Friday, 31 January 2014

Why Are Private Jets and Real Estate Practically The Same?

Both an aircraft and a home are a sanctuary for the owner. A home in a remote location can become accessible simply by the means of your own aircraft. The plane becomes an extension of your real estate.

If you own a second, third or forth home in Aspen or Snowmass and live in the US or an international location, you will know that commercial airline access to Aspen can be time consuming. But what makes Aspen unique is that Sardy Field airport is located no more than 10 minutes from most homes in the area.

What good is a $30 million mansion if it takes you a half a day to get to it? Weekend use might become impossible or more effort than enjoyment. It takes tow hours to get from California to Aspen and Texas locations are only an hour and a half away.

With most residences in Aspen a mere 5-10 minutes from the airport you can snuggle up at the fireplace before commercial travelers had a chance to collected their luggage. Aspen has become what it is not least because of its terrific airport access. Sardy Field is the lifeline to the real world. Properties in the area have become attractive not only for their location but also for their accessibility.

On holiday weekends Aspen is home to one of the busiest private airports in the nation. The airport regularly runs out of space to park incoming private jets and owners have to park them at close by regional airports after getting dropped off in Aspen.

Stepping onto your private jet marks the start of your vacation and not the beginning of an airport ordeal. Check-in, security controls, boarding, not enough legroom the list goes on. The moment you board your own jet you are entering your home in the skies with a smooth flight to your home below Colorado skies.

Wednesday, 29 January 2014

Divorce and Real Estate

One of the biggest issues that comes up during any divorce proceedings is the division of property. Every item you own has to be divided up between you and your spouse. If you're like many couples, the most valuable property you own is in the form of real estate - houses, condos, vacation homes, even businesses. You're probably wondering, "what happens to these investments?"

Before you make any decisions involving the division of real estate property, you need to carefully examine your financial situation both prior to the divorce, and after the divorce. Can you afford the property now? Will you be able to afford the property later? Is it practical for you to continue paying the expenses associated with owning a piece of real estate?

In addition to pragmatically evaluating your financial situation, you need to evaluate your emotional ties to the property. While it may be financially beneficial for you to retain possession of a particular piece of property, the painful memories associated with it may be too strong. It's impractical to think that the emotions associated with marital property don't exist.

The Law

The way you decide to divide any real estate property following your divorce is subject to the divorce laws in your particular state. Some states, such as California, believe that property division should be equal as well as equitable, meaning that the overall value of the property given to both parties should be roughly the same. Other states take into account only equitability, meaning that the general overall value of the portions should be comparable.

In general, there are three things that you will be determined about the house during a divorce:

· Which spouse will receive the house following the divorce.

· What that spouse gives up in order for the property division to be equitable.

· Whether or not the house will be sold to a third party.

If you plan on keeping the house following the divorce, you will have to buy out the other spouse's share in the house. This usually involves taking out a new mortgage on the house. Other reality follows similar rules. If you cannot afford to take out a new mortgage on the property, it will most likely be sold to a third party.

If you or someone you love is going through a divorce and has questions about how this will affect the real estate, visit the San Jose divorce attorneys of the Law Office of Daniel Jensen today.

Tuesday, 28 January 2014

The Hidden Keys to Financing Certain Homes in Real Estate Investing

In many areas of the country developers bought tracks of rural land and developed these into new home subdivisions. New homes cropped up across the landscape and were sold with financing from conventional lenders. All in all, these projects were successful if done pre-2007. Projects after this time period were often fueled by rampart investor speculation and many homes were completed but large percentages of these were never occupied, or only occupied for a few years as the market fell and these homeowners abandoned their homes.

States like Florida and Arizona had vast areas of abandoned houses dot the skyline in some rural areas that were intended to be self-contained suburbs of major cities often called bedroom communities. There exists an opportunity for real estate investors to buy and sell these homes after a foreclosure has taken place or a short sale is completed.

So, if you are an investor reading this, ask yourself why other investors aren't jumping all over these pristine properties that are slowly decaying because of no buyers. There are essentially two reasons, first, investors can't find buyers who want to live in virtual isolation in these communities. Secondly, the ability to have end-buyers finance these properties is very limited, especially to buyers with challenged credit.

There is an expression in real estate investing that says that if the price is right, someone will buy it. This is true especially if the marketing effort shows the property to enough people. Marketing any property is the key to making profits in real estate investing and this goes beyond the usual method of using the Multiple Listing Service. The most powerful investors have the largest buyers list and can dispose of their properties in days instead of weeks or months.

The first issue is finding the buyers and many investors overlook international buyers because they are more difficult to find. However, they are generally cash buyers so there is no problem with financing a property or getting an appraisal acceptable to a lender. Financing is the second issue that is often a problem in making these deals happen. Conventional lenders, often the same lenders who financed the original project, do not want to loan on a property where they already lost 80% or more of their original investment. But a few investors have found a secret to getting financing for these properties.

As I mentioned in the beginning, many of these sub-divisions have been built in rural areas. Not just rural in the sense of way out in the country, but also for zoning purposes. This is the key to financing these wayward properties. The USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) has loans available for properties located in designated rural areas. Originally designed for farmers, these loans can be used by anyone who qualifies and where the financed property is in a designated rural area. Currently, and this is subject to change, the credit score requirement is a 640 FICO score and they will finance 100% of the purchase price.

In summary, if you are looking to purchase distressed homes where developers have failed, be careful that you can resell them by developing a buyers list beforehand and look to lenders who will finance in these areas. Retired individuals are excellent candidates for these projects as they are living in their homes and are not traveling back and forth to work - so there is almost always someone in the community to watch out for vandalism. The reason these properties are so attractive is that they are selling literally at 10% to 20% of the original financed amount and well below the replacement cost of a similar property located in a "normal" community. Many investors are finding these communities are a terrific new source of profitable deals.

Monday, 27 January 2014

Roseville, Placer County - Homes and Real Estate Up For Sale

Roseville is a nice little city located in Placer County, California, United States. It comes under the metropolitan area of Sacramento. Placer County is a county located in the Sierra Nevada of the U.S. state of California, in what is known as the Gold Country. It stretches from the suburbs of Sacramento to Lake Tahoe and the Nevada border. Because of the expansion of the Sacramento metropolitan area, Placer County is one of the fastest growing counties in the state. Between 2000 and 2008, the population grew from 248,399 to 338,750. The county seat is Auburn.

The real estate industry has really taken off in Placer County, particularly in Roseville. The prices of land all across the city and the county have gone up by quite a few notches and several real estate companies and agencies have quickly moved in to take advantage of the situation. They are using all their resources to make good use of the opportunities offered by Roseville real estate for sale. Also an important part of the strategy of both local and national realty agents is to do maximum business in the homes for sale in Placer County and thus earn huge profits.

Almost all of these agents and companies have their own websites which concentrate solely on delivering the best deals to their customers who are on the lookout for Roseville real estate for sale. Some of the good realty companies take an altogether different approach, particularly homes for sale in the Placer county - one that is built to satisfy personal demands and aspirations of the customer and give him full value for his hard earned money. Basically, such agents deliver win-win deals and positive results for their customers. It is the need of the hour that real estate organizations utilize the latest technologies, market research and business strategies to exceed the ever growing expectations of their customers. This is perhaps the only way to survive and flourish in the cut throat competition that exists in the real estate scene in Roseville as well as the whole of Placer County. Companies which listen to the customers with patience and find solutions that are tailored to their financial bearing are bound to do well and rise up in the customer satisfaction indices.

As a real estate agent, it is extremely important to not over promise first and then under deliver later as this undermines the trust placed by your customer in you. One must be prepared to go the extra mile so as to get for your customer the desired home for sale in placer county.

Sunday, 26 January 2014

Sequim Homes, Online Real Estate Information, Redefining Free

You will always pay a price! Everyone should know that information comes at a price, whether it's time or money. When searching for information you'll find an aggressive campaign to sell you something. That's what pays for the online presence. Ever notice that they always seem to know something about you: gender, age, income level, and buying habits. The internet is constantly profiling your habits. This isn't always bad if it saves you time when you're searching for something. Here are the questions everyone needs to ask: "Is this site or its representatives the source, or are they looking to broker information to you? Can they directly address your needs? And are they available to validate the legitimacy of the information?"

Here is a specific example:

You log onto a website looking for homes for sale, and you fill out and submit a form. Most websites disclose that you will be contacted by a licensed real estate agent who will pay a fee to receive your name and search information. Usually you will have to wait several hours, or sometimes never receive the information they promised. If you do receive information or a phone call, it's unlikely you will even remember when or who you left this information with. Not very effective. And what's even worse is this is a website that was placed high on the search engine, therefore pushing down the pages of realtors that can actually help you in a timely manner. The moral of this story: Find a realtor who has the online experience to assist you, and the willingness to give you the information that you need to do the homework which you already decided to do.

Sequim-homes.info has Information you can use for Sequim, Washington real estate.

Saturday, 25 January 2014

Self Guided Home Inspections Serve Home Sellers, Real Estate Professionals and Real Estate Investors

By knowing in advance what home inspectors are looking for, the homeowner can eliminate many potential problems prior to a professional home inspection, realtors can help prioritize those items that will effect the sale and investors will know what to look for when doing market research.

For the Homeowner:

A self guided home inspection provides a step-by-step process that will help a Homeowner/Seller pocket more cash at the close of escrow.  By knowing in advance what home inspectors are looking for, the homeowner can eliminate many potential problems prior to a professional home inspection.

Eliminating problems outside of escrow allows the homeowner to leverage time and control expenses in their favor.  Having time to collect competitive bids from qualified persons for repairs, utilizing free services often available from local agencies, doing the repairs themselves and having the time to shop for the best price on materials are ways a self guided home inspection can build in more profit when the property sells.

For Real Estate Professionals:

When a client is willing to properly prepare their home prior to a formal inspection the Realtor acquires a more complete picture of a property's condition and thus more effectively advise a seller prior to and during the listing and sale.  The Realtor can also help prioritize repair items that will most affect the sale of the property.  The non-technical information the homeowner collects by doing a self guided inspection assists the Realtor by creating a more proactive seller.

For the Real Estate Investor:

Real Estate Investors/Buyers are taught that the profit is made at the purchase and realized at the sale.  Besides the property's location and features, having a more specific way to look at a piece of property prior to making an offer, purchasing a foreclosure or bidding at auction can have a significant impact on the decision to purchase or pass.

Investors/Buyers who learn how to look at a building from the perspective of a professional home inspector are able to effectively recognize a building's true condition.  This ultimately means greater control of costs, resulting in more profit when the property sells or reduced grief while living there.

VERY IMPORTANT POINTS ABOUT HOME INSPECTORS

There are a few points to be aware of regarding the reports of professional home inspectors.  The information a report contains could have a direct impact on the sale and sales price of the property.

HOME INSPECTORS ARE NOT BUILDING INSPECTORS

Home inspectors are not required to be licensed in many states and they may not have any hands on construction experience. The report is a visual inspection made by a generalist who is not representing himself as a licensed contractor.

Home inspectors make mistakes like anyone else and all parties are free to get second opinions.

A HOME INSPECTION IS NOT A CODE INSPECTION

Home inspectors need a basis for the report findings.  One of the many sources are the uniform building codes.  Home inspectors use other sources of information including local building codes and ordinances, manufacturer's installation instructions and the Business and Professions code.

When the home inspector requests information regarding year built or when additions or remodeling construction is conducted, they do so because construction only needs to comply with the building codes in force at the time the building permits were pulled.

A HOME INSPECTION IS FOR A SPECIFIC LOCATION AT A SPECIFIC MOMENT IN TIME

After the inspector has left the site, if a window is broken, the furnace stops working or a toilet overflows causing damage, he or she obviously cannot report these situations.

THE HOME INSPECTOR IS A GUEST IN THE HOME

Inspectors are guests in the home and as such are not authorized to disassemble any fixture or appliance or remove any personal belongings, furniture, rugs or carpets.  They should, however, be authorized to operate all the usual components of the home including lights and switches, stoves, ovens, dishwashers, compactors, disposals, spa tubs, hot tubs, generators, fans, garage doors, furnaces etc.

WHAT AUTHORITY DOES A HOME INSPECTION REPORT CARRY?

The homeowner does not have to fix any items just because they were listed in the report unless such repairs are required due to law or regulation established elsewhere.  Common sense would dictate that hazardous conditions are addressed immediately but a home inspection report carries no authority requiring any person to take any specific action.  However, the information collected during a home inspection could be used by the buyer to ask the seller to lower the asking price or repair or replace certain items.

Repairs or replacements that are conducted prior to any inspection will almost always be less expensive than those requested to be done by the perspective buyer.

PASS OR FAIL?

The home inspection is a visual inspection of the property's condition at the time of the inspection.  A pass or fail concept is purely subjective and not an aspect of the process.

VERY IMPORTANT.   IF THE INSPECTOR DOES NOT SEE IT OR FIND IT, IT WILL NOT BE ON THE REPORT

HOWEVER, this does not release the seller from the legal responsibility of disclosing everything they know about the property.  The seller should not attempt to hide anything they find in their own investigation.  That is not only wrong, it is against the law.

In the disclosure process the term "material facts" means anything about the property that could effect the buyer's decision to purchase.  These facts must be disclosed by the owner, including any problems that have been repaired.  There may be nothing evident to any person who looks at the property but a neighbor could disclose the previous problem for you, and that could lead to a lawsuit.

FINALLY

In the inspectors reports, the terms "Notes" "Issues" and "Findings" each refer to the same thing.  They are aspects of the property that are potential hazards, flaws, defects or any condition that significantly affects the value, desirability, habitability, or safety of the dwelling.  A responsible home inspector will look for and report on these items.

Thursday, 23 January 2014

Illuminating Real Estate Bubbles and Real Estate Corrections

It's known as a bubble but when it bursts, the after effects are definitely not pleasant at all (as they are when you pop a real bubble). When a real estate goes off, it almost blows up the whole economy with it and leaves investors and property owners in distress.

For instance, you purchased a property in a fast growing property market for 300,000 US dollars back in 2000, the property prices appreciated and your property price reached up to 800,000 USD in 2006, then the inevitable starts happening (known as the bubble burst) and your property price declines to a meager 250,000 USD in a matter of months. That is how devastating these housing bubbles are, and the worst thing about them is that they are hard to foresee, even if you are a veteran in economics.

Property bubbles are not just detrimental once they start to come apart, they are equally damaging to the overall economy even during the course of their build up. A rapid increase in the prices of real estate properties sounds good, and some investors might be able to go home with huge profits, but when we look at overall effects, we come to an conclusion that housing bubbles should be avoided (or at least curtailed by the regulatory bodies) at all costs. First because the abnormal hikes in property prices are based on shaky grounds and second because they are always followed by a very inconsiderate decline in price (known as real estate or housing market correction), which leaves many property owners with negative equity.

Property bubbles are normally dubbed as real estate booms, because it's hard to distinguish between a "bubble" and a "boom". However, a careful comparison of property prices and relevant economic factors can provide us with a pretty clear picture of what's going on in the market.

Real Estate Corrections:

Real estate Corrections are quite the opposite of "Property bubble", in fact property market correction starts right after the burst of property bubble. It is the time when prices tumble and take a nose dive, if the sharp rises in property prices correspond to "property bubble"; it's the sharp decline in property prices that characterize "property correction". This modification in price is bound to happen once the property prices have reached the peak, though these corrections are not abrupt and it can last some years. Sometimes the prices can be reduced to the half of what they were at the peak of "Real Estate Bubble."