Archive for April, 2008

Working with Partners : Using Leverage to Explode your Real Estate Business

Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008

By Omar Johnson

While there are some successful single member real estate businesses, partnering is a common method used by real estate investors to maximize their leverage and their effectiveness. Understanding some basic principles can help you be smart about how and when you work with partners.

There are two fundamental ways to partner and two fundamental meanings to the term. The least binding way to partner in real estate is to split profits from specific deals, deal by deal, according to a comfortable working arrangement. This type of partnership between two people or entities can be put in writing in the form of a joint venture agreement, which should contain a few key clauses.

The first is that the parties have to agree on decisions regarding the actions of the joint venture. The second is that profits generated by the joint venture will be split equally between the venturers. Another is that the parties will be separately responsible for their own operating expenses.

A fourth is that the parties hold each other harmless for damages they incur. And finally, another states that the parties are independent agents and are free to do any other business outside the joint venture. Make it subject to cancellation by mutual consent of the parties and you”ve got something in writing to formalize the arrangement.

The advantages of this type of agreement are that you can joint venture with as many people as you want without sacrificing your independence or freedom, or incurring liability on account of someone else”s actions. The only disadvantage, if you consider it one, might be that a joint venture agreement doesn”t actually require either party to do any work.

The second fundamental way to include other people in your business is by equity partnering, which is where you and another person (or people) get into the same business entity and share business decisions. There are many ways to accomplish this, the details of which are beyond the scope of this article, but they all have the same fundamental advantages and disadvantages.

The advantage to this type of arrangement is that it allows you to share responsibility and control within the business, allowing it to grow beyond you and your preferences. The disadvantage is that it requires you to share responsibility and control within the business, requiring it to grow beyond you and your preferences. Not much more can be said except that it is a personal decision that should be given careful consideration.

When considering partners many people think of friends and family first. There is nothing inherently wrong with this, but you should realize that the greater the pre-existing relationship, the more there is at stake should the business relationship not go well, and manage risks accordingly.

Whatever mode of partnering you choose to use there is a particular way to think about the process that will expand your horizons. Often new investors tend to think that the more partners they have the less profit there will be, but this is not the ideal way to think. Instead think of enlarging the pie before you cut it; that way everyone gets a a bigger piece.

About The Author

Omar Johnson is a successful real estate investor and author of the home study course “Secrets To Making Big Money In Real Estate With Little Cash and No Credit” For more info visit http://www.gettingrichinrealestate.com

The Real Estate Investor\’s Blue Print on What to do with Raw Land

Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008

By Omar Johnson

The market for raw land is a sub market of real estate that many real estate investors ignore. However, with a basic understanding of a few principles you can turn land transactions into an additional source of deals and profits for your quick turn real estate investing business.

If you market for motivated sellers, some of those sellers will inevitably be owners of raw land or lots with old, dilapidated buildings in need of demolition. But you can also target such owners with your direct mail advertising, classified ads, farming, and other marketing methods, including tracking down the owners to market to them by telephone.

Unless you have your own acquisition and exit strategy for raw land as part of your business model, you will also need to find buyers you can sell it to in order to make a profit. There are several classifications of buyers who will likely be interested in purchasing raw land from you.

One such type of buyer is builders, who of course are likely to be interested in acquiring land to build new homes and businesses on. Another type of potential buyer for land is developers. Developers typically are interested in purchasing large tracts of land at a time, which they zone appropriately and install utilities to get them ready to build new subdivisions on.

Land speculators may also be interested in purchasing your dirt. These are buyers who buy land solely for the purpose of appreciation gains, and try to buy land parcels of all sizes that are in the pathway of future development or gentrification. And finally, don”t rule out business owners and other private individuals, such as mobile home owners or ranchers, who may be interested in your parcel of land for their own reasons.

There are a few types of expenses that are unique to raw land transactions that you should be aware of, as they will be relevant to factor in to your negotiations. The first of these is demolition, which refers to the removal, by bulldozer, of old houses or other structures that may be on the property. (You do have demolition services included as a category in your rolodex, don”t you?)

Of course, if the structure is in good enough condition and is the right type of construction, you might just be able to get a house mover to take it away for you for free. Besides demolition, there might be debris or vegetation on the property that requires clearing as well. When dealing with a property that has no pre-existing structures it may be necessary to apply for the appropriate type of zoning permits before any construction is begun.

When dealing with a larger parcel it may be profitable to subdivide it into small properties before you sell it, which can be a very lucrative practice that you can undertake yourself. And for even larger tracts of undeveloped land, the developer will need to make arrangements for the installation of public utilities in order to allow for construction.

The more types of transactions you are able to handle, the more profitable your business will be. Understanding a few key concepts will allow you to recognize and capitalize on profitable raw land deals when you see them.

About The Author

Omar Johnson is a successful real estate investor and author of the home study course “Secrets To Making Big Money In Real Estate With Little Cash and No Credit” For more info visit http://www.gettingrichinrealestate.com

Home Loan Rates WV At Your Finger Tips

Sunday, April 20th, 2008

By Shellaine Enfesta

Are you looking for West Virginia home loan rates? Home loan rates WV can be search online and its very easy. Because of the advancements in technology, a West Virginia home loan rates can be known easily and up to the minute. To find the best fixed rate mortgage is no longer a trip or a long walk to the bank. Even in West Virginia, you cannot predict home loan rates WV, so avoid mortgage rate predictions.

As the saying goes home loan rates WV is within your finger tips. Whether you are moving to an upscale home or simply downsizing, for a smaller mortgage you will find a lot of online mortgage rate quotes.

The truth of the detail is no one can actually find when mortgage rates are going to bottom out. Home mortgage rates are at near all time lows and quite a few of you might be wondering how to bear down upon when they will bottom out. Mortgage interest rates are extremely difficult to predict. Instead of trying to design when mortgage rates will bottom out you can save yourself thousands of dollars by concentrating on what aspects of your mortgage rate you can control.

This means, again, that you will be paying on your home longer. Utmost consumers are unaware that even today, countless mortgage brokers lack the proper state credentials to be selling or issuing a home loan (mortgage). Points paid on a purchase mortgage can be deducted upfront, but points paid on a refinance are handled differently. These accept to be deducted over the loan”s lifetime.

The average homeowner will keep single out given mortgage seven years or less before moving or refinancing. In a declining interest rate environment, that holding period for the loan would decrease even more.

If you refinance for a lower rate but it is adjustable, you could wind up paying more. Maybe your credit is better now than when you first purchased your home. There are credulous mortgage brokers out there that do not abuse Yield Length Premium; you just get hold of to negotiate the right person for your loan. Once you set up all the fixed rate quotes with you, all you call for to do is to perform a comparison analysis to settle on the lender who offers the extremely possible deal.

The easiest and simplest way to get home loan rates WV is to go online and search for all the brokers and lenders. Compare what you find and pick the best fixed rate mortgage loan or a variable rate home loan. Finding and getting the best home loan rates in West Virginia is not difficult after all.

About The Author

Need A Home Loan Rates WV? Or Best Mortgage Rates Refinancing? Go To: http://www.lingwellness.com/mortgagerefinancing.php

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An Englishman\’s Home Is His Castle

Sunday, April 20th, 2008

By Catherine Harvey

In the unfortunate position of finding myself and my children homeless, our local authority housed us in what they call ”safe, suitable temporary accommodation”. This is where we have lived for four months now. There are two rooms and a kitchenette for myself and two teenage boys with a woefully inadequate and unhygienic shared bathroom on the landing.

All of the other residents are in the same position as myself, some get through it with the aid of illegal drugs and some, such as the Polish residents, feel they are living in a veritable palace. I personally cried when they told me where I was going. Don”t think me ungrateful, I was glad of a roof over my head, but this place was frequently in the news.

There had been accidents with children through exposed pipe work, drug and gang related fights and numerous break ins, so you can see why I wasn”t exactly looking forward to it. The day I moved in, my car was broken into and my purse stolen. When the police came out it seems they already knew the entrance code because they are always there.

My front door was already kitted out with a total of ten assorted locks, chains and bolts as well as metal reinforcement after a previous robbery. This doesn”t come under the heading of ”safe, suitable accommodation” in my book. There hasn”t been more than 48 hours without a police presence in this building.
So, this week I open the local paper to find that after investigations into this property, it has been condemned as unfit for human habitation. I could have told them that four months ago!

It is proposed that the building is proving too costly to bring up to standard and that it is to be sold off to developers. They have already seen the potential in this building as an investment property and their intention is to pull it down and put a virtual estate of tiny houses in its place and sell them on for a fortune.

This is the intention of the so called ”garden grabber” property developers these days. Investment properties come in many forms but the trend at the trend at the moment is to buy up buildings, particularly the older style that usually come with a little more land, and then bulldoze them and start again.

This creates large estates of miniature properties which may be more affordable for first time buyers but are a little useless unless you are a fan of sliding doors and you don”t have a cat to swing. It does, however, provide a multitude of investment properties for landlords who are looking for properties to rent out to those that cannot afford to get a foot on the housing ladder.

New builds are usually, in themselves, good investment properties as they have to conform to much higher standards than in earlier years. They have to be more environmentally friendly in the area of energy saving and are constructed to relatively high standards.

The only area where this type of investment property is difficult is for those with families. There really is no space in a doll”s house for a baby and all the clobber that they bring and if a couple have just managed to indulge themselves in this type of investment property when they fall pregnant, they could very quickly find themselves on the move again.

About The Author

Property expert Catherine Harvey looks at the business of buying up investment property and if it”s still viable. To find out more please visit http://www.propertyinvestment.co.uk/

Steps to Finding the Right Neighborhood

Saturday, April 19th, 2008

By Ki Gray

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.

About The Author

Ki helps buyers interested in Austin real estate http://www.escapesomewhere.com his website has a free search of the Austin MLS http://www.escapesomewhere.com/realestate_searchthemls.html along with updates on his Austin real estate blog http://www.escapesomewhere.com/austinblog/

Quitting Real Estate: Possibly a Good Career Move

Friday, April 18th, 2008

By Ki Gray

I read a post recently where a real estate agent was posting about whether they should leave the real estate profession. The market had slowed in their area and their income stream had decreased rapidly. They worried that if the market didn”t pick up soon, they would have difficulty making mortgage payments. It certainly seemed sensible to me.

What surprised me were the responses the post received. Everyone told them not to give up hope. It was a series of quotes that resembled a stack of hallmark cards, quotes about lights at the end of the tunnel. And while I think the commenters were doing what they thought was best I disagree about the advice they were giving. Remember when you see a light at the end of the tunnel, sometimes it”s a train coming to run you over.

Let”s consider a few facts. The housing market is going from a period of fast paced growth to a downturn. The amount of business has decreased rapidly. If we all stay in the same business we are quite frankly ignoring the economic realities we are facing. And if as a group we can”t see that the economy has changed, how are we fit to give advice to our clients about what they should do.

And yes there are some people that will leave because they thought this was an “easy” business and they discovered the hard way that it”s not. But I think at the same time a lot of intelligent hardworking people will leave to find other thriving areas of the economy to work in. Or they will leave to pursue other business plans. And there is nothing wrong with that. Simply stated- that is how capitalism works. When certain sections of the economy weaken and others heat up people move around. If that didn”t happen we would all be farmers trying to serve a very, very crowded market making very, very little money. I encourage people with million dollar ideas to pursue them and not feel guilted into not quitting a profession that has a slowing market.

I want to give an example of what I am talking about. I have a friend that grew up on a chicken farm. And for awhile after school he continued to work on a chicken farm. But at some point he saw that the future didn”t look so bright for small chicken farms. So he went to business school. Today he is the CEO of a multimillion dollar company with 1000”s of employees. So I ask you. Is he a quitter? A loser maybe? Or simply someone who found a better opportunity.

In summary I am not saying there is anything wrong with staying in the profession or leaving it. I am simply saying that leaving an industry with declining total revenues to pursue more lucrative opportunities is not quitting. It”s simply the way our economy works. So, we should not guilt those who are thinking of leaving the real estate profession into staying, rather wish them good luck in their next adventure and maybe they will flourish there or maybe they will come back to real estate again some day.

About The Author

Ki helps buyers interested in Austin real estate http://www.escapesomewhere.com his website has a free search of the Austin MLS http://www.escapesomewhere.com/realestate_searchthemls.html along with updates on his Austin real estate blog http://www.escapesomewhere.com/austinblog/

The Beginner\’s Guide To Flipping Real Estate

Friday, April 18th, 2008

By Dan O”Connor

No Experience, No Problem!

Don”t worry if you have no construction or maintenance background, you can still buy and sell houses without having to do any major repairs yourself which allows you to make good money quickly in the real estate market. No experience, no problem.

To understand what risks an investor takes, let me first explain what they are doing. There are basically two ways to flip (wholesale) a property. First, is the fix and flip method which typically involves more extensive remodeling to take place before the house can be sold to an end buyer who will actually live in the property.

This strategy is what is typically portrayed in all of the reality shows that have become popular in the past couple of years such as Flip This House, Flip That House, Property Ladder, etc.

Behind The Scenes – What Really Happens?

What the reality shows fail to share with viewers is the behind the scenes action which takes place in order to actually find a profitable deal in the first place. Most of the so-called ”investors” portrayed on TV usually like to throw out figures which represent their purchase price, expected fix up costs and anticipated sale price but they never seem to disclose how they actually found the deal.

Viewers are left in the dark and only see various phases of the remodel and then the investor concludes the show by stating how much profit they think they”ll make. These excluded details leave the viewer thinking that they can easily do the same as seen on TV. Typically, this is not a good idea.

Okay, the second method of wholesaling (flipping) a house is the preferred strategy for seasoned investors as well as novices who want to only focus on finding deals and moving on to the next one quickly, not getting bogged down with expensive remodels that often take months to complete and a ton of cash reserves.

Breaking It Down – Step By Step

Okay, here”s a basic primer on the behind the scenes of wholesaling or flipping a house.

An investor finds a property s/he can buy and resell for a profit quickly using various search strategies. Once the property has been located and a deal has been made with the seller (homeowner), the investor then offers the property for sale to either another investor (in the case of a complete junker property) or to an end buyer if the house only needs light cosmetic work or can be sold in its as-is condition to a hopeful homeowner.

Investors can usually find a buyer in a timely manner or already have someone in mind that is looking for that particular type of property. This simultaneous transaction can oftentimes be accomplished by a double closing through a title company who understands these types of deals.

The Nitty Gritty Of It – A Case Study

These are usually properties in pre-foreclosure status but not necessarily. The home owner is motivated to sell for whatever reason and needs to get out from under the mortgage to save his or her credit, etc. The buyer is offered the home at a little (or a lot) below market value to generate a fast sale.

The investor is then basically a middle man at this point, simply locating a seller who wants to sell and a buyer who wants to buy but remains a principle in the transaction to avoid being mistaken for brokering without a license. She or he then gets paid the difference between the asking price of the original seller and the selling price of the new owner. For example, a house has a retail value of $200,000 and the investor agrees to buy the property for $120,000 because of the seller being highly motivated to sell.

The seller agrees to this price because he has to get out from under the mortgage before the bank forecloses. The investor then markets the property for maybe $130,000 and finds a new buyer willing to pay that price. If the investor agrees, the deals are closed with the investor pocketing $10,000 for doing nothing more than knowing what to do and setting the deal in motion. There are other fees and out of pocket expenses, but in the long run, the investor has made a nice, quick profit using none of their own cash or credit in the process.

Not So fast!

That”s how it is supposed to work in a perfect transaction. In reality, when an investor is flipping real estate, there are complications which can surface costing quite a bit of money. For example, the seller may not have disclosed a tax lien, second mortgage, or equity line of credit. At that point, the cost of the house just went up. Your buyer may not have good enough credit to obtain the loan as it was originally quoted. You did check ahead of time, right?

The investor may be forced to pay points to lower the interest rate for the mortgage to be accessible to the new buyer. At that point, the selling price just went down. Then there is the problem with the lender or title company not being willing to do a double closing. Unfortunately, the deal just crumbled before your eyes.

In the real estate investing game, it”s important to remember that when an investor wants to start flipping real estate, the best way is the old way. Buy the vacant house. Fix it up and find a buyer quickly. Then put it on the market for a reasonable price. Pocket the difference.

This is a more stable way of doing things when investing in real estate if you have a firm understanding of remodels or a basic construction background. However, rules were made to be broken and you may be willing to do just that if the potential profit is high enough.

Remember The Boy Scout Motto – Be Prepared!

In closing, remember that you should always be prepared for any crisis when it comes to investing in real estate. Understand that houses can be vacant, which means you are responsible for the payments, taxes, and insurance until you sell the house if that”s what you promised the seller.

The key to profiting in real estate is to put as little into the house as possible and sell it for the highest price available – quickly. The danger comes when you try to over price a house in an area that will not support it. When it comes to flipping houses, common sense and a clear understanding are the best insights to profits.

About The Author

To discover how to create your own profitable push button house buying system that never fails and to claim your FREE video detailing how Dan O”Connor”s renowned Your First Deal System will work for you – Go here now: http://www.YourFirstDeal.com

More Frequent Flights Boost Majorca Property Market

Thursday, April 17th, 2008

By Roger Munns

The Balearic Islands of Majorca and Menorca are very popular award-winning holiday destinations. A mere hop, skip and a jump from France and Spain, Majorca is now even more easily accessible. The UK”s leading low cost airline based at London”s Luton Airport now offers less expensive, more frequent flights from nearly anywhere in Europe to Majorca.

More flights to the island per week also make it more realistic for Brits and other Europeans to purchase real estate on Majorca. Many Brits enjoy the atmosphere of the Balearic Islands so much that they visit several times per year.

Now, with more flights readily accessible, it could be time to stop renting a hotel room or condo and buy a vacation home. So far, British investors haven”t been reluctant to take advantage of this new opportunity. The Daily Telegraph printed an article revealing 11,000 Brits now own a home in Majorca.

Real estate investors don”t expect property costs in Majorca to drop any time soon, if ever. Majorca is currently one of the most expensive places to buy real estate in the Iberian Peninsula. Investors believe Majorca is one of the safest property investments you can make. Majorca is an island with limited land available for new construction. This means the existing homes will retain their value for many years to come.

Because of its more remote and secluded location, it”s not surprising that many celebrities have homes on the island. One of Hollywood”s favorite couples, Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, own a holiday home in the village of Deia. Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, Boris Becker and Claudia Schiffer also own homes on Majorca.

Waterfront property owners understand their property”s value. For several years there has been a ban on any type of construction within 25 meters of the coast. Those who already own beachfront property know this means if they decide to sell, they will have the ability to command a very high price. Beachfront homeowners know they”re living in a potential gold mine.

Purchasing a home in Majorca could be one of the most important investments in your life. Majorca sees 300 days of sunshine per year, making it one of the most widely sought-after tourist destinations in the world. Millions of people per year visit Majorca and neighboring Menorca. Majorca plays host to 23 golf courses and 25 marinas where, on any given day, you can see hundreds of brightly colored sailboats.

Less expensive and more frequent flights open up several doors for businesses such as wedding planners as well. Many couples looking to begin their lives together look for the perfect, picturesque place for their wedding ceremony. The new prices and frequency of flights to the island could quite possibly make many couples” dreams a reality.

Rich in Spanish culture, Majorca has all the luxuries of a large city with a small town atmosphere. Tourists love the relaxing atmosphere, the salty breezes and the spectacular holiday celebrations. The UK low cost airline is simply making it easier for European tourists to escape their everyday lives more often. They are planning flights from Belfast, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, London Gatwick, London Luton, London Stansted and Newcastle three times per week.

About The Author

Majorca property for sale details are at http://www.yourmajorca.net/property

Commercial Loans Not All The Same To All Borrowers

Thursday, April 17th, 2008

By Edwin Linares

A commercial loan is a loan given by a bank for use in a business. These loans are typically used to expand the range of a business by acquiring land, capital, or equipment. In some cases, it is used to finance the acquisition of properties such as office buildings or retail centers.

When seeking a commercial loan, it is important to know the repayment options of a particular loan. Some loans are repaid on a monthly or quarterly basis. Borrowers have different needs so the repayment options are usually modified to suit their needs. Some examples of this include altering the repayment periods, or choosing from fixed or variable rates.

There are many different types of commercial loans available. Here is a brief rundown on some of the more common ones.

1. Commercial Real Estate Loans

Commercial real estate loans are typically utilized by large companies that intend to expand their range of business. It can be very costly to acquire real estate, especially ones that are in a good location. The loans are then used to fund the construction of commercial structures for business purposes. An example of such a developmental structure would be an apartment building or a shopping center. There is a vast assortment of commercial real estate loans available, so it is prudent to get one with an affordable interest structure.

2. Commercial Mortgage Loans

A commercial mortgage loan is similar to a commercial real estate loan in that it is used to buy buildings or property. An advantage that the commercial mortgage loan has is the flexibility it offers both the lender and the borrower. It is also considered as a very affordable option for getting a loan. A typical borrower can get up to 80% of the sales price of the particular property or real estate.

For the lender, they are able to stake a legal claim on a property until the loan has been paid. This reduces the risk incurred by the lender with regards to loan repayment. A lender such as a bank may offer flexible options designed to allow the borrower to repay the loan in an efficient and adequate manner. In worst case scenarios, insurance is used for covering the payments.

3. Seasonal Commercial Loans

Seasonal commercial loans are typically used during parts of the year where additional costs are incurred because of increasing demand. An example of this would be the holiday season. A loan is used to make sure that the demand can be met by producing additional goods or offering extra services.

About The Author

E. Linares is the Chief Visionary Architect at Commercial Magnet:: the new face of the online lending marketplace where borrowers and lenders connect; 6 points of service to help build your wealth! Visit http://www.commercialmagnet.com today!

Responsibilities That Your Estate Agent Should Undertake

Wednesday, April 16th, 2008

By Thomas Pretty

When most people decide to buy or sell their property it is usually common practice to utilise the services of an estate agent. But so many do not realise what duties an estate agent is supposed to perform, how they extract their funds or how you, the consumer can get the best service. Here is a brief guide to the work of estate agents and how those selling or buying property can get the best deal.

It is important to realise that not every estate agent will have professional qualifications, these qualifications are however available should the estate agent wish to undertake them. Unlike say, a chartered surveyor, an estate agent does not need to be regulated and officially qualified to operate. Hence it is possible for a person with little or no experience to start business as an estate agent without any semblance of training. It is usually worth pursuing those agents who have some form of professional qualification.

There are a variety of qualifications that are worth looking out for if you are in the process of selling or buying property. An estate agent may have an NVQ level two or three in the ”Sale of Residential Property” or a technical award regulated by the National Association of Estate Agents. If your estate agent has neither it does not necessarily mean that they are under-qualified but it is always worth checking their levels of experience and training before signing any contracts.

So what services should your estate agent provide? There are a number of services that should fall under the control of the agent; here is an outlay of these services. After looking at your property it is the agent who should come up with an asking price in consultation with yourself. This price should be gained by comparing your property with similar properties on the market in your area. It should also be competitive as having too high an asking price can lead to buyers being reluctant to put in an offer on your property.

This valuation is not the same as that of a chartered surveyor. An estate agent will arrive at a potential price for the type of property you own in the current market conditions. This valuation will not be accepted by lenders as a cast iron price and will usually demand the valuation of a chartered surveyor in order to release funds for a mortgage.

The estate agent is also responsible for the marketing and publicising of your property. This includes the photography of your home and the literature that accompanies the advert. The usual methods of publicising a property are window sale boards, newspaper articles as well as more contemporarily the internet.

Your estate agent should also manage the viewings of your property. This includes organising the appointments with buyers at suitable times. The times that viewers are available can often be inconvenient, so be prepared to give up the occasional evening to allow potential buyers around your home.

Most importantly it is your agent that brokers the deal. They must manage the offers and consult with you over the accepting price as well as keep the potential buyers well informed. This where it is important to find an estate agent that keeps in contact readily, if you have to constantly chase down an estate agent it is rarely worth employing their services.

By following this advice it should be possible to get a good idea of what an estate agent is supposed to do. If your agent is not fulfilling their duties it may be worth employing the services of another. After all, moving house is a stressful enough experience already, the agency is supposed to take some of this stress away. If they are not, find a new agent who will perform the tasks outlined above.

About The Author

Property expert Thomas Pretty looks into the responsibilities your estate agent should perform to aid the sale of your property. To find out more please visit http://www.haart.co.uk/