Selling Home

FCIC: Selling a Home Return to Federal Citizen Information Center Home Page Printer-friendly page -- Life Advice About... Selling A Home This Life Advice section about Home Improvement was produced by the MetLife Consumer Education Center reviewed by the Real Estate Educators Association and the U.S.D.A. Cooperative Research, Education and Extension Service. If you've decided to sell your home, chances are you're caught up in a host of emotions. You may be looking forward to moving up to a new dream house or facing the uncertainty of a major move across country. You may be reluctant to leave your memories behind or eager to start new adventures. Whatever turbulent feelings you're experiencing right now, there are plenty of practical matters that need your attention. Keep in mind the following considerations to help the whole process go more smoothly. Time Becomes Money It's a good idea to place your home on the market as far in advance as possible of purchasing a new one. If you find a new home first and then try to sell your present home, you may wind up with two mortgages. If this does happen, ask your real estate agent or banker about a bridge loan to help you make the double payments. Lenders use the same criteria for offering bridge loans as they use for mortgages. Should you qualify for a bridge loan, beware of the expense; during the term of the loan you must continue to pay both mortgages. Shop around for the best terms. Keep in mind that when people move, sell and buy, there usually is a domino effect. Closing and moving dates have to be coordinated, and the more firmly everyone commits to a window of dates and sticks to them, the better for all involved. Put all agreements about dates in writing, and protect yourself by negotiating financial penalties for failure to comply. Check Your Curb Appeal A home that's visually appealing and in good condition will attract potential buyers driving down the street. Use this checklist to view your property through an outsider's eyes. Are the lawn and shrubs well maintained? Are there cracks in the foundation or walkways? Does the driveway need resurfacing? Are the gutters, chimney and walls in good condition? Do the window casings, shutters, siding or doors need painting? Are garbage and debris stored out of sight? Are lawn mowers and hoses preperly stored? Is the garage door closed? On the Inside Strong curb appeal will lure potential buyers inside, where you have to live up to their expectations. Fortunately, there are plenty of easy improvements you can make to your home's interior without spending a lot of money. Cleaning is No. 1. Your windows, floors and bathroom tiles should sparkle. Make sure you have clean heating and air conditioning filters. Shampoo dirty carpets, clean tubs and showers, repair dripping faucets and oil squeaky doors. Keep your home neat, clean and picked-up at all times. It may not seem fair, but a peek in the oven may be the hallmark by which a buyer judges how well you have kept up your home. Remove unnecessary clutter from the garage, basement, attic, closets and straighten stored items. Also remove any items that might make a statement that would be offensive to others who may not share your same views, beliefs or sense of humor. If your home is crowded with too much furniture, consider putting some things into storage. If a room needs a fresh coat of paint, use a neutral off-white. Think, too, about how your home smells. You may be used to the smell of a pet or cigarettes, but such odors can be a strong turn-off to others. Be certain to remove valuables such as jewelry and other items from view. It might be wise to put these items in a safe deposit box before showing your home. Finally, set a mood for the buyer. Make your house homey with live flowers and fresh guest towels in the bathroom. Place scented potpourri around the house or, on the day you're expecting a potential buyer, pop a batch of frozen cinnamon rolls into the oven for a welcoming aroma. Remember, cosmetic changes do not have to be expensive. In fact, costly home improvements do not necessarily offer a good return on your investment when you sell. It's attention to the basics—anything that says “this home has been carefully maintained”—that will help you get the price you want. Go It Alone Some homeowners decide to sell their homes themselves in order to save the commission charged by a real estate agent. The commission rate may vary, depending on where you live or what agency you choose, but it is generally upwards of 5%. However, handling your own sale means you will be responsible for placing ads, answering phones and showing your home to strangers. What's more, buyers who know you are saving on an agent's commission may offer less for your home, wiping out the financial incentive to do it all yourself. You may decide an agent's commission is a bargain the first time that a would-be buyer shows up unannounced at dinnertime. Also, be aware that a real estate agent probably knows a lot more about the business of selling a home than you do. Here are some of the advantages professional agents offer: They will help you establish a fair asking price for your home. They will promote your home to other agents and list your property in multiple listing services. A multiple listing service is a book or computer database that all real estate agents who subscribe to the service can access. Your home will get exposure to all those agents, one of whom may have the perfect buyer. They will create, pay for and place advertising for you. They will schedule appointments to show your home to prospective buyers even when you are not there. They can weed out buyers who will not qualify for a mortgage. They can refer you to sources for insurance, inspections, legal counsel and financing. They will help you negotiate with the buyer. They can make suggestions to help make your home more attractive to a potential buyer. If you decide to sell through an agent, ask friends and neighbors for recommendations. Talk to several agents before picking the one you want to work with. Taking a walk through your home with an agent should give you a feel for how that person will handle prospective buyers. Ask prospective agents how they plan to market your home. Don't sign with an agent just because he or she suggests the highest asking price. Negotiate the broker's commission prior to listing your home, and sign for a limited period of time—usually three to six months. Setting a Fair Price Naturally, you want to get top dollar for your home. But, at the same time, you don't want to scare off potential buyers with a price tag that's too high. Setting an artificially high price may cause your property to languish on the market for months. Reducing your asking price later on may lead buyers to wonder if there is something wrong with your home. Here are some of the factors to consider in pricing your home. Your location Economic conditions Supply and demand in the local housing market Seasonal influences Local schools Average home prices in the neighborhood Your home's extras -- pool, fireplace, central air, etc. To determine the value of your home, you probably will want the advice of a real estate agent or appraiser. Ask an agent to prepare a market analysis for you, showing the recent selling prices of three neighborhood properties comparable to your own. The agent can help you adjust for the unique features of your own property. Qualifying a Buyer Either you or your agent will want to quickly weed out potential buyers who cannot really afford to purchase your home. A number of factors will help determine whether or not you are wasting your time negotiating a sale. The buyer's debt and credit history The buyer's current income and employment The buyer's cash position and availability of a down payment The length of time the buyer needs before closing on your home How interested the buyer appears to be in your home versus others Seek Legal Representation When selling your home—particularly if you are selling on your own—it's a good idea to be represented by an attorney. Look for an attorney with expertise in real estate transactions. When a potential buyer puts an offer in writing and you accept it, the signed acceptance becomes the sales contract. Your attorney will be present at the actual closing to protect your interests and can assist you with the following elements of a sales contract: The sale price What is included in the sale price -- draperies, carpeting, light fixtures, heating oil, etc. The amount of the down payment The date of closing and possession date Contingencies to the sale--inspections (e.g. structural, lead-based paint, radon), required improvements, legal review of the contract by the buyer's or seller's attorney, etc. The amount and length of the mortgage loan, interest rate and time limits to secure the loan Determining which closing costs are to be paid by the buyer and which by the seller Tax Implications Selling a home can have a major impact on your federal and state tax returns. Check with your tax consultant on the factors that may affect taxes resulting from the sale of your home. For example: Whether you purchased the home or acquired it by gift or inheritance Whether you used your home partly for business or rental Costs associated with selling your home Home improvements or additions, which may help to offset capital gains The sale of your home. In certain cases you can exclude up to $250,000 in gain ($500,000 for married couples filing a joint return) on the sale of property that was your principle residence for at least two years. Generally, you can use this exclusion every two years. Congratulations! You've successfully weathered the logistics of selling your current home, and you're ready to move on to a new and exciting chapter in your life.As you prepare for the coming changes, check out the Life Advice sections Moving and Buying a Home to aid you in this transition. For More Information 100 Questions Every Home Seller Should Ask Ilyce R. Glink, Times Books $14 Life Advice price $11.20 Call 1-800-793-2665 to order and mention reference number 032-02. Price and availability subject to change without notice. The American Bar Association Family Legal Guide Times Books$34.50 Life Advice price $28 Call 1-800-793-2665 to order and mention reference number 032-04. Price andavailability subject to change without notice. How to Sell Your Home in 5 Days William G. Effros, Workman Publishing $14.95 Life Advice price $8.97 The Consumer Bible, 1001 Ways to Shop Smart Mark Green, Workman Publishing $14.95 Life Advice price $8.97 Tips and Traps When Selling a Home Robert Irwin, McGraw-Hill $12.95 PAMPHLETS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT The quarterly Consumer Information Center Catalog lists more than 200 helpful federal publications. For your free copy write Consumer Information Catalog, Pueblo, CO 81009, call 1-888/8-PUEBLO, or find the catalog on the Net at www.pueblo.gsa.gov . A Home for You and Your Family Publication Series, North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, Housing & House Furnishings, Box 7605, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7605 (single copies free). Also contact the Extension Service office listed in the white pages of your phone book. Related Life Advice pamphlets See the following related Life Advice pamphlets: Buying a Home, Moving, Home Improvement, Homeowners Insurance, Renting an Apartment, Enjoying Retirement and When Your Children Leave the Nest. Helpful Links HomeWEB You'll find consumer information on selling a home from this comprehensive real estate and relocation source. Topics include info on real estate agents, marketing your home, financing & mortgages, sales contracts, pricing your home and more. Basically, this is a great place to start, if you're thinking about selling your home. Audrie's Advice Audrie provides a complete check-list for selling your home without an agent and thereby retaining all the profit for yourself. SellYourHomeYourself.com SellYourHomeYourself.Com is a unique site that helps the For Sale By Owner seller save money. On this FSBO web site you'll find all the resources you need to sell a home yourself. * Because the content of newsgroups and Websites changes constantly, it is impossible for us to review it all. We are not responsible for the content of any of the above links. Return to Federal Citizen Information Center Home Page Printer-friendly page --

Florida Real Estate

COMMREX.com - Commercial Real Estate Exchange and Property Listing Service. Mortage finder and Refinance locator. Go" Advertising Info About COMMREX COMMREX.com Austin, Texas 512.346.9158 Fax 512.346.1762 Email Us COMMREX TM Commercial Real Estate Exchange Products and Services Apply for a Commercial Mortgage Online - It's quick, easy and FREE Featured Property Feature your property on this site. Banner Ad Program Place Banner ADS on this site. COMM-Find Find a commercial agent by location and specialization. Find out who looks at your properties!! Participation in the PackageCenter and use of the lead-generation system will tell you who downloaded your flyers or packages when you use our password protected lead-generation system. Save time and money and deliver a benefit to sellers and customers. Become a PackageCenter Participant and find out who is downloading your property packages and data. Learn more ... COMMREX PackageCenter TM Benefits of COMMREX membership Check out the benefits membership in COMMREX offers a commercial real estate professional. eLeads Subscribe to over 140 mailing lists by property type and geographic region. COMMLink Commercial Data Exchange: Integrate your listings in your website. BizCenter Online business tools, tips, and forms. Real Estate Calendar Commercial Real Estate Event Calendar. Add your own Event. Top Real Estate News Preview Todays Top News Real Estate Intelligence GlobeSt Commercial Real Estate News (CRENews) COMMREX Exclusive Create a Profit Center with your own state level or Association licensed COMMREX site. COMMBOT TM Is BACK!! Find Commercial RE Sites by Category. Enter your own! ListingAlerts Store search criteria to be matched against properties added to the system and receive Alerts by email. ©2005 COMMREX.com Internet Media Works! Privacy & Disclaimer Email Webmaster 512.346.9158

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The California Endowment - Home Grant Finder | Contact Us The start of the New Year marks a new beginning for The California Endowment as we move our Woodland Hills administrative office and the Los Angeles Regional Program Office to a new facility in downtown Los Angeles. The new campus will also feature the Center for Healthy Communities , designed to mobilize leaders from the public, private and nonprofit sectors to collaborate in order to improve the health of California's underserved communities. The Center will open to the public on April 6, 2006. Beginning December 22, 2005, our new main mailing address is: 1000 North Alameda Street Los Angeles, CA 90012 Our phone number remains the same: 800.449.4149. Best wishes for the holiday season, and we look forward to welcoming you to our new home. //-- New Annual Report Breaking Ground Now Online The California Endowment's 2004-05 Annual Report, Breaking Ground, reflects a year in which the foundation launched new statewide initiatives while it literally broke ground on construction of a new multipurpose facility – to house administrative offices and its Center for Healthy Communities – in downtown Los Angeles. The report also presents information concerning The Endowment’s governance, grant making and resource management for the past fiscal year in an online format. View 2004-05 annual report View 2004-05 grants list Getting California's Kids Covered There is a growing movement among California counties to get all of the state’s children enrolled in public and private health coverage programs. These Children’s Health Initiatives (CHIs) serve as a single point of entry to enrolling kids in Medi-Cal; the state-run children's health insurance program Healthy Families; and Healthy Kids , a low-cost vision, dental and health insurance product. Healthy Kids covers children who don’t qualify for publicly-funded programs and whose family income does not exceed 300 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (about $56,000 for a family of four). The California Endowment today announced $7.5 million in premium subsidy support for 17 CHIs across the state. This funding will provide health coverage for about 8,000 uninsured California kids. Learn more about The Endowment’s funding to the counties of: Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside Bay Area counties of San Francisco, Alameda, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Napa and Sonoma Central Valley counties of Fresno, Tulare, San Joaquin, Yolo and Solano California’s coastal counties of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Santa Cruz Learn more about the movement to get all of California’s kids covered. New Report Dignity Denied: The Price of Imprisoning Older Women in California "Dignity Denied: The Price for Imprisoning Older Women in California," a report funded in part by The California Endowment, examines the conditions of confinement for older women imprisoned in California, their health and safety concerns as well as strategies to improve their health and well-being. View press release View report New Grant Application Guide Available The California Endowment is pleased to offer a new Grant Application Guide for prospective applicants. We have made several changes in application procedures to better focus our resources to make lasting improvements in the health of Californians. In conjunction with the launch, The Endowment is also hosting a series of information sessions throughout the state. View Guide Welcome to The Center for Healthy Communities A letter from Board Chair Cynthia Ann Telles, Ph.D., and President and CEO Robert K. Ross, M.D., announces The California Endowment's exciting development in Downtown Los Angeles – a multipurpose facility that will house the foundation's Los Angeles Program Office, administrative offices and the Center for Healthy Communities. Learn More Two reports, funded by The California Endowment, show that increasing health premiums are eroding dependent coverage nationwide. While job-based dependent coverage is falling for all income levels, the sharpest drops are in low and moderate-income families. View the press release Read 'Kids at Risk' Read 'Current Strategies to Expand Dependent Health Coverage' -- Currently, there are 800,000 kids in California without health insurance. Peter Long, a senior program officer for The California Endowment, was a recent guest on KNX 1070's Michael Jackson radio show in Los Angeles and discussed ways to cover all kids in the state. Listen to Part One Listen to Part Two //-- Print this page | Send to a friend | Sign Up for E-mail Updates | Create Your Profile Privacy | Terms of Use | Site Map | Help | Home | About the Foundation | Program Area | Grant Application Guide | Public Policy & Advocacy | | News & Information Bureau | Evaluation | Reference Library | Regional Offices | Careers | If you are having technical difficulties, please contact us at: webmaster@calendow.org .

Home Equity Loan Home

Home Equity and Line of Credit- home-equity.Interest.com. Compare current home equity interest rates for home loans Compare Equity Rates | Equity Trends | Loan Calculators Begin by selecting your state and type of program. Select a State Alaska Alabama Arkansas Arizona 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 Mexico New Jersey New York North Carolina North Dakota Oklahoma Ohio Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Select Loan Type Home Equity Loan Home Equity Line of Credit Improving Your Financial Literacy Source: Bank News - Dec 29, 03:08 AM As part of a nationwide survey of more than 1,300 homeowners conducted in August and released recently by Wells Fargo, respondents were questioned about their financial behaviors and attitudes regarding interest-only loans, the housing market and retirement planning.The WeUs Fargo second Annual Survey of American Homeowners found that of the 8 percent of homeowners with interest-only real estate- secured accounts, a 73-percent majority pay both the principal and interest at least some of the time. Read More... New-Home Sales Took Tumble in November Source: The Atlanta Journal and Constitution - Dec 27, 02:13 PM Dec. 24--Sales of new houses took an unexpected dive in November, falling to the slowest pace in a year and adding to evidence that the six-year real estate boom is ending. Home sales were down 11.3 percent from October, median and average prices were not much changed from a year ago, and the pool of unsold homes continued to swell, reaching a record 512,000. Read More... Warning on Interest-Only Mortgages Source: Buffalo News - Dec 23, 07:32 AM The Federal Reserve and other bank regulators said interest-only and other nontraditional mortgages pose a threat to the financial system and urged the nation's banks to tighten lending standards.Lenders are also letting home buyers fund down-payments with home-equity loans in what the industry dubs "piggyback" financing. Read More... Reverse Mortgage Could Help Senior's Finances Source: Cincinnati Post - Dec 21, 05:11 AM If anything defies the adage "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is," something called a reverse mortgage might be it -- especially for older homeowners who find themselves struggling financially while sitting on a big pile of home equity.If you own your home and are at least 62, a reverse mortgage might allow you to get your hands on that equity and continue to live in the home with no requirement to repay the loan as long as you stay there. Read More... How to Be an Armchair Economist Source: The Seattle Times - Dec 20, 02:01 PM Dec. 20--The housing market is likely to cool, but not collapse. And though continued high energy prices may depress consumer spending, sustained business investment should counterbalance that. Read More... Options on Taxes Invest in Income Source: Augusta Chronicle, The - Dec 20, 01:38 AM WASHINGTON - In presenting President Bush with two options to streamline the tax code, his handpicked advisory panel promises that most taxpayers can expect to pay Uncle Sam about what they pay today. Even though Mr. Bush and Congress will change the panel's plans, it's worth looking at the winners and losers the two options would create. Read More... View More Home Equity Headlines Home Equity Basics · What You Should Know About Home Equity Lines of Credit · See where the Prime Rate is and where it has been historically · Using a Home Equity Loan To Your Advantage · A Home Equity Loan May Be Tailor-Made To Meet Your Needs · Government Helps Buyers Fix Up Their Dream Home With the 203(k) · Deducting Mortgage, HELOC and Home Equity Loan Interest Home Equity Basics See where the Prime Rate is and where it has been historically Using a Home Equity Loan To Your Advantage A Home Equity Loan May Be Tailor-Made To Meet Your Needs Government Helps Buyers Fix Up Their Dream Home With the 203(k) Loan More Investing Basics Advertisement Mortgage Today's Rates Find Local Lenders Mortgage Calculators Mortgage Trends Lender List by State Reverse Mortgage Lenders Interest Only Mortgages Refinance Mortgages Mortgage Forms Real Estate Forms Legal Forms Real Estate Articles Auto Loans Auto Lenders Auto Trends Auto Calculators Credit Cards Credit Cards Credit Card Trends Calculators Home Equity Equity Rates Equity Trends Loan Calculator Bad Credit Find Lenders Loan Calculators Deposits Products and Rates Charts and Trends Calculators Subscribe for Free Mortgage Updates E-mail Newsletters Wireless/PDA Interest.com, as mobile as you are . - Free Latest News Feeds Mortgage Talk Forum-financial knowledge is a click away . 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Should I buy an investment property or rental home? Investment Property or Rental Home Calculator Home | About Us | Have Us Call You | Free Mortgage Analysis | Apply Online | Find Realtors | Learn | Help Get Started Apply Online Apply for your mortgage online! We'll call you tomorrow to confirm the receipt of the information. Have Us Contact You Rather have a personal touch from the start? Have us contact you to start the process. Secured by click for information INSTRUCTIONS This calculator is designed to provide a guide to possible financial outcomes of the purchase and rental of an investment property. After entering your values, click once in any result box to calculate or update your results. ENTER TRANSACTION DETAILS HERE Purchase Price $ Homeowners Insurance $ Down Payment $ Yearly Taxes $ Loan Interest Rate % Monthly expenses/ Maintenance fees $ Loan Term in Years Monthly Rental $ Rent Increase Yearly % Inflation (for ins, taxes, expenses) % Your Gross Income (for tax calculation) $ Property Value Growth (real estate appreciation) % RESULTS Loan Amount $ Monthly Payment $ INCOME Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Rental Income EXPENSES Insurance Taxes Monthly Expenses/Fees Total Payments Total Expenses CASH FLOW Cash Flow TAX DEDUCTION Interest Expense + Depreciation* + Ins, Tax, other expenses - Rental Income Total Tax Deduction TAX SAVED ** NET WORTH After Tax Cash Flow Principal Paid (est) Property Value Yearly addition to Net Worth Assumptions: * 27.5 yr straight line depreciation, deduction may be limited with high gross income. Depreciation is based on the value of the home without the land. In this calculation we are allocating 10% of the purchase price to the land and the remainder to the residence. ** 2001 Federal Filing Status Single (most conservative tax rate) Keep in mind that your tax deduction may also be limited with an adjusted gross income over $100,000. See your tax advisor for details. Sound good? If you'd like a pre-approval to go home shopping, apply online now. Click Here to return to the calculator main menu.