Real Estate Agent By

BuyMyself - Canale, IRED Attitude & News Home Directories Int'l Realty US Realty BuyMyself Choosing A Real Estate Agent By Stephen M. Canale, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA There's a common saying in the real estate industry regarding the vast number of agents in the business: "If you don't have any friends who are agents, then you probably don't have any friends at all." With so many agent out there, how can you make an intelligent decision? Do you choose a friend, neighbor or coworker? Should you work with an agent at a large firm, a small firm, a franchise or an independent? While there's an exception to every rule, and every marketplace has its own nuances, here are some solid rules to apply when you want the best representation to protect your interests. Demand Experience The real estate profession is plagued by high turnover. This creates a workforce that is made up of many newcomers. While there are brand new agents with good intentions, why trust one of the largest investment you'll ever buy or sell to someone without experience? Always look for an agent with at least two years of experience. Anyone still in the business after two years has probably learned at least the fundamentals of real estate. Look for Commitment Another problem we have in the industry is a large number of part time and recreational salespeople. These folks have either retired from some other career, work in real estate seasonally or are earning a second income for the family and honestly don't need to work full time. No matter how long they have been in real estate, their lack of full-time commitment makes it impossible for them to keep up with the vast changes in law, marketing and business practices that are occurring in the profession today. If an agent isn't working at least thirty hours a week, fifty weeks a year, look for someone else. Consider Education In the majority of states, the requirements for real estate licensing are substantially less than those for cutting hair. In Michigan, for example, all that is required is a forty-hour class and a multiple choice test. You cannot rely on licensing to indicate competence. And, unfortunately, many agent's real estate education ends with their pre-license education. While there are numerous advanced real estate education courses available, the only technical and competence based program available nationwide is the Graduate, REALTORS® Institute (GRI) series, which is administered under the direction of the National Association of REALTORS®. A REALTOR® who completes the fifteen eight-hour modules, and passes examinations, may then use the designation of GRI. While only 15%-20% of agents have earned this accreditation, it should not be too difficult finding a GRI in your marketplace as they will commonly print the designation behind their name in advertising as well as on letterhead and business cards. Conduct Interviews Before you hire an agent to help you buy or sell a home, you should interview at least three agents in person. In order to do this, first get recommendations from friends, family and neighbors. Then look on the web, in homes magazines and the local newspaper to see what kind of marketing the various companies are doing in your area and call a few that impress you. Then make brief fact-finding calls to determine which of the agents on your list are full time, experienced and either hold the GRI designation or are at least working aggressively toward it. You will probably need to call ten to fifteen agents in order to find three that are worth interviewing. The interview itself need not be a formal one. It is simply an opportunity for you to meet the candidate and explain your needs; and to determine whether you would be comfortable working with them. Ask whatever questions you like, or simply explain your goals and listen carefully to what they propose to do for you in meeting your needs. The decision If you follow the suggestions above, you will find that there are excellent agents working for firms both large and small; both franchised and independent. Thus, the real decision must be made based on the competency of the individual agent you will be working with on a day-to-day basis. Stephen M. Canale is President, Broker/Instructor of Acclaim Residential Marketing Ann Arbor, Michigan | IRED Home | Search IRED | © 1995-2005 IRED.Com, Inc All Rights Reserved

Home Equity Loans Features

DCU Fixed-Rate Home Equity Loans Mortgages / Home Equity Home Equity Loan Menu Fixed-Rate Home Equity Loans Fixed-Rate Home Equity Loans Features / Compare with other DCU HELs Rates And Applications DCU Fixed-Rate Home Equity Installment Loans A Fixed-Rate Home Equity Installment Loan is much like an auto loan in that you get the full amount at the start of the loan and pay it down in equal payments for the term you selected. DCU's Fixed-Rate Home Equity Loans offer you... Low competitive fixed rates – Your actual rate is determined by your personal credit history Finance up to 100% of your home's value minus your first mortgage – (Maximum 80% in Texas by state law.) Loans from $5,000 Choose from 4 Terms – 5 years, 10 years, 15 years, and 20 years. Shorter loans mean lower interest rates. Longer loans mean smaller monthly payments. No closing costs* No application fees or pre-payment penalties * Excludes state mortgage taxes in FL , MD , MN , NY , OK , TN , and VA . Fixed-rate Home Equity Loans are available in all 50 states. To beginning of page Comparing DCU Options Here's a side-by-side comparison of DCU's Home Equity Loan options to help you decide which is best for you. Major Features Fixed- Rate Home Equity Loan Equity LinePLUS Type of Rate Fixed for life of the loan. Variable as low as Prime minus 1/4% on line advances. Same as Fixed-Rate Loans for fixed-rate advances Maximum Loan Percentage of home value 100% 100% Minimum Loan or Line $5,000 $5,000 for initial line and $5,000 for each fixed-rate advance Available Terms Balance is Maintained 5, 10, 15, and 20 year terms 20 year draw / 20 year repayment on total loan. Fixed-rate advances for 5, 10, or 15 years Annual Fees None None Closing Costs None None Application Fees None None Prepayment Penalties None None Tax Advantage Yes Yes To beginning of page Rates and Applications Apply for Home Equity Loans Apply Online or by calling 800.328.8797 (select 3). If you need additional information press 0 and ask to speak with one of our Mortgage Specialists. Home Equity Rates Apply Online Use our Loan Calculators to help you determine the loan financing and payment options that are best for you. Back to beginning What's New at DCU | Join Us | New Member Guide | Links Branches | ATMs | Questionnaire | Help Digital Federal Credit Union 220 Donald Lynch Boulevard, PO Box 9130, Marlborough, MA 01752-9130 • 800.328.8797 ® 2005 Digital Federal Credit Union

Sell House

Sell House Home Property Online, UK Sell your house / home / property online, advice for UK sellers. Sell Your Home Online With HouseWeb - Sell your house / home / property without an Estate agent. Your online advertisement will include colour photos and a virtual tour. Packages start at £47 and properties are featured on Asserta, Fish4 and many more sites. Guide to Selling Your Home in England, Wales and Northern Island Should I use an Estate Agent? If you choose to market your property yourself, you will need to arrange to value it (many Estate agents offer free valuations, or you could value it yourself if you have a good idea of the current market in your area), negotiate a final price with the buyers, market it and show prospective buyers around your home. Advertising it yourself may include: Making a for sale board and erecting it in your garden. Advertising your home in local newspapers. Advertising it on noticeboards and shop windows in your area. Marketing the property online. Making a brochure describing your house (quite straight forward if you have a computer and a digital camera ). If you have neither the time nor energy to contemplate the above, then you would be better off using a traditional estate agent. However, you can save thousands of pounds in commission by selling your home yourself. How can I make my property more saleable? First impressions can count for a lot when selling a house, so keep in mind the following: Keep the outside neat and tidy. Trim bushes and trees, remove weeds, especially from driveways, and consider adding tubs of flowers or hanging baskets to the front of your property. Try and remove any clutter from the inside of your house. Generally, the less a house has in it and the tidier it is, the larger the rooms appear. Try not to cram small rooms with too many pieces of furniture. Any essential and noticeable repairs should be complete before any viewings take place. Consider whether or not you are prepared to include carpets, curtains in the price of the house, or whether you would sell them separately. What fixtures are included with the house? Generally as a rule of thumb, anything that is physically attached to the house is included as part of the house and must not be removed unless specifically excluded in the contract. Such things would include light switches, fitted kitchen appliances, curtain rails and toilet roll holders. It is adviseable to prepare a list of anything that may be considered a fixture that you are going to remove, to avoid legal problems in the future. I've decided to use an estate agent. How do I choose one? Compare things as: their reputation (if possible), whether they are members of the appropriate professional body eg NAEA (National Association of Estate Agents) and of course the commission rates. These are generally charged at 1%-2.5% of the final selling price, but they can always be negotiated lower, especially on expensive properties. You will need to check if these fees cover all costs, such as advertising, brochures, for sale board etc. Pay attention to the contract you will be agreeing with the agent. Are you agreeing to: A sole agency You can only advertise through one estate agent. You agree to pay the commission to the estate agent if they find the buyer. If you find the buyer yourself (eg through an online service) then you don't pay commission to the estate agent unless you have a contract giving them "sole selling rights" in which case you will have to pay the agent even if you find the buyer yourself. If you are going to advertise the property yourself, make this fact clear to the estate agent and do not agree to sole selling rights with him. A joint agency You employ two or more estate agents who share the commission when the property is sold. Multiple agency You employ two or more agents but the commission is only payable to the one that finds the buyer. Doing your own packing and removals? You can buy cardboard boxes and packing materials online from Cartons Direct . That's The One For Me - Advertise your property online from £19.95 Mouse Price - Their database contains the price paid for any house sold in England and Wales. My Property For Sale - Properties are advertised on Asserta, Propertyfinder.com, Fish4, Channel 4 homes and Sky. House Network - Online estate agents with fee capped at £500. Properties are advertised on the industry leading Rightmove website, in addition to other property websites. Related pages: Lighting | Bedding | Income Tax Preparation | Curtains and Blinds | Home | Home Security Prenuptial Agreements

purchase property for refurbishment.

Property Finance - Bank of Scotland Corporate Jump to page content Jump to main navigation Jump to sub navigation for this section Secondary Navigation Home Business Banking Personal Banking Group Sites Site Map Important Information News Releases Careers Sponsorship Business Introducers Interest Rates & Charges Contact Us A to Z of Site Contents A-Z Index Amsterdam Asset Finance Australia BACS Bank Holidays BoSDeal Branch Locator Small Business Banking Buy-outs Card Acceptance Facilities Cards Cash Services Cashflow Finance CHAPS Client Banking Community Banking Complaints Completed Deals Corporate Current Account Corporate Finance Mag Corporate Internet Banking Corporate Sponsorship Corporate Visa Currency Accounts Current Account Deposits Employee Share Plans Equity Euro Foreign Currency Frankfurt Fund Investments Glossary of Terms Hire Purchase Importing & Exporting Infrastructure Finance Insurance Insurance Premium Funding Integrated Finance International Banking International Payments Internet Banking Joint Ventures Leisure Finance Loans Madrid Major Assets & Products Marine Finance MBO Merchant Services Mezzanine Debt Moving Banks Natural Resources Offset Lending Online Banking Overseas Operations Paris Payment & Intl Trade Payment Processing Payroll & HR Solutions Pension Services Power Project Finance Property Lending Relationship Banking Safeguard Insurance Specialist Deposits Stakeholder Pensions Structured Finance Telecoms & Media Telephone Banking The Truth Travellers Cheques Treasury Services Vehicle Finance & Mgt Women in Business Search Site Main Navigation What's Different Products & Services Funding Solutions Corporate Finance International You are here: Home Funding Solutions Property Lending Property Finance Sub-Navigation Loans and Trading Finance Property Lending Commercial Mortgages Property Finance Marine Mortgage (opens new window) Offset Lending Asset Finance Vehicles Property Finance Specialist industry experience Residential property investment Commercial property investment Professional practices Health care Hotels and licensed trade Day nurseries and private schools Offices, industrial and retail Specialist advice A property specialist is on hand to assist you by phone, fax or face to face. Our teams have extensive experience of commercial property finance and offer a range of funding options. Whether you're building a portfolio, buying business premises, releasing equity and raising capital or looking to refinance existing property, our teams can help you save time and money on property deals. Enhancing tax efficiency To help make borrowings as tax efficient as possible, we can also consider vehicles to fund a commercial mortgage including: offshore companies, trusts and pension schemes. We consider virtually any type of commercial property (see below) and finance is also available for offshore companies investing in the UK commercial property market. Minimum lending amounts apply. Residential property investment We can help owner-occupiers or investors with all types of property – from single units to entire portfolios. We offer term loans to purchase, refinance or consolidate existing funding lines. We also offer credit lines to purchase property for refurbishment. Commercial property investment We cater for owner-occupiers or investors wanting to finance modern office premises, modern industrial units or single retail premises and portfolios. Professional practices Suitable for dentists, doctors and vets, this funding can be used for surgery purchase, property purchase, development, extension and refurbishment. We also offer partnership capital, refinancing of existing loans and equity release. In addition we offer a mortgage which offsets the notional interest earned on your current account against the interest charged on your mortgage. For more information go to smart finance for professionals . Health care Facilities are available to assist with the purchase, refinance, development and refurbishment of properties used for residential care and nursing homes, care or retirement villages, learning disability units and special needs units. Hotels and licensed trade Typically, we can assist with the finance of hotels (usually 3 star and above) and public houses with a good split of wet and dry trade. Facilities are available to assist with the purchase, refinance, development and refurbishment. Day nurseries and private schools We offer funding for the purchase, refinance, development and refurbishment of day nurseries and private schools. Offices, industrial and retail We offer funding for the purchase, refinance, development and refurbishment of offices, industrial units or warehouses and retail units. To speak to a specialist in any sector or to arrange a visit, simply call 0845 300 1122 †. Your property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. Contact Us 0845 300 1122 † (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm) or email us

Investment Property A tool

CNN/Money: Investment Property Web CNN/Money Home News Markets Technology Commentary Personal Finance Autos Real Estate Real Estate > Investment Property A tool kit for new landlords Many professions have their own special tools. Here's some for the well-equipped landlord. ( more ) Cuckoo for condos! Get in early! Get out fast! Sound familiar? Everyone knows how the dotcom party ended. Right? Right? ( more ) More in the INVESTMENT PROPERTY ARCHIVE »» TYCOONS IN THE MAKING Ted Theodoropoulos Ted Theodoropoulos learned early how lucrative real estate investing can be. ( more ) Dave Goldoff When the Internet bubble burst, Dave Goldoff left the industry and headed out into real estate. ( more ) Bo Apostolache Apostolache likes real estate investing so much, he's starting his own club. ( more ) CALCULATORS What will your payments be? How much house can you afford? Does it pay to refinance? If you're getting into real estate and want to be considered for the Tycoons in the Making series, tell us more about your strategies and goals. CNN/Money regrets it cannot respond to all submissions. Please note: Any information you provide may be used on our Web site and other Time Warner sites. Privacy Guidelines or Name Savings/investments Occupation Home equity Household income E-mail address Daytime phone number INVESTMENT PROPERTY ARCHIVE Oct 12: 8:38a Real estate for retirement...good idea? Sep 1: 6:03p The three myths of condo investing Aug 22: 1:47p What novices need most: A reality check Aug 19: 12:32p Rent the condo or sell for the profit? Aug 12: 12:04p Should we start flipping? Aug 3: 9:17a Taking your home away Jun 23: 11:27a The power of sweat equity May 16: 11:46a No-money down mania May 4: 4:58p U.K. went cold; U.S. could too Apr 21: 11:29a Real estate clubs: Telling bad from good Mar 15: 8:38a Sharing cash, contacts and contractors More »» 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. Terms under which this service is provided to you. privacy policy Reprints of site stories are available.