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Assessing The Unique Features Of Commercial Real Estate Parcels
As commercial real estate development progresses into the 21st century, many of the principles upon which the market was founded remain the same. Whether you are a property owner, developer, or commercial real estate agent, identifying and marketing the ...
Massachusetts Real Estate – History Personified
Massachusetts is a state overflowing with history and yet oddly modern. Massachusetts real estate prices are very pricey. Massachusetts Massachusetts is an incredible mix of history and bustling modern influences. Historically, the state took in many of ...
Real Estate Investing: Beware Of "Subject To" Promises
Another real estate writer's mini course, full of promises and fluff, ended with a "lesson" on why you need to buy his book so you can finance multiple properties "subject to." The reason, he said, "because banks won't let you finance more than ten ...
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Raw land as opposed to improved property is much more difficult to finance through traditional lenders. The main reasons are that it generates very little income, development costs can be expensive, there are no buildings or improvements that can be used as collateral, and it is often considered speculative.
For those reasons mentioned we find that sellers are often our first choice regarding financing. It is typical for a seller of raw land to accept 10 percent down and the rest to be paid over time at a specified (below market) interest rate. This would be an example of an installment land contract. Other forms are contract for deed, mortgage and note and purchase money mortgages. In these cases, a real estate attorney usually drafts these contracts and a bank will act as an escrow agent to facilitate verifiable records of payments received. The seller often retains the deed until the property is paid for in full.
If you want to investigate bank financing, then you may start out by offering 30 percent down with a seven-year mortgage, with the bank getting an extra percentage point over and above the current interest rates for standard loans. This may not be accepted, but it does give you a starting point to see just what they may be willing to do.
If you plan on building on your land, then having a development plan with an appraised set of blue prints for the project will help the lender in justifying your loan. If you can use equity from other property, then paying substantial down payments may
also be an option.
Final words of caution here are to know values and don’t overpay. Always offer less when possible and research recent sales of comparable properties. The larger a parcel is, the cheaper it tends to get per acre. Ask an agent what an acre of land tends to go for in the area that you are considering; try to buy more than one acre.
When buying residential lots, builders try to keep raw land costs down to 10 percent of the overall value of the project. If streets and utilities are already in place, then they will use 25 percent as their guideline. If you can combine or assemble parcels or achieve zoning changes with property, you have a good chance of immediately increasing its value.
Always physically inspect the property and do your research before obligating yourself to buy it. And try using contracts with contingencies put in to protect yourself. In essence, these are really options that let you control the deal while you investigate and research the land’s potential to satisfy your objectives. Happy Hunting and buy the high grounds!
By Dan Auito, mailto:magicbullets@alaska.com, a real estate investor for the past fifteen years & has bought, sold, and rented seventeen properties to date, totaling more than $1.3 million - all on a blue-collar salary before the age of forty. Grab your free tip sheets & more at: http://www.magicbullets.com/home.php
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Real estate market betterStatesman JournalNE to a real estate investment trust. / Timothy J. Gonzalez / Statesman Journal Last year won't go down as an outstanding time for the commercial real estate industry, but several big deals managed to jell in the Salem area. And some in the real estate ... |
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Howard Lutnick's next reinvention: real estateCrain's New York BusinessFive years ago, as the real estate downturn began to deepen, Wall Street veteran Howard Lutnick wondered how his traders could make money from the emerging turmoil. “It was such a big market, but we couldn't find a way to play it that made sense for us ... |
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This week's real estate transactionsCharleston Post CourierSuelda LLC sold Unit 3G, 106 West Arctic Ave., Pavillion Watch HPR to Lynn W. Hodge for $435000. Ellie Alpert sold Unit 321, 201 West Arctic Ave., Charleston Oceanfront Villas to James G. Goodwin Jr. and Carol A. Goodwin for $659000.and more » |
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Upcoming real estate eventsDetroit Free PressReal estate and investment professionals are welcome. Seating is limited, so call 248-547-3006, or sign up at www.metro-mi.com . These free one-hour seminars will be 6-7 pm on the first and third Thursdays of the month at Metro Mortgage Investments, ... |
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