Selling Home

North Carolina Real Estate at HPW: Raleigh Real Estate, Coldwell Banker, Real Estate Agent, Home Buying Welcome to the #1 Real Estate Website in North Carolina showing you 12,664 homes with more property details and community information than any other website! Find the home of your dreams from among 12,664 properties, click on ShowMe to request a personal showing or request further information on any property you see. Over 70% of home buyers begin their search online. Maximum Internet exposure for your property is critical. Click here to learn how only Coldwell Banker Howard Perry and Walston can provide you with that optimum exposure. Our associates are the very best in the Triangle , click here to find your Coldwell Banker Howard Perry and Walston agent today. With in-house mortgage and title services we provide you a seamless transaction while saving you time and money. Click here learn about the wonderful area known as the Triangle.Regularly rated as among the top places in the country to live, we're happy to show you around. A commitment to excellence in customer service has earned the division almost every national industry award. Click here to learn how Coldwell Banker Howard Perry and Walston can help you whether you are moving into or out of the Triangle. Representing the Triangle's top builders & developers and equipped with unparalleled resources, our experienced team of sales and marketing professionals will work with you to find the new home that's perfect for you. And we stand ready to help builders and developers find emerging opportunities in the Triangle's top locations. At Coldwell Banker Howard Perry and Walston, our focus is on assisting you to make the most informed decision about entering a career in Real Estate. We'll answer all of your questions and assist you in making the best decision for your personal career. Our Coldwell Banker Concierge program is designed to help you with home and move-related services from vendors you can trust. As a valued customer, you'll get some great deals and discounts! Coldwell Banker Howard Perry and Walston is one of the largest real estate companies in the Triangle, with more than 8,500 transactions a year and 1.8 billion in sales. Property Search Sell Your Home Find an Agent Financial Services Explore Our Area Relocation Services New Home Neigborhoods Careers/ Education Concierge/ 55+ Services About HPW 6 Bess Court Durham $247,500 4 Beds, 2 Baths " / 1612 Carnation Drive Durham $254,900 4 Beds, 2 Baths " / 4 Mill Haven Court Durham $254,900 4 Beds, 2 Baths " / 27 Innisfree Drive Durham $257,900 2 Beds, 2 Baths " / 1704 CHESHIRE BRIDGE ROAD Durham $259,900 4 Beds, 2 Baths " / Inman Park-The Estates 2201 Inman Park Drive $600,000 to $800,000 Raleigh 1421 heritage links drive Wake Forest $559,500 4 Beds, 4 Baths " / 1310 Queensferry Road Cary $839,000 3 Beds, 3 Baths " / 1305 Queensferry Road Cary $980,000 4 Beds, 3 Baths " / 300 Lake Manor Road Chapel Hill $1,175,000 6 Beds, 5 Baths " / 2824 Efland Cedar Grove R Efland $649,900 4 Beds, 4 Baths " / Simplify Home Buying and Selling with Our Comprehensive Services If you need assistance with home buying or selling, you can turn to a Coldwell Banker Howard Perry and Walston real estate agent. We are a full-service real estate company offering real estate, mortgage, title, and concierge services. We also bring you the number one real estate website in North Carolina where you can view all of the listings in the Triangle, including new home communities. You can also find information on everything Raleigh, Cary, Durham, Chapel Hill and the surrounding communities offer. By working with a Coldwell Banker Howard Perry and Walston real estate agent you can take advantage of our cutting-edge technology, intimate market knowledge, and superior customer service for all of your real estate needs. E-mail Webmaster Corporate Office 4112 Blue Ridge Rd., Raleigh, NC 27612 (919) 782-5600 - FAX (919) 783-0094 Site Map Privacy Policy Help

Rental Property

Apartments.com - Free Nationwide Apartment Search with the Most Visual Rental Listings Online. 2005 People's Voice Webby Award Search millions of apartments, condos and houses for rent. Corporate, senior, and student housing, too! Map City / Zip Name Web # Corporate Housing Enter a property name, city and state to get more information about a specific rental community. Property Name: City: State: - Select a State - Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington, D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming More Listings from more sources... so you can find a better place and a great deal! Newspaper Listings Hidden gems found only in your local paper and here! Private Landlords Unique spaces that feel like home. Managed Communities Professionally run & well maintained. Move in today. Short on time? Get new apartment listings emailed to you . Have a Vacancy? Reach thousands of renters! Enter Zip: Renew/Edit your existing listing Get Help with Your Move Free Credit Reports | Find a Roommate | Moving Quotes | Auto Insurance Quotes | More Services Support Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. Search Rentals by Top Cities - Albuquerque apartments - Allentown apartments - Atlanta apartments - Austin apartments - Baltimore apartments - Birmingham apartments - Boston apartments - Charleston apartments - Charlotte apartments - Chattanooga apartments - Chicago apartments - Cincinnati apartments - Cleveland apartments - Columbus apartments - Dallas apartments - Dayton apartments - Denver apartments - Detroit apartments - Durham apartments - Ft Lauderdale apartments - Fresno apartments - Greensboro apartments - Hampton Roads apartments - Hartford apartments - Honolulu apartments - Houston apartments - Indianapolis apartments - Jacksonville apartments - Kansas City apartments - Knoxville apartments - Las Vegas apartments - Little Rock apartments - Los Angeles apartments - Louisville apartments - Madison apartments - Manhattan apartments - Memphis apartments - Miami apartments - Minneapolis apartments - Nashville apartments - New Orleans apartments - New York apartments - Norfolk apartments - Oklahoma City apartments - Omaha apartments - Orlando apartments - Philadelphia apartments - Phoenix apartments - Pittsburgh apartments - Portland apartments - Reno apartments - Richmond apartments - Rochester apartments - Sacramento apartments - Salt Lake City apartments - San Antonio apartments - San Diego apartments - San Francisco apartments - San Jose apartments - Seattle apartments - St Louis apartments - St Paul apartments - Tampa apartments - Tucson apartments - Tulsa apartments - Washington DC apartments - Wilmington apartments Click Here! ');}//--

Home Loan

Current Mortgage Rates and Today's Loan Information from HSH Associates Lenders and Rates | Loan Rates Index | Loan Statistics | Calculators | Library | ARM Indexes | Free Content "") thensession("searchfor") = request("searchfor")end if% -- Search our Website Any Word(s) All Word(s) The Library Statistics ARM Indexes Calculators Entire Site Find a Loan "A" Credit Mortgage Interest Only Lenders B-C-D Credit Mortgage Commercial Loans Construction Loans Home Equity Loans Calculators Payments Credit Grade Prepayment MoneyToys Calculators Lots More Here! Download our Homebuyers Calc! Calcs for your Website... Advice and Articles Commentary / Forecast Helpful Article Library Book and Tutorials Question of the Day Mortgage Stats Daily Weekly Metro Rate Forecast Graphs Hybrid Arms More... ARM Indexes Latest Values LIBOR Prime Fed Funds Graphs Archives Data Stream Delivery Daily Index Update Service More... Consumer Products Home Buyers Mortgage Kit Refinancing? How-To Booklets Rates From Our Survey Rates for Websites Insurance Insurance Agencies Professional Products Stock Surveys Custom Surveys Index Update Service Web Service Feeds Helpful "Guide To" Booklets Learn About Home Equity Loan Fees & Qualification Prepaying Your Loan Guide to Refinancing About HSH® Our Company In The News Media Releases Professional Research Our Clients Internet Services Feedback about HSH Our 26th year! Since 1979, the nation's trusted resource for mortgage rates, news, and advice. || Today's Mortgage Rates || || Weekly Market Commentary || Weekly Mortgage Statistics || Newest Articles: -- Need a Mortgage , Home Equity , Commercial , or Construction Loan How can we help you? Good Credit - Mortgage Special! Good Credit Interest Only Mortgages Bruised Credit - Mortgage Home Equity Lines or Loans Commercial Loans Construction Loans Find Current Mortgage Rates From Your Area! Perfect Credit By State Bruised Credit By State Quick Links to Popular Articles: New! A Negative 'Option' Explained (with graphs) New! Thoughts on Mortgage Risk, Housing Bubbles and Market Perceptions The Principal Facts of Interest-Only Mortgages What Moves Mortgage Rates? Reverse Mortgage Information What You Should Know About Home Equity Loans Prepaying Your Mortgage for Fun and Profit Average Selected Closing Fees and Charges What You Need to Know About Adjustable Rate Mortgages -- Want more? Visit our Library ! Consumer Loans Calculators Mortgage Stats ARM Indexes Find our Homebuyer's Mortgage Kit and more in our Consumer Catalog ! Home Equity Info View Rates & Terms from our nationwide survey! Advice & Articles About HSH® Surveys & Professional Services LiveEdit SM Login HSH® Associates, Financial Publishers 237 West Parkway Pompton Plains NJ 07444 800-873-2837 973-617-8700 E-mail link We respect your privacy . Updated Rates & Indexes Want to receive the free HSH Weekly Market Trends newsletter? Click here to subscribe! See current rates from HSH's editorial survey ---What's New--- The 2006 conforming loan limits have been announced ! New free content: ARM index graphic for your website. Get it now ! Updated! Strategies you can use when rates are rising New! Have you got your free credit reports yet? Changes in Single Family Home Prices (2Q05) Tell us what you think about proposals regarding mortgage fees that could impact what you pay HOT! Feature our Credit Grade Calculator on your website! Free Content! Get Daily Mortgage Averages, Home Equity Line and Loan Averages, New and Used Auto Averages and calculators for your site! On the latest move by the Federal Reserve The Principal Facts of Interest-only Mortgages Answers to your questions about Piggyback Mortgages Here's a list of HSH's booklets & tutorials . Think you want an Adjustable Rate Mortgage? Learn how ARMs work ! Are you a savvy mortgage shopper? Check out HSH's survey of your local market ! Thinking of refinancing? Order "A Homeowner's Guide to Mortgage Refinancing" A sample of Average Closing Costs About Us | Site Map | Privacy Policy | Advertising Information | LiveEdit Login | Contact Us © 2005 HSH Associates, Financial Publishers - http://www.hsh.com

home equity credit lines

Home Equity Credit Lines Home Equity Credit Lines U sing a credit line to borrow against the equity in your home has become a popular source of consumer credit. And lenders are offering these home equity credit lines in a variety of ways. You will find most loans come with variable interest rates, some come with attractive low introductory rates, and a few come with fixed rates. You also may find most loans have large one-time upfront fees, others have closing costs, and some have continuing costs, such as annual fees. You can find loans with large balloon payments at the end of the loan, and others with no balloons but with higher monthly payments. No one loan is right for every homeowner. The challenge, then, is to contact different lenders, compare options, and select the home equity credit line best tailored to your needs. Be sure to review the home equity contract carefully before you sign it. Do not hesitate to ask questions about the terms and conditions of your financing. To help you do this, you may want to consider the following questions and to use the checklist at the end of this brochure. (We apologize that the checklist is not available on-line. To obtain a copy of the checklist, please request a free copy of the brochure by contacting: Public Reference, Federal Trade Commission, Washington, D.C. 20580; (202) 326-2222. TDD call (202) 326-2502.) Is a home equity credit line for you? If you need to borrow money, home equity lines may be one useful source of credit. Initially at least, they may provide you with large amounts of cash at relatively low interest rates. And they may provide you with certain tax advantages unavailable with other kinds of loans. (Check with your tax adviser for details.) At the same time, home equity lines of credit require you to use your home as collateral for the loan. This may put your home at risk if you are late or cannot make your monthly payments. Those loans with a large final (balloon) payment may lead you to borrow more money to pay off this debt, or they may put your home in jeopardy if you cannot qualify for refinancing. And, if you sell your home, most plans require you to pay off your credit line at that time. In addition, because home equity loans give you relatively easy access to cash, you might find you borrow money more freely. Remember too, there are other ways to borrow money from a lending institution. For example, you may want to explore second mortgage installment loans. Although these plans also place an additional mortgage on your home, second mortgage money usually is loaned in a lump sum, rather than in a series of advances made available by writing checks on an account. Also, second mortgages usually have fixed interest rates and fixed payment amounts. You also may want to explore borrowing from credit lines that do not use your home as collateral. These are available with your credit cards or with unsecured credit lines that let you write checks as you need the money. In addition, you may want to ask about loans for specific items, such as cars or tuition. How much money can you borrow on a home equity credit line? Depending on your creditworthiness (your income, credit rating, etc.) and the amount of your outstanding debt, home equity lenders may let you borrow up to 85% of the appraised value of your home minus the amount you still owe on your first mortgage. Ask the lender about the length of the home equity loan, whether there is a minimum withdrawal requirement when you open your account, and whether there are minimum or maximum withdrawal requirements after your account is opened. Inquire how you gain access to your credit line -- with checks, credit cards, or both. Also, find out if your home equity plan sets a fixed time -- a draw period -- when you can make withdrawals from your account. Once the draw period expires, you may be able to renew your credit line. If you cannot, you will not be permitted to borrow additional funds. Also, in some plans, you may have to pay your full outstanding balance. In others, you may be able to repay the balance over a fixed time. What is the interest rate on the home equity loan? Interest rates for loans differ, so it pays to check with several lenders for the lowest rate. Compare the annual percentage rate (APR), which indicates the cost of credit on a yearly basis. Be aware that the advertised APR for home equity credit lines is based on interest alone. For a true comparison of credit costs, compare other charges, such as points and closing costs, which will add to the cost of your home equity loan. This is especially important if you are comparing a home equity credit line with a traditional installment (or second) mortgage, where the APR includes the total credit costs for the loan. In addition, ask about the type of interest rates available for the home equity plan. Most home equity credit lines have variable interest rates. These variable rates may offer lower monthly payments at first, but during the rest of the repayment period the payments may change and may be higher. Fixed interest rates, if available, may be slightly higher initially than variable rates, but fixed rates offer stable monthly payments over the life of the credit line. If you are considering a variable rate, check and compare the terms. Check the periodic cap, which is the limit on interest rate changes at one time. Also, check the lifetime cap, which is the limit on interest rate changes throughout the loan term. Ask the lender which index is used and how much and how often it can change. An index (such as the prime rate) is used by lenders to determine how much to raise or lower interest rates. Also, check the margin, which is an amount added to the index that determines the interest you are charged. In addition, inquire whether you can convert your variable rate loan to a fixed rate at some future time. Sometimes, lenders offer a temporarily discounted interest rate -- a rate that is unusually low and lasts only for an introductory period, such as six months. During this time, your monthly payments are lower too. After the introductory period ends, however, your rate (and payments) increase to the true market level (the index plus the margin). So, ask if the rate you are offered is "discounted," and if so, find out how the rate will be determined at the end of the discount period and how much larger your payments could be at that time. What are the upfront closing costs? When you take out a home equity line of credit, you pay for many of the same expenses as when you financed your original mortgage. These include items such as an application fee, title search, appraisal, attorneys' fees, and points (a percentage of the amount you borrow). These expenses can add substantially to the cost of your loan, especially if you ultimately borrow little from your credit line. You may want to negotiate with lenders to see if they will pay for some of these expenses. What are the continuing costs? In addition to upfront closing costs, some lenders require you to pay continuing fees throughout the life of the loan. These may include an annual membership or participation fee, which is due whether or not you use the account, and/or a transaction fee, which is charged each time you borrow money. These fees add to the overall cost of the loan. What are the repayment terms during the loan? As you pay back the loan, your payments may change if your credit line has a variable interest rate, even if you do not borrow more money from your account. Find out how often and how much your payments can change. You also will want to know whether you are paying back both principal and interest, or interest only. Even if you are paying back some principal, ask whether your monthly payments will cover the full amount borrowed or whether you will owe an additional payment of principal at the end of the loan. In addition, you may want to ask about penalties for late payments and under what conditions the lender can consider you in default and demand immediate full payment. What are the repayment terms at the end of the loan? Ask whether you might owe a large payment at the end of your loan term. If so, and you are not sure you will be able to afford the balloon payment, you may want to renegotiate your repayment terms. When you take out the loan, ask about the conditions for renewal of the plan or for refinancing the unpaid balance. Consider asking the lender to agree ahead of time and in writing to refinance any end-of-loan balance or extend your repayment time, if necessary. What safeguards are built into the loan? One of the best protections you have is the Federal Truth in Lending Act, which requires lenders to inform you about the terms and costs of the plan at the time you are given an application. Lenders must disclose the APR and payment terms and must inform you of charges to open or use the account, such as an appraisal, a credit report, or attorneys' fees. Lenders also must tell you about any variable-rate feature and give you a brochure describing the general features of home equity plans. The Truth in Lending Act also protects you from changes in the terms of the account (other than a variable-rate feature) before the plan is opened. If you decide not to enter into the plan because of a change in terms, all fees you paid earlier must be returned to you. Because your home is at risk when you open a home equity credit account, you have three days to cancel the transaction, for any reason. To cancel, you must inform the lender in writing. Following that, your credit line must be cancelled and all fees you have paid must be returned. Once your home equity plan is opened, if you pay as agreed, the lender, in most cases, may not terminate your plan, accelerate payment of your outstanding balance, or change the terms of your account. The lender may halt credit advances on your account during any period in which interest rates exceed the maximum rate cap in your agreement, if your contract permits this practice. For More Information The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop and avoid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues , visit www.ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel , a secure, online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION FOR THE CONSUMER 1-877-FTC-HELP www.ftc.gov June 1992

Sell House

Selling Your Home, Sell home, selling a house, selling house, sell your home - Home Services Mortgages Research Moving Zero Down Appraisals -- -- A Simple Guide for Selling a Home on Your Own Preface: Why sell yourself? Selling a home yourself, without an expensive real estate broker is easier than most people think. However, it will take some work on your part. You will be doing a lot of things that a real estate agent might normally do. Just follow the For Sale By Owner.com step-by-step selling guide below, and you'll not only save lots of money, but we'll make the house selling process as effortless as possible It's the money! Sellers save thousands of dollars not paying a 6% or 7% commission. For example, if your home can sell for $250,000, youd save $15,000 to $17,500 in commissions. Sell Your Home Fast. Because you are not paying an outrageous selling commission, you can afford to price your home more aggressively. The lower the price, the more likely it sells fast. You will still walk away with thousands in savings, but you'll just be doing it faster. It's so easy. Despite what a real estate broker may say, selling a house is not rocket science. They know that, and soon you will too. Just follow the simple selling steps below. And, if you have any questions, call us and one of our representatives will try to answer any questions you may have. You are not alone - For Sale By Owner.com will help you every step of the way. We are one of the largest and fastest growing real estate service companies in America. In fact, our web site is one of the top-five most visited real estate sites in America. Thousands of eager home buyers visit us everyday. Perhaps one of them is looking for a home just like yours. Over the past five years, we've helped sell thousands of homes, saving home owners millions of dollars. So let's get started. 8 Easy Steps to Selling a Home Yourself Step 1. Preparing your home to sell - make it look great Presentation is everything! Home buyers are attracted to clean, spacious and attractive houses. Your goal is to dazzle buyers. Brighten-up the house and remove all clutter from counter tops, tables and rooms. Scrub-down your house from top to bottom. Make it sparkle. Simple aesthetic improvements such as trimming trees, planting flowers, fixing squeaking steps, broken tiles, shampooing rugs and even re-painting a faded bedroom will greatly enhance the appeal of your house. Also, make sure your house smells good. That's right, clean out the cat box and light mildly scented candles. Invite a neighbor over to walk through your house like a buyer would. Get their opinion on how it "shows." The stuffed donkey in the family room may have to go to your in-laws for a while. Step 2. Pricing your home effectively Do not over price your home. Over-pricing when you sell a home reduces buyer interest, makes competing homes look like better values, and can lead to mortgage rejections once the appraisal is in. Over-pricing when selling a home is the single biggest reason why many "for sale by owner" home sellers don't sell their homes successfully. Remember: the home selling market dictates the price (not what you think it should be worth). One of the best ways to correctly price your house when selling is to find out how much other homes, similar to your own, recently sold for in your neighborhood. Talk to home sellers, buyers and check out the real estate listings in your local newspaper. Typically, if you set the price of your home at 5 to 10 percent above the market price, you are likely to end up with an offer close to your home's true value. Also, you may try calculating the cost per square foot of your home compared to the house selling prices in your area (divide list price by square footage of livable space). If your house has more features or other desirable qualities, you may want to set a slightly higher house selling price. The easiest way to accurately price your home is to contact your local home appraiser . Finally, set your house selling price just under a whole number, such as $169,900 rather than $170,000. Step 3. Get a real estate lawyer Even though it's an additional expense, it may be wise to hire a lawyer who will protect your interests throughout the entire transaction. An experienced real estate lawyer can help you evaluate complicated offers (those with a variety of conditions), act as an escrow agent to hold the down payment, evaluate complex mortgages and/or leases with options to buy, review contracts and handle your home's closing process. They can also tell you what things, by law, you must disclose to buyers prior to a sale and can also help you avoid inadvertently discriminating against any potential buyers. In some areas, title companies will handle all aspects of the transaction and have in-house legal departments that can assist you with legal issues that may arise. To locate a title company in your area, click here . Unless you're significantly experienced in the home selling process, having a real estate lawyer at your side provides peace-of-mind. You know you've got someone looking out for your interests, not just the buyers. To locate a lawyer in your area, click here Step 4. Marketing your home Exposure, exposure, exposure. That's how sellers sell their home fast. For Sale By Owner.com provides extensive home exposure because over 700,000 unique visitors come to the web site each month (that's Internet-speak for new people). In fact, For Sale By Owner.com is one of the top-five most visited real estate web sites in the U.S. getting literally millions of visitors looking to buy or sell a home. We spend tens of thousands of dollars a month to assure that For Sale By Owner.com is prominently placed on Internet search engines so buyers can easily find our site throughout process of selling your home. If your home is in a market where For Sale By Owner.com has a mass-distributed magazine, your home's exposure will be even greater because they can be found at thousands of locations frequented by buyers that include grocery stores, shopping centers, convenience stores and restaurants (the magazine is in over 40 markets nationwide). Writing your sell ad While For Sale By Owner.com allows you a 3,000 word description of your house (try to afford that in a newspaper ad), your advertising copy should be thorough yet short, simple and to-the-point. Long, flowery prose will not make your house sound more appealing. It will simply make it harder for the home buyer to read. Make sure to provide the critical facts buyers are looking for such as the house's number of bathrooms, a re-modeled kitchen, etc. Most home buyers quickly scan ads, so it is important that your house stands out. For example, you may want to add a theme-line such as "Priced below market" or "Great schools." Stay away from industry jargon and use language that makes home buyers comfortable. Survey our web site and see how others have written their ads. You will quickly see which are "buyer friendly." Copy their approach for your ad. Home Photos: Yes, a picture is worth a thousand words If you are taking a photo of your home, be sure that the home's yard/driveway is uncluttered. Remove bikes, garbage cans and parked cars. The same applies for interior shots. People are looking to buy your house, not your possessions. Think of furniture as props and the room a stage. Move things around if you have to. Also, take lots of house photos. Film is cheap...your home deserves quality. The more you shoot, the better the odds are that you'll get a few really good shots. Lawn signs Lawn signs are one the most important marketing tools for home sellers. They attract attention to your home. Professionally-produced signs (like the ones we can send to you) telegraph to home buyers a "quality" image of your house. Directional signs also help drive buyers to your property, especially if you do not live on a busy street. Open houses Open houses are sometimes a good way to attract buyers to your home. Typically, real estate agents conduct open houses for two reasons; 1. Clients expect them 2. They are a good way to attract buyers, not just for the open house but for all houses for sale in the Real Estate Agent's area (yes, your competition). The fact is that very few houses sell due to a open house itself. Home Brochures/Information sheets It is a good idea to create an information sheet (with a photo) about your home to give potential buyers. Consider printing copies of your ad from For Sale By Owner.com to give to people who visit your home. The MLS The MLS or Multiple Listing Service can also help market your home, particularly to real estate agents who may know of buyers seeking a property like yours. The MLS is a directory used by real estate agents to announce to other agents that they have a home for sale. In many selling markets, For Sale By Owner.com can put your house on the MLS (for an additional fee). However, if a real estate agent finds you a buyer after seeing your home on the MLS, you must usually pay that agent a 2.5% to 3% commission (the law states that all commissions are negotiable, however). You are your home's best salesman As every salesman knows, to be effective you have to really know your product. And who knows your home better than you? Certainly not a real estate agent, who, in all likelihood, has spent only a few moments in your house before showing it to prospective buyers. Sell your neighborhood as well as your house. Show enthusiasm, but don't get caught-up talking too much about how "your daughter spent the best years of her life in this very room." Step 5. Negotiating an offer on your home When a home buyer makes an offer (this is often presented to you directly from the buyer or through their lawyer), you should consult with your attorney. Buyers and sellers have an Attorney Review Period, which is usually three days, to cancel or amend the offer. The offer becomes a contract at the end of the Attorney Review Period, and is binding. Many of your home's offers can be complicated and contain special clauses that favor the buyer. Purchase price isn't everything. Carefully consider the purchase contract's other terms and conditions. Too many contingencies can leave loopholes and cause a deal to collapse. Especially avoid contingencies that favor the house's buyer, such as linking the escrow closing date to the buyer's sale of their current home. If the buyer insists on such terms, include a so-called kick-out clause in the contract that will allow you to consider other offers if the buyer isn't able to sell within a certain period of time. Assess your buyer's financial qualifications Is the buyer pre-approved? How much of a loan is the buyer seeking? Unless you are in an active market, lenders tend to shy away from underwriting a deal in which the purchase price is higher than the nearest comparable sale and the buyer is putting less than 10% down. If this is the case, your buyer may not be able to obtain financing. Know the home selling market How you judge an offer also can depend on market conditions. If the selling market is slow, you may feel vulnerable, especially if circumstances are pressing you to sell. Make sure any offer you accept does not keep you in escrow longer than 30 days. In a hot market where multiple offers are likely, be wary of countering more than one offer at a time (you could end up in legal trouble if two buyers both accept your counter offer). Also be wary of offers that promise more money but contain poor contract terms (long escrow, multiple contingencies, etc.). If you feel the home's offer is insufficient, make a counter offer. Rarely is a first offer the buyer's absolute highest price they are willing to pay. Negotiating is part of the home selling process. Again, your lawyer should review the details of all offers. Step 6. Home inspections All standard real estate contracts are going to give the prospective home buyer the right to inspect your property - so be prepared. Under a general inspection you are obligated to make major repairs to appliances, plumbing, septic, electrical and heating systems - or the buyer may cancel the offer. The inspection will also include your property's roof, as well as a termite inspection (in some states, house sellers must provide proof that the home is termite free). If you are concerned about how your home will fair when inspected, you may want to visit your local inspector . They can conduct an inspection for you before a potential buyer has one done. This way, you can address the problems before a buyer stumbles upon them. Once the inspections are complete, the buyer makes an application to a mortgage lender. Step 7. Buyer appraisals and other details The mortgage lender will order an appraisal of your home to make sure they are not paying more than the house is worth. They may also order a surveyor to make sure that the property boundaries are properly laid out. They will also order a title search to determine if there are any liens against your property. These tasks are all the responsibility of the buyer and/or their attorney. At this point too, the mortgage company will issue a commitment . Again, the buyer (and their attorney) must complete all conditions listed on the mortgage commitment. Prior to closing, you should notify your lender that you will be paying off your mortgage. After a closing date has been agreed to, you should contact your utility providers and advise them of your final billing date. Step 8. Closing The day of the closing , the home's buyer will do a "walk through" of the property to make sure all agreed repairs are completed and that the home is in the same condition as when the buyer made their offer. If problems arise that this point, the closing can still take place with funds held in escrow to remedy the problem. Closings usually occur 30 - 45 days after you have signed the sales contract. Depending on what state you reside in, you may close with an attorney, or with a title company. At the closing, all monies will be collected, any existing loans or liens will be paid, the deed will be transferred, and insurance will be issued insuring a free and clear title. The home seller will receive the proceeds of their home in one to two business days after the closing. Conclusion This step-by-step home selling guide is a general overview of the process when selling a home. Each state has slightly different laws and customs as they relate to the transaction process. Selling a home yourself can be time consuming, but the financial rewards can be tremendous. With help from For Sale By Owner.com , we try to make the process of home selling on your own as easy as possible. For Sale By Owner.com Your experts in selling a home on your own. -- Privacy & Disclaimer Partner With Us Career Opportunities Press Room Contact Us Buying A Home Your Credit Report Terms and Conditions Home Selling Tips Selling Your Home © 1997-2005 For Sale By Owner.com Your source for selling a home on your own. We make the home selling process a cinch. Sell real estate, sell a home, and sell your house, fsbo. Real estate selling, home selling, house selling. Site Map Home