Sell House

Question: How do you prepare a house to sell? español Put My Century 21 to work for you, simply register your email address and create a password. Once you're registered, you'll be able to • save property descriptions • store your search criteria • file agent information • build a custom library Find out more or register now! Already registered? Sign in . Learn about Real Estate Selling Pricing the House to Sell Question: How do you prepare a house to sell? Question: How do you prepare a house to sell? Answer: Doing whatever you can to put your house's best face forward is very important if you want to get close to your asking price or sell as quickly as possible. Short of spending a lot of money, here are several ideas for making your home show better: * Sweep the sidewalk, mow the lawn, prune the bushes, weed the garden and clean debris from the yard. * Clean the windows (both inside and out) and make sure the paint is not chipped or flaking. And speaking of paint, if your home was built before 1978, new federal law gives a buyer the right to request a lead inspection. If you think you might have some problems, do the inspection yourself beforehand and make any fixes you can. * Be sure that the doorbell works. * Clean and spruce up all rooms, furnishings, floors, walls and ceilings. It's especially important that the bathroom and kitchen are spotless. * Organize closets. * Make sure the basic appliances and fixtures work. Get rid of leaky faucets and frayed cords. * Make sure the house smells good: from an apple pie, cookies baking or spaghetti sauce simmering on the stove. Hide the kitty litter. * Put vases of fresh flowers throughout the house. * Having pleasant background music playing in the background also will help set your stage. c 2000 Inman News Features All Rights Reserved -- ©2005 Century 21 Real Estate LLC. An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Each CENTURY 21 Office Is Independently Owned And Operated. All rights reserved. Information appearing on this site has been produced by or obtained primarily from Century 21 Real Estate LLC and its representatives and from CENTURY 21 franchisees. Century 21 Real Estate LLC is not responsible for the accuracy or completeness of the broker information, sales associate information, listing information or other information provided by our franchisees appearing on or through this site. Such information has been provided by independent third parties who are solely responsible for such content. Certain conditions and restrictions apply to System promotions. Terms and Conditions of Use.

Investment property for rental

1st Property Investment | Residential Investments in UK Property | profile 1st Property Investment Suite B Third Floor Gresham House Watford WD17 1LA Telephone: +44 (0)1923 238 333 Facsimile: +44 (0)1923 238 444 Opening Hours Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm Home [ Regional ] [ Surrey ] [ Watford ] 1st Property Investment 1st Property Investment specialises in Rental Property investment opportunities in the UK property market that deliver maximum returns for private and corporate clients. Investment property for rental in the UK is fast becoming recognised as the smart way to make money, property prices in the UK have averagely doubled every 7 years over the last 50 years. 1st Property Investment specialise in identifying off-plan opportunities with above average capital growth potential and ready rental demand in the UK, contact us about investment properties in: 1st Property Investment 1st Property Investment Opportunities Why Invest in UK Property? Sipps Property Investments & Pensions Contact 1st Property Investment The UK Superweb is an exclusive search resource delivering reviewed, specific UK content links fulfilling and assisting web users searches. The profiles section shows businesses exclusively linked up, these companies offer the best in the business and use the Internet to bring their products and services to you, right now! Commissions gained to market clients support our continued growth independently, thank you! Welcome 1st Property Investment to UK Superweb Online Property The Consistent Investment Much has been written about the unsustainable increases in the UK housing market and now abroad, but the reality is that as an investment, property has performed consistently for over 50 years. Just look at the facts On average UK property prices have increased by 100%+ every decade in the last 100 years. Chronic housing undersupply means that there is still room for significant growth. Government figures show that by 2010 up to 40% of UK households will be occupied by single people. According to the Office of National Statistics there will be an annual shortfall of housing in the UK of over 100,000 properties each year for the next decade. This could mean a 1 million housing shortfall by 2020 if current trends continue. The Barker report concluded that strict UK planning constraints, increasing numbers of smaller households due to social change and chronic undersupply of new houses will remain for the foreseeable future. With rising house prices ruling out home ownership for many people, and substantially more people than properties to house them, there has never been a better time to invest in rental property. Birmingham Bolton Bristol Cambridge Cardiff Coventry Ispwich Leeds Leicester Liverpool Manchester Middlesborough Newcastle Norwich Nottingham Portsmouth Sheffield Southampton Chatham Medway Gravesend Ebsfleet Ashford Dartford Thames Gateway Local Property Investments in the UK! 1st with the opportunities Current local UK property developments Recent developments Worldwide Property Investments in Apartments, Town Houses, Villas and Beach resort properties Current overseas property developments Contact 1st Property Investment Information & Online Form www. 1stPropertyInvestment .co.uk

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.

Real estate prices and

Real estate price index, annually. 1981=100 - Statistics Sweden Find: A-Z Content Search Find more on the website --------------------------- Agriculture, forestry and fishery Business activities Citizen influence Culture and leisure Education and research Energy Environment Financial markets Health and medical care Household finances Housing and construction Information technology Judicial system Labour market Living conditions National accounts Population Prices and Consumption Public finances Social insurance Social services Trade in goods and services Transport and communications --------------------------- Use Sweden's Statistical Database Maps About Sweden's Statistical Database --------------------------- Publication plan Publications About the publications --------------------------- International statistics Information and Library Economic statistics Regional statistics Methodology --------------------------- Information services Statistics Sweden's Business Register SCB International Consulting Order international statistics Order Swedish statistics --------------------------- Swedish Statistics Net Other statistical sources Housing and construction Real estate prices and registrations of title Real estate price index Annual figures. Index 1981=100. As a comparison the consumer price development is also shown Download Data and graphs for printing out (101 kb) Comments The graph shows the development of prices for one- and two-dwelling buildings for permanent living, buildings for seasonal and secondary use and multi-dwelling and commercial buildings. The price level is expressed as an index, with base year 1981=100. The graph for one- or two dwelling buildings and buildings for seasonal and secondary use are the official real estate price index, while the graph for multi-dwelling and commercial buildings is the purchase-price coefficient transformed into a graph. The development of consumer prices has been included in the graph to further illustrate the development of prices. The late 1980s was a period with very rapid price increases. The downturn of the economy in the early 1990s ended this and the price level decreased for three years. During the latter half of the 1990s, price increases have again been considerable. For the whole period, consumer prices have increased at a much slower pace than real estate prices. Press information Statistical Databases More graphs on real estate prices Real estate price index, annual changes To Economic statistics To Business cycle indicators Top of page Updated: 2005-06-01

real estate investing Being

Getting real about real estate investing - Nov. 17, 2004 Web CNN/Money Buying & Selling Investment Property Home Improvement Million $ Life Financing Best Places Getting real about real estate investing Being a landlord can be profitable -- or a big headache. Take some advice from these investors. November 17, 2004: 4:03 PM EST By Jon Birger , MONEY Magazine. Additional reporting by Joan Caplin and Amy Feldman. NEW YORK (MONEY Magazine) - Successful real estate investors sometimes make what they do sound almost too easy. "Rentals freed me from ever having to get a job again," says Orlando Rodriguez, a 38-year-old San Antonio landlord who makes about $100,000 a year off the 90 apartments he owns. "I'm a high school dropout -- seventh-grade dropout, actually -- so my story should tell people this isn't rocket science." Yes, landlording isn't science (which is not to say it isn't often a lot of hard work), but if you're willing to put in the time and effort, buying and operating rental properties can pay off big. Try this math on for size: You purchase a $100,000 condominium with $30,000 down and a $70,000 mortgage. If the condo rents for $1,200 a month, your net profits -- after costs such as mortgage, maintenance and property taxes -- should be in the $2,000-a-year range. Conservatively invested, that sum should earn enough to pay off the entire mortgage within 14 years. You'd have turned $30,000 in equity into $100,000, even if rents didn't go up and property values didn't appreciate. Factor in 4 percent annual rent increases and price appreciation, and the property's net value to the owner would be closer to $200,000. A stock fund would need to return 15 percent a year for 14 years to beat that performance -- and funds don't give you any of the tax breaks that can come with being a property owner. The key thing to remember, though, is that buying rental properties is not for point-and-click investors. Even landlords who hire out the plumbing, painting and rent collection to contractors and management companies typically make a big time commitment. Rick Lionhardt of Dallas, a 55-year-old retired telecom worker, owns 33 properties with wife Helen, 49, a secretary. Even when he was working full time, Lionhardt says, he spent 70 to 80 hours a week on real estate. "I'd make calls during lunch and drive around at night looking for more things to buy." For the first-time landlord, there is plenty to learn -- about taxes, financing, dealing with difficult tenants -- and usually there are many mistakes to be made. The payoff can be terrific though, even for investors who own just one or two properties. Doing it right will get you extra income now and a valuable addition to your retirement nest egg down the road. What does "doing it right" mean? Read on for some key tips and secrets -- as well as pitfalls to avoid -- from successful investors who had to learn the hard way. Know how to take your market's temperature. When considering a rental property, your top concern should be whether you can make money renting it out now, not how much its price might appreciate in the future (although that's important too). All you're doing is speculating on real estate prices if you're shelling out more than you're taking in -- and that can be dangerous, especially if you're doing it with borrowed money. "You never want to buy a property where every month you have to feed it," says Neil Binder, co-founder of New York City's Bellmarc Realty. So before you buy, add up your projected property taxes, mortgage payments and maintenance costs, and make sure the total is less than your expected rental income. Experienced real estate investors say they generally look to pay anywhere from 45 to 85 times monthly rent for a property. That means annual rental revenue should be about 15 to 25 percent of the property's value. Finding places with those kinds of yields can be difficult. Take California, probably the most bubblicious market in the country. A condominium renting for $1,200 a month in Southern California sells for $350,000 today, according to veteran California real estate investor Bruce Norris. A $1,200-a-month condo in the Dallas/Fort Worth area can be had for $95,000. To a landlord, that's the difference between an annual return on investment of 4 percent vs. 15 percent. Mortgages and home equity loans Search for rates from hundreds of lenders. No points only Select Loan: Select a Mortgage 15 Yr Fixed Jumbo - $385K 15 Yr Fixed Conforming - $165K 30 Yr Fixed Conforming - $165K 30 Yr Fixed Jumbo - $385K 1 Yr ARM Conforming - $165K 1 Yr ARM Jumbo - $385K 3/1 Yr ARM Conforming - $165K 3/1 ARM Jumbo - $385K 5/1 Yr ARM Conforming - $165K 5/1 ARM Jumbo - $385K 7/1 Yr ARM Conforming - $165K ARM Jumbo - $385K State: Select State Alaska Alabama Arkansas Arizona California Colorado Connecticut Washington DC Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Iowa Idaho Illinois Indiana Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Massachusetts Maryland Maine Michigan Minnesota Missouri Mississippi Montana North Carolina North Dakota Nebraska New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico Nevada New York Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Virginia Vermont Washington Wisconsin West Virginia Wyoming "The only reason you'd be a California landlord at today's prices is because you're expecting price appreciation," says Norris, who thinks prices in the state are due for a fall. "Monthly cash flow would be almost impossible to achieve without an enormous down payment." Another tool experienced investors use to measure the profitability of a market is price-to-rent -- that is, the ratio of median home price to annual rent for three-bedroom homes. The bigger the number, the less likely you are to make money as a landlord. California has a price-to-rent ratio of 25 these days, the highest in the country. Hawaii (23) is second from the top, and Massachusetts (19) is third. Far more inviting to investors are states like Delaware, Missouri, Texas and Vermont, where the price-to-rent ratios are 11 or 12. For more information on median home prices and market rents in your area, visit realtor.org and huduser.org . Find smart ways to cut your financing costs. Borrowing to buy real estate as an investment is more expensive than borrowing to buy a home. Lenders generally think they are taking more of a risk on buildings that the owner doesn't live in. Consequently, the interest rates they charge tend to be 0.5 percentage points or more above those for traditional home mortgages. Not only that, but borrowers need excellent credit scores to qualify for the lowest rates. In addition, the minimum down payment is usually 20 or 25 percent, instead of the 10 percent for standard home mortgages. There are a couple of ways around the higher rates and steeper down payments. To qualify for a traditional mortgage, you are required by most lenders to live in the property for a minimum of one year. But there's nothing stopping you from buying a home or a condo with a traditional mortgage, living in it for a year and then renting it out afterward. YOUR E-MAIL ALERTS Mortgages Personal Debt Real Estate Loan Markets or Create your own Manage alerts | What is this? If the down payment rather than the rate is the stumbling block, ask the seller whether he's willing to self-finance the mortgage. With owner financing, the buyer signs a promissory note in which he agrees to make his mortgage payments directly to the seller. In exchange for forgoing a down payment, the seller typically gets a premium rate -- 8 to 10 percent, perhaps. Why would a seller take the additional risk implicit in skipping the down payment? "It's a lot faster to sell a house owner-financed than conventionally," says San Antonio landlord Rodriguez. (There are also brokers who buy owner-financed notes from sellers who want their money up front.) Click here to learn about interest-only mortgages and some of their advantages. Learn to take advantage of the many tax breaks. For tax purposes, what you make in rent is generally taxable as regular income. Real estate taxes and mortgage interest on an investment property are fully tax deductible though. Operating expenses such as utilities, insurance, repairs and condominium common charges are also deductible. So are rental fees paid to brokers, although they must be spread out over the life of the lease. Even better, the federal tax code entitles rental-property owners to a depreciation deduction even though housing prices usually go up, not down, over time. (There are, however, numerous conditions and catches, which is why it is essential to consult a tax adviser before you invest a cent.) Anticipate problems (they will be numerous). Reliable, prompt-paying tenants do up and leave suddenly. Minor leaks have a way of becoming expensive repair jobs. That's why it's smart to line up inspectors and contractors before you buy. And why it's important to establish rainy-day funds. Two or three months' rent is usually -- but not always -- sufficient. Just ask Marla Renee, a 55-year-old semiretired hairdresser who owns six rental properties in the Detroit area. Five years ago Renee bought a run-down duplex for $28,000. She figured the house needed $10,000 worth of work, but three months later the tally was nearly three times that. "The last tenant had turned on the water on purpose and flooded the whole place," she says. "The floor, ceiling and walls were all messed up." Finally, don't skimp on fees should you decide to hire a management company to tend to your rental property. The typical fee is 5 to 10 percent of rental income. Experienced landlords say it's not worth it to be cheap: Property managers often work harder to fill vacancies and to maximize rent when they are better compensated. Put potential tenants under the microscope. Picking tenants may ultimately be the most important real estate decision you make. This is where listening to the voices of experience really pays off -- although you should be discreet about how you apply their lessons. Elderly people are better tenants than college kids, as everyone knows, but in many states, landlords acting on that type of common sense judgment would be running afoul of fair-housing laws. Michelle Bizik, 35, of Lake Ariel, Pa. owns two small apartment buildings with her husband Goran, 30. For the most part, they've had lots of success finding good tenants. They require potential renters to provide Social Security numbers, ostensibly for criminal and credit background checks (which are a good idea), but Bizik says it's more about renters proving to her that they have nothing to hide. She also checks references with employers and prior landlords. If prospects pass those tests, she and her husband always meet them in person. "I need to get a vibe off of them," she explains. These are all good ideas for screening tenants. Here are a couple more. When checking references, don't stop with the most recent landlord. Contact the second or third most recent as well. "The current landlord may just want him out of the property," says Ellis San Jose, a 39-year-old real estate investor from Los Angeles. Also, consider making an unannounced visit to the prospect's current residence. Marcia Glantz, a Coldwell Banker broker for 27 years in Yorktown, N.Y., says, "Explain that your house is important to you, and that you want to get a sense for how they live." Saying no can be tough when a vacancy is burning a hole in your wallet. Stay strong. The one time Michelle Bizik caved proved to be a big mistake. "We were both against him," she recalls, "but the apartment was empty and he was a friend of another tenant." Soon after the guy moved in, his pregnant girlfriend, five cats and two friends did too. And he was late with the rent. "All the tenants were complaining," Bizik says. "The hall smelled like cat urine. The music was so loud, tenants were calling me at 11 o'clock at night." The Biziks offered to pay him to leave. He declined, so they had to go through the aggravation and expense of having him evicted. Think about investing in REITs instead. If you want to buy into real estate but don't want to deal with all the headaches that can come with managing it, you may want to consider a real estate investment trust (REIT). These are publicly traded building-management companies that pass the bulk of their earnings on to shareholders in the form of hefty dividends. That makes them a great choice for retirees and other income-hungry investors. One catch is that REIT dividends are taxed at higher rates than regular corporate dividends. REITs offer several advantages over buying properties on your own. First, there are economies of scale: On a per-square-foot basis, REIT maintenance costs are much lower than those of most individual landlords. The management expenses of a typical REIT are only 0.5 percent of total assets under management, says Russell Platt, manager of the Dividend Capital Realty Income fund. Another plus is diversification, since REITs typically invest in many markets and sometimes different types of property -- residential, commercial and retail. And finally, there's liquidity: You can sell a REIT whenever you want, and your brokerage commission will be a drop in the bucket compared with the 6 percent charged by most real estate brokers. A conservative REIT bet would be Equity Residential Properties ( Research ), run by Chicago mogul Sam Zell. Equity Residential is the nation's largest landlord, which makes it something like an index fund for apartment buildings. Earnings have taken a hit lately owing to, among other things, the Florida hurricanes. But occupancy rates have been ticking up, and Equity Residential still offers a juicy 5.1 percent dividend yield. A more aggressive play is Archstone-Smith Trust ( Research ), an apartment building owner with a big presence in suburban Washington, D.C. and other East Coast markets. Archstone-Smith also has a dividend yield of 5.1 percent. The company has profits from condo conversions, and high occupancy rates, which put it in a good position to raise rents. And that's a very nice position for any landlord to be in. --* Disclaimer Try an issue of MONEY magazine - FREE! More on REAL ESTATE • How to buy and build on rural land • Most overvalued housing markets • When booms go bust... TODAY'S TOP STORIES • Most overvalued housing markets • Risks to the economy in 2006 • Which was the worst ad of all in 2005? CNN Money contact us | subscribe to Money magazine advertising -- | site map | glossary | RSS | press room OTHER NEWS: CNN | SI | Fortune | Business 2.0 | Time © 2005 Cable News Network LP, LLLP. A Time Warner Company ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 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