Real Estate Agent: It's
Amazon.com: Millionaire Real Estate Agent: It's Not About the Money: Books Your Store Books See All 32 Product Categories Your Account | Cart | Wish List | Help | Advanced Search | Browse Subjects | Bestsellers | The New York Times® Best Sellers | Magazines | Corporate Accounts | Amazon Shorts | Bargain Books | Used Books | Textbooks Search Amazon.com Books Web Search Join Amazon Prime and ship Two-Day for free and Overnight for $3.99. Already a member? Sign in . or Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering. A9.com users save 1.57% on Amazon. Learn how . More Buying Choices 20 used & new from $9.15 Have one to sell? Share your own customer images Look inside this book Millionaire Real Estate Agent: It's Not About the Money (Paperback) by Gary Keller , Dave Jenks , Jay Papasan (57 customer reviews) List Price: $20.00 Price: $20.00 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. See details Availability: This title usually ships within 4 to 6 weeks. Please note that special order titles occasionally go out of print, or publishers run out of stock. These hard-to-find titles are not discounted and are subject to an additional charge of $1.99 per book due to the extra cost of ordering them. We will notify you within 2-3 weeks if we have trouble obtaining this title. Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. 20 used & new available from $9.15 Other Editions: List Price: Our Price: Other Offers: Paperback (1) $21.95 $14.93 65 used & new from $11.00 Audio CD $75.00 $75.00 2 used & new from $75.00 Better Together Buy this book with 21 Things I Wish My Broker Had Told Me... byFrank Cook today! Buy Together Today: $37.29 Customers who bought this book also bought 21 Things I Wish My Broker Had Told Me : Practical Advice for New Real Estate Professionals. by Frank Cook The Millionaire Real Estate Investor by Gary Keller How To Become a Power Agent in Real Estate : A Top Industry Trainer Explains How to Double Your Income in 12 Months by Darryl Davis Your First Year in Real Estate: Making the Transition from Total Novice to Successful Professional by Dirk Zeller How to Develop a Six Figure Income in Real Estate: Superstar Selling the Mike Ferry Way by Mike Ferry Explore Similar Items : in Books , in Magazine Subscriptions , and in Tools & Hardware Editorial Reviews Chris Leporni, Realtor Magazine "Keller presents the million-dollar benchmark as a symbol of excellence, rather than a monument to materialism." Mark Victor Hansen, Co-creator #1 New York Times best-selling series Chicken Soup for the Soul(R) and Co-author, The One Minute Millionaire "The Millionaire Real Estate Agent is the step-by-step handbook for seeking excellence in your profession and your life." See all Editorial Reviews Product Details Paperback: 368 pages Publisher: Rellek Publishing Partners (February 15, 2003) Language: English ISBN: 0970294107 Shipping Information: View shipping rates and policies Average Customer Review: based on 57 reviews. ( Write a review. ) Amazon.com Sales Rank: Today: #97,259 in Books Yesterday: #44,792 in Books (Publishers and authors: improve your sales ) In-Print Editions: Paperback (1) | Audio CD | All Editions Look Inside This Book Browse Sample Pages: Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover Customers who viewed this book also viewed Real Estate Agent's Business Planning Guide by Carla Cross Real Estate Rainmaker: Guide to Online Marketing by Dan Gooder Richard Complete Idiot's Guide to Success as a Real Estate Agent (The Complete Idiot's Guide) by Marilyn Sullivan Mastering the Art of Selling Real Estate by Tom Hopkins Your Successful Real Estate Career by Kenneth W. Edwards Explore Similar Items : in Books , in Magazine Subscriptions , and in Apparel Spotlight Reviews Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers. 183 of 190 people found the following review helpful: Made My First Year In Real Estate a Huge Success! , July 15, 2004 Reviewer: Cheryl Sellers Johnson "www.SellersTeam.com" (Rockville, MD United States) - See all my reviews I found this book on Amazon when I was just starting out in Real Estate. I read many of the how-to books because I wanted and needed to hit the ground running in my new career. This book, by far, was the most information-packed and practical guide to starting a real estate business. (By the way, another excellent book is "How to Become a Power Agent in Real Estate" by Darryl Davis). I am an attorney and before starting my real estate career, I had my own law practice; and before that, I had my own computer consulting company-both successful ventures. I approached real estate from a businessperson's perspective and this book difinitely speaks to the serious businessperson. There are so many books and articles telling new agents where to spend their time and money that by the time the agent figures out what works and what doesn't, they have spent their entire budget and an entire year, and have not made enough money to move on. That's why 70% of new agents drop out of the field by the end of their second year. This book helps agents, new and seasoned, stay focused on the bottom line. Moreover, it answered the most important question for me--If I need to generate $80,000 in income per year (salary, not gross commissions), what activities do I need to do and how much will it cost me? So many of the other books and articles claimed to have the winning formula by telling you that you must knock on 50 doors per week and make 50 cold calls per week to generate business. Their theory is that it must be painful if you are to be successful. This book, however, gives you lists of ideas and says if you do "x" number of activities from this list, you can expect to receive "x" number of transactions per year. YOU get to pick which activities you perform (if you don't like knocking on doors, pick another activity--it does not have to be painful for you to be successful). The other books tell you that you must know a lot of people--friends and family--and that you MUST call and hound them in order to get business. This book, alternatively, says that if you do not know a lot of people (if you are new to an area) or if you don't want to call your friends and family and beg for business, you don't have to. It gives you the formulas so that you can determine how much marketing you have to do with the "people I haven't met yet" group to generate the same results as you would have with your "friends and family" group. Using this book as a business modeling guide, I closed just under $3 million in volume in my first year; and just over $7 million my second year. I already broke through the $6 million volume cap that many seasoned agents hit as a glass ceiling and cannot move beyond. My broker with my first real estate company (Long & Foster) was hostile to my business model because she didn't understand it and because I was taking control of my own career. She wanted me to follow her formula and she wanted me completely dependent on her for my success (even though she never provided me with leads). Then Keller Williams came to Maryland! (Gary Keller, the author, founded Keller Williams to empower real estate agents to run their own successful businesses). I joined Keller Williams and now I am surrounded by agents and brokers who realize that the business is mine and that the broker's role is to support my success. They do not believe, like so many other companies, that the agent's role is to make the broker rich. This is obvious by the fact that they offer one of the highest commission splits in the industry, without charging a monthly "desk fee," and they share the profits with their agents! And their entire culture is based on the "Millionaire Real Estate Agent" business models. If you are serious about approaching real estate as a business, you must read this book. Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) 95 of 104 people found the following review helpful: The Real Deal, Can't Recommend Highly Enough , July 16, 2003 Reviewer: Jeff Hansen (San Jose, CA) - See all my reviews After reading this book three times through I'm struck with one overriding sense, "OK, this guy gets it". Can one book successfully sum up what's needed for a successful real estate career.....yes. I've been a real estate broker for 11 years and I've been to and heard just about every major "real estate trainer" out there: Wickman, Buffini, Stumpf, Kennedy, Ferry, Knox, Droz, DeLuca, etc. What they all offer are specifics of how they were successful realtors in their time. Which is really helpful, but what sets this book apart is that Keller looks at the challenge of treating your real estate sales career like a business. There is real wisdom here, not just about having a "successful" real estate career, but life balance, and personal fulfillment through our real estate business. I know a number of other agents who have read this book and one thing I've heard a few times is "I wish something like this was around when I got into the business", which are exactly my thoughts. Keller has kind of a tough love approach to spelling out exactly what is involved in true mastery as a realtor producing at a very high level. Another thing I find interesting is that this book could be about any industry, any career. The disciplines and business concepts he describes are universal. Keller starts with the open questions of essentially "what would it take for an agent to succeed at a really high level, and let's use a million dollars as a kind of random goal." He then builds with 1) finding the motivation within to climb this mountain, 2) How to earn a million, 3) how to net a million, 4) how to receive a million in passive income (a true business owner), and finally 5) how to put it all together with the key of focus driving your business. Keller has a direct common sense outlook and writing style which I found refreshing. This book applies to the new agent as well as a realtor who is already producing at a high level. Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) Customer Reviews Average Customer Review: Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers. 3 of 4 people found the following review helpful: This is the worst and most boring book I ever read in my life! , December 14, 2005 Reviewer: Willie Shi "bill stone" (bay area) - See all my reviews what this book all about? sell himself and his company! there are total 5 chapter. want to know what chapter 1 tell you? do it! do it!!! you could do it!!! chapter 2 think big! the more money you could imagine, the more money you will be received. chapter 3. earn it as long as you do it, you will earn it. there is no HOW you will be able to find in this book??? chapter 4. net it or deposit it to the bank. even fools know how to walk to the bank. chapter 5. receive it and spend it. absolutably nonsenses!!! bottom line don't waste your money and time. It's worthless! Why did i buy this book? I was cheated! I doubt that all the positive review are from the insiders. Don't fall on a trick! don't take my word for it, walk to the Barnes & Noble and find out yourself! Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) 2 of 2 people found the following review helpful: The best book on how to succeed in real estate , November 29, 2005 Reviewer: R. J Sharpe "Texkabob" (The Republic of Texas) - See all my reviews This book is an excellent tool for a beginning agent or an experienced agent who wants to take his or her business to the next level. It is especially valuable in the following areas: 1. Lead Generation - the book is crystal clear about the fact that real estate is a lead generation business. The authors provide quantifiable models to generate leads that work, provided that the agent is disciplined enough to follow and stick with the program. 2. Budgeting and Marketing - Too many agents make the mistake of spending money they don't have. The authors stress the need to spend out of profits (red light, green light) and stick to your budget. The top line is important if you want to feed your ego and be agent of the month. The bottom line is important if you want to live a really good life. 3. If you list, you last - The authors stress that agents should prospect for listings. This is extremely important. Listings are inventory, and as with any business, the person who controls the inventory is the person who will profit the most. The beauty of inventory in real estate is that you don't own it, so you don't pay the carrying costs, run the risk of loss or theft etc as you would in most other businesses that carry inventory. Without a listing inventory, you are vulnerable to the market. With a listing inventory, you are the market. One area where caution is warranted is in the hiring of staff. The authors are decidedly pro-team, and that's fine, but too many agents add staff too quickly and kill their bottom line as a result. It's helpful to look at the profiles in the back of the book and determine how many transactions per year per person these top teams do. Unless you leverage your staff to do more transactions per person than you can do alone, you might be better off growing staff more slowly than quickly. That's a minor gripe, though, and the authors do an adequate job of explaining the risk. Overall, this book is the best source of knowledge on how to structure a winning residential agency business that I've come across, and it is well worth the price of admission. Bob Sharpe www.canyonlakemls.com Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) 8 of 8 people found the following review helpful: Developing a Real Estate Business: This is the Best! , November 12, 2005 Reviewer: Ernest Buckley (Brooklyn, New York) - See all my reviews I have to laugh at the people who complain about this book, they are not reading the same book I am. I turn to Kellers book almost weekly. I went from no sales and no listings to 3 listings in 3 weeks since reading his book. Just his 8x8 touch technique alone was worth the price. This book is not for everyone. If you are satisfied with your career as is then you will not go the extra effort Keller suggests. For the serious Realtor looking to go out on their own, this book is the roadmap on how to do it. My ten year plan is to develop the skills and relationships needed to go out on my own. This book will take me there with some hard and smart work. Just the fact that Keller has such details in one book is amazing. Everyone from Michael Gerbers to Tony Robbins systems are in this book. What makes it a classic is the fact that the book can combine such a wide range of information in a clear and simple format. Thanks to Keller for writing such an inspiring book. Much Success! Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) 1 of 4 people found the following review helpful: Must read! , October 26, 2005 Reviewer: Laura - See all my reviews For everyone who's new, newer or older in the real estate arena, this book will change your way of doing business. Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) See all 57 customer reviews... Listmania! Real Estate Career : A list by Barry Bullard Be a Realtor : A list by Orange Peel List for Real Estate Agents : A list by "boevans2" Create a Listmania! list So You'd Like to... Work Less and Earn More : A guide by carlamarie , Business Guru Be a Sales Champ? : A guide by Steve Green , Sales Enthusiast take another look-see IV : A guide by Melody Davis , mostly do-it-yourself style books Create a So You'd Like to... guide Look for similar items by category Subjects > Business & Investing > Industries & Professions > Real Estate > General Subjects > Business & Investing > Industries & Professions > Real Estate > Sales Subjects > Business & Investing > Marketing & Sales > Sales & Selling > General Look for similar items by subject Business & Economics / Real Estate Business & Economics / Sales & Selling Business / Economics / Finance Finance, Personal Personal Finance Real Estate - Sales Real estate agents Real estate business Business & Economics Career development Guidebooks Real Estate Sales & Selling Success in business Vocational guidance i.e., each book must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ... 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AllOptions.com - Compare Raw Land Loan Quotes Hard Money Options : FREE Quotes Hard Money Loan Types Hard Money Info Acquisition Loans Asset Based Loans Bridge Loans Construction Loans Raw Land Rehab Loan Non-Conforming Business Options: Merchant Accounts Business Debt Relief Collection Services Equipment Leasing Commercial Loans Mailing Lists Factoring Raw Land Loans R aw land is unimproved real property. From lot(s) to acreage. Raw land is usually valued at a 90-120 day "quick sale" price to determine loan-to-value ratios. Nearly all building and development begins with the purchase of raw land. Yet in the current environment, many lending sources will not make loans on raw, undeveloped land. Unimproved land, or raw land, with no plans for improvement is the hardest type of property to secure a loan on because it is in essence a speculative investment. Raw land has no added improvements like sewers, utilities, streets or structures. A raw land loan will have higher down payment requirements and a higher interest rate than an improved property loan. Some lenders require a 50 percent down payment, but you should be able to find a lender that will only require a 20 percent down payment. A local lender that is familiar with the property will be more willing to work with you on the loan than a lender unfamiliar with the area. FREE Quotes | Hard Money Loan Types | Hard Money Info | Acquisition Loans | Asset Based Loans | Bridge Loans | Construction Loans Raw Land | Rehab Loan | Non-Conforming | Lender Sign-up | Affiliate Program | Contact Us | Site Map | Home
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TREC - Salesperson Application Information -- Licensee Info Search Quick Links -- To Popular Pages -- Licensee Info Search R. E. Contract Forms Renew or Apply Online Salesperson Application Real Estate License Forms Education Providers Core R.E. Course List Freq. Asked Questions Real Estate License Act TREC Rules Data File Downloads License Information Licensing Main Page MCE Requirements FAQs Timeshare Registration Residential Service Company Program Licensed Residential Service Companies Fee Schedule Applications, Requirements Applications & Other License Forms Real Estate Salesperson Requirements Real Estate Broker Requirements R.E. Broker (Corporation & LLC) Requirements Candidate Info. Brochure Reciprocity Information Inspector Applications Renew Your License Renewing a Salesperson License Renewing a Broker License Online Renewal (Brokers, 2yr Salespersons) Duplicate of License Renewal Notice Inspector Renewals KEY To Symbols =Page is in area (folder tab) of this color = Adobe PDF file format = Web site external to TREC Applying to Become a Real Estate Salesperson (PLEASE READ ALL INFORMATION CAREFULLY) To be eligible to apply for a real estate Salesperson License, an individual must be a citizen of the United States or a lawfully admitted alien, eighteen (18) years of age or older and a legal resident of Texas. This next requirement depends on the date of your planned application For Those Applying Prior to January 1, 2006 To be eligible to apply for a real estate Salesperson License, an individual must furnish the Commission satisfactory evidence of successfully completing the following education: Principles of Real Estate core real estate course [60 classroom hours] Law of Agency core real estate course (30 classroom hours) Law of Contracts core real estate course (30 classroom hours) An additional four semester (60 classroom) hours in core courses or in related courses acceptable to the Commission. Evidence of successful completion shall be presented via credit transcript or certificate prior to filing a Salesperson License Application form. DO NOT submit original transcripts and/or course completion certificates. Keep the originals for your personal files and send photocopies to the Commission. For Those Applying On or After January 1, 2006 To be eligible to apply for a real estate Salesperson License, an individual must furnish the Commission satisfactory evidence of successfully completing the following education: Principles of Real Estate core real estate course [60 classroom hours] Law of Agency core real estate course (30 classroom hours) Law of Contracts core real estate course (30 classroom hours) An additional core real estate course (30 classroom hours) Another four semester (60 classroom) hours in core courses or in related courses acceptable to the Commission. Evidence of successful completion shall be presented via credit transcript or certificate prior to filing a Salesperson License Application form. DO NOT submit original transcripts and/or course completion certificates. Keep the originals for your personal files and send photocopies to the Commission. To be eligible to apply for a real estate Salesperson License you must first obtain a letter from the Commission attesting to satisfaction of all education requirements. THE EVALUATION OF EDUCATION DOCUMENTS MUST BE PERFORMED BEFORE THE APPLICATION CAN BE FILED. To obtain an evaluation of your education documents submit the form, Request for Evaluation of Education Documents . A fee of $20.00 is required for the evaluation of education documents for the purpose of determining if education requirements have been satisfied. This fee is good for one year. Please submit copies of your transcripts or course certificates with your request for evaluation. DO NOT submit original documents. The following required fees must be submitted at the time of filing an application. AN APPLICATION RECEIVED WITHOUT THE APPROPRIATE FEES WILL BE REJECTED AND RETURNED. The following fees should be submitted in ONE CHECK OR MONEY ORDER payable to the Texas Real Estate Commission. ALL FEES LISTED BELOW ARE NONREFUNDABLE. Fees Required with Real Estate Salesperson License Application Fee Amount Comment Original Application $69.50 Required for all applicants Recovery Trust Account (formerly Recovery Fund) $10.00 Required for all applicants unlesspreviously paid File your Salesperson Application and Pay for it Online! License examinations are administered by PSI, a testing service company. Once your application has been received, processed and accepted, you will receive notification that you may obtain a copy of the Candidate Information Brochure (CIB) to register for the exam. The CIB will provide instructions on how to make reservations to take the examination and contains study material and instructions about licensing. A copy of the CIB can be downloaded from the PSI web site at http://www.psiexams.com . Please DO NOT attempt to register for the exam without first receiving notification from our office. The filing of an application authorizes an investigation of the applicant's background. Information revealed in an investigation may be cause for disapproval of an application eventhough other requirements for a license are met. If an investigation is necessary, it may not be conducted until the applicant has passed the examination. State law prohibits issuing more than one license once a licensee has defaulted on astudent loan guaranteed by the Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation (TGSLC) unless the licensee has entered into a repayment agreement with TGSLC. YOU SHOULD CONTACT TGSLC BEFORE FILING THIS APPLICATION if you have defaulted on a student loan. An application or renewal may be rejected if this agency has received information from TGSLC that the applicant has defaulted on a student loan. The Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation can be contacted at: Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation P.O. Box 15996 Austin, Texas 78761-5996 Telephone: 1-800-222-6297 Before you can practice as a licensed salesperson you must arrange for a Texas real estate broker holding an active license to sponsor you as a salesperson. Applicants and inactive salespersons are not authorized to act as real estate agents. While you are not required to have a sponsoring broker to file an application for a license, a sponsorship request form is included with the application materials. If you wish, you may file the sponsorship request along with the application. Once all licensing requirements have been satisfied, TREC will send an active salesperson license to the broker, and you may act for the broker on receipt of the license. You may also file the application and arrange for sponsorship after TREC notifies you that you have been issued an inactive license. Once a broker holding an active license has mailed a request to TREC to act as your sponsor, you may begin to act for the broker as a salesperson. The time involved in processing an application depends on work volume. Inquiry as to thestatus of an application delays processing work. Inquiry should not be made unless there isreason to believe that information submitted to the Commission has not been received. An incomplete application will not be returned for completion. A letter will be mailed requesting the incomplete information. The examination must be passed within six months from the date the application is filed with the commission office. You are not authorized to perform any act for which a real estate license is required until an ACTIVE Texas Real Estate Commission license is in the possession of your sponsoring broker. Submit Documents And Applications On Plain Paper. Do Not Send "Thermal" Type Paper. Page last modified: 11/21/2005 Site Map Privacy & Security Policy Open Records Accessibility Texas Online Statewide Search TX Homeland Security
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Learn how refinancing, home equity loans and home equity lines of credit can help you achieve your financial goals Robin Albers, Regional VP of the American Cancer Society, and Champion's Gregory Scher on the field at Shea Stadium to honor Diane Hoffmann for her volunteer efforts to help children with cancer. CLICK TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CHAMPIONS IN THE COMMUNITY. If you're a Champion ® customer impacted by Hurricane Katrina, click here to find out how we're ready to help in this critical time of need. You've worked hard for your home. Champion ® can help it work hard for you. Being a homeowner today is something you should feel proud of — and use to your advantage. With more than 20 years' experience, Champion Mortgage ® can help the equity you've worked so hard to build up in your home work for you. Our trained loan specialists will work with you one-on-one to customize a solution for you. Click on Mortgage 101 to learn how refinancing, home equity loans and home equity lines of credit could help you achieve your financial goals. Visit Our Solutions to see how Champion can help. New Home Purchase If you're considering buying a new home, Call 1-800-242-6746 , ext 6015 . Refinancing Save with today's great low rates. Reduce your monthly payments or pay off your mortgage faster. Find Out More About Refinancing or Start Now Home Equity Loans Consolidate high-interest debt or use your home's equity to pay for life's big expenses. Find Out More About Home Equity Loan or Start Now Home Equity Lines of Credit Borrow against your home equity whenever you need it and use the money for whatever you choose. Find Out More About Home Equity Lines of Credit or Start Now Begin our Loan Application process online. Or call 1-800-CHAMPION today. 2005 Champion Mortgage ® . A division of KeyBank National Association. All rights reserved. Home | Mortgage 101 | Our Solutions | Get Started | About Us Contact Us | Site Map | Careers | My Accounts | Legal | Privacy Policy | USA Patriot Act
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10 Steps to Take Before You Sell Your House - Home Selling You are here: About > Home & Garden > Home Buying / Selling > How To Sell a House > 10 Steps to Take Before You Sell Your House - Home Selling Home & Garden Home Buying / Selling Essentials 10 Things Home Buyers Shouldn't Do Best Tips for First Time Home Buyers "Must-Do" Tasks Before You Sell How to Buy a Home, Step by Step For Sale by Owner Advice Articles & Resources How To Buy a Home How To Sell a House Celebrity & Historic Credit Reports & Scores Design & Remodel Home Maintenance Inspections & Appraisals Investing & Foreclosures Modular & Manufactured Mold, Radon, Lead, etc. Mortgage Advice Moving & Relocation Real Estate Careers Real Estate For Sale Vacation Homes Buyer's Guide Before You Buy Top Picks Home Buying Books Foreclosure Books Mortgage Books Product Reviews Forums Help FREE Newsletter Sign Up Now for the Home Buying / Selling newsletter! See Online Courses Search Home Buying / Selling Stay up to date! Email to a friend Print this page More Home Selling Articles Understanding Material Facts and Property Disclosures Get Ready for Your Home Inspection Should You Buy a Home Warranty? More Home Selling Resources How to Read the HUD-1 Settlement Statement Getting the House Ready to Sell How To Measure Your Square Footage Recent Discussions Excellent credit, no savings- help!! Buying an out of state home ? Re-financing... Related Blogs Mortgage Fraud Blog The Real Estate Blog The Money Pit Most Popular Modular and Manufactured Homes Finding Your Best Place to ... Home Buying Don'ts First Time Home Buyer Tips Before You Sell Your Home What's Hot Coping with Unethical People How To Buy Land Real Estate Appraisal Before You Buy a Log Home Package Home Buying / Selling - GuideReviews Related Topics Home Repair Architecture Credit / Debt Management Housekeeping Landscaping 10 Important Steps to Take Before You Sell Your House From Janet Wickell , Your Guide to Home Buying / Selling . FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! Essential Home Selling Preparations The home selling process differs from state to state, but there are some important steps that most home sellers should take before listing a house with an agent or selling it for sale by owner. Every bit of prep work you do helps you get the most return from your investment. 1. Get Pre-Approved for a Home Loan I've known sellers who signed a contract to sell their house before they knew if they were qualified to buy another. Either their financial circumstances had changed since their last purchase, and they could no longer qualify for a loan, or they weren't able to sell at a price that allowed them to buy the type of replacement house they wanted. They ended up renting or buying something that was far from ideal. Before you decide to sell the house, get pre-approved by a lender you trust and research the housing market in the area where you wish to live so that you have a good idea how much it will take to buy a replacement. Start looking for two types of real estate: houses that seem to match the one you'd like to buy and houses that are similar to your current home. How do the two categories compare in price? Can you handle the difference if you're planning a step up? Mortgage Helpers: Are You Pre-Approved for a Mortgage? And to compare for-sale homes to your own, learn how to Measure Residential Square Footage . 2. Check Your Mortgage Payoff Call your lender to check the payoff for your current home mortgage. You'll need the figure to complete Step 6. 3. Determine How Much Your House Is Worth Determine your home's fair market value. Real estate agents will usually help you determine value as a courtesy, but you might take it a step further and order an appraisal . 4. Estimate Your Costs to Sell Real estate commission if you use an agency to sell. Advertising costs, signs, other fees if you plan to sell by owner. Attorney, closing agent and other professional fees. Excise tax for the sale. Prorated costs for your share of annual expenses, such as property taxes, home owner association fees, and fuel tank rentals. Any other fees typically paid by the seller in your area (surveys, inspections, etc.). Real estate agents deal with transactions every day and can give you a very close estimate of seller closing costs. 5. Estimate Costs to Buy a New Home Calculate moving expenses, loan costs, downpayment, home inspections, title work and title policy, paying for a new hazard insurance policy--all expenses related to buying a home. Your lender should give you a disclosure of estimated costs when you apply for loan pre-approval. 6. Calculate Your Estimated Proceeds Deduct your mortgage payoff from your home's fair market value. Deduct your costs to sell from the remainder to get an estimate of the proceeds you will be paid at closing. Will your closing proceeds cover your costs to buy a new home? If not, do you have cash or other funding to make up the difference? 7. Make Necessary Repairs Make all needed repairs unless you want the house to be regarded as a fixer-upper. I'm not referring to cosmetic updates--just items in need of repair. Anything that's obviously broken gives potential buyers a reason to offer you a lower price, especially if it's one of several repair hot spots that worry buyers the most. 8. Get the House Ready to Show Most houses need at least a little spiffing up before they are shown to potential buyers. Great curb appeal , fresh paint indoors (and sometimes out), organized closets and cabinets, sparkling clean windows and appliances and a clutter-free look are essential if you want the house to appeal to buyers. Be sure to avoid the things buyers hate most about houses. 9. Get Psyched Up to Let People In If you're listing with a real estate agent, she'll ask you to leave when the house is shown. Why? Because lurking sellers make buyers nervous--they don't feel comfortable inspecting the house when they feel they are intruding in your personal space. Unless there's a valid reason for it, don't ask your agent to be present for all showings, because that requirement can be the kiss of death for showing activity. Other agents want privacy with their buyers and they don't usually have time to work around your agent's schedule. Make the house accessible. That means it should always be ready to show. Many agents won't bother showing a house that takes 24 hours to get into. Important disclaimer information about this About site. 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