There can many varying reasons for selling your home, these can include, to name but a few; upsizing, downsizing, career demands and financial matters. Whatever the reason, time will always be of the essence. Whether you find yourself part of a chain or simply need to move to bigger accommodation quickly due to family expansion, speed (or lack of it) is always going to be an issue.

To start with let’s look at the process involved in putting your home on the market:

To echo certain TV programs themes, it certainly is important how your home looks to potential buyers when viewing the property. The first thing a prospective buyer will see is the front of your property. Therefore it is important that the front of your house is well maintained, garden tidy (if you have one) and generally appealing to an outsider.

Once the viewer has entered your home, the stage is set and now comes the hard task of making them feel like they want to buy your home. You must remember that to a viewer, if a room is untidy or full of various pieces of furniture and mixed décor then this is what they’ll see. You should try to keep all rooms in the house as uncluttered as possible and neutral but not too blandly decorated. This will allow the viewer to see the room as a blank canvas to put their “stamp” on. This may mean having to temporarily place some of your items in storage but this will definitely be worth the time and effort. According to the BBC which hosts many programs on the topic; spending £500 on cleaning and sprucing up your property can add as much as £5000 to the value.

Once you have your home in a state of readiness for would be viewers you should seek an estate agent to advertise your property for you. A highly popular alternative to this at the moment is to look into the prospect of private house sales.

The basic principal is very simple; you, the client, pay the website to advertise your home for sale either on one main site or usually for a little extra across many affiliated sites.

This will save you thousands in estate agency fees and will return the same if not more viewings as if you had used the latter method of advertisement. The beauty of it is you can still use an estate agency if you wish and combine this with advertising privately. This way you could receive much more interest in your property, thus selling it more quickly.

If you intend to sell solely online, you will need to obtain a valuation of your property.

This can be simply achieved by comparing property prices for like properties in your street or paying a small amount of money to have a firm value it for you.

“Would I still have to pay commission to my estate agent if I were to find a buyer privately?” you ask. The answer should most probably be no. The majority of estate agents contracts make no provision for this. However it is worthwhile checking as some may have a “sole selling rights” inclusion, allowing them to take a commission regardless of where the buyer has come from. Of course you should always inform your estate agency as to the fact you have advertised privately. This will avoid confusion over commission at a later date.

Once you have prepared your home for sale, advertised with an agency/online privately or indeed both, you can sit back, relax and await the viewers, any of whom could be the buyer your waiting for.

So why not consider selling a home online, it may save you much time, money and effort in the long run. Perform a search in one of the popular search engines such as Google for search terms such as; sell house privately and you should easily find one of the leading companies in this area.



Rent Back Fast

Sell your home to a house buying company and you will not need a home information pack (HIP)

Private buyers of houses do not require a pack. This means you avoid the delay, hassle and cost of compiling a HIP.

For more info on the HIP regulations read on

What is a Home Information Pack?

• Since 14 December 2007 a Home Information Pack has been required on all homes being marketed in England and Wales.

• The pack provides information needed by home buyers at the start of the home buying process.

• It includes much of the information usually compiled by a solicitor during the conveyancing process.

• The burden is now on the seller to compile the info and produce the pack.

Essential Content of Home Information Packs

• Index of Contents

• Sale Statement

• Evidence of Title

• Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)

• Searches

• Leasehold/Commonhold Documents if applicable

HIP’s were designed to:

• Provide info so that home buyers make informed decisions before offering

• Reduce duplicated costs if more than one sale proceeds

• Grade the energy efficiency of a home

What are the negatives of HIP’S?

• Home sellers are now unable to test the market without committing cash

• Delays caused because marketing can’t commence until HIP compiled

• Much of the packs info is out of date by the time the property goes under offer. The buyer then has to repay for updated info.

• Some lenders/solicitors will not accept the contents of a HIP and may demand their own information, so duplicating costs.

• Cost of a HIP is an added cost to house sale process

• If the property doesn’t sell the HIP and the money spent on it is wasted

Are there any exemptions?

Yes there are a few limited exemptions to getting a home information pack. The main of which is that if the property is not being marketed e.g. sale to quick sale company, then a HIP doesn’t have to be compiled.

You can avoid a getting a Home Information Pack in the following circumstances:

• When no marketing takes place (e.g. selling to a family member or quick sale company)

• Non-residential properties

• Homes limited by law to use as holiday accommodation or for limited occupation

• Mixed sales (e.g. shop with flat)

• Right to buy and similar sales

• Sales of portfolios of properties

• Properties not being sold with completely vacant possession

• Unsafe properties and properties to be demolished

How to pay for pack?

Our research has found that you can pay up to £600 for a HIP.

There are several ways of paying for a HIP:

• Pay upfront- before marketing commences a HIP is commissioned and paid for

• Financing until sold- normally interest is charged so you end up paying more

• “No Sale No Fee” deal via an estate agent, where pack cost is included in final fee. However in current market agents have either withdrawn these offers or require much higher commissions to compensate for extra risk. There are also many restrictions e.g. not able to transfer HIP to another estate agent.



Quick House Sale

A real estate agent once asked me to work on the design of his flyer. He told me to come up with a creative and innovative design that stood out. He was new to the industry and had very little experience. I knew from the beginning that just a creative and innovative design isn’t going to help him attract clients – especially considering how much competition he has in a busy city like Toronto. So I decided to concentrate on ways to promote his image with the use of gimmicks and promotions. Why? Because the truth is no one is going sell with an agent who has very little experience unless he/she had something “special” to offer.

The concept of promotions in real estate is not new at all. Many agents use promotions to attract clients to sell or buy with them. Most real estate agents chose to give offers such as “low commission” or “a chance of winning something”. These offers are too common and have very little impact on the buying/selling experience. In such a situation, it is beneficial to use a differentiation strategy to set yourself apart from the competition.

Here’s a promotional tool that will get your clients all excited: renovations. When getting your flyer designed, I suggest that you add a coupon for a “free renovation worth $500″ to your flyer. This would give your clients the opportunity to renovate their existing house before selling it to the buyer. The main benefit to this is that the renovation would add value to the house, so the seller can make more money from the sale. Also, the real estate agent makes more commission because the house now sells for more. Sometimes, the seller may be in a hurry to sell the house and may not have enough time for renovating. In this case, you can offer them a renovation they can use towards their new home. Of course, since you won’t be making any commission from the renovation of a new house, you might want to lower the value of the renovation (to possibly around $400).

Why would a customer get excited from this promotion?

Firstly, it helps them make more money from the sale of the house. Think about it this way: if the sale price of a house went up by $2000 just because of a small renovation, then they get to keep most of the extra money made (a portion of it goes towards your commission). They may also get the feeling that they “saved” on commission fees by making the extra money.

Secondly, it gives the client the opportunity to be creative with the renovation of their own house. Any creative activity that lets the client chose what they want to renovate gets them excited. “Should I get granite countertops, marble flooring, or some new appliances?” This decision-making process is quite thrilling to witness or to be a part of.

Thirdly, when your client is involved in this decision-making process, they may consult you for your opinion on what you think is a worthy renovation. This “consulting” factor builds a dependable relationship between the client and you. This relationship would make them come back to you for any future purchases or sales of homes.

Lastly, a renovation is reflected by a tangible product that will get people talking. For example, after renovating someone’s house, they might throw farewell parties just before moving. The guests will notice that the house was recently renovated and may ask your client about it. Your client will mention that they got their house renovated for free by their sales agent. Hence, your image gets promoted which will lead to more sales for you.

So basically it’s the tangible result of a renovation, such as new carpeting or the construction of a deck that gets people talking about you. This word-of-mouth benefit is something that other promotional strategies such as “lower commission” or “a chance of winning something” can’t achieve very effectively.

In the end, everyone wins – your client gets more money, and you get more commission from the increased price of the house. You also end up getting more clients from a better “word-of-mouth” process. Try this tactic in your next promotion and watch your reputation grow.



Rent Back Fast

Get in touch now if you are considering a fast house sale. What if you could sell your home in less than four weeks? There would be no need to speak to an estate agent, you wouldn’t have to worry about the sale falling through and you could avoid showing complete strangers around your home. With these advantages, it’s amazing that more people don’t opt to sell a house fast for cash in the UK.

At St Genix Fast House Buyers, we are getting more and more enquiries about our quick property sale service. There are many reasons why our clients want a fast house sale. Sometimes it’s the frustration of waiting for an offer after putting their home on the market. Others need cash loans fast.

What is a fast house sale?

A quick property sale lets you sell your home when it’s most convenient for you. You can take control of handling the problems you face, such as:

Relocation or emigration

Debt

Separation and divorce

Bereavement

Repossession

These are some of the excellent reasons why people ask about a fast house sale. With an open market sale, there are no guarantees. Even after you get an offer, you’re at the mercy of the timetable set by lenders and solicitors. You don’t know when the sale will complete and when you will get your cash.

Can a quick house sale help me?

When St Genix Fast House Buyers handles a sale, the fast house sale process goes like clockwork. It’s very simple, with only a few steps. We want you to be happy with the quick sale process, so ask us for advice and let us answer your questions. When you get in touch, we will ask you for information which will help us to set an initial cash value of your property. After that, we usually arrange to see you at home. That means we can explain the process and you can meet us.

We are proud of our discretion and will even work long distance if you prefer to keep the details of the sale private. However, we work, the sale process if fast. The sale will usually complete within a month, though we can adjust the timetable to suit you.

I need a roof over my head

When you sell to us, you get a bonus. Unlike an open market sale, where you need to vacate the premises on completion day, with us, you can stay at home. Just ask about rent back and you can remain in your home, while paying a rental figure in line with the market. Your expenses will go down, too,



Repossession

Sometimes the situation demands the quick sale of a house. Suppose your job location is shifted and you want to shift your house, but you have got to get out of your house quickly. Under such a situation it becomes a great headache as how to sell the house quickly. Here follows some effective tips to sell your house quickly.

Set the right price Price

The sale of your house will depend on how you set the price. It is a simple math. Set a right price and your house will be sold quickly. If you fail to set the right price, your house will not be sold. See the price is higher than the prices of your neighbouring houses. Set a price that looks attractive and reasonable to buyers. You can also set the price after you consult your agent.

Be flexible and don’t cling to your initial asking price. Suppose the market is slow. In that case you will have to set a price according to the current market price.

Be patient. If you see the market is slow and cool, don’t get frustrated. Wait for the right buyer.

Hire a sales agent

Don’t think that you yourself will be able sell your house quickly. Every field has a sepcialist. In this regar you will also have to take the help of a sepecialist. So, if you want to sell your house quickly you should contact a good agent who has good reputation in this line. Hire someone who is experienced and has worked as agent in your area. Ask your agent for the comments of the previous clients. So, an experienced agent can help you greatly to sell your house quickly.

Offer incentives

In order to make your house more alluring, you can offer incentives to the potential buyers. There are several kinds of incentives. The common incentives are the coverage of the repair cost until a fixed time and closing-cost help etc. You can also think of offering an incentive such as a higher commission to your agent to have a quick result.

Take online help

Another way that can prove very effective is to take help from online. The recent research has shown that the buyers are incresingly taking online help to buy their houses, because it is the simplest way to find out the right houses. The internet has become the rendezvous both for the sellers and buyers of the houses. There are many popular house buying web sites. So, start advirtising in the intrnet, if you want a quick sale of your house.

Refurbish your house

The first look is important. Make your house look attractive by refurbishing it so that the buyers have a good idea about your house. Find out the defects, if any through a minute inspection. If your house looks fresh and in a very tip top condition, certainly your buyers will feel great interest in buying your house. Follow the above mentioned tips, if you want a quick sale of your house.



Rent Back

Vacation house rentals are a relatively new concept to many people in the UK and the US, though the facility is highly popular in some parts of Europe. In fact, it would be no exaggeration to say that vacation house rentals are one of the best kept secrets of the travel industry in the US. So, let us take a quick look at what these are and how you can benefit from this facility.

Vacation house rentals are nothing but homes that can be rented. Many property owners in prime tourist destinations rent out their property to tourists. These owners generally depend on a manager to rent out their properties. Sometimes, they independently put up their rentals on search engines too. Vacationers can get the relevant information by contacting realtors in the area or through the Internet. Vacation house rentals fetch home owners a neat side income. But, what’s in it for the vacationers?

Imagine staying in a fully furnished home of your liking, with all the amenities and comforts you want, located in a convenient and accessible area of your choice, priced about 25-80% below the price of a hotel room! And the best part is the fact that vacation house rentals are available in the most unlikely of places, even in beautiful nooks and unexplored crannies where you wouldn’t find hotels and resorts.

These days, vacation house rentals are available in just about every touristy part of the US, UK and Europe. Whether you want a beachfront villa or a log cabin, a condo or a penthouse, you can easily find the accommodation of choice in your dream destination. So, you get more value for your money, more space, more amenities and ultimately, more satisfaction.

Depending on your budget, you can find vacation house rentals of your choice. From one room cabins to spacious beach villas and luxury ski slope condos, the choice is amazing. You can also decide on the accommodation based on the amenities that are offered. While some vacation house rentals provide only basic amenities like a usable kitchen and living space, others are much more lavish in their offerings. You can get anything ranging from high speed internet access, spa, Jacuzzi to designer gourmet kitchen, entertainment centers and regular maid services. So, you can choose the size and amenities depending on your budget and requirements.

Vacation house rentals are let out for a number of days or a week or even for a month. Most rentals offer you good discounts when you book for longer time slabs. You can also avail of attractive discounts when you book during the off season. So, there you have it, the skinny on vacation rentals.

Most travel enthusiasts cringe at the sheer discomfort caused by cramped hotel rooms. Even reputed hotels do not offer you the expected return on your investment. Vacation house rentals, on the other hand, bring you the best of both worlds. They allow you to visit new places and enjoy new experiences while adding that much needed warmth and joy of beautiful, spacious, homely living.



Quick Property Sale

It seems as if Vacation Rentals are becoming more and more popular. With the rise of the world wide web, you are able to communicate with a vacation rental owner anywhere in the world. Years ago your only option was to visit your local travel agent and book a hotel. There were no vacation rental directories or portals in the past. Now you can surf the web for the perfect vacation rental house. No need for a travel agent as you usually negotiate directly with the owner of the property. Since vacation rentals are slowly becoming the preferred method of booking a vacation, I decided to create an article to give renters some tips about finding the perfect vacation rental.

First, let’s define what we are talking about when we say vacation rental. We call it a vacation rental when a renter rents a property directly from the owner (or representative of the owner). The property usually has it’s own kitchen, living room, bedrooms, etc. They come in many shapes and sizes including condos, single family homes, townhouses, cabins, chalets, and more. Vacation rentals are usually near resort locations and activities such as theme parks, beaches, and skiing. A hotel or motel room is not a vacation rental!

What makes vacation rentals different from hotels? The comfort is the main difference. You have all of the same luxuries that you have at home. Most vacation rentals have kitchens and most of the other amenities that you have at home, plus many have additional amenities such as hot tubs, pool tables, etc. With larger groups there is definitely a cost advantage. A 3-bedroom vacation rental usually hosts more visitors than 3 hotel rooms. Make sure to keep this in mind if you do any cost analysis. Also make sure to include meal savings in your analysis since you may not dine out as often in comparison to a hotel vacation. These items alone could be substantial savings.

Imagine this scenario: Yourself and two other families pay a visit to a popular tourist destination. Your touring of the destination is complete for the day at about 3 pm. From 4pm – 6pm you dine together. It’s now 6pm with still some time remaining in the day. If you have a hotel, what do you plan to do? You can waste all of your money at numerous tourist traps (activities such as spending $3, to try to throw a ball into a bucket or $2 to throw a plastic ring around a bottle). With a vacation rental there is no need for that stuff! You can have family game night sitting in a nice comfortable home or take advatage of all the other amenities your rental has to offer. This is why it is important to learn about the amenities of the rental before you enter into a contract. As stated earlier some have hot tubs, pool tables, movies and many other activities.

Tips for Renters:

1. Bookmark as many “vacation Rental” websites as possible. This way when you are searching for a rental, you have all of the portal sites at your fingertips.

2. Always make sure to find out what items are provided and what is not provided by the owner. For example, in some rentals you may need to supply your own linens. It would be unfortunate to show up with no towels/sheets, etc.

3. Always book early. Many of the popular destinations get filled quickly.

4. Check for references if possible. The exception to this rule is if the owner is just starting out.

5. If you enjoyed your trip, try to negotiate a better price for next year. The owner would probably love to start filling his/her calendar for next year.

6. Make sure you have the owner’s contact information with you while on the trip. If there is an emergency, you may need to call.

7. Read the fine print and make sure to read all fine print on any leases or documentation that you are asked to sign. Also, read any fine print on the vacation rental web listing.

8. If you’re trying to save some money, scroll to the bottom of the list. Many vacation rental portal sites have hundreds of listings. Many times, the listings at the bottom of the list are just as good as those at the beginning. The listings at the bottom don’t get as many page views so you may find some better prices and some owner’s looking to fill a quick vacancy.

9. Make sure you ask any questions you may have before making a reservation. Questions about the amenities, pets, smoking/non smoking, handy capped accessibility, and cribs for children are some questions that come to mind.

10. Lastly, have fun on your vacation and please respect the owner’s property and follow all of his/her rules and regulations. Please remember this is someone’s personal property that you are renting.

About the author:

The author is in the business of assisting vacation rental owners in promoting their rental properties. He designed and owns the following vacation rental websites: Jersey Shore Rentals, Beach House Rentals, and Destin Vacation Rentals.



Quick Property Sale

Are your Renovations Really Increasing the Value of Your Home?

When considering a home upgrade or reno there are 2 very important things to evaluate:

#1. Value to you

Enhancing your home with a renovation may offer more than money can provide. A beautiful outdoor living area to entertain on, a finished basement for the children to play, or that dream bathroom to help you unwind, all may contribute to a quality of life that only a home can build.

#2. Return on Investment – Resale Recovery

Despite what the trendy home flipping television programs show, not all home renovations or upgrades will give you a large return on investment. Infact, more so than not, most home renovations give you very little return on your investment. Very rarely does a $10,000 home renovation get you a $20,000 return. When considering a home renovation or upgrade for resale purposes, keep all costs in check and splurge only on the necessities.

Return-on-Investment Renovations Chart

Some renovations can seem more promising than others regarding your return on investment. In a buyers market, certain home upgrades are necessary to get top value for your home and to move quickly.

The following information is a range of the 20 most popular renovation improvements identified by a survey of the Appraisal Institue of Canada. The goal of the survey was to determine, in the informed opinion of Canada’s professional real property valuers, what effect home improvement projects have on the value of home resale.

Please note: Home values and returns on renovation investments are dependent on so many factors such as the location of the property, i.e. rural/urban, the neighbourhood and notably important is the quality of workmanship and materials.

Renovation

Resale Recovery

Basement Renovation

50 – 75%

Bathroom Renovation

75 – 100%

Install Central Air

25 – 75%

Recreation Room

50 – 75%

Adding a Fireplace

50 – 75%

Flooring Upgrade

50 – 75%

Furnace / Heating Upgrade

50 – 80%

Kitchen Renovation

75 – 100%

Landscaping

25 – 50%

Exterior Paint

50 – 100%

Interior Paint

50 – 100 %

Adding a Swimming Pool

10 – 40%

Window / Door Replacement

50 – 75%

Roof Shingle Replacement

50 – 80%

Build a Deck

50 – 75%

Construct a Garage

50 – 75%

Build a Fence

25 – 50%

Install a Skylight

0 – 25%

Interlocking Driveway

25 – 50%

Asphalt Paving

20 – 50%



Quick House Sale

 

There are lots of tourists from all over Europe who want to travel to Portugal. This is partly because of the wonderful climate and also because of the friendliness and hospitality of the Portuguese people. Traveling to the country is not difficult since there are several established airports within Portugal.

 

If you’re thinking of buying a summer residence or wanting to live in Europe, look for real estate in the country. While there are many newly developed properties in Portugal, there are also a number of properties suitable for renovation.

 

Since 1993, planning regulations have been revised. After they were introduced, there has been a reduction in new building. Because of this, property prices have increased between 15 and 20 percent. The revision of the planning regulations was to ensure that new buildings would be constructed with the environment in mind. The reduced rate of new construction is not the only reason for the increased property prices. High property prices are also due to the outstanding quality of Portuguese real estate and the high price of building plots.

 

Despite the high costs of real estate, there are ways for you to avail yourself of cheap properties. You can usually find and buy older properties which you can then renovate. This type of property is usually offered at a price lower than other real estate in Portugal. You can find property that you can refurbish all over the country. There are lake and river properties,  coastal properties, apartments, detached and semi-detached properties, terraced properties and plots of land.

 

Portugal’s popular destinations are where buyers and investors alike purchase properties. These places include the Algarve, Costa Verde and the Silver Coast. Because of the rising demand of real estate within the area, properties in the Algarve are often more expensive than in other parts of Portugal. The property demand within the Algarve is high because of its wonderful weather, strict building regulations and income earning potential. Since property prices in the Algarve are constantly rising, buying an older property and renovating it can save you money.

 

A property “ripe for restoration” can be a very practical choice, compared to purchasing new. You may get a certain level of quality and security with newly developed real estate, but it will cost a great deal more. If, however you buy a property that was constructed some time ago, you’ll often get a dwelling with more charm than a newly built house. You can restore an older property to its former charm or use older buildings for new purposes.

 

Since real estate, particularly within tourist destinations, cost so much, properties that can be renovated provide a good alternative. You’ll be able to live in a beautiful country with lovely weather, and in a home you’ve designed for yourself.

 

Coastal properties in Portugal are among highly prized properties. If you are looking for properties to buy and/or renovate, search online. Without having to leave the comfort of your home, you’ll find many opportunities and options for your dream home in Portugal by looking through the offerings of the real estate agencies selling properties in Portugal over the Internet.  

 



Quick House Sale

Two years ago, thousands of people rushed to get a piece of the booming housing market. Mortgages were easy to get, even for buyers with little or no credit. Once interest rates shifted however, buyers who received sub prime mortgages were no longer able to make their monthly payments. Now the housing market is being flooded with foreclosures.

Lenders have learned their lesson, and are much stricter with their lending policies. Now, many people who would like to enter the housing market are unable to obtain sufficient financing. This has led to a serious drought in the buyers’ pool.

There are also many people who were considering buying a home, but have now been scared off by the rate of foreclosures. With buyers hesitant to make a purchase, sellers are having a tough time unloading their homes.

This stalled housing market has led to a substantial rise in the rental market.

Buyers who are unable to secure financing must face the reality that they can’t purchase a home at this time. These folks need to sit tight in a rental unit while they work on building their credit rating, and save money for a down payment. Experts are saying that the housing market will bounce back within a year or two, so potential buyers should focus on improving their credit and financial situation until things shift.

Buyers who are eligible for home loans are also finding this a good time to take a step back until the housing market is on steadier ground. Young urban professionals Cheryl 28, and Raoul, 34, already have enough money in the bank for a down payment. Their credit is good, and both have steady incomes. They have decided to rent until interest rates go down. Says Cheryl, “With all the doom and gloom you see about real estate these days, we figured it’d be a good idea to just wait a year or two. We want a home, definitely, but we don’t want to pay through the nose. We can save money for now by renting, so that’s what we’ll do until the market changes.”

Many owners who have lost their homes to foreclosure are now heading into the renting world. Their credit has been badly damaged, and they don’t have enough money to buy a new home. Without a suitable rental unit, many of these people would end up on the streets. They have no choice but to take a rental while they rebuild their financial security.

This foreclosure situation is the main reason that the cities that were booming in 2005 are now becoming rental hot spots. Places like Miami, where buyers flocked to scoop up the great housing deals, now find themselves in trouble. Foreclosures are most rampant in these cities, and the housing market has stalled completely. In these areas, where demand is high, there has been a substantial increase in rental rates. In other areas of the country, where new construction has led to an increase in available units, rents are decreasing slightly in order for landlords to remain competitive.

Consider riding out the housing market turmoil by renting. You can find a beautiful property to suit your family’s needs, while saving money and building your credit at the same time.



Quick Property Sale