It seems you can’t drive far without seeing a home that is listed for sale by owner. Selling a home without the assistance of a realtor is probably today’s hottest trend in the real estate market. If you know anything about selling, you know that one of the most important components of success is to get the product out in front of as many prospective buyers as possible. This type of product placement is critical even when the product being sold is a home. Realtors typically take care of this type of exposure. But when you make the decision to put your home on the market as for sale by owner, this task falls into your lap.

Sure, lots of people driving by your home will notice that bright red FSBO sign out in your front yard. But these people might not be in the market for a new home. A few will know others who are, and they’ll spread the word about what they saw, but if you plan to sell your home anytime soon, you’ll need more prospective buyers than this.

What other choices do you have for advertising your for sale by owner home? You can run an ad in the local newspaper and this will bring out a few more buyers. You can have one of those pretty flyers printed up and you can stuff them into the tube below the “for sale” sign, but again, only those driving by are likely to see this flyer. You can make up cards and hang them on community bulletin boards located inside grocery stores and public buildings, but this likely will be a waste of time and effort.

There’s another way that’s been proven to be effective and that entails listing your home on the Internet. Think this is overkill? You wouldn’t be alone in this way of thinking. But you also wouldn’t be right, either. The Internet will give your home the nation-wide exposure it needs to generate a fast sale. In fact, many of the web sites dedicated to selling homes specialize in listing only for sale by owner homes, like the one offered at http://www.fiftystatesfsbo.com.

Nowadays, everybody uses the Internet to search for information and they’re using this powerful tool to purchase new homes. Don’t you think it’s time to get your for sale by owner home listed on the Internet?

In March 2014, the California Appellate Court issued an opinion in Richman v. Hartley (2014) 224 Cal.App.4th 1182, that makes it clear that California law requires real estate sellers to provide a ‘Transfer Disclosure Statement’ (TDS) to the buyer if the property is a mixed use property. A ‘mixed use’ property is property that contains both residential and commercial improvements.

The Buyer contracted with the Seller to buy Seller’s real property in Ventura, California. The real estate was a single parcel, but it included two buildings: a residential duplex and a commercial structure. The parties used a standard sales contract used for commercial real estate purchases. The agreement contained the following provision: “Seller shall make to Buyer, through escrow, all the applicable disclosures required by law… concerning the property… ” The contract also contained language stating the sale would be non-contingent and on an “as-is” basis.

Buyer refused to close on the scheduled date because, he asserted, Seller failed to provide the required disclosure statements. Specifically, Buyer argued that Seller did not give him the TDS as required by the Transfer Disclosure Law, Civil Code § 1102(a), et seq. California Civil Code § 1102(a) makes it clear that the disclosure requirement applies to “real property or residential stock cooperative, improved with or consisting of not less than one nor more than four dwelling units,” unless the property is expressly exempted. Civil Code § 1102.02 lists the types of real property transfers to which the Transfer Disclosure Law does not apply, and a ‘mixed use’ property is not listed among them. The Seller argued that the Transfer Disclosure Law only applied to property sales that only involve residential structures.

Seller sued Buyer for breach of the purchase contract. During litigation, Buyer moved for summary judgment and prevailed because, as a matter of law, Seller could not establish that he performed his statutory and contractual duty to provide the TDS. The trial court granted summary judgment in Buyer’s favor and Seller appealed. The appellate court affirmed the trial court’s decision.

Seller asserted on appeal that the Transfer Disclosure Law only applied to real property “consisting of not less than one nor more than four dwelling units,” and that his property consisted of both residential and commercial buildings. Seller argued that the law was not intended to protect what are, in essence, commercial transactions.

The Court of Appeals noted that the Legislature enacted the law in 1985 and by its express wording it requires a seller to deliver to the buyer a real estate TDS in “any transfer… of real property” improved with or consisting of not less than one nor more than four dwelling units. (Civ. Code § 1102(a).) It held that these words are clear and unambiguous and that there is no limitation to parcels of property on which there only exists residential improvements. The addition of commercial uses and structures on the property does not nullify the consumer protections the law was intended to provide.

The court noted that it was true that the Legislature did not intend the Transfer Disclosure Law to apply to commercial real estate transactions. The court stated that it was unnecessary to characterize the nature of the transaction as “residential” or “commercial” because the statute triggers the need for a TDS simply by having a dwelling unit on it. Presumably a parcel of land that is primarily used for commercial purposes but which has a seemingly insignificant dwelling unit on it is also considered mixed use, thus requiring a TDS. If a parcel of property is mixed use, to what extent does the TDS apply: to just the dwelling unit, or also the commercial portions of the property? The court did not address this issue.

The case highlights the results of failing to provide disclosures to the buyer. It has simply been a common occurrence that parties to a transaction believe that a parcel of property that can be characterized as primarily commercial means that the Transfer Disclosure Law does not apply. This means that there are many sellers who have violated the disclosure laws. Even more frightening to sellers and their brokers is the possible scope of the disclosure involving mixed use parcels of land. It would certainly have significant adverse consequences in the real estate market if a court were to hold that the disclosure requirements apply to even the commercial portions of the property, but that is an issue for another court to resolve. The take-away lesson here is, it is usually worth the effort to over-disclose.

Currently there is an abundance of real estate for sale. Nearly everywhere you turn you find “For Sale” signs peppering the landscape of communities throughout the nation. Newspapers contain page after page of real estate listings, while newsstands offer a bounty of magazines portraying every conceivable type of real estate property.

With so much real estate for sale it’s become a “Buyer’s Market”, meaning there is too much property available and not enough buyers. When a buyer’s market appears, homes take longer to sell and owners are forced to accept less money or sit on their property for longer periods of time.

A buyer’s market is good news for those who have money to invest in real estate. Investors can purchase property under market value and eventually sell it for a nice profit. On the flip side, a buyer’s market can cause financial discord for those who need to quickly sell their real estate.

Today, many people who have real estate for sale are opting to sell the property on their own. This is referred to as “For Sale by Owner” or “FSBO.” When a property owner offers FSBO, there is a potential to save thousands of dollars. There is also potential for financial disaster. Therefore, anyone choosing this route must take time to become educated about the process.

When placing a house on the market, homeowners must first establish its value. This can be done by hiring a professional appraiser. Real estate values are based on a variety of factors including location, condition, amenities, and comparison of similar properties in the area.

In addition to the appraisal, home inspections are required before a sale can be closed. Experts recommend obtaining a whole house inspection prior to listing the real estate for sale. This allows ample opportunity to make repairs and prevent unforeseen problems at closing.

Those who embark on the For Sale by Owner path should become familiar with sales contracts and real estate jargon. It’s imperative to learn negotiation terms and techniques and understand the legalese of closing and settlement documents.

The Internet provides many resources to assist homeowners in selling real estate. Most of the required legal forms can be downloaded for free or for a nominal fee. For Sale by Owner kits are available for purchase and include a variety of forms and resources. There are numerous websites where sellers can post information and photos of their home to attract potential buyers.

Selling real estate on your own puts everything in your hands. If you take time to learn the process before diving in, you can save yourself a lot of stress and a fistful of dollars. Education is the key to your real estate success, so don’t skimp on the process.

Picture this happening to you. Recently you made a major purchase, one that you hope to make only every few years because of the high price involved. During the time you talked with the sales professional, he made you feel very special.

In fact, he greeted your spouse enthusiastically, and told her what a cute puppy she was holding. He asked: “Tell me all about this fur ball in your arms. I’ll bet she is the queen of your house.”

Realizing you were not a technology expert, he explained and demonstrated what you needed to know about the complex equipment. Even though you asked more questions than most customers probably would, he responded to each one patiently.

You bought the product, and you left the establishment talking with your spouse about how helpful and gracious the sales rep had been.

Fortunately, the product served you well. Even so, four months later, without any feeling of panic, you noticed a blinking light you had not been aware of previously. So you went to the service department, asked what this was all about, and got a quick answer letting you know you didn’t have a problem.

Before you exited the building, you thought: “While I’m here, I’ll just go say hi to Arlin (not his real name) who was so friendly and helpful when I was deciding what to buy.” You found Arlin, approached him, gave him your name, and reminded him how much you welcomed his information and advice months ago.

Arlin’s bland reaction shocked you. You knew you were talking to the same sales rep, yet you felt none of the warmth that seemed so authentic before you signed up for the installment payments.

This time he asked no questions about your use of the product, and you assumed that if you had the dog with you now he wouldn’t comment about your beloved pet. Almost as quickly as your conversation with Arlin started, he said as he walked away, “Good to see you, thanks for saying hello.”

I know how disappointed you would be if you felt practically ignored by your previously effervescent sales guy. I know because I was the buyer in this case.

Oh yes, the company sent me a nice thank you gift a few days after my purchase. I appreciated that. Even more, I would have appreciated Arlin welcoming me back as royally as he had welcomed me initially.

Every one of us in sales can take an important lesson from this after-the-sale experience. Namely this: the responsibility of the sales professional to treat the customer with real concern does not end when the check clears the bank, the credit card goes through, the credit rating is favorable, or the product leaves the establishment.

Have you ever heard the saying, “Timing Is Everything?” Take it to heart because timing your bake sale event will be one of the most important, if not the most important, decision you make. Choose the wrong time and you might not have customers, volunteers, or an appropriate location. Choose the right time and everything runs smoothly.

Here are 7 definite “Do’s” to make your bake sale a successful.

1. Take all things into consideration when selecting the day, date and time of your bake sale. Try to coordinate all these pieces of information.

2. Decide if it is better to have your event during the day, evening, or on a weekend. When will you have the most potential customers? When will your volunteers be available?

3. Be culturally and ethnically sensitive. Scheduling your event on Thanksgiving Day or St. Patrick’s Day probably won’t work well.

4. Plan your event to be close to a payday. Customers are happy and it’s easier for your customers to “splurge” at the bake sale table if they’ve just been paid.

5. Use a theme for the bake sale whenever possible. Holiday events are profitable because you can create a theme for your sale and your customers and volunteers are in a great mood.

6. Announce why you are holding your special event to raise money. Is it for the school building project or are you trying to buy baseball uniforms? Let the world know. Most people prefer contributing to a specific goal than to just a “fundraising event.” It makes people feel a part of something long lasting and it is concrete. They can see what their contribution is going to do.

7. Lastly, do consider who your customers will be. What is their normal schedule? If you are going to sell at a college site or at a senior center find out the best time to hold your event.

There are things you should take steps to avoid to have a successful bake sale. Here are 5 things to put on your taboo list.

1. Avoid trying to set-up a fund raising event where you are not welcome or where you have not had appropriate clearance. If you were not granted clearance there is a reason. Move to another location.

2. Avoid trying to compete with another event. Why compete? You want your event to have front stage and center.

3. Avoid a lunch time sale setup at noon. Set it up to run from 10:00 AM to 1:30 PM. This will get the late coffee crowd as well as the lunch crowd.

4. Avoid being understaffed during the sale. Customers don’t want to wait.

5. Avoid being unprepared during the setup process and clean up process. Not doing advanced scouting regarding the location and the personnel in charge could delay things and discourage people.

Paying attention to the small details of a bake sale will help the event run smoothly. Remember, there is always one more thing to do…at a bake sale, that probably is sampling the brownies. It’s a fun quality control issue!

When a homeowner is in distress they are looking all over for help. They might ask family members, research on the internet, and more. One thing is for certain, that the only place they look, at least 6 days a week is their mailbox. They might not search online daily for help but they will certainly open their mail.

When you take the time to send a short sale letter you are instantly separating yourself from the competition. Your short sale letter has two instant options:

1. Get thrown in the trash can
2. Get opened

Maybe that sounds too simple; however, since the post office is committed to delivering your mail those are the simples of opportunities that your letter has. With mail rates falling at a fast pace there is much less competition then there used to be. There are days when a homeowner might get only 2-4 letters. When your mail piece lands on those days you have a HUGE opportunity to pique interest and get the prospect to call you.

To grab the attention of the homeowner with your short sale letter, I invite you to consider the following:

1. Headline – When the homeowner first opens your letter how are you grabbing their attention? Is your headline big and bold? Is it a different color then the rest of your letter? Does it show them in less than 10 seconds how their problems can be solved if they just read on? The more direct your headline the more interest you will pique and keep.
2. Call to Action – How obvious do you make it for your prospect to reach out to you? What are you asking them to do? Are you asking them to call? Asking them to visit your website? The more obvious you make your call to action, the more leads of eager sellers you will receive.

When your short sale letter to homeowners has a powerful headline and an obvious call to action you will be generating new leads daily.

Discover a short sale marketing system, that includes powerful short sale letters to homeowners today.

To Short Sell or not to Short Sell, that’s the question

You have probably heard about the term Short Sale (SS) by now. This is when a seller (usually one who is in a current financial hardship) attempts to sell their home that is worth less than the amount they owe on their mortgage. The bank needs to approve the loss that they are taking as a result of the sale, and once they approve, the SS can close with a new buyer in place.

There are 7+ Million households in trouble today – either this means that the household is either late on their payments, or the foreclosure process of the home is already in effect. The sad part is that for about half of the homes that get foreclosed in this country the owners didn’t do (or know to do) anything about it. Banks today are hurting and NEED to seek alternatives other than foreclosure, and a successful SS has become the preferred process of absorbing the immense amount of distress sales that are mounting throughout the country.

In a short-sale, the seller remains the owner while negotiations are made with the bank regarding the terms of the sale and how the sale will affect the financial future of the seller. Of course you would be ill-advised to go about this on your own; you would want someone who is experienced and tenacious when dealing with a large financial institution and your financial future on your side.

I have been successfully negotiating short-sale transactions since 2006 (before most large banks even had SS departments) You don’t become a short-sale expert by taking a weekend class; it comes from experience through the total amount of short sales you have successfully closed and how well the clients ended up after all is said and done. Moreover, owners that are in financial hardship today need to know that there are several options to assist depending on your situation and what you want to accomplish. Many people stick their head in the sand and choose to ignore all the bad stuff that is going on around them and let their home get foreclosed right from underneath them. Foreclosure destroys your credit and is the worst thing you can do to yourself. On the other hand, doing a short-sale is the best thing you can do for yourself assuming that you have researched and tried to seek alternatives to stay in your home. There are government programs for helping with keeping homeowners in their home and people in general need to know that programs like these exist and that they are a viable option. For many homeowners, the hardship is too severe to justify staying in the property no matter how the terms of the loan are readjusted and a Short Sale becomes the most logical and reasonable solution.

Doing a short-sale can be really easy, but for many people it’s a lengthy and stressful process. They used to be near impossible to do because there was no set precedent on how to deal with them just a few short years ago. Nowadays, every bank has dealt with Short Sales, and most have beefed-up teams of personnel dedicated to the processing of these short-sale files. As a result, the more Short Sales that get approved and closed, the more regular the process is, and the majority of all banks will do them in a similar manner, making it easier for the agents to setup files for success upon the initiation of a SS.

It goes without saying, but a Short Sale will affect your credit and can have significant tax and legal ramifications. Your agent should be advising that you speak to the necessary professionals to get you informed on where you stand and what your risk is in terms of the consequences you may realize if you go the SS route. In my experience the majority of my clients are better off doing a SS. Its seldom that they are actually better off doing a foreclosure. Your situation will be determined based on the history of your loan (did you refinance?), and the status of occupancy of the home in question (are you an owner-occupied or investor?), among other things. Depending on the state that you live in, these determining factors change how the banks can or may go after you, so you want to make sure that you are making the right decision from the onset.

Most people will benefit from the short-sale, and my best advice is to find someone that has dealt with banks a lot. If your Realtor is a friend but doesn’t know the first thing about Short Sales, pardon the relationship and go with a pro unless you want to risk losing your friendship because they did you wrong in negotiating and communicating with the banks. The banks are keen on what they can carve out of you throughout the process and a less-experienced agent may cost their clients a lot of money, whereas an agent like me rarely, if ever, sees a seller contribution required in order to get short-sale approval.

Nowadays, the government has rolled out a short-sale program that is the program you will want to opt for initially with your agent, because if you can qualify, it’s the best deal in town. The Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternative (HAFA) program is the government sponsored program that has been implemented this year to assist distressed homeowners to short sale their home quickly without legal consequences and with some cash in their pocket for move out expenses. This is by far the most promising and beneficial program to date and this is only getting more pervasive as more and more homeowners find out that they have options. With this program, not only can you gracefully remove yourself from your home and mortgage obligation, you will do so without any legal recourse from the bank. In other words, the bank cannot come after you after the short-sale no matter what, and they will give you $3000 for move out costs after everything is said and done. This is a big departure from a regular short-sale in which the bank wants to see absolutely nothing going to the homeowner (and it makes sense because the bank is taking a substantial loss – so they figure why should the owner walk away with any money?) With HAFA, all the potential bad stuff that can happen from a short-sale essentially goes away (not including the hit on your credit) and you end up with cash in hand; that’s why this is the best program I’ve seen to date.

Why does the bank agree to this? A short-sale is the best alternative for a bank because they typically net more money with this process rather than a foreclosure. From the numbers I have seen, on average the bank nets 10% more value by doing a short-sale compared to a foreclosure. In a short-sale the real estate agent and seller essentially find the buyer for the property and all the bank needs to do is push the button to approve. Contrast this with a foreclosure where the bank’s mounting foreclosure costs, legal fees, holding costs, maintenance and repair, property taxes and paying out a full commission to a real estate broker to list the foreclosure, and you can see why going the short-sale route is a win-win for the bank and borrower alike.

2011 will be a year where the short-sale takes up a majority share of the market. It also creates the most opportune time for someone to do a SS that could desperately benefit from one. No matter what your future holds, my aim is to help you take control of your financial destiny in order to put you in the most advantageous position to succeed. I hope that this information was helpful in getting you clued in on the short-sale market today. Be an advocate for yourself, get educated and take action today. Best of luck!

For those of you unsure as to what exactly a hybrid’s bike is; it’s basically a combination of road and mountain bike; suitable for most general purpose rides over a variety of terrain. If you’re exploring the option of buying hybrid type of bikes, – based or otherwise, here’s some things you need to know before committing to purchase.

What to expect from a hybrid:

The big difference between a hybrid and a standard road bike is that the braking and shifting is very similar to that of a mountain bike, rather than featuring integrated brake and shift levers (as generally found on road bikes).

The seating position is upright, which obviously impedes speed, but makes for a safer, more comfortable ride. Tyres are also generally larger, which offers a more cushioned experience than the narrower tyres used on road bikes.

Of course, there’s variation between models. Some are more akin to road bikes, others more similar to mountain bikes. When choosing a hybrid, it’s best to think about what exactly you’ll be using it for most, and base your buying decision on that.

Advantages of hybrid bikes:

It’s safer: Hybrids are generally a safer choice if you do a lot of weaving in and out of traffic.

It’s a good all-rounder: Unlike mountain of bikes for sale, hybrids are good for a wide range of terrains.

There’s a lot of options on the market: There are a number of hybrids available on the market, and you should be able to find one that suits your purposes.

Disadvantages of hybrid of bikes:

It lacks a bit of speed: Due to the upright position, you won’t be able to quite reach the speeds that you’ll be able to reach with standard road bikes. However, average speeds are not at all bad.

You might feel self-conscious: Some devoted cyclists are against hybrid in bikes, on the grounds that they don’t like the upright position, and claim that it feels a little ‘unnatural’. However, it’s purely a matter of personal taste.

It’s good for everything, excellent for nothing: A hybrid is a great option if you want to travel over a lot of different terrains, or if you’re planning to use it for a regular commute. However, for serious mountain cyclists or road cyclists, it’s obviously not such a great option.

What else do you need with your hybrid?:

When investing in a new bike of any kind, it’s important to consider all the other things you’ll also need, and factor this into your budget. For example, some hybrid in bikes feature mud guards, others don’t, so you may need to buy them separately. You may also need to invest in some cycling clothing; MTB parts shops should be able to give you further advice if required.

If you want to find out more about hybrid bikes, or if you want to ask any further questions about anything else bike related, simply get in touch with Good Bike Gear today.

Becoming the owner of an aircraft is something which someone can just dream of but now-a-days this can also be a reality. Human nature is an unusual thing and it always desires of possessing something very bizarre. Many of us have dreams of flying of their own and thus they desire of having an aircraft which can fulfill their dream. So to chase this dream and make it a reality many of us want to be a proud owner of an aircraft. People look for an aircraft for sale as a used aircraft can be affordable compared to a polished new one. But taking the decision of buying a used aircraft for sale is really very tough than making a decision to buy any other vehicle.

Before arriving at any decision you need to be sure what type of aircraft you actually need. Different types of aircraft have different uses. It is to be decided beforehand that what is the actual purpose of buying an aircraft as this is a prime determinant of what you want to buy. Thus a market survey is also required to gather proper knowledge on aircraft, cost and maintenance and its usage as then only you can gather courage to buy used aircraft for sale. So going through different brokers, sellers, dealers or even by surfing the internet properly can give you ideas on aircraft. Here, the online websites can be more than handy to help you find dealers or brokers, who eventually can help you find used aircraft for sale.

Some basic requirements when deciding to buy a used Aircraft for sale:

After it has been decided what type of aircraft is to be bought the search for used aircraft for sale begins. The dealers or the brokers might help regarding this as they have contacts of better used aircraft for sale. The budget is the prime component when looking to buy a used aircraft for sale as you have to decide of your own how much you can afford to buy a used aircraft. So after a budget has been fixed the expenses need to be figured out as an estimate has to be made for the expenses in addition to the cost of the aircraft for sale. This will actually determine the exact cost of the aircraft as used aircraft will have lots of expenses such as maintenance cost, operating cost, insurance cost and few others.

You should know very well the motive behind buying an aircraft as different people will have different types of requirement. So when looking to buy a used aircraft for sale the mission behind buying it has to be determined first as it can be either for traveling purpose, business purpose or for transportation purpose. Apart from these, the condition of the aircraft for sale is the most crucial thing. The engine has to be in proper running condition. Besides the engine, the documentation is also very crucial as the papers should be in proper condition which must also have the insurance documents with it.

Therefore, start your research on aircraft for sale as without your market survey on aircraft, its cost, condition, purpose you will not be able to get the desired result you are seeking for.

If you are thinking about buying an already existing business, then the information in this article can save you a lot of time, money and frustration.

Listen to this:

A little while back I was talking to a guy who knows how to analyze and value businesses.

And he started telling me why it is such a mistake to buy any business that is advertised or listed with a business broker.

“Why is that?” I asked. I had never heard this before. In fact, I had always been told you MUST buy businesses through a broker. And that doing so was the easiest and safest way to go.

“Because, unless the owner is simply retiring and wants to cash out, there is usually a more sinister reason why they are selling,” he replied.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, would you sell your business right now?”

I thought about that a moment and it became clear what he was getting at.

People don’t usually sell good businesses.

I know I wouldn’t sell mine right now…unless it started causing me undo stress or it was going so well I could “cash out” for tens of millions of dollars.

Unfortunately, with most businesses for sale, it’s usually not a retirement issue…it’s a stress or some other problem issue.

And if you simply analyze the numbers, the financial statements and the sales…it will usually be clear as a bell what the “real” reason the owner is selling is — whether good or bad.

And that was my friend’s point.

If you are going to buy a business you must do two things:

1.) Learn how to analyze a business or find someone who does.

2.) Be very skeptical of anything that is for sale or listed by a broker.

In fact, the best businesses to buy are the ones not for sale.

The ones where the owner hasn’t thought about selling…because everything is going well. But who, at the same time, would still be very interested if someone approached him with a letter or phone call making a lucrative offer.

Keep these simple facts in mind when you are looking to buy a business and you will save yourself a lot of money, time and hassle.