A quick sale is what every seller is looking for. The goal is to not have the property on the market for a long time but sell it as quickly as possible. In order to achieve this you have to take in consideration the fact that the majority of the potential buyers are looking for a home that doesn’t require any immediate work. They might be planning to make changes later, but the house needs to be adequate for living.

That is the why you need to thoroughly prepare your house for selling. The first thing to do should be to make a list with every room and all the items they contain that you no longer want or need, like pieces of furniture, electrical equipments, paintings and so on. You should also make a list with every task that needs to be done including functional repairs like dripping faucets, sticking doors, broken fences, walls that need painting, loose locks that needs to be changed etc.

The next step should be clearing out the closets and clutter and getting rid of all the items you no longer need. Start with the most visible areas: foyer, kitchen, living room. Choose what you want to give to charity or to a specific someone and what just simply needs to be thrown away. By doing this you will have an airy, spacious, all in all more attractive home.

If it is the case, you should start packing and organizing your own stuff that you want to take with you and leave only the bare essentials. Start with packing away your personal items like photos, your collection of porcelain, plates, prescription medicine, collectibles and breakables. Potential buyers will not only see lots of space, which is of course always a plus, but you will also make it easier for them to envision themselves actually living in your home. Because that is what potential customers are looking for: a nice place to call home. Your job is to help them envision your home being the right place for them, being “that” place.

Both the inside and outside of your home have to be neat, have to have a pleasing appearance. Clean each and every room, paint the walls when necessary, clean the windows and rugs and replace curtains. If the interior is done, start cleaning up the yard, get rid of anything that is not useful anymore or is just simply unattractive. Mow the lawn, trim the bushes and trees. You could consider buying a few plants to make the yard more attractive.

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According to a survey lead by the National Association of Realtors, the majority of buyers need around eight weeks, that is roughly two months to shop for and buy a home. But ideally a buyer can and should start the financial preparation work well ahead of those two months.

There are lots of steps to take before actually buying a property, but three of them are crucial: to check credit reports, to check budget and to start organizing the financial documents.

Checking credit reports also implies checking them for errors – the reports play an important role in the mortgage approval process and in determining the interest rate and other loan terms that a lender might offer you.

Checking the budget implies to be exactly aware of how much can you actually afford and to take in consideration both the maximum payment and the amount you can comfortably afford.

Organizing the financial documents means to prepare copies of your income tax returns, bank and investment account statements, child support documents, credit card statements and so on.

Before you actually start looking at houses and/or properties you need to be aware of your wants and needs and the very first thing you have to do is to narrow them down. In case you do find the right property, before you make an offer, take some time to consider a few things beyond the structure, size, style and price, don’t let emotions guide you. Your first impression may not match the reality.

One of these other things would be to check for any information in the local newspapers, magazines and even at the city hall. You’d better know if the water is or have been contaminated, or if there is any construction planned in that area for the near future. You should also explore the surrounding area to be prepared if you are moving near an airport, a fire station, a police station, a hospital or an agricultural area. You might have to face unpleasant odours, kicked up dust or loud noises at unusual hours.

You can and should ask around the neighbourhood too, find out if there is any association, newsletter, gathering, or annual parties. You have to make at least a vague idea about who are you going to live text to. You should have to feel comfortable around your neighbours, or at least make sure they do not pose any threat to you and your family.

Probably one of the most important steps though is to get a home inspection. You have to know and be prepared for the costs if something need fixing – you could even negotiate a lower price if it’s the case. Consider the market value and resale potential of the property, find out if others have a right to use it, check if the heating system is efficient and so on.  Ask for utility bills as well just to be sure that the water bills, winter heating and summer cooling bills are affordable.

Buying a property you are making a long term commitment and spending a great amount of money. That is why you shouldn’t hesitate to ask questions, be informed and understand the whole process of buying a property. If you have any issues, ask your real estate agent, your lender, your attorney, your closing agent, or whoever is helping you complete the transaction. If you have finally found the right property and you have checked and done everything that needs to be checked and done, well then all that remains to be done is make the offer and close the deal.

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Being a landlord, thus self employed, has its benefits, but problems do occur when it comes to actually taking time out from work.

Since landlords are human beings too, now and then they need a vacation. In case of a landlord, especially a fully managing landlord, one of the main “drawbacks” is to organize temporary replacements to handle landlording responsibilities in case tenants need some assistance. This is of course the case of responsible landlords because the truth is that the majority will just take off and leave. They are making a mistake not thinking that something so severe might go wrong, that they’ll need an emergency person to step in. Or at least they hope nothing will go wrong, and since hope dies last, we should all hope for the best. But hope alone is not enough.

When being away, or out of the country, a responsible person, a responsible landlord, should not leave everything to fait because we are talking about not only personal assets, but investments that bring revenue and provide a living. Not to mention the safety of the tenants, that’s another issue.

It is a personal choice to let the tenants know or do not let them know if the owner is going away and for how long. The main reason landlords do not notify their tenants is because they think, or worst, they know that their tenants are not trustworthy and are afraid they will break in to their home while they are away, organize wild parties and other “events” or just deliberately damage the property.

One solution would be to have a comprehensive insurance. The rental property needs to be adequately insured against existing and potential sources of danger (natural disasters, fire, rioters etc). As long as a property is insured, the owner should be covered for most eventualities.

Another solution would be to ask for the help of Letting Agents/Businesses. They can give landlords temporary ease of mind for longer holidays or emergency contact in other cases. However problems can still arise that require the landlord’s attention even if they are being managed by an agent.

A great idea is to have an active email address which is accessed continuously. Come to think about it, it is practically a necessity. Tenants can keep in touch with the landlord, let him know if something happened while he is away, maybe even send him reminders about things that need fixing, like a loose lock, broken boiler and such.

But all in all, if a landlord is abroad, he/she definitely needs a reliable person, like a family member, close friend, trusty handy man who can help and actually step into the role of the emergency contact person just in case the owner cannot be reached. The owner needs to provide the details of the emergency contact person to the tenants and agent, but also give the tenants’ or agent’s details to the emergency contact person.

If the owner doesn’t want to provide tenants with his/her contact number in the case of an emergency, he/she should at least give his contact number to the emergency person or agent. And if it’s a mobile phone number, he should also make sure it’s been enabled to be used in the countries that he is visiting.

After all, they need to have something to show for all the hard work when they get back from the holiday.

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For a landlord, referencing is a very important part of the screening and verifying process of future tenants. A smart and cautious landlord can eliminate a big part of all letting problems through careful screening and selection of tenants.

The majority of tenants are actually decent, they pay their rent on time and look after the property. But there are always exceptions that will cause landlords headaches and sleepless nights. It is very important to keep in mind though that it is not allowed to discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender, disability etc.The only cause of refuse should be based upon the merits of the individuals as qualifying tenants.

After finding the potential tenant, the first meeting or contact, the viewing of the property, a landlord should always ask to be filled out a comprehensive application form. This way there will exist e a permanent record of the tenant’s declaration about his identity, employment, income status, references and personal details such as if if he/she is a smoker, owns pets, has children etc.

The landlord should also take up references such as bank, employers and especially previous landlords if possible. Bank references, statements and wage certificates are all important information but they only prove the fact the tenant can afford rent. They can’t give an idea about who they really are or their behaviour, which is why getting references from previous landlords are a vital part of the process of finding tenants.

These references should always be verified by telephone because people will often give more honest and impartial opinions when you speak to them. This is necessary because references can always be faked if someone tries hard enough but there are some procedures that can filter scammers. Letting agents play a big part in this, so a landlord should make sure they do their job properly. A reference is only as good as the work put into it. Letting agent should work into referencing, be detailed about inventory and condition of the property. They should be able to filter out dodgy references.

There are lots of diverse methods of referencing and scaling from average to excellent. In case a landlord is not doing the reference checking himself, he should make sure that the letting agent won’t be negligent, will ask the right questions (for credentials, for the address of the property and so on) and won’t just make a quick call and tick off “tenant referencing” from the to-do list as quickly as possible. It is always a wise idea to find out the letting agents referencing methods. It will not only save money, but also many headaches.

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With the university year about to kick off , rookie house hunters must learn their rights before committing to a lease, says Dr Claire Noone from Consumer Affairs Victoria.

“It can seem bewildering for young people living away from home for the first time, so it is important they learn about their rights as a consumer and seek advice,” she says.

“Finding the right place to live can be difficult and being aware of your rights and responsibilities will make the process easier.”

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Location and proximity to university and transport.

How much rent you can afford to pay.

Note inspection times for viewing rental properties.

Fill out a tenancy application before the inspection to increase your chances.

Have copies of ID and references to hand to the agent if you choose to apply.

Expect to pay a bond, which is usually four weeks’ rent in advance.

Check how long the lease is, and read the fine print.

Once you find a property and sign up, Dr Noone says there are ways to end the lease if you need to do so before the tenancy period has ended.

“If a tenant or resident wants to vacate, they must give the landlord or owner notice,” she says.

Latest data from SQM Research found that in December residential vacancies nationwide increased from 1.9 per cent to 2.4 per cent to 61,490.

But with thousands of uni students on the hunt at this time of year, be sure to allow yourself a few weeks to find a rental property.

Louis Christopher from SQM Research believes being able to afford the rent should be a priority.

“Only look for places where you are 100 per cent certain you are going to meet the budget and meet the rental payments,” he says.

“People should generally work to a situation where they are paying no more than 40 per cent of their disposable income towards the rent.”

Christopher also warns tenants to be careful about moving in with their friends because it can end badly.

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/money/property/understand-the-rules-of-renting/story-e6frfmd0-1226269453859#ixzz1oFoMlX9t

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Real Estate and Property Law covers an extensive legal area, which is regulated by federal and state statutes, as well as common law. The terms “real estate”, “realty” and “real property” are generally used interchangeably, although many people associate “real estate” more closely with the structures or buildings and the land. However, real property/real estate encompasses more than just the obviously tangible aspects. It comprises land and that which is attached to or belongs with the land, such as the immovable structures like buildings, houses, trees, bushes and minerals permanently affixed to the land. But it also consists of the interests, benefits and rights that are legally considered attached to the real property, which can include certain rights to the air above the land, to drill in the ground beneath it, rights to live on the property for a specific timeframe or to acquire the real property in the future, and more.

The practice area of real estate and property law deals with a variety of related issues, including the following: rights and interests in real estate and real property; sales, purchases and other transfers of real estate and real property; legal aspects of rental property and landlord issues; tenants’, renters’ and homeowners’ rights; title to real property; settlement of claims against property rights; property development; zoning and land use; related agriculture issues; home loans and foreclosures; and various other relevant topics. This is a complex practice area, further complicated by the significant inconsistency in the laws throughout different cities and states. Real estate attorneys are versed in many different activities, from the mundane drafting of deeds and filing of liens, to handling boundary and zoning disputes and even assisting families in court when threatened with foreclosure.

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Real estate investing can be a quite scary thought these days. However, it can be profitable when you have renters who will provide continued returns.

For a good investment you need to research, find the right area and you have to know your risks.

Invest and don’t speculate. It is much safer. Buy a property to collect high income in the form of rent instead of buying a chunk of land and hoping it goes up in value.

Don’t buy a property believing that will always go up in value. Just look at the American real estate today.

Get started in real estate investing with Residential Property. It’s easier to understand, purchase and manage than other types of property.

Advice: don’t believe everything you hear or read. Sellers and agent want you to buy that property so they will not refrain from lying.

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Brazil’s commercial property sector is one of the few in the world to record positive sentiment towards rental expectations and capital value growth during the first quarter of 2012.

According to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) Global Commercial Property Survey for the final three months of 2011, Brazil’s real estate market has shown resilience in the face of a largely negative picture elsewhere in the world.

Respondents in the country are predicting a rise in rental values, as well as capital growth, in the period from January to March this year.  Canada is the only nation where sentiment is more positive in these two respects.

Property professionals in Brazil also anticipate demand from occupiers will continue to outpace the supply of available premises over the next few months.

Writing for Global Property Guide earlier this month, developer Ruban Selvanayagam stated there are “massive” opportunities for investors in Brazilian real estate, although he urged potential buyers to approach the market with caution and to carry out extensive research to ensure the property they purchase will meet their expectations.

Source: http://www.propertyshowrooms.com/

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Property in Spain is increasingly being viewed as a safe investment as the economic downturn continues.

This is according to A Place in the Sun magazine website editor Liz Rowlinson, who said there has been a definite shift back to countries like Spain that are seen as more established than emerging markets in other parts of the world.

She added that feedback from readers indicates Spain is among the most popular locations for property buyers “by some measure”.
“Prices have fallen so much that it’s now within people’s budgets, yet still offers all the things that make it our favourite holiday destination – great climate, beaches and amenities, such as golf courses,” Ms Rowlinson remarked.

The comments came shortly after Robin Haynes of Currency Index noted that British buyers considering purchasing real estate in Spain may want to take advantage of the current strength of sterling against the euro.

He suggested that investors could get over eight per cent more for their cash when buying euros compared with last July.

Source: http://www.propertyshowrooms.com/spain/

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