Owner Financing - What you need to know

5 Reasons to Offer Owner Financing

It seems a bit counter intuitive for someone who owns home to allow a buyer to pay over time for their property. After all, wouldn’t it be better to get all the money in one go thereby requiring the buyer to get financing from a bank? Well, sometimes it’s more lucrative for the seller to offer financing and here’s why:

1. Better Selling Price

In a buyer’s market, it can take a while for a property to sell, and once a home has been on the market for longer than 60 days,  real estate agents often encourage the seller to drop the price. To attract more interest, they make sure that all the marketing materials, including the For Sale sign, clearly show that the price has been reduced. However, instead of cutting the…

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Ten Ways To Know Your Home Is Overpriced

Pricing a Home For Sale

Overpricing a home is one of the biggest blunders in Real Estate. In fact when you overprice your home it is one of the hardest things to recover from even if you end up reducing later on down the road. After being in the Real Estate industry for the last twenty eight years it has become common place to see overpriced homes languish on the market. Pricing a home for sale properly is critical part of any successful real estate equation!

You see it so many times over and over by sellers who think their home is worth more than the next guy down the street. I suppose it is human nature for all of to think anything we own is better. Sometimes a seller’s misguided belief is fueled by some foolish Real Estate agent who has mislead…

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9 Fabulous ‘Home Upgrades on a Budget’ Ideas you need to try out

Here are Some Fabulous ‘home Upgrades On A Budget’ Ideas You Need To Try Out

1. Paint the Door

Create a striking first impression by either changing the front door altogether or repainting it. An additional coat of paints for the other doors in the house would also not hurt much. Change all the handles, door knobs and hinges. These are easy and inexpensive changes that would make a radical transformation to the way your house looks.

2. Change the Backsplash

Kitchen tiles tend to become dirty and dull pretty soon, spoiling the entire look of the kitchen in the process. So opt to change at least the backsplash to make your kitchen look cleaner and more inviting. Tiles can be expensive, so opt for alternatives like wooden beadboards, tin ceiling…

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What Factors Influence My Home’s Resale Value?

It’s safe to say we all know what would hinder us from buying a home.

If we were to harness those ideas and think about what would prevent us from buying a house, we can begin to make a list of what will factor into the resale value of our own homes. The resale value of a home is the amount the home is worth to potential buyers if you were to place your house on the market. Some factors influencing resale value are beyond a homeowner’s control and the factors also vary greatly from one consumer to the next. As you discuss your home’s resale value with your Realtor, it is important to remember it is time to put your best foot forward. The following are a list of general, and valuable, factors that play into the worth of your home. 

 Size and…

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What does a home inspection cover?

If you decide to have a home inspection, the major components of the home will be visually inspected and in some cases, tested by a trained professional.

You will receive a written report outlining details about the home and the inspection results. Com­ponents inspected generally include the roof, heating unit, plumbing, electrical system, structure, foundation, major appliances and much more.

A Great Tool For Buyers And Sellers

The question of whether or not to have an inspection should actually not be a question at all. One of the most common com­plaints against home sellers is in the area of condition, specifically disclosure of the condition. A home inspection is a valuable tool in deter­mining and disclosing condition to both buyer and…

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Honey, let's not use a Realtor!

The idea behind not using a real estate agent in the purchase and sale of a home is a simple one, to save yourself some money.

By Andrea Swiedler. Real Estate Agent with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England Properties Licensed in Connecticut

I get that.  Buyers think they will save money on the price of the home, sellers will save at least half the commission amount. (Many do offer a commission to a buyer's agent.)

FSBO AND THE UNREPRESENTED BUYER, THE PERFECT STORM!

Now we are talking! Part of my job as a real estate agent is to know what my seller is selling, and what my buyer is buying. This includes data from the town hall such as property taxes, building department information, health department information and more. I make sure…

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Assuming A Kamloops Mortgage - How does it work and is it for you?

An assumable mortgage is, simply put, one that the lender will allow another borrower to take over or “assume” without changing any of the terms of the mortgage.

For example, say you purchased a property for $200,000 with a mortgage of $150,000 and $50,000 of your own money. If part way through the mortgage term you decide you’d like to sell the home, you would have the option of essentially selling the mortgage as well. The person who buys the home from you could take over the balance of the mortgage and the associated payments and give you cash for the remainder of the value of the home. So, if your mortgage balance is now $140,000 and the home is now valued at $210,000, a buyer who is assuming the mortgage would need to pay you, the seller,…

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Cost Does Not Equal Value with Home Improvements

Never forget the simple rule that cost does not equal value with home improvements.

In fact, this may be the single most difficult point for both home sellers and home buyers to understand. It resonates not only with real estate but with everything from a bottle of wine to cars to clothes. Everyone has a different definition of “value” and what they are willing to pay for it.

Home sellers often have a biased view of what they’re home might bring if offered for sale. When these opinions are expressed, “upgrades” are almost always referenced. “I upgraded the carpet, the fixtures, the HVAC, the faucets….” is a consistent refrain. But how much of that “upgraded” item is recovered? Paying an extra $10,000 for “upgraded” roof shingles or $5,000 for a high…

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Whats The Difference Between a Listing Agent and a Selling Agent?

If it makes you feel any better people often don't really know the difference between a listing agent and a selling agent, either.

Why should they? Why should anybody know except those of us in the real estate business? At least you'll know which agent does what in a deal and you will sound far more intelligent about the crazy business of real estate, that's why. Plus, you'll know what to call the respective agents in a transaction, and that piece of knowledge should provide you with a bit of confidence as you finagle your way to buying or selling a home.

The Listing Agent

Listing agents come in all flavors, sizes and shape. A listing agent typically represents the seller. There are a few instances in which a listing agent might accept a flat…

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Which mortgage term will save you money over the next five years?

A significant “negative shock” to the economy: That’s what it’s going to take to lower interest rates again, says Canada’s most powerful banker.

And Bank of Canada head Stephen Poloz isn’t betting on that happening any time soon. Neither are bond traders, the big guns that bet billions of dollars every day on the direction of interest rates.

So let’s suppose – just for fun – that they’re right (since we all know how often markets and economists aren’t right). If we are actually near a bottom in rates for a few years, what’s the best way to play your mortgage?

Well, it just so happens that there’s an app for that. It’s called a spreadsheet and I’ve taken the liberty of putting mine through its paces and model out which mortgage term (or…

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