How to Become a Real Estate Investing Success

The key to investing in real estate is to find yourself a good realtor. This is important because the real estate market is huge which means jobs in the real estate market are hot. While there is plenty of room for new faces, with new realtors comes inexperience. A single mistake by a realtor can keep a house the market far longer than it should be and in the end it will cost you more money then what you receive in profit. If you are looking to buy and sell real estate it is important to have an experienced and well versed realtor at your side. Before you sign up with a realtor there are several things you should consider.

First of all determine if you need a realtor at all. If holding onto a particular property is not a problem from a time or financial stand point you may be able to market it yourself. This would definitely save you money on realtor fees but you may have a hard time moving the house. Also make sure you know how real estate contracts work and have professional look over anything before either party signs. If you decide that you do need an agent for your real estate investments make sure you interview several agents from different companies. Below is a list of questions to ask them before you sign:



How do they market their houses? Will your house get the exposure it needs to sell and sell fast? What is the scope of their marketing? TV? Radio? Magazines? Newspapers? World Wide Web?

What is the realtor's experience and background. How long have they been a realtor, how many houses, have they sold, and how successful have they been?

How long does it take them to sell a home? What is the price range of houses they usually list? How many homes are they trying to sell currently?

Have they worked with investors in the real estate market before?

What is will the percentage commission be on the house they sell? Remember that for a house to be worth a realtor's time they are going to need to make money off of it. Additionally some realtor's offer a deal in which if you use them both buying and selling they give you a reduced commission rate.

Finding a successful and experienced real estate agent is important because you can build a lasting relationship which is financially beneficial for both of you. Real estate investments especially flipping houses for profit is a booming business. It is equally important to forge relationships with construction companies, wholesalers, and the community in which you are buying and sell homes.

Sometimes the best marketing is word of mouth. Realtor's will often try to lower your asking price to decrease the amount of time a house is on the market, thus reducing their work load. As the seller you are in charge, after all the realtor is working for you. Make sure your the decisions that are made are best for you and your financial goals.

Essential for Sale By Owner Tips

Selling your home without a real estate agent can be a difficult task. Here are some tips to help you as a for sale by owner seller.

Price it Right the First Time

The price of your for sale by owner home will play a huge factor in whether or not you receive offers from buyers. Whats the worst that could happen if you overprice your home? Well, it could remain on the market for months, growing stagnant and unattractive to buyers. Thats the last thing you want to happen. Do the work necessary to price your for sale by owner home correctly the first time you put it on the market. Even if you have to go slightly under what your ideal price, its worth it. A house sold is much better than a house unsold.

Little Fixes Go a Long Way

You dont have to put in marble countertops and stainless steel appliances to increase the value of your for sale by owner home. Youd be surprised as all the little things you can do that make your for sale by owner home look more attractive and boost the value. Since the kitchen is one of the rooms that buyers want to look up to date, start there. Replace the faucet, add new door handles to cabinets, and update lighting fixtures. Bathrooms are next most important. Putting in a new toilet seat, putting down vinyl tiles, and replacing tile grout will all do wonders for the bathroom.



More Than One Way to Advertise

Simply putting a sign in your yard and calling it a day wont do much in the way of advertising your for sale by owner home. There are a number of innovative and inexpensive ways that you can advertise your home. Pass the word around among your friends, relatives, and co-workers. Use a for sale by owner website. Create flyers and pass them around. Design a website to showcase your homes best features. Use several methods of advertising for the best results.

Answer and Return Phone Calls

Even though youre selling your home, life is still going on around you. Dont let that keep you from accomplishing what youve set out to do. Answer phone calls as much as possible. When buyers leave messages with someone else make sure you return the call. You never know which ring is going to be the selling offer. Dont want to sacrifice quality time with your loved ones? Subscribe to voice mail or purchase an answering machine. Let the answering service pick up when you are too busy to answer the phone, but make sure you always return the phone calls.

Let Sentimental Attachments Go

Undoubtedly your for sale by owner home has many memories attached to it, especially if you have lived in it for an extended period of time. Selling your home doesnt mean you have to let these memories go. However, if you let your sentimental attachments get in the way, you could end up botching a deal unintentionally. Preserve the memories of your for sale by owner home by creating a scrapbook or starting a photo album. You dont have to be callous about the home. Rather, you should remain objective as if youd never lived in it.