Home Loan

Home Mortgage Loan - Forbes.com - Home Loan Mortgage Company U.S. | EUROPE | ASIA Jump Select Section Home Investment Newsletters Polls & Discussions Premium Tools Special Reports Video & Audio Watchlist IT Research Library IT Product & Service Search Business -Manufacturing -Technology -Commerce -Services -Energy -Healthcare -Small Business Technology -E-Business -Enterprise Tech -Infoimaging -Personal Tech -Science & Medicine -Wireless Markets -Equities -Economy -Commodities -Bonds -Emerging Markets -Currencies Work -Careers -Compensation -Entrepreneurs -Management Lists -Companies --Forbes 500s --Forbes Global 500 --200 Best Small Cos. --400 Best Big Cos. --Largest Private Cos. -People --World's Richest People --100 Top Celebrities --400 Richest Americans --Best Paid CEOs -Places --Best Places Personal Finance -Estate Planning -Funds -Philanthropy -Retirement -Strategies -Taxes Lifestyle -Collecting -Health -Real Estate -Sport -Travel -Vehicles -Wine & Food Columnists Magazines -Forbes Magazine -Forbes Global -Forbes FYI -Forbes ASAP -Best of the Web -Archives -Subscriptions Tools About Us Contact Us Help Reprints/Permissions Sitemap Advertising Conferences Forbes Collection Forbes Mobile Special Advertising Search Quote HOME PAGE FOR THE WORLD'S BUSINESS LEADERS Home Special Advertising Section Tell Us About Your Loan Needs What Type of Loan do You Need? * Refinance Purchase Home Debt Consolidation Home Equity Estimated Home Value * $ Select One 75,000 - 80,000 80,001 - 85,000 85,001 - 90,000 90,001 - 95,000 95,001 - 100,000 100,001 - 105,000 105,001 - 110,000 110,001 - 115,000 115,001 - 120,000 120,001 - 125,000 125,001 - 130,000 130,001 - 135,000 135,001 - 140,000 140,001 - 145,000 145,001 - 150,000 150,001 - 155,000 155,001 - 160,000 160,001 - 165,000 165,001 - 170,000 170,001 - 175,000 175,001 - 180,000 180,001 - 185,000 185,001 - 190,000 190,001 - 195,000 195,001 - 200,000 200,001 - 210,000 210,001 - 220,000 220,001 - 230,000 230,001 - 240,000 240,001 - 250,000 250,001 - 260,000 260,001 - 270,000 270,001 - 280,000 280,001 - 290,000 290,001 - 300,000 300,001 - 310,000 310,001 - 320,000 320,001 - 330,000 330,001 - 340,000 340,001 - 350,000 350,001 - 360,000 360,001 - 370,000 370,001 - 380,000 380,001 - 390,000 390,001 - 400,000 400,001 - 420,000 420,001 - 440,000 440,001 - 460,000 460,001 - 480,000 480,001 - 500,000 500,001 - 520,000 520,001 - 540,000 540,001 - 560,000 560,001 - 580,000 580,001 - 600,000 600,001 - 620,000 620,001 - 640,000 640,001 - 660,000 660,001 - 680,000 680,001 - 700,000 700,001 - 720,000 720,001 - 740,000 740,001 - 760,000 760,001 - 780,000 780,001 - 800,000 800,001 - 820,000 820,001 - 840,000 840,001 - 860,000 860,001 - 880,000 880,001 - 900,000 900,001 - 920,000 920,001 - 940,000 940,001 - 960,000 960,001 - 980,000 980,001 - 1,000,000 1,000,000+ 1,500,000+ 2,000,000+ Where is the property located? * Select One Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Iowa Idaho Illinois Indiana Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Missouri Mississippi 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 West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Home Description * Single Family Multi Family Town House Condo Tell Us About Your Current Loan Your Mortgage Balance * $ Select One 0 1 - 5,000 5,001 - 10,000 10,001 - 15,000 15,001 - 20,000 20,001 - 25,000 25,001 - 30,000 30,001 - 35,000 35,001 - 40,000 40,001 - 45,000 45,001 - 50,000 50,001 - 55,000 55,001 - 60,000 60,001 - 65,000 65,001 - 70,000 70,001 - 75,000 75,001 - 80,000 80,001 - 85,000 85,001 - 90,000 90,001 - 95,000 95,001 - 100,000 100,001 - 105,000 105,001 - 110,000 110,001 - 115,000 115,001 - 120,000 120,001 - 125,000 125,001 - 130,000 130,001 - 135,000 135,001 - 140,000 140,001 - 145,000 145,001 - 150,000 150,001 - 155,000 155,001 - 160,000 160,001 - 165,000 165,001 - 170,000 170,001 - 175,000 175,001 - 180,000 180,001 - 185,000 185,001 - 190,000 190,001 - 195,000 195,001 - 200,000 200,001 - 210,000 210,001 - 220,000 220,001 - 230,000 230,001 - 240,000 240,001 - 250,000 250,001 - 260,000 260,001 - 270,000 270,001 - 280,000 280,001 - 290,000 290,001 - 300,000 300,001 - 310,000 310,001 - 320,000 320,001 - 330,000 330,001 - 340,000 340,001 - 350,000 350,001 - 360,000 360,001 - 370,000 370,001 - 380,000 380,001 - 390,000 390,001 - 400,000 400,001 - 420,000 420,001 - 440,000 440,001 - 460,000 460,001 - 480,000 480,001 - 500,000 500,001 - 520,000 520,001 - 540,000 540,001 - 560,000 560,001 - 580,000 580,001 - 600,000 600,001 - 620,000 620,001 - 640,000 640,001 - 660,000 660,001 - 680,000 680,001 - 700,000 700,001 - 720,000 720,001 - 740,000 740,001 - 760,000 760,001 - 780,000 780,001 - 800,000 800,001 - 820,000 820,001 - 840,000 840,001 - 860,000 860,001 - 880,000 880,001 - 900,000 900,001 - 920,000 920,001 - 940,000 940,001 - 960,000 960,001 - 980,000 980,001 - 1,000,000 1,000,000+ 1,500,000+ 2,000,000+ Current Interest Rate * Select 3.00 3.25 3.50 3.75 4.00 4.25 4.50 4.75 5.00 5.25 5.50 5.75 6.00 6.25 6.50 6.75 7.00 7.25 7.50 7.75 8.00 8.25 8.50 8.75 9.00 9.25 9.50 9.75 10.00 10.25 10.50 10.75 11+ % Existing Rate Type * Fixed Adjustable Fixed/Adj Do You Have a Second Mortgage Balance? None 5,001 - 10,000 10,001 - 15,000 15,001 - 20,000 20,001 - 25,000 25,001 - 30,000 30,001 - 35,000 35,001 - 40,000 40,001 - 45,000 45,001 - 50,000 50,001 - 55,000 55,001 - 60,000 60,001 - 65,000 65,001 - 70,000 70,001 - 75,000 75,001 - 80,000 80,001 - 85,000 85,001 - 90,000 90,001 - 95,000 95,001 - 100,000 100,001 - 105,000 105,001 - 110,000 110,001 - 115,000 115,001 - 120,000 120,001 - 125,000 125,001 - 130,000 130,001 - 135,000 135,001 - 140,000 140,001 - 145,000 145,001 - 150,000 150,001 - 155,000 155,001 - 160,000 160,001 - 165,000 165,001 - 170,000 170,001 - 175,000 175,001 - 180,000 180,001 - 185,000 185,001 - 190,000 190,001 - 195,000 195,001 - 200,000 200,001 - 210,000 210,001 - 220,000 220,001 - 230,000 230,001 - 240,000 240,001 - 250,000 250,001 - 260,000 260,001 - 270,000 270,001 - 280,000 280,001 - 290,000 290,001 - 300,000 300,001 - 310,000 310,001 - 320,000 320,001 - 330,000 330,001 - 340,000 340,001 - 350,000 350,001 - 360,000 360,001 - 370,000 370,001 - 380,000 380,001 - 390,000 390,001 - 400,000 400,001 - 420,000 420,001 - 440,000 440,001 - 460,000 460,001 - 480,000 480,001 - 500,000 500,001 - 520,000 520,001 - 540,000 540,001 - 560,000 560,001 - 580,000 580,001 - 600,000 600,001 - 620,000 620,001 - 640,000 640,001 - 660,000 660,001 - 680,000 680,001 - 700,000 700,001 - 720,000 720,001 - 740,000 740,001 - 760,000 760,001 - 780,000 780,001 - 800,000 800,001 - 820,000 820,001 - 840,000 840,001 - 860,000 860,001 - 880,000 880,001 - 900,000 900,001 - 920,000 920,001 - 940,000 940,001 - 960,000 960,001 - 980,000 980,001 - 1,000,000 1,000,000+ 1,500,000+ 2,000,000+ How Much Additional Cash do You Wish to Borrow? $ Tell Us About Your Home Purchase Is there a Specific Home You Want to Buy? * Yes No Purpose of Property * Primary Secondary Investment Vacation How Much do You Want to Put Down? * Select One 0 1 - 5,000 5,001 - 10,000 10,001 - 15,000 15,001 - 20,000 20,001 - 25,000 25,001 - 30,000 30,001 - 35,000 35,001 - 40,000 40,001 - 45,000 45,001 - 50,000 50,001 - 55,000 55,001 - 60,000 60,001 - 65,000 65,001 - 70,000 70,001 - 75,000 75,001 - 80,000 80,001 - 85,000 85,001 - 90,000 90,001 - 95,000 95,001 - 100,000 100,001 - 105,000 105,001 - 110,000 110,001 - 115,000 115,001 - 120,000 120,001 - 125,000 125,001 - 130,000 130,001 - 135,000 135,001 - 140,000 140,001 - 145,000 145,001 - 150,000 150,001 - 155,000 155,001 - 160,000 160,001 - 165,000 165,001 - 170,000 170,001 - 175,000 175,001 - 180,000 180,001 - 185,000 185,001 - 190,000 190,001 - 195,000 195,001 - 200,000 200,001 - 210,000 210,001 - 220,000 220,001 - 230,000 230,001 - 240,000 240,001 - 250,000 250,001 - 260,000 260,001 - 270,000 270,001 - 280,000 280,001 - 290,000 290,001 - 300,000 300,001 - 310,000 310,001 - 320,000 320,001 - 330,000 330,001 - 340,000 340,001 - 350,000 350,001 - 360,000 360,001 - 370,000 370,001 - 380,000 380,001 - 390,000 390,001 - 400,000 400,001 - 420,000 420,001 - 440,000 440,001 - 460,000 460,001 - 480,000 480,001 - 500,000 500,001 - 520,000 520,001 - 540,000 540,001 - 560,000 560,001 - 580,000 580,001 - 600,000 600,001 - 620,000 620,001 - 640,000 640,001 - 660,000 660,001 - 680,000 680,001 - 700,000 700,001 - 720,000 720,001 - 740,000 740,001 - 760,000 760,001 - 780,000 780,001 - 800,000 800,001 - 820,000 820,001 - 840,000 840,001 - 860,000 860,001 - 880,000 880,001 - 900,000 900,001 - 920,000 920,001 - 940,000 940,001 - 960,000 960,001 - 980,000 980,001 - 1,000,000 Over 1,000,000 Are you Looking for a Fixed or an Adjustable Loan? * Fixed Adjustable Fixed/Adj Tell Us About Yourself Select Your Credit Profile * Excellent Good Fair Poor Annual Income $ What is Your Occupational Status Employed Self Employed Retired Unemployed Monthly Debt Payments $ Select 0-249 250-499 500-749 750-1,000 Over 1,000 Have You Declared Bankruptcy * No Not in the last 7 years 1-2 years 2-5 years Your Contact Information First Name * Last Name * Email * Street Address * City * State * Select One Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Iowa Idaho Illinois Indiana Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Missouri Mississippi 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 West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Zip * Primary Phone * Secondary Phone Best Contact Time * Morning on Primary Morning on Secondary Afternoon on Primary Afternoon on Secondary Evening on Primary Evening on Secondary * REQUIRED FIELDS Service and Data Privacy provided by Secure Rights Note: Secure Rights is responsible for the collection and transfer of information on this page for the purpose of completing your request. By submitting your request you agree to be contacted in accordance with Secure Rights Privacy Policy . View Secure Rights licenses . Paid Advertisement Article Make Dreams a Reality with a Home Mortgage Loan The decision to buy a home is one of the most important commitments you’ll make in your life. If you’re thinking about making the transition from renting to owning, or even buying a new house and selling an old one, many factors come into play. For most Americans looking to buy a house, financial considerations can be daunting. Home mortgage loans are available to most, but deciding which option makes most sense for your personal situation can seem a difficult task, since there are many varieties of home mortgage loans, each with its own advantages and disadvantages, and numerous companies offering advice. Submit the form above to acquire your own home mortgage loan consultant to help you get started with the mortgage process and explain which type of loan is best. Obtaining a Home Mortgage Loan Isn't So Bad When seeking home mortgage loan advice, you should know that there are essentially two types: fixed-rate loans and adjustable-rate loans (ARMs). Fixed-rated loans are very predictable – when the contract is made, the rate of interest to be paid on the loan is calculated and locked in. The interest paid on adjustable-rate loans over the years changes with the interest rate, so when rates are low, you pay less each month, but when rates are high, you will pay more accordingly. Within the two main types, there are variations to suit the specific needs of individuals, which your home mortgage loan company consultant will be happy to discuss with you in greater detail. Your consultant will also explain the fees involved in buying a house, for such necessary tasks as appraisal, closing and settlement. Most home mortgage lenders charge a “loan origination fee,” usually defined as one percent of the amount you’ve borrowed. If you haven’t got the cash to pay these fees up front, they can usually be “rolled” into your loan and paid over time. Buying a house is challenging, but it need not be overwhelming. We’re always on call to help you make the best choices for today, and for the future. Fill out the form on the very top of this page to get the ball rolling. ^ Paid Advertisement Article ^ Ad Information        Forbes.com Wireless        Reprints / Permissions        Subscriber Services        ©2004 Forbes.com™      All Rights Reserved       Privacy Statement        Terms, Conditions and Notice Search Engine Marketing by 360i, Inc.

rental property software. You

Rental Property Tracker Plus Easy to use rental property management software for rental managers and landlords... Click here to get a free trial copy of this rental property software. You pay only $149 after your 10 day free trial! (Includes Customer Support) Satisfaction Guaranteed or Your Money Back! Rental Property Tracker Plus is easy-to-use , software for rental property management with which you can: • Keep track of all your rental units, tenants, rental income and expenses. • Organize all your property rental manager activities, tasks, contacts, and even appointments with this productivity software suite. • Accepts government subsidies (Section 8 certificate and voucher programs for example) as partial rent payments. • Assign multiple tenants to any unit. The number of units and tenants is only limited by memory and CPU speed. • Send form letters to any or all contacts, tenants or owners. • Prepare property manager accounting reports for printing or exporting to a spreadsheet quickly and accurately. • Make income tax preparation easier with this rental tracking software . • Receipts, Statements, Notices and Reports can be translated into any language . Free trial rental property software to download for all Windows and Macintosh computers. Data can be shared between any of these computers. Customize colors, currency symbol ($, £, ¥, €, etc.), date, time, distance and liquid measure formats, report font and size, etc. in this relational database. Guided Tour included with this rent tracking software. Get FREE Customer Support when you register! Version 1.8.5.2 has just been released. Click here to see what's new. Click here to find out about Vacation Rental Tracker Plus, the perfect lodging rental management software for single & multi-property Hotels, Motels, Resorts, Condos, etc... Rental Property Tracker Plus contains all of the following Rental Management Software: This rental expense tracking software keeps track of all your rental expenses including advertising, cleaning & maintenance, insurance, management fees, mileage, repairs, utilities, etc. You can also print checks and view balances with the Checkbook Register. Easily create reports for tax returns. Click here for more information about Rental Expense Tracker. This rent payment tracking software keeps track of all your rental income for weekly, monthly or multiple month rental periods. Easily generate rental receipts and reports for accounting or tax returns. Click here for more information about Rental Income Tracker. This component will help you keep track of deposits and payments to your Accounts, and all your miscellaneous income such as coin operated vending machines, laundry, etc. Click here for more information about Other Income Tracker. This building management software keeps track of all your rental property including past and present tenants, descriptions, condition notes, etc. Easily create reports. Click here for more information about Rental Unit Tracker. This tenant tracking software keeps track of all your tenants and their phone numbers, payment history, etc. Easily create leases, reports and notices. Click here for more information about Tenant Tracker. This electronic address book keeps track of both business and personal contacts including their name, address, phone(s), and associates as well as any notes about previous interactions. You can print or export your contact list to other programs including Palm Desktop. You can also easily print envelopes or all contact information including notes. Also includes an area code locator which will tell you what cities are in a specified area code and what area codes are in a specific city or state. Click here for more information about Contact Tracker. Keep track of all your appointments, birthdays, etc. with this versatile electronic date book. You can set an event to repeat every day, every other day, every week day, every week, every other week, every month on the same date, every month on the same day of the month, or every year for as long as you specify. You can print daily, weekly and monthly schedules too. Import or export your appointments to other programs including Palm Desktop. Click here for more information about Schedule Tracker. This To Do list generator helps you remember and prioritize all the things you think of as you are working. You can easily sort your task list by priority, date entered, deadline or task name. Then you can print or export your list to another program such as Palm Desktop. Click here for more information about Task Tracker. Here is a simple number calculator that will also: compute a date that is x number of days before or after a date you specify; let you know the day of the year of any date; tell you what time it is anywhere in the world; convert just about any US or British length, volume or weight to it's metric equivalent with the conversion calculator; figure the amount of foreign currency that a number of dollars is worth (or the other way around) given the current exchange rate with the currency calculator; and easily compute discounts and sales tax on any amount. Click here for more information about the Universal Calculator. Click here to get your copy of Rental Tracker now! ©2005 Garth Catterall-Heart SpiritWorks Software Development 503-560-1028 PO Box 685 Carlton, OR 97111 e-mail: info (at) SpiritWorks-software.com Terms of Use, Refund and Privacy Policy

Texas Land

Bush and the Texas Land Grab Bush and the Texas Land Grab July 16, 2002 By Nicholas D. Kristof Editorial Op-Ed To submit a Letter to the Editor: letters@nytimes.com Democrats and media hounds are baying under the wrong tree. The point in President Bush's business career where he took outrageous shortcuts was not at Harken Energy, but rather when he was grabbing land for a new baseball stadium in Arlington for his Texas Rangers baseball team. Mr. Bush broke no laws. Neither do the overwhelming majority of corporate executives. The cloud over the business world comes not so much from lawbreaking as from avaricious bruising of the public interest. The challenge is not catching criminals but injecting public scrutiny into a culture of cronyism in which executives, accountants, regulators and "independent" board members all ooze empathy for each other. When Asia had its economic crisis in 1997-98, Americans properly trashed its "crony capitalism." But we suffer from the same affliction ourselves, and President Bush will not address the issue seriously because cronyism has been his way of life -- the Bushes call it loyalty. I have a stack of court documents from Arlington that portray the "sordid and shocking tale" of the Rangers stadium, as one lawsuit puts it. Essentially, Mr. Bush and the owners' group he led bullied and misled the city into raising taxes to build a $200 million stadium that in effect would be handed over to the Rangers. As part of the deal, the city would even confiscate land from private owners so that the Rangers owners could engage in real estate speculation. "It was a $200 million transfer to Bush and Rangers owners," complains Jim Runzheimer, an anti-tax campaigner in Arlington. William Eastland, a leading Republican in Arlington, is also outraged, and puts it this way: "You're using public money for a private purpose." Mr. Eastland was a Bush delegate to the Republican National Convention in 2000 but still believes that the Bush group behaved shadily and against the public interest. Local voters overwhelmingly approved the deal, so maybe we shouldn't get so exercised by star-struck local officials giving $200 million to rich baseball owners. But the most unseemly part of the deal was that Mr. Bush and the Rangers' owners conspired with city officials to seize private property that would be handed over to the Bush group. "A group of wealthy and influential people threatened and traded their way into an unprecedented takeover of government power and private property in an awesome display of greed and avarice," charges a lawsuit by the landowners, in what strikes me as a fair recitation of events. Another suit charges that the deal "can only be described as astounding, unprecedented and blatantly illegal." A copy of the secret agreement among Mr. Bush and the other Rangers owners shows that they intended to make money not just by running a baseball club but also by land speculation. For example, one owner found a nice chunk of land and sent a memo suggesting that it "sounds like another condemnation candidate if you want to work the site into your master plan," according to the court documents. Another of the owners' internal memos casts a proprietary gaze on a property and declares: "We plan to condemn this land." For a group of financiers to go around town admiring properties and deciding which to seize through the government power of condemnation so that they can acquire free land and speculate on it is appalling. Even Kazakhstan would blush at such practices. Horace Kelton, for example, owned land that the Rangers wanted. The owners got Arlington to seize it, with the city paying less than $1.50 per square foot even though it had previously paid $10 a square foot for other land nearby. "It was an extremely low price, and that's why we had a court case that lasted seven years," Mr. Kelton recalled. Eventually, his family got $11 a square foot. In fairness, Mr. Bush was simply being a hard-nosed businessman. He did a great job leading the owners' group, and it's hard to take seriously the caricature of him as unintelligent when he led the Rangers so lucratively. Indeed, his $14 million profit on the Rangers financed his entry into politics. But it's also a sordid tale of cronyism, of misuse of power, of cozy backroom money-grubbing -- a more pressing threat to American business than outright criminality. LINK to source

Real Estate Investments AreSafe,

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Sell House

Boston.com / Real estate Buying Renting Recent sales Place an ad Luxury Living Community data Financing Commercial Moving Guides THE RIGHT LISTING AGENT Tips for home sellers to find a listing agent -- Interview at least three or four agents before making a choice. Sometimes a good agent can be found through recommendations from friends or relatives who have recently sold property. Many burrow their way through the Yellow Pages. Some pick up a name at the office water cooler or a health club. It's fine to happen onto names this way, as long as you follow up by screening candidates. Ask the right questions: • What is my home worth? The broker should prepare a market analysis recommending a selling price for your house. You should insist that the agents you interview provide detailed market information supporting whatever price they propose. You want to see "comparable sales" – that is, the selling prices of properties similar to yours, located in the same or similar neighborhoods, that have sold recently. You also want the agents to provide detailed information about current conditions in your market area. That information should include the average time properties are on the market before they sell, and a listing of homes similar to yours that are for sale. How are those homes priced and how does the broker explain the speed – or lack of speed – with which they are selling? You are not going to select the broker who recommends the highest selling price, tempting though that may be; you're going to select the one who seems most knowledgeable about your market, who gives you the most realistic assessment of how much you should ask for your house, and who can articulate the factors that are likely to enhance or impede its sale prospects. • What is your marketing plan for my home? Insist that the brokers you interview submit a comprehensive marketing plan, explaining precisely what steps they plan to take to sell your home. The plan should specify, among other details: - How, where, and how often the broker will advertise your property. Bear in mind that the major daily newspapers are not the only, or necessarily the best, advertising media. Depending on the property, the location and the market, community newspaper, direct mail and even handbills may be equally appropriate. - Will your broker list your house in the Multiple Listing Service, and if so, when? (The answers should be, "yes," and immediately after the agreement is signed.) - Will the broker hold one or more open houses for other brokers to introduce them to the property? (Definitely a good idea.) - How many buyer open houses will the broker host and how will those be advertised? - What repairs or improvements, if any, does the broker think will be needed? You should be concerned if the broker recommends a gut rehab, but listen carefully to suggestions that you do some repainting, trim the hedges, and repair broken railings. • What are the terms of the contract? Once you've selected your broker, pay careful attention to the terms of the listing contract. Make sure it obligates the broker to implement the key components of the marketing plan and allows you to terminate the agreement if the broker fails to do what the plan specifies. You also want to require the broker to report periodically, preferably in writing. Don't agree to an unnecessarily long listing term. TYPES OF CONTRACTS Exclusive right to sell. Most sellers use this. One agent is assigned your property to sell; if that listing broker sells the property, he or she gets the whole commission. If another agent sells, the commission is shared, usually equally. Exclusive agency listing. One agency gets the contract, but if you sell the property, you don't pay a commission. The disadvantage is that brokers may lose some incentive to sell, since you are competing with them. Open listing. Anyone can sell, including the owner, with only the selling broker getting a commission. Some brokers may want you to commit to a six-month listing, but you shouldn't accept a term any longer than 90 days. You always can renew a listing if you're satisfied with the broker's efforts. Also make sure you understand the listing terms. Most brokers will require what is known as an "exclusive agency" agreement. That means the broker will be entitled to a commission if the house is sold any time during the listing period (and for a specified period of time after it expires), even if the broker is not directly responsible for the sale. You should expect to pay a commission of around 6 percent. Although the fee is negotiable, as a practical matter, you won't find too much variation. • What are your references? Rarely do those signing on with a real estate agent check references the way they would when hiring an office employee. Any prospective agent should provide references readily. Goyeau said you should ask any reference you call, "Would you hire this agent again?" To gather accurate information on an agent, limit the references you use to those who have worked with the agent within the previous two years. "The agent could have been great five years ago, but slacked off lately for a variety of reasons," said Joan McLellan Tayler, the author of two real estate books. • Show me the statistics. Brokers should be able to present prospective clients with a computer printout that shows the number of sales they had in the last 12 months, the listing price, the selling price, and the length the homes stayed on the market, said Carol Brenner of Carol Brenner Realty in Newton Highlands. The difference between the initial listing price and the final selling price should be no more than five or 10 percent, she said. Also, an average home should not be on the market for more than three months, she said. What to look for in an agent: • A good reputation. Verify the reputation as well as the competence of any agent with whom you deal, so check with both the Board of Registration for Real Estate Brokers and Salesmen and the Better Business Bureau to see if there is a history of complaints against the broker or the broker's firm. Also contact friends, acquaintances and references the broker provides. "Sellers should look at the reputation of the firm and the integrity of the agent to be sure they are represented ethically and professionally," said Nora F. Moran, former president of the Greater Boston Real Estate Board. • Certification from a professional organization. There are a lot of real estate agents in the field, but not all of them are "Realtors," and you want to deal only with agents who have that (R) designation. That indicates the agent belongs to the National Association of Realtors, which implies a level of professional training and commitment, and adherence to ethical standards that you can't otherwise assume. Ask brokers if they have "board designations," or certification from professional organizations. For example, CRS stands for certified residential specialist, and is the toughest level to achieve in residential sales. It's awarded by the Residential Sales Council, a group with the National Association of Realtors, and requires the completion of course and a certain level of experience. The National Association of Realtors also certifies brokers as having completed the GRI – graduate realtor institute – a less-arduous set of courses, brokers say. • Someone you feel comfortable with. When choosing a broker to list a home with, you need someone you feel comfortable with, said John Neale, a broker with Sprogis Real Estate in the South End. "If you get a good feeling from a broker, a buyer is going to get that same good feeling, too. That's going to help you sell your house," he said. • An agent who specializes in your community. You could hire a perfectly good agent from across town. But unless that agent is well-known in your area, he may fail to fulfill the potential of your home sale. Why? Because real estate is a cooperative profession, and the odds are good it will be a local agent who brings you the right buyer for the best price and terms. More tips: • Try to work in concert with the agent you choose. Homeowners are sometimes resistant to the suggestions of their listing agents on matters as basic as keeping their property clean and their beds made. A capable, committed agent is worthy of your respect and cooperation. As Tayler explained, "The relationship between an agent and a client is supposed to be a partnership. That's how you sell your property fast and for top dollar." • Consider asking for an agent who meets your specific needs. Are you a young mother compelled to sell your home due to a divorce? Then perhaps you'd be most comfortable working with an agent who has a similar background. Likewise, a senior might wish to seek an older agent who understands the art of downsizing. One way to locate an agent whose background mirrors your needs is to call the owner, broker or sales manager of a realty office in your area. Be candid about your situation and ask for several names, said Tayler, who operated her own real estate company for 17 years. • Don't give your business to someone as a favor. With more than a half-million Americans involved in real estate sales, chances are you have a friend or relative in the field. Don't engage an agent solely on the basis of friendship or to do a favor. There's too much at stake. This article was compiled from the Boston Globe archives. feedback | help | site map | advertising | globe archives | rss © 2006 The New York Times Company Real Estate Guide - Massachusetts Home Builder - New Home Construction