Real Estate Agent

Smartmoney.com: Consumer Action: Ten Things Your Real Estate Broker Won't Tell You Thursday December 29, 2005 3:23 PM ET U.S. Markets close in: :37 Search (choose an option below) Quote Charting Earnings Ratings Competition Financials Profile Key Statistics Insiders Site Search News (Enter Symbol) advanced search SmartMoney Select My Portfolio Tools Maps Stocks Advanced Trading Funds ETFs Personal Finance Autos Career Journal College Planning Debt Management Health Care Insurance Life LTC Insurance Real Estate Retirement Tax Guide Economy & Bonds Small Business SmartMoney TV SmartMoney Magazine SmartMoney University Business Travel Technology SmartMoney Mobile Holiday Survival Guide Select Homepage Stock Screener Market Map 1000 Fund Screener Stock Compare Fund Map 1000 Fund Compare XStream Quotes More... 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Editor's Picks Features Ten Things Real-Life Index Advertisement 4.25% APY with hsbcdirect.com Online Savings. Earn 8X the national savings average and make money into big money. No minimums. No monthly fees. Member FDIC. Email This Story Print This Story Save This Story Send Us Your Comments Add this column to your News Alerts (New!) 1. "Your open house is really a party for me." Hire a real estate broker to sell your home and one of the first things he'll likely suggest is hosting an open house, so potential buyers can casually check out your property on a weekend afternoon. While open houses are promoted as a great way of finding a buyer, a National Association of Realtors study found that their success rate is a mere 2%. No matter. Having an open house serves another important purpose — for the broker. "It gives him a database of clients," says Sean McNeill, an independent real estate broker based in New York City who says that he doesn't like open houses, preferring to match clients with appropriate buyers. "At open houses, you get all kinds of people walking in. Some are [trying] to see how much they should sell their own places for; others just want to get a look at what's out there." All are perfect pickings for a broker looking to increase his roster of buyers and sellers. "Think about it," McNeill says. "The broker is devoting a couple hours of a weekend. He won't do that unless it helps him in a big way." 2. "My fees are negotiable." Brokers like to make it sound as if their fees are engraved in stone, but that's rarely the case — especially in a brisk market, when brokers fiercely compete for properties they can unload fast. This past summer one broker in the Midwest says he lowered his fee by a full percentage point because there was so much demand for good properties that he needed leverage. Indeed, says the broker, who asked not to be named, sellers should shop around for broker's fees. He suggests these negotiating tactics: "If somebody's willing to commit to me for selling one place and buying another, I give a discount. If you're in a particularly desirable neighborhood with a house that will bring a lot of traffic" — say, at an open house — "that can be used, because the broker will use the flow of people to get potential customers. And with some [smaller] brokers, all you need to do is ask and they'll lower the commission." 3. "Think you've had no offers? Actually, there've been several." Legally, the broker you hire to sell your home is obligated to tell you about all offers that come in. In reality, some don't. Perhaps he thinks the offer is insultingly low for you, but more likely, "the broker thinks it's too low for his own purposes. He wants to hold out for a bigger commission," says McNeill. Or else there's an outside broker (or "co-broker") circling your house, and the primary broker is waiting for one of his own clients to make an offer so he can keep the full 6% to himself. "You must be clear with your broker that you want to be informed of all offers," McNeill says. "Otherwise, you may be leaving him to make decisions that you should be making." Check the listing agreement drawn up when you hire the broker; if the promise to disclose all offers isn't listed explicitly, insist that it be added. 4. "I talk about you behind your back." You spot your dream house as you're driving through a neighborhood and call the broker listed on the For Sale sign. That's how a lot of buyers stumble on a broker — who, in turn, happily shows you other houses, asking about your needs, laughing at your jokes. It's easy to get loose-lipped and forget whom you're dealing with: someone else's agent. "Legally, brokers are obligated to provide their sellers with any information that can help them get the best prices for their homes," says Stephen Israel, president of Buyer's Edge, a Bethesda, Md.-based company that represents homebuyers. "If you tell the broker that you're willing to pay $500,000 but want to offer $450,000, they'll pass that on to the seller. They have to." Also, some brokerage companies encourage prospective buyers to get preapproved for loans. While that can make a buyer more attractive to a lender, it also tells a broker whether a buyer can afford a $600,000 house when he's trying to haggle on a $400,000 property. "When somebody asks for [a preapproval], find out who they're representing," says Israel, acknowledging that such details can short-circuit your negotiating leverage. "If they represent a seller — or someone in their office does — they shouldn't have it. The broker may tell you she will be impartial, but how can she be?" 5. "Sometimes I forget whose side I'm on." The past 10 years have seen the proliferation of the buyer broker, agents who are supposed to work strictly in the buyer's interest, helping him get a fair price on a home as well as avoid pitfalls along the way. Unfortunately, things don't always unfold so nicely. While buyers may think they're getting a broker who isn't commission-hungry, many buyer agents are just that: They usually get about 3%, the same amount any broker typically earns when he gets involved with another agent's listing. "Buyer brokers are sometimes too focused on closing the sale and getting that commission," says Max Gordon, an Overland Park, Kan.-based real estate broker and attorney, so it's often in their best interest to see you pay as high a price as possible. Even worse, some brokers who call themselves buyer advocates are actually working for companies that also represent sellers. "Brokerages offer bonuses to buyer agents if they sell an in-house listing," says Israel. A good way to get a broker who has no such conflicts of interest: The National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents, whose Web site (www.naeba.com) can help you find a buyer agent near you who pledges to help you get the best deal possible and has no ties to sellers' agents; many even work on a fee structure rather than on commission. Page 1 | 2 Consumer Action Archive To license this content, click here ADVERTISEMENTS Click here to get your FREE report -- The Motley Fools´ 2 Top Picks. 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Sell House Doctors House

How To Sell - House Doctors Channel4.com Text Only [ News | Film | Homes | Life | Entertainment | History | Science | Community | Shop ] | Sport | Culture | Cars | Money | Broadband | Learning | Health | Dating | Games ] [ Text Only: Homepage ] [ Graphical: Channel4 Homepage ] [an error occurred while processing this directive] page1 How To Sell House Doctors House doctors (also known as property presentation consultants, home stagers, house stylists…) offer professional help to people having problems selling their property. They'll give impartial advice on why your home isn't being snapped up and help with styling, or staging, your property in order to achieve a quick sale. There is evidence that house doctors really work. Their websites are full of stories of not only having helped people to sell within a short space of time, but of actually adding thousands of pounds onto the value of their property in the process. This is achieved with advice on tidying away clutter, repairing signs of wear and tear, carrying out necessary redecorating work, 'dressing' the property and how to hold a viewing. Where can I find one? Already massive in the US, house doctors are still very much a new idea in the UK. However, there are many small, local interior design or property renovation companies that offer a house doctoring service. The best way to find these is to look out for advertisements in your local paper. Some house doctors cover the nation as a whole: Property Presentation Services, Homestagers and The Final Touch are three of the most successful. What will it cost me? Daphne Leck of Property Presentation Services offers an obligation-free discussion in the first instance. Thereafter, the minimum fee is £250 for two visits, one before any work is done and one after. This includes a written report on each room and advice up to the point of selling, including how to choose an estate agent. PPS offer a consultation service: that is, they do not do the actual work themselves, but they can recommend and source materials and services. Home Stagers, run by interior designer Tina Jesson, is a UK-wide network of experts who have been trained and awarded an Open College Network-accredited professional certificate. Consultants offer services throughout the home ownership process. A Home Consultation costs £160 & includes a written report, online marketing and a 'Viewings Into Offers' guide. The Home Stagers website is content-rich and offers tips, free online advice and photo consultations. The Final Touch, run by interior designer Suzy Maas and estate agent Lottie Sanger, is London-based but will travel depending on the size of the project. They offer a written report after their initial visit, for which they charge £50 an hour. Should you choose to follow their advice, the couple then charge £450 a day plus VAT for two people's work re-presenting the property, including sourcing of all equipment and materials.

Buy House

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It's tax dollars that support these programs. 're paying for them, so should use them There are programs for every income category and every situation. Most of them are for middle class taxpayers just like . There are even free programs where the government considers disadvantaged if have $750,000 in the bank. 90-DAY NO RISK, MONEY BACK GUARANTEE If are not completely satisfied with purchase, have 90-days to return it for a complete refund excluding postage. NO QUESTIONS ASKED. This is a personal guarantee from Matthew Lesko. New York Times Best S elling Author, Matthew Lesko He has 25 years of experience educating everyone from Fortune 500 companies to average taxpayers about free government money programs. Two of his books have been on the New York Times Best Seller Lists. Two have received awards from the American Library Association. He has written over 100 books on the subject. He has written syndicated columns for The New York Times and Good Housekeeping Magazine and has been a regular on hundreds of TV talk shows including Larry King, The Today Show, Jay Leno's Tonight Show, Letterman and Oprah. PROPERTY ORDER NOW AND GET THIS FREE REPORT HOW TO BUY FORECLOSED PROPERTY Everything need to know about Buying Foreclosed Homes and Property. Loaded with Information on Auctions, Timing, I.O.U.s, Leins, Taxes, Government Properties, Zoning, Permits and much more. Order FREE MONEY FOR A BETTER HOME Plus Free: HOW TO BUY FORECLOSED PROPERTY now for just $39.95+$6.95 postage and handling BUT WAIT: LESKO'S FREE MONEY FOR A BETTER HOME PREMIUM PACKAGE OFFERS A BIGGER VALUE Lesko's Free Money For A Better Home Premium Package gives all of the products above plus Lesko's personalized 3-hour video training course . Lesko takes step-by-step through the process of how to use the government to get the money and help need. Lesko has spent the last 25 years of his life helping Fortune 500 companies as well as thousands of consumers get free money from the government. So don't just get Lesko's books, get his books plus the necessary training to insure that get all tax dollars are paying for. In 3-hours Lesko gives a PhD in government money. But it's not like school because Lesko is knowledgeable, informative and loads of fun. So have nothing to lose except BILLS. 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Home Mortgage

FRB: Understanding the Home Mortgage Process Understanding the Process and Your Right to Fair Lending Shop for the mortgage package that best meets your financial needs. If you apply for a mortgage and the lender says you don't qualify, keep in mind that some lenders have stricter credit standards than others. Try someone else. Don't stop shopping after one discouraging experience--or even several. "Just Right!" You’ve been looking at houses for months and months, and you have finally found it--the house that’s just right. Now, you’re anxious to buy your new home, move in, and get settled. But you still have an important task ahead of you--getting a mortgage loan. This brochure explains about dealing with mortgage lenders. It tells you where to look, what to look for, and what takes place when you apply for a mortgage. Knowing what to expect, especially if you are a first-time homebuyer, may make it easier for you to get through the process. You’ll also learn about your legal rights to fair lending and what you have a right to expect in fair treatment. The Fair Housing Act and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act make it unlawful for a lender to decide whether you qualify for a loan, or to offer less favorable terms, for reasons such as your race, national origin or sex and other prohibited factors. If you believe you have been unlawfully discriminated against by a lender, or have questions about the treatment you have received, this brochure also tells you where to file a complaint. Where to Shop and What to Look For The Mortgage Application Process Understanding Your Rights to Fair Lending Directory of Federal Agencies Home | Brochures Accessibility To comment on this site, please fill out our feedback form. Last update: June 21, 2001

Real Estate Loan

Find Today's Rates on Mortgages, Refinance Loans, Home Equity Loans, and Mortgage Calculators on Yahoo! Real Estate Find Today's Rates on Mortgages, Refinance Loans, Home Equity Loans, and Mortgage Calculators Choose Location Home Homes For Sale Apartments for Rent Home Loans Moving & Insurance Tools My Real Estate Real Estate > Home Loans Features Just starting out? First-Time Home Buyer's Guide to Mortgages For Current Homeowners: Refinance Center Home Equity Center More Tools & Resources: • Calculators • Step-by-Step Guide to Getting a Loan • What's My Home Worth? • Free Credit Report • Mortgage Glossary Mortgage News Homeowners Can Still Refinance at Low Rates Dec 29, 2005, Quicken Loans Despite Decline, Housing Still Strong Dec 28, 2005, Quicken Loans New Home Sales for 2006 Look Good Dec 23, 2005, Quicken Loans Home sales fall as weekly claims up Dec 29, 2005, Yahoo! Finance Home loan applications fall to over 3-1/2-yr low Dec 28, 2005, Yahoo! Finance New home sales tumble but consumers bright Dec 23, 2005, Yahoo! Finance more real estate news Visit our partners' sites National Mortgage Rates Provided by Bankrate.com Updated Wed Dec 28 Mtg Loan Today +/- Last Week 30-yr Fixed 5.7% 5.74% graph 15-yr Fixed 5.27% 5.34% graph 30-yr Jumbo 5.98% 6.03% graph 5/1 ARM 5.24% 5.29% graph 5/1 Jumbo ARM 5.42% 5.45% graph 5/1 ARM Interest Only 5.31% 5.36% graph 5/1 Jumbo ARM Interest Only 5.47% 5.5% graph Mortgage Rate Trends National 3-month trend for 30-yr Fixed Mortgages More in trends and analysis Find Local Interest Rates State: AL AK AR AZ CA CO CT DC DE FL GA HI IA ID IL IN KS KY LA MA MD ME MI MN MS MO MT NE NH NJ NM NV NY NC ND OH OK OR PA PR RI SC SD TN TX UT VA VT WA WI WV Metro Region: Loan Product: 30-yr Fixed 15-yr Fixed 5/1 ARM 30-yr Jumbo 5/1 Jumbo ARM 5/1 Jumbo ARM (interest only) 5/1 ARM (interest only) Amount: $ Just starting out? Learn everything you need to know (but were afraid to ask) in the First-Time Home Buyer's Guide to Mortgages . Already own a home? Visit the Refinance Center and Home Equity Center to learn how to get the most out of your home. Get a Quote Loan Purpose: Purchase Refinance Home Equity Property Value: $ .00 Loan Amount: $ .00 State: AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE DC FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY From From Loan Payment Calculator Calculate monthly payments for different loan amounts, interest rates and amortization terms. Loan Amount: $ Interest Rate: % Term (years): Show Table: NO YES See more calculators Sponsored Links Real Estate Mortgage Quotes Find low rates with ApplyCompareSave.com. Get matched up with up to five qualified lenders. Save money. applycomparesave.com Compare Mortgage Offers From Top Lenders Up to 4 free mortgage, refinance or home equity offers - 1 easy form. Competitive rates from top lenders. No obligation. Bad credit ok. www.leadsteps.com Shop for a Mortgage Loan with LoanWeb Shop hundreds of mortgage lenders and make them compete for your mortgage or home loan. Free online service. Affiliate. www.loanweb.com Real Estate Mortgages at Homestore.com Find information, articles and quotes for home loans in your area. We have the loan that's right for you. Complete our easy form and get free, competitive quotes. homestore.com (Become a Sponsor) Homes For Sale - Apartments For Rent - Current Mortgage Rates - Real Estate Agents - Local - Yellow Pages