Selling Home

Selling Your Home, Sell home, selling a house, selling house, sell your home - Home Services Mortgages Research Moving Zero Down Appraisals -- -- A Simple Guide for Selling a Home on Your Own Preface: Why sell yourself? Selling a home yourself, without an expensive real estate broker is easier than most people think. However, it will take some work on your part. You will be doing a lot of things that a real estate agent might normally do. Just follow the For Sale By Owner.com step-by-step selling guide below, and you'll not only save lots of money, but we'll make the house selling process as effortless as possible It's the money! Sellers save thousands of dollars not paying a 6% or 7% commission. For example, if your home can sell for $250,000, youd save $15,000 to $17,500 in commissions. Sell Your Home Fast. Because you are not paying an outrageous selling commission, you can afford to price your home more aggressively. The lower the price, the more likely it sells fast. You will still walk away with thousands in savings, but you'll just be doing it faster. It's so easy. Despite what a real estate broker may say, selling a house is not rocket science. They know that, and soon you will too. Just follow the simple selling steps below. And, if you have any questions, call us and one of our representatives will try to answer any questions you may have. You are not alone - For Sale By Owner.com will help you every step of the way. We are one of the largest and fastest growing real estate service companies in America. In fact, our web site is one of the top-five most visited real estate sites in America. Thousands of eager home buyers visit us everyday. Perhaps one of them is looking for a home just like yours. Over the past five years, we've helped sell thousands of homes, saving home owners millions of dollars. So let's get started. 8 Easy Steps to Selling a Home Yourself Step 1. Preparing your home to sell - make it look great Presentation is everything! Home buyers are attracted to clean, spacious and attractive houses. Your goal is to dazzle buyers. Brighten-up the house and remove all clutter from counter tops, tables and rooms. Scrub-down your house from top to bottom. Make it sparkle. Simple aesthetic improvements such as trimming trees, planting flowers, fixing squeaking steps, broken tiles, shampooing rugs and even re-painting a faded bedroom will greatly enhance the appeal of your house. Also, make sure your house smells good. That's right, clean out the cat box and light mildly scented candles. Invite a neighbor over to walk through your house like a buyer would. Get their opinion on how it "shows." The stuffed donkey in the family room may have to go to your in-laws for a while. Step 2. Pricing your home effectively Do not over price your home. Over-pricing when you sell a home reduces buyer interest, makes competing homes look like better values, and can lead to mortgage rejections once the appraisal is in. Over-pricing when selling a home is the single biggest reason why many "for sale by owner" home sellers don't sell their homes successfully. Remember: the home selling market dictates the price (not what you think it should be worth). One of the best ways to correctly price your house when selling is to find out how much other homes, similar to your own, recently sold for in your neighborhood. Talk to home sellers, buyers and check out the real estate listings in your local newspaper. Typically, if you set the price of your home at 5 to 10 percent above the market price, you are likely to end up with an offer close to your home's true value. Also, you may try calculating the cost per square foot of your home compared to the house selling prices in your area (divide list price by square footage of livable space). If your house has more features or other desirable qualities, you may want to set a slightly higher house selling price. The easiest way to accurately price your home is to contact your local home appraiser . Finally, set your house selling price just under a whole number, such as $169,900 rather than $170,000. Step 3. Get a real estate lawyer Even though it's an additional expense, it may be wise to hire a lawyer who will protect your interests throughout the entire transaction. An experienced real estate lawyer can help you evaluate complicated offers (those with a variety of conditions), act as an escrow agent to hold the down payment, evaluate complex mortgages and/or leases with options to buy, review contracts and handle your home's closing process. They can also tell you what things, by law, you must disclose to buyers prior to a sale and can also help you avoid inadvertently discriminating against any potential buyers. In some areas, title companies will handle all aspects of the transaction and have in-house legal departments that can assist you with legal issues that may arise. To locate a title company in your area, click here . Unless you're significantly experienced in the home selling process, having a real estate lawyer at your side provides peace-of-mind. You know you've got someone looking out for your interests, not just the buyers. To locate a lawyer in your area, click here Step 4. Marketing your home Exposure, exposure, exposure. That's how sellers sell their home fast. For Sale By Owner.com provides extensive home exposure because over 700,000 unique visitors come to the web site each month (that's Internet-speak for new people). In fact, For Sale By Owner.com is one of the top-five most visited real estate web sites in the U.S. getting literally millions of visitors looking to buy or sell a home. We spend tens of thousands of dollars a month to assure that For Sale By Owner.com is prominently placed on Internet search engines so buyers can easily find our site throughout process of selling your home. If your home is in a market where For Sale By Owner.com has a mass-distributed magazine, your home's exposure will be even greater because they can be found at thousands of locations frequented by buyers that include grocery stores, shopping centers, convenience stores and restaurants (the magazine is in over 40 markets nationwide). Writing your sell ad While For Sale By Owner.com allows you a 3,000 word description of your house (try to afford that in a newspaper ad), your advertising copy should be thorough yet short, simple and to-the-point. Long, flowery prose will not make your house sound more appealing. It will simply make it harder for the home buyer to read. Make sure to provide the critical facts buyers are looking for such as the house's number of bathrooms, a re-modeled kitchen, etc. Most home buyers quickly scan ads, so it is important that your house stands out. For example, you may want to add a theme-line such as "Priced below market" or "Great schools." Stay away from industry jargon and use language that makes home buyers comfortable. Survey our web site and see how others have written their ads. You will quickly see which are "buyer friendly." Copy their approach for your ad. Home Photos: Yes, a picture is worth a thousand words If you are taking a photo of your home, be sure that the home's yard/driveway is uncluttered. Remove bikes, garbage cans and parked cars. The same applies for interior shots. People are looking to buy your house, not your possessions. Think of furniture as props and the room a stage. Move things around if you have to. Also, take lots of house photos. Film is cheap...your home deserves quality. The more you shoot, the better the odds are that you'll get a few really good shots. Lawn signs Lawn signs are one the most important marketing tools for home sellers. They attract attention to your home. Professionally-produced signs (like the ones we can send to you) telegraph to home buyers a "quality" image of your house. Directional signs also help drive buyers to your property, especially if you do not live on a busy street. Open houses Open houses are sometimes a good way to attract buyers to your home. Typically, real estate agents conduct open houses for two reasons; 1. Clients expect them 2. They are a good way to attract buyers, not just for the open house but for all houses for sale in the Real Estate Agent's area (yes, your competition). The fact is that very few houses sell due to a open house itself. Home Brochures/Information sheets It is a good idea to create an information sheet (with a photo) about your home to give potential buyers. Consider printing copies of your ad from For Sale By Owner.com to give to people who visit your home. The MLS The MLS or Multiple Listing Service can also help market your home, particularly to real estate agents who may know of buyers seeking a property like yours. The MLS is a directory used by real estate agents to announce to other agents that they have a home for sale. In many selling markets, For Sale By Owner.com can put your house on the MLS (for an additional fee). However, if a real estate agent finds you a buyer after seeing your home on the MLS, you must usually pay that agent a 2.5% to 3% commission (the law states that all commissions are negotiable, however). You are your home's best salesman As every salesman knows, to be effective you have to really know your product. And who knows your home better than you? Certainly not a real estate agent, who, in all likelihood, has spent only a few moments in your house before showing it to prospective buyers. Sell your neighborhood as well as your house. Show enthusiasm, but don't get caught-up talking too much about how "your daughter spent the best years of her life in this very room." Step 5. Negotiating an offer on your home When a home buyer makes an offer (this is often presented to you directly from the buyer or through their lawyer), you should consult with your attorney. Buyers and sellers have an Attorney Review Period, which is usually three days, to cancel or amend the offer. The offer becomes a contract at the end of the Attorney Review Period, and is binding. Many of your home's offers can be complicated and contain special clauses that favor the buyer. Purchase price isn't everything. Carefully consider the purchase contract's other terms and conditions. Too many contingencies can leave loopholes and cause a deal to collapse. Especially avoid contingencies that favor the house's buyer, such as linking the escrow closing date to the buyer's sale of their current home. If the buyer insists on such terms, include a so-called kick-out clause in the contract that will allow you to consider other offers if the buyer isn't able to sell within a certain period of time. Assess your buyer's financial qualifications Is the buyer pre-approved? How much of a loan is the buyer seeking? Unless you are in an active market, lenders tend to shy away from underwriting a deal in which the purchase price is higher than the nearest comparable sale and the buyer is putting less than 10% down. If this is the case, your buyer may not be able to obtain financing. Know the home selling market How you judge an offer also can depend on market conditions. If the selling market is slow, you may feel vulnerable, especially if circumstances are pressing you to sell. Make sure any offer you accept does not keep you in escrow longer than 30 days. In a hot market where multiple offers are likely, be wary of countering more than one offer at a time (you could end up in legal trouble if two buyers both accept your counter offer). Also be wary of offers that promise more money but contain poor contract terms (long escrow, multiple contingencies, etc.). If you feel the home's offer is insufficient, make a counter offer. Rarely is a first offer the buyer's absolute highest price they are willing to pay. Negotiating is part of the home selling process. Again, your lawyer should review the details of all offers. Step 6. Home inspections All standard real estate contracts are going to give the prospective home buyer the right to inspect your property - so be prepared. Under a general inspection you are obligated to make major repairs to appliances, plumbing, septic, electrical and heating systems - or the buyer may cancel the offer. The inspection will also include your property's roof, as well as a termite inspection (in some states, house sellers must provide proof that the home is termite free). If you are concerned about how your home will fair when inspected, you may want to visit your local inspector . They can conduct an inspection for you before a potential buyer has one done. This way, you can address the problems before a buyer stumbles upon them. Once the inspections are complete, the buyer makes an application to a mortgage lender. Step 7. Buyer appraisals and other details The mortgage lender will order an appraisal of your home to make sure they are not paying more than the house is worth. They may also order a surveyor to make sure that the property boundaries are properly laid out. They will also order a title search to determine if there are any liens against your property. These tasks are all the responsibility of the buyer and/or their attorney. At this point too, the mortgage company will issue a commitment . Again, the buyer (and their attorney) must complete all conditions listed on the mortgage commitment. Prior to closing, you should notify your lender that you will be paying off your mortgage. After a closing date has been agreed to, you should contact your utility providers and advise them of your final billing date. Step 8. Closing The day of the closing , the home's buyer will do a "walk through" of the property to make sure all agreed repairs are completed and that the home is in the same condition as when the buyer made their offer. If problems arise that this point, the closing can still take place with funds held in escrow to remedy the problem. Closings usually occur 30 - 45 days after you have signed the sales contract. Depending on what state you reside in, you may close with an attorney, or with a title company. At the closing, all monies will be collected, any existing loans or liens will be paid, the deed will be transferred, and insurance will be issued insuring a free and clear title. The home seller will receive the proceeds of their home in one to two business days after the closing. Conclusion This step-by-step home selling guide is a general overview of the process when selling a home. Each state has slightly different laws and customs as they relate to the transaction process. Selling a home yourself can be time consuming, but the financial rewards can be tremendous. With help from For Sale By Owner.com , we try to make the process of home selling on your own as easy as possible. For Sale By Owner.com Your experts in selling a home on your own. -- Privacy & Disclaimer Partner With Us Career Opportunities Press Room Contact Us Buying A Home Your Credit Report Terms and Conditions Home Selling Tips Selling Your Home © 1997-2005 For Sale By Owner.com Your source for selling a home on your own. We make the home selling process a cinch. Sell real estate, sell a home, and sell your house, fsbo. Real estate selling, home selling, house selling. Site Map Home

Buy Property

Buying Property in Europe - Help with Real Estate Purchase for Foreigners  You are here: About > Travel > Europe for Visitors > Lodging - Hotels and More > Buying Property Travel Go Europe Essentials European Vacation Planning Map Europe Travel 101 - Before you Go European Distances The Best of Europe European Photo Gallery Articles & Resources Europe Travel Planning What to do In Europe Lodging - Hotels and More European Travel Maps Sex and Nudism Travel Photography Transportation Benelux Countries France Germany Austria Switzerland Greece Italy and Malta Travel Info Scandinavian Travel Spain and Portugal United Kingdom and Ireland Buyer's Guide Before You Buy Top Picks Italy Travel Guidebooks Europe Travel Guidebooks German Travel Guidebooks Product Reviews Forums Help FREE Newsletter Sign Up Now for the Europe for Visitors newsletter! See Online Courses   Search Europe for Visitors Buying Property in Europe Help with buying property in Europe. European real estate agents, property finders, relocation help, and information for English speakers wanting to buy real estate in Europe. Articles & Resources Sort By : Guide Picks | Alphabetical | Recent Up a category Andalucia Country Houses Huge variety of country houses in Spain are available. El Sol de Espana - Spain Properties Find property in the south of Spain (UK based) Hola Spain Get assistance in finding a property in Spain. Offers viewing trips to see representative properties available. Good General Information page for prospective buyers of Spanish property. (UK based) Home Finder - Italy Have someone help you find a home or villa to buy in central Italy, mostly in Tuscany and the Lunigiana. (USA based). Italy House Scout A US based house finding service for Tuscany, Umbria, Lazio, Liguria, and Le Marche. 2 more Articles & Resources below Articles & Resources more from your guide Move to France Property in France for sale: Brittany and Normandy. (UK based) Overseas Property Online Find property all over Europe.        Topic Index | Email to a Friend Our Story | Be a Guide | Advertising Info | Work at About | Site Map | Icons | Help User Agreement | Ethics Policy | Patent Info. | Privacy Policy | Kids' Privacy Policy ©2005 About, Inc., A part of the New York Times Company . All rights reserved. Around About New Video iPod - Review POLL: Must-Have Gadgets VIDEO: Portable Gaming VIDEO: Choosing a TV Hugh Hefner's Life What's Hot Noord-Holland - Delights of North Holland Travel Power Adapters Off Season Europe Europe for Visitors - GuideReviews Portugal Picture Galleries Headlines Valentine's Day in Britain and Grappa Europe Daily Travel News has collected some very interesting short... Antwerp Pictures Antwerp is a fashion and diamond center for Belgium and... Like to Travel Well? Follow the CIA! I really should have paid attention when the CIA came... Tapas from Cans? Ok, so you wander into one of Barcelona's most celebrated...

Land For Sale

LandAndFarm.com - Land for sale, Farms for sale, Rural Property for sale Advertise here Search Properties Wanted Auctions Newsletter Quick Start Register About My Properties Number of visitors online now: 231 Thursday, December 29, 2005 Ad Prices Help Contact Login Subscribe to Rural Property Bulletin Last Few Listings Most Viewed Least Viewed Recently Updated Search by USA Map Rural Property Sites Tool Box Get new properties in your email box! Newsletter Sign-up: yourname@xyz.com HTML TEXT For fun: old listings Contact Us Community Stats Seller emails: 102,892 Property emails: 110,227 Property Views: 13,028,620 Newsletter Subscribers: 14,850 Site Statistics Property 1761 Brokerage 15 Finance & Mortgages 3 Wanted 1 Businesses For Sale 7 Livestock 1 Rural Living 16 Miscellaneous 3 By Land Use: commercial land : 117 dairy farm : 22 fish - aquaculture : 15 forest - natural : 283 forest - planted : 116 historic : 41 horse farm : 380 hospitality : 61 hunting property : 610 livestock operation : 129 mobile home park : 4 oil or minerals : 7 orchard : 17 organic uses : 20 pasture : 319 permanent crops : 43 poultry farm : 33 recreational property : 677 residential land : 844 row crops : 107 undeveloped land : 377 vegetable farm : 15 vineyard : 15 waterfront : 152 By Country: United States : 1709 Canada : 39 South Africa : 34 Zambia : 5 Botswana : 5 Chile : 4 Argentina : 2 Belize : 2 Brazil : 2 Mozambique : 2 Australia : 1 Namibia : 1 Kenya : 1 By Price Per Acre: <$100: 8 $100 to $500 : 34 $500 to $2,000 : 280 $2,000 to $5,000 : 402 >$5,000 : 734 By Acres: <50 : 991 <200 : 1460 200 to 500 : 182 500 to 1,000 : 78 >1,000 : 108 By State/Province: Alabama : 24 Arizona : 11 Arkansas : 14 California : 20 Colorado : 29 Connecticut : 4 Florida : 88 Georgia : 283 Idaho : 12 Illinois : 29 Indiana : 7 Iowa : 9 Kansas : 17 Kentucky : 58 Louisiana : 13 Maine : 32 Maryland : 6 Massachusetts : 7 Michigan : 7 Minnesota : 16 Mississippi : 14 Missouri : 76 Montana : 6 Nebraska : 4 Nevada : 6 New Hampshire : 5 New Jersey : 16 New Mexico : 7 New York : 75 North Carolina : 59 North Dakota : 38 Ohio : 61 Oklahoma : 9 Oregon : 6 Pennsylvania : 6 South Carolina : 64 South Dakota : 22 Tennessee : 293 Texas : 27 Utah : 11 Vermont : 11 Virginia : 123 Washington : 11 West Virginia : 49 Wisconsin : 18 Wyoming : 6 Alberta : 1 British Columbia : 3 Buenos Aires Capital Federal : 1 IV Coquimbo : 1 Manitoba : 1 Mendoza : 1 New Brunswick : 11 Nova Scotia : 12 Ontario : 3 Para : 1 Quebec : 3 Queensland : 1 Saskatchewan : 5 VII Maule : 1 XI Aysen : 2 Not In USA or Canada : 1 Properties by: Land Use Country State/Province Acres Price Per Acre Ohio RESULTS Sort by: price size Total records: 61 Showing records: 1 to 20 Go to page : 1 2 3 4 New Search Cedarville Ohio Farm ( row crops, pasture, permanent crops) A 408 acre property. This property is for sale. Country: Other. State/Province: Ohio. County: Ross. Bob Evans Hidden Valley Ranch ( commercial land, forest - natural, horse farm) A 2,034 acre property. This property is for sale. Country: United States. State/Province: Ohio. County: Gallia. Beautiful Views ( residential land) A 121 acre property. This property is for sale. Country: Other. State/Province: Ohio. County: Muskingum. Franklin County Lots ( residential land) A 73 acre property. This property is for sale. Country: Other. State/Province: Ohio. County: Franklin. Land Live Love Play Hunt ( horse farm, hunting property, residential land) A 3.00 acre property with an asking price of $19,900. This property is for sale. Country: United States. State/Province: Ohio. County: Jackson. Nice House Pond 5.5 Ac. ( residential land) A 24.00 acre property. This property is for sale. Country: United States. State/Province: Ohio. County: Perry. Fire Sale ( recreational property, hunting property, residential land) A 1.50 acre property with an asking price of $3,400. This property is for sale. Country: Other. State/Province: Ohio. County: Jackson. Orchard Farm Market ( orchard, commercial land, residential land) A 42 acre property with an asking price of $569,900. This property is for sale. Country: United States. State/Province: Ohio. County: Lorain. Ohio Hills ( residential land) A 27 acre property with an asking price of $112,500. This property is for sale. Country: United States. State/Province: Ohio. County: Monroe. Country Home Site ( residential land, recreational property, hunting property) A 2.40 acre property with an asking price of $13,900. This property is for sale. Country: United States. State/Province: Ohio Wooded Homesite ( forest - natural, residential land, recreational property) A 5.00 acre property with an asking price of $11,900. This property is for sale. Country: United States. State/Province: Ohio. County: Pike. Touches Shawnee State Forest ( hunting property, recreational property, forest - natural) A 32 acre property with an asking price of $55,900. This property is for sale. Country: United States. State/Province: Ohio. County: Adams. Quiet Country Home Site ( residential land, forest - natural, pasture) A 0.97 acre property with an asking price of $7,900. This property is for sale. Country: United States. State/Province: Ohio. County: Gallia. Fish Canoe Camp Play ( recreational property) A 1.28 acre property with an asking price of $3,400. This property is for sale. Country: United States. State/Province: Ohio. County: Meigs. Super Year End Sale ( residential land, recreational property, hunting property) A 69 acre property with an asking price of $99,900. This property is for sale. Country: United States. State/Province: Ohio. County: Jackson. Save Save Save Save Save ( residential land, waterfront) A 5.00 acre property with an asking price of $39,900. This property is for sale. Country: United States. State/Province: Ohio. County: Gallia. Prime Hunting Land ( recreational property) A 40 acre property with an asking price of $59,900. This property is for sale. Country: United States. State/Province: Ohio. County: Adams. GREAT BUY CALL TODAY ( forest - natural, hunting property, recreational property) A 46 acre property with an asking price of $69,900. This property is for sale. Country: United States. State/Province: Ohio. County: Gallia. Farm History to 1800's ( residential land, livestock operation, horse farm) A 8.30 acre property with an asking price of $89,900. This property is for sale. Country: United States. State/Province: Ohio. County: Jackson. Recreational Paradise ( recreational property, forest - natural, hunting property) A 12.00 acre property with an asking price of $52,800. This property is for sale. Country: United States. State/Province: Ohio. County: Coshocton. Total records: 61 Showing records: 1 to 20 Go to page : 1 2 3 4 For more properties in Ohio contact the sellers below. Acreage Investments - TN Mtn. JJ Detweiler Enterprises, Inc. 2814 Edison St NW Uniontown, OHIO 44685-7210 Belmont County ad In Rpb On Internet Swiss Lands Realty 45325 State Route 78 Woodsfield, OHIO 43793-9440 affordable Country Acreage... JJ Detweiler Enterprises, Inc. 2814 Edison St NW Uniontown, OHIO 44685-7210 bruner Land Co. Bruner Land Company P.O. Box 98 Byesville, OHIO 43723-0098 These are the latest display ads from Rural Property Bulletin . Subscribe here. SPONSORED RESULTS 1. Looking For OHIO? Find Ohio and more at Lycos Search. No clutter, just answers. Lycos ? Go Get It! http://www.lycos.com 2. Find OHIO at eBay Looking for Ohio? eBay has great deals on new and used electronics, cars, apparel, collectibles, sporting goods and more. If you can?t find it on eBay, it probably doesn?t exist. http://www.ebay.com 3. Shop for OHIO Looking for Ohio? MonsterMarketplace shopping directory has Ohio and everything else you?re looking for at one secure online location. Click to view top selling Ohio. http://www.monstermarketplace.com 4. Research OHIO at HighBeam. View free full-text articles and free premium archive previews at HighBeam Research. Find, organize and share information from 1,000s of trusted business, consumer and reference publications. http://www.highbeam.com ©1998-2005 - LandAndFarm.com - Contact Us - Privacy Notice - Disclaimer - UserAgreement - Advertise With Us

Florida Real Estate

IFREC :: Florida Real Estate School :: Welcome to Central Florida's recognized leader in real estate education Site Map Your One Stop Real Estate School! Welcome to the IFREC Real Estate Schools website. We would like to extend our personal greetings to each and every visitor to our Internet home. [en espanol] IFREC Real Estate Schools is celebrating it's 23rd year as Florida's recognized leader in real estate education. IFREC is the only RealtyU affiliate school in Florida. Our real estate schools offer classes for anyone interested in a real estate career, with designation and certification programs held year round at convenient area locations. Please take a few moments to explore our site where you will find information on our school, our locations, our course offerings and our instructors, as well as important resources for real estate professionals such as links to industry-related sites and firms who are currently hiring. If you have any questions that have not been answered by your visit to our site, please e-mail us at info@ifrec.com and let us know. IFREC Offers Locations Throughout Florida IFREC Real Estate Schools offer real estate pre-license, post-license and continuing education courses in classroom and online for real estate professionals in many convenient Florida locations. A career in real estate starts with IFREC Real Estate Schools and continues with personal development courses earning prestigious designations and certifications offered exclusively by IFREC . Classroom locations throughout Florida include North Orlando, East Orlando, South Orlando (Orange County), Tampa (Hillsborough County), Kissimmee (Osceola County), Tavares, Clermont (Lake County), Merritt Island, Melbourne (Brevard County), Stuart (Martin County), Vero Beach (Indian River County), and Lakeland (Polk County). Find a RealtyU® School in Your State Online CE Grading Click Here Current Student Log-In Student ID: Password: HOME :: ABOUT IFREC :: REAL ESTATE COURSES :: DISTANCE LEARNING CONTACT :: RESOURCES :: FAQS REGISTER NOW :: BOOKSTORE :: SITE MAP :: SEARCH :: PRIVACY For Information in Spanish, please contact IFREC at 888-647-7277, Ext. 442 Para la Información en español, por favor contacto IFREC en 888-647-7277, Ext. 442 © 2005 :: ALL RIGHTS RESERVED :: IFREC Real Estate Schools :: 5029 Edgewater Drive :: Orlando, FL 32810 :: 888-647-7277 :: Site Design by 1 Stop Sites

Investment Property Consumer Focus:

FCIC - Consumer Focus -- SITE SEARCH: Books Resources 1-888-8 PUEBLO (1-888-878-3256) Home Consumer Focus Archive Owning a Second Home or Investment Property Consumer Focus: Owning a Second Home or Investment Property Owning a Second Home or Investment Property For various reasons, the idea of owning a second home or investing in property is on many people's minds nowadays. Some dream of having a second home in a more moderate climate. Others, wishing to diversify their investments, are considering real estate because of continued record low mortgage interest rates. If you're interested in the idea, but not sure how to get started, we've assembled some helpful information. Second Home or Investment Property? Criteria Looking Around The Transaction Additional Responsibilities Financing Other Resources E-mail this Information to A Friend Other Topics in the Consumer Focus Archive Top Second Home or Investment Property? The process will be simpler and smoother if you can make some decisions about your lifestyle, needs, and plans for the property at the beginning. Generally, if you're looking for a place to spend the winters for several months at a time or to take frequent weekend getaways, then you're most likely considering the purchase of a second home. However, if you're looking to generate income or diversify your investments, then you're looking to purchase investment property. Check our web site later this month for more information regarding investment property and how to be a landlord. The information below pertains primarily to buying a second home. In either case, you're entitled to different types of tax deductions depending on how you treat the property. Criteria The criteria defining a second home are fairly loose. A second home doesn't necessarily mean a "house." It could be a condominium, a recreational vehicle , or even a boat. Basically, for your second property to be considered a second home by the IRS, it needs to have sleeping accommodations and cooking and toilet facilities. A second home qualifies for the home mortgage interest deduction, just like your primary residence, because you're using the home for personal purposes during the year. Many folks have second homes that are part rental. The catch is that your personal use needs to exceed 14 days or 10 percent of the time it was rented, whichever time length is greater. In addition, if you rent your home for fewer than 15 days a year, and personally use it for more than 15 days a year, you do not need to declare any rental income. Everyone's circumstances are unique. Consult a tax professional regarding deductibility. Top Looking Around Do you want to buy a second home in your favorite vacation area , or a weekend spot not more than a few hours' drive away, but don't know what the market's like? You might want to do some research on the web using Realtor.com or visiting the web sites of the individual real estate companies in the area where you wish to purchase a property. Some real estate-related web sites allow you to tailor your search you select such as price, number of bedrooms/baths, type of home, or location sorted by zip code. If you're considering this home to be your future retirement home, then you also should consider additional factors such as the annual climate. Weather.com allows you to view monthly climatic averages for cities around the country. You also might look for information and articles discussing cost of living or " best places to live for retirees" from groups such as the AARP. The Transaction You'll probably want to work with a local realtor to help with the transaction, especially if you're considering an out-of-state purchase. A knowledgeable realtor should be aware of important factors that could affect your decision. For instance, if the locale you're considering has development restrictions, like those involved with historic districts where strict design, remodeling, or building codes may be enforced. In addition, the agent will do much of the legwork for you and ensure that all the bases are covered during the transaction. Just as you did when you purchased your primary residence, you should still have the property inspected. Take the effort to know your rights . Top Additional Responsibilities Remember, owning a second home is just that-with all the associated responsibilities and expenses that it brings. Check individual state web sites for property taxes. How much maintenance are you willing to take on? If you're not willing to take on a lot of extra maintenance and yard work, consider buying a condo and hiring a property management company. Of course you'll need insurance. In some areas, you may be surprised by the rates you'll need to pay for homeowners insurance . Coastal areas usually have higher premiums due to hurricane risk, and you may need to buy a separate flood insurance policy as well. Financing Just as you did when you bought your primary residence, be sure to have your financial affairs in order before you even begin looking. Get a copy of your credit report and be sure there are no errors, which could delay or hurt your financing options. Also, be prepared to meet some stricter criteria to get the loan. This is because your finances will be stretched more thinly once you take on that second mortgage. Top Other Resources This is just a brief overview. For more information check out these resources: Read these publications online or order them from FCIC: FairCredit Reporting How toBuy a Home With a Low Down Payment How toBuy a Manufactured (Mobile) Home HUDHome Buying Guide Looking for the Best Mortgage-Shop, Compare, Negotiate Twelve Waysto Lower Your Homeowners Insurance Costs Publications available for orderingfrom the Housing Page Publications available for orderingfrom the Money Page Websites*: Department of Housing and UrbanDevelopment Federal Trade Commission Federal Reserve Board FirstGov.gov Public Broadcasting Service AARP Bankrate.com Insurance Information Institute Money.CNN.com NewRVer.com Prudential Realtor.com SmartMoney.com Tax Foundation Weather.com * Names of resources and organizations included in this online article are provided as examples only, and their inclusion does not mean that they are endorsed by the Federal Citizen Information Center or any other Government agency. Also, if a particular resource or organization is not mentioned, this does not mean or imply that it is unsatisfactory. *If you click on these links, you are leaving FCIC's website. Please bookmark us before you leave so you can return easily. FCIC is not responsible for the content of these websites. Top Enjoy this month's Focus? Share this information with a friendand spread the word! Enterrecipient's e-mail address: We will not retain or use this information for any other purpose. For more information on other popular consumer issues check out FCIC's Consumer Focus Archive . Top Import Notices - Site Map - Text Version This service isprovided by the Federal Citizen Information Center of the U.S. General Services Administration . If youhave a comment or question, e-mail us .