Buy Home

Buying a Home - HUD HUD News Newsroom Priorities About HUD Homes Buying Owning Selling Renting Homeless Home improvements HUD homes Fair housing FHA refunds Foreclosure Consumer info Communities About communities Volunteering Organizing Economic development Working with HUD Grants Programs Contracts Work online HUD jobs Complaints Resources Library Handbooks/ forms Common questions Tools Webcasts Mailing lists Contact us Help Buying a Home Information by State Esta página en español Print version Email this to a friend Counseling and Education Housing counseling agencies can give you advice about buying a home. Find a housing counselor near you. Common questions Homeownership videos More from HUD Mortgage glossary FHA mortgage limits HUD approved lenders HUD approved condos Healthy homes Environmental maps Energy info About appraisals Links Rural housing loan programs Loan programs for veterans Freddie Mac Fannie Mae US Postal Service Mover's Guide The homebuying process can seem complicated, but if you take things step-by-step, you will soon be holding the keys to your own home! Nine steps to buying a home Figure out how much you can afford Know your rights Shop for a loan Learn about homebuying programs Shop for a home Make an offer Get a home inspection Shop for homeowners insurance Sign papers Step 1: Figure out how much you can afford What you can afford depends on your income, credit rating, current monthly expenses, downpayment and the interest rate. The calculators below can help, but it is best to visit a lender to find out for sure. How much home can you afford? Buying vs. Renting Need help with your downpayment and/or closing costs? Homebuying programs in your state A housing counselor can help you figure out how to manage and pay off your debt, and start saving for that downpayment! Find a housing counselor near you Step 2: Know your rights Fair Housing: Equal Opportunity for All - brochure Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) Borrower's rights Predatory lending Back to Top Step 3: Shop for a loan Save money by doing your homework. Talk to several lenders, compare costs and interest rates, negotiate to get a better deal. Consider getting pre-approved for a loan. Looking for the best mortgage: shop, compare, negotiate - brochure Let FHA help you Step 4: Learn about homebuying programs Homebuying programs in your state FHA loan programs offer lower downpayments and are a good option for first-time homebuyers. Let FHA help you HUD's special homebuying programs Good Neighbor Next Door Program - for police officers, teachers, firefighters and emergency medical technicians Homeownership for public housing residents Indian Home Loan Guarantee Program (Section 184) Step 5: Shop for a home Choose a real estate agent Wish list - what features do you want? Home-shopping checklist take this list with you when comparing homes Homes for sale (including HUD homes) " Fixer-uppers " - home purchase and repair programs Manufactured (mobile) homes Build a home If you choose a home in a neighborhood with a Home Owners Association (HOA), be sure to request a copy of the HOA packet, so you can review before closing. Back to Top Step 6: Make an offer Discuss the process with your real estate agent. If the seller counters your offer, you may need to negotiate until you both agree to the terms of the sale. Making an offer Step 7: Get a home inspection Make your offer contingent on a home inspection. An inspection will tell you about the condition of the home, and can help you avoid buying a home that needs major repairs. For Your Protection Get a Home Inspection Step 8: Shop for homeowners insurance Lenders require that you have homeowners insurance. Be sure to shop around. Homeowners insurance 12 ways to lower your homeowners insurance costs Step 9: Sign papers You're finally ready to go to "settlement" or "closing." Be sure to read everything before you sign! Settlement Costs and Helpful Information Content updated December 1, 2005 Back to Top FOIA Privacy Web Policies and Important Links Home U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development 451 7th Street S.W., Washington, DC 20410 Telephone: (202) 708-1112 TTY: (202) 708-1455 Find the address of a HUD office near you

Denver Real Estate Site

Loan Application Loan application Common Mistakes to Avoid Home buying mistakes can be avoided, you need to know what some of them are. Getting a Loan Follow these steps prior to applying for your home loan. The Mortgage Loan Application A few minutes of preparation can save you hours of hassle, here's the list of what you will need. Interest Rates Lock in your rate with confidence, after you have read these facts. Loan Approval What constitutes as loan approval in Denver? Earnest Money Why is it necessary to pay earnest money before I buy the house? Closing Costs Home buying costs vary by region, here are sample costs for Denver. Down payment for a mortgage Learn about the various allowable sources to obtain your down payment. What is PMI? PMI, do you really need it? FICO Scores FICO scoring is a standard, you need to understand the basics to protect your credit! The steps to getting a VA Loan The steps to getting a VA loan, do you need one? What does it take to get one? Reverse Mortgages Reverse Mortgages have many benefits for older home owners. Financial Glossary It's important to understand the language of finance. search Denver Real Estate Site Loan Application No one likes surprises (except on birthdays and Christmas!) By looking the at the attached loan application you can determine what information the lender is going to require of you. Loan Application HINT: if you plan on printing it out, legal size paper is what you need. Of course it is a "government document" what else would you expect??? :) Using my handy Loan Application Checklist will help to organize the documents you need. A Word or two of caution: When transmitting personal information over the Internet, be sure you know who you are sending it too. Shady folks are always thinking up ways to be evil...mailing the application, faxing or better yet hand delivering to a trusted, local lender is best. Continue to Steps to a VA loan . [ Click Here for More ] Home Buying Directory Buyer Broker Down Payment How to Qualify for a Mortgage Loan Application Locking in Interest Rate Earnest Money Loan Application Checklist Fico Scores Moving List Moving Pets What is PMI? Finance Glossary Financing Your Home Reverse Mortage Home Buying Process Closing Costs Kristal Kraft , ABR, CIPS, CRS Licensed real estate broker selling Colorado Since 1984 The Berkshire Group Realtors, Inc. 3801 E. Florida Ave, Suite 502, Denver, Colorado U.S.A. 80210 800-319-7738 toll free | 303-589-2022 direct | 720-554-7961 fax E-mail: Kristal Kraft, Realtor 1998-2005, © Reflective Motion Inc. | Privacy Policy | Site Credits | Disclaimer | Site Map ~2 ~3 ~4 Denver Relocation | Buy a Home In Denver | Sell a Home in Denver | Denver Map | Denver Neighborhood Profiles | Denver Sales Statistics | International Real Estate | A Bio | My Favorite Places | Real Estate Resources Denver Loft Homes | The Berkshire Group | Buy and Sell Denver | We Sell Denver | Denver Colorado Real Estate | Denver Blog

real estate agents to

Real Estate Agency Disclosure Laws  You are here: About > Home & Garden > Home Buying / Selling Home & Garden Home Buying / Selling Essentials 10 Things Home Buyers Shouldn't Do Best Tips for First Time Home Buyers "Must-Do" Tasks Before You Sell How to Buy a Home, Step by Step For Sale by Owner Advice Articles & Resources How To Buy a Home How To Sell a House Celebrity & Historic Credit Reports & Scores Design & Remodel Home Maintenance Inspections & Appraisals Investing & Foreclosures Modular & Manufactured Mold, Radon, Lead, etc. Mortgage Advice Moving & Relocation Real Estate Careers Real Estate For Sale Vacation Homes Buyer's Guide Before You Buy Top Picks Home Buying Books Foreclosure Books Mortgage Books Product Reviews Forums Help FREE Newsletter Sign Up Now for the Home Buying / Selling newsletter! See Online Courses   Search Home Buying / Selling Real Estate Agency Disclosure Laws Most states in the US require real estate agents to disclose who they work for, buyer or sellers or both. Some disclosures can be verbal and others must be in writing. Find out what type of disclosure the real estate agents in your state should make. Scroll down for disclosure table. State Disclosure Required? Find Details Alabama Yes: Transaction Brokerage, Single Agency, Limited Consensual Dual Agency A Consumer Information Booklet (pdf) Alaska Yes: Written agency disclosures required. Real Estate Commission Statutes (pdf) Arkansas Yes: Written agency disclosure required. Agency Representation (pdf) California Yes: Written agency disclosure required. Agency Relationship Disclosure Colorado Yes: Written agency disclosure required. Brokerage Relationships (pdf) Georgia Yes: Written agency disclosure required. License Law Rules & Regulations (pdf, page 51) Hawaii Yes: Written or oral agency disclosure required. Real Estate Rules (pdf, page 10) Idaho Yes: Disclosure will focus on the differences between a "customer" and a "client;" dual agency explained. Agency Disclosure Brochure (pdf) Illinois Disclosure requirements unclear in online materials. If you are an Illinois agent, I'd appreciate clarification . Agency Relationships Iowa Yes: Written agency disclosure required. Customer or Client, the Choice is Yours (pdf) Kansas Agents must give you the brochure: "Real estate brokerage relationships." Overview of Brochure Kentucky Yes: Written agency disclosure required. Consumer Information Brochure (A specific agency brochure is mentioned, but I could not find it online; ask your agent) Louisiana Agents should provide you with an information pamphlet. Agency Disclosure Pamphlet (pdf) Maine Agents should provide you with a disclosure form. Agency Disclosure Form (pdf) Maryland Seller Agency disclosure required at first substantial meeting. Disclosure Information Massachusetts Yes. Disclosure is required. Agency Information Michigan I did not find specific information about agency disclosure on the Web site. Michigan State Board Missouri Yes. Disclosure is required. Missouri Broker Disclosure Form (pdf) Nevada Yes. Disclosure should be made "as soon as is practicable." Duties Owed by a Nevada Real Estate Licensee (pdf) New Hampshire Yes. You must be given an Agency Disclosure Form. Agency Disclosure Forms New Mexico I did not find specific information about agency disclosure on the Web site. New York Yes. Disclosure is required. Real Estate Agency Disclosure Form (pdf) North Carolina Yes. Written disclosure is required. Working with Real Estate Agents (pdf) Ohio Yes. Disclosure is required. Agency Disclosure Statement (pdf) South Carolina Yes. Disclosure is required. Consumer Information Brochure (pdf) South Dakota Yes. Disclosure is required. Real Estate Consumer Guide Tennessee I did not find specific information about agency disclosure on the Web site. Utah I did not find specific information about agency disclosure on the Web site. Virginia I did not find specific information about agency disclosure on the Web site. Washington Yes. Disclosure is required. Agency Law (pdf) West Virginia Yes. Disclosure is required. Notice of Agency Relationship (pdf) Wisconsin I did not find specific information about agency disclosure on the Web site. Wyoming I did not find specific information about agency disclosure on the Web site. A few states are missing and will be added as they are found. State Web sites have a habit of frequently changing their links. If you find a link that goes to different information, I'd appreciate it if you would send me an email so that I can update this file. Talk About Real Estate From Janet Wickell , Your Guide to Home Buying / Selling . FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! Important disclaimer information about this About site. Advertisement Related Blogs Mortgage Fraud Blog The Real Estate Blog The Money Pit Most Popular Modular and Manufactured Homes Finding Your Best Place to ... Home Buying Don'ts First Time Home Buyer Tips Before You Sell Your Home What's Hot Coping with Unethical People How To Buy Land Real Estate Appraisal Before You Buy a Log Home Package Home Buying / Selling - GuideReviews Related Topics Home Repair Architecture Credit / Debt Management Housekeeping Landscaping        Topic Index | Email to a Friend Our Story | Be a Guide | Advertising Info | Work at About | Site Map | Icons | Help User Agreement | Ethics Policy | Patent Info. | Privacy Policy | Kids' Privacy Policy ©2005 About, Inc., A part of the New York Times Company . All rights reserved. Around About Oprah's Life Vacation Ideas Shop Safely Online VIDEO: Craft Rooms VIDEO: Christmas Traditions What's Hot Coping with Unethical People How To Buy Land Real Estate Appraisal Before You Buy a Log Home Package Home Buying / Selling - GuideReviews Headlines Getting Ready to Sell Your House Guests and lots of activities make it difficult to show... Before You Buy Gas Logs Gas logs are growing in popularity every year, so manufacturers... Pros and Cons of Becoming a Real Estate Agent You've decided you want to become a real estate agent,... Step-by-Step Directions Help You Measure Square Footage Each year, home owners discover that their new home's square...

foreclosure property, is now

Amazon.com: How to Make Money Buying Pre Foreclosure Properties Before They Hit the County Courthouse Steps: The Complete Guide to Finding and Buying Pre-Foreclosure Properties: Books Your Store Books See All 32 Product Categories Your Account | Cart | Wish List | Help | Advanced Search | Browse Subjects | Bestsellers | The New York Times® Best Sellers | Magazines | Corporate Accounts | Amazon Shorts | Bargain Books | Used Books | Textbooks Search Amazon.com Books Web Search This item is not eligible for Amazon Prime, but over a million other items are. Join Amazon Prime today. Already a member? Sign in . 7 used & new from $76.95 Have one to sell? A9.com users save 1.57% on Amazon. Learn how . See larger image Share your own customer images Publisher: learn how customers can search inside this book. How to Make Money Buying Pre Foreclosure Properties Before They Hit the County Courthouse Steps: The Complete Guide to Finding and Buying Pre-Foreclosure Properties (Paperback) by Thomas J. Lucier (9 customer reviews) Availability: Available from these sellers . 7 used & new available from $76.95 Other Editions: List Price: Our Price: Other Offers: Paperback Order it used! Editorial Reviews Book Description Before Thomas J. Lucier wrote the first edition of How To Make Money Buying Pre-Foreclosure Properties Before They Hit The County Courthouse Steps in 1989, he was making time consuming and costly mistakes. The mistakes were inevitable; no one had written a book on how to buy pre-foreclosure properties, so Tom had to learn the hard way from his own mistakes and first hand experiences. All of the advice that he received said: "buy property on the county courthouse steps after it has been foreclosed on." But Tom eventually learned to avoid those costly courthouse-bidding wars by buying directly from property owners whose mortgage loans are in default and facing foreclosure. And the book that didn’t exist back in 1985, when Tom bought his first pre-foreclosure property, is now in its fourth revised edition. The newly revised fourth edition of How To Make Money Buying Pre-Foreclosure Properties Before They Hit The County Courthouse Steps was released on October 1, 2003, and is comprised of fourteen meaty chapters that are packed chock-full of step-by-step instructions, ready-to-use information and practical, no-nonsense advice. You’ll learn: 1. The difference between judicial and non-judicial foreclosure. 2. How the short payoff sale acquisition technique works. 3. How to get subordinate or "junior" lienholders to discount their liens by fifty percent or more. 4. How to use foreclosure notices to find all of the property owners in your county whose loans are in default and facing foreclosure. 5. How to use direct mail to contact property owners whose loans are in default. 6. How to perform due diligence on pre-foreclosure properties. 7. How to quickly verify loan information with foreclosing lenders. 8. How to accurately estimate the current market value of a pre-foreclosure property. 9. How to negotiate with property owners whose loans are in default and facing foreclosure. 10. How to properly prepare your purchase agreements and protect your interests when buying pre-foreclosure properties. 11. How to package, market and resell pre-foreclosure properties for maximum profit. 12. How to do a thorough pre-buy property inspection. 13. What you need to know about your state’s foreclosure statute when buying pre-foreclosure properties. How To Make Money Buying Pre-Foreclosure Properties Before They Hit The County Courthouse Steps has a fourteen-page chapter on the much-ballyhooed short payoff sale acquisition technique. The problem with ninety-nine percent of the short sales hype that’s currently being foisted onto an unsuspecting public, by unscrupulous real estate hucksters peddling overpriced courses and boot camp seminars, is that it’s based on misinformation, half-truths, distortions and outright lies. And unfortunately, all of this hype has fueled unrealistic expectations on the part of would-be short sale investors, who’ve been led to believe, that every lender in America will approve a short payoff sale, at the drop of a hat. Tom Lucier gives you the unvarnished truth about short payoff sales, along with detailed, step-by-step instructions on exactly how the short payoff of a mortgage or deed of trust actually works. How To Make Money Buying Pre-Foreclosure Properties Before They Hit The County Courthouse Steps comes complete with the following ready-to-use worksheets, letters, checklists, notices, forms and agreements: 1. Short payoff sale checklist. 2. Sample notice of lis pendens. 3. Sample notice of default. 4. Loan breach letter. 5. Borrower’s letter of authorization to release loan information. 6. Foreclosure lawsuit worksheet. 7. Notice of default worksheet. 8. Due diligence checklist. 9. Property tracking worksheet. 10. Short payoff sale proposal letter. 11. Six sample letters to owners in foreclosure. 12. Loan worksheet. 13. Sample HUD 1 Settlement Statement. 14. Sample Fannie Mae broker’s price opinion. 15. Request for mortgage or deed of trust estoppel letter. 16. Subordinate lienholder worksheet. 17. Current market value worksheet. 18. Letter to private mortgage or deed of trust lender. 19. Letter to subordinate lienholders. 20. Thirteen property inspection checklists. 21. Owner interview worksheet. 22. Purchase agreement. 23. Walk-around property inspection checklist. 24. Buyer's closing checklist. 25. Daily repair cost worksheet. 26. Outgoing telephone message. 27. Participating broker agreement. 28. Assignment of purchase agreement. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need a degree from Harvard Law School in order to make money buying properties directly from owners whose mortgage or deeds of trust loans are in default, and about to be sold on the county courthouse steps at a public foreclosure auction sale. Granted, finding, researching, inspecting, negotiating, buying and reselling pre-foreclosure properties is a lot of hard work. But it can be a very lucrative line of work if you really know what you’re doing, are well organized, and have the persistence that’s necessary to be a profitable investor. And, unlike the roving weekend real estate carnies, late-night, cable-TV hucksters, Internet real estate whiz kids, and a certain Harvard Business School graduate posing as a "real estate savant," Tom Lucier doesn’t claim to know-it-all, and you’ll never hear him promise to make you a pre-foreclosure property millionaire within the next thirty days. The simple fact remains that no real estate investment strategy will work unless you do! From the Publisher This newly revised fourth edition of the first book ever published on how to buy properties directly from owners whose mortgage or deed of trust loans are in default and facing foreclosure, was released on October 1, 2003! See all Editorial Reviews Product Details Paperback: 140 pages Publisher: Home Equities Corporation; 2nd edition (October, 1993) Language: English ISBN: 094534306X Product Dimensions: 1.2 x 10.2 x 11.5 inches Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds. Average Customer Review: based on 9 reviews. ( Write a review. ) Amazon.com Sales Rank: Today: #337,845 in Books Yesterday: #332,142 in Books (Publishers and authors: improve your sales ) Other Editions: Paperback | All Editions Customers interested in this title may also be interested in: Sponsored Links: What is this? Pre - Foreclosure Profits How-to for beginners, veterans: 35-50% discount, little competition www.PropertyForeclosure.com Pre - Foreclosure Listings Daily updated pre foreclosure listings with phone numbers www.defaultresearch.com Make 10,000+ Per Month Automatic System to Make Money Start within 15 mins from now! www.AutomaticMoneyVault.com Feedback Spotlight Reviews Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers. 30 of 31 people found the following review helpful: How to Make... , February 20, 2004 Reviewer: Disgusted (USA) - See all my reviews If you look over the positive reviews, you notice they are all written by commonly named individuals with no location listed. Furthermore, all of the comments use the same verbage and contain similar idiosyncrasies. Someone tell the author or the author's friends to stop writing positive reviews to boost sales. Instead, use that time being wasted to do some research and write a decent book. Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) Customer Reviews Average Customer Review: Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers. 10 of 11 people found the following review helpful: A Very Satisfied Reader In Los Angeles, CA , March 1, 2004 Reviewer: Clyde (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews This is the absolute best book ever written about buying property directly from owners in foreclosure! The chapter on short payoff sales is just plain brilliant! No fluff, no filler and no white spaces! Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) 8 of 11 people found the following review helpful: Rudimentary , February 26, 2004 Reviewer: "mjm1005" (Colorado) - See all my reviews This book is pretty basic and not worth the money. Lucier must be trying to make money on the book and not on in real estate. A real disappointment. Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) 30 of 35 people found the following review helpful: Basic , July 13, 2003 Reviewer: This book could be replaced with 2 hours of internet research. Many of the pages just list websites and "worksheets" that are used as filler. Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) 26 of 34 people found the following review helpful: BEGINNERS BOOK , March 19, 2003 Reviewer: This book is a beginners book it truely does not get indepth into what happens and how to deal with the bank on short sales or buying the note. Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) 3 of 8 people found the following review helpful: How To Make Money Buying Pre-Foreclosure Properties , February 22, 2003 Reviewer: paul wells (Henderson, NV-USA) - See all my reviews Thomas Lucier has created a unique opportunity for anyone, anywhere, reguardless of past experience or knowledge reguarding Real Estate, Investing or Sales ability to take his material, read it, digest it and then apply what they have learned, and create a business that not only results in financial rewards for you as an investor, but puts you in a position of becoming a problem solver by helping people who truly need help,that do not know how to solve their problems,or even where to turn. His information gives you a straight forward step by step approach, from beginning to end, and is loaded with invaluable resources such as agreements, documents, and web sites that will give you the exact information you need to initiate and complete a successful transaction from the very begining through completion. When was the last time you paid for something you saw advertised or heard about that you purchased , just to find the hype and promotion proved to be overdone and the product was a dissapointment? Happens all the time. The invaluable information and knowledge you will gain from Thomas Lucier will last you the rest of your life and you will feel GUILTY that you paid so little for it. Get it in your hands as quickly as you possibly can, and apply it, because I promise you, opportunities are never lost......some one will take the ones you miss! Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) See all 9 customer reviews... Auctions and zShops sellers and our other stores recommend Need Money? Fast Cast with Quick Turn Real Estate (Price: $12.95) Listmania! Real Estate Investing - Grow R... : A list by Jeremy Brandt My favorite wealth building bo... : A list by Larry Grinik Real Estate : A list by Ahsen Abro Create a Listmania! list So You'd Like to... Make Real Money in Real Estate : A guide by Barry Feisner , real estate investor Be mentored by a millionaire? : A guide by Dan Mentzer , millionaire trainee Be mentored by a millionaire Pt 2? : A guide by Dan Mentzer , millionaire trainee Create a So You'd Like to... guide Look for similar items by category Subjects > Business & Investing > General Subjects > Business & Investing > Industries & Professions > Real Estate > General Subjects > Business & Investing > Industries & Professions > Real Estate > Investments Look for similar items by subject Business / Economics / Finance Business/Economics Foreclosure House buying Real Estate - General Real estate investment i.e., each book must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ... This Book and You Sign in to rate this item Write a Review | Write a So You'd Like To... Guide | Tell a Friend About This Item | Rate This Item Spec tacular Readers Never misplace your reading glasses again with the hip and stylish magnetic readers from CliC . 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Sell House

Selling a Home - Top Reasons Why Good Homes Don't Sell  You are here: About > Home & Garden > Home Buying / Selling > How To Sell a House > Selling a Home - Top Reasons Why Good Homes Don't Sell Home & Garden Home Buying / Selling Essentials 10 Things Home Buyers Shouldn't Do Best Tips for First Time Home Buyers "Must-Do" Tasks Before You Sell How to Buy a Home, Step by Step For Sale by Owner Advice Articles & Resources How To Buy a Home How To Sell a House Celebrity & Historic Credit Reports & Scores Design & Remodel Home Maintenance Inspections & Appraisals Investing & Foreclosures Modular & Manufactured Mold, Radon, Lead, etc. Mortgage Advice Moving & Relocation Real Estate Careers Real Estate For Sale Vacation Homes Buyer's Guide Before You Buy Top Picks Home Buying Books Foreclosure Books Mortgage Books Product Reviews Forums Help FREE Newsletter Sign Up Now for the Home Buying / Selling newsletter! See Online Courses   Search Home Buying / Selling Stay up to date! Email to a friend Print this page Home Buying Resources How To Buy a House with Good Resale Potential How To Make an Offer on a Home You CAN Buy a House Home Selling Advice The Importance of Curb Appeal Get the House Ready to Sell How To Measure Residential Square Footage More Home Selling Tips 10 Ways to Make Home Buyers Hate Your House How to Find a Real Estate Listing Agent How Listing Agreements Differ Related Blogs Mortgage Fraud Blog The Real Estate Blog The Money Pit Most Popular Modular and Manufactured Homes Finding Your Best Place to ... Home Buying Don'ts First Time Home Buyer Tips Before You Sell Your Home What's Hot Coping with Unethical People How To Buy Land Real Estate Appraisal Before You Buy a Log Home Package Home Buying / Selling - GuideReviews Related Topics Home Repair Architecture Credit / Debt Management Housekeeping Landscaping Home Selling Essentials From Janet Wickell , Your Guide to Home Buying / Selling . FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! Common Home Selling Problems that Slow Down Your Sale There are lots of reasons why offers might not come in when you're selling a home, but let's get past the top home selling killer–overpricing. It's the first thing you should consider if your house is still sitting on the market while others around it are changing owners. Price the House for its Market Some home sellers want to price their homes way above market value, because they think the cushion gives them more negotiating room. But what overpricing actually does is eliminate potential buyers. A home with a true value of $200,000 has a certain set of features that contribute to its value. A house valued at $160,000 in the same market normally has less to offer than the higher priced home and simply can't compete with it. Buyers in the $200K range won't be impressed with the home's features and buyers looking for homes nearer its true market value won't even see it because of the too-high pricetag. It doesn't matter what you want for your property, what's important is what your property is worth . Overpricing is usually easy to correct, but there are plenty of homes that buyers pass on for other–sometimes simple–reasons. If you're a home seller, and your house isn't selling, it's time to anaylze the situation and figure out why. Four Simple Reasons Homes Don't Sell 1. A Horrible Photo in the MLS You might be surprised how many buyers say NO! to houses simply because of poor photos used in ads or Multiple Listing Service handouts. It's even more amazing that agents let them discard a house based on that criteria, but it happens all the time. Good photos are not always easy to get. Houses aren't built on lots with thought to future photo opportunities. The sun isn't always in an ideal position for the photo. The agent might not be capable of taking a good picture. Home selling rule number one is to make sure the house is well represented in all photographs. 2. It's Hard to Sell a Dirty House Some sellers don't bother to clean a house before they try to sell it, and if they don't even clean when they know people will be inspecting the house, they sure won't freshen up the paint, sort through clutter or handle odor control. Home buyers nearly always think that dirty houses need repairs, when all they usually require is some thorough TLC. After a few turned-off buyers, agents hesitate to show dirty houses. No showings, no sale. Take a hard look at the property to make sure your house doesn't fall into the needs-cleaning category. 3. Curb Appeal is the Pits Home buyers like to do drive-bys. Imagine driving by a house that's for sale and finding that the yard hasn't been mowed recently or worse, that it's full of weeds. Or seeing loose items scattered everywhere on the lawn. Or dirty windows. Or discovering that the home's color is just one shade shy of outshining the sun. If the home's curb appeal is terrible, the majority of buyers won't even make an appointment to go inside. Improve your curb appeal before the first buyer has a chance to view your property. 4. Outdated, Worn Out Components We are creatures of habit. That old vinyl on the kitchen floor has worked forever, so why don't the buyers like it? The dated light fixtures are just fine, too, and the sellers wouldn't think of replacing the orange shag carpeting in the family room. Look at the house with a fresh attitude and try to see it as buyers do. How can you make improvements? If your house is listed with an agent, ask for written feedback from buyers who have seen it. If the same negative comments show up repeatedly on feedback forms, you'll know where to start working on the house. Move carefully with updates, analyzing the work to determine which updates make sense from a cost vs. recovery standpoint. You'll find more home selling tips in 10 Ways to Make Home Buyers Hate Your House Important disclaimer information about this About site.        Topic Index | Email to a Friend Our Story | Be a Guide | Advertising Info | Work at About | Site Map | Icons | Help User Agreement | Ethics Policy | Patent Info. | Privacy Policy | Kids' Privacy Policy ©2005 About, Inc., A part of the New York Times Company . All rights reserved. Around About Oprah's Life Vacation Ideas Shop Safely Online VIDEO: Craft Rooms VIDEO: Christmas Traditions What's Hot Coping with Unethical People How To Buy Land Real Estate Appraisal Before You Buy a Log Home Package Home Buying / Selling - GuideReviews