Buying Real Estate for Profit

Selling Your Real Estate? Why Every Offer For Your Property is a Good Offer

This is a gues post by author Henry W. Behrens.

There are many ways to make money in real estate.  One way is getting a bargain and turning it around quickly to sell.  Your profit is the difference between what you paid, any costs or repairs you incurred, and the price paid by the buyer.

In fact, the profit on a property is often made at the time you make your purchase.  You can't expect success if you pay too much for a home.

So, imagine you found a bargain, closed the deal, made repairs, started marketing and now you're waiting for a buyer.  What is your definition of a "good" offer?

Getting more than the full asking price?

Not paying any closing costs?

Selling your property in one month of less?

Selling "as-is" without any expensive repairs?

All of the above?It would be great if those kinds of offers came across your desk everyday.  But don't be disappointed if they don't because every offer is a good offer.

An offer means that someone is really interested in your property and is interested enough to make a small commitment and put their money on the line.

As a real estate investor, the first thing you have to keep in mind is that there is no such thing as an "insulting" offer.  It's just less than you hoped for.  Getting emotional during the process never works in your favor.

You have no idea about the true motivations of the buyer or how much they are willing to pay for the home.  And the sales price is just the starting point.

There are many different things you can negotiate over.  Some of these are closing costs, repairs, time of closing and financing options.

When you come back with a counter offer, it is rarely a good practice to make it a "firm and final" first counter offer.  After a couple of back and forth numbers, you might then tell the buyer you are at your limit.  Remember that just about anything is negotiable.

If you want to understand the offer and counter-offer process better, you can find guidance, resources and strategies in "Real Estate Investing" available only at http://www.CarlylePublishing.com

And, did you know that the offer and negotiation process will be different depending on whether or not a realtor is involved in your sale?

Find out which is best for you in "Real Estate Investing." Your step-by-step walkthrough for building your wealth with real estate can be yours in minutes.

I'm Henry Behrens, real estate investor and author and I'd like to help you become successful, too.

Selling Your House In A Tight Real Estate Market

This was written by Ruth Klein, America's De-Stress Diva. Visit her at www.RuthKlein.com

It's stressful enough to consider selling your home, but when the real estate market takes a serious nosedive, you'll need these ten practical tips to remove the stress from having to sell during difficult times in real estate.

1. Do your Realtor homework. In a lousy real estate market, you want the best help you can get to sell your home. Take your list of questions to several Realtors and take a goodly amount of time when you interview them. Comparison shop. No one's rushing to buy homes this year, so don't be in a rush to choose a Realtor.

2. Get ready. Many Realtors agree it takes 30 days to ready a house before the "For Sale" signs goes up, because those first impressions often will prove the most important factor in whether a "looker" eventually becomes a "buyer." Make the investment in external repairs that can mean the difference between a quick "No" and extra time spent examining your house. This is the time to paint, patch and repair what buyers will see first. Buyers are more forgiving in a strong real estate market, not in a weak market.

3. Consult the owners of homes that successfully sell. What buyers consider valuable can vary from region to region. Ask those in your community with a newly placed "sold" sign for pointers on how to prepare your house for sale. What did they notice that most "lookers" paid attention to, or commented on, when exploring their house? Just ask - is installing new carpeting more important or is it better to freshly paint the walls. Ask several owners of recently sold homes, and take lots of notes. These can serve as your guide to using your time wisely to prepare your home for sale.

4. Actively engage your family. Let them know that there will be "company," and to assist you with their unique skills. Let the list-maker in your family make repair and "sprucing up" lists, and keep lists of Open House dates and other important information. Share the work of selling a home, and every family member will have a personal stake in your success. You'll be able to remain more stress-free if you'll delegate some of the preparation work for getting your home ready to sell.

5. Be flexible with personal plans. Stay focused on the goal from the time you first plant that For Sale sign on the front lawn to the first Open House - no activity should become a distraction. Don't plan messy parties or major functions during this period, because you want your home to be tidy at all times. Arrange family gatherings elsewhere. You'll want to be particularly vigilant when homes aren't selling easily to make no mistakes.

6. De-clutter. A cluttered house looks

Selling in a Buyer's Market

Remember that you are only looking for one buyer when you are trying to sell your home. Whether the market is up or down, a buyer's or a seller's market, don't lose sight of the fact that you are one seller looking for one buyer. A buyer may me at a point in their life where they will do anything to purchase your home. It is difficult to know people's true motivation when they make an offer on a home, so think positive and just make the deal happen. Every house and every deal has its own driving force.

Getting Your Home Ready To Be Sold

When you are in a down market, or a buyer's market, such as we have at this time it is a good idea to take extra steps to make sure your home is ready to be sold.

• Touch up the paint, both inside and out. Peeling trim outside of your home makes buyers feel like you may have let other maintenance go as well.
• Plant some brightly colored flowers in the front yard. Spring is here and the color is a good touch.
• Get rid of clutter. Pick up some storage boxes and put any extra things into the boxes, label them, and store them in the garage.
• Begin to throw away and give away any items that you won't be taking with you to the new house.

These are some ways to make your home ready for a quick sale during the current market we are experiencing throughout the country.