Florida Real Estate Commission's
Online Florida Real Estate License Courses Login Online real estate courses at rock bottom prices...FREE SHIPPING all orders.** Online Florida Sales Associate Pre-License Course Take your 63-hour prelicensing course online. Fulfills the Florida Real Estate Commission's (FREC) education requirement for all persons wanting to become licensed sales associates (real estate agents) in Florida. Available online or on CD-ROM. Enroll now and get started in minutes! Special this week— $199. [ learn more ] Online Florida Sales Associate Post-License Course Take your 45-hour post-licensing course online. Fulfills the Florida Real Estate Commission's (FREC) education requirement for a sales associate's first renewal. Available online or on CD-ROM. Enroll now and get started in minutes! Tuition starts at just $175. [ learn more ] Online Florida Broker Pre-License Course Take your 72-hour pre-licensing course online. Fulfills the Florida Real Estate Commission's (FREC) education requirement for becoming a Florida Broker. Enroll now and get started in minutes! Tuition starts at just $349. [ learn more ] Online Florida Broker Post-License Courses Take your 60-hour post-licensing requirement online.Our courses fulfill the Florida Real Estate Commission's (FREC) education requirementfor Florida Broker post-licensing education. Enroll now and get started in minutes! Tuitionstarts at just $165 per course. [ learn more ] Did you find it cheaper somewhere else? Request a price match. real estate news Special Holiday Hours: Friday, Dec. 23 - closed @ noon. Mon. Dec. 26, closed Fri. Dec. 30th closed at noon Mon. Jan. 2nd closed Governor Bush, in response to the damage of Hurricane Wilma, has changed the expiration date for real estate applications. [learn more] Testimonials - Don't take our word for it, see what our students have to say about the quality and service you can expect in all of our real estate courses and exam prep products. [learn more] Florida Real Estate Exam Prep For Spanish Speakers - The new Spanish-English version of our exam prep program will help you review for your real estate exam in Spanish! Toggle between Spanish and English real estate questions at any time. [learn more] exam prep superstore We've got all the exam prep software , books , audio cds , cd-roms and textbooks you need to pass your real estate exams the first time. Florida Broker Exam Prep CD-ROM. Florida Sales Associate Exam Prep CD-ROM. Florida Mutual Recognition Exam Prep CD-ROM . Florida Real Estate Exam Review Manual . Florida Real Estate Exam Prep Audio CDs and Books . Exam Prep for nearly every state . resources Can't find a Florida Real Estate Commission form or need to know the location of your nearest testing center? Florida Real Estate Commission Forms . Florida Testing Locations . Exam Candidate Handbook . Florida Real Estate Commission Statutes and Rules . Apply online to take or retake your Florida Real Estate Licensing Exam. Take the free 100-question practice exam. help Thinking of getting into the Real Estate business, but don't know where to start? Here's a guide to the steps you should take. Qualifications and requirements for obtaining a Florida real estate license and becoming a realtor. Watch a Video describing the requirements for Sales Associates , Brokers and Mutual Recognition licenses. Step By Step - how to get your Florida real estate license. Real Estate Career Information and Statistics . Log in to your online course. Facts About The Real Estate School, Inc. A career in real estate starts with The Real Estate School. We offer real estate pre-license , post-license and continuing education courses in the classroom and also provide online courses for real estate professionals. Please take a few minutes to explore our site. You will find information on our school, our course offerings and our instructors, as well as important resources for real estate professionals such as links to real estate license law , the Florida Real Estate Commission (FREC) and other industry-related sites. Conveniently located in Tallahassee, at 2100 Centerville Road, we have been training real estate professionals in North Florida for more than 20 years. We have helped more students obtain real estate licenses than any other school in the area. You'll love the wall-to-wall windows with tree-top views. Our instructors are personable and knowledgeable, with years of experience in the fields of real estate sales, brokerage and appraisal. Our online real estate courses are second to none. We offer online sales associate pre-licensing and online post-licensing courses , with a wide variety of supplemental material to help students pass the Florida real estate exam . We realize that choosing the best real estate school can be a tough decision. We encourage you to see what our students have to say about us . If you're in the Tallahasse region and considering taking one of our classroom courses, feel free to call a few local brokers and ask them which real estate school they would recommend. We're confident they will send you to us. If you have any questions that have not been answered by your visit to our site, please contact us and let us know. ** Free UPS Ground shipping on all orders is available in the continental US only. Free shipping not applicable to Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands. home | courses | exam prep | books | laws | forum | articles | support | contact | links forum -- online store | store search | view cart | checkout | terms & conditions | testimonials | site map All content 2002-2005, The Real Estate School, Inc. [ close this window ] Hurricane Katrina appears as though it will miss our area and classes will be held as normal on Monday. For more information, please visit our hurricane update page . Show this alert next time I view this page Do not show this alert again. [ close this window ]
Real estate loan software
Inman Real Estate News - Real estate loan software born from great pain Real estate innovator: DocuTech CEO got sick of tedious process Real+estate+loan+software+born+from+great+pain Real+estate+innovator%3a+DocuTech+CEO+got+sick+of+tedious+process %3ca+href%3d'http%3a%2f%2fwww.inman.com'+target%3d'_blank'%3eInman+News%3c%2fa%3e Janis+Mara 2005-04-07T00%3a00%3a00.0000000-07%3a00 45628 HOME | NEWS | JOIN | PRODUCTS | CONFERENCES | ADVERTISE | ADVICE | ABOUT US | CONTACT US | SUBMIT A TIP Member Resources Members Home Search Inman News Content Warehouse Cartoon Database Weekly Newsletter Special Reports Audio Files Inman Blog Feedback Connect Registration Audio Conference LETTERS TO THE EDITOR There's no denying real estate bubble Re: ' Worst-case scenario for housing next year ' (Dec. 28) Dear Editor: I have been a real estate investor since I was 19. I am now 54. To deny a real estate bubble is to ignore the obvious market fundamentals. Obviously, there are different factors in different markets, but as a longtime investor/Realtor/broker there is no logical argument against real estate prices declining 10 percent to 30 percent in the "hot markets." The South Florida condo market will be a blood bath. The median income cannot buy the median house in most markets; interest rates will continue creeping up; speculators have driven prices to insane levels and when the going gets rough they will walk from a lot of residential properties. Most "hot" areas are becoming alarmingly overbuilt with residential inventories rising; lenders have ticking time bombs in their ARMs, negative equity and interest-only mortgages. Do your homework. Be wary of those whose opinions are tainted by the fact that they or their company have a stake in this insane market continuing. Michael H. Mosieur Mosieur Business Brokers Re: ' America closes doors to architectural expression ' (Dec. 26) Dear Editor: This is one of the most insightful articles I've read in a long time. We might add, "And what are we doing to our children as we worship at the altar of the mundane?" Years ago I read that about 1,000 children were tested for creativity just prior to entering kindergarten. Eighty-five percent of the children tested "creative." Twelve years later the same group was tested, and only 35 percent of the students tested "creative." What happened to the children along the scholastic way, and does the country even care? Where's the outcry? Isn't the creativity of our generations one of our most precious resources? It's been said that we're only one generation away from losing our freedom. Could it be that with escalating offshore competition in view, and stultifying U.S. scholastic models utilized, that the above advisory could also apply to our economic freedom? A. Bruce Belfield III Associate real estate broker Hurricane, W.V. FREE website content! Make Inman.com your homepage Get the Inman News Toolbar Link to Inman News Consumer News Commercial News Real Estate Articles from Inman News Already a Member? Log in below to view full story: User ID: Password: Lost Password? Real estate loan software born from great pain Real estate innovator: DocuTech CEO got sick of tedious process Thursday, April 07, 2005 By Janis Mara Inman News To read this article, become a Member of Inman News now! JOIN NOW TO BECOME AN INMAN MEMBER 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed Group discounts available First Name: Last Name: E-mail: User Name: Call 1.800.775.4662 x128 8am - 5pm Pacific Time to order by phone or to get a discount group membership for your company or colleagues. View News Article Sample Hear Sample View Newsletter Sample Connect Info View Audio Conference Schedule Back Top © 2005 Inman News Home | Privacy | Editorial | Legal | Site Map
Real Estate Investment, Seller
Real Estate investment with private mortgages and seller financing. Real estate investors. Sell Mortgage , Real Estate Investment, Seller Financing, Private Mortgage Investment , Discounted Mortgage , Hard Money Mortgage , Sub Prime Mortgage , Credit Report Place/View Listings: Sell Mortgage • Mortgage Wanted • Get Mortgage • Note Brokers • Mortgage Brokers • Lenders Site Index Real estate investment Why own a real estate investment: To rent the real estate and produce positive cash flow. To resell the real estate for a profit. [ Home ] [Why own investment real estate?] [ Why most real estate is sold at market price ] [ Where to find the deals ] [ Nothing down real estate deals ] [ Money making ideas for real estate investors ] [ Creative Financing Ideas ] [ Home inspection ] [ Construction problems with older homes ] [ Home construction Estimation form ] [ Tax benefits of investment real estate ] [ Tax Table 2005 ] [ Mortgage interest rates ] [ Income Real estate 10-yr spreadsheet Online ] [ Fixup houses Profitabilty Analysis Online ] [ HUD anti-flipping rules ] [ Buying real estate from senior citizens. Get rich slow. ] [ Real estate investors tax audit guide ] [ Understanding real estate legal descriptions ] [ Real estate investors credibility ] [ Print Rent payment coupons ] [ What is a triple net lease ] [ Commercial mortgage simple underwriting ] [ Commercial loan Qualifier ] [ Foreign investor & US real estate ] [ Real Estate for Sale ] There are lots of people out there giving late night TV shows and selling expensive courses that will guarantee to make you rich and famous. Some of their promoters are now in jail, some who aren't, deserve to be. So here are some simple aids that won't cost you a dime. First of all, you make your money when you buy, not when you sell. So finding the motivated seller who is willing to offer you a good deal in exchange for a quick sale is the single most important factor to your real estate investment success. Surprise, surprise, most owners of real estate want to sell it for full fair market value. In fact many owners are so proud of their real estate they want you to pay MORE than fair market value. Most real estate sellers don't want to give you a 30% discount on fair market value. But this is what you need if you intend to fix up and resell the real estate for a profit. Think it can't be done? A real estate investor we know in Tampa closed on a pre-foreclosure house for $46,000 in February 2004, using 100% hard money financing. They sold it for $98,000 in April 2004 having spent about $2,000 on fix-up work. Let's be clear on this. If you can buy a house for $70,000 that would be worth $100,000 if it was fixed up, but it will cost $30,000 to fix it up, you're paying market value, NOT getting a bargain. You need to buy this house for $45,000 or keep looking. Download our free spreadsheet to evaluate that real estate "bargain" in real terms. You need to factor in things like the real cost of fixing it up, the closing costs when you buy, the closing costs when you sell, the cost of money while you are fixing it up from the day you buy it to the day you sell it, any pre-payment penalties on the money you have borrowed etc. If you intend to keep and rent out the property then you can pay a little more. But don't forget, even with current interest rates you have vacancy. property taxes, insurance, repairs and maintenance to pay for before you get to positive cash flow. Download our free real estate investment spreadsheet to evaluate that real estate "bargain" over the next ten years. Or calculate your potential profits directly on this web site . (Note: It may a take couple of minutes for page to load). Don't spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on some real estate "get rich quick" seminar or course pitched by some late night TV smoothie, check out our books on real estate investment. Money making ideas. Where to find the deals Why it's hard to find good deals. Financial Calculators. Find Money for your transaction. Search our bookstore for books on real estate. Dictionary of real estate and mortgage terms. A marketplace for your seller's mortgage if they'd sooner have cash. Understanding legal descriptions Is that good deal as good as you thought it was? Projects all the costs involved for real estate investors who are thinking of "flipping" properties. Download our FREE Microsoft Excel (97 or higher) "fix up" analysis spreadsheet. (This is a self-executing compressed file, just note where you download it and double click on it.) Useful real estate and mortgage forms. Remember laws vary from State to State and even County to County. We have property management forms, deeds, leases, mortgage origination forms etc. Download our custom designed Sample Quickbooks99 file to show how to easily account for real estate income. Are you better to pay cash and get conventional financing or pay a higher price and get low interest rate seller financing? Compares different offers and even make two or more offers on the same property with different terms. Download our FREE Microsoft Excel (97 or higher) " different offers " analysis spreadsheet. (This is a self-executing compressed file, just note where you download it and double click on it.) Just how much money will that investment property earn you over the next ten years? And how much will you make when you sell it? Down load our FREE Microsoft Excel (97 or higher) 10-year income analysis spreadsheet (This is a self-executing compressed file, just note where you download it and double click on it.) Or run it on this web site. Think a million dollars is a lot to retire on? Think again. See just how long your money will last under different scenarios. Download our FREE Microsoft Excel (97 or higher) " Retirement scenario" spreadsheet. (This is a self-executing compressed file, just note where you download it and double click on it.) How to survive a tax audit. Home construction and estimating forms for you to print and use. Why interest rates move. Property analysis card Your "Credibility Kit" as a home buyer Taxation of non resident investors in US real estate and mortgages. Commercial triple net leases explained Order on line valuation Our real estate investment bookstore [ Home ] [Why own investment real estate?] [ Why most real estate is sold at market price ] [ Where to find the deals ] [ Nothing down real estate deals ] [ Money making ideas for real estate investors ] [ Creative Financing Ideas ] [ Home inspection ] [ Construction problems with older homes ] [ Home construction Estimation form ] [ Tax benefits of investment real estate ] [ Tax Table 2005 ] [ Mortgage interest rates ] [ Income Real estate 10-yr spreadsheet Online ] [ Fixup houses Profitabilty Analysis Online ] [ HUD anti-flipping rules ] [ Buying real estate from senior citizens. Get rich slow. ] [ Real estate investors tax audit guide ] [ Understanding real estate legal descriptions ] [ Real estate investors credibility ] [ Print Rent payment coupons ] [ What is a triple net lease ] [ Commercial mortgage simple underwriting ] [ Commercial loan Qualifier ] [ Foreign investor & US real estate ] [ Real Estate for Sale ] FREE Newsletter! subscribe unsubscribe Site Index Bookstore Contact us Complete list of FREE Mortgage and Real Estate courses Send page to friend Calculators Current, historic interest rates FREE content for your web site About Us & Privacy Policy Forms library Real estate and mortgage Resources Dictionary of terms FREE Downloads Bookmark this site. Internet Explorer users Click here NetScape press CTRL-D. AOL users click the Heart. Mortgage-investments.com is our US Federally registered service mark no. 2,647,595 Free info on mortgage investments, private mortgages, hard money mortgages, discounted mortgages, seller financing. Mortgages , owner financing , deeds of trusts , discounted mortgages , seller financed mortgage , hard money mortgage Web sites design hosted for note brokers note and cashflow buyers web site design hosting Web site design hosting for mortgage brokers , mortgage broker web site design
Land Loans Fixed Rate
First Hawaiian Bank: Hawaii/Guam — Mortgage Options select an online service -------------------- FHB Online FHB Business Online StrataWeb PlanWeb QuickTax Web Cash Manager - Hawaii Web Cash Manager - Guam for a new account -------------------- CREDIT CARDS Gold Aloha AirAwards MasterCard Gold Aloha AirAwards Visa Aloha AirAwards MasterCard Aloha AirAwards Visa Aloha Business AirAwards Business MasterCard Gold MasterCard Diamond Head MasterCard Ukulele MasterCard Gold Visa Mosaic Visa Surfer Visa -------------------- LOANS Morgage Pre-qualification Personal Loan Personal Line of Credit Business FirstLine Business FirstTerm Business Equipment Lease -------------------- CHECKING FirstChecking Discount Checking Regular Checking Bonus Checking Priority Banking Checking Business Checking -------------------- SAVINGS Regular Savings MaxiMizer Savings Certificates of Deposit -------------------- PrimeTime/Primera about products & services Business Services Cash Management Checking Accounts Credit Cards Foreign Exchange Insurance Services Investment Services IRA Leasing Lines and Loans * Home Equity Line of Credit * Personal Loans * Student Loans * Calculators Mortgages Online Banking PrimeTime/Primera Savings and TCDs Small Business Banking Student Banking Trust and Estate Services a branch or ATM Oahu * Oahu - Honolulu * Oahu - East Oahu * Oahu - Windward * Oahu - Northshore * Oahu - Leeward Maui & Lanai Big Island Kauai Guam Saipan First Investment Center Insurance Services Mortgage Banking • Mortgage Options • Mortgage Document Checklist • Current Rates • Foreclosures • Mortgage Glossary • Calculators • Realtor News • Contact Us Compare Options Pre-Qualify Now! Contact Us Mortgage Options For a free analysis and recommendation of the best mortgage loan program for you, please call us at 643-HOME (4663). Click on the options below to learn more about each of our mortgage solutions. You can also use our Online Comparison Tool to compare options side by side. Fixed Rate Mortgage Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM) Balloon Mortgage First-Time Homebuyer Mortgage Absolute Zero Mortgage FHA/VA Flex 100 Rural Housing Service Loan (RHS) Construction Loans Home Improvement Loans Second Mortgage Land Loans Fixed Rate Mortgage Pre-Qualify Online Rates: · Interest rate is constant over the life of the loan Features: · Variety of terms available · Finance with as little as 3% down payment · Flexible qualifying guidelines Benefits: · Stable monthly payments · Protection against rising interest rates · Fully amortized over the life of the loan Best Suited For: · Borrowers seeking a set interest rate · Borrowers who want the certainty of knowing their payment amount · Borrowers on a fixed monthly income Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM) Pre-Qualify Online Rates: · Interest rates and monthly payments can adjust periodically over the life of the loan Features: · Conversion to a fixed rate option available · Initial interest rate may be lower than fixed rate products · Variety of terms available · Annual and lifetime interest rate caps Benefits: · Interest rates and monthly payments can adjust periodically over the life of the loan · Conversion to a fixed rate option available · Initial interest rate may be lower than fixed rate products · Variety of terms available · Annual and lifetime interest rate caps Best Suited For: · Borrowers who expect to move within 5-7 years · Borrowers who anticipate rising incomes · Borrowers who can manage payment changes · Borrowers expecting large cash settlements in the future Balloon Mortgage Pre-Qualify Online Rates: · Interest rate is fixed for a set term Features: · Monthly payments amortized over a longer period than the loan term · Balance is due on balloon date · Outstanding balance may be refinanced for qualified borrowers on balloon date Benefits: · Lower interest rate than fixed-rate mortgage · Borrower may qualify for higher loan amount · Stable monthly payments for term of loan · Rate re-set feature available after 7-years Best Suited For: · Borrowers who expect to move or refinance within 7 years · Borrowers who want to take advantage of lower short-term rates and can tolerate some uncertainty about future loan terms · Owner occupants and second homeowners First-Time Homebuyer Mortgage Pre-Qualify Online Rates: · Fixed or adjustable interest rates Features: · Variety of terms available · As little as 3% down payment · Flexible qualifying guidelines · Fully amortizing · Reduced loan fees Benefits: · Payments go towards equity rather than rent · Minimum down payment enhances buying power · Flexible guidelines may qualify borrower for larger loan amount · Reduced closing costs make buying easier Best Suited For: · First-times home buyers · Borrowers with limited personal funds for down payments and closing costs · Borrowers on modest incomes Absolute Zero Mortgage Pre-Qualify Online Rates: · Fixed interest rate loan Features: · 0 points and 0 closing costs · Competitive fixed rate pricing · Finance with as little as 3% down Benefits: · Allows buyers to save on closing costs and use the savings towards their down payment instead · Gives borrowers an opportunity to refinance and reduce their interest rate without paying expensive closing costs make buying easier Best Suited For: · Ideal for those limited on cash to close their loan · Best for those considering a move or refinance in 5-7 years · Ideal for those who want to reduce their rate without paying for points or closing costs · For those with limited down payment who want to buy now instead of later · Restricted to owner occupants FHA/VA Pre-Qualify Online Rates: · Fixed or adjustable interest rates Features: · Requires little or no down payment · Flexible qualifying guidelines Benefits: · Low down payment · Certain closing costs may be financed · Less cash on hand required to qualify Best Suited For: · First-time home buyers · Borrowers on modest incomes · Eligible veterans Flex 100 Pre-Qualify Online Rates: · Fixed long term rates Features: · No down payment · Able to use "flexible" funds for closing cost such as gifts, grants, or unsecured loans from relatives Benefits: · No income limits · Stable monthly payments for term of the loan · Possibly maximize your tax deduction Best Suited For: · Borrowers with excellent credit · Borrowers on modest incomes · Eligible veterans Rural Housing Service Loan (RHS) Pre-Qualify Online Rates: · Fixed long term rates Features: · No down payment · Guaranteed loan to assist eligible households in rural areas Benefits: · No reserves required · May be able to finance all closing costs Best Suited For: · Limited to owner occupants · For borrowers located in rural areas Construction Loans Pre-Qualify Online Rates: · Fixed or adjustable interest rates Features: · Interest only payments during the construction period · Permanent financing means applying only once · Competitive pricing Benefits: · Buy your land and build, all with one permanent financing plan · Interest only payments provide some relief on the budget during the construction period · Flexible pricing to meet your construction contract terms Best Suited For: · Those planning to buy land and build within a year · Large dollar home improvement projects Home Improvement Loans Pre-Qualify Online Rates: · Fixed long term interest rate loan with competitive pricing Features: · As little as 5% down payment Benefits: · Buy a home and renovate with one loan · Stable monthly payments for term of loan Best Suited For: · Those who are owner occupants, second homeowners and investors · Those who want to buy a "fixer-upper" Second Mortgage Pre-Qualify Online Rates: · Fixed rate and adjustable rate mortgages Features: · Competitive pricing Benefits: · Use the equity in your home to consolidate higher interest rate loans, purchase automobiles, make home improvements and more. · Does not affect a current low rate first mortgage Best Suited For: · Those with established equity in their homes · Best for shorter term obligations Land Loans Pre-Qualify Online Rates: · Fixed rate or adjustable rate mortgages available Features: · Competitive pricing Benefits: · Buy the land now, build later · Recieve a discount on fees when applying for a construction loan at First Hawaiian Bank within a 1-year period Best Suited For: · Those seeking to invest in land, but not ready to build just yet About Us | Career Opportunities | Bancwestcorp.com | Member FDIC | Equal Housing Lender | Site Map | Contact Us
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