Selling home on your

Alaska Journal of Commerce: Selling home on your own can prove costly 04/22/02 [an error occurred while processing this directive] [an error occurred while processing this directive] Home Focus In this Issue Calendar Bulletin Board Movers & Shakers Business History Archive Around the World Legals Viewpoint Profile Cartoons Contact Us Advertise with us Subscribe About Us Classified ADs Oil & Gas Special Sections Wealthbuilders Fish Factor Travel Insight Property Wise Tech Watch Law Page Philanthropy Health Book of Lists -5° 17° 9° 8° 27° 33° 35° 41° 44° 39° 35° Choose City Anchorage Barrow Bethel Cordova Deadhorse Denali Park Dillingham Dutch Harbor Fairbanks Galena Haines Homer Juneau Kenai Ketchikan Kodiak Kotzebue McGrath Nenana Paxson Petersburg Pribilof Islands Sitka Skagway Soldotna Talkeetna Valdez Wrangell Yakutat Email Newsletter Palm Pilot Delivery Letter to the editor Comments Locate a copy [an error occurred while processing this directive] [an error occurred while processing this directive] 042202 prop_wise 2 Alaska Journal of Commerce Late night television and local radio programming is rife with infomercials and advertisements touting how easy it is to buy and sell your houses, buildings and businesses all by yourself and save staggering amounts of money to boot. -- Web posted Monday, April 22, 2002 Selling home on your own can prove costly By Ken Jelinek For the Journal Late night television and local radio programming is rife with infomercials and advertisements touting how easy it is to buy and sell your houses, buildings and businesses all by yourself and save staggering amounts of money to boot. They can be rather insulting to those of us in the real estate industry because they attempt to make us sound unnecessary, unethical and expensive. But the fact is, you really can do it yourself successfully. Cynically speaking, however, you can also fix your own car, generate your own electricity, defend yourself in court, trade your own stocks and never visit a doctor. You could probably do your neighbor's job too. One day, when everything is perfectly computerized and digital, you probably won't need a real estate agent. But for now, for the rest of us, we need the help, and that help is going to cost us. So, before you go spiraling off in your declaration of independence, ask yourself, "If it's really so easy, then why aren't all real estate transactions conducted without an agent?" You might also ask yourself if you would want to eliminate the real estate agent and take on all of his or her responsibilities when you are already bogged down with your own life in general, and especially if you haven't done it enough to do it right or do it well? Then, listen closely to your answers because we professionals in the industry are often patching up real estate transactions gone sour behind the well-meaning do-it-yourselfers. Keep in mind that I'm referring to all professionals in the industry including agents, attorneys, loan originators, title officers, processors, surveyors, tax assessors, appraisers and inspectors. But I'm referring specifically to the agent because he or she is the center in this wheel. Nationally, only three to five of every 100 home sales consists of successful "For Sale by Owner" transactions. The vast majority of those that attempt it end up hiring an agent within the first 30 days after they have realized the true cost, time and demands required for marketing and showing a home. Locally, the statistics indicate 15-17 percent of FSBOs are successful. While there are a lot of reasons for this, one of the main ones is that we have a robust seller's market with relatively low inventory. This can be quite tempting for sellers to strike out on their own because it looks easier than it is. But even the owners that sell their own homes usually sell to a buyer who has an agent paid for by the seller. The truth is that the vast majority of all real estate transactions are completed with agents involved on at least one side of the sale, and for this reason, most transactions go very smoothly. But sometimes they don't. One recent seller took the advice of a local FSBO program on pricing his home. Several programs will give you limited service for a set fee. He put an ad in the paper and sold it within three days. When the appraisal report came back he learned that he priced his home too low but was still committed to that price. Sure, he might have saved 6 or 7 percent in brokerage fees but he lost a lot more than that to the happy buyer because his FSBO consultant didn't know the market well enough. In a similar incident, a very excited couple heard of a perfect home on the market For Sale By Owner in their neighborhood. The sellers told them that they didn't want to pay any brokerage fees and proceeded to negotiate down the asking price by $9,000, which made the buyers feel special. A market analysis revealed that the starting price was already about $10,000 too high. And yet, it's going to be sold at the same market price to the buyers whether or not they have an agent paid by the seller. Recently a buyer made an offer on a duplex that was accepted with a counteroffer to increase the earnest money. Both buyer and seller agreed verbally and the only thing lacking was the buyer's signature on that change. In the meantime, the seller sold the duplex to a second buyer to get a higher price and quicker closing. He now has two accepted offers on the same property at the same time. Which party in this potential lawsuit would you like to be? Not all sellers innocently try to save money on real estate commissions. Some choose to "overlook" disclosing pertinent and sometimes legally required information to buyers because doing so might lower the final sales price or prohibit a sale indefinitely because they can't afford to fix a deficiency. How would you protect yourself without the watchful eye of an expert? Agents usually take on quite a bit of risk in marketing your house for sale or driving you around looking at homes to buy. They pay for everything up front and often don't get paid until the day it is recorded, which makes him or her, actually, quite a bargain. On the other hand, you could do it yourself. Ken Jelinek is an associate broker with RE/MAX Properties in Anchorage. He can be reached at 907-257-0196. [an error occurred while processing this directive] © 2004 The Alaska Journal of Commerce and Morris Communications Corp.

Colorado Real Estate .

Summit County Colorado Real Estate Experts RE/MAX Breckenridge, Keystone, Frisco, Silverthorne COLORADO MOUNTAIN REAL ESTATE Featuring Real Estate for sale in Breckenridge, Keystone, Frisco, Silverthorne, Dillon and all of Summit County Colorado RE/MAX Home | Real Estate Center | Services | About Us | Contact Us Find Real Estate Search 178 Real Estate Listings in Summit County and nearby Colorado Mountain areas. Select Location ================== All Locations Alma Blue river Breckenridge Copper mountain County Dillon Fairplay Frisco Heeney Jefferson Keystone Kremmling Leadville Out of mls area Placer valley Silverthorne Summit cove Twin lakes Wildernest Select Type ================== All Types AC Condo Duplex Home Land Mobile Home Timeshare Townhome Select Price ================== Any Price Under $150,000 $150,000-$250,000 $250,000-$350,000 $350,000-$500,000 $500,000-$750,000 $750,000-$900,000 $900,000-$1,000,000 $1000,000+ Find Summit County Real Estate Listings in: Breckenridge Frisco Keystone Dillon Silverthorne Copper Mountain All Colorado Locations Properties of Interest: Slopeside Ski Real Estate Golf Real Estate Luxury Homes New Real Estate Best Buy Properties Meet Our REALTORS® Choose from our 69 Summit County Colorado REALTORS®. Please select a Summit County office location below: Breckenridge Office Frisco Office Keystone Office Silverthorne Office Select an Office Breckenridge, CO Frisco, CO Keystone, CO Silverthorne, CO //-- Welcome to Summit County's #1 Real Estate Company. T hank you for visiting our website! We are absolutely thrilled to have you here. You can find a wide selection of Real Estate listed by RE/MAX Properties of the Summit in Summit County and Surrounding Colorado Mountain Areas. If there is anything we can do for you, please do not hesitate to ask - we are here to help you. Contact us via email or call us in Breckenridge at: 1-800-289-7005, Keystone at: 1-866-513-0404, Frisco at: 1-800-289-5305, Silverthorne at: 1-800-289-2005 . W hy RE/MAX? RE/MAX Properties of the Summit is the leading real estate company in Summit County. What we mean by leading, is that we help more buyers buy property in Summit County and we help more sellers sell property in Summit County . We come close to tripling our nearest competitors sales every year! W hy Summit County? Summit County is Colorado's home for 4 World Class Ski Resorts and some of the most breathtaking scenery in Colorado. Get more infomation on the Breckenridge Ski Area and the Town of Breckenridge . Visit Lake Dillon informational pages and learn about the history and activities Summit County's Largest Lake offers. Keystone Resort , a Colorado Destination for individuals and families vacationing in Colorado. Frisco, Colorado : Summit County's Hub, reach all of the Summit's ski resorts in minutes. Best Buys Property price reductions 4 Bedroom Silverthorne Duplex EAGLES GLEN, Silverthorne, Colorado $740,000 now: $725,000 View All 22 Best Buy Properties Real Estate Updates Receive Summit County and Mountain Real Estate updates with RE/MAX's eListing Update . Signup today and receive new listings and price change alerts for your specific Real Estate Needs via Email. If you would like to UNsubscribe from eListing Updates please click here . SUMMIT COUNTY & COLORADO MOUNTAIN REAL ESTATE Home | Summit County Real Estate | Breckenridge Real Estate | Keystone Real Estate | Frisco Real Estate | Dillon Real Estate | Silverthorne Real Estate | About RE/MAX Properties of the Summit | Contact Us | Services The Real Estate information contained herein is based on information updated daily by copying data manually from databases maintained by the Summit County MLS. Accordingly, we make no guarantee of its accuracy and suggest you make an independent inquiry of any Real Estate matter you regard as important. RE/MAX Real Estate News . Colorado Real Estate . Nationwide Real Estate and other resources RE/MAX PROPERTIES OF THE SUMMIT | Powered by: Summit Colorado .com © 2005

Selling Home

Selling A Home - Selling a Home Made Simple - RBC Royal Bank RBC.com | Search | Site Map | Contact Us | Legal Terms | Français Select Region Canada US International Other RBC Sites: Banking Investments Insurance SIGN IN Online Services Online Banking Online Investing Visa Inquiry RBC ROYAL BANK SELLING A HOME Preparing Your Home Real Estate Agents Selling on Your Own Negotiating the Sale The Closing Financing Planning Your Move Downsizing Your Home MORTGAGE RATES SEARCH Selling a Home Made Simple Preparing Your Home So you've decided to sell your home. Let's take a look at all the things you can do to increase your chances of success. Price it to sell Tips to higher prices Real Estate Agents As the vendor, you may hire a real estate professional to help you sell your home. Understand what services you can expect from your real estate agent. Selling on Your Own You need to carefully examine your capabilities and skills as a potential real estate agent before jumping in. Negotiating the Sale If you accept an offer, what can go wrong? And what measures should you take to protect yourself legally? For extra convenience, fill in a RBC Royal Bank Pre-Approved Mortgage Application online. Talk to a Mortgage Specialist How Much can You Afford? Mortgage Calculator Choosing the Right Mortgage Term Mortgages Insurance Mutual Funds GICs Buying a Home Renovating a Home back to top rbcroyalbank.com is operated by Royal Bank of Canada. Privacy | Legal Terms | Security ©Royal Bank of Canada 1995 - 2005 Last modified: 03/03/2005 13:33:33

Rental Property

Vacation Condo Rentals - Vacation Rental Property www.CondoRentHelp.com Important Disclaimer Policy - read beforecontinuing Vacation Rental Properties To see our current rentals, continue down this page: Renters Owners/Advertisers To see what rentals (condo, house, villa, etc.)are listed, continue to scroll down this page then select a state from the following list or click here If you are a property owner with an existing listing, click here If you own a vacation property (condo, house, villa, etc.) and want to advertise with us, click here If you want to know why you should advertise with us, click here If you want to see if you qualify for our FREE introductory listing, click here To contact us, click here To see a list of frequently asked questions (FAQ), Click here To locate a listing by property number, enter the # and press the 'submit' button, Use the map to pick a state to see the vacation condo or other rental properties available Most Popular Rental States California Colorado Florida Hawaii North Carolina South Carolina Virginia Most Popular Rental States California Colorado Florida Hawaii North Carolina South Carolina Virginia Top rental cities Destin, Florida Disney Area, Florida Indian Rocks Beach, Florida Marco Island, Florida New Smyrna Beach, Florida Panama City Beach, Florida Sanibel Island, Florida Hilton Head Island, South Carolina Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Virginia Beach, Virginia CondoRentHelp.com handles condo, house, townhouse, and villa vacation rentals but specializes in condo rental properties.

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