1. Looking for Motivated Sellers - The main focus of your search for good real estate deals should be to find motivated sellers. Motivated sellers need to get rid of the property quickly and are willing to sell for less. These types of sellers are motivated by a number of factors that may include divorce, death, bankruptcy, and job loss.

2. Farming the Entire Area –Focus your research on an entire area rather than a specific neighborhood. If everything in the area is going for 50 dollars per square foot and you identify a property that is 20 dollars per square foot, this is a deal that is worth looking into. The key is to learn how to recognize a good deal. Don’t forget to trust your gut instincts! If a deal seems to good to be true, make sure to investigate further.

3. Focusing on the Deal Itself – While specific neighborhoods should be considered when searching for good real estate deals, the entire search should not be focused entirely on that one neighborhood. Neighborhoods are not the driving force behind good real estate deals. The deal itself is actually the most important factor.

4. Getting it Under Contract – Successful and seasoned investors know the importance of acting fast when they identify a good deal. It is a very common practice to put a property under contract before even viewing it. This quick action allows successful investors to capitalize on good deal opportunities.

Skeptics and newbie investors view this action as reckless. It’s important to note that the contract should give the investor enough time to perform necessary due diligence with the option to walk away if any problems are found. In order to be sure that your interests are protected, always consult a real estate professional or attorney. If you choose to go with attorney, make sure that you select one that has experience in real estate.

5. Performing the Due Diligence - Once the contract is signed, set your internal clock ticking and arrange to spend the necessary money to determine if it is a good deal. Do the least costly inspections and investigations first with the more costly inspections aft wards. This will save you money throughout the year. Make sure to use a certified inspector to inspect the property. The due diligence phase is a necessary step to ensure that you are making an informed decision in declaring the property a good deal.

Real estate investing should be approached just like any business. In order to be successful you must do your research, have a plan and ask the right questions. The deal itself is going to play the biggest part in your success or failure as a real estate investor.

Larry Haines is the president of the New Orleans REIA and the Managing Partner of Road Home Builders, LLC. For more information on real estate investing, please email larry@roadhomebuilders.com or visit New Orleans real estate investment company or see successful real estate deals first hand

Modular vs. Manufactured

Both are built in the factory, which is why the two types are often confused. Manufactured homes, sometimes called Mobile homes, are built only to the federal building code (HUD) and do not have to meet the code requirements of the specific destination where the home will be erected. Under HUD requirements, it is also not mandatory that inspectors approve the structure. The building requirements under HUD code are often more lax. For example, manufactured homes are only required to use 2” x 2” studs in the walls, whereas modular homes in New Orleans must use 2” x 4” studs.

Modular homes are, like manufactured homes in that they are built in the factory, but have to pass a much stricter set of guidelines. Modular homes are held to the same IRC code requirements as site built homes, and must adhere to state and local codes of the final destination of the home. These homes often have the same longevity of site built homes and therefore will appreciate as investments.

When is it better to go Modular?

Going modular is almost always the best way to go for real estate investors and builders who are taking on very large projects. Modular offers some real advantages:

1. Faster to Develop – Developers who are under time constraints will benefit greatly from going modular. For example, a 10-unit subdivision could take 6 months to complete using stick built methods, and this same 10-unit subdivision may only take 10 weeks by going modular.

2. Less Labor Worries - Modular homes are a great choice for real estate developers building in areas of tight labor markets. The quick assembly process reduces local labor needs. In areas where the quality of labor is a factor, it is much harder to perform quality control for site built homes.

3. Quality Control – As modular homes are constructed in the factory, they are engineered better and are tested stringently for quality control.

With so many architectural styles to choose from and build on options, Modular homes are very similar to site built homes. It is important to note that each situation is different and each project should be carefully considered. For example, modular homes can become expensive depending on the final location of the home. As these homes must be transported in sections, greater distance to the end site increases the cost to the real estate investor.

When distance isn’t an issue and the project is large, modular is certainly an option that should be considered. Investors and contractors will benefit from the reduction in labor needs, quicker builds, and quality control standards of modular homes. These types of homes last just as long a site built homes and are very different from the manufactured homes that we also know as mobile homes.

Larry Haines is the president of the New Orleans REIA and the Managing Partner of Road Home Builders, LLC. For more information on real estate investing, please email larry@roadhomebuilders.com or visit New Orleans real estate investment company or see successful real estate deals first hand

Creating spectacular textures and patterns on walls and ceilings is a lot of tedious and painstakingly precise work that if not done properly, can lead to an unsatisfied customer, or having to do it over again. This could lead to added costs and not meeting deadlines.

In the past texturing work needed to be done by a different type of contractor, someone who specialized in this field. It often took weeks to complete, was very messy, and was extremely expensive.

The specialized contractors knew that they had a special skill and would charge top dollar. However the results were magnificent. Their services were sought by both homeowners who wanted something different and business owners who wanted to “wow” their customers. Contractors who specialized in creating these designs were considered to be at the top of their trade.

Today, Big Daddys Toolz features a texturing tool that will turn anyone into a texturing professional. There will be little or no difference between the professional and amateur texturing. This texturing tool will quickly become the most used tool by any contractor.

The Texturing tool was designed by a professional contractor of over twenty years who used it for his own business. He found he could work more quickly and have and more uniform look to the walls or ceiling he was texturing. It saved him time and the customer money by not having to hire a professional to do the texturing.

Feeling sure that he had an incredible product on his hands, he lent it to his associates for their opinion. The results were unanimous. They all found the texturing tool to be the best tool they have ever used to texture. It is now available for anyone to purchase to create incredible textures on all surfaces.

The texturing tool that is hand held and is easy to grip. There are ten different patterns to choose from to create a design that is perfect for any room.

The texturing tool is very easy to use, and is fully assembled. You do not need to have any special skill to use the texturing tool, easy to follow instructions are included so you can create an incredible design within minutes. It is just that easy!

Any contractor can now develop his or her own specialized trade and in turn can charge a higher price for this specialized service. Because the contractor can do the work himself with this incredible tool, labor for the job will be minimized.

The texturing tool can be used with drywall, stucco, or concrete. It will create the pattern of choice time after time and you will have a texture finish that will please even the pickiest homeowner.

Besides contractors, interior decorators have found the texturing tool to be an innovative way to texture a wall and bring a room depth to a room. With the many different patterns to chose from, there one that will create the perfect room.

Peter Geisheker is the CEO of The Geisheker Group marketing company.

Peter provides marketing services for finishing tools, including drywall tools.

In today’s housing market, the price of a home is exorbitant and often first time homebuyers consider purchasing a condo as their first home.

Condos are constructed much like apartment buildings. They can have as little as two condos in each building or as many as twenty. Choosing what is best for you is critical because you will be there for a minimum of two or more years. The major difference is that the condo is owned and not rented.

Purchasing a condo has many advantages.

* When you purchase a condo, you are building up equity just as you would in a conventional home.

* By making all your payments on time, you are building up your credit rating and when you choose to purchase a conventional home, you will receive a much lower interest rate.

* Although there are monthly association fee’s that must be paid when you purchase a condo, you will not have to perform any maintenance to the condo grounds. This mean no raking leaves in the fall or shoveling snow in the winter; this is all done by the association.

* Depending on the location, each condo unit has either one or two off street parking spaces.

* There are not as many children in condo units as conventional neighborhoods

Recent studies have shown that 68% of all Americans own their own home. When you are considering purchasing a home or condo, it is important that you find a reputable real estate agent. This is very easily done; most people have friends and family that have worked with a real estate agent in the past and are willing to refer them.

Purchasing a condo is not only for young people and first time homebuyers. Many senior Americans who have raised their families find that maintaining a big empty home is just too much for them. They can no longer perform the necessary maintenance and up keep on their home.

These older Americans have found that by purchasing a condo, they can still enjoy being a homeowner without having to do any of the maintenance that is required. For them, paying the monthly association fees is worth it.

Another group of people who are choosing to purchase condos are single working people. Those who have good jobs are willing to commit to purchasing a condo as long as there is no maintenance involved. With their busy schedules, there is no time for it. They would rather pay the association fees that include the maintenance.

The statistics are really quite fascinating when it comes to condo buyers. Condo buyers and homebuyers are classified in two different categories.

1 in 10 people who purchased a condo did so in a building with more than 5 units, whereas only 2% of the total amount of people purchased condos containing less than 5 units.

The average age of homebuyers is 39, however, for those purchasing a condo in 5 units or more is 38, where as a homebuyer purchasing a condo with less than 5 units is 41.

In 2006, the average yearly income for all homebuyers was $74,000 whereas the average income for condo buyers was $60,700.

While the number of single females becoming homebuyers has increased, they still only make up about 20% of all homebuyers. Of that 20%, 41% purchase condo with 5 or more units and 29% purchase condos with less than 5 units.

While these numbers are from studies conducted in 2006, they are still relatively accurate.

Condos are a great starter home for many people who have busy lives. They are a way to own a home without having to commit costly maintenance or upkeep.

Peter Geisheker is the CEO of The Geisheker Group
marketing company
Peter develops and implements strategic marketing programs for businesses including real estate developers and West Virginia real estate

Buyers can’t get much better assurance than an uninterested third party certifying your home’s value.

Because real estate involves such a significant amount of money, sellers can boost their home’s likelihood of selling by getting the opinion of real estate appraisers. Appraisers are third party real estate experts who do not have a vested interest in the transaction. Their job is to document an unbiased estimate of the value of the home. An advance appraisal can help you get top dollar for your home because of how that appraisal will make the buyer feel about the home’s true value.

During the inspection of the home, the real estate appraiser evaluates the quality of the home’s construction, the condition of the total property, and to what extent the home may be outdated in comparison with other homes that have sold. They research the entire property by taking observations and searching public records for the details of other properties, past sales and leases, and any other pertinent transactions.

If used properly, an advance home appraisal is a tangible asset that is part of the home, but it loses its value to the seller as soon as the home is sold. Why not offer that appraisal to the buyer? The borrower would save $250 to $500 (or even more), which, in turn, can help you increase your odds of putting a deal together in the first place. In addition to reassuring the purchaser of the worth of the home, you can expect to be able to get the price of your appraisal paid back by simply transferring it to the buyer. In addition to cutting down some of the buyer’s expenses, you also guarantee that your home will appraise, because if the borrower hires their own appraiser, there’s a risk that a different appraiser will think the home isn’t worth what they’re paying. Opinions, even professional opinions backed up by analysis, are like that.

Discuss in advance with the appraiser to make sure he/she will transfer the appraisal to the new purchaser.

For a very small charge, usually $25 to $50, you can probably have the appraisal transferred to the new owner — if you ask about it ahead of time. In today’s highly competitive real estate market, sellers really have to use every tool possible to make sure their deal makes it to the closing table. Getting an advance home appraisal is a good, inexpensive incentive you can throw into the deal to show your good faith and cooperative spirit as a seller. It not only raises the purchaser’s level of trust in dealing with you, but it might put a few more dollars in your pocket to boot!

Joel recommends using AutomatedHomefinder.com to search for Colorado real estate. Sign up now and receive a free report entitled “Buying a home without an agent.”

It does get chili in Arizona, but freezes are rare and brief. The winter afternoons will require a sweater at most. The full sunshine helps a vast amount of plants to and flowers to grow even in the winter. The valley is full of life even in the darkest times of year.

Golfing is a big attraction. Enjoy the luxury south west in Scottsdale while playing 9 holes or so. Their is a variety of landscapes. Fountain hills has mountain vistas as far as the eye can see. North Mesa has views of City lights. And Scottsdale has a bit of everything. Paradise Valley is located right next to Phoenix but has the advantage of mountain side homes. Gilbert is located in the south east and was the fastest growing city in the nation for several years. Once a small rural farming town, it is now a well populated area with all the fancy restaurants and even an outdoor mall. How many outdoor malls do you know that strive during the winter months?

Well what about the heat. The summers are hot, there is no other way to say it. For those sun worshipers that won’t be a problem. For everybody else you will have to find ways to to avoid the heat. There are plenty of ways to avoid the heat, here are just a few.

There are many cooler places in Arizona. Fountain Hills resident’s can get to Payson in about 45 minutes. Payson is loaded with pine trees and is a high enough altitude that it snows in the winter. Some residents even have second homes there at very reasonable prices. If you are closer to phoenix just head north. You will run into flagstaff in about an hour and a half. Flagstaff also is packed with pines and even has a ski lift on on of it’s higher mountains during the winter.

If you don’t want to travel to far than you can stay cool in the lakes by boating. Or do what many of Arizona residents do and get a pool. Pools often or equipped with mechanisms to keep the pool at your ideal temperature. Surrounded by desert palms you can make your own oasis right in your back yard.

Everything is air conditioned from cars to grocery stores to stadiums. There are plenty of ways to stay cool in Arizona in the summer months. And I can bet that the 9 beautiful months a year will keep you happy.

chandler real estate

1- Not being pre-approved for a mortgage

First-time home buyers sometimes mistake pre-approval by a lender with pre-qualification. Pre-qualification is your first step. It will give you an idea of what you can afford to buy. Pre-approval means that your have a written commitment from a lender for a maximum mortgage at a stated interest rate. These pre-approvals are usually valid for 3 to 6 months.

2- Waiting for the perfect home

Many first-time home buyers make the mistake of searching for their perfect home - the home that will meet 100% of their needs and wants. These buyers may pass up great homes that would meet 90% of their requirements and eventually give up and purchase a home they do not really want because they are worn out. Also, while waiting for the “perfect” home, market prices continue to rise which means you will have to pay more for a home. Determining your most important criteria will help you select a home that meets the majority of them.

3- Skipping the home inspection

Either in an effort to save some money or because they are wrapped up in a multiple offer situation, first-time home buyers sometimes decide to skip having a professional inspect the home. Using a competent home inspector can offer you peace of mind that you are making a sound choice or alert you to underlying problems that could cost you a lot of money.

If you know the home you are interested in is going to have multiple offers you can always do the home inspection before you present your offer. Having a home inspection under your belt will help you enter the negotiations with your eyes wide open and the advantage of having one less condition.

4- Over-buying

There is a disturbing new trend sweeping major cities in Canada - the house poor first-time home buyer. A large or beautiful home with little or no furniture is a very uncomfortable reality. When you spend all your earnings to support your house, it can quickly cause family stress.

5- First-impressions

First impressions can be a very strong influential factor when searching for a home. First-time home buyers should remember to keep an open mind and to try to be as objective as possible when examining a home. Don’t allow the current style or look of the house, whether good or bad, to overly impact your decision. A messy or “ugly” house may be structurally sound and actually suit your needs. Alternatively, don’t rush to make an offer just because a home is beautifully decorated. A thorough investigation of the house will help you make a sound decision.

Embarking on the quest for your first home is exciting. But remember, do your homework before you begin and be careful to avoid mistakes that could prove costly.

Jeffrey Caulfield is sales representative specializing in Beaches real estate Toronto and is a source for local market information. Visit his site to search for MLS Toronto real estate listings and he will be happy to answer any of your real estate questions.

Over the last year, the state has been attempting to keep property insurance rates low for those who are insured with CPIC. According to critics of the latest property insurance changes, however, Florida residents who are insured by private companies will end up paying more so that the rates can stay low for those insured by the state-owned company. The last week of March saw the Florida Senate approve some changes to property insurance that might end up increasing property insurance rates by around 3%.

The bill was backed by Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink and approved by the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee. The intended effect is to reduce Florida’s Hurricane Catastrophe Fund by $3 billion. This means the state can reduce its investment in CPIC and therefore reduce its risk.

At the same time, however, the state has also voted to freeze CPIC insurance rates through to the end of 2009. CPIC insures more than 1.3 Florida residents, and the rate freeze that occurred last year was done to avoid an increase that could have seen rates up by as much as 29%.

The problem is, according to critics, that CPIC’s premiums aren’t high enough, and that the company won’t have enough cash reserves to be able to pay out claims if a major storm hits.

This is why the $3 billion reduction in the Hurricane Catastrophe Fund is significant. The Catastrophe Fund is a sort of safety net that can kick into action when Florida is hit by a major hurricane, and is intended to reimburse private insurers a portion of the money they pay out in claims. However, with the fund now reduced by $3 billion, the deficit is likely to be made up by rate increases for homeowners.

Last year, the state actually increased the Catastrophe Fund by $12 billion, but this year has been reduced by $3 billion. The fund was increased last year to reduce costs for insurers, and indirectly for homeowners. However, by increasing the Catastrophe Fund, the state of Florida was also increasing its own level of risk.

The state now wants to start decreasing its investment in the fund to reduce its risk. The net effect, however, will likely be the opposite of that which it originally intended. With private insurers taking on more risk relative to last year, the end result is more than likely going to be increased property insurance rates. The estimate is around 3% overall, with a slightly higher increase possible for Southern Florida residents.

Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink admits that an increase in rates is possible, but also says that if insurers try to increase rates to an unreasonable level, the state will step in.

Calum MacKenzie is Owner of Real Living Southern Homes a leading residential real estate brokerage located within Seven Oaks in Wesley Chapel, Florida and also serving the Tampa Florida real estate and Land O? Lakes real estate markets.

The financial trades have called this the Subprime Meltdown, and with good reason–it bears a strong resemblance to a nuclear reactor going critical and melting down. It’s caused repercussions throughout the global credit markets, and is causing doom and gloom among the financial set. However, its root causes, like everything in finance, go back a bit further.

With the stock bubble bursting in 1999, and the country sliding into a recession, the 9/11 attacks caused widespread market panics; in response to the 9/11 attacks, the Federal Reserve started cutting interest rates. The rationale for this is that by trimming interest rates, you stimulate spending rather than savings, and can boost the economy to get it out of the doldrums. If you do this for too long, you get inflation.

What this did to the housing market was give the lowest rates on a 30 year fixed mortgage in over 40 years. Housing starts soared and housing prices boomed. Millions of people refinanced their homes to take advantage of lower interest rates…and due to regulatory requirements about non-discriminatory lending practices, a lot of credit was extended to people who otherwise wouldn’t have qualified for a mortgage.

If you were one of the people who was sensible enough to refinance to a fixed rate mortgage in 2003, pat yourself on the back. You’re probably happy to have that 4% mortgage right now. Lots of people refinanced, and even more speculated–they bought second homes or condos as ‘investments’, because the assessed prices kept going up – and would keep going up for the foreseeable future.

The banking industry thought the same way; there’s a type of security, called an ABS or Asset Backed Security that’s been in circulation since the Eisenhower administration. In principle, what’s done is several loans (with fixed, regular payments) were bundled into one security. Most home loans have very good ratings as investments, because banks and mortgage lenders are very picky about who they lend money to. On top of that, they tend to be long term assets. By bundling them together, you can get a diversified portfolio with a regular payment schedule.

This is all well and good so long as mortgage lenders are being careful about who they’re writing loans out to. However, by 2005, there were loans being written to people with no down payment, and in amounts of 25% over the listed value of the house. Unfortunately, due to careful ginning up of the packages of asset backed securities, most of these collateralized debt packages weren’t AAA assets, the way they’d been marketed. Short form–a lot of investors made a bunch of unwise gambles.

All of these loans and complex financial instruments are built on the idea that foreclosure rates are more or less constant and predictable. Unfortunately, with the surge in mortgage writing, there was also a surge in strange (and downright predatory) mortgage loans made. The big culprit is the Adjustable Rate Mortgage or ARM. These are usually initiated with a teaser rate that’s nothing but interest; after a given period of time, the mortgage rate goes up to something fixed on the Federal Reserve rate.

Well, most of those pigeons came home to roost in late 2006, and entire flocks of mortgages with teaser rates had their teaser rates expire in 2007. Most home owners went from ‘I can make the payment if I save’ to ‘My home payment is twice my monthly income’ as the rates jumped from 3% to 9 or 10% - which usually doubles or triples the home payment every month.

This caused a rash of foreclosures; suddenly a lot of those ABSs were worth a lot less money, and banks started writing down loans (which is financial speak for ‘We aren’t getting paid…’)

It’s a near perfect storm of opaque banking products and an interest rate yo-yo… and we’re going to be dealing with the repercussions for the next two or three years.

If you are facing foreclosure, have multiple mortgages on your property, or are several payments behind on your mortgage, you need help fast. Vivid Properties is a group of real estate investors that specializes in buying houses from people like you. You’ll receive a fair price for your property, and a simple, no-hassle closing with no costs to you.

For a free ebook about foreclosure and your options, visit http://www.easyhousebuyers.com/free_ebook_foreclosure.htm. Or, contact us for a free no-obligation consultation at http://www.easyhousebuyers.com/stop-foreclosure.htm.

Common sense is often your best asset. Everybody knows what goes up must come down. But If you graphed the market it wouldn’t be a straight line down and a straight line up. It reacts in waves. The top has a steeper slope and it gradually lessens as it approaches the bottom. For those calculus experts if you pick the very bottom of the curve and graphed the slope of the bottom it would be virtually be flat. So common sense tells one that before the market stops going down and begins to go up, it must go flat first.

Well what should you be going flat. For one thing it should be the inventory of homes. Look at the different months where more and more homes came on the market for sale and less and less homes were selling. The inventory of homes for sale went up nearly to 60,000 in Arizona alone. For the past few months the inventory of homes has been hovering around 55,000 in Arizona. So is this a sign of the bottom. The answer is…. maybe.

There are other things to consider. Think about the time of year of the state you live in. I’m using Arizona as an example because it has been one of the spot lights for real estate for the past decade. The time of the year makes a big difference. Arizona has winter visitors from all over the globe and sells more homes in the springtime months than any other time of year. So if the market has been hovering around 55,000 active homes for sale on the market during the spring, I would hesitate to say it is the bottom until I see the inventory stay steady through the summer and fall months.

Now is the best time to buy at the bottom of the market? Well not necessarily. It is safer way to buy, but the best deals aren’t always at the bottom. They are often times on the way towards the bottom. Banks monitor the market closely and they know when the market is recovering. They are less likely to let their properties go during a flat market than they are during a declining market. A declining market is a good time to cherry pic the best homes, in the best locations, at the best prices. There are a lot of opportunist who are waiting for that bottom. Then you can expect the American spirit of opportunity to be revitalized.

If you aren’t willing to take a risk then the time to buy might not be right for you, but if you are looking for opportunity.. then this is the time.

Chandler Real Estate.