Real Estate Articles Worth Reading

In real estate one of the items that is at the top of everyone's list when buying a home is to make sure that the home does not have any water incursion. Whether it is a leaky roof or a wet basement there is nothing that will deter a buyer faster than water penetration. This fact makes it extremely important to know when to replace a roof especially if you are going to be selling your home. The roof often becomes a bone of contention at home inspections.

The buyer does a home inspection and the home inspector explains to the buyer that there are probably only a few years of life left in the roof. The buyer's automatic thought process is to ask the seller to replace the roof. The seller on the other hand is hearing something totally different. The seller rightfully so, knows that the roof has a years of life left. There are no leaks at the present time and everything structurally is fine.

This is where a skilled real estate agent earns their money. Depending on what side of the fence you are on the agent will want to get the best deal for their client.

More often than not I am representing a seller so I have to try to get my seller the best deal possible. In the article I explain the strategy of dealing with roof replacement and the possible solutions. Often times a compromise is reached in situations where a buyer wants one thing and a seller wants something else.

Home Improvement mistakes are made every day across the united states. There are many home owners who unfortunately believe that every dollar they spend on their home comes back to them no matter what the project happens to be.

This could not be further from the truth! There are in fact many home improvements that add little value if any to a home. In some cases you can spend a decent amount of money on something and it can actually make your home harder to sell.

The perfect example of this is discussed in the article and happens to be an above ground pool. Most people think these are eye sores and the first thing they will want to do is get rid of it. This is a classic home improvement mistake to avoid. This becomes even more evident when you are selling your home. There are numerous other home improvement mistakes discussed as well in the article such as not getting proper permits, over improving certain areas of a home and not others as well as a few others.

Take a look and avoid these home improvement disasters especially if you will be selling your home.

Do you know what type of flooring is best when selling a home? Floor expert Debbie Gartner takes you through her review of what works best when selling a home.

Working as a Realtor for the past twenty seven years I also have some experience with what people like best. In most homes one of the top flooring choices is hardwood. Just your typical red or white Oak is very popular. There are a number of finishes and stain choices that can change the appearance of wood allowing a person to customize to their taste.

For kitchen and baths tile is very popular although believe it or not I have seen many go with hardwood in their kitchens over the last ten years.

Some of the other wood choices that become more popular in the luxury price ranges are cherry, bamboo and maple. For rustic or colonial reproductions pine is also a popular choice.

The typical flooring choice for bedrooms is still carpeting.Both Berber and pile carpets are popular. Take a look at Debbie;s article for further flooring insights.

If you are going to be buying a home there is no doubt you are going to want to have the best credit score possible! This borrowers who have the highest credit scores are afforded the opportunity to get the best mortgage rates.

It makes sense that if you know you are going to be buying a home and your credit score is not exactly where you want it to be you should be working to increase it. So how do you go about increasing a credit score? Take a look at the article for all the best advice on how to work towards maximizing your credit score.

I don't know about you but my opinion is that your reputation is everything in real estate! Without a good reputation it is unlikely you will get far as a Realtor. Word travels fast when you have a negative reputation!

A Real Estate agent should always be striving to be the best they can be. The article gives you some tips and advice on how to make sure your reputation as an agent is top notch. Take a look at the online reputation guide for real estate agents. With social media becoming so prevalent today you reputation can suffer when you don't stay on top of doing what it takes to be the best at your craft.

What are some of the most common questions asked by first time home buyers? If you are a Real Estate agent this is information you will want to be familiar with because you will more than likely be asked on of these questions!

If you are a first time home buyer this is a terrific resource for learning the process of buying your first home including getting your financial house in order, getting pre-approved for a mortgage, understanding what you should be looking at in a home, the negotiation process with a seller, all the inspections you will want to do as well as all the steps in between.

Buying a home for the first time can present a number of challenges and those that are prepared with increase their chances of a smooth real estate transaction. See more excellent information on the first time home buying process at tips for first time home buyers. These come from an experienced real estate agent who has been practicing for almost three decades in both up and down real estate markets.

When you move into a new home you may be so excited that you don't think about some really good common sense things you should be doing. One of them at the top of the list is changing the locks. God knows how many people have the key to the place you now call home. The last thing you want to find out is your place has been robbed. This is one of the tips you will find in the article along with five others.

The terms mortgage pre-approval and pre-qualification unfortunately are used interchangeably which creates confusion amongst the buying public. Folks these two mortgage terms have very drastic meanings. A pre-qualification letter essentially says that you are able to purchase a certain amount based on the income and debt load you have provided a mortgage broker or bank. This really does not mean you are able to get a loan as nothing is verified. In comparing a mortgage Pre-approval vs Pre-qualification there is a world of differences. When a borrower has been pre-approved for a mortgage there are things that have been verified by a lender including income, credit, financial history, debt load and employment. These things are not done when getting pre-qualified. Take a look at the article to see why it makes sense for a buyer to get pre-approved and why most savvy home sellers will require it!

The rules of real estate are really not that hard to follow. Do what you are supposed to and more often than not you will have a stress free real estate experience.

If however you decide not to follow good advice from the pro's it is very easy to get caught with your pants down. This can lead to all sorts of problems that can make your experience a poor one.

The article outlines some simple steps you want to follow when you are purchasing real estate including making sure you get pre-approved for a mortgage. You are bound to hear two terms when looking for a loan.

One  mortgage term will be pre-qualified and the other pre-approved. You don't want to waster your time with a pre-qual letter as it doesn't mean anything more than you have the income to buy a home in a certain price point. Always go for a pre-approval to ensure the seller will feel comfortable with your finances.

Another key step in the home buying process is hooking up with a true real estate professional. There are thousands of Realtors to choose from but much like any other industry they all have different skill sets. Look for someone has has a few years under their belt, knows the general area, has good communication skills and sells at least a decent amount of homes.

Continue reading to see more great real estate advice!

After you have bought a few homes it is almost like riding a bike. It comes as second nature and you don't need to think about the steps necessary to make your real estate transaction go smoothly.

When you are buying your first home however it may not seem so easy. Many home buyers do not know what the necessary steps are for buying a first home. They have no idea what they should even be thinking about in many circumstances.

The article takes you through all the necessary steps in becoming a first time home owner including getting pre-approved for a mortgage, sitting down and really studying what you want in a home, locating a top Realtor, identifying a home that meets your search criteria, making an offer, going through the home inspection process and ultimately closing on your new home.

When you are a first time buyer you will want to at least have some idea what you are looking for. Things like the kind of location including whether you want a city or suburban feel. Whether or not you can live on a main road or it needs to be a subdivision/neighborhood type setting.

Do you need a certain number of bedrooms and baths? Is a garage a necessity or a luxury? These are the types of questions you should be asking yourself.

Many buyers will not take the time to do their financial due diligence before they start looking at homes. This is a big mistake on a number of fronts. First it doesn't make sense to look at homes you are not qualified to buy as you are wasting not only your time  but the Realtors and sellers. Getting the Pre-approval and not just a simple pre-qualification letter is really important.

Identifying a top Realtor is also paramount. DO NOT assume all real estate agents have the same skill sets. Their are many excellent agents and just as many who should not be holding a real estate license. Keep in mind the barriers of becoming an agent are low. Plan on really checking out a few agents before you commit yourself.

These are a few of the most important action items. Read the rest of the article to get a number of other important first time home buyer tips.

Selling a home should not be a mystery yet for many home owners they do not approach selling real estate they way they should. There are some real simple things you can do to sell a home quickly and easily that many home owners ignore.

One of the first things you should do is seek out a top real estate professional. Don't just randomly pick someone from a sign you see on someones lawn or by visiting a local Real Estate open house. These are not good ways to choose a Realtor. Go on the internet and find out who is doing most of the business in your area. Use the internet as a tool to help you find that great agent. Google the agents name and see how they conduct their business. Look at things like the photography they provide and write ups about their clients homes. Does the photography look good? Does the written word do the properties justice? Remember the agent you work with will be doing the same for your home!

If the main marketing activity the agent likes to push is a real estate open house you may want to consider using someone different as a real estate open house is one of the least effective ways to sell a home. It carries far more benefit for the agent than it does the client.

Don't just settle on one agent to speak with. Interview multiple agents and choose wisely based on what services they are going to provide you NOT the price the tell you to list your home at. This is one of the worst ways to pick an agent and sure to cause you heartburn in the long run.

Once you have decided on an agent ask them for some advice on how to best present your property. Many real estate agents will be able to give you staging tips if your budget does not allow you to pay for a complete staging of your property.

At the very least you want to make sure your home is clean and tidy. Some of the best home improvements that carry the most bang for your buck are painting and carpets. If your home needs it spend the money here.

Above all else listen to your real estate agent on the proper pricing of your home. 75 percent of the marketing will be about setting the right price. You can have all the best marketing in the world but if you get the price wrong your home will languish on the market.

Take a look at @Lynn Pineda terrific article which provides additional insights on how to sell a home beyond what I have just mentioned here. Lynn is a veteran agent serving the Coral Spring area of Florida. She knows her stuff about how to get the job done.

One of the biggest questions in real estate that clients will ask is should I renovate my home or sell as is. This is not a questions that has a clear cut and dry answer. Everyone's personal financial circumstance is different. What is good for one person may not be good for another.

You also have to take location into consideration. If all the homes around you are of similar caliber and you dump a ton of money into a property, you may not get it back.

Local market conditions also dictate whether selling as is or with renovations make sense or not. Speak with a local Realtor and let them help you decide which way makes the most sense.

Do you have a large home with large spaces? Maybe you have a large great room that you just can't seem to make look great because of the abundance of space. Take a look at this excellent guide on how to stage your home to look it's best when you have volume space.

If you are a Real Estate agent and have not joined the top Google Plus real estate community you should! The Google Plus Real Estate community is a place where anyone who is in the real estate industry or just enjoys real estate can share their best blog articles!

If you like to write about real estate this is a great place to get social engagement for you real estate blog. Not only will your own content be found and enjoyed by others but you will see what others are writing about as well.

When joining the real estate community at Google+ make sure you read the rules at the top right side of the board. We only have a few rules that are really easy to follow. We ask you not to share listings, local market reports and things that are overly promotional like telling us how great your website is.

Come take a look and join the Google+ real estate community today!

One of the biggest differences when going through the process of buying a short sale is the time it takes to complete the transaction. Unfortunately there is no easy way to ensure that a short sale will go quicker. On average a short sale takes around four months to complete. The typical real estate transaction is normally done on average between 6-8 weeks. If you are not prepared as a buyer for the time difference you could end up being very disappointed.

Education a buyer about the whole process of buying a short sale is important. When a buyer is educated on the short sale buying process there is a much greater chance for success. A seller should always be looking to secure a buyer who understands the process and is willing to wait the necessary time it will take to complete the process. Take a look at the article for other considerations you will need to know when buying a short sale.

One of my biggest pet peeves coming from my own industry in which I thrive in is how real estate agents totally lack the ability to use social media for it's intended purpose. Social media when done properly is about building rapport and relationships with people. It is not about selling. Selling comes once you have established trust with someone.

In the article I cover some of the biggest mistakes real estate agents make with social media. The one thing that drives me nuts more than any other is Realtors who fill up their social media channels with their listings. Why on earth do so many real estate agents think that social media is an online bulletin board?

It is one of the most annoying things. Nobody cares about an real estate agents listing in some town USA unless they are looking for a home in that town. Yet Realtors blast out their listings to millions of people in the social channels like the majority of people are going to care when they don't.

Look at any successful real estate agent in the social space and you are going to notice they share helpful content about buying and selling homes. This is what social is about - providing content that helps someone learn something. I repeat it is NOT about selling!

Look at the article to see some of the other real estate social media blunders. I discuss some of the problems you see in each of the major social media networks including facebook, Google Plus, Twitter and Linkedin.

Have you ever driven by a luxury home that has brick pavers and said to yourself WOW this looks gorgeous? I know I have. The look of a brick paver driveway just adds some much character to a homes appearance. Doing a paver driveway is of course a lot more expensive than the typical asphalt driveways you typically see. You can however save a lot of money if you are willing to do it yourself. Let this guide to concrete pavers for driveway help you install the look you would love to have for your home.