Buy House

Buy my house, please! - Sep. 11, 2003 CNN/Money Web Autos Real Estate Money's Best Home Markets & Stocks News Jobs & Economy World Biz Technology Commentary Personal Finance College Credit and Debt Insurance Interest Rates Retirement Tax Center Ask the Expert Five Tips The Good Life Millionaire in the Making Money 101 Moneyville Retirement Planner Savings Calculator Asset Allocator Mutual Funds Money Magazine Video CNN TV Fortune 500 Best Employers Money 101 Portfolio Calculators Real-time Quotes Last 5 Quotes SPONSORED BY include virtual="/fn_adspaces/markets-stocks/last_five_quotes/sponsor.88x31.ad" -- CNN/Money Email newsletters RSS Mobile news Money archives Buy story reprints Find a Mortgage SPECIAL OFFER Your Money Your Home Buy my house, please! As the market cools, it will take more work to get that 'For Sale' sign out of your front yard. September 11, 2003: 5:10 PM EDT By Sarah Max, CNN/Money Staff Writer BEND, Ore. (CNN/Money) To say that it's been a seller's housing market is the understatement of the year. Homeowners looking to sell in most parts of the country haven't had to wait around very long for a suitable offer, and those in the best markets have seen their homes swooped up in a matter of days, even hours. In early 2003, in fact, 21 percent of all houses went into contract less than one week after going on the market, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). On average, houses sold in just five weeks nearly half the time it took throughout the 1990s. "I believe this may be our best year ever," said David Hemenway, a realtor in Cottage Grove, Ore., who's been in the business since 1968. On the other side of the country in Sebring, Fla., realtor Chip Boring is enjoying a record year. Yet, both are aware that great times can't last forever. "Up until the last 2 1/2 years the average time on the market was anywhere from 180 days to 210 days," Boring said. And Hemenway recalls the early 1980s when his listings lingered on the market, sometimes for years. As interest rates creep up, buyers' budgets creep down and markets return to more normal levels, sellers will discover that it takes a little more work (and patience) to unload their homes. Many already have. While there is little you can do to change the laws of supply and demand, you have some control over whether your house sits or sells. Here are the most common reasons houses don't sell, in order of importance. The price is not right Even in the best of markets, setting your price too high is a mistake -- unless you really don't want to sell your house. "Starting too high is the worst thing you can do," said Hemenway. More on Your Home • Mortgage Application Center • Beating higher rates • Mortgage demand hits 14-month low • Choosing the best mortgage now Why? Because your greatest opportunity for selling your house is immediately after it goes on the market. That's when the majority of serious buyers will see the house. "Even if you lower the price to reflect the market, you'll have fewer people coming through than if you'd just priced it right to begin with," said Hemenway. In fact, it's not until after you bring the price down below the market something few sellers want to do that interest will pick up again. To make matters worse, say real estate agents, the longer a house sits the harder it is to sell. "Everyone thinks there must be something wrong with the house if it hasn't sold," said Boring, adding that for this reason he won't take on a listing if the seller insists on asking more than the house is worth. To drum up new interest among buyers, sellers sometimes pay for extra advertising or offer to, for example, pay for closing costs as a way to get buyers' attention. "In markets where people don't have a lot of cash, paying for closing costs or buying down interest rates with points up front can put you at a huge advantage," said Ron Phipps, a realtor in Warwick, R.I. The house is in the wrong place When markets are good, buyers are more willing to buy on the outskirts of an area or turn a blind eye to busy streets, bad views and other problems. But when markets cool down, it's these spots that suffer the most, said Hemenway. Short of moving the house, there is not much you can do if it is in the wrong location. But while in the house you can take care to make sure you don't over-improve your property relative to the ones around it. "If you have a $300,000 house in a neighborhood of $100,000, be prepared to lower the price or let it sit," said Boring. Buyers can't get past the front door Realtors say that getting buyers to take a look inside a house is the biggest challenge of selling a house. Once they've stepped through the door buyers are more likely to consider a place. "I recently sold a house that from the front was not very inspired," said Phipps. "The buyers came to the open house only because they needed to kill time, but once inside they were interested." For this reason, a little time and money spent on curb appeal will go a long way. Trimming the grass, washing the windows and planting a few flowers may be all it takes. In the case of houses whose best features are inside or out back, Phipps recommends taking good interior pictures and putting 360-degree tours online. Sellers sometimes get buyers to look past their homes' imperfections with creative extras. "I've seen sellers offer decorating allowances, and pay for cleaning service and landscaping," said Phipps. "Several years ago a seller in the bakery business offered to bring the buyer a different cake every month." Too much chintz and tchotchkes Less is more when it comes to attracting buyers. "Put all of those pictures of your family and other personal treasures away," said Sheryl Gregory, a broker in Wynthrop, Maine. "It distracts buyers and makes it harder for them to picture themselves in the house." She also recommends taking down distracting curtains and putting on a fresh coat of paint. "Buyers sometimes get scared if they wander through a house and think they're going to have to do a lot of painting," she added. --* Disclaimer Selling? Buying? Click to compare top local real estate agents More on YOUR HOME • Your Home: Bracing for higher rates • Refinancing demand lags again • A rose is (not) a rose TODAY'S TOP STORIES • Most overvalued housing markets • Risks to the economy in 2006 • Which was the worst ad of all in 2005? CNN Money contact us | subscribe to Money magazine advertising -- | site map | glossary | RSS | press room OTHER NEWS: CNN | SI | Fortune | Business 2.0 | Time © 2005 Cable News Network LP, LLLP. A Time Warner Company ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 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Colorado HomeFinder |Colorado's better way to buy or sell a home Call 800.231.9153 | Contact Us Hello. If you already have an account, sign in here . New to Colorado HomeFinder? Start Here Register | Sign In Colorado Real Estate You've found the best place to search for Colorado homes for sale. Colorado HomeFinder has over 45,000 homes for sale and real estate listings at your fingertips. Search for real estate and see listings across the entire Colorado Front Range . Sign up below to receive automatic emails when new properties hit the market and start searching for your dream home today! Receive email updates of new Colorado real estate listings. The Automated HomeAlert system searches the MLS for you...over 45,000 homes! Learn about homes for sale the day they hit the market -- before other buyers. It's easy! Just submit your search criteria to get started. » Sign-up for Automated HomeAlert Colorado HomeFinder empowers home buyers with access to real estate listings in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), the same listing database used by real estate agents . Our data is updated daily - so you won't be looking at homes that sold weeks ago! Just submit your search criteria to get started. » Start Searching Homes for Sale We combine the latest TECHNOLOGY with some of the best REALTORS in the business to put you in CONTROL ! Search online at your convenience and be notified automatically when new Colorado real estate listings hit the market. When you're ready, we'll match you with the Colorado HomeFinder REALTOR who is an expert in your desired market... all at no cost to you! » What our clients are saying about us Communities we serve Denver Boulder Fort Collins Evergreen Parker Broomfield Littleton Aurora Arvada Englewood Golden Westminster Highlands Ranch Castle Rock Longmont Greeley Longmont Loveland Complete list of Colorado cities we serve Email: Password: Remember my login » Forgot Password » Not Registered? Register Now . Call 1-800-231-9153 or local (303) 543-3083 to discuss your needs with a Client Care Coordinator. What's a Client Care Coordinator? Request a Relocation Profile Loaded with valuable info: city and school data, population stats, crime rates, job info and more! » Send me a Relo Profile I'm ready to see houses Click here to arrange a private showing for any listing on the market. » Schedule a showing Colorado HomeFinder, RE/MAX Alliance 4770 Baseline Road, Suite 200 Boulder, CO 80303 Colorado HomeFinder | Buy a Colorado Home | Sell a Colorado Home | Colorado Homes for Sale | Browse Colorado Listings | Colorado Realtors | Colorado Mortgage | Colorado Relocation About Us | Site Map | Resources | Contact Us | Sign In Call toll free (800) 231-9153 or local (303) 543-3083 to be connected with a local expert Colorado RE/MAX REALTOR. New listing emails: Colorado Real Estate Denver Real Estate | Boulder Real Estate | Fort Collins Real Estate | Colorado Real Estate Broomfield Real Estate | Castle Rock Real Estate | Evergreen Real Estate | Highlands Ranch Real Estate | Littleton Real Estate We're a Colorado company with a network of hand picked RE/MAX REALTORS in 17 local offices across the state. 2005, Colorado HomeFinder , all rights reserved. Each office independently owned and operated. Privacy Policy | Terms of Use

Real Estate Loan

Find Mortgage Calculators, Amortization Calculators, Refinance Loans and Home Equity Loans on Yahoo! Real Estate Find Mortgage Calculators, Amortization Calculators, Refinance Loans and Home Equity Loans Choose Location Home Homes For Sale Apartments for Rent Home Loans Moving & Insurance Tools My Real Estate Real Estate > Home Loans > Calculators Tools & Resources • Mortgage Payment Calculator • Affordability Calculator • Amortization Calculator • Rent vs. Own Calculator • Refinance Calculator • First-Time Buyer's Guide to Mortgages Next Steps: • Search Local Rates • Online Rate Quotes • Graph Interest Rates • Refinance Loans & Rates • Home Equity Loans & Rates Visit our partners' sites Mortgage Payment & Amortization Calculators Mortgage Payment Calculator Calculate your monthly or biweekly payments based on different loan amounts, interest rates, and amortization terms. Amortization Calculator Calculate the breakdown between principal and interest in payments on your mortgage. How Much House Can You Afford? Figure out the mortgage payment and home price you can afford based on your monthly income and expenses. Should You Refinance Your Mortgage? This calculator helps you assess the impact of refinancing your mortgage. Rent Vs. Own Determine the cost difference between renting and buying a home. Sponsored Links Refinance Your Mortgage and Save! Refinance your current mortgage at today's extremely low rates. Get quotes from lenders offering the lowest refinancing rates available. Links. networklender.com Refinance Calculator Omni One Mortgage is committed to building one relationship at a time. We can service any type of loan, stated income, no doc, fixed, interest only, less than perfect credit no problem. www.omnionemortgage.com Refinance Calculator Considering refinancing? Get free quotes from multiple lenders. Takes only 2 minutes. Refinance with or without a perfect Credit. Find great low rates today. c.azjmp.com Refinance Calculator at Homestore.com Calculate home loan payments and check out our free mortgage lender directory. We've got all the information you need to find the loan that's right for you. homestore.com (Become a Sponsor) Homes For Sale - Apartments For Rent - Current Mortgage Rates - Real Estate Agents - Local - Yellow Pages

Sell House

DIY House selling by channel4.com/4money E4 More4 FilmFour FourDocs TV Listings Site A-Z NEWS FILM HOMES LIFE ENTERTAINMENT HISTORY SCIENCE COMMUNITY SHOP SPORT CULTURE CARS MONEY VIDEO LEARNING HEALTH MUSIC GAMES Home On TV Compare & Buy Mortgages & Homebuying Smart Money Banking & Saving Borrowing & Spending Insurance Tax & Pensions Funny Money Forum Latest features Mortgages and homebuying features Special features Guide to renting & letting Homebuying guides Property buying Property selling Remortgage How much can I borrow Conveyancing What mortgage type Flexible mortgage Choose an interest rate type Decide a repayment method Cut your bills Gas & electricity Home phone Digital TV Mobile phone Broadband Top tools Mortgage calculator Overpayment calculator Stamp duty calculator Payments calculator Money jargon A-Z Compare and Buy 400 Loans 300 Credit Cards 7000 Mortgages 1000 Saving Accounts 300 Current Accounts Subject to Moneysupermarket .com Terms Money Books Latest personal finance books Share money tips Share your money tips DIY house selling next How to be your own estate agent Selling your home through an estate agent can be an expensive and time-consuming business. We look at the alternatives. By Sarah Jagger How to sell your home alone For most people in the UK, selling your home means using an estate agent. An agent will advertise your property and introduce potential buyers but charge you 2% of the sale price as commission, plus VAT at 17.5%. Or if you use more than one agent, you will be charged up to 3.5% commission plus VAT by whichever agent introduces the buyer. So on a sale price of £100,000, this would mean estate agents’ commission of more than £3,500 before you take into account solicitors fees and removal charges. You could, of course, simply add that cost into your asking price – but in a slow market that could mean you have a long wait for a buyer, or price yourself out of the market altogether. There are some alternatives though, and one in twenty vendors are now taking the DIY route which could speed up the process and save you on average £4,500 which means you can afford to get the decorators in at your new home. next About C4 | Jobs | Text Only | Access Advice | Contact Us | Terms and Conditions | Privacy | Help | Online Ad Sales

Home For Sale

Real Estate, ERA Real Estate - Properties for Sale Always There For You Just as you pride yourself on doing the little things that make your house a home, focusing on the fine details is what distinguishes the ERA® professional. The ERA.com site is enhanced using JavaScript, and we recommend enabling it in your browser. Mobile browser users may view our mobile browser optimized site at 3g.era.com , or browse homes for sale by state . © ERA Franchise Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Each ERA ® Office is Independently Owned and Operated. View our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions . Buy a Home Property Search Search by Map Find a Sales Associate Find an Office Join MyERA.com International Collection Open Houses Select Consumer Services International Office Search Calculators Resource Center Looking to Rent Military Specialist Commercial Specialist Resort.ERA.com Mature Market ERA.com Mobile Historic Specialist Homepage Edition Sell a Home Find a Sales Associate Find an Office Join MyERA.com ERA Answers Find a Relocation Specialist Sellers Security Plan Select Consumer Services ERA Home Protection Plan International Office Search Calculators Resource Center Tips - Selling by Owner Looking to Rent Military Specialist Commercial Specialist Resort.ERA.com Mature Market ERA.com Mobile Historic Specialist Homepage Edition ERA Mortgage Home Financing Get Approved Loan Programs My Loan Status Mortgage Tools Learning Center How We Do It Our Process Who We Are Your Privacy Contact Mortgage ERA Worldwide International Office Search Worldwide Offices About ERA A Technology Brand Acerca de ERA en Espaol Buy & Sell the ERA Way A World of Opportunities ERA Vision Statement Technology Advantage ERA Commitment to Service Advertising Niche Marketing Opportunities Joining the ERA Family Customer Service Newsroom & Corporate Information ERA History Corporate Sponsorship: Muscular Dystrophy Association Resource Center Contact ERA Find a Sales Associate Find an Office Find a Relocation Specialist Become an ERA Sales Associate Become an ERA Franchise Contact ERA.com Join MyERA.com Resource Center ERA.com Survey Member's Area - Login to TeamERA.com