Tips on Finding a Reliable Novi Realtor

When buying a new home, chances are very good that you are going to choose a realtor to help you with your home buying needs. With many realtors out there, finding one you can trust may seem to be a daunting task. Especially if you’ve never hired a realtor before, or if you’ve ever had one whom you couldn’t trust, choosing a good realtor may be extremely difficult, if next to impossible, to accomplish. So how do you find one whom you can trust, and one who will simplify your home buying experience? Here are a few tips to help you find the right realtor.

Conduct Interviews

It’s not enough to open the yellow pages and scan the listings of realtors there. Ideally, going to the realtor’s office is the best option, but you may not have the time to do this. Chances are there will be too many realtors for you to go visit, so you may choose to conduct an interview on the phone. Be prepared with a list of questions to ask, and expect frank and honest answers. It won’t take long for you to find out during the conversation whether the realtor is honest, or if they are simply a salesperson who evades your questions by giving you pat answers, or fluff.

Ask for References
A good realtor will be happy to give you the names of satisfied customers, in order to back up how trustworthy they will be for you. Sometimes, many people will find realtors on word of mouth alone. Happy customers will be delighted to talk to you about your potential realtor, and many times, this will arm you with the best information about the Novi realtor you are considering.

Talk to the Broker

In some cases, talking opening with the broker about your realtor’s performance may give you clues as to how trustworthy your realtor might be. This may not always give you the best information, as the broker certainly wants your business in the same way the realtor does, but a broker who is willing to talk with you as a potential client may help you determine whether the company the realtor works for will be behind you all the way.

Look for Communication Skills

There is nothing more frustrating than a realtor who does not listen to your needs. If you tell the realtor that your maximum price you would pay for a home is $200,000, and the realtor continually shows you homes outside of your price range, chances are very good that your realtor isn’t concerned about your needs or what you can actually afford, but is more interested in how much commission they may earn off of your business with them. A realtor should remember how many children you have, and how many bedrooms you need, for example; and if you need an office, show you homes with ideal office space; if you have a dog, then the realtor should remember to find homes for you with a fenced in back yard, for instance. You should never have to continually remind your realtor what your needs are; if you are constantly reiterating your needs, then it could be indicative of your realtor either having too many clients, or not really interested in what your needs really are.

Express Your Needs

A realtor isn’t a mind reader, and it really is up to you to make sure your Northville realtor knows exactly what you are looking for. If you are not sure what you are looking for, then it is in your best interest to find a realtor truly interested in narrowing down what you want. Ask questions. If you don’t know whether a school district in a particular area is a good one, for example, and you don’t have children, then it is the realtor’s job to help you understand that even though you might not be concerned about schools right now, there is a possibility in the future that it will be an issue. And while you cannot expect your realtor to read your mind, a good, trustworthy realtor can still anticipate your needs.

Above and Beyond the Call of Duty

Some realtors only perform the minimum tasks in order to help you find a home. A good, trustworthy realtor will go above and beyond the minimal duties. Do you need help finding a loan officer? Will your realtor locate one for you? Will your realtor be present at closing time in case you have any last minute questions? Will your realtor hand-deliver the title to the court on the same day you close? Will your Novi realtor investigate any issues you may have with the home you want to purchase, like will real-estate taxes be included in your price, or will the appliances be included in the home purchase, or is the seller going to provide a home warranty? Some things may not occur to you now as a home buyer, but it should be in your realtor’s best interest to make sure they investigate any possible issues that may come up during the course of the negotiations.

The key to finding a trustworthy realtor is to ask questions, no matter how silly they might be to you. They should be familiar with school districts, utility company policies, which Cable Company is available to you, and other things that are not necessarily part of your home purchase, but it is these little things that make a realtor extraordinary, and one that you can trust to help you find the perfect home.

Homes for Sale in Ann Arbor Michigan

Homes for sale in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the county seat of Washtenaw County, come in all sizes, shapes, colors and prices. Prices start at under $100k for older properties, condominiums and “pre-foreclosures” and top out at $20 million for a 120 acre “sanctuary”. Architectural styles range from classic to modern, ranch to Nantucket. With one district listed on the National Register of Historic Places, there is truly something for everyone in the Ann Arbor homes for sale listings.

The land comprising Ann Arbor was originally purchased from the federal government for $800 by speculators John Allen and Elisha Rumsey in 1824. Needless to say, property values have increased dramatically since that time. The story goes that John and Elisha both had wives named Ann and that the original “arbor” consisted primarily of burr oak.

The city has strived to remain true to its “Tree Town” nickname, preserving numerous acres for parks and recreation areas. Some say that there are nearly as many trees as residents in Ann Arbor. Founded in 1824, incorporated as a village in 1833 and chartered as a city in 1851, Ann Arbor has a long and interesting history. Originally, the founders had hoped that their village would become the state capital, even setting aside forty acres of land for the purpose. But, when Lansing was selected in 1836, the land was donated to the University of Michigan, beginning Ann Arbor’s history as a “college town”.

The original 40 acre donation is now part of the Central Campus, one of the three residence halls at the university. Even with the sixth-largest campus housing system in the United States, there is still a large market for off-campus housing, primarily in the form of condos and lofts. Advertising in the Ann Arbor homes for sale listings often targets graduate students, research assistants, faculty and their families, by relating the location of the house to the university. With undergraduate programs ranging from literature to engineering, one of the largest research facilities in the country and numerous popular athletic teams, the University of Michigan attracts both people and employers to the area. Employers are attracted by the students. Likewise, students often stay in the area, because of the employers. Some stay to complete graduate programs. Others find careers at the university, which provides about 30,000 jobs to Ann Arbor residents. The resident population is continuously growing.

Buyers and investors may see a large number of properties coming on the market over the next two years. Pfizer, the city’s second largest employer, announced in January 2007 that it would be closing the large research facility located there by the end of 2008. Lay-offs and other changes in the automotive industry may also cause an increase in the number of homes for sale in Ann Arbor, Michigan, although the impact will likely be less dramatic than in other parts of the state, since new employers are constantly moving in. Google recently announced plans to open an office employing around 1000 people.

The number of Ann Arbor Homes for Sale is constantly changing. At the time of this writing, one popular realtor had over 350 listings for the area. Efforts by the city government to control “urban sprawl” has meant less new building and fewer new homes than in some areas. Newly built homes account for less than 10% of total listings. Disturbingly, there are more than 50 homes in pre-foreclosure status in Washtenaw County.
Foreclosure can severely damage credit ratings.

Sometimes, there are alternatives for these owners willing to work with potential buyers on lease option agreements. Lease option (also called rent to own) is also an alternative for people with poor credit ratings, willing to work to improve and for those with no savings for down payments and closing costs. In fact, there are simple, but creative solutions for all buyers and options for any seller that is frustrated with seeing the for sale sign in the front yard for months on end. There is a buyer out there for every one of the homes for sale in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Buy-Sell-Michigan-Real-Estate.com are real estate investors who can help find motivated buyers a home if they can’t get traditional financing and help motivated sellers sell their homes on terms or for cash.

You Can Find Homes for Sale in Brighton MI on Websites Easily

If you want to buy or sell your home you can look at advertisements in the homes for sale section of the media or websites. But you also need practical advice and street smart insight to guide you right. It is your big investment and there is a lot of money at stake, so it helps to understand the inner workings of a real estate transaction. Making informed decisions can make you profits.

Sell Homes

* When you sell your home you should be aware that the buyer’s market is slow as there are more homes for sale than buyers. Oversupply can bring down the prices.
* Your house location and condition and amenities are very important as price depends on these factors. Listing price is very important as it should be correct. It should not be overpriced or under priced.
* Seasonal changes affect the housing market as during spring it tends to improve and comes down during winter.
* You need to set a realistic price by doing your research of the real estate market and set it according to current trends. Seek the guidance of an agent to appraise your house to get the correct estimate.
* If you need repair work make sure it will payback. Expensive renovation may inflate your price beyond the market value.

Buy Homes

When you buy your home you should let your agent do your negotiations. He knows your needs. If you observe what is important to the seller you will be able to judge his circumstances and make a good buy. A written offer is given to the owner of the home by the buyer which may be rejected and a new offer has to be made in writing. Changes are made according to both parties. A deadline is agreed to which both parties agree to finalize the deal. Try to get recommendations from others who had successfully planned their Homes for sale in Brighton MI with the help of a good agent. Consult two to three agents before finalizing the best one.

You Can Make Your Offer Depending On;

* Survey of the property
* Repair work that needs to be done
* Legal Review
* Inspection

Once a full agreement by both sides is complete then it becomes legally binding to both. The buyer then pays 5 percent of the deposit which becomes part of the down payment.
Homes for sale on websites is the right place to study the home buying and selling market trends, before you decide on your investment.

What is a Real Estate Auction?

Contact An Agent
 
A real estate auction is something that many consider to be a win-win situation: a house is sold quickly to qualified buyers who essentially decide its value with their highest bid. How does it work?

Properties are pre-inspected and buyers are pre-approved. Buyers and sellers all come to the same place, wherever the auction is located, and the properties are presented. After that, it’s pretty much what you picture when you think of an auction—the auctioneer gets things started, and buyers indicate the price they’re willing to pay by raising paddles or cards. The property is sold to the highest bidder, and paperwork is signed on-site.  Closing typically happens very soon after the auction, usually within 30-45 days, so buyers must be financially ready to pay their closing costs fairly quickly.

Homes that appear in real estate auctions are often distressed properties or foreclosures being sold by a bank or lender, but non-distressed properties can be sold this way, too. Usually the properties are open for a few weeks prior to an auction for interested potential buyers to go in and take a look around. They’re supposed to be pre-inspected, but you can always pay for your own inspection too—just realize that you may be paying for a service on a home you may not even come to own.

The details will be different depending on the organization of the auction, so know that there may be other procedures or requirements. Sometimes, for example, a property is on “reserve”, which means that the seller as to approve the final price. Other times there may be financing available. And sometimes there will be extra fees tacked on to the final price you pay for the home, like an auctioneer’s fee or a buyer’s premium. It all depends.

While there are benefits to buying and selling via auction, there are drawbacks as well. Though auctions do allow sellers the advantage of avoiding carrying costs by selling their homes very quickly, the buyer can be at a disadvantage if they don’t have a real estate professional walking them through the home buying process. And even if a buyer finds a property they really like, they may not be able to afford the highest bid.
For more information on real estate auctions, check in here and here.

Well Priced Homes for Sale in Troy Mi

Throughout Troy Mi there are a number of properties that have become available for buyers that are looking for a great deal on a house. With the real estate market starting to make a comeback there are some families that are beginning to take a closer look at the discounts that have been made possible by the number of home foreclosures. Through the listings of homes for sale Lafayette LA residents can find bargains on bank owned properties that allow them to move into a foreclosed house in a short time frame. Being vacated by the owners that were unable to make their mortgage payments many of the homes for sale in Troy Mi have been discounted to help them sell.

Although the real estate market has been depressed and sales of homes have been low, the market is beginning to make an upswing and with the number of houses that are being purchased the pricing of the houses is starting to increase slowly. By working with a realtor who know

s the areas and understands the complexities of buying foreclosed and bank owned properties it is still possible to take advantage of the lowest prices that real estate has seen in more than a decade and buy one of the homes for sale in troy mi. Before the interest rates start to climb and housing market makes a full recovery a few smart buyers are making sure that they can buy a house that fits their needs and is priced right for them to make a purchase. Working with a realtor it is possible to buy a house and save thousands of dollars before the prices go up.

When buyers start contacting and showing interest in your property, schedule an open house to enable them to view your home. The biggest mistake you can make here is not to clean up and clear out the clutter for the open house. A clean house is very easy on the eyes and buyers are actually turned off by unkempt homes. Clean every inch of the property, especially the areas that get cluttered quickly, such as the basement or the garage.

Clean the air as well and even make it fragrant with flowers or air scents. Manicure your lawn, take down clotheslines and throw your trash. Change all your linens, including your curtains and bedding. When it comes right down to the negotiations, make sure you not all the improvements you have made on the property. This way, you increase your chances of selling your home before all those cheap homes for sale in the market.