http://www.articletrader.com/ Articles at ArticleTrader en-us http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/home-exteriors-dressed-to-sell.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/home-exteriors-dressed-to-sell.html Mon, 07 May 2007 00:00:00 -0500
With the amazing weather that is present for most of the year in Laguna Niguel, the exterior of a home is quite important and gets much more use than homes in some areas of the country. Yards have the distinct ability to sell a home on first sight. One can tell a lot about a home from the care with which the yard is maintained. If the yard is full of junk and debris, the lawn unkempt and bushes un-trimmed, chances are that the home has been treated in a similar fashion. First impressions are made and broken on the home's exterior.

In creating a beautiful facade for your home there are several elements that must be taken into account. Separate your yard into sections like lawn & gardens, home itself and finishing touches. Once you have determined your plan of attack, make lists of the things that need replacing or fixing and set to it! Most of these things will be able to be done without much expenditure save for painting the home if necessary. If you think it's necessary, then it probably is. The place where you can really make a big difference is in the finishing touches. These do not have to be huge things, in fact it's better if they aren't. Remember, people notice little thoughtful touches, especially home buyers. If you have managed to create a few things that stick out in buyer's minds then this process has been successful.

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Frankie Bastek is a professional and experienced Realtor® specializing in the Orange County area. For the best service and advice concerning Laguna Niguel real estate, check out www.homefindings.com.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/realtors-more-than-a-simple-salesperson.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/realtors-more-than-a-simple-salesperson.html Mon, 07 May 2007 00:00:00 -0500
One of the biggest misnomers about the FSBO sales process is that it saves huge amounts of money. Well in one sense this is true. However when taken into full consideration, it is merely a misdirection. Sure you may save some money in commissions, but money saved in commissions is very quickly spent in other areas that are usually covered by an agent's fees. The most important of the agent's responsibilities is one that simply cannot be equaled by a FSBO site no matter how big it is: advertising & research.

The research comes into play when pricing the home. Homes that are priced by their owners have a tendency to be somewhat overpriced, and for good reason. Selling a home is an emotional experience and it is hard to price a home according to it's financial worth as opposed to it's emotional worth which is so often the case in FSBO sales. Overpriced homes have more difficulty selling and tend to gain a stigma if they are listed for too long. Proper pricing is essential to be competitive in today's market. A realtor can guide sellers to a competitive price that will ensure their home has the best chance to sell quickly and without incident.

Marketing is the other main advantage to using a realtor. In today's high-tech market homes are typically seen online first. The place they are most likely to be seen? On a properly optimized and designed realtor site. IN addition to the internet, realtors employ a number of other advertising mediums including newspapers, flyers, signs and welcoming/info packages. Of course the final asset is the fact that realtor are home selling experts. They have a wealth of experience and information designed to specifically streamline the sales process. So you do the math, you can sell your home yourself; spending hours and hours of your precious time and money or you can use the skills of a realtor and relax and prepare for your imminent move.

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Frankie Bastek is a professional and experienced Realtor® specializing in the Orange County area. For the best service and advice concerning Laguna Niguel real estate, check out www.homefindings.com.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/investment-properties-1031-exchanges.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/investment-properties-1031-exchanges.html Mon, 09 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0500
From the time that you sell your investment property you then have 45 days to identify the property or properties that you intend to purchase with the proceeds. There are also a few safeguards built into the process to ensure that it is not abused. One of these is called the 95% Exception rule. This rule states that you must acquire 95% of the property that you declare an intent to purchase or "identify." Another guideline is the fact that once your sale property closes, you have six months from that date to close on your identified properties.

Almost any kind of property qualifies for a 1031 exchange except for your primary residence. This makes the 1031 exchange a great opportunity for beginning investors to make their mark on the investment market. For complete information on 1031 exchanges it's a good idea to check the IRS web page which features complete and comprehensive information on everything that is involved with this type of financial transaction. There is also a healthy selection of companies that operate as the financial intermediary that can provide accurate info for the investor.

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Frankie Bastek is a professional and experienced Realtor® specializing in the Orange County area. For the best service and advice concerning Laguna Niguel real estate, check out www.homefindings.com.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/home-buying-no-nos.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/home-buying-no-nos.html Mon, 09 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0500
This is the kind of environment where buyers can get taken advantage of, so be careful. One of the most commonly skipped steps is the home inspection. Bad idea. How do you know what the possible concerns with a house are? What happens if you win the bid war only to have to spend twice what you saved in fixing the house? Was it worth it? Home inspections are vital to ensuring that buyers are getting a good, safe product. If a home sale comes down to the condition of skipping the inspection you may want to question the reason for that condition.

Try to avoid verbal agreements in the deal at all costs. As this kind of agreement is almost impossible to verify, make sure that every aspect of the sale, its subjects, what comes with the home is all detailed in writing and signed by both parties. With a purchase of this magnitude everything should be detailed and recorded. This also applies to the original listing information. It's a good idea to verify all the listing info at the start of the purchase. If this info is incorrect, take the time to check for other inconsistencies.

The focus of this article is not to make you nervous about buying a home, merely to make you aware of some of the things to look out for when doing so. It would be nice to think that all sellers are scrupulous and honest, but if that were so then articles such as this one would not be necessary. Be careful and do your homework when purchasing a home and confer with your realtor on all aspects of the sale. They are the best people to help you avoid any pitfalls.

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Frankie Bastek is a professional and experienced Realtor® specializing in the Orange County area. For the best service and advice concerning Laguna Niguel real estate, check out www.homefindings.com.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/the-ins-and-outs-of-conveyance.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/the-ins-and-outs-of-conveyance.html Wed, 14 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0500
Typically the process of conveyance is different in every state, however the basics of the act are similar. Representatives of the buyer, seller and the mortgage lender meet and exchange the necessary legal papers. There is a large number of legal documents that change hands at this stage; deeds are the primary documents that are involved at this stage however this is also the time when financial documents such as promissory notes, mortgage papers, pro rata property taxes, title insurance and such are dealt with.

So much more goes on during the process of conveyance than simply signing a few papers. It is a complicated business that can have huge ramifications on the outcome of the home sale. Any last minute conditions must be dealt with before the conveyance can come to a close. If you need more info about what happens during this process, ask your Realtor or contact your lawyer, either of these people should be able to educate you a bit more on the act of conveyance.

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Frankie Bastek is a professional and experienced Realtor® spaecializing in the Orange County area. For the best service and advice concerning Laguna Niguel real estate, check out www.homefindings.com.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/financing-your-renovations.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/financing-your-renovations.html Wed, 14 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0500
When thinking about renovation financing there are two likely candidates for you to consider. The home equity loan and the home owner's line of credit. The amount available for a home equity loan is based on the amount of equity that you have built up in your home. This loan is sometimes referred to as a second mortgage. It is calculated by taking the value of your home and subtracting the amount left outstanding on the original mortgage. If you own your home outright, then the amount would be the home's value. As an example, if you have a home that is worth $250,000 and you have already paid off $110,000 then your accumulated equity would be $140,000. The value of the property is what guarantees the loan so the interest rate is low as well as they payments. It is also normal to be able to secure fixed interest rates for such loans.

The other popular financing option is the home owner's line of credit. This loan does not have a finite amount save for the limit which is once again decided by your equity. This is a popular option as it allows for a lot of room when considering costs. The loan operates much like a credit card, with a variable interest rate. This is certainly the most flexible of the options and does not have a definite end date. The line of credit remains open for as long as you need it and do not close it out.

The best way to discern which type of loan is proper for your needs is to confer with a financial expert or banker. Prioritize your needs and try to find a loan that is tailor made for you. Remember that your home is going to be on the line as collateral so be sure to plan your payment schedule carefully and within what you can afford to pay. Make sure that you research all your options here and find what work s for you and for your budget.

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Frankie Bastek is a professional and experienced Realtor® spaecializing in the Orange County area. For the best service and advice concerning Laguna Niguel real estate, check out www.homefindings.com.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/the-flip-craze.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/the-flip-craze.html Wed, 14 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0500
So, saving the huge blonde guy a trip to your area, you are going to have to plan this reno/flip out yourself. Time to prioritize! This exercise is going to involve some ability on your part to stand back and remove any emotional attachment that you have to the house. If you were a buyer, what would stand out first? Typically in older homes, there are a few suspects that usually make the list. Out of date appliances, old fixtures, unkempt hedges, cluttered garages. If you have just bought the home then cleaning and renovating will be much easier however, make sure to get some furniture in there before you show the home.

Break the process up into three parts, interior, exterior and yard/garage. This will make it much easier to complete projects and help you to feel like the process is getting completed and not standing still. If you start with the interior renovations, then once those are finished you can work on the exterior while the inside is being painted and finished. The exterior will hopefully be a bit easier than the inside renovations. Unless you have decided to add on rooms. If not the exterior should be a simple case of cleaning, clearing and painting.

Finally the yard and garage can be tackled. These are usually bigger jobs that they appear. So much stuff can come out of a garage that has gone unorganized for years. And you thought 8-tracks would make a comeback! While it can be a pricey upgrade, if the lawn is old and haggard, why not lay new grass? The visual value of a new lawn is extremely impressive. Combine that with new flowerbeds and maybe some mulch or a rock garden, and you just might have a show home on your hands. Time to play the garage trump card. Take care of the tired interior of the garage. Clean that sucker right out. Then, maybe install a garage organizing system. These are useful storage options that usually feature full wall panels with an endless number of configurations. These panels also make the garage look brand spanking new. All it takes is a good eye for what needs to be done, and a bit of time and money. That being said, the asking price will reflect the new improvements drastically.

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Frankie Bastek is a professional and experienced Realtor® spaecializing in the Orange County area. For the best service and advice concerning Laguna Niguel real estate, check out www.homefindings.com.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/mold-something-to-watch-for.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/mold-something-to-watch-for.html Thu, 15 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0600
Another place that mold can find a foothold is in appliances such an indoor vented dryers or humidifiers. What you should look for is locations in your home that are moist on a regular basis. Mold is most likely to aggravate those who are allergy-prone or those with compromised immune system. The presence of Mold brings a host of allergy-like symptoms like itchy eyes, congestion, runny nose and sneezing. People who have existing respiratory conditions will likely to be sensitive to the growth of mold.

The real concern with mold is that it can easily take hold in a home after a flood. This is why it is critical to ensure that your home is dried properly if a flood does happen. A lot of the time, mold can grow in little corners and in areas that never get looked at and by the time it is noticed, its out of control. In cleaning up after a flood, there are some simple things to remember if you want to ensure that mold does not develop.Keep the temperature and humidity low. Mold thrives in a warmer moister atmosphere. If you find any objects or items that have mold on them, its a good idea to simply throw them away. If you cannot throw them away, freezing them will kill all the active mold spores. After this simply make sure the area is bone dry, if you keep the area dry, chances are that mold will not develop.

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Frankie Bastek is a professional and experienced Realtor® spaecializing in the Orange County area. For the best service and advice concerning Laguna Niguel real estate, check out www.homefindings.com.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]>