BENEFITS OF A VILLA LIFESTYLE…SUMMED UP.

Is your single-family estate home a little too lonely without the kids? Are the noisy neighbors in your condo proving too much? Maybe the security arrangements in your duplex or multiplex home leave a lot to be desired? Or you just want to own a home in serene surroundings with gorgeous views to tranquil courtyards, lush greenery and your own private pool in a desirable community…

These and other reasons are why choosing a villa home can prove the ideal solution to your housing needs, along with the perks of a privileged lifestyle.

Amenities. Most large residential communities with villas offer homeowners a raft of facilities within the compound. You can enjoy access to fitness pools for swimming laps or water aerobics if they are featured. If biking is your thing, offer miles of walking and bicycle trails with bike tracks. Or just cast a rod and reel into the lake from the designated zones and keep the kids busy. Other facilities like basketball, tennis, and volleyball courts, or a large, grass field is perfect for playing baseball or kickball can cater to sports enthusiasts. And if you are an avid golfer, you can plan a great day out if your community has an on-site golf course and putting green. In South Florida you’d be surprised how many premium residential communities do, along with community centers and even a village community center.

 Security & privacy. Villas in gated communities are the next best alternative to private villas. In addition to the myriad amenities, you also enjoy the benefit of 24×7 security for your family. Since villas offer you your own space where you can go about your routine, you need not worry about prying eyes. Yoga in the garden or a romantic dinner on the terrace – you don’t need to cast a second glance! And forget about rushing out to put away the children’s’ bicycles and toys…they will still be there in the morning.

Lifestyle. After a busy day spent dealing with the hassles of life, nothing can be more welcoming than coming home to a comfortable and tranquil villa home that affords you all the luxury to unwind in peace and quiet. Maybe the wife has planned on mingling with a few like-minded neighbors over drinks over the weekend…heck you can fire up the barbeque and just add to the fun! Potluck or roast, the neighbors will swing past (or just walk up to your home!). And you can crank up that stereo without thinking twice.

Investment benefits. Villas located in safe neighborhoods that are family-friendly, pet-friendly and secure are sought-after property, as they are close to everything you need, yet away from the hectic suburban sprawl. Unlike apartments, townhouses, multiplexes or condo complexes that can lose value over time, the capital gains associated with your villa will rarely decline, which makes for an excellent real estate investment. Of course, one needs to invest in maintaining the property to enhance its perceived value. And when it is your own villa, the opportunities are limitless. And eventually, you get to decide just how much you want to invest in speccing up the property.

So, whether it is the casual and carefree lifestyle that appeals or the more prestigious high-end living option, villas in residential communities give you freedom to decide what’s best for you.

FIND INCREDIBLE REAL ESTATE DEALS. EASILY.

Six simple tips to find better real estate, whether you’re looking for a property for your business, a home for your family, or getting into real estate investing. But remember, everything must begin with a great deal!

1.Foreclosed property deals What is foreclosure property – you may ask? Put simply, when an owner is unable to keep up with mortgage payments over a period of time, the bank (or lender) will ultimately repossess the home and if it occupied, the people living in it will be legally evicted. Once the home is empty, the lender will use the services of a local real estate to list it and sell it. Often at largely discounted prices. Banks, mortgage firms and other lenders are often quick to offer large discounts just to get the liability off their books. Buyers can negotiate further discounts if they are willing to rehab the home, depending on the quantity and value of repairs needed. Talk to the local real estate agents about the foreclosures in your area and start checking them out. Foreclosure properties make for some of the best deals, and often with a fat profit to make.

Also read: http://www.premierhomes4you.com/blog/invest-and-profit-in-foreclosure-property/

2. Pre-foreclosure deals So, you can get a great deal on foreclosed properties, but there is money to be made even with Pre-foreclosures. In the real estate business, it is possible to buy a home before the foreclosure is finalized and the homeowner is evicted. Buying a property during this period known as “pre-foreclosure”. It is a common enough practice employed by many real estate investors and can be a good way to find motivated homeowners.  Consider this – few things in life are more motivating for a homeowner than knowing they may likely be physically removed from their home.

3. Need for speed In real estate, quite often, it’s not the highest offer for a property that gets accepted, it’s simply the first offer. This may sound contrary to what you would expect, but if you are looking for a great deal, you may need to move quickly Get pre-approval from your bank. With a pre-approval you will have access to put up the funds quickly if a deal presents itself.  In some areas, a single house for sale might get a dozen or more offers in the first several days. If you spot a deal that checks out, make an offer the same day if possible. Remember, you are not the only one searching out great deals!

4. Contact potential home-sellers direct If you have the gift of the gab and are good at making genuinely convincing sales pitches, forget the multiple listing service and contact owners directly, asking them to consider selling their home. There is a chance a good percentage of potential home-sellers will entertain that option. Strike up a win; win deal before they list the home with a real estate agent, and there is better returns all around.

5. Target the fence-sitters Fence-sitters, or people who are simply un-decided about what they want to do with their current real estate are one of the best kinds of people to target. They could be absentee owners (someone who owns a property but doesn’t live there for one reason or another. Or they could be landlords, who are have not got any concrete plans for a property. Or even owners who may have inherited a property, and unsure of how to proceed.  Use online public records to look up owners of properties.  Or even consider using an aggregator like ListSource.com

 6. Follow the golden rule Remember the golden rule: You make your money when you buy. Whether you are looking to buy an investment property, purchase a home for yourself or buy real estate for other reasons, you must find a great real estate deals. And finding good deals is largely a “numbers game”.

Real estate deals follow a typical sales funnel. As they make their way down the funnel, the numerous leads that came in get filtered out, leaving just a handful of qualified and solid leads at the bottom. For example, your funnel might look like this:

  • Raw leads – 300
  • Leads remaining after fitting primary criteria (location, budget) – 150
  • Leads remaining after secondary criteria – 50
  • Leads remaining after viewing and analysis – 20
  • Offers made – 10
  • Offers rejected 9
  • Deals secured – 1

Notice that, in the above funnel, only one property deal was made out of the 300 raw leads that came in. So, if you are targeting more deals at the bottom, you need to improve each aspect of your funnel, starting with the quality and number of leads at the top.

Follow these six simple tips to find better real estate and start finding incredible deals today!

HOW TO SPOT A WIN: WIN RENTAL PROPERTY

If you want to build up your property portfolio on the assumption that any rental property will fit the bill – you could be in for a shock! There are various factors to consider when investing in a specific rental property and you must move forward only after ticking all the boxes. Lucrative as some rental properties may seem at first glance, only after taking ownership will the realities surface. You will spend time dealing with property and tenant issues nonstop. They will present problems throughout the tenure of ownership and impact your bottom line, even as you try to liquidate them eventually. Buying the discount property a few towns over from where you live will no longer be the good idea it seemed at the time.

But the right rental property can completely change all that, generating handsome returns over the long-term. Use our tips to spot a winning proposition.

The difference between Deals and good deals A rental deal may look great when presented to you on paper but the realities could be very different. With rentals, Rentability is the first thing to consider, leading to the type of tenants the property will attract. A rental in a poor market will invariably generate poor tenants. A better property in a better area will get you the desired rental. Know the difference and be prepared to pay a little more if you need to.

 Negotiate the lowest purchase price Every dollar on a rental deal is important. Contrary to what some investors believe, purchase price is just as important on a rental property as on a rehab deal. If you will finance your purchase with a bank loan or mortgage, a higher purchase price will increase your monthly outgoings and lower your cash flow. If on the other hand, you can negotiate the price 5% lower than the market value, you will reduce not just your capital requirement but also your cash flow. Don’t cheap out on a good deal, but at the same time, try to negotiate the lowest purchase price.

Focus on rentals dollars Always shortlist properties with the maximum cash flow potential. With a flip, all you need is one interested buyer to make an offer, based on the property’s evaluation – and it is done. But it is a different ball game when it comes to rentals. A new kitchen or updated flooring may make the property look great but it may not convince prospective tenants to pay more than fair market value.  200 lost rental dollars every month will hit your cash flow by 12,000 dollars in 5 years! That could amount to 15% loss on a 100,000-dollar home.

Saleability Before making a decision, you need to consider where the property will be a few years down the road. Simply basing your decision on current market trends and sales trends is a risky way of going about building your portfolio. Against a backdrop of ever-fluctuating real estate trends, it is hard to predict when the bottom will suddenly drop out. What happens then? Are you going to be in a position to sell for a higher amount? Or atleast break even on your investment? Location, commercial development and overall land values will affect your property’s market value, but without upgrades your property won’t rent or sell for top dollar. Traditional home buyers will consider the same probabilities when evaluating your property, as potential renters. Budget the cost of maintenance and upgrades to your property in the interest of saleability.

Have an exit strategy Most buyers don’t think about the worst-case scenario but truth being told, the best of rental properties eventually run their course. Despite best intentions, you may face a situation where you may have to cash out on your property. Hopefully you will never get to that stage, but if your property is limited in its appeal to find the right buyer, a quick sale is highly unlikely. You will have limited rent flexibility and if you decide to sell, the market won’t allow you to get top dollar. Always have Plan B in place, based on the worst-case scenario.

All rental properties are not created equal, but knowing the difference makes all the difference!

INVEST AND PROFIT IN FORECLOSURE PROPERTY

Florida ranked among the top 10 states for highest foreclosure rates in 2017 despite the number of foreclosures dropping by 45 percent compared to 2016. In Florida last year, there were 24,215 foreclosure proceedings filed, compared to 43,772 in 2016, according to ATTOM Data, a multi-sourced property database.

South Florida, still has the nation’s highest foreclosure rate at 1.3% and it stands to reason there are thousands of foreclosed homes to invest in. With the numbers reducing, the right investment may be harder to find, but savvy real estate investors are still finding them, and holding or flipping them profitably! The trick to turning a profit without falling prey to problems, is understanding what put these properties into foreclosure in the first place.

What is driving Foreclosures? Nationally, foreclosure filings for 2017 fell 27 percent compared to 2016, reaching their lowest level since 2005, according to the report. Foreclosures are a mix of new and legacy problems. Defaults on mortgages, delinquent property taxes, fraud, flawed court systems and banks still playing catch-up are all part of the problem. Though the situation is better today, property owners are still falling victim to a flawed system which hasn’t properly delivered. You still hear of properties that have fallen back into foreclosure as a result of lending criteria better aligned to interests of banks, mortgage providers and financiers.

Distressed property sales are no pushover. If you think, distressed property owners are all in the market to sell – think again. The decision to hold off a sale or foreclosure can be tied to various reasons. One reason is that property owners that have lost trust in parties that offer to ‘help owners out of foreclosure’ because of the dubious nature of transactions. Unscrupulous operators tend to tarnish the image of the lending business, delivering a setback to owners. Another reason is tighter controls, new rules and regulations to reduce turnover, making it harder for owners to sell, in the face of ready and interested investors. Yet other owners are not convinced they are really going to lose their properties, and delay taking action. Or they are bullish on their property value, delaying foreclosure.

Best practice. Today, investors need better strategies, more convincing arguments and smarter marketing tactics to win-over distressed property owners. Online foreclosure listings like Trulia foreclosures, foreclosures.com, Yahoo foreclosures, MSN real estate are a great start-point. Foreclosure auctions, Banks & Mortgage lenders, Real estate wholesalers and investor groups are all great sources of market information. Title companies mortgage companies, brokers and realtors are good for business based on referrals. Knowing where to look for distressed properties and foreclosure deals, is only one side to investing in the thousands of distressed properties in South Florida. Learning how to prospect and how to make winning offers is the key to sustainable long-term gains.  Invest in the right education, market knowledge, capital and financing, before investing in distressed property.

If sourcing, buying and recycling foreclosure properties for profit is your goal, practice due diligence first!

WANT THE BEST PRICE FOR YOUR PROPERTY? HERE’S HOW.

If you want the best price, simply listing your home is not enough, not even in a seller’s market. You need to get everything right to make a successful closure, and feel secure and comfortable doing so. As they say, “Close enough is not good enough”, so follow these pointers to improve your chances.

Right Agent There are thousands of listing agents out there, but you need to find one, that’s just right for you. A “One-size fits all” approach does not usually work as a good buying agent may not be equally good at listing properties. Good selling agents must possess excellent local knowledge, have established sales histories and experts at marketing properties, whilst maintaining transparency for the entirety of your transaction. Strike the right balance in doing your homework and letting your agent do his. Once you have made an educated choice, let the agent manage the process and take a step back. Then there is the all-important commission, but remember, if your goal is to get the highest price it may be worth trading off the extra point in commission. Take into account, experience, expertise, track-record, specialization, market reputation and personal interaction, when choosing your agent.

Right Price Listing your property at the right price is key to a quick sale. Over-pricing runs the risk of longer than necessary delays as your property will most likely sit vacant while the cheaper houses sell. With lower than expected showings you may have to consider lowering the price, and the ball will be in the buyer’s court. If not, the listing could run to weeks or months before you have a showing, which is fine if you are willing to wait it out for the right buyer. Under-pricing can lead to a quick deal, but be prepared to trade off potential gains from genuine buyers. To keep buyers and real estate agents interested in your property, list at the right price from the get go, and take your agent’s expertise and experience into consideration.

Perfect Showing Put yourself in the buyer’s shoes because the impression you get is as close to what a potential buyer will get. Maintain the exterior (and interior) of the property for as long as it is on the market. Signs of neglect are sure to turn buyers away, and also reduce the perceived value of a property. A strong first impression is key to influencing buyers. Fully functioning lights, pleasant temperature, polished fittings and fixtures clean interiors, furniture (if part of your sale) clean toilets will signal genuine interest to buyers. Make every showing as if it were the last and the rewards will start to come in. If you can’t do it all yourself, enlist the help of a professional company specializing in staging and showing homes. Or your listing agents may be willing to do this for you, to enhance the overall impression and value of the property.

Negotiate Successful showings will result in multiple showings, or atleast they should. Depending on the urgency, you may be tempted to go for an early offer in the interests of a quick sale. Even if it is lower than your expected price, you may find yourself justifying the reduced margin in the interests of a speedy sale. Or maybe “Sales” is just not your cup of tea and protracted bargaining is not what you want to spend your time doing. But remember, even as buyers will always have their best interests in mind, they may be willing to up the ante for the right home. In this line of work, negotiations are common place and one is almost expected to work the price points. Don’t be unreasonable as buyers may move on to the next property, but also, don’t be shy to negotiate the highest price you can.

Right Offer The highest offer is always a strong motivator to sell, but wait! There is more to an offer than just price, because an offer that ultimately doesn’t close means you will have to re-start the process, without any guarantees. Buyers that were interested in your property a month ago, may no longer be around, or will already have moved to close another deal in the market. You want to make sure the final offer justifies the time and effort spent in reaching a closure in the easiest manner. And sometimes it may not be the highest offer.

Trust your gut feeling. Go through the financing, closing date and other details with your agent, including the pre-qualification letter, loan agreements (if there is a loan attached), contract and all other legal documents. Sometimes buyers will delay the down payment, create difficulties in submitting the final offer or ask for unreasonable contingencies – an indicator of difficulties the deal may present down the road. Whereas sometimes you know you are on a winner, just by meeting a potential seller who makes everything as easy as possible. Weigh up the offers. And make the right decision in trading off the highest offer with the easiest closure.

Trust the vibe and go make money!

GET THE BEST INTEREST RATE ON YOUR MORTGAGE!

 

For first-time home buyers, the loan amount is a key consideration. But the interest rate is equally important for calculating monthly mortgage payments. It pretty much defines whether you are going to move forward on the property or not. Follow these simple tips on securing the best interest rate on your new mortgage!

High credit score A high credit scores demonstrates good financial standing, and financial security. Lenders will offer lower interest rates to those individuals, that represent the lowest financial risk, in order to safeguard their loans. Make sure to keep your credit score as high as possible. And keep the credit history squeaky clean!

 Low debt-to-income ratio The lower your debt-to-income ratio, the lower your interest rate will be.Generally speaking, consolidated outgoings should not exceed 40 percent of your monthly income. So, your credit card bills, personal loan, home mortgage and car payments should all fit within that 40 percent. Try to clear a couple of smaller loans before taking out a bigger mortgage, to qualify for a lower rate.

Work on your cash reserves Ideally your savings should provide financial cover for 6 months, meaning, you will be able to meet your financial obligations for 6 months even if you are un-employed for some reason. Someone with $50,000 in savings and $4,000 in monthly outgoings is a stronger candidate, than someone with say, $8,000 in the bank and similar outgoings. Remember, a dollar saved, is a dollar earned!

Fixed or adjustable rate mortgage? Many adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) loans offer interest rates lower than that of a fixed rate mortgage, in the introductory period. For those planning to pay off the mortgage in a short amount of time, ARM can be the better option, by taking advantage of lower rates during that introductory period.

Maximize the down payment Interest rate is partially based on a home’s loan-to-value (LTV). If you lower your loan’s principal amount, the interest rate will be correspondingly lower. If a home is worth $100,000, and the loan is for $80,000, the LTV is very high and it presents a riskier investment to the mortgage company. But if the loan is for $40,000, you can qualify for a lower interest rate.

Sustained employment record Secure and sustained employment with large and recognized companies (for example Inc 500 companies) is a key consideration for processing loans. Income stability and steady employment represent financial security to lenders. They can count on you to pay your mortgage in full every month, if you remain gainfully employed. And even if there are small gaps in employment, your cash reserves and credit history will act as guarantors in your favor!

Shop around for loans Lending criteria vary with lenders, and it is worth doing your research to finding one that meets your requirements. Some lenders will offer lower rates, but loans will require some form of collateral guarantees or other financial security. Others will not ask for too many sureties, but the rates will be higher based on the risk factor. Shop around to make the right choice for your mortgage. It really isn’t the brain surgery it is made out to be.

Happy hunting!