How to Profit from Real Estate Property Listings

You may not see it, but there are buyers out there. Sure, they are looking for bargains, but they are serious about buying. And many of them have cash in hand. While buyers in this economy may be lacking in number, they are not lacking in determination. You can take this determination and turn it into profit with real estate property listings.  How? The following tips will help you out.

• As mentioned before, buyers are looking for a good deal. So, you should do all you can to make your listing stand out as the bargain it truly is. Use language, pictures and graphics to make your listing stand out from the rest. Include all information that sets your property apart from the rest.
• List your property in newspapers, home guides and on the internet. Choose sites and periodicals that are circulated and distributed widely. While you shouldn’t focus all of your energies on small, local publications, do not ignore them completely. Residents of small communities faithfully read such publications.
• Consider selling your property solely through real estate property listings without the help of an agent. Real estate agents cost money, a lot of money. If you can save several thousand dollars in real estate commissions, you can pass the savings onto buyers and attract more attention for your property.
• You can also increase your profit margin by offering seller financing. Instead of selling your home for a lump sum payment, you can collect a large down payment, monthly payments and interest charges. Over the course of the loan, interest charges can nearly double the amount of profit that your property can earn you.

Making a profit in real estate is a little harder today than it was a few years ago, but it is still possible. All you have to do is adopt a successful strategy using real estate property listings. To increase your chances of success, combine listings with other marketing strategies for maximum exposure. The more exposure your property gets, the more likely it is that you will find a buyer.

 

Real Estate Investing – Successful Strategies for a Shaky Market

There is no doubt that the real estate market has changed dramatically over the past few years. Housing values have declined rapidly, foreclosures are at an all-time high, and investors have to hold onto properties for far longer than anticipated. And if these reasons aren’t enough to scare off the most die hard investor; there are a host of other things that further diminish the allure of real estate investing.

Many have simply pulled out of the market altogether and are waiting on a brighter time to come along before they start investing again. But those that have stayed in the game continue to rake in staggering profits. Why are they succeeding while so many others are failing? They have adapted their investment strategies to compliment the current market.

The real estate investing game has changed, so it seems reasonable that investment strategies have changed as well. Gone are the days of buying a property only to flip it in a month’s time. Gone are the days where property prices inflated overnight and investors awoke to find that they amassed a fortune while they slept. While these days may be gone, the following strategies are still proving successful:

•    Foreclosure investing – Foreclosures are hot, and there a ton of foreclosures on the market. The most successful strategies involving foreclosures today are purchasing foreclosures to be used as rental properties, selling foreclosures through rent-to-own programs and purchasing foreclosures dirt cheap and flipping for a modest profit.
•    Holding – Since most property values are either stagnant or dropping, selling an investment for a quick profit is no easy task. Therefore, many investors are buying properties for pennies on the dollar and holding onto them until the housing market turns around.
•    Financing – Many investors are helping people stay in their homes by offering to buy distressed properties that are facing foreclosure. They purchase the property and allow the original owners to remain on the property and pay rent. Once the homeowner is back on their feet, they have the option of repurchasing the property from the investor.

Successful real estate investing is still possible. All that is needed is a positive attitude and a good strategy to get started.

Visit my lens on the five reasons why real estate investing equals big profits. Read more articles on real estate investing.

 

Foreclosure Listings: What They Don’t Tell You

Using foreclosure listings is a great way to find a bargain. This is because buying foreclosures is kind of like buying a home off of the clearance rack. In many cases, a foreclosed home can be purchased for 30 to 50% less than its value. And there are foreclosed homes in every neighborhood in every price range. 

 

But before you head right out and purchase a home that is listed, you should know that there are a few things that foreclosure lists cannot tell you. These things you will have to determine for yourself:

 

• The Condition of the Home – Some foreclosed homes need major repairs. If you purchase a home at auction, you may not even be able to see inside the home or have an inspection performed before you make an offer. So, you will have to do your best to determine whether or not the home is a good value. Problems such as black mold and a crumbling foundation may make a home a liability rather than a good buy.
• Final Purchase Price – Many foreclosed homes are sold at auction. Of course, a few are sold directly by the bank, but these are not usually the best bargains as the bank sets the price. If you choose to purchase a foreclosed home through a silent or public auction, you will not know how much you will ultimately pay for a home just by looking at foreclosure listings.
• Neighborhood and Schools – You will need to investigate the neighborhood and school system before you decide to purchase a home. Listings will not give you this information, and real estate agents are ethically bound not to say anything that will encourage or discourage you from buying in a particular neighborhood.

 

Foreclosure listings are a great tool to use to find properties. However, you will need to follow up with some dedicated research of your own. Never purchase a property sight unseen from a description alone. Do your homework. After all, it is your money. Don’t spend it unless you know you are getting a great deal.

 

Get more information on getting the most out of foreclosure listings and making money on foreclosure listings.

 

Homes for Sale by Owner: Should You Sell Your Own Home?

Today’s home market is saturated with choices, and there aren’t a lot of buyers to be found. Those who want to buy often have trouble obtaining financing which has resulted in a surplus of homes on the market. Added to the number of homes for sale is the amount of foreclosures that are being liquidated. All of this means that there are a lot of options for buyers, and homes are sitting on the market without attracting much attention. So, should you try to sell your home without the help of an agent in such a market?

In the past, homes for sale by owner often went quicker and with less hassle than those sold through an agency. Owners were able to attract buyers with low prices because they didn’t have to make enough from the sell to pay for expensive agent commissions. While the same can be true today, there are a few other things you should consider as well:

•    Visibility – In order to purchase your home, buyers have to know it exists. With the sheer volume of homes on the market, it may be difficult for potential buyers to spot your home. An agent, on the other hand, will supply a steady stream of buyers who are qualified to buy your home.
•    Time – It takes time to sell a home. You have to market it, show it, negotiate contracts and do all of the legwork needed to finalize the deal. If you have the extra time to do the work, you could save thousands. If you don’t, however, you could end up stressed out and at your limit.
•    Involvement – If you sell your own home, you will be involved with the process down to the very last detail. Maybe you like to know everything first hand, and this will be great for you. If you don’t want to be bothered with every little phone call, you might want to hire an agent to do it for you.

In the end, the decision to sell your own home is yours alone. But make sure you have all the facts before you make a decision.

Get more information about buying homes for sale by owner and how to negotiate with the homeowner when purchasing homes for sale by owner.

Here’s another article I wrote on purchasing homes for sale by owner directly.

 

What to Expect from Free Foreclosure Listings

With all the hype surrounding the purchase of foreclosed properties right now, you may be wondering what all of the buzz is about. You may even have wondered if you should look into investing into foreclosed real estate. The truth of the matter is that there is good reason why people are so excited about buying foreclosed properties in this market. The supply is high and the demand is low. This means that an investor can purchase virtually any foreclosed property without much competition and at a bargain price.

If you’re interested in learning more about foreclosed properties, the first thing you should do is obtain a foreclosure list. You can find free foreclosure listings at your local courthouse, online, in the newspaper and on government listing sites. Once you have a list, you can use it to browse foreclosed properties.

Here’s what you should expect from free foreclosure listings:

•    Large Number of Properties – Most lists contain a lot of property listings. Unfortunately, some of the properties could already have been sold or disposed of. So, you will need to follow up on the listings that grab your attention.
•    Wide Variety – There are foreclosed homes in every neighborhood and in every price range. Don’t think that foreclosures are only happening on Main Street; they are happening on Rodeo Drive as well.
•    Picture – Many properties will have a photo, but not all will. While most photos are accurate, you should never rely on a photo. Drive by the property to see if there are damages to the property that are not evident in the picture.
•    Description – You should expect a brief description of the property, but not one that would rival a listing in a real estate brochure.
•    Contact Info – You will also be given additional contact information that you can use to follow up on the property and ask questions.

If you are looking to purchase a home, you owe it to yourself to at least browse free foreclosure listings. There are a lot of good homes out on the foreclosure market right now. One of them may soon be yours!

Here’s another great article on using free foreclosure listings.

Check out my hubpage on how to find free foreclosure listings.