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Cash Now For Your Real Estate Contract
BACKGROUND AND FUNDAMENTALS The private mortgage industry is a relatively young business with roots that can be traced directly to the emergence of seller-backed, or owner, financing. Prior to the very high interest rates of the late 70s and 80s, ...

Getting Pre-Approved For A Mortgage Makes Buying Easy
Whether buying or selling a home, the real estate transaction process can be seriously stressful. Hey, no pain, no gain. Getting pre-approved for a mortgage can seriously reduce stress levels. Lender Approval Many people make the mistake of going house ...

New Mexico Real Estate – The Mystical And Mysterious State
New Mexico is the state of metaphysical influences and unidentified flying objects. Fortunately, there is no mystery about New Mexico real estate. Prices are exploding. New Mexico With mountain ranges and desert areas, New Mexico is a popular state with ...


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Owning The House That Won’t Sell
 

Owning The House That Won’t Sell

We first need to get some common anxiety issues out of the way. There is no curse on your house. Real estate agents are not conspiring against you. Home buyers are not tasteless idiots. Well, not all of them. If you’re stuck owning the house that won’t sell, there has to be an identifiable reason and you should be able to find out what it is. This is particularly true in the current real estate market.

The single biggest and easiest issue to address is the price of the home. Simply put, are you being reasonable when it comes to price? What are the comparable home sale prices in your area and how does your price compare to the sold houses that most resemble the condition of yours? If you are asking for more than similar houses, finding a buyer is going to be difficult. Remember, the issue is the appraised value, not what you subjectively think your home is worth.

One area where people get into trouble is improving beyond their neighborhoods. This occurs when you pursue home improvements that add substantial value to your home, but can’t be supported by the surrounding houses. For example, assume your home and those around it all appraise in the $250,000 to $285,000 range. If you redo kitchens, bathrooms and add a full second story to the tune of $150,00, your probably think your home should


be worth roughly $400,000. This is incorrect. Nobody is going to buy a $400,000 home in a $250,000 neighborhood. In such a situation, your best bet is to hold on to the house and pray the neighborhood appreciates over time.

If price isn’t the issue, you need to objectively evaluate how your house is different from those in the neighborhood. Ask a realtor to come take a look at the house and offer suggestions. If all else fails, hire an appraiser to come appraise the house and pay very close attention to the report.

Finally, one of the biggest problems I see with houses on the market is a lack of charm. It may sound superficial, but you want a potential buyer to be able to see themselves in the home. Don’t strip out personal or charming items. Instead, add flowers with a nice fragrance, plants and so on. Buyers are looking for a nice home, not a set of hospital rooms.



News



SF's diverse real estate frenzy expected to last
San Francisco Chronicle
How much hotter is the San Francisco real estate market getting? Let us count the ways. -- Office buildings: The 33-story tower at 555 Mission St. is in escrow. Reported price: $450 million. That's about $800 per square foot - the highest figure since ...

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Jill on Money: Real estate, munis, life insurance
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To understand the issues surrounding the Facebook IPO, check out this quick video: The real estate market seems to be bottoming, according to experts like Ilyce Glink. I take that call pretty seriously, since Ilyce has been covering the housing market ...
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Upward Mobility in Austin Luxury Real Estate Market Made Easier, as Private ...
San Francisco Chronicle (press release)
Austin, Texas (PRWEB) May 26, 2012 Regent Property Group Founder Brian Talley reports increased internal pressure on the Austin real estate market, as improving conditions across numerous economic sectors support continued upward mobility options for ...

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Commercial real estate services expanding in US
Reuters
By Ilaina Jonas | NEW YORK (Reuters) - New commercial real estate brokerages are launching in the United States, in what may be a sign that the market's recovery is durable. Australia's UGL Ltd (UGL.AX), a huge property manager, plans to expand in the ...

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Real estate spotlight, May 25, 2012
Seattle Post Intelligencer
By AUBREY COHEN, SEATTLEPI.COM STAFF Is your dream to live on Lake Washington? How about in this home, 8750 Sand Point Way NE, listed for $3.395 million? The 6200-square-foot house has five bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms, including a master suite with a ...