Six ways to sell your house in Two weeks or Less

How can you sell your house in two weeks or less? Here are six ways that you can get the most of your home.

 

Before you can sell your home in two weeks, you and your home need to be ready for the transferring of ownership. The two steps to this are “Are you ready?” Second step is “Is your home ready?”

 

Are you ready?

 

Have you taken the precautions to make sure that you are ready to move? There have been people that have signed a contract on the home they were selling, and were not qualified to buy the home they wanted to be moving into. Therefore this resulted in the sellers having to find a home that was less satisfactory to them than the home they were selling.

 

Take the time to get yourself pre-qualified for a home loan for the amount of the homes you want to move into. This will resolve any problems that might occur in the transferring from one home to the other.

 

Is the house ready?

 

It is a good idea to do some sprucing up the house prior to listing. This would be just the basic repairs and clean up. Include in this any repairs that would bring the value of the home down, or the appeal of the home down to the viewers.

 

Throw on a fresh coat of paint, have the carpets cleaned, make sure the grass and yard looks clean and in good shape. Organize the house on the inside so that it looks good to the viewers. They will likely look in all the cupboards, closets and other areas that the normal visitor would miss.

 

Now the house is ready and you are ready, how are you going to make the most money you can and sell your house in two weeks? Here is how.

 

• Start with deciding if you are selling your home yourself or if you are going through a real estate agent. Both of these options have their benefits and drawbacks. Check into some options and do your research if you choose a broker.
• Make sure the price you are listing your home for is correct. This means checking into other homes that have sold recently and homes that are currently for sale in your area. Homes that sale fast, usually are sold at a reasonable price. Your appraisal of the home will likely show several listings of home sold and at what price. So with all this in mind, if you are wanting to charge more for your home, either it must have superb upgrades from the other homes, or you may have to wait a very long time for the sale to happen. The best thing to do is to list your home with a similar price as the homes in your area. If there are significant improvements, be sure to show them off.
• You have made sure the house was clean; do a quick check over on the garage, and or shed, and other areas of the yard that will affect the show ability.
• Remember the overall sale is to your benefit. This means that if there is a sale point that will clinch the deal, do what you can to accommodate. The blinds in the house are likely not to fit into your new house. Fill all the light bulbs, and keep specifics of the home with the home.
• Be excited about the sale. If you have a realtor showing your home, they may ask you to leave. The reason is that a homeowner may show some issues with nostalgia and therefore may not appear as excited about the deal as they should. This makes buyer nervous.
• Listen for queues, some people like a good bargain. You can adjust the price, and other variables in the sale. Keep an open mind when you are focusing on the end result, you will see a faster movement in the selling process.

 

The goal is to sell your house fast and get the right amount of money for it. This means to be the salesman you would want to purchase from. Perspective is everything. A person is more likely to pay a little more and work out a deal faster when the purchase is clean, the people they are working with are honest, and they feel like they are getting a good deal.

 

How to know your realtor is getting the best deal possible, even if commission is paying them.

There are relative factors that help you know that your realtor is working to get your best deal possible, even if they are getting paid in a commission form.

 

With the market changing, the traditional 6% split between the seller’s agent and the buyer’s agent is being adjusted to influence the sells of a home in favor of the seller. That is why it is all the more important to make sure you have a buyer’s agent on your side.

 

Advocates of the consumer are concerned with these increased commissions, however these tactics do work. Sometimes there is favoritism for homes listed with a higher commission promised.

 

Federal rules dictate that disclosure of fees need to happen at the closing, however by the time the closing happens it may be to late for you to realize this sale may have it quirk. Although, most of the time the buyers agent will not know that the sellers agent was paid a higher amount of commission until the time of the signing, so you can be sure that they are working with the standard 6% in mind, which that is split between the two agents, and the advertising costs.

 

The way to assure this is to have it put in writing. That will help you to protect yourself from paying a higher purchase price due to commissions being included at a higher rate.

 

Another option is to get the payment set in a dollar amount instead of an amount that is paid in percentages. Therefore, you know the agent will work the same regardless.

 

Sit down and discuss your concerns and questions with your realtor. They are likely to have the answers that will explain any issues you may see. Keep in mind that a realtor has legal and ethical limitations, though for the most part, they will do all they can to make sure you get what you need.

 

Ethics is also a strong factor that helps maintain protection for the consumer in the purchasing of a home. Realtors subscribe to a very strict code of this.

 

Reputation is another part of that, real estate agents and realtor’s work a great deal from word of mouth, and therefore they want that advertisement to be as positive as possible.

 

There are also organizations like the GRI and NAR that will also provide additional support for proof of professionalism and dedication.

With all the areas of a real estate transaction that needs to be negotiated, it is important to have someone helping through those hurtles. The areas that take negotiating are:

 

• Price
• Financing
• Terms
• Dates
• Contingencies
• Repairs
• Possession

 

There are also areas that need to be negotiated as far as the actual condition of the property. You will want to know that your realtor is negotiating this area with your best interest in mind.

 

That is where the difference in the realtor who works solely for the seller and the purchasing agent come into play. The purchasing agent will be sure to make sure that you are fully informed of all the property issues. Your realtor will help you objectively evaluate the proposal without causing any kind of compromising in the completion of the contract price.

 

The Week in Review June 28, 2008 Wilmington NC

The Week in Review

..…your Wilmingotn Connection

June 28th 2008

Wilmington’ real estate market has heated up some with 530 homes sitting under contract this week. Buyers are taking advantage of the reduced home prices….smart move. In the past 6 months there were 1377 homes sold. If you are looking to relocate click here and let me know what I can do to make this happen.

Preservation Effort Nets three more Buildings

The Historic Wilmington Foundation has been on a roll saving threatened properties in the heart of Old Wilmington.

George Edwards, the executive director, announced this week that the foundation has saved several historic buildings from demolition, including one of the city’s many modest historic homes, which as a category made it onto this year’s list of threatened historic places.

The saved properties include commercial buildings at 620 and 622 N. Fourth St. and 411 Chestnut St. The “humble home” is a shotgun cottage on Wooster Street that was restored and turned into an affordable housing option that remains on the market.

Each of the buildings will have a preservation easement, which means the historic foundation can protect them from demolition

First No Port/Southport meeting draws a crowd

 

Tuesday night for the first public meeting of a grass-roots organization formed to stop an international port from being built in a small Brunswick County community.

They came from Southport, Oak Island, St. James and other communities, and, after filling more than 200 seats, they lined the walls, sat on the floor and filled the entranceway of the Southport Community Building.

They came to hear No Port/Southport’s plans to stop the N.C. State Ports Authority from building a $2.3 billion international terminal on 600 acres near Southport.

National Assoc Realtors Reports

The National Association of Realtors reported that sales of existing single-family homes and condominiums rose by 2 percent to 4.99 million units last month

It was only the second sales increase in the past 10 months, but it was not viewed as a sustained rebound. Many economists believe that prices will have to decline more before the housing industry can mount a sustained recovery.

The median price of an existing home sold in May dropped to $208,600, a fall of 6.3 percent from a year go. That was the fifth biggest year-over-year price decline on records that go back to 1999.

The strength in sales reflected gains in all parts of the country except the South, where sales dropped by 0.5 percent. Sales were up 5.5 percent in the Midwest, 4.6 percent in the Northeast and 2 percent in the West.

Washington states new homes sales have dropped

The Commerce Department reported Wednesday that new homes were sold at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 512,000 units in May, down 2.5 percent from the April level. The median price of a new home sold last month fell to $231,000, down 5.7 percent from a year ago.

The report on new home activity in May followed reports Tuesday that showed record home price drops in April, indicating the nation’s housing slump is not only deepening but also widening to include previously untouched parts of the country.

The inventory of unsold homes rose to 10.9 months in May, meaning it would take that long to exhaust the current supply of unsold homes.

Green Commercial building

An executive of a leading green commercial building firm will speak Thursday at a Green Building Council luncheon hosted by the Wilmington-Cape Fear Home Builders Association. Alan Butler, senior vice president of client services for the Greensboro-based company, will speak about the company’s highly touted Proximity Hotel in Greensboro and other green commercial projects.

Volvo Rents mulling Wilmington site

Volvo Rents, a division of Volvo Construction Equipment North America Inc., is seeking to expand its franchise into the Wilmington area, the company announced.

Volvo Rents stores, which are independently owned and operated, carry Volvo construction equipment and a line of equipment and tools for the construction, commercial, industrial and homeowner markets.

…..until next week in The Week in Review

Tina

The Week in Review Wilmington NC June 21 2008

The Week in Review

…..your Wilmington Connection

June 21, 2008

The first day of summer started with a thunderstorm. But plenty of sunshine for us to enjoy. The market has seen a steady increase in closings. Good to see that people are still buying, but perhaps just taking a little longer to make decisions and why not with so many wonderful homes on the market to choose from and all competing to get there home sold. This is what has been going on in the real estate market this week. Wilmington Market Overview.

 

Michigan utility chooses Castle Hayne based GE Hitachi reactor design

A fourth U.S. utility has selected Castle Hayne-based GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy’s

ESBWR advanced reactor design for a potential new unit at its existing Enrico Fermi Nuclear Generating station, the GE venture said late Monday.

Detroit Edison, Michigan’s largest electric utility, recently notified the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission of its plans to choose the 1,520-megawatt ESBWR when it submits a combined operating license application (COLA) to the agency in September, the GE Hitachi statement said.

The venture’s Generation III+ ESBWR reactors have already been selected by Exelon Corp., Dominion Resources Inc. and Entergy Corp., GE Hitachi spokesman Ned Glascock said Tuesday.

Detroit Edison, a subsidiary of DTE Energy Co., said it is considering building an ESBWR plant to help address the recommendations of Michigan’s 21st Century Energy Plan, which makes clear the state’s need for additional plants over the next two decades to ensure sufficient generating capacity.

The utility, which provides electricity to about 2.2 million customers in southeastern Michigan, now gets 15 percent to 20 percent of its electricity from the Fermi 2 nuclear power plant, the company’s Web site said. The 1098 megawatt power plant, which began commercial operation in 1987, is located on the shore of Lake Erie near Monroe, Mich. – halfway between Detroit and Toledo, Ohio.

Exisisting Home sales ease.

Existing-home sales slowed in April, partly because restrictive lending practices hampered home buyers. At the same time, a greater number of areas are showing sales gains from a year ago and a recent reversal in mortgage policy means the market is better positioned for a turnaround, according to the National Association of Realtors.Existing-home sales – including single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops – declined 1.0 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.89 million units in April from an upwardly revised pace of 4.94 million in March, and are 17.5 percent below the 5.93 million-unit level in April 2007.

Federal Aid and Foreclosure?

Question: Could federal aid to homeowners facing foreclosure affect MY home’s value? Even if I’m not delinquent on my mortgage?

Answer: As this is written there’s proposed legislation on Capitol Hill that would allow the FHA to refinance $300 billion in toxic loans. The terms, however, are hardly generous: Lenders would have to accept a loss on their loans, borrowers would have to pay market interest, share sale profits if the home is sold within five years and pay a 3 percent “exit” fee thereafter. By no means is this cheap financing.

As to your home’s value, if the property next door is foreclosed you can pretty much bet that the value of your house will plummet. This happens because the cheap sale will show up on community property records and those recent comparables help buyers determine the bids they might make for local homes. That you have faithfully paid your mortgage is irrelevant.

If, on the other hand, your neighbors can get their financing straight it’s likely that the value of your home will be maintained. You ought to hope that Uncle Sam can help your neighbors if that’s necessary because such assistance will keep money in your pocket.

 

………..until next week in The Week in Review

Tina

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Week in Review Wilmington NC June 14, 2008

The Week in Review

…..your Wilmington Connection

June 14, 2008

Happy Fathers Day!

Wilmington Makes the top 100 list for relocation again.

Wilmington boasts a strong and growing economy, which has attracted many large companies to move to the area. The schools in Wilmington are some of the best in the nation. The primary schools consistently rate high on all national educational standards. For those interested in higher education there are plenty of options available as well.Home sales in our area are doing better, more and more people are planning for that summer move. For more info .

Housing Slump Helps the Draw of Fixer-Upper TV

The housing market is collapsing, but television shows about housing are booming.

The audiences for HGTV and TLC, the two channels with the most so-called property programming, have grown steadily over the last three years. The reason appears to be their shift in focus away from buying real estate as speculative sport to more educational and emotional shows.

“If anything, there’s more interest than ever before, because of what’s going on in the market,” Jim Samples, the president of HGTV, said.

HGTV’s prime-time schedule — built around the shows “Designed to Sell,” “House Hunters” and “My House Is Worth What?” — now average more than a million viewers every evening.

 

Oak Island Commits to buying the Yaupon Beach Pier

Oak Island | This town’s council committed to buying the Yaupon Beach Fishing Pier on Tuesday night by accepting a $500,000 state grant.

The town must at least match the grant dollar for dollar and likely will have to find an additional $834,100 to buy the threatened pier.

The pier was closed after it went into foreclosure amid a legal battle between its previous owners. It now belongs to Cooperative Bank, which shut off all access to it in April because of liability concerns.

The council voted 4-1 after going into closed session to talk about “land acquisition” to accept the grant and its terms with Councilwoman Dara Royal opposing.

Royal said there are still too many unanswered questions about the town’s potential ownership of the pier and its obligations.

The grant agreement states in order to get the money the town must complete the project, which has a cost of $1,834,100.

The pier has been appraised at $1.6 million and $1.8 million.

The grant states the land acquisition would be 1.2 acres.

….until next week in The Week in Review

Tina

Five tips to getting a Deal in The Real Estate Market

Five tips to getting a deal in the real estate market. There are ways to get the better deal when you are trying to buy a home. There are also several different ways to view a purchase of a home as a good deal.

 

Whether you are looking to purchase a home at a lower price, which can turn around and be sold the same day for a profit. Or you are looking at a low interest rate, low down or no down payments, or many other areas of a home purchase that is a good deal. You can find these deals by doing a little homework on the homes and brokers in the area you are looking to purchase in.

 

1. Start with finding the right real estate agent or broker. This will give you an ally on your side to help you get through the paperwork, legalities, and less than honest deals out there. They can also help you get pre-approved for the home loan. This will help you know what you are approved for, and will show security in your purchasing power.
2. Decide if you will be putting money down on the home, or if you are looking for special financing options. This can include any of the following for starters.
   1. No money down, or low money down is the big thing now days. These purchases are considered a good deal because you automatically have a maximum percentage returned on your purchase.
   2. Seller carry back is where the seller of the property will hold 25% or more of the purchase in the form of what is called a note, with out using a balloon payment at a bellow market interest rate.
3. Below market purchase is another great deal for the simple fact that if you can purchase the home below market price, with the prices of real estate constantly on the climb, you will have a profit already.
4. Another way to find a great deal is to look into homes that are fixer uppers. These are homes that are usually in less than ideal shape, that with a little tender loving care, some new pain, some new drywall, and some grass are likely to be a lovely investment at a better price. Therefore creating a better deal.
5. Over financing is another way that can be a good deal. The way this works is that you get a note for fixing up the property in cash. This is a good deal because you can fix the home how you would like and the money is provided to bring the value of the home up. This is great for those of us that like things their own way and it makes it easier to do.

 

When you are looking at the different options you will have to getting a better deal, unless you are experienced in buying a home, you will want to have a broker or agent there to help you. The process of buying or selling a home can be very tricky. It can also be very expensive if mistakes are made.

 

When you are considering all the costs involved for purchasing and moving into your new home the better deal you can get the more likely the process will go more smoothly. The average closing costs for a home of $300,000 is going to be around $12,000 or more.

 

There are fees that are included that will either be paid by the buyer or the seller. If you have a good broker, you can also get a good deal on who pays what. The less you have to pay the better. This leaves more money for your moving costs, and other expenses that incur in a move.

 

What ever idea you have when you think about a good deal when it comes to purchasing a home, the best way to get that good deal is through a good agent and a good bit of research.

 

Tina Abraham is one of the most popular <a 
www.tinaabraham.com realtors in Wilmington, NC
specializing in selling homes in Wilmington, Greater Wilmington, Pender 
County and Brunswick County, some of the highest demand homes in the world. 
Visit us for Wilmington, NC homes for sale or call (910) 619-8931 for more information on how Tina can help you sell your house or buy the home of your dreams.

 

The Week in Review Wilmington NC June 7, 2008

 

The Week in Review

…..your Wilmington Connection

June 7, 2008

Just in case you wondering it has been a very hot week in Wilmington, The first of the summer temperatures dropping in at 92 degrees. Today we are expecting 96. Be sure to use your sunscreen, as the beach is calling you with lovely ocean breezes.

The real estate market has seen a small surge this week here is a snapshot of whats been going on.

Local contractors volunteer to build homes during ‘blitz’

Construction activity may be slow across Wilmington these days, but this week the industry was bustling in one Port City neighborhood.

In fact, six local contractors were so busy that they built three houses in less than a week.

Volunteer crews are finishing work Friday on the latest additions to The Cottages at Cornerstone, part of the national Habitat for Humanity Home Builders Blitz 2008.

This is the first year that Cape Fear Habitat for Humanity participated in the Blitz, which became a national event in 2006.

“I don’t know if I’d say it’s been fun, but it’s been rewarding,” said David James, one of the participating contractors. “We met the homeowners, and it makes a huge difference in their lives.

“I think it’s a lot harder to contribute time than money to a charity,” he added. “It’s really easy to stay home and write a check, but it’s a lot harder to go out there and sweat for a day.”

In addition to David James and Co., other contractors volunteering during the Builders Blitz were Kent Homes, The Farlow Group, Del Mar of Wilmington, Jernigan Homes and Frank Bernhart Custom Homes.

 

Builders to Congress – Home Buyer Tax Credit Key to Reviving Housing

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) called on Congress to create a temporary home buyer tax credit along with other important tax measures to boost the faltering housing market and economy.

“House prices and inventories obviously are central to the outlook for the economy and the financial markets,” Joe Robson, first vice president of NAHB, told members of the House Small Business Committee. “Policies that stimulate home purchases in the immediate future can pay huge dividends and a temporary home buyer tax credit provides the most bang for the buck.”

The temporary credits could stimulate a wave of home buying that could quickly reduce excess supply in housing markets and halt the dangerous erosion of house prices and mortgage credit quality.

H.R. 3221, the American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2008, contains a provision that would provide a temporary, first-time home buyer tax credit of $7,500 for the purchase of any home used as a principal residence and closed on between April 9, 2008 and April 1, 2009.

Company submits plan for downtown Wilmington land, wants deal with city

The owners of the biggest swath of undeveloped land in downtown Wilmington unveiled conceptual plans this week showing hotels, restaurants, offices and condominiums filling the 45 acres of riverfront.

Riverfront Holdings II LLC intends to develop the former industrial land over 15 to 20 years. But first it’s seeking a deal with the city that would reimburse it for the cost of providing public infrastructure, including a road running from the city’s future convention center to the Isabel Holmes Bridge.

The company estimates it will spend $7.2 million on roads, water, sewer and other public services, an investment it wants the city to repay using a portion of the increased property tax generated by transforming the old industrial land.

It also wants the city to hold the site’s development rules constant for the next 20 years, giving developers a fixed set of rules to play by regarding parking requirements, building heights and other development regulations.

“We have to have some certainty to move forward on a plan of this scale and magnitude,” said Steve Shuttleworth, a partner in Riverfront Holdings II.

Mayor Bill Saffo said Wednesday he hadn’t had a chance to review the plan, which was submitted to city officials Tuesday afternoon. But what happens to the land could be the most important redevelopment downtown in the past 100 years.

 

………until next week in The Week in Review

Tina

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Week in Review May 31, 2008 Wilmington NC

 

The Week in Review

.….your Wilmington Connection

May 31, 2008

Welcome to Summer weather in Wilmington, the temperatures are rising with today a high of 87 great weather for cooling off at the beach. Activity in the real estate market has improved all be it that if you are planning on putting your home on the market then now is the time to do it. Let me know if you would like a free home market analysis so you can see what your home is worth in todays market.

Home Values steady, even rising in some markets

 

While residential real estate prices are declining as a whole on a national basis, new research from Forsythe Appraisals, an independent appraisal company, indicates that the national trends also show pockets of stability, and some with marginal increases in home values rising in some U.S. submarkets.

From Seattle to San Antonio, Milwaukee to Tampa, Connecticut to California, select neighborhoods in major markets have seen price increases of 5 to 19 percent from first quarter 2007 to first quarter 2008, according to the St. Paul-based appraisal company, which has 37 offices across the country.

“Our research continues to indicate that it’s impossible to paint the national real estate market with one large brush stroke,” says Tim Forsythe, CEO of Forsythe Appraisals. “While there is depreciation of national home values as a whole, there are areas that have not been severely impacted, or impacted at all. There are areas that continue to show positive growth.”

“These valuation trends in local submarkets are simply not visible when comparing average sale prices for an entire metropolitan area,” adds Alan Hummel, senior vice president and chief appraiser, with Forsythe Appraisals. “But when looking at certain sectors within an area, it’s clear that there is stability, and even marginal growth.”

While many homeowners throughout the country are still facing declining home values, Forsythe adds; “when looking at individual neighborhoods, housing types and price bands, the trends in these sub-markets can differ dramatically from the national averages.”

Forsythe’s staff appraisers took a close look at their local markets, using the firm’s market data and in-depth database to focus on valuation trends in comparable homes in specific neighborhoods.

State to buy 23 acres on Masonboro Island

The threat from development might be small, minute in most cases.

But with a handful of private owners still with property on Masonboro Island, there’s always the chance that someone’s dream about living at the ocean could involve building on the 8-mile-long undeveloped island.

This summer, officials hope to reduce that possibility just a little bit more by purchasing nearly 23 acres, the largest privately held parcel left on the island, near Masonboro’s southern tip.

“This is wonderful because every little bit helps,” said Camilla Herlevich, executive director of the N.C. Coastal Land Trust, which spearheads the effort to take the island’s private lands public.

For decades, state and local officials have tried to join the hodgepodge of private lots with the vast majority of the nearly 5,000-acre island that’s already part of the state-run National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Job Picture in Wilmington Improves

The Wilmington area’s unemployment rate improved in April, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data released Wednesday.

The jobless rate here dropped to 4.5 percent from 4.8 percent in March, but was still a full percentage point higher than it was in April 2007.

The jobs picture here still compared favorably with the statewide unemployment rate, which fell to 5.1 percent in April from 5.3 percent in March. Wilmington had the fourth lowest jobless rate in North Carolina in April, with Durham and Asheville at 4.1 percent and Raleigh at 4 percent.

Greenfield Amphitheater gets 1.2 million makeover.

The 46-year-old performing arts center recently underwent a $1.2 million makeover that included the construction of dressing facilities, showers, concession stands, restrooms and an arch-ceilinged stage.

“The covered stage is probably the biggest change,” said Amy Beatty, city recreation manager. “We’ve actually had some concerts out there that got interrupted because the equipment couldn’t take the rain.”

Performances kick off in June with the 16th annual Shakespeare on the Green Festival, which brings a month of free shows to the amphitheater.

Improved fencing at the 900-seat venue also makes it more attractive for pay events, Beatty said. On Aug. 24, Grammy-nominated singer Tift Merritt will play for the fifth-anniversary concert of the Penguin radio station, 106.7 FM.

Opposition to proposed international port gathering

Renovations were funded by the 2006 Parks and Greenspace Bond and the city’s capital improvement program.

The opposition to the international port proposed near Southport is mobilizing … albeit behind the scenes.

A group of citizens in Southport calling itself “No Port, Southport” is advertising its opposition and calling on others to join. But no members are yet willing to reveal their names.

This is the first movement since the Caswell Beach Town Council approved a resolution in March opposing the $2.3 billion port. The first phase of the project is supposed to be completed in 2017.

Caswell Beach Mayor Harry Simmons said other local officials privately have stated their opposition to the port, but no other board in Brunswick County has publicly come out in opposition. “There’s absolutely no doubt the other towns see these same problems we see,” he said.

Caswell Beach may be a small town, but it has a big goal: stop the proposed port.

“We think the port is a bad idea,” Simmons said, noting the town plans to gear up its efforts after dealing with its upcoming budget.

 

…until next week in the Week in Review in Wilmington NC

Tina