on this topic visit www.buildwish.com  a free Online Home Renovation & Design Directory for North America, Featuring Free Real Estate Classifieds, Helpful Articles, Contests, Hot Products, Qualified Trades, Forums and Much More!

 

A real estate broker is a person who is a go-between for buyers and sellers of property. They have to seek out the people who wish to sell and the people who wish to buy and then become their broker. Being a real estate broker is a double edged sword. When working with a selling party the broker must find a way for the seller to sell their property for the highest price under the best term. But when a real estate broker is working with a buying party they must find a way for the buyer to purchase a piece of property for the lowest price under the best terms. Most real estate brokers working within the United States are required to have a license before dealing with prospective buyers and sellers.
Below is a list of the services a real estate broker can provide to a buyer or seller of a piece of property:
Comparative Market Analysis
Exposure
Facilitating a purchase
Facilitating a sale
FSBO document preparation
Full residential appraisal
Home selling kits
Hourly consulting
Leasing
Property management
Exchanging property
Auctioning property
Preparing contracts and leases
Not all of these services are available in each and every state within the union and a handful of them come with a fee.
Below is a list of the services provided to a selling party:
Property listing
Paperwork prep
Adding a “For Sale” sign to the property
Advertising the property
Running an Open House for prospective buyers to tour
Negotiating the price
Representing the seller at the closing
To be qualified for a real estate agent’s license an interested party must attend an educational course that usually lasts 60 hours or more. At the conclusion of the course the participants take a test and must pass before receiving their license as a real estate agent. The new agent must then use their license with an existing real estate firm before going out on their own. If the real estate agent wishes to become a real estate broker they must take another educational course and pass another test to become a broker. This can only happen after the agent has been an agent for a specified period of time, which usually differs from state to state. A real estate broker can own and/or operate a real estate firm and each branch office of a larger firm is required by law to be managed by a licensed real estate broker.
There are four popular groups within the real estate agent and broker profession. They are the National Association of Realtors, the Realtor Political Action Committee, the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents and the National Association of Real Estate Brokers.
The majority of sales involved in real estate involves a percentage. When a buyer or seller hires a real estate broker or agent to aid them in property movement they usually determine a percentage of the sale to go to the agent or broker beforehand. Most agreements net the agent or broker anywhere between 20 to 35 percent of the final sale.