Selling Home

FCIC: Selling a Home Return to Federal Citizen Information Center Home Page Printer-friendly page -- Life Advice About... Selling A Home This Life Advice section about Home Improvement was produced by the MetLife Consumer Education Center reviewed by the Real Estate Educators Association and the U.S.D.A. Cooperative Research, Education and Extension Service. If you've decided to sell your home, chances are you're caught up in a host of emotions. You may be looking forward to moving up to a new dream house or facing the uncertainty of a major move across country. You may be reluctant to leave your memories behind or eager to start new adventures. Whatever turbulent feelings you're experiencing right now, there are plenty of practical matters that need your attention. Keep in mind the following considerations to help the whole process go more smoothly. Time Becomes Money It's a good idea to place your home on the market as far in advance as possible of purchasing a new one. If you find a new home first and then try to sell your present home, you may wind up with two mortgages. If this does happen, ask your real estate agent or banker about a bridge loan to help you make the double payments. Lenders use the same criteria for offering bridge loans as they use for mortgages. Should you qualify for a bridge loan, beware of the expense; during the term of the loan you must continue to pay both mortgages. Shop around for the best terms. Keep in mind that when people move, sell and buy, there usually is a domino effect. Closing and moving dates have to be coordinated, and the more firmly everyone commits to a window of dates and sticks to them, the better for all involved. Put all agreements about dates in writing, and protect yourself by negotiating financial penalties for failure to comply. Check Your Curb Appeal A home that's visually appealing and in good condition will attract potential buyers driving down the street. Use this checklist to view your property through an outsider's eyes. Are the lawn and shrubs well maintained? Are there cracks in the foundation or walkways? Does the driveway need resurfacing? Are the gutters, chimney and walls in good condition? Do the window casings, shutters, siding or doors need painting? Are garbage and debris stored out of sight? Are lawn mowers and hoses preperly stored? Is the garage door closed? On the Inside Strong curb appeal will lure potential buyers inside, where you have to live up to their expectations. Fortunately, there are plenty of easy improvements you can make to your home's interior without spending a lot of money. Cleaning is No. 1. Your windows, floors and bathroom tiles should sparkle. Make sure you have clean heating and air conditioning filters. Shampoo dirty carpets, clean tubs and showers, repair dripping faucets and oil squeaky doors. Keep your home neat, clean and picked-up at all times. It may not seem fair, but a peek in the oven may be the hallmark by which a buyer judges how well you have kept up your home. Remove unnecessary clutter from the garage, basement, attic, closets and straighten stored items. Also remove any items that might make a statement that would be offensive to others who may not share your same views, beliefs or sense of humor. If your home is crowded with too much furniture, consider putting some things into storage. If a room needs a fresh coat of paint, use a neutral off-white. Think, too, about how your home smells. You may be used to the smell of a pet or cigarettes, but such odors can be a strong turn-off to others. Be certain to remove valuables such as jewelry and other items from view. It might be wise to put these items in a safe deposit box before showing your home. Finally, set a mood for the buyer. Make your house homey with live flowers and fresh guest towels in the bathroom. Place scented potpourri around the house or, on the day you're expecting a potential buyer, pop a batch of frozen cinnamon rolls into the oven for a welcoming aroma. Remember, cosmetic changes do not have to be expensive. In fact, costly home improvements do not necessarily offer a good return on your investment when you sell. It's attention to the basics—anything that says “this home has been carefully maintained”—that will help you get the price you want. Go It Alone Some homeowners decide to sell their homes themselves in order to save the commission charged by a real estate agent. The commission rate may vary, depending on where you live or what agency you choose, but it is generally upwards of 5%. However, handling your own sale means you will be responsible for placing ads, answering phones and showing your home to strangers. What's more, buyers who know you are saving on an agent's commission may offer less for your home, wiping out the financial incentive to do it all yourself. You may decide an agent's commission is a bargain the first time that a would-be buyer shows up unannounced at dinnertime. Also, be aware that a real estate agent probably knows a lot more about the business of selling a home than you do. Here are some of the advantages professional agents offer: They will help you establish a fair asking price for your home. They will promote your home to other agents and list your property in multiple listing services. A multiple listing service is a book or computer database that all real estate agents who subscribe to the service can access. Your home will get exposure to all those agents, one of whom may have the perfect buyer. They will create, pay for and place advertising for you. They will schedule appointments to show your home to prospective buyers even when you are not there. They can weed out buyers who will not qualify for a mortgage. They can refer you to sources for insurance, inspections, legal counsel and financing. They will help you negotiate with the buyer. They can make suggestions to help make your home more attractive to a potential buyer. If you decide to sell through an agent, ask friends and neighbors for recommendations. Talk to several agents before picking the one you want to work with. Taking a walk through your home with an agent should give you a feel for how that person will handle prospective buyers. Ask prospective agents how they plan to market your home. Don't sign with an agent just because he or she suggests the highest asking price. Negotiate the broker's commission prior to listing your home, and sign for a limited period of time—usually three to six months. Setting a Fair Price Naturally, you want to get top dollar for your home. But, at the same time, you don't want to scare off potential buyers with a price tag that's too high. Setting an artificially high price may cause your property to languish on the market for months. Reducing your asking price later on may lead buyers to wonder if there is something wrong with your home. Here are some of the factors to consider in pricing your home. Your location Economic conditions Supply and demand in the local housing market Seasonal influences Local schools Average home prices in the neighborhood Your home's extras -- pool, fireplace, central air, etc. To determine the value of your home, you probably will want the advice of a real estate agent or appraiser. Ask an agent to prepare a market analysis for you, showing the recent selling prices of three neighborhood properties comparable to your own. The agent can help you adjust for the unique features of your own property. Qualifying a Buyer Either you or your agent will want to quickly weed out potential buyers who cannot really afford to purchase your home. A number of factors will help determine whether or not you are wasting your time negotiating a sale. The buyer's debt and credit history The buyer's current income and employment The buyer's cash position and availability of a down payment The length of time the buyer needs before closing on your home How interested the buyer appears to be in your home versus others Seek Legal Representation When selling your home—particularly if you are selling on your own—it's a good idea to be represented by an attorney. Look for an attorney with expertise in real estate transactions. When a potential buyer puts an offer in writing and you accept it, the signed acceptance becomes the sales contract. Your attorney will be present at the actual closing to protect your interests and can assist you with the following elements of a sales contract: The sale price What is included in the sale price -- draperies, carpeting, light fixtures, heating oil, etc. The amount of the down payment The date of closing and possession date Contingencies to the sale--inspections (e.g. structural, lead-based paint, radon), required improvements, legal review of the contract by the buyer's or seller's attorney, etc. The amount and length of the mortgage loan, interest rate and time limits to secure the loan Determining which closing costs are to be paid by the buyer and which by the seller Tax Implications Selling a home can have a major impact on your federal and state tax returns. Check with your tax consultant on the factors that may affect taxes resulting from the sale of your home. For example: Whether you purchased the home or acquired it by gift or inheritance Whether you used your home partly for business or rental Costs associated with selling your home Home improvements or additions, which may help to offset capital gains The sale of your home. In certain cases you can exclude up to $250,000 in gain ($500,000 for married couples filing a joint return) on the sale of property that was your principle residence for at least two years. Generally, you can use this exclusion every two years. Congratulations! You've successfully weathered the logistics of selling your current home, and you're ready to move on to a new and exciting chapter in your life.As you prepare for the coming changes, check out the Life Advice sections Moving and Buying a Home to aid you in this transition. For More Information 100 Questions Every Home Seller Should Ask Ilyce R. Glink, Times Books $14 Life Advice price $11.20 Call 1-800-793-2665 to order and mention reference number 032-02. Price and availability subject to change without notice. The American Bar Association Family Legal Guide Times Books$34.50 Life Advice price $28 Call 1-800-793-2665 to order and mention reference number 032-04. Price andavailability subject to change without notice. How to Sell Your Home in 5 Days William G. Effros, Workman Publishing $14.95 Life Advice price $8.97 The Consumer Bible, 1001 Ways to Shop Smart Mark Green, Workman Publishing $14.95 Life Advice price $8.97 Tips and Traps When Selling a Home Robert Irwin, McGraw-Hill $12.95 PAMPHLETS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT The quarterly Consumer Information Center Catalog lists more than 200 helpful federal publications. For your free copy write Consumer Information Catalog, Pueblo, CO 81009, call 1-888/8-PUEBLO, or find the catalog on the Net at www.pueblo.gsa.gov . A Home for You and Your Family Publication Series, North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, Housing & House Furnishings, Box 7605, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7605 (single copies free). Also contact the Extension Service office listed in the white pages of your phone book. Related Life Advice pamphlets See the following related Life Advice pamphlets: Buying a Home, Moving, Home Improvement, Homeowners Insurance, Renting an Apartment, Enjoying Retirement and When Your Children Leave the Nest. Helpful Links HomeWEB You'll find consumer information on selling a home from this comprehensive real estate and relocation source. Topics include info on real estate agents, marketing your home, financing & mortgages, sales contracts, pricing your home and more. Basically, this is a great place to start, if you're thinking about selling your home. Audrie's Advice Audrie provides a complete check-list for selling your home without an agent and thereby retaining all the profit for yourself. SellYourHomeYourself.com SellYourHomeYourself.Com is a unique site that helps the For Sale By Owner seller save money. On this FSBO web site you'll find all the resources you need to sell a home yourself. * Because the content of newsgroups and Websites changes constantly, it is impossible for us to review it all. We are not responsible for the content of any of the above links. Return to Federal Citizen Information Center Home Page Printer-friendly page --

Denver Real Estate

Denver Real Estate - Find Homes in Denver at REALTOR.com Denver Real Estate Find Homes For Sale In Greater Denver, Colorado 5432 Listings in this area Select an area of Denver Select from the list below to search for homes and real estate in Greater Denver BOM-Boulder Mountain BOP-Boulder Plains BOU-Boulder BRM-Broomfield JFC-Jefferson County Central JFN-Jefferson County North JFW-Jefferson County West (Golden) JNC-Jefferson County North Central LAF-Lafayette LBE-Loveland/Berthoud LNG-Longmont LSV-Louisville MCP-Mountain Conifer Pine MGC-Gilpin County Mtn MJN-North Jefferson County Mtn NNW-North Northwest Suburban NSW-North Suburban West Other Areas To select two or more, hold down control key (command key on a Macintosh) while clicking mouse. or... Enter the MLS # Search in popular metros: Atlanta | Austin | Boston | Chicago | Dallas | Denver | Houston | Las Vegas | Long Island | Los Angeles | Memphis | Miami | New York City | Orange County | Palm Beach | Phoenix | Sacramento | San Diego | Seattle Site Map | Corporate News & Info | Contact Us | Advertise With Us | Join our staff Terms of Use and PrivacyPolicy . 1995- NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS and Homestore, Inc. All rights reserved. Equal Housing Opportunity REALTOR.com is the official site of the National Association of REALTORS and is operated by Homestore, Inc. REALTOR -- A Registered collective membership mark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics. Inquiries regarding the Code of Ethics should be directed to the board in which a REALTOR holds membership.

Land Loan LoanUniverse Community

LoanUniverse Community > Commercial Land Loan Help - Search - Member List - Calendar Full Version: Commercial Land Loan LoanUniverse Community > Community Forums > Loanuniverse Forums Marnie1065 Dec 6 2005, 08:37 PM Hi everybody. I just found this website. I am looking for commercial loans. I have a client that owns 42 acres , it is zoned agriculture. It is a great location , next to a school and subdivision. He is looking to refi at the highest LTV possible. He does plan on building homes in the future or possible selling off individual lots. The land currently has a 2 million loan on it. The value is 6.5 million. He has owned it for 1 yr. It is actually a corporation of 4 and they all have great credit and tons of assets, their worth is in the millions They also want to purchase another piece of land for 12 million. Any ideas? Thanks loanuniverse Dec 7 2005, 09:27 AM Is the $152M per acre value an as is value as agricultural land? Or an speculative value assuming a rezoning? Is it supported by actual sales? If the value can be supported, I am sure someone can be found to lend at least 50%. Depending on the adjusted net worth of the individuals, maybe significantly more. Many lenders are avoiding land right now in my market unless there is an existing relationship with the developer. I know that I would feel uncomfortable recommending a land loan unless the investors are experienced. lelting Dec 14 2005, 10:48 PM I can help you with the 12 million dollar purchase>I have private investors that will fund at 100 LTV LenderBuddy Dec 15 2005, 10:55 AM If there are crops growing on the land or the land is zoned agricultural then we are talking agricultural land loan and that is a different beast. I haven't worked on one of them in a while but you need to speak with someone who specializes in ag loans. FarmerMac is involved in those transactions and I believe the LTV can go as high as 70%. Good credit and strong financial position are required. Drop me a personal message and I'll forward you the contact information of a guy who specializes in agricultural loans. He can give you all the information you need. This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here . Invision Power Board © 2001-2005 Invision Power Services, Inc.

Real Estate Loan

Mortgage | Home Loans | Refinance | Home Equity | REALTORS | Auto | Mortgage Refinance Home Mortgage Refinance Home Equity Auto Find a Home FREE Credit Report Knowledge Center more Site Map | About Us | Contact Us Already a Customer? Login Loans Home Refinance Home Mortgage Home Equity Auto Refinance Auto Loan Student Loans Commercial Loans Real Estate Services Find a REALTOR ® Home Price Check ® Newly Constructed Homes Homes for Sale More Services Free Credit Report Free Credit Score Free Insurance Quotes Living with Debt Report LendingTree in the News The Today Show™, USA Today®, CNBC®, and Time Magazine® are trademarks of their respective owners. These companies are not affiliated with and do not endorse LendingTree, LLC. Compare and act on up to 4 customized offers instantly! Loan Type: Property State: Home Description: Select a Loan Type Refinance Mortgage Home Equity Loan/Line Purchase Home Auto & Motorcycle Loan Refinance Auto Loan Personal Loan Credit Card Commercial Lending Student Loan Select Property State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri 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 Select Home Type Single-Family Detached Town House Condo w/ 4 or fewer stories Condo w/ 5 or more stories 2-4 Units Cooperative Modular Mobile Home (permanent) Privacy and Security PROTECTED LendingTree Advantage 93% customer satisfaction. 9 out of the top 10 financial institutions are a part of the LendingTree network . 4 Up to 4 CUSTOMIZED offers to act on instantly. Select a Loan Type Refinance Mortgage Home Equity Loan/Line Purchase Home Find a Home Already pre-qualified for your mortgage? Haven't found a home yet? Find a REALTOR ® and the home of your dreams. Receive a gift card up to $1000 * or more. Privacy Policy | Security | Terms of Use | Licenses & Disclosures Sitemap | En Español | Do Not Call | Publications | For the Media | News Releases Jobs | Partnership Programs | Get Internet Mortgage Leads from LendingTree | Get Internet Mortgage Leads from GetSmart Join Our Real Estate Network | Post Home Listings | Affiliate Program | House Prices at Domania Partner Sites: Ask | Citysearch | Expedia | Hotels.com | Ticketmaster.com | Hotwire.com | Entertainment.com | Gifts Match.com | Home Shopping Network | ReserveAmerica | RealEstate.com | iNest | ServiceMagic LendingTree technology and processes are patented under US Patent Nos. 6,385,594 and 6,611,816. © 1998 - LendingTree, LLC. All Rights Reserved. This site is directed at, and made available to, persons in the continental U.S., Alaska and Hawaii only. Conversion to LendingTree, LLC Official Home Makeover Holiday Sweepstakes Rules * Gift Card Terms and Conditions Click here for LendingTree Promotional Offer Terms 4 Based on total asset size of bank holding company as of 12/31/2004 as reported on the National Information Center web site for the Federal Reserve. REALTOR ® -- A registered collective membership mark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS ® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics. The Home Depot ® is not affiliated with LendingTree, LLC. The Home Depot ® is a registered trademark of Homer TLC, Inc. Find REALTORS ® | Look for Houses for Sale | Mortgage Calculator | Refinance at GetSmart | Find Real Estate | Free Online Credit Report `

Colorado Real Estate -

Colorado Real Estate, Listings, Realtors, Home Sales Colorado Real EstateResources Vandema Vandema Residential Real Estate Home Associations | Mortgages | Realtors Colorado Foreclosed Homes - Search for real estate foreclosures in your area and get property details, photos, location map and contact information. Boulder Real Estate Guide - Directory of agents, schools and market information. Telluride Colorado Real Estate - Directory of realtors and area information. Colorado Springs Real Estate - Directory of school, real estate and area information. Aspen Real Estate & Homes - Information on Aspen real estate, homes and relocation. Sunnyside Ranch - Real estate for sale in Telluride. Denver Real Estate & Homes - Information on Denver real estate, homes and relocation. ProRent Southwestern Apartments - Offering free local expertise and assistance in locating apartments in Colorado Springs , Boulder , Denver and Fort Collins . Denver Colorado Real Estate - Directory of homes, agents, condominiums and more. Blue Ribbon Home Warranty, Inc. - Warranty protection plans for homes, mechanical systems, all appliances and more. Buchanan Yonushewski Group - Project management, architecture, development and construction. Woodcrest Homes - Builder of homes and neighborhoods throughout Denver and Boulder County, CO. Colorado Real Estate Guide - Directory of new homes, real estate agents and builders. Colorado Association of Real Estate Investors - Networking and educational website for real estate investors. Valuation Research Corporation - Lakewood appraisal company serving the Colorado Front Range. Colorado Real Estate Ranches - Real estate firm specializing in mountain property and land for sale near Pagosa Springs. Mitchell Evans Enterprises - Properties for sale in Crested Butte. Colorado Homes For Sale Listings - Includes local and regional multiple listing services (MLS), for sale by owner classifieds, listed new homes directories and more. Colorado Real Estate Online - Real estate classifieds, resale home listings and neighborhood guides. Get in touch with us by Other Residential Real Estate Resources