Latest Articles by John Mejia http://www.articletrader.com/ Articles at ArticleTrader en-us Be Shrewd When Buying Real Estate! http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/be-shrewd-when-buying-real-estate.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/be-shrewd-when-buying-real-estate.html Tue, 08 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0600
In order to buy an investment property that is going to be a good investment we need to consider its rental chances and its re-sale chances. Where will there always be renters? What does this property have that will encourage re-sale? What does this property have that will still be there whenever you come to re-sell?

Some things such as a sea view or a mountain view can fall into this category, but there are also other investment indicators to consider. One of them is buying in a prospective baby boomers retirement area, such as parts of Arizona, Colorado, the Pacific North West and choice coastal areas. But another investment idea is to buy in a town that will always have renters to rent your property.

A town that always has renters is a town that has a transient population. One of the classic examples of this transience is a University town or city. Quite often parents of college students have bought a second home for their child to live in, and have accidentally found this to be a lucrative investment. The house can be virtually paid for by its renters. Of course, it is not the perfect investment - there is some work involved!

Ideally you will live near this University town, or you will have a child attending University that will take care of the renting for you. If neither of these fits your case, you may be advised to re-consider, unless you are retired and will have extra time to devote to the investment.

Most students do not like to live on campus, and are happy to pay for a room in a house where they share the common areas. Every August, thousands of students flood into a town looking for a place to settle into before school starts in September.

Most homes are three bedroomed and three rents will cover your mortgage. If you make the renters responsible for splitting their own electricity bill, they will all ensure to be more economical. If you pay the bill, the ones who like three hot baths a day will do so! If they pay the bill, they will remember to turn down the thermostat before they leave for the day.

You will be paying the house taxes and perhaps the Internet. (Having Internet already in place is an incentive to move in.) These days everyone has a cell phone so there will be no land line necessary.

The closer you can buy your property to the campus, the easier it is to rent. Waiting for buses/car rides etc is a nuisance to be avoided; being able to walk to the college is a big plus for the renting student. Also they are saving inconvenience and money, which means that you can keep your rent high.

In spite of the odd drops in the property market, most University towns stay steadier with their realty prices- this is obviously something that you can check. This will mean that not only are others buying your house for you, but you will reap the annual appreciation as well.

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This article was written on behalf of John Mejia. John is a top producing REALTOR® in the red hot Birmingham real estate area. For help with all your Birmingham real estate needs or to find a solid investment property in the Bessemer real estate market, visit John at www.TheMejiaGroup.com

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> A Recommended Remodeling Recess http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/a-recommended-remodeling-recess.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/a-recommended-remodeling-recess.html Tue, 18 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0600
This waiting period seems a good opportunity to improve the value of the existing home by decorating and renovating. There are still safe lenders out there who will lend you a little cash based on the equity that has mounted up in your home. Your original lender is the best place to start. They have proved reliable, and they will have to be involved in any other loan, as they probably hold the deeds of your property. Some home improvements are 'worth more' on the housing market than others, one of the first questions you must ask is if you are actually trying to improve the property for yourself, or for the re-sale value.

It seems that renovating has been popular this year. The Remodelers Chairman of the National Association of Home Builder's (NAHB), Mike Nagel, views the amount of renovations happening as a positive sign for realty. "Though down a bit from the previous quarter, the remodeling market is not experiencing the dip in production and sales being seen by the new home building sector of the industry."

Also, according to the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University, spending on residential remodeling and home repairs has climbed steadily, setting a new record this year.

If you are undecided about which improvements to actually splash out on, you will be interested to know that there is some sound advice written about this.

There have been surveys carried out to see which type of renovation will add value to which type of house (houses fall into lower, middle or higher price bracket).

For instance, if you are in the lower bracket of your area, then a fireplace or new flooring come in at 6th or 7th, whereas remodeled windows and a new paint job are tied at 4th and 5th. The top three are bathroom renovation, kitchen renovation and new roof, in that order.

It only gets interesting when you see that for instance, windows are placed third most important in the middle and upper price groups, which seems more logical. Kitchen is first in both those price ranges, but in the middle price range a renovated bathroom is second on the list, and a roof is fourth.

If your house is in the highest bracket, then the roof is number two priority with a bathroom only listed at fourth, flooring comes in fifth.

Some of these results were quite surprising, but they are based on genuine calculations. In all groups, kitchen, bathroom and roof were in the top four, albeit in a different order.

Perhaps the bad news is that if you were planning a cozy fireplace, it may not be quite the buyer-trap that you thought it was - although it would be for me!

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Written on behalf of John Mejia. John is a top producing REALTOR® specializing in Birmingham Alabama real estate. For help with all your Birmingham real estate needs or to find Chelsea homes for sale, visit John at www.themejiagroup.com



Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> Selling Your Birmingham Home http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/selling-your-birmingham-home.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/selling-your-birmingham-home.html Mon, 28 May 2007 00:00:00 -0500
The advertising and public coverage of your home will be handled by your realtor, this leaves you with the task of preparing the home for showing. Now there are 2 distinct ways of doing this. You can do it yourself, or you can hire a home stager to prepare it for you. Just remember, if you hire a stager, you will have to keep the home exactly as they have left it for as long as it takes to sell. In an ideal world this would be easy, but then again in the ideal world there may not be kids, pets, and the like. If you are able to keep the home in pristine condition after staging, great! If not, then you may want to tackle the staging yourself. Doing this yourself is not only more cost effective, but it can be done immediately before every showing to ensure that the home is ready to go before each group of viewers arrives. Staging goes beyond simple cleaning and moves directly into presentation of a home. A home viewing is an experience that is designed to create a want or need for the property in question. People should walk into the home and think "ok, I want to live here."

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John Mejia is a real estate agent specializing in Birmingham real estate. If you are looking for a new home in Alabama, contact John today or visit the Mejia Group online at www.themejiagroup.com.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> Getting Ready To Sell your Home http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/getting-ready-to-sell-your-home.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/getting-ready-to-sell-your-home.html Mon, 28 May 2007 00:00:00 -0500
First of all, finish any renovation projects you may be in the middle of. After this, have a look around and consider replacing things that look worn out or don't work properly. Cracked or scratched up doors or door-frames, latches that catch and won't open, chipping paint, peeling wallpaper, stained carpets —all these things distract a potential buyer, making them think the house is run-down and therefore worth less. Yet these things can be replaced by you at minimal expense. Without them, the buyer can see your home more clearly.

Remember to be conservative in your remodeling. No matter what current trends are, colors and styles with too much personality don't leave room for a buyer to imagine how they might decorate the home. Choose neutral colors for paint and carpeting, and if you are replacing things like light fixtures or cupboards, simple,classical styles are the way to go. And while fixing simple and straightforward flaws is a great idea, beginning a whole new renovation project isn't. If there is something you always thought needed renovating, but it may not be noticed by anyone else, leave it alone. Let the new owners decide if and how they want to renovate. You don't want to risk starting a project you can't finish, creating more of a mess than when you started. So yes, fix up what you can, but remember to keep it simple.

It is important to remove excess clutter from the house and yard. Again, this allows a buyer to envision there own possessions filling up the space, and that's essential for them to feel attracted enough to put an offer on your home. Make sure any garbage or pet droppings are cleaned up. This may sound obvious, but sometimes in the rush of life, these things are overlooked, especially when the stress of selling and moving are added to your already busy schedule. You may want to take this opportunity to donate some things to charity, or have a garage sale. Admit it, there's things taking up space in your home that you haven't used for years and probably never will again, be it clothes, children's toys or that old boat you never got around to fixing up. If you aren't ready to permanently let them go, consider renting storage space, or moving them to your new home if you have one already lined up. Whatever you choose, now's the time to do anything you can to make more of your home and yard visible. Time taken at this stage will earn you great rewards when your sale closes.

Consider the mood that is set when a potential buyer comes to view your home. Turn on the lights and, if it's daytime, open the curtains. Put a pot of water and some cinnamon sticks on the stove on low heat to infuse your home with a pleasant smell. Consider putting on some very quiet, mellow background music. Ensure that things are tidy and clean, and that your house is minimally and neutrally decorated. Put any potentially offensive decorations away for now.

Finally, make sure you aren't home. Your real estate agent will be better able to objectively answer questions about your home if you aren't there. Also, a buyer will have a better chance of imagining the home as there's. And when you, take your pets with you. The last thing an agent and buyer want is your cat eyeing them suspiciously, or worse, having your guard dog barking at them while they try to view your home.

Following this advice before and during your home selling process should make it go more smoothly, and increase your profits, leaving you to get on with bigger and better things.

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John Mejia is a real estate agent specializing in Birmingham real estate. If you are looking for a new home in Alabama, contact John today or visit the Mejia Group online at www.themejiagroup.com.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> Staging Your Birmingham Home http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/staging-your-birmingham-home.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/staging-your-birmingham-home.html Tue, 03 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0500
The focus of staging is to bring out the selling qualities of your home while making it as attractive to buyers as possible. A good place to start is by doing a once over of the home and clearing away anything that you do not use on a daily basis. This includes taking away surplus furniture that unnecessarily crowds some rooms. It is good to go minimalist when staging a home. Try to create an atmosphere where viewers can imagine their belongings occupying the home. Buyers like to be able to imagine their furniture and belongings in your home without the bother of having to navigate around your things.

One thing that many people forget to deal with is any odors that may be in the home. Living in your house it is easy to become accustomed to the small of your home. This is not to say that it is a bad smell, but buyers will take better note of a pleasant smell such as freshly baked cookies,.Try to avoid anything that smells like cleaners, such as heavy lemon or pine.

Take note of the things you have on the countertops, anything that is not a daily necessity should be packed away as it will only be seen as clutter; this also applies to desks and tables. Its also a good idea to remove any personal items such as family pictures, mementos and such, these things all make it more difficult for viewers to place themselves in your home.

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John Mejia is a real estate agent specializing in Birmingham real estate. If you are looking for a new home in Alabama, contact John today or visit the Mejia Group online at www.themejiagroup.com.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> Why Relocate to Birmingham? http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/why-relocate-to-birmingham.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/why-relocate-to-birmingham.html Tue, 03 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0500
1. Scenery - This is simply a beautiful area in which to live. The natural scenery creates a beautiful backdrop for the homes and properties. There is also an abundance of parks and green spaces that only add to the already inspiring visual element of Alabama.

2. Amenities - Birmingham has a wealth of amenities to offer residents. With great public services & utilities, all the needs of today's homeowners are expertly and professionally seen to by the public sector.

3. Investment - Real estate values in Birmingham are on the rise. Homes and properties here have become an excellent real estate investment. Not only are home owners realizing an excellent increase in the values of their homes, but investors are receiving a great ROI on investment properties.

4. Employment - There is a thriving employment atmosphere in Birmingham. The strong, skilled, educated workforce here provides a great backbone for the industrial and business communities. With such a wide array of opportunities it will never be difficult to find quality employment.

5. Beautiful Homes - There are some amazing homes in this area and more are being constructed every day. It does not matter if your tastes lean towards country cottages or stylish loft condos, there is a special piece of property for everyone in Alabama.

6. Schools - This area is home to some excellent schools, both public and private. There is also a wealth of post-secondary options that cater to students of all kinds. Whether you are seeking a school for trades or academics there are a great selection of schools that can provide the quality education that is important to you and your family.

7. People - This city is possessed of a fantastic sense of community. Friendly and welcoming people have created an atmosphere of community spirit and belonging that is highly desirable. New home owners feel welcomed and a real part of the community very quickly.

8. Expansion - With the interest in this area, has come expansion. New homes and businesses are cropping up at an impressive pace. This expansion brings with it an increase in social programs, home values and private and public services.

9. Shopping/Entertainment - This area is home to some excellent shopping and entertainment options. Whether you enjoy movies or live theatre, malls or quaint shops, Birmingham can provide you with the choices that you desire.

10. Diverse Population - This area boasts an economically and racially diverse population with an abundance of culture from around the globe. This has created a wonderfully synchronized community with a strong emphasis on family values and equality.

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John Mejia is a real estate agent specializing in Birmingham real estate. If you are looking for a new home in Alabama, contact John today or visit the Mejia Group online at www.themejiagroup.com.

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