<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss' xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22721688</id><updated>2011-12-19T07:15:43.651-08:00</updated><category term='real estate'/><category term='sell real estate'/><category term='sell your house'/><title type='text'>Real Estate Blog Zone</title><subtitle type='html'>Real Estate Blog Zone gives you in depth tips and advice on real estate world.</subtitle><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://ozfreerealestate.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/22721688/posts/default?max-results=100'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://ozfreerealestate.blogspot.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><author><name>fire_lady</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01110451486016582859</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>10</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>100</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22721688.post-4847755612558883675</id><published>2007-01-24T07:56:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2007-01-24T08:01:15.227-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='real estate'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='sell your house'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='sell real estate'/><title type='text'>How Much Should You Sell Your House For?</title><content type='html'>Quite possibly one of the most difficult things to do when&lt;br /&gt;selling your for sale by owner home is to set a fair asking&lt;br /&gt;price.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;(there is a free ebook: 101 Tips For Selling Your House,for you&lt;br /&gt;to download,that helps you set a price for your house, from a&lt;br /&gt;link at the bottom of this page).&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This seems to be the case because of the wavering definition of&lt;br /&gt;what exactly is “fair.”&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It is quite easy as well as understandable to place a higher&lt;br /&gt;value on your for sale by owner home than what is expected,&lt;br /&gt;simply due to the fact that it is your home; the home you have&lt;br /&gt;cared for and lived in for however long of a time period you&lt;br /&gt;have lived in it.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;You may have replaced the kitchen cabinets or retiled the&lt;br /&gt;floors or even have had new carpet put in.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Other things that you might increase value in your for sale by&lt;br /&gt;owner home would include the addition of a swimming pool or a&lt;br /&gt;nice flower or vegetable garden in the backyard.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Unfortunately, all of these things mean nothing in the grand&lt;br /&gt;scheme of setting a fair asking price. Well, they may not mean&lt;br /&gt;absolutely nothing at all but they will not play much of a role&lt;br /&gt;at all in the price that your house demands.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The single biggest reason for sale by owner homes fail is&lt;br /&gt;because the owner has set an asking price far above what other&lt;br /&gt;houses in the neighborhood have sold for.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This is the main determining factor in deciding how high to set&lt;br /&gt;your asking price. As was mentioned before, for sale by owner&lt;br /&gt;home additions are nice, but simply because the addition was&lt;br /&gt;what you had always been wanting does not necessarily mean that&lt;br /&gt;the potential buyer will agree with you and want to pay extra&lt;br /&gt;for what you felt was a luxury item.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The swimming pool example holds up well here. Someone with no&lt;br /&gt;children and who is afraid of water will not want to pay extra&lt;br /&gt;money for something that they consider to be a liability. For&lt;br /&gt;these reasons, it is important to check out the previous&lt;br /&gt;selling prices of homes in your neighborhood.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you require assistance in this matter, it is always a good&lt;br /&gt;idea to enlist the aid of a real estate appraiser, however,&lt;br /&gt;nowadays; Internet databases make this task easier than&lt;br /&gt;expected.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;There are a few other things to remember when considering the&lt;br /&gt;asking price of your for sale by owner home. It is important to&lt;br /&gt;consider all selling costs such as closing fees as well as to&lt;br /&gt;consider how much cash you want after the sale.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It is a bad idea to start with the amount of cash you want from&lt;br /&gt;the sale and work backward to get a price. This complicates the&lt;br /&gt;deal and can end up causing you to raise the price&lt;br /&gt;unnecessarily.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It is best to consider the fair market value of your for sale&lt;br /&gt;by owner home and in order to raise the price a little, you may&lt;br /&gt;want to either offer what is known as seller financing or allow&lt;br /&gt;the buyer to simply assume the mortgage payments to your for&lt;br /&gt;sale by owner for sale by owner home.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Seller financing is an option that should be used under the&lt;br /&gt;guidance of an attorney in order to draft proper contracts. A&lt;br /&gt;financial advisor should be involved as well in order to&lt;br /&gt;determine appropriate interest rates.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The asking price should be fair and accurate in order to avoid&lt;br /&gt;any unnecessary complications in the sale of your for sale by&lt;br /&gt;owner home.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you follow the tips above, you will stand a good chance of&lt;br /&gt;selling your home quickly.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;By: Geri Mason&lt;br /&gt;Source: http://www.isnare.com&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/22721688-4847755612558883675?l=ozfreerealestate.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://ozfreerealestate.blogspot.com/feeds/4847755612558883675/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=22721688&amp;postID=4847755612558883675' title='2 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/22721688/posts/default/4847755612558883675'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/22721688/posts/default/4847755612558883675'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://ozfreerealestate.blogspot.com/2007/01/how-much-should-you-sell-your-house-for.html' title='How Much Should You Sell Your House For?'/><author><name>fire_lady</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01110451486016582859</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>2</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22721688.post-115374179325936845</id><published>2006-07-24T04:48:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2007-01-13T19:27:59.900-08:00</updated><title type='text'>5 Useful Tips in Buying a House</title><content type='html'>&lt;span style="font-family:georgia;"&gt;Buying a house is a very serious matter that comes in to people’s lives. It is very risky to invest your money in buying just any house you find. You must have some guidelines that can help you decide which house is the best for you. Here are some:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:georgia;"&gt;1. Determine your rights&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:georgia;"&gt;When you are ready to buy your own house, be sure you understand your rights as a homebuyer. Knowing the process of buying a house prevents you from getting scammed. You can personally do your home work or seek for a knowledgeable person like a real estate agent or a broker. Make sure that the agent you hire is licensed and have a wide knowledge regarding the area.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:georgia;"&gt;2. Make sure you can afford it&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:georgia;"&gt;Your budget is really a big deal in buying your own house. What you want is different from what you need, so be practical. You don’t really need a big house if you’re just one person that travels everyday, right? Make sure that you make the best for your money. Seek help or ask for suggestions especially for those who have knowledge in real estate prices. If you can’t stay for at least a year, buying a house is inappropriate for you. You may save a whole lot more of money if you sell it urgently.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:georgia;"&gt;3. Make sure it fits your lifestyle&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:georgia;"&gt;Make your house a home. Be sure it really fits your way of life and you are comfortable with it. A good example of this is if you’re working in an office, a good place to find is near or in the vicinity of your office. If you love nature, a good place to find is outside the city with clean air, near parks, has a mountain view or near at the beach. Your personality really matters in finding a good house. Make sure to look at its suburbs first and try to gather some information about the area and its surroundings. Try also to consider the kind of neighbors you will have.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:georgia;"&gt;4. Consider your future plan&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:georgia;"&gt;If you’re newly married, you might to consider how many kids you want to have. You can assume the number of rooms or the home space you need. If you can afford a house that is near to a good school, it is better. School districts are more important to home buyers, therefore, it will increase your property values. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:georgia;"&gt;5. Be organized&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:georgia;"&gt;It is very important to make your document files organized and safe. Because it will prove that you own the house. It will help you a lot especially when it comes in paying your house payments (taxes and amortization).&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);font-size:85%;" &gt;____________________________________________________&lt;br /&gt;&lt;i&gt;Ester is one of the SEOs of &lt;a href="http://www.ozfreeonline.com"&gt;http://www.ozfreeonline.com&lt;/a&gt; and takes care of the &lt;a href="http://realestate.ozfreeonline.com"&gt;Ozfree Online Real Estate Page&lt;/a&gt; where in it offers a comprehensive list of office &amp;amp; commercial real estates, homes for rent or sell and an apartment finder to thousands of properties in Australia. For more information, visit http://realestate.ozfreeonline.com.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/22721688-115374179325936845?l=ozfreerealestate.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://ozfreerealestate.blogspot.com/feeds/115374179325936845/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=22721688&amp;postID=115374179325936845' title='2 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/22721688/posts/default/115374179325936845'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/22721688/posts/default/115374179325936845'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://ozfreerealestate.blogspot.com/2006/07/5-useful-tips-in-buying-house.html' title='5 Useful Tips in Buying a House'/><author><name>gUrLaLiEn</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15821886968107963203</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_h9wm_dU4qbw/SXyUp9CMqVI/AAAAAAAAANE/Aqci5AkUalQ/S220/IMG_015.jpg'/></author><thr:total>2</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22721688.post-115210516460416579</id><published>2006-07-05T06:11:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2006-07-05T06:12:44.840-07:00</updated><title type='text'>What's the Difference between Stock Market and Real Estate Investing?</title><content type='html'>&lt;span class="articletext"&gt;It may not seem obvious to many people, but the strategies involved in real estate investing and stock market investing are different from each other. Many people, disenchanted with the lackluster performance of their stock portfolio, first become interested in real estate investing after someone they know makes a large sum of money in real estate in a relatively short time.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If that sounds like YOU, be warned: investing in real estate in the hopes that the market will increase rapidly and steadily is, and always has been, a risky strategy, and can cause severe difficulty if you guess wrong about a piece of property--or if the entire real estate market begins to collapse, as has happened many times in the past.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you can afford to buy real estate and hold on to it for five to fifteen years, you will nearly always realize a substantial profit. If you are savvy enough to buy a significantly discounted piece of property and then sell it within a year, you'll make money, too. But buying an investment property at its fair market value that only gives you a break-even cash flow (or worse yet, loses money every month) can sink you in a relatively short time if you don't have the wherewithal to feed it until you CAN make money on it.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It's like riding a horse. If you don't know how to ride, you'd better take some lessons before you sign up for a rodeo! The results could be disastrous if you make a mistake. And if you haven't done your homework, you WILL make a mistake. The wrong real estate investment could cause not just financial hardship, but also financial ruin.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;So know your real estate market, inside and out. Know where it is in its overall cycle, because all markets, no matter how hot, have ups and downs within the overall trend. There are always bargains available, regardless of the market. Watch your local housing market so you know how much rental income to expect and if there is a vacancy glut on the market. Two years ago you could buy an apartment building in Las Vegas for zero down because investors couldn't rent the apartments. Some investors who could afford to make up the negative cash flow each month made a killing in appreciation. Investors with financing or cash who transformed the apartments into condominiums made even more money.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Finding the lowest-priced financing also helps make the most return on your investment. Unlike stock investing, you need strong credit to use other people's money to finance investment property.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Even if you're frustrated by a lackluster stock market, don't expect to make a short-term killing in real estate to make up for it. In both cases, one of the best strategies is to buy excellent examples--and then hang on for awhile. It's also a good strategy to maintain a cash reserve, especially when it comes to real estate. That way, even if the market heads south, you won't find yourself being overwhelmed while you wait for the inevitable rebound in prices.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Real estate investing can carry more significant consequences than stock market investing if you guess wrong, since there's generally a great deal more money involved. So take it easy, do your homework, and don't rush into anything until you've learned as much as you can about how to become a prudent real estate investor.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);font-size:85%;" &gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);font-size:85%;" &gt;____________________________________________________&lt;br /&gt;&lt;i&gt;This article was posted at &lt;a style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);" href="http://ireprint.info/"&gt;iReprint.info&lt;/a&gt; on 2003-12-20. Webmasters and publishers are free to reprint this article as long as the resource box and all the links remain intact.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/22721688-115210516460416579?l=ozfreerealestate.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://ozfreerealestate.blogspot.com/feeds/115210516460416579/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=22721688&amp;postID=115210516460416579' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/22721688/posts/default/115210516460416579'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/22721688/posts/default/115210516460416579'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://ozfreerealestate.blogspot.com/2006/07/whats-difference-between-stock-market.html' title='What&apos;s the Difference between Stock Market and Real Estate Investing?'/><author><name>fire_lady</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01110451486016582859</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22721688.post-115132185755968240</id><published>2006-06-26T04:34:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2006-06-26T04:38:30.486-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Why do you need a real estate agent?</title><content type='html'>Purchasing or selling a real estate is very complex and too risky to invest money. Because of this, it is cleverly to seek for a trustworthy and knowledgeable real estate agent to prevent regrets in the future. There are many reasons why a real estate agent is needed in buying or selling a real estate.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you don’t have any idea of the procedures in buying a real estate, a real estate agent is the person who can help you. License brokers or real estate agents have a thorough knowledge that can help you ensure the legality of papers and real estate procedures.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you’re new to the area, do a simple research of properties in the neighborhood. Try to ask some people living their about the amenities and hints about the community. Finding a knowledgeable real estate agent is the best idea. Real estate sales agents have a vast knowledge regarding real estate market in their area. They know the laws and guidelines regarding real estate matters. They also can recommend what is the best for you and your budget.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you urgently need to buy or sell a real estate, an expert real estate agent can help you. A professional real estate agent has many friends, associate and contacts that can speed up the process if you urgently need to buy and sell a real estate. These will help you save time and effort and can possibly sell you’re real estate property immediately or aid you in finding your target house.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If your too busy working or doing something very important and don’t have the time in dealing with real estate transactions, A real estate agent will serve as your personal representative in buying or selling a real estate. Also, if you don’t have the abilities of a sales person, the agent serves as your spoke person to deal with your business clients.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Raymond M. Crisostomo&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.ozfreeonline.com/realestate/"&gt;Homes for Sale and Real Estate Listings&lt;/a&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/22721688-115132185755968240?l=ozfreerealestate.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://ozfreerealestate.blogspot.com/feeds/115132185755968240/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=22721688&amp;postID=115132185755968240' title='2 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/22721688/posts/default/115132185755968240'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/22721688/posts/default/115132185755968240'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://ozfreerealestate.blogspot.com/2006/06/why-do-you-need-real-estate-agent.html' title='Why do you need a real estate agent?'/><author><name>mavahntooth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499192467684684113</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='http://x7.putfile.com/2/4107554025.gif'/></author><thr:total>2</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22721688.post-114985868223239576</id><published>2006-06-09T06:01:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2006-06-09T06:11:25.330-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Finding The Best Real Estate Agent</title><content type='html'>&lt;span class="articletext"&gt;Finding the appropriate time to leave behind the unforgettable moments that you experienced in your home is sometimes stressful, but it's always the time to move forward to get a new investment. Statistics in Las Vegas real estate show that the average family is ready to jump into a new home almost every 5 years, so how you interview the best candidate is going to help you to sell your most valuable asset and move to the next step of finding your next "dream home." Here is some advice for you:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Find an agent with a marketing plan that is designed to incorporate all the resources, tools, and systems accomplishing your goals and needs as the seller of a real state property.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Look for somebody who is going to get you the most amount of money in the least amount of time and the least amount of inconvenience.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Sometimes looking around and interviewing so many candidates can make you confused because everyone uses different strategies to get you sold. It is important that you get focused and express all your concerns and necesities to the candidates that you interview.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Pay attention to the different marketing plans they offer to you. Ask questions all the time about the different steps that happen through the transaction process. Make sure you understand everything they say and take notes. This way, in the end of your process to find a Las Vegas Realtor®, you have specific notes about the agent you are going to hire and all the promises and commitments this person is going to do for you to get you through the process of selling your home or buying a new one.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Select the agent that looks professional, acts professional, and most importantly, shows you that he or she knows what they are doing. This is why it is important to see if the agent uses current technologies, advertising, and all other marketing strategies available to get your home exposed everywhere in the real estate market.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Ask for the seller service pledge. What this includes, is all the strategies and services that this agent is willing to provide for you. Especially, it is important your agent provides excellent customer service for you and the possible buyers interested in your home. Ask to review all the offers and aquire feedback from all the Las Vegas Realtors® and buyers that visit your home. This way, you will get different opinions from people referring to your home, which will help you to get the right price or maybe fix a couple things that will improve your home's appeal to the next possible buyers.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The most important suggestion is not to base your decision on who gives you the best price for their services, but to find the agent that is most qualified based on their qualities, abilities, and array of services. Sometimes when you spend less, will cost you more in the end, because your agent matters.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;And remember, don't be nervous to leave the beautiful moments that you have in your own home, because changes always bring the best.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A real estate agent? Register at &lt;a href="http://www.ozfreeonline.com/realestate/register.php?AccountType=1"&gt;Oz Free Real Estate&lt;/a&gt; and feel the difference.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);"&gt;___________________________________________________&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);font-size:85%;" &gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;i&gt;This article was posted at &lt;a style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);" href="http://ireprint.info/"&gt;iReprint.info&lt;/a&gt; on 2003-12-20. Webmasters and publishers are free to reprint this article as long as the resource box and all the links remain intact.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/22721688-114985868223239576?l=ozfreerealestate.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://ozfreerealestate.blogspot.com/feeds/114985868223239576/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=22721688&amp;postID=114985868223239576' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/22721688/posts/default/114985868223239576'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/22721688/posts/default/114985868223239576'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://ozfreerealestate.blogspot.com/2006/06/finding-best-real-estate-agent.html' title='Finding The Best Real Estate Agent'/><author><name>fire_lady</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01110451486016582859</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22721688.post-114769261905521698</id><published>2006-05-15T04:23:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2006-05-15T04:30:35.693-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Home Sellers: What Does "Market Value" Mean?</title><content type='html'>&lt;span style="font-size:85%;"&gt;   By: &lt;b&gt;Jeanette Joy Fisher&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;When a real estate agent talks to you about listing your home, you'll hear a great deal of talk about "market value," but just what's meant by that term? In this article, we're only going to be considering your single family home, because different standards and calculation methods apply to commercial and investment property, but let's examine what market value is, and how it's determined.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Market Value of Single Family Homes&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Put simply, a home's market value is the price at which it should sell once it's put on the market for a reasonable amount of time, which generally means thirty to ninety days.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Within that definition are two main variables that affect a home's market value: the house itself, and the time period during which it's to be sold. First, let's look at the house itself. Every home sits in some kind of neighborhood, whether it's in the middle of downtown or way out in the country, and the location of a house will have a large influence on its market value.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The neighborhood is important, but condition of the house is also an important factor when it comes to determining its market value. The nicest home in the neighborhood normally will have the highest market value, while a house that needs a great deal of renovation will be worth less, even if it's in the best neighborhood in town.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The condition and location of a home will affect the market value in proportion to how quickly the owner wants to sell it. In order to attract a greater number of buyers and to sell the home more quickly, the price will need to be lower, which brings us to the second factor in the market value equation: time.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Regardless of where it may be located, if a house doesn't sell with the one to three month marketing period, the chances are that it was overpriced. Even brand-new homes, in brand-new subdivisions, in the most desirable part of town won't sell within thirty to sixty days if the price is too high. (On the flip side, if a home sells in a week or less, the chances are that the marketing price was too low. But most of the time, errors in calculating market value are made on the too-high side.)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Determining market value is both an art and a science, and a skilled real estate agent, armed with information about the area, other listings, and previous sales, can generally come quite close to a price that will get the home sold within one to three months. After all, it's their job to help get you the best sales price possible - in a reasonable amount of time.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"&gt;______________________________________________&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:85%;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"&gt;This article was posted at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);" href="http://ireprint.info/"&gt;iReprint.info&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"&gt; on 2003-12-20. Webmasters and publishers are free to reprint this article as long as the resource box and all the links remain intact.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/22721688-114769261905521698?l=ozfreerealestate.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://ozfreerealestate.blogspot.com/feeds/114769261905521698/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=22721688&amp;postID=114769261905521698' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/22721688/posts/default/114769261905521698'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/22721688/posts/default/114769261905521698'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://ozfreerealestate.blogspot.com/2006/05/home-sellers-what-does-market-value.html' title='Home Sellers: What Does &quot;Market Value&quot; Mean?'/><author><name>fire_lady</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01110451486016582859</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22721688.post-114631908930753170</id><published>2006-04-29T06:55:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2006-04-29T06:58:28.393-07:00</updated><title type='text'>What Is Foreclosure And How To Avoid It?</title><content type='html'>Are you having trouble making ends meet? Not paying your bills on time? Are you not able to keep up with your mortgage payments and continue to get further and further behind? How do you get yourself out of this mess and not lose your home?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Avoiding foreclosure may be possible and you should work hard to avoid it.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;What is foreclosure?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Foreclosure is the legal means by which a bank or other secured creditor sells or repossesses your home or a piece of real property due to your default on its promissory note. When your house is foreclosed on, you must move out and it is usually sold at public auction. When the foreclosure process is complete, it is typically said that "the lender has foreclosed its mortgage or lien."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In the United States, there are two sorts of foreclosure in most common law states. Under "strict foreclosure," the bank claims the title and possession of the property back in full satisfaction of a debt, usually on contract. In the proceeding simply known as foreclosure, the property is exposed to auction by the county sheriff or some other officer of the court. Many states require this latter sort of proceeding in some or all cases of foreclosure, in order to protect any equity the debtor may have in the property, in case the value of the debt being foreclosed on is substantially less than the market value of the property. In this type of foreclosure, a deed is issued to the winning bidder at auction. Banks and other institutional lenders typically bid in the amount of the owed debt at the sale, and if no other buyers step forward they get title to the property in return.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Some states have adopted non-judicial foreclosure proceedings, in which the mortgagee, gives the homeowner a legally specified notice of the default and the mortgagee's intent to sell the property. If the homeowner fails to cure its default, or use other lawful means, such as filing for bankruptcy to stop the sale, the mortgagee or its representative will conduct a public auction in a similar manner as the auction described above. The highest bidder at the auction becomes the owner of the property free and clear of any interest of the former homeowner.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;What Should You Do To Avoid Foreclosure?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;• Do not ignore letters from your lender. If you are having problems making your payments, call or write to your lender's Loss Mitigation Department without delay. Explain your situation. This shows good faith on your part. Be prepared to provide them with financial information, such as your monthly income and expenses. Without this information, they may not be able to help.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;• Stay in your home for now. You may not qualify for assistance if you abandon your property.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;• Contact a HUD-approved housing counseling agency. Call (800) 569-4287 for the housing counseling agency nearest you. These agencies are valuable resources and they frequently have information on services and programs offered by Government agencies as well as private and community organizations that could help you. The housing counseling agency may also offer credit counseling. These services are usually free of charge, and they can help explain possible alternatives.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Some of the possible alternatives you may consider include the following:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Special Forbearance. Your lender may be able to arrange a repayment plan based on your financial situation and may even provide for a temporary reduction or suspension of your payments. You may qualify for this if you have recently experienced a reduction in income or an increase in living expenses. You must furnish information to your lender to show that you would be able to meet the requirements of the new payment plan.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Mortgage Modification. You may be able to refinance the debt and/or extend the term of your mortgage loan. This may help you catch up by reducing the monthly payments to a more affordable level. You may qualify if you have recovered from a financial problem and can afford the new payment amount.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Partial Claim. Your lender may be able to work with you to obtain a one-time payment from the FHA-Insurance fund to bring your mortgage current.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Pre-foreclosure sale. This will allow you to avoid foreclosure by selling your property for an amount less than the amount necessary to pay off your mortgage loan.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Keep in mind that your lender does not want to force foreclosure proceedings because it costs them a lot of money to do so. Therefore, if you are sincere and show good faith, they are more likely to work with you to find a solution. Foreclosure can seriously affect your ability to qualify for credit in the future. So get the help you need and avoid it if at all possible!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);font-size:100%;" &gt;________________________________________________________&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);font-size:85%;" &gt;&lt;br /&gt;About The Author: Greg Smith publishes information on real estate issues at &lt;a target="_blank" href="http://www.searchexact.com/Real_Estate/"&gt;http://www.searchexact.com/Real_Estate/&lt;/a&gt;. Visit his web site &lt;a target="_blank" href="http://www.searchexact.com/"&gt;http://www.searchexact.com/&lt;/a&gt; for top resources on unique and popular topics. This article may be freely reprinted as long as the author's resource box and url links remain intact. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/22721688-114631908930753170?l=ozfreerealestate.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://ozfreerealestate.blogspot.com/feeds/114631908930753170/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=22721688&amp;postID=114631908930753170' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/22721688/posts/default/114631908930753170'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/22721688/posts/default/114631908930753170'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://ozfreerealestate.blogspot.com/2006/04/what-is-foreclosure-and-how-to-avoid.html' title='What Is Foreclosure And How To Avoid It?'/><author><name>fire_lady</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01110451486016582859</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22721688.post-114536464734129225</id><published>2006-04-18T05:45:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2006-04-18T05:53:49.386-07:00</updated><title type='text'>The Home Buying Process: What Steps To Make</title><content type='html'>&lt;span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" &gt;   By: Jason P Bertrand&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span class="articletext"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;There are several steps to take in the mortgage process. The following is a list of the best steps to take in order to ensure a smooth and simple transaction.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;1. Get Pre-Approved First&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;During the pre-approval process all the information necessary to complete a mortgage transaction will be collected. A pre-approval is substantially different from a pre-qualification. A pre-approval is the process of actually getting approved for a mortgage without having an actual property picked out yet. Having a pre-approval helps substantially and will also help in negotiating with a seller. After all, a pre-approval tells the seller that your offer is already approved and informs them that you are ready to move forward with the purchase.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;2. Making Verbal Agreements&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;There is simply no such thing as a verbal agreement in Real Estate. If there is something that you would like the seller to agree to, make sure they agree in writing. If there is a verbal agreement made, there is no feasible way to prove that that agreement was made. On the sales contract make sure everything that you are requesting is either agreed to or denied.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;3. Find Your New Home&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Now, with your pre-approval letter in hand it is time to search for your new home-to-be. Look at several properties, even if the first one you see seems as though it may be, "The one." Once you have chosen your new home write a sales contract and give a deposit. Then forward the sales contract to your broker to accompany the rest of the documentation you have provided. Due to the fact that you already have a pre-approval the loan process should be relatively quick.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;4. Lock in Your Rate&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It is important to notify the mortgage company that you would like to lock in your rate. Once a rate is locked you have a certain amount of time to close. You can lock a rate for 15 days, 30 days, 60 days, and in some cases 90 days. Once you have locked the rate, you are guaranteed that the rate will not fluctuate. You also have the option to float the rate. If you float the rate and the rate goes down you could then lock at a lower rate. If the rate goes up you would be subject to a higher payment. It is always suggested that you lock the rate due to the volatility of interest rates. You may ultimately have to pay a higher payment if you decide not to lock your rate and rates increase.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;5. Get a Professional Home Inspection&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It is always wise to have a home inspection done. A home inspection is done by an independent home inspector. A home inspection involves the home inspector going through the home prior to purchase. In some cases a house that looks beautiful from the outside may have some underlying issues that may be unseen. It is important to know ahead of time if there are any issues with the property. A home inspector will make sure all of the outlets work, that there is no water damage, and that all of the appliances work. They will assess all of the homes mechanical systems and make sure everything is in working order. They will also let the home buyer know of any current issues or any items that could become issues.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;6. Close on Your New Home&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Get a copy of all of the loan documents prior to closing. It is important to be able to read through all of the documents as time may be limited during the closing. Always call your broker ahead of time with any questions. Never close on a property without having ample time to review the closing documents. After reviewing all of the documents set up a closing with the seller and your attorney. At the closing table make sure you have all the required checks and documentation. You should receive a checklist prior to closing. Remember, never sign anything you do not understand, and ask plenty of questions to make sure you understand.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;i style="color: rgb(192, 192, 192);"&gt;This article was posted at &lt;a href="http://ireprint.info/"&gt;iReprint.info&lt;/a&gt; on 2006-03-23. Webmasters and publishers are free to reprint this article as long as the resource box and all the links remain intact.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/22721688-114536464734129225?l=ozfreerealestate.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://ozfreerealestate.blogspot.com/feeds/114536464734129225/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=22721688&amp;postID=114536464734129225' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/22721688/posts/default/114536464734129225'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/22721688/posts/default/114536464734129225'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://ozfreerealestate.blogspot.com/2006/04/home-buying-process-what-steps-to-make_18.html' title='The Home Buying Process: What Steps To Make'/><author><name>fire_lady</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01110451486016582859</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22721688.post-114113485110165175</id><published>2006-02-28T05:52:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2006-03-03T05:13:42.190-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Tips For Successful Apartment Hunting</title><content type='html'>&lt;span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"&gt;Find apartment with &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" href="http://www.ozfreeonline.com/realestate/"&gt;real estate listings.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"&gt;The hunt for an apartment may seem like an extremely challenging ordeal, but it does not have to be. People looking for an apartment usually have a good experience if they educate themselves on what to look out for, and they have a good idea of what type of apartment they want. The best tool for finding an apartment efficiently is having knowledge. Here are some helpful tips to consider when looking for an apartment.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"&gt;1. Make sure you know what you want. People who are not sure about what they want can easily get swindled into bad deals. If you want a 2-bedroom apartment, then don’t settle for less. If you know what area of city you want to live in, be sure to stick to your ground. Too many people are very indecisive. Indecisiveness is a weakness that many people try to take advantage of. Knowing what you’re looking for is the first key to success.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"&gt;2. Use all your resources. Apartments are listed in newspapers, free magazines, small ads, and even “for rent” signs in the front yard. Exploring all options will allow the apartment seeker to have the greatest amount to choose from. The more apartments you have to choose from, the better the chance that you will find the apartment that is perfect for you.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"&gt;3. Visit the apartment. Too many people sign on the dotted line without ever actually seeing the apartment or the neighborhood. Take time to travel to the apartment and maybe even meet some fellow tenants or neighbors. Actually experiencing the apartment and its surroundings can help make any decision easier. Checking the apartment out can also help avoid pitfalls. Some elements may seem appealing on paper, but are not as such in real life.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"&gt;4. Additionally, when you are visiting the apartment, do not be afraid of scrutinizing every aspect of the apartment. Look for cracks, bugs, dirty spots, and any other flaws. Be sure to ask the landlord about previous tenants. One of the worst things that can happen to someone is that they rent an apartment and realize that there are major problems that have to be fixed. These problems often cost the renter exurbanite amounts of money. If possible, see how the other tenants like the apartment. Even invite a friend or family member along when you are visiting the apartment. The more opinions you have, the better.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"&gt;5. Read your contract! Before signing a contract, make sure that you understand what services you are entitled to and all of the costs. Many people have foolishly signed contracts and didn’t realize that they were paying for utilities, or other services. Additionally, make sure you have a fair rent worked out with your landlord. Avoid paying too much for your apartment at all costs. If they advertise the apartment for one price, make sure that that’s the price you are expected to pay.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"&gt;The search for an apartment can sometimes seem very daunting. Some people will try to swindle you and charge you too much, or charge you hidden fees. Being educated about what you are looking for, and scrutinizing the apartment diligently can help protect you from paying too much or having a bad apartment. If you educate yourself, than your apartment search should be simple and enjoyable.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:78%;"&gt;_________________________________________________________________________&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:78%;"&gt;Paul Smith writes about a variety of real estate topics, but is presently focusing on how to find a good &lt;a href="http://www.homefromhome.co.uk/"&gt;London apartment&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br /&gt;More information: &lt;a target="_blank" href="http://www.homefromhome.co.uk/"&gt;http://www.homefromhome.co.uk&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:78%;"&gt;Article Source &lt;a href="http://www.freezine-articles.com/"&gt;Freezine Articles&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/22721688-114113485110165175?l=ozfreerealestate.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://ozfreerealestate.blogspot.com/feeds/114113485110165175/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=22721688&amp;postID=114113485110165175' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/22721688/posts/default/114113485110165175'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/22721688/posts/default/114113485110165175'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://ozfreerealestate.blogspot.com/2006/02/tips-for-successful-apartment-hunting.html' title='Tips For Successful Apartment Hunting'/><author><name>fire_lady</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01110451486016582859</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22721688.post-114044380951219483</id><published>2006-02-20T05:32:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2006-02-20T05:56:49.523-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Why You Should Invest In Real Estate</title><content type='html'>&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;I am always amazed when I talk with people about investing and real estate. I was at a resort recently with my family and struck up a conversation with a woman about her experience with the resort. As we chatted she mentioned that she was a realtor. I asked if she did her own investments, and to my amazement she said “I wish I could, but I have my money tied up in funds”.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I almost drowned in the hot tub! Here is someone who facilitates deals for people in real estate (assuming she has ever met an investor), and she would rather earn 2-5% (maybe) per year on her money. Wow.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I hardly know where to start. I think the most exciting things about real estate investing are leverage and control. Let me first discuss leverage. How much interest in a mutual fund can you get for $10,000 ? $10,000 worth would be the correct answer. Options aside, how much stock can you purchase for $10,000 ? $10,000 is again the correct answer.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;How much real estate can you buy for $10,000 ? How about $250,000? I’ve done it for less. Now let me ask: When you have $10,000 in stock, how much do get appreciation on? $10,000 – this is easy! How about if that mutual fund goes up 5%, what do you get 5% on? $10,000 again!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Now what if that $250,000 house goes up 5%...you get $12,500 in appreciation. That’s more than your initial investment.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Now let’s look at involving OPM – other people’s money. Is there anyone at a bank that would lend you $10,000 to buy stock? I doubt it. Is there anyone at a bank that will lend you $10,000 to buy a house? You bet there is! Lenders are tripping over each other to lend you money. How much mortgage related junk mail do you get every day?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;So, not only do you get appreciation on much more than you spent, but you have people willing to lend you the money to do it! What could be better than that? How about control or knowledge.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;When you buy stock in a company, what can you do to make it go up or down? Not much. I doubt you could buy enough product to affect the stock price of any public company. What about with real estate? What can you do to affect the market price of your property? Plenty! You can really affect a market, but you can do a lot to a property yourself.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;When you buy a stock, do you have any idea if that stock will go up or down? Not really. Hopefully you study a company and pick one that you think will do well, but there are no guarantees. Phrased differently, do you have any idea what that stock will be worth 3 months from now? Absolutely not.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;How about a property you buy – do you know what it will be worth in three months? You better have a good idea! You can run a market analysis or get an appraisal any time you want, and most markets don’t make radical changes in three months, so you can have a pretty close idea what a property will be worth in three months.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;That investment is under your control, because you can fix it up, add to it, or even scrape it and add another building. When you add up leverage, control and predictability, real estate comes out shining as the best investment vehicle. Of course I would never recommend it be your only investment vehicle, but you are missing out on a huge return if you are not investing in real estate.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Find and invest on a &lt;span style="text-decoration: underline;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.ozfreeonline.com/realestate/"&gt;Real Estate&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br /&gt;______________________________________________________&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:78%;" &gt;About the Author: Ron LeBlanc is a real estate investor who is a licensed realtor in Colorado. He gets a huge charge out of helping people through the fear and hurdles to financial independence. He lives with his wife and 2 boys in boulder, Colorado - the greatest place on Earth to live. Visit him at &lt;a href="http://www.boulder-realestate-investors.com" title="http://www.boulder-realestate-investors.com" target="_blank"&gt;http://www.boulder-realestate-investors.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Source: &lt;a href="http://www.isnare.com"&gt;www.isnare.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/22721688-114044380951219483?l=ozfreerealestate.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://ozfreerealestate.blogspot.com/feeds/114044380951219483/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=22721688&amp;postID=114044380951219483' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/22721688/posts/default/114044380951219483'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/22721688/posts/default/114044380951219483'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://ozfreerealestate.blogspot.com/2006/02/why-you-should-invest-in-real-estate.html' title='Why You Should Invest In Real Estate'/><author><name>fire_lady</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01110451486016582859</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry></feed>
