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The sunniest time of the year when sun is shining brightly is surely a great time for exploring new neighborhoods and visualizing future patio parties during viewings. If you are planning to buy home this summer then it is important to understand the housing market prior starting any serious shopping. You must have to know what housing market is like for buyers now and what you can do to end up the best home with best price that fits right in your budget.

Owning a home is an investment in your future and with that in mind you wants to make sure that you are making educated decisions so that you could get the best possible deal. Housing market in 2018 should be just as strong this summer as it’s been all spring. List prices and existing home sales have risen this year but there are perks to house hunting right now, too. We present you some of the facts and tips to help you get the most out of this year’s summer housing market.

SUMMER MARKET FACTS

DURING THE SUMMER PRICES DROP: Although summer is busy home-buying season but still it is not crazy as prices drop from May through October. Anyhow if you hang out until late August then you could find a really great deal-that is when nearly 14 % of listings get a price cut.

Private Mortgage Insurance Is GETTING MORE Reliable: PMI or Private Mortgage Insurance getting cheaper after PMI lenders MGIC and Radian lowered their rates this spring; it is great financing news for homebuyers. That’s going to cause most of these PMI companies to be competitive with each other which in result going to bring them all down. Less than 20 % of down payment makes the home buyers to get PMI. It means it will be cheaper for some buyers to get into homes sooner.

HOMEBUYING TIPS FOR SUMMER 2018

DON’T DISCOUNT OLDER LISTINGS: At the times when homes are flying off the market within days due to strong competition, it is easy to think a listing that’s a week or so old is a red flag. But keep in mind that it is not always the case. It is often because buyer got cold feet and pulled out of a deal on a perfectly good house. But thanks to the assumptions home buyers make about older listings in busy markets, the delay can cause the price to come down.

There are just more of these in market. The number of homes in market is shrinking but still there are 8.3 % more fixer-upper among them than there were six years ago. If you are dead-set against a fixer-upper to be prepared to move quickly then there is only ever going to be a couple of options at a time. And when new listings come up it’s going to be pretty ferocious.

GET TO KNOW THE NEIGHBORHOOD: The plus point of competitive market it gives you temptation to make an offer on any available property that fits your criteria but if it’s in the wrong neighborhood, you may never want to purchase the house. It is better to take some time and do community scouting before making an offer. You can even find out what your future neighbors have to say about the area by communicating with them.

MAKE THE STRONGEST OFFER: To stay in the market make the strongest offer, even your offer is not the highest because now is not the time for low ball-offer. No doubt, coming up with cash offer could be tough for many home buyers but there are some ways to make a strong offer that don’t require gobs of money. Substantial eventualities like a shorter closing or inspection period and writing a great offer letter can help make your offer stand out.

I’ve done it myself; taken what I thought were great listing pictures and used them for my online MLS listing. My clients thought they were fine and I thought they were just fine, until I started working as a buyer’s agent in Seattle a few years back.

I worked with over 40 different buyers a week and everyday I’d hear, „Did you see those listing pictures? There’s no way we want to see that house, it’s a dump! Does the listing agent know how bad they are?“ Obviously, the listing agent didn’t spend anything on real estate photography.

My buyers would also see some great listing photos and want to get in to see the home that afternoon. We’d step inside and they’d wonder if it was the same home they saw online. They felt cheated because the pictures were nothing like the real home. (but at least the listing agent got buyers walking through the house).

It all came down to the listing pictures they saw online. That’s essential marketing for listings! Give buyers a great picture and they’ll jump inside the house that day. Give them a „do-it-yourself“ picture and they’ll move onto the next home. The listing pictures make the difference, especially when you spend a few bucks on professional real estate photography!

Even when the listing pictures were better than the actual house, guess what? It still got the buyers inside! That’s your goal as a listing agent; get as many showings as possible. Professional real estate photography makes that happen.

With upwards of 80%+ of buyers looking online now, the listing photos are the first thing they’re looking at and basing their initial impressions on.

How much money in lost commissions do you think you’re missing because you won’t spend a couple hundred bucks for professional real estate photography?

If you did spend the well invested marketing dollars on some professional real estate photography…….

Isn’t it funny how such a small aspect of your business can affect the whole thing? Anytime you realize how one issue affects your net profits, that’ll make you perk up, right?

Now don’t give me the excuse that it’s too expensive because it’s not. Look at it as a marketing and advertising expense because that’s exactly what it is. And real estate photography is one of the best things you can spend your marketing dollars on.

You have a couple options……..

You could grab a professional in real estate photography in your local area and offer them $50-$200 to come to your listing and take some fabulous photos. Make sure they’re top notch, have all the right equipment and understand the goal of these photos. You don’t want to pay for real estate photography that’s no better than your own.

Your other option is to go with a company like Vicaso.com who does real estate photography exclusively. Their business is listing photos for real estate agents!

You can schedule your photo shoot on their website, pay about $200 or so and get the most captivating listing photos you’ll ever see. Even if you have a crack house listed for sale, their real estate photography will make it look like a palace.

I’m telling you; don’t skimp on your real estate photography. Look at the cost as an investment. If you spent $200 on professional real estate photography and got back another $20,000 in commissions that year from faster sales, more clients, and higher listing prices, wouldn’t that be worth it? You betcha!

Expired listing lead services such as the RedX and LeadSenders provide real estate professionals with a continual slow of leads from which to grow their business. The primary advantage of both services to REALTORS is that they enjoy a first-mover advantage over their competition. Agents that use these lead sending services get notified as soon as the prospective customer comes available. These services then provide users with the information that they will need to quickly make contact with the prospect, begin creating the relationship and finally convert the prospect into a listing or a sale.

Although similar, LeadSenders and the RedX (Real Estate Data Exchange) have some very significant differences. The most significant of which is the timeliness of the service. Where the RedX system provides expired mls listing leads in real time, the LeadSenders system provides information on a daily basis. In contrast, where the RedX software provides a prospect by prospect history, there is no way to easily create visibility on all of the listings that expired six months ago and have not re-listed.

In general, the services provided by the Real Estate Data Exchange are a little more comprehensive than those of LeadSenders. In addition to expired mls listings, the RedX also provides real time FSBO listings from multiple databases. The RedX also scours multiple databases to provide a comprehensive picture of both the expired and fsbo listings which allows the real estate agent to be much more informed when they first make contact.

In addition to those services, the RedX does provide an expanded menu of marketing resources that are not currently available through Lead Senders. These resources include tools to help REALTORS update their websites with the latest lead capture technology. For real estate agents that do not currently have a dedicated website, the RedX even offers a service to provide them with a turnkey solution.

Between the RedX and LeadSenders, both have their own unique benefits. As a result, it is ultimately up to the real estate agent to choose the system that will best fit his or her needs. When evaluating these types of lead generation systems, there are a lot of things to consider. Cost notwithstanding, the caliber of the leads as well as the technology used to identify prospects is one of the most important factors of consideration. If you are a REALTOR that is looking at these two systems, weigh the benefits of both and choose wisely.

There are a few tips you may want to take under advisement when looking for a condo for sale so that you know the one you choose is the perfect match for you and your family moving forward, a place where you will feel safe and can enjoy for years to come.

One of the first things you are going to want to take into consideration before you even start looking at a condo for sale is to consider your lifestyle. Are you a small family with young children a handful of pets? Are you a single professional looking for the convenience of a lock up and go or are you a young couple who enjoy spending weekends away at various destinations throughout the country? Your lifestyle will determine if condo living is the right choice for you.

Remember a condo, or condominium, is a unit in a complex. This means that you will have neighbors close by, but you also get the added benefit of a host of facilities and amenities. Some come with swimming pools, others come with laundries and there are those that also include a small fitness center as an added convenience.

With your lifestyle identified and you have decided that a condo for sale is the best choice for you right now, you are going to want to look for an experienced an agent. If you have heard of a new complex being built in your area, then contact the agents handling the complex to see if there are any units still available and make an arrangement to view at your convenience. Try and choose an agent who has experience selling these types of units, someone with a wealth of information that can provide you with the advise and assistance you need to make the right investment decision moving forward.

When you find a condo for sale you feel meets your exact requirements, then you are going to want to start working on your financing options. Speak to the agent you are dealing with to see who they recommend for financing. If you have your own bank you have been using for years and you have a good credit history, it is worthwhile approaching your bank directly to see what finance they can provide to you, so you can pay your deposit and secure your unit without delay.

Identify what is included with the condo. In most instances you find that condominiums come with a host of facilities and amenities. Some will have swimming pools, some will have fitness centers and others will have both. These are conveniences that you may or may not make use of, but they are fantastic selling points when you choose to sell or upgrade one day.

Ensure you identify the Homeowners Association fees you need to pay each month and what these fees include. These fees are charged by the association that oversees the complex. In most instances this will include overall maintenance of the building and public areas, along with refuse removal and more. Each association has different rules and fees, so ensure you have a good understanding of these before making any final decision.

Have you ever lived in a condominium unit? If like me you grew up in a house with a garden then chances are you have no idea what factors and features to consider when looking at condos for sale. Not being aware of key aspects that could affect your quality of life as well as the unit’s resale value could leave you with a condo you can’t live in or sell.

What to prepare before checking out condos for sale

When a person decides to try buying a condo unit the first thing they do is look through adds, this is one of the most common mistakes buyers make. Prior to looking at units, preparations have to be made which can make looking for a condo easier and in the end more advantageous for you.

Down through the ages people have always said information is the key and looking at condos for sale is no different. Prior to visiting different units hire an experienced realtor. He or she will be able to give you invaluable advice plus his or her services are free since the seller will pay the commission. Another person you need on your side is a lawyer. „Legalize“ is a language not everyone is familiar with and it’s always a good idea that we understand everything we sign, trust me on this my siblings are lawyers. Next, crunch the numbers and look through mortgage requirements. Being ready on the financial front will give you a realistic view on what you can and cannot afford.

What to avoid while looking at condos for sale

Unfortunately not everyone is able to realize that small details can make a big difference in ones‘ quality of life. The following are some things you may not have thought to take into consideration:

• Steer clear of units that overlook the entrance to the garage or where vehicle traffic is if you value peace and quiet.

• Once again for peace and quiet do not choose a unit across from or beside an elevator.

• Make sure your suite does not look over the area where garbage is picked up; this is self-explanatory but is a detail most people will miss.

• Make sure most of the condo’s occupants are owners not tenants.

• Avoid condo buildings that are not easily accessible by any number of public transport services. Trust me you’ll need the service one of these days even if you do have a car.

• Avoid condo buildings where the neighborhood is not as pleasant as you’d like. The building itself maybe top notch but if the location is not at par then think twice.

• Avoid making a decision before going to the condo several times and at different times of the day and night.

• Remember to chat with the neighbors. You’ll need inside information about the area and if you can stand living beside them.

• Do not commit before you have discussed all the monthly fees, maintenance costs, association dues, closing fees and all financial matters. You need to know you can afford it all without breaking a sweat.

• Do not buy a suite with a view you can’t live with, no matter what the building’s amenities are.

Happy hunting.

In the beginning, real estate brokers were known as middlemen and optioneers. Back then, the customary practice was for a middleman to know about a property for sale, but to keep it secret from other middlemen. It was difficult for these middleman to collect a fee for their services so they would resort to tactics that were not always in their seller’s best interest. Optioneers, on the other hand, were usually more successful in collecting their fees because they would tie up the seller’s property on an option to purchase, sell the property to a buyer at a price over the option amount, pay the seller the option price, and then pocket the rest.

The early real estate brokerage business was loosely organized and used methods of brokering that were often dishonest, subject to fraud, and that took advantage of sellers and buyers. Eventually, a newer concept with the real estate broker being an agent of and owing a fiduciary duty to the seller and receiving payment for his services was developed. This new concept forced the seller and broker relationship to a higher level of service and duty. It also allowed brokers to list property for sale using contracts. These contracts are what we now refer to listings. The earlier forms of listings we called open listings. The open listing is a type of non exclusive listing contract authorizing a real estate broker to offer a property for sale, find a buyer and get paid for services upon the closing of that transaction.

Other brokers could also have open listings for the same property, but only the broker who actually found the buyer would receive a commission. In addition, no broker would get paid a fee if the seller sold the property. The open listing discouraged cooperation between brokers, since each broker could obtain their own open listing. To solve the open listing problem, the exclusive agency listing became popular.

The exclusive agency listing is a type of listing contract wherein the seller offers only the listing brokerage compensation if the buyer is procured through the brokerage’s efforts or the efforts of other real estate brokerages. This means that in certain situations, such as For Sale by Owner, the listing brokerage may not receive compensation when the property is sold. In the exclusive agency listing, the listing brokerage or another brokerage working with the listing brokerage must procure the buyer in order to have a claim on compensation.

The exclusive agency listing encourages competing brokers to find buyers for listing, since the listing brokerage pays the selling brokerage’s fee. However, the seller still does not pay a fee when a seller finds the buyer. The exclusive agency listing eventually gave rise to the exclusive right to sell listing.

The exclusive right-to-sell agreement, the listing brokerage is offered compensation in the event of a sale regardless of who procured the buyer. The exclusive right to sell listing guarantees that the listing broker will get paid a fee, even if a competing broker or the seller sells property. It provides the most protection for the listing broker and is considered in the best interest of the seller because the listing brokerage will put effort and resources into marketing the property, since a commission is guaranteed during the term of the agreement.

Even after the exclusive right to sell listing became popular, there was little cooperation between brokerages, since a buyer who wanted to buy a specific property would have to deal with the broker who had exclusive listings of interest. It was also quite clear to all parties in that the broker represented the seller and that the buyer had no representation.

By the 1950s there was pressure for more cooperation between brokerages. As a result, a broker working with a buyer would contact competing brokerages to to learn of their inventory and possible matches for their clients. Deals often resulted where the selling agent did not know the seller or their agent and the selling agent’s only dealings were with the buyer. Suddenly, the concept that the selling brokerage owed its fiduciary duty to only the seller was no longer a neat and logical concept. However, it would take many years before the unworkable agency concepts would be sorted out and lead to buyer representation.

As the 1950s and 1960s progressed, a more formalized cooperative brokerage system, known as the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), was developed. Through the MLS, the concept of subagency evolved. Simply stated, this meant the listing broker was the agent of and represented only the seller. The listing brokerage would hire sales associates who were considered subagents of the seller. The listing MLS brokerage was required to make the listing available to all cooperating brokerage within their MLS. These cooperating brokerages were also deemed subagents of the listing brokerage, who were agents of the seller. If the cooperating brokerage had sales associates, they were subagents of the cooperating brokerage, who were subagents of the listing brokerage, who was the agent of the seller. During this period, an agency relationship with a buyer was not possible, since the agency relationship was always with the seller. The only duty a licensee owed to a buyer was to not lie when asked questions about a property. The concept of „buyer beware“ was truly the reality of how the brokerage business operated and buyers were always unrepresented.

The rise of consumerism, as manifested in numerous court decisions, put pressure on the brokerage business to be more concerned with the interests of the buyer. Because of that, licensees working with buyers had an affirmative duty to disclose known matters affecting a property. For example, if the broker knew that a roof leaked, he would have to disclose this fact. This disclosure concept was later expanded by the courts to include conditions about the property that the brokers should or could have known.

By the 1980s, a government study found that nearly three-quarters of all buyers thought the brokerage they were working with was representing them as a client. The same study concluded that nearly three-quarters of all sellers also thought that the cooperating brokerage represented the buyer’s interests. It soon became obvious the concepts of agency law that the industry and governmental regulators had attempted to impose in order to simplify and clarify the agency relationships had not worked. Continued pressure from consumer groups and the courts finally led to the buyer representation movement of the 1990s.

In 1991, the National Association of REALTORS® formed an advisory group to study agency representation issues. Testimony was received from real estate practitioners, industry experts, the public, and state regulatory authorities. The advisory group’s report made the following recommendations:

As of 1992, the National Association of REALTORS® adopted the following policy:

„The National Association of REALTORS® recognizes seller agency, buyer agency and disclosed dual agency with informed consent as appropriate forms of consumer representation in real estate transactions. The association respects the need for all REALTORS® to be able to make individual business decisions about their companies‘ agency practices. Furthermore, NAR endorses freedom of choice and informed consent for consumers or real estate services when creating agency relationships with real estate licensee.“

These NAR changes to representation policy modified the way the industry practices. Exclusive Right to Represent buyer agreements now allow a buyer to contract with a brokerage to find, and negotiate, the purchase of real property. Generally, these agreements are for a specified period and require the buyer to pay a commission upon the closing of the real property transaction. As an agent of the buyer, the buyer’s brokerage owes all of the fiduciary duties (care, loyalty, disclosure, obedience, and accounting) to his principal, the buyer.

When you are searching for a home to buy, especially if it is your first, budget is a major consideration. You will need to come up with earnest money, a down payment, and closing costs. Looking at homes in older neighborhoods or a more modest area of town is more likely to produce a number of cheap houses for sale. This will provide you with more choices. You could also consider buying a home with a rental property attached, or even a mobile home for greater affordability.

One possibility is to buy a very old home in need of tender loving care and customize it to suit your needs and taste. The charm and coziness of an older style home can be very appealing, and the romantic notion of renovating is also a draw for a do-it-yourselfer. Of course if it needs a good deal of work, the cost can defeat the purpose of finding an inexpensive house. You are likely to need new carpet and paint in any home you purchase that is not new, but an old fixer-upper could easily become a money pit if you’re not careful.

Another choice when looking for cheap houses for sale, is to try to find a home which has a rentable apartment attached, such as a little duplex where you could live in one half and rent the other to help make your monthly mortgage payment. The cost of this type of home might be a little higher than what you have in mind initially, but could potentially have a big payoff on the other end as your income property pays the lion’s share of the mortgage payment.

If you are looking for cheap houses for sale, don’t discount the value of manufactured housing. These mobile homes, as they are also called, give you more bang for your buck in many ways than traditional housing. Because these are constructed assembly-line style in a factory setting and moved to the site, the labor cost and materials are much lower. This savings is passed on to the consumer, who then has an option on a very affordable home. And to save even more money, look for a previously owned mobile home, which has already seen the bulk of its depreciation. These homes can be as roomy and comfortable as traditional housing at a 30 to 40 percent savings for the same square footage.

Arm yourself with tools such as the classifieds, your telephone, and a map of the city and begin your search–a little research and effort will find you no shortage of cheap houses for sale to choose from.

Buyers are out there, it’s just a matter of rounding them up and keeping in touch. It helps to be able to determine which type of buyer you are hunting for from the start. Remember this: you’re the person who has something they want when a buyer calls you; if you are calling them then you are trying to sell them, let’s insure buyers call you so you remain in the position of power from the start. You should Be a Real Estate Heavy Weight.

Let’s look at a few categories of typical buyers to get some perspective on their mindsets and how and when we’ll market to find them in order to supply their real estate buying needs.

oRehabbers: These are folks looking to fix and flip property for quick turn profits.

oLandlords: These are folks looking to buy to rent out to others for long-term equity accrual while generating a positive cash-flow every month.

oWholesaler’s: Will either buy or put an option on your contract to hopefully flip the paper to another buyer who is willing to pay more.

oLease Option end-buyers: These are folks who can’t qualify for a loan of their own but want to be home owners as opposed to renters again.

oRetail Buyers: These are end buyers who can obtain a mortgage or have cash and generally buy the property for their own housing needs.

There are variations of buyers out there but the above 4 types are generally considered the prime targets of people who have property to sell. Understanding each buyer’s mindset helps you to market to those buyers interests, do they want quick cash, long-term wealth, tax deductions, a place to call home etc… If you ask enough general questions you’ll quickly discern which type of buyer you have at hand. Once you know, you can then tailor your offers and present properties that satisfy what is important to them.

Buyer: Someone who is ready, willing and qualified! Those that aren’t qualified may be perfect tenants, lease option buyers or owner finance candidates, so qualified can have different meanings.

Ready: Someone who is in the market to buy within 1-45 days, keep in mind a retail or lease option end-buyer generally buys once and they’re out of the game, landlords, rehabbers and wholesaler’s are more likely to buy multiple properties from you over time as they accumulate, sell or flip existing assets. Having active buyer’s lists in different categories that are often ready to buy property is a very smart way to operate.

Gee Danno, how do I find these people? Ah! I’m so glad you asked! Let’s start out with one of the all time greatest methods to kick-start your building a buyers list. In your search for bargain priced properties of your own, it makes sense that you will eventually find a very good deal, once you have a superior deal to offer you turn around and market that property at cost! Yep, no profit for you on this one. Why? Because you are going to advertise that property to every investor and potential property buyer on the planet!

The reason for this is that you will get the most calls and response when you advertise a screaming deal! Granted you’ll most likely sell that deal relatively quickly but you’ll be gathering information from each potential buyer who calls to build your buyers list for future properties that you offer. If you don’t have a property of your own to sell, ask someone who does! I can assure you that they aren’t going to turn down your offer to advertise their property for them for free! You might negotiate a small fee if in fact you do sell their property but your main objective is to build you buyers list!

Let me give you an example of one way to collect potential buyers by the dozen, hold an auction, advertise for a solid week in advance so you attract the most amount of buyers, begin with bandit signs, placing about 100 of them around a 5 square mile area of the property, we just did this and had 800 calls because it was a great deal of those 800 calls we had 300 people show up on auction day, of course the home sold but we also added new buyers to our buyers list.

Here are ways to advertise for those buyers:

oBandit Signs

oCraigsList

oBackpage

oGoogleBase

oPostlets

oZillow

oPay Per Click Ads

oLocal online Classifieds

oMedia Website

oFlyers

oNewspaper/inserts

oREIA’s

oDirect mail/post cards

oStart an investors MeetUp group

oEmail

oPhone

oFax

oYour own website

Use your imagination, the list is limitless, there is a free e-book called the Internet Real Estate Yellow Pages that you can download for free at my site MagicBullets.com go grab that and you’ll find 100 more ideas and places to list your deals. Now go Be A Real Estate Heavyweight!

Dan Auito :~)

Many people are looking to buy a real estate property. They can use this as an investment or as a place to build a house. In any case, it is important for anyone to realize the importance of some buying tips. This way, you can easily get the most value out of your purchase. Of course, if you want to invest on a property, you have to make sure it is problem free. On the other hand, you could also use the property to build a new house. Usually, people are buying real estate assets for the family. Therefore, it is best that you could choose one without problems. Here, we will give you a few tips on how you can select a good real estate property.

One thing that you need to consider is to find a good location. The location of the property spells its true value. The more accessible it is, the better is the price. However, the initial buying price could be big for you to avail. This is normal because you are just investing on an asset. In the long run, your property will be worth more than what you paid for. This means you could increase the value of your asset so you can have better return of investment. Initially, a person needs to render a big amount of money to buy a property. If the location undergoes development in a few years, then the buyer could increase the value of his asset. Then he could sell it at a much higher price. Only this way can profits be realized.

Aside from location, it is also good to check if the property has no legal obligations. One of the basic problems of property buyers is legal problems. A property may have come from a bad owner who did not pay the previous tax requirements. This can be a pain to the buyer especially if the amount is too much to pay. On the other hand, there could be some foreclosure problems if the property has a built structure. This is also a concern for any buyers because it requires being resolved first. Upon solving it, one can then ask for the price of the property if it is for sale.

One more thing that you need to do is to find a broker or agent. We all want to save money when buying properties. However, we can save time and effort if there is an agent. A real estate agent will know everything that needs to be done. He can handle the legal issues of the properties if there is a problem. He can also let you bargain for the price when you want to buy or sell a property. Moreover, he can monitor the prices of the real estate so you can have better decisions. There are so many agents that you can find. Online, you may find them from real estate websites or those freelancers. It is best that you contact any of these agents so you can buy your property today.

1. Get pre-approved for a loan.

Most sellers require a pre-approval letter along with your written offer. You should have it ready to go so that when you find the right home there is no delay getting your offer submitted. There’s a lot of confusion about pre-approved vs. pre-qualified… even Realtors sometimes use the terms interchangeably! But the pre-approval is the real deal. With a pre-approval, the lender has run your credit, and you will usually have filled out a loan application and provided documentation to the lender, who will then tell you the amount for which you are approved. With the pre-qualification, you will typically have provided some information verbally to the lender about your credit, income and assets, and the lender will give you a ballpark amount for which you are likely to be approved. Sometimes a pre-qualification letter will be sufficient; the main thing is to talk to a lender before you start looking at homes.

2. Decide if short sales and bank-owned properties are for you.

Don’t waste your time looking at properties that don’t meet your home-buying needs. Each of these types of sales has its own challenges for the home buyer, so it is important to know the basics of each and decide if either one fits in with your game plan. For example, if you need to get into a new home within a fairly short time frame, a short sale may not work for you, as they frequently take many months to complete. And bank-owned properties are often in need of work, which can add to the overall cost, or make it difficult to get certain types of loans. If you can be patient with a short sale, or have the ability and/or resources to fix up a bank-owned home, these could be excellent avenues to explore. If not, tell your Realtor® to skip the short sales and bank-owned houses.

3. Check out neighborhoods ahead of time.

One of the best things you can do at the start of your home-buying project is to take a weekend or two and cruise around various areas and subdivisions, especially if you are new to the area. Tell your Realtor which neighborhoods hold the greatest appeal for you – it will really help her understand the type of home you want and your taste in houses. Some buyers are looking for newer homes in areas with lots of families and kids; others prefer the quieter, „mature“ neighborhoods. Fortunately, there’s something out there for everyone, and a real estate agent who has plenty of local area expertise and knowledge will be a huge help in finding those neighborhoods that are hidden gems.

4. Make time for house-hunting.

Don’t plan to only go to showings on the weekend – in this market that’s not a winning strategy. There is actually a shortage of well-priced homes in good condition, and the ones that are also in a desirable location sell almost immediately. If you’re serious about finding your dream home, clear the decks and be ready to jump when your Realtor tells you a new listing just hit the market that fits your requirements. And more importantly – be ready to make an offer if it is the right house. It could easily be gone in a day or two.

5. Don’t waste time on houses that are already sold!

Do you spend your spare time house-hunting on Zillow, Realtor.com or Trulia? Or driving around and calling about houses with signs out front? Then you’ve probably already learned that a huge number of those homes – which appear to be for sale – are not really available. They are very often „under contract“ which simply means that another buyer made an offer that was accepted by the seller. These often still show as available on the public real estate websites, but in most cases the sale will close in a few weeks. Work with a Realtor® who will set up a custom search for you so you can focus on just those homes that meet your criteria and are actually still available.

6. And of course, the most important thing is to find a really professional and client-oriented Realtor!

A great agent will make your home buying experience smoother and more enjoyable. Get referrals from friends or family who’ve recently had a good home-buying experience, or call or email a few local agents. See which ones are responsive and return your call or email right away, and get a feel for how professional and knowledgeable they are about the local area and current market conditions. Also check out their commitment to their clients in terms of training above and beyond that needed to get a real estate license. Realtors® who work diligently on behalf of their clients have often invested in advanced training and designations such as:

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We hope these tips are helpful, and wish you success in your house-hunting!